A Fury's Passage To Death

Chapter 7

"Boy Misato, both Shinji and Asuka's sync ratio's are up today. Did something happen between the two." Both women were in the control box over looking the children during the scheduled sync test. It was the now 'daily' sync test. Commander Ikari ordered to have all the children tested daily till they set new records. In the three years since the last angel none of the children have been able to retain their average sync ratio. And with the excitement last night, he wanted the children ready. "This is the best they have had in a long time."

"I don't know. I was actually expecting their scores to be down today." Misato moved to over look the monitor that Ritsuko was staring at. Sure enough, their scores were at their best in a while. Misato was bewildered at how their scores were up. "It's been nothing, but teenage drama at the house lately."

"You know Section 2 reported that Asuka went into Shinji's room last night. Did you know about this?" Ritsuko said with a smirk. Making sure she did not miss the Misato's face at that comment.

She was not disappointed. "What! They better not have done anything or I will kill them!"

"Relax Misato, she was not in there long enough to do anything." Dr. Akagi turned back to her work. "But she did leave with a happy look on her face."

"Are you saying that they," Misato's eyes bulged out showing her immediate realization, "They are a couple?"

The rear door to the room opened reveling Maya. She walked up to Ritsuko, handed her some paper's , then took her seat monitoring the children's records with great care.

"That's your job to find out. Not mine." Ritsuko flipped through the paper's. She grabbed one of the paper's and gave it over to Misato.

Misato grabbed the paper from her best friend. "What's this."

"It's a note saying the kids are to meet a Detective down stair's after the test's today. In the cafeteria I believe."

"A detective?" Misato looked at the piece of paper. It was a hand written message to her from the sub-commander. It did not say anything about the detective.

Ritsuko walked over to the mike. With pleased enthusiasm she reported to the kids. "Good job today guy's. This is the best you've done in a while." The children or 'young adults' had smiles on their faces. Well Asuka and Shinji did. Rei was expressionless. "We're going to let you guy's out early today." The kids were really happy now.

Ritsuko stepped aside letting Misato take the com. "All right, you guy's are to change and meet me in the cafeteria." The happy faces were replaced with moans and gagging sounds. "You have twenty minutes so get to it." She turned away from the mike and walked away. Maya was about to turn the mike off when Misato ran back, grabbed it from her and proceeded to shout in it. "And, Shinji, Asuka." She waited till she had the attention of her two children. "We will have a talk about what went on last night." Both of the kids blushed and more moans of displeasure were heard. Misato left the room and headed to the cafeteria to meet the detective before the kids arrived.

OOOO

Shinji left the locker room. Being a boy it naturally took him less time to get cleaned and changed. Shinji had never really cared for his physical appearance, giving him less hassle to leave the Nerv complex. This was something he was sure Asuka would change.

Orders not allowing him to wait for the girls he headed strait to the cafeteria. Entering, he saw his guardian Misato sitting down at one of the tables. Across from her was a short man. His hair was brown, but showed signs that it used to be a lot darker when he was younger. He wore a light blue color business suit and held tan portfolio on his lap. Misato's expression was not of a good mood like earlier. The conversation they were having apparently was not of a good subject.

Shinji walked up. Hoping to get this over with quick so he could get back to Asuka. "Misato, you called for me here?"

"Yes Shinji." She looked at the young boy, hiding a face of concern. "This is detective Roland. He is from the Tokyo-3 police unit. He's here to ask you a few questions"

"Did I something wrong?"

Misato let out one of her little giggles. "No, he's just here to ask you a few questions." She got up, having Shinji take the seat she was occupying only a moment ago. "When you're done I'll send in one of the girls." She left the room. Shinji turned his attention to the man.

Detective Roland was an older man, probably mid to late fifties, and on his way out to retirement. He held out his hand. "Shinji Ikari. Am I right?" Shinji nodded his head and shook the man's hand, not used to the western style greeting. "The famous third child. It really is a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you." Shinji replied a little hesitant. He had the feeling that he would not like this conversation. "Umm. What is this about Detective?"

