Chapter 20 – Riddles In the Code
Rei rang the doorbell of Misato's apartment and waited as had become her daily routine before school. It was the day after the battle with the latest Angel and it was a Saturday. Saturdays were half days and whereas in days past she'd dread those because of the boredom of going straight home and languishing in her miserably barren apartment now she looked forward to them. It meant that she could spend time outside of school and outside of NERV with her friends. Maybe... considering there was nothing lined up at NERV as far as she knew, maybe she'd get to actually have some... fun after school.
It wasn't long until the door opened and Asuka stood in the doorway. Rei gave a slight bow and smiled. "Good morning," she greeted her redheaded friend.
The redheaded girl smiled back. "Hey Rei," she greeted. "How're ya feeling? Hope last night wasn't too embarrassing having to be driven back to your place by those drunk tank guys because Misato got plastered."
That part of the previous day's outing was certainly... interesting, but it didn't ruin her night, if that was what Asuka was getting at. "It was not a bother," Rei replied. "Though it was... interesting to see Misato-san in that state."
Asuka laughed. "That's a daily occurrence here," she replied. "That woman drinks like a damn fish."
Rei was not the most familiar with slang terms but she could only assume that meant that Misato consumed a copious amount of alcoholic beverages. "I see..." she replied.
"Well, since you're a bit early, why don't you come in?" Asuka offered. "I think there's still some of the coffee that Shinji made left in the pot if you want some."
Rei smiled. That did sound rather pleasant. If coffee was anything like the tea that Shinji made it would most likely be very enjoyable...
She stepped inside the apartment,slipped off her shoes, and followed Asuka down the hall until she reached the kitchen. Shinji was sipping a cup of coffee looking rather groggy. Even so, he smiled when he saw her and that made her heart flutter for a reason she still couldn't put her finger on. "Hi Rei," he greeted. "Sorry I'm not all that awake yet."
"You are fine," Rei replied with a smile of her own. "We had a long day yesterday."
"Yeah, we did," Shinji replied. "How are you feeling?"
Her hands had stopped hurting by the time she'd gone to sleep but she hadn't recalled telling him about the phantom pain. Still, it was nice that he was concerned about her. "I'm feeling well," she replied. "You look tired."
Shinji nodded softly, staring into his cup of coffee. "I had trouble sleeping last night," he replied. "I still have a lot on my mind."
Asuka snorted. "You're always brooding over something," she said in a teasing tone of voice.
Rei frowned. She felt it a bit rude that Asuka was so dismissive of Shinji's inner turmoil. She herself could certainly relate to having sleepless nights. "What kept you awake?" she asked.
Shinji sipped his coffee and sighed. "Well I always find it hard to sleep after a battle but... I guess it really has to do with... never mind," he replied. "It's hard to explain..."
Asuka snorted and rolled her eyes. "Well try then, dingus," she said. "It can't be that, can it?"
Rei watched as Shinji's eyes shifted on to her. Though his tired expression didn't shift all that much, Rei could just sense that he didn't want to talk about it at the moment. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to talk about it while Asuka was present? No matter the reason, Rei was willing to to let it be. If he really wanted to tell her what was one his mind then she was willing to wait until he was ready. She trusted and respected him enough to do so. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," she stated softly.
Shinji smiled a gentle smile. "Thanks Rei," he replied, his eyes displaying the conflict within even if his expression didn't. "Maybe another time."
Asuka sighed. "Fine, keep your secrets," she replied. "For what it's worth, I gotta admit, I'm a bit tired from yesterday too. At least today's a half day, right?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah," he replied, sipping his coffee. "And tomorrow we finally have a day we can rest. No NERV and no school. Thank heavens."
Rei shared in that sentiment. Classwork was so utterly tiresome. It had always been tiresome, but it was made incredibly more so due to her having lived through the same lesson plans and done the same projects and reports once before. Anyone, she could imagine, would grow tired of repeating things one already knew. "I agree," she stated. "Perhaps we can utilize the afternoon to have... fun?"
Those words had come easier than she imagined they would, she remembered a time where asking something like that would have been unthinkable, where she didn't even understand the concept she was suggesting. It felt good to ask a question like that and to have it feel almost natural, just like everything about acting like a normal person was becoming more and more natural. Rei very much enjoyed that feeling.
Asuka grinned. "Sure," she replied. "What were you thinking of doing after school?"
This, however, was a field that Rei still struggled in... "I don't know," she replied honestly.
"Well, we do have all day to think of something," Shinji spoke up. "I wouldn