1936 hrs. Undisclosed Date

Mess Hall, NERV Headquarters

The thirteen men of N-FOG are sitting and eating dinner, joking and ribbing each other about the results of the day's training, when the room is suddenly shaded crimson and filled with the noise of klaxons.

"Security breach! Security breach!" a panicked voice comes over the loud-speaker.

Pistols seemed to fly out of holsters as the thirteen men jumped up from their seats, running to their predetermined points through-out NERV headquarters, leaving half-eaten meals in their wake. As he ran to the command center, Lampright began talking into his radio.

"Situation report. Where's the breach and how deep have they penetrated?" he asked calmly.

"They breached at the car port! The-they don't-haven't penetrated any deeper than that into the facility, I think." some techie replied.

"Denisovich! Herford! What's your situation?"

"We are moving through the area now."

"Roger that. Keep me updated." Lampright replied as he headed to the car park instead of the command center, arriving there in less than a minute. Just as he enters the garage, gunfire, some of it automatic, begins up ahead.

"Targets are engaged!" Denisovich yelled over the radio.

He spotted the two soldiers crouched down behind a car and trading fire with several men in face masks with submachine guns spraying on auto from behind a van. Lampright ran in a crouch to their position, diving the last six feet.

"Whadda we got?"

"Four men, with bison SMGs. We surprised them while they were picking through that red sports car. There's a fifth guy, but he's dead. We are a little outgunned, da?" Denisovich said as bullets peppered the car.

"Where's the dead tango?" Lampright said, a plan forming in his mind.

"About two cars up from us." Herford said as he slapped a new magazine into his high-power.

"Right. Cover me on three..." Lampright said as he moved to the edge of the vehicle.

The vehicle dipped slightly as one of the tires was hit and deflated with a hiss.

"Three!" Lampright yelled and made a mad dash, bullets flying through the air around him. He dove down next to the body and grabbed his SMG. He quickly unfolded the skeletal stock and put it to his shoulder.

'This is gonna suck if I've only got like five rounds.' he thought.

"Cease fire!" he yelled and jumped up, spraying the tangos with fire, all of them dropping to the ground. Denisovich and Herford stormed their position, subduing the only survivor and grabbing SMGs for their own use.

"Secure the entrance." Lampright said.

"Roger." Herford said

"Where the hell is security?!" Lampright yelled into his mic.

"They should be onsite in less than a minute." came the reply.

"And send an intel team and a medical team."

The sound of boots sounded from a nearby hallway, and seconds later a team of four NERV guards appears.

"Late, as usual." Lampright said, sitting on the wounded terrorist.

Lampright turns to N-FOG's frequency.

"All units, upon dismissal, you are to report to the armoury for primary weapon, grenade and ammunition draw. You will then report to your quarters and grab all of your combat gear. You will be on combat alert until further notice."

2023 hrs.Undisclosed Date

Mess Hall, NERV Headquarters

The thirteen members of N-FOG are again sitting at a table, though this time they are carrying much heavier weaponry as they eat.

"So what happened?" Larson asked, shifting his M-240 resting between his legs to lean against his left knee.

"A buncha tangos broke into the parking area when a car drove in." Lampright responded.

"What' they want?" Carey questioned.

"Don't know. NERV's gonna get back to us on that one."

"You think they'll take our security analysis more seriously now?" Cooper asked.

"Maybe, but-"

"Captain Lampright, report to the briefing room, immediately."

"Well, I think we'll have answers soon." Lampright said as he stood up, grabbed his rifle, and walked to the door.

He double-timed it to the briefing room, the entire time brooding on the fact that this all could have been prevented if the steps N-FOG had suggested months ago had been implemented. The room was being watched by a NERV guard with an Uzi who stopped Lampright as he tried to enter.

"I'm sorry sir, you can't bring those weapons in there."

"Get out of my way. I have neither the need, nor the inclination to surrender my weapons to you."

"I can't let you past with-"

Lampright cut him off by pushing his out of the way and entering the briefing room.

"What's the situation, Commander Ikari?"

"As you know, NERV security was compromised earlier today."

"Hu-ah sir."