"This could be a hard for you. Are you ready for this?"

Of course Shinji was not ready. "Yes."

The detective opened the portfolio, took out some papers, and handed one of them to Shinji. Shinji took the paper, looking at the picture on it. It was a picture of Leigh. Kensuke's girlfriend.

"Do you know this girl?" Roland asked.

"A little. I know her name is Leigh, and she is going out with one of my friends." It was easier to call Kensuke a friend; avoided a whole set of questions. "You should ask Asuka. I did not really know the girl, but Asuka is good friends with her." Shinji looked up from the picture. "Did something happen to her?"

Roland stiffened in his chair. It was hard on the old man to tell people these kinds of things. "This morning we found her body on the outskirts of town. Not to far away from her house." Shinji sat stunned. Not expecting her to be dead. "Her body was smashed. It wasn't a hit and run. She was murdered. Who ever killed her took their time killing her."

Shinji's voice dried up as he barely could talk. "How."

The detective closed his eyes in an attempt to avoid Shinji's eyes. These situations were hard on the aging man, and he had two more to go. "Looks like a car repeatably rammed itself into her. We found traces of red paint in her body."

There was only one person or rather vehicle that came to Shinji's mind. Christine. "Do you know who did it?"

Roland almost let out a laugh, but kept a strait face. "If I did, I would not be talking to you."

"The only person I know that had a red car was her boyfriend. But his car was destroyed the other night."

"Nothing else comes to mind of who it could be?" Shinji shook his head. Roland sighed. "You can go now." Shinji got up and walked to the door. "And Shinji, I left my number with the major. If you think of anything, you tell me." Shinji replied yes and left.

OOOO

Asuka was next. Instead of heading off to his room or out to the geofront Shinji waited for Asuka in the hall. He was not alone. Rei and Misato kept him company. Yet their was little chit-chat in the hall.

Misato, who was already told everything, decided a change in topic can help. Her at least. She already talked with Asuka, so now it was Shinji's turn. "So Shinji. What did you and Asuka do last night."

Shinji knew this was coming. "Nothing." He was hesitant in his voice. This only showed his embarrassment more. Plus he was bright red.

"That's not what Asuka told me."

"And what did Asuka tell you?"

Misato giggled to herself. She moved from off the wall she was formally leaning on and walked in front of Shinji. She did a little spin around, clapping her hands together, as she talked. "That you confessed your deep true feelings for her and now you two are a young couple in deep love." Misato finished her spin looking at her adopted child. Rei observed this all in silence.

She knew that face of his. It was the face when he was really embarrassed. That face of his caused her to make a face of horror. She was shocked to see this expression. "I was just kidding. I haven't even asked Asuka. Is that what really happened?"

Shinji knew he already lost, and beside, she would find out eventually. "Ye...yes."

Misato looked like she was about to have a heart attack. Before she could respond with anything Asuka returned from the questioning. Her eyes were tear shot, her head hung low, her voice was raspy. "Rei, your turn." She then walked down the hall not talking to either of the two other people. Rei without question moved to the cafeteria.

"Shinji go." It was Misato. Her voice now very serious. Unhappy that he looked confused to her . "You're her boyfriend so go comfort her." She was getting close to yelling.

Shinji got up and ran after the red-head. How could I be so dense? He caught her not far from the hall where they last were. "Asuka."

She turned to look at him. Tears flowing freely now. He did not say anything. He did not know what to say. He just grabbed her and held her in his arms. Almost as quickly as he acted she embraced him hard, crying soft cries on his shoulder. Shinji's eyes watered, and he began to cry. Not over Leigh, but because the girl he loved was hurt, and that hurt him.

OOOO

Buddy sat in his GTR. Flooring the gas as he drove through the night. There was not one thing he loved more then speed. He forced his parent's to get him the GTR, the fastest car out of Japan still. Even after second impact bankrupted most of the automotive companies, forcing Nissan to drop half of their line; the GTR was the only sport's car they were able to keep alive. Of course now the car was much more expensive new today then before. All car's were expensive after second impact.

