Disclaimer: See the Prologue
Chapter 17 – Return to NERV
Everyone heard Asuka cry from the door.
"Who is it?" Misato yelled out to her.
"IT'S HIM!" Asuka cried, stepping away from the door fearfully.
"It's who?" Misato asked, rolling her eyes.
She then heard his raspy voice.
"Miss Katsuragi? Is that you in there?"
Misato froze in horror at the sound of that voice. Gordon got out of his seat, went to the doorway, and saw that it was the G-Man, standing there outside the door, carrying his briefcase.
"Mr. Freeman," the G-Man greeted, "You've survived. My employers will be very pleased at your progress."
Gordon nodded, smiling hesitantly.
Misato, Shinji and Rei then joined him; the G-Man looked straight at Misato, smiling lightly.
"We meet again, Katsuragi," he greeted her, "You have grown up so much since our last encounter. I'm sorry to hear about you father."
Misato's eyes widened at the figure, stunned to see him here.
She remembered him back at 2000, 2 days before 2nd Impact. Before they sat out to go to Antarctica on the Katsuragi, she had found her father talking with this person in an office, watching the conversion through almost soundproof glass. This person had tried to persuade her father to not go to Antarctica and that it would bring serious repercussions on his daughter. Misato's father, Dr. Katsuragi, did not listen.
That's when the G-Man provided the emergency escape unit and insisted that Dr. Katsuragi take it with him. It saved Misato from the resulting explosion from the Angel Adam's self-destruct. Since then Misato was terrified of this person, as if he knew what was going to happen to the world. She never thought about the fact that the G-Man tried to stop Second Impact and that he saved her life.
"Wha…what…are you doing here?" Misato asked, fearful of his presence.
"I have come to tell you all that our job here isn't finished yet," he said.
"What are you talking about?" Gordon asked, "I've stopped Third Impact as you've said."
Misato and Asuka looked at Gordon blankly.
'Gordon works for this guy?' they both thought as one.
"You have," the G-Man agreed with him, "But we have one more objective to accomplish. And it involves you and…"
He looked at Shinji.
"Pilot Ikari."
Gordon turned to Shinji, who looked at Gordon for a second, before staring down at the G-Man, almost fearfully.
"What do you want with me?" Shinji asked.
"A great many things," the G-Man replied.
Misato stepped between Shinji and the G-Man.
"You are not going to lay a finger on Shinji," Misato cried, glaring at him.
The G-Man smiled as they all teleported from Misato's apartment, leaving Pen-Pen, Misato's beloved penguin, alone in the apartment. He had watched what had been going on at the doorway.
"WARK!" he squawked in confusion.
When they reappeared, they found themselves on a hill overlooking Tokyo-03, next to a concrete bunker. Shinji, Asuka and Rei realised that they were in their plugsuits.
"What the hey…?" Asuka cried.
Misato and Gordon looked around where they are.
"Where the hell are we?" Misato queried.
The G-Man smiled as he explained, "We are at a decommissioned entrance into NERV. When it was first built here in Tokyo-03, it was supposed to be secretive, so it was built here. This bunker is connected to NERV via railway and that leads to the cages."
"Why are we here anyway?" Shinji asked.
"If you will all kindly follow me," the G-Man said, "I will explain on the way."
He stepped into the bunker. The gang looked at one another, before Gordon nodded and they followed.
They begun walking down a spiralling staircase as the G-Man explained everything.
"You see, NERV was not just established to combat Angels, it was built for research purposes towards Xen, alongside Black Mesa," he begun, "Unit-01 wasn't originally built for combat; rather it was planned that it would be able to transport itself to different worlds using the teleporter technology."
Asuka looked the G-Man, clueless.
"Say what?" Asuka exclaimed.
"Evangelion Unit-01 can teleport human to different world," Gordon explained, then turned to the G-Man, "Why do we need to go to Xen anyway?"
"The original populace of Xen is in peril," the G-Man explained again, "They require assistance in escaping to Earth. The Union is attempting to recapture them."
"Who is the original populace?" Misato asked, "Other humans?"
"The Vortiguants," the G-Man answered, "Better known as Alien Slaves."
Gordon thought about that.
"You mean those bipedal lizard creatures?" Gordon asked.
"Precisely," the G-Man said, smiling, "Apart from the ones you encountered in NERV, they are free. Ever since the 19th Angel was destroyed, the Union's control over them has gradually faded. It will only be a matter of time before the Union comes to reclaim them."
"Why do we need to save those things?" Asuka asked.
"They will be vital for the trials about to face this world," the G-Man said, "Only Gordon will need to go to Xen. You will all be…witnesses."
They soon reached the end of the staircase and were before one of those trains similar to Black Mesa. Upon seeing it, Gordon flashed back to the day when all hell broke loose back at. And to think he was running late for an experiment.
"Witnesses?" Misato asked.
The G-Man nodded, "Now if you're probably wondering how Gordon is going to get to Xen, it will involve Unit-01 and the pilot with the highest sync ration."
He turned to Shinji, who looked back.
"Namely, Pilot Ikari," the G-Man said.
"Re…really?" Shinji asked.
"You will sync with Unit-01 and generate the highest ratio possible," the G-Man explained, "They will interface with the displacement technology within it and will open a gateway to Xen."
The G-Man turned to Gordon.
"And you, Mr. Freeman, will enter Xen from there."
Gordon turned wide-eyed. He was going back to Xen to save what he considered to be his mortal enemies.
"How…am I going to save the Alien Slaves?" Gordon asked.
The G-Man smirked, "You will work it out."
The door to the train opened.
"Please, step aboard," the G-Man said invitingly, "I will see you up ahead."
They did so, not wanting to argue. The train then activated and they were on their way slowly, watched the G-Man.
Once they were a good distance…
"This is bullshit!" Asuka cried, "We don't need to be here if this involves Shinji and Freeman!"
Misato glared at her, and thought, 'Godd#$#it! She's still so egotistical!"
Gordon sat down next to Shinji, who looked glum.
"Hey Shinji?" Gordon started, looking over at him.
He looked up at him, "Yes, Dr. Freeman?"
"You ok?"
"Yeah," Shinji nodded, "I suppose."
Gordon patted his back lightly, "I'll watch out for out there."
Shinji smiled, "Thank you…Gordon."
And the train pushed on through the dark tunnel, back towards NERV.