"During that security breach, the terrorists abducted a NERV member and escaped."

"Who'd they get and where are they?"

"They abducted Major Misato Katsuragi, and their current location is unknown."

"So you lost'em?"

"Yes captain."

"I want access to your security footage from the garage, an update report from intel every two hours, and full access to the prisoner."

"Alright. You have my permission to gain information through any means necessary."

"Sir, that-."

"Any means. She must be taken care of. If charges would be to be pressed, I will accept full responsibility for your methods of interrogation. Carry on."

"Yes sir." Lampright said and turned around.

"And captain..."

"Sir?"

"Major Katsuragi has had access to a great deal of classified information. If you can't get her back, make sure no one else can gain access to that knowledge."

Lampright takes a deep breath and releases it.

"Yes sir."

2056 hrs.Undisclosed Date

Briefing Room, NERV Headquarters

The briefing room has been stripped down to a table and two chairs. The surviving enemy is currently sitting cuffed in one. Lampright enters the room, and begins walking around the table, stopping next to the terrorist.

"That's a nasty gunshot you got there." Lampright said, sticking his index and middle finger into the hole in his arm and twisting them..

"You sure you don't want some anesthetic?"

The prisoner spit on him.

Lampright grabbed his left index and middle finger and bent them back until they were parallel to the top of his hand.

"Who sent you?"

"Burn in hell."

Lampright gave a palm-heel strike to the prisoner's nose, landing it with a crack. Blood went everywhere.

"Who sent you?"

"I won't talk!"

Lampright did a half-power knife-hand strike to his throat. The captive spent several minutes gagging and coughing.

"Who sent you?"

"Hrggg! Go suck a dick!"

"I can see this is getting us no where. I'm gonna let you work with my partner for a while."

"Heh. I know how this works. The old good cop, bad cop routine. Now your friend's going to come in, try to be my friend, and get me to talk."

"You're half right. We are playing good cop, bad cop. But I WAS the good cop. I asked questions."

Lampright put his radio to his mouth.

"Denisovich."

The large Russian entered the room just as Lampright exited and closed the door behind him.

0158 hrs.Undisclosed Date +1

Briefing Room, NERV Headquarters

The room has been reassembled to it's former configuration, except for a few spots of blood on the walls, ceiling and floor. The twelve remaining soldiers file into the room and form up before Lampright.

"We have possible information of the location of the Major."

This grabs the attention of all twelve of the soldiers.

"Due to the source of the information, I can not be sure of whether or not it's legit. All aerial recon assets are busy and we can't get a satellite overhead for at least 25 hours. So I want a volunteer to go and recon it. This could be a trap, and if it is, you'll be on your own, but at the same time, we NEED information on what we're up against. You will be out there for at least 24 hours alone, gathering and transmitting intel. When the rest of the unit infils to assault, you will still be excepted to fulfill your tactical duties. Any volunteers, please step forward."

All twelve of the troops took a step forward. Lampright smiled inwardly with pride at the dedication of these men. HIS men.

"Jaeger, you're up. Sorry guys. He's best trained for this."

Jaeger turned around and flashed a smile.

"You heard the cap'n."

2103 hrs.Undisclosed Date +1

NERV Airstrip, Classified Location

Lampright is helping Jaeger put on his parachute over his other gear.

"Whatcha bringin' for scopes?" Lampright asked.

"The full load. 3x and 10x optical, thermal, and starlight. Why?"

"Just curious. Look, your one of the best your country has, so I'm sure you know what info I want, but just so there's no questions, here's what I want. Number, type, and construction of buildings, readiness status, number of tangos, and most important, if Major Katsuragi is there."

"Roger that, sir."

"One more thing Jaeger." Lampright said as he handed Jaeger a shock-proof case about the size of a .50 ammunition box.

Jaeger took it and packed it into the ruck hanging at his knees before looking at the captain with an expecting expression.

"We call it a laser reader. You aim it at a window and it measures the microscopic vibrations in the glass caused by sound waves and converts them back to sound. You can clear a conversation in a room a klick away clear as if you were there with this thing. It's got a headset as well as an encrypted burst transmitter attached. We'll hear what you'll hear."