With the pedal to the metal, he drove, not yielding to any of the traffic laws. Speeding past the stop light's, he paid no attention to the red color it was encasing. Fully confident in his driving skills he kept going. Not many people drove in the town at night, and the police force was little to none even during the day. If it wasn't for Nerv's military presence, then the town would be as much of an anarchy as most of post impact Japan.

He stopped at a gas station. The place were his best friend of all time Rye worked. Rye was really not his best friend, but would do anything that Buddy would tell him too. He never complained about Buddy picking on him and always ready to please the leader.

Rye got in the car. Holding a bag containing the alcohol he swiped from the liquor cabinet when his boss was not looking. Handing the bottle to Buddy, laughed and took out the second bottle he had in the bag. Buddy let out a smile with approval. Drinking the boys headed of, leaving skid mark's along the road, to a destination unknown even to them. They planned on getting drunk and taking advantage of where ever the GTR takes them.

They got on to the 'loop' as the town people referred to it as. The very western style, twelve laned road, circled the town, allowing faster access to the other parts of town, as long as it is not in the middle. The road, which featured large lanes and very American design, was built by the United States to help get Japan back on to it's feet after the second impact.

Laughing at his own sick jokes, while drinking and driving, Buddy squinted at the lights of the first, and only, car he had seen out on the road that night. Coming the other way on the two sided road, Buddy continued to laugh, not thinking anything of the other car.

Still in control of his car, Buddy, not near his consumption limit. Rye sat, drunkingly laughing at his comeback to Buddy's joke. Not getting a response from Buddy, he continued to silence.

Buddy looked back at the other car. Something was wrong. The light's for one, were not the normal color, but a sort of blueish white. The car was driving with his high beams on. Buddy still couldn't figure out what was wrong till he took drove by the next bend in the road.

The car was coming at him, in his lane.

Going to fast to properly avoid the situation, Buddy slammed the brake, turning the wheel sending his GTR into an uncontrollable sideways glide. The rear of the GTR flew out barely missing the other automobile. In an attempt to regain control, the rear swung out in the opposite direction, leaving the GTR staring at the concrete wall of a right bend in the road. Buddy slammed right into the concrete wall of the road.

His air bag deployed, the other car gone from his sight. He grabbed his switch-bladed pocket knife and stabbed the air bag, allowing him to breath better and deflate the bag. The GTR was slowed down enough to minimize the damage. The engine was still running, but at an awkward beat. The front plastic clip torn into smaller pieces, and the whole front of the car pushed back; wheel wells rubbing the tire's now. No doubt damage to the frame was caused, which usually meant the car was totaled.

His arm was in tremendous pain as he unclamped his seat belt. It wasn't broken, but hurt really badly. Holding it he got out of his door and ran to the front of his car, the dark night. Shouting load profanities as he turned away from his car, unable to look at it. Rye had a similar expression as he surveyed the car.

"As soon as I find the punk who did this I am going to beat the living snot out of him." Spit shot out of his mouth from Buddy's comment.

Bright light filled the nearly empty road at the wreck sight, hurting their eye's. The two boy's blinded by the light could not make out the car at first, but could hear the car. The load rumble was not familiar in this part of the world.

Shielding his eye's with his hands, it was Rye who asked the question. "Buddy. Is that Aida's car?"

Buddy looked and stared at the ghost vehicle. The red paint, the tall fins, the chromed grill and bumpers. It was the same car. "It...It can't be." Buddy yelled back at Rye. Looking for Aida in the car, he realized the windows were almost pitch black, not allowing him to see if Aida was driving.

Christine started revving her engine. The load sound of the Hemi power plant in her shook the veins of the two boys. Buddy's heart started to beat fast. Slowly loosing his control of himself to fear.

Christine let out a tremendous roar. Buddy stood real still. The car positioned herself right in front of him. If he tried to run, he could not get away. Yet he wanted to run. But he stood there, frozen with fear, and confusion. It's impossible.

Rye had enough, and turned tail and ran down the road in a mass panic. Christine shot forward, past Buddy and strait for Rye. "Rye don't..." That was all Buddy could say to the boy as the car closed the gap and smashed Rye right against a wall.

Buddy turned around and headed back to his car. Running, he tried to ignore the load engine and constant screams and cries coming from right behind him.

He got behind the wheel. He never shut the car off after hitting the wall. He thanked the Lord that the car would still run. Buddy threw the stick into reverse and floored the pedal. Metal rubbing against metal, and metal against rubber was heard, piercing his ears, as the car made it clear that it was moving against it's wishes.

Buddy pushed the car to it's restricted limits, as he headed back down the way he came. He looked in his mirror.

Christine left the not dead, but mutilated Rye, who the living part of him lay crunched up against the wall, crying. The rest of him laid everywhere. Her attention now to the screaming grey car trying to run. The grey car driven by her main objective. She then rocket forward to the GTR. Pieces of blood and pieces of Rye were forced off of her by the wind.

Looking in the mirror as the car left his 'better off' dead friend behind and headed for him. "Move stupid machine!" The GTR's drive train and transmission were also damaged leaving an insufficent amount of power lost during the transfer to the wheels. The GTR would move like it once would. The metal rubbing the tires also added more friction to slow the car down. "MOVE!"

Christine was heading strait to Buddy. Getting bigger and bigger in his rear mirror, until all he could see in the mirror was four beams of white light.

A heavy shift was felt in the car as the transmission finally shifted to the next gear. A sensation of speed was felt as the car finally started to gain speed. However it was not enough as Christine rammed the rear of his car, and grabbed it.

Christine 'grabbed' the back of his car. She forced him down the wrong way of an entrance ramp. Buddy screamed and cursed at his battered car. The GTR's front wheels turned from left to right, and back again, over and over, every time even louder squeals could be heard. But when ever he turned the wheel, Buddy kept going in the same direction.

Christine pushed the grey machine into the railway station for the trans system in town. The GTR went over a rail track. The steel tracks forcing Christine to let go of her grip on the GTR. She left the car into a spin as she past him. Buddy went into a complete one hundred eighty degress.

His right hand driver seat right was next to the left hand driver seat of the Plymouth for a brief second, as Christine moved past him. Buddy's attention was drawn to the red car during this brief span of time. Barely, he was able to see through the tented windows. No driver! Thought's went through his head. That's impossible. He must be hiding when I passed him.

Christine quickly turned around, facing the boy's car. Her hood, bumper, and grill, was smashed up. Jagged metal hanged from the front end of the Plymouth, looking like the mouth of an alligator ready to feed. Her head lights were gone, shattered against the back of the GTR. Her windows were still pitch black.

Buddy was not known for being a smart man. He actually was known for the opposite. Little was his knowledge of basic physics, or the knowledge of the unknown phantom car, he was head to head with. Deciding he would not take this anymore. Not knowing that even if his car car was in pristine shape it still could not hurt the thick metal behemoth known as Christine. But he was determined. He was going to stand his ground. After all he is Buddy. The biggest bad boy ever to come out of Japan, and he would not let some shrimp in an American car beat him. No. Buddy would stand his ground.

Buddy revved his engine. He revved the engine hard, not caring that it was overheating, threatening to fail any moment. He revved continue sly. "How would you like some of your own medicine?" He said to no one but himself under his breath. His headlight's were gone as was the Plymouth's, but he could see the car from light coming from the station. Christine made no movement.

"Come on! Let's finish this! You and Me boy! I'll beat you till there is nothing left to beat!" He yelled in his car were no-one could hear him.

Things started to change. Christine's beat up front end started to 'heal' itself. Metal reshaped, paint grew, part's reappeared. The bit's of Rye still left hanging on the car, fell to the ground. The grill reformed and the letter's spelling Plymouth across her hood reappeared in bright red.