"This'll come in handy." Jaeger said with a smile before his facial expression turned to one of suspect.

"Where'd you get this?"

"I got someone in NERV intel who owes me a couple of favors. 'Said nobody'd miss it for a couple of days. So you ready?" Lampright said as he did a walk-around inspection of Jaeger's rig.

"Yeah. I'll find'er, sir."

"I know you won't disappoint me. Now unless I'm mistaken, you've got a plane to catch."

2314 hrs.Undisclosed Date +1

Aboard C-130, 45,000 feet above Japan

The wind from the open rear door of the airplane tugged at Jaeger's clothes as he stood in the doorway. His own breathing sounded louder than usual, seemingly magnified by the oxygen mask he was wearing. The small red light on the wall, the only source of illumination in the blacked-out aircraft, cast a sickly glow over the nearby wall and bench seat. Suddenly the light changed from red to green, and Jaeger moved as fast as he could manage down the ramp, taking a flying leap off the end into the dark night.

Briefing Room, NERV Headquarters

The twelve soldiers line the wall of the room, when Lampright speaks up.

"Alright, Jaeger should be hittin' the ground soon. We need to maintain a high level of readiness until we execute. Elements will take eight hour shifts, two on, one off. Decide amongst yourselves the order, just figure it out and stick to it. Sonoda, Carey, Denisovich and me will take six hour turns, three on, one off. First off will be Sonoda, then myself, then Denisovich, then Carey. Understood?"

The troops voiced their understanding.

0754 hrs.Undisclosed Date +2

N-FOG Offices, NERV Headquarters

Lampright is sleeping on the floor against a wall, wrapped in a poncho.

"Wake up Lampy." Cooper said, nudging him with his foot.

"This had better be good." Lampright said without opening his eyes.

"Oh it is. We've got Jaeger's recon report."

Lampright quickly gets up.

"Lay it on me."

"According to Jaeger, the compound is one building, four stories; concrete with windows. He reported an unusual level of activity. About a dozen plus change coming and going, plus sentries. They got personal communications, AK-74s, and at least one RPK-74. His current estimate for number of hostiles is 20-30."

"All that's great, but is the mark there?"

"Jaeger said he saw someone who could have been the major in a third story window, but he couldn't get a good look before it was gone. He said he was deploying your 'gift'."

"Lampright sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"These boys'll follow you into the gates of hell, all you gotta do is say the word, man."

"I know. But I can't put them in danger if the objective's not there. I won't do it."

"So what's the plan?"

"We wait until the 24-hour mark. What ever information we get will be factored into my decision."

"But...?"

"As of now, we are a no-go."

"But if she's-"

"But nothing. MY men do not get put in harm's way unless we are sure the objective is there. If Commander Ikari gives orders to the contrary, then that changes things, but unless that happens...we don't move unless there's a visual on the objective." Lampright said as he return to his slumber in his make-shift bed.

0856 hrs.Undisclosed Date +2

Cooper nudged Lampright's sleeping form awake.

"Come on man, wakey-wakey."

"You know it takes a lot of balls to wake up an officer twice in the same morning?" Lampright said.

"Come on man, get up. The laser reader just picked up a female voice. We think it might be her."

"I need a recording of-"

"Done." Cooper said as he handed him a disc.

Lampright took the disc and headed for the NERV command center.

0901 hrs.Undisclosed Date +2

Command Center, NERV Headquarters

"Did you get lost Captain?" Commander Ikari asked as he entered the room.

'Now is NOT the time, Ikari.' he thought.

"I need a voice analysis on this disc to see if it's Major Katsuragi."

"That's a great idea. If we had a sample to compare it to." Dr. Akagi said.

Lampright slammed his fist into a concrete pillar in frustration before stopping and thinking for a minute.

"Somebody gimme their cell phone." he said as he looked around the control room staff, receiving blank looks.

"Come on, I know somebody here's got a cellular phone. They're all the rage for people your age." he said as he glared again at the staff, most barely out of their teens.

"What do you mean 'our age'?! We're as old as you!" 1LT Ibuki said.