Buddy stared amazed. He did not know what to think. What was he facing? Was it even a car, or some demonic monster.

Lastly for Christine came her head lights. The chrome bezels which encase them reshaped, removing all dents, and restoring the chrome finish. The glass for the lights reassembled itself. The blueish white light came back. First the left head light's followed by the right, till all four high beams were pointing at Buddy.

As if it gave up or was scared, the GTR died. The Nissan motor only gave a few turns before become silent. The only noise heard was from the Hemi in Christine, as she coasted forward.

Buddy turned his key over and over again, but the Nissan refused to even turn over. Nothing was heard while he turned the dangling metallic objects. It wasn't just the GTR that died. All electrical power in the entire area went out, as soon as Christine's headlights came on. The station had no power. The only light keeping the night from becoming pitch black was the light coming from Christine. Buddy didn't realize it, but even his digital wrist watch had no power.

He looked through his windshield, through the steam coming from under the hood of his car, right at the slowly approaching Christine. His eye's glued to the car as he panickly turned his keys.

Christine came forward in a flash, hitting the dead car strait on, and once again pushed it backwards. The hit whiplashed him forward. Not having a seat belt on, Buddy's head flew forward and painted the windshield red. He used all his force to slam down the non-powered brakes, but that did not stop Christine.

He was then thrown backwards against his seat. The back of his car against a tram car, Christine in front, he was pinned.

Squeals coming from two tires was heard; the smoke shotting out the back of Christine identified it's origins. Buddy's mind was no longer within the capacity of rational thought. He was in a state of panic; freaked out. He scream and cried, head spinning searching for a way out. He tried frantically to open the door, but his mind could not calm down enough to locate the handles.

Christine slowly moved closer to the boy. Crushing metal sounds could be heard as Christine compressed the crumple zones of the GTR. The boy was trapped in his car with no way out while Christine crushed his car like an aluminum can. Making it smaller and smaller. The frame of the GTR began to bend, as the pressure increased on it.

Buddy in his panic looked out toward the front of his car. For a second, time froze still to him. He froze still. As he looked out he could see not the red Plymouth pushing him, but a red headed girl up against his car, destroying it. He blinked and the girl was gone, replaced by the evil Fury.

The the crumple zones at both the front and rear of his car were smashed, and the main frame was now being force together. The tram behind him made no move, providing Christine the perfect wall.

Buddy got up from out of his seat and stood, crying, in the middle of the front two seats. The frame of the GTR now twisting. Buddy watched as the dashboard slowly got closer, and closer, and closer, to him.

"Please stop." He begged an unheard plea. The back window of his shattered from the pressure giving him his means of escape. He crawled to the window, cutting himself over all the broken glass. Small shards getting stuck in his hands and knees. He had little time it seemed. He began crawling as fast as he could through the decreasing opening.

The tram car, that he was forced up against, started to tip. Christine pulled back, not able to shorten the Nissan anymore. She flew back and lined herself up with the side of the now compact sports car.

Buddy pulled himself out of the windshield. He looked over at the red Plymouth as she skidded to a stop looking right at him. "Look I am sorry." Buddy's voice full of regret. He started to pull his legs out of the window. He was covered with cut's from the broken glass. "I'll give you anything, just don't hurt me." He smiled, a fake smile, and got to his feet. "Can't we just get along."

Christine ran forward, hitting the car, which sent Buddy falling of the car. He rolled and got on his legs. He then ran as fast as he could, looking for anything to help him get away from the car. He ran through the tracks, jumping over the tram couplings. The Fury, being a car, had to go around the tacks. This gave Buddy a good chance of getting away he thought.

But Christine was ungodly fast. By the time he jumped the last coupling he was face to face with the golden V. Caught right were Christine wanted him.

Behind him was the coupling and by the time he got to it, Christine would have him before he could jump. To his sides was the ends to two tram cars, with Christine just feet in front of him. His only chance was to use the car's inability to make super sharp turn. He'd run toward the car and pass it.

It was a long shot.

And that's just what he did. He ran to the side of the car. The shot, was to long. Christine was no ordinary car. With speed nearly imaginable she slammed into him and the tram.

Christine hit him, forcing his body into the very edge corner of the tram. Between the tram and the car, he was cut in half from the shoulder to between the legs. Buddy died instantly.

OOOO

It was morning when Detective Roland crossed the caution tape to the tram yard. What a crime scene. He had all the time he wanted to get every little thing he needed from the site. But with the public and the city demanding the tram system back up and running, he could only feel like he was being rushed. But it would be a while before they could get their way. He had a damaged tram, a car that magically gets crushed like a soda can, and two dead boy's.

The entire case was just as unbelievable. He'd been on it only one day and already he had seen thing's he had never seen in his entire career. He had seen hit and runs, but never this brutal before. Out of the murders he had two of the victims were cut in half, one at the chest and this latest one, strangely, vertically down the middle. The first victim's feet were found laying meter's away from the rest of his body. And the distance differed from what you considered the rest of his body. Never before had he had a young man's entire upper torso mutilated and thrown all over the city block.

The next victim was a young girl. Leigh, I think was her name. He'd have to double check on that. She was smashed completely. What ever it was hit her over and over again, even after she was dead. When got to the girl's remains yesterday, she looked like smashed play dough. These two were killed the night before last.

Then he had the other two. They were two boy's killed last night. This time the cop's were called by a passing civilian vehicle. One boy was smashed together just like the girl Leigh, but for unknown reason's was not 'finished' and left to die. Which he did. The ambulance got to him last night on the brink of death. Unfortunately he died on the way to the surgery room. Even the doctors said he could not be saved.

The last boy was cut in half, vertically. The strangest and most bizarre murder yet. Apparently his car, which they already identified as his was crushed. The tire marks left in the dirt by the body, indicated that what ever killed him, was not an ordinary car.

And that's what all the cases have in common. On every body they found paint embedded in them. At every crime scene tire or skid marks. Fresh tire and skid marks. Not until the DNA test come back on the first victim, could he tell if the murders were related.

"Excuse me sir." Roland turned around to face a young police officer. "Some men from Nerv are here to see you."

"Nerv?" Roland asked.

"Yes sir. They asked for the man in charge of this case. I'll take you to them." Roland followed the officer out to the front of the tram station, and took him through to a large group setting up equipment. "Here he is Miss."

The detective held out his hand to the blonde woman. He found her very attractive and if he was off work he would consider a date with her. "Detective Roland." She shook his hand. "And who do I have the honor of?"

The woman smiled. "I'm Dr. Akagi, of Nerv."

"Looking at all the men here, I doubt this is over my little visit yesterday."

"You are correct. We are here to releave you of this case."

"What?"

"I've read your report. These murder's over the last two night's are under suspicion of a connection with a possible threat." Ritsuko kept a cold face.

"A threat. What was one of your employies threatened by the murderer? Because if they were, Nerv's in deep for not telling me."

"None of our people have been threatened. It's a matter of national security."

Anger was getting the best of Roland. "How do you figure that?"

Ritsuko sighed. She wished she could have avoided explaining the situation today. "Have you noticed anything odd with all these murders." The detective raised an eyebrow. "We have confirmed that at the time and places of these murder's an angel has been present. So if you will kindly step aside and let Nerv handle this, we won't forcibly remove you."

Roland stepped aside. "Be my guest." One thing he had learned, in Tokyo-3, you never mess with Nerv. Nerv never acted along with the Japanese government, and had been known to completely ignore people's right's in this city. No sense in arguing here.

He walked out to his car, and drove off. He still had time. He had to know what was going on. If only for pride if it must be. Which is why he falsified some of his reports. He still had a trump card and a head on Nerv. There was one thing he purposely left out of his reports. Aida.