Lampright was beginning to get sick of NERV personnel.

"You'd do well to remember that you're speaking to a captain, LIEUTENANT Ibuki. You'd also do well to remember that looks are deceiving, because unless you're thirty, you're hardly 'my age'. Now I'll ask again. Who has a cellular phone?"

Lieutenant Ibuki sheepishly dug into her pocket and handed him a small flip-phone.

"Thank you." Lampright said.

He pulled a small card out of his left breast pocket containing contact information for all the personnel relevant to his position and searched down the card for Major Katsuragi's phone number.

"What is this about, captain?" Dr. Akagi asked Lampright as he dialed a number into the phone.

'For a top researcher, she doesn't catch on very well, does she?'

"This is the number for the Major's voice mail. When you're ready to record a sample, just hit 'send'. I expect to be notified as soon as you have the results." Lampright said as he handed her the phone.

0923 hrs.Undisclosed Date +2

N-FOG Offices, NERV Headquarters

"Captain Lampright?" Ibuki's voice came over his radio.

"Lieutenant?"

"We have a positive voice match on your sample for Major Misato Katsuragi."

"Finally, some good news. That is all lieutenant."

Lampright turned to his men.

"We have the mark!" he yelled.

This announcement was meet with cheers from the troops.

"We move today!"

"In daylight?" Sonoda asked.

"Yeah. Every minute's important right now. Besides, if these are the same guys who've been fuckin' with us since day one, and I think they are, they'll think they have our M.O. down. We've never attacked during the day before. They won't completely expect it."

"Roger." Sonoda said.

"Alright, briefing at 1230, PCI at 1300. That is all."

1207 hrs.Undisclosed Date +2

Captain Lampright's Quarters, NERV Headquarters

The captain is cleaning his rifle as there is a knock on his door. He loosened his pistol in it's holster as he walked to the door and checked the peephole. He calmed as he saw the slightly distorted face of pilot Rei Ayanami. He took his hand off of his pistol as he opened the door.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Captain, it is imperative that Major Katsuragi be recovered unharmed." she said.

"Don't worry. We'll bring'er back."

"It is unnecessary to patronize me, captain."

"Remember when we extracted you? We do this stuff for a living. Don't worry."

"I am aware of your past successes, captain."

"Good. Look, I've got a lot of work to do before we execute, so if you're done telling me my job, I need to get back to my prepping."

1230 hrs.Undisclosed Date +2

N-FOG Offices, NERV Headquarters

"Alright, as you know, Jaeger's already in position. He says the woodline's about 25-30 meters from the building. Target's last confirmed location was the third floor, west end, north side. Plan is as follows. Team one will helo out to the woods and be dropped about a klick out. You'll hoof it to the woodline and signal when you're in position. You will then move in and secure the first two floors of the building. At that point, the command element will be inserted into the third floor we will clear the floor and secure the mark. It's gonna be a rappel from the helo, then swing in the windows. Team two will then immediately be dropped on the roof. You will move down and secure the top floor. For evac, the helos will come in for a landing or near touch on the roof. Command and the mark will be out on the first helo, teams one and two on the second. I don't need to remind you all of the dangers of operating during daylight hours. This needs to be hard and fast. Just don't make me look bad, okay?" he said with a half smile.

1352 hrs.Undisclosed Date +2

Airborne Helo Near Objective

"Masks go?" Lampright asked.

Everyone in the command element and team two checked their mask seals and gave the thumbs-up.

"Team one, in position." Carey suddenly radioed.

Lampright yelled at the pilot to bring the helo in over the objective.

Within two minutes they were hovering over the building, the helo straddling the side of the building.

"Ropes ropes ropes." Lampright said, giving the hand signal as he tossed the rope out the side of the helo.

Lampright grabbed the rope and positioned himself on the edge of the helo and flashed a thumbs-up.

"Go."

Lampright, Denisovich, Howard and Smith rappelled down the side of the building, each attaching a small charge to their assigned window. The windows shattered, and each of the soldiers threw a cooked-off irritant grenade in the window, swung in, and hit the quick-release on their rope harness. The rooms quickly began to fill with CS gas. The four soldiers quickly spread out, clearing the third floor as Sonoda and Carey's teams cleared the first and fourth floors. Gun shots echoed from the walls of the facility as the soldiers entered the building.

"Drop your weapons and you won't be harmed!" Lampright yelled, his words punctuated by the blast of his shotgun as he fired it at the terrorist charging him, who was unable to shoot straight due to exposure to the gas. Lampright slung his rifle and unholstered his pistol before he kicked in a door and found the mark.

"Friendlies!" Lampright yelled.

Lampright suddenly saw a blur of motion from the side, barely managing to side-step the terrorist's clumsy bull-rush. The terrorist turned around and started to square off with Lampright, attempting to bring his pistol to bare. Lampright just bashed him across the brow with the grip of his pistol, knocking him to the ground. Lampright placed his foot on the man's chest. The man fumbled for his pistol, just out of reach. A red laser dot from Lampright's pistol appeared between his eyes. The pistol barked and kicked twice, the forty-five caliber rounds pulping the man's head. Lampright walked over to the major, who was tearing and hacking up a lung. Lampright's radio suddenly came to life.

"Fourth clear!" Sonoda's voice sounded.

"Come on major, we need to go." he said as he grabbed her under her armpit and pulled her to her feet.

"I cough hack I can-can't uhhgg can't breath." she said between coughs.

"You can breath fine." Lampright said scornfully.

"Third floor clear." Denisovich sounded through the radio.

He quickly made his way up the stairs and out onto the roof, practically dragging Major Katsuragi behind him. The major nearly ran Lampright over trying to get into the fresh air on the roof.

"Oh by the way, don't rub your eyes. It makes it worse."

"First clear." Carey said.

Lampright turned back to the stairway.

"Second clear." Sonoda reported.

"Command element report to rooftop. I am beginning my walk-through. Anything to report?"

A trio of negatives came through the radio as he completed a quick walkthrough of the facility.

"Cooper, I need you to-"

"Done captain. Building's ready to go."

"Roger. Everyone fall back to the roofto-holy shit!"

Suddenly the rooftop was raked with fire.

"Where'd that come from?!"

Three tangos in the woodline! Moving to close with the building!" Cooper yelled over the radio.

Lampright moved towards the edge of the roof. Suddenly, something landed on the roof. Lampright instantly recognized it as the major yelled out it's name.

"Grenade!"

"Down! he yelled as he pushed the major to the ground, throwing himself on top of her to shield her from the blast.

Lampright said a short prayer as he kicked the grenade away. Nothing happened. Lampright looked at the grenade. It was just sitting there, no smoke from the fuse, no burning smell. He jumped up, grabbing the major by the back of her collar, yanking her to her feet.

"Time to go." He said calmly as he ran to the edge of the building. The gunfire had already stopped, three bodies laying near the base of the building.

"You could be a little more gentle, you know." she grumbled.

"Gentle is for foreplay. You're in my world now." He replied gruffly.

"Everybody get up here now. Howard, call in our helos. Let's get the hell outta here."

The troops gathered on the rooftop, taking up positions of overwatch near the edges as the sound of the approaching helicopters grew louder. The helos came in and hovered about a foot above the rooftop.

"GO!" Lampright yelled, practically throwing the major into the helo. The remaining troops quickly piled in, and within seconds they were airborne.

"Hit it Cooper." Lampright said.

Cooper activated the radio detonator, and the entire first two floors of the building exploded, the remaining two collapsing down on top of them in a pile of rubble. Lampright addressed the pilot.

"Home Jeebes." he said.

Smith was wrapping Major Katsuragi in a space blanket to combat shock.

1634 hrs.Undisclosed Date +2

Intelligence Office, NERV Headquarters

Lampright watches through the 'magic mirror' while intel attempts to debrief the major. The head intel officer approaches Lampright.

"Yes?" Lampright said.

"We're not getting anything useful from her." he said, shaking his head.

"Roger." Lampright said and sighed.

"DAMNIT! I'm getting sick and tired of being a reactionary force! I want to be on the offense for once!"

"We're working on it captain. We're working on it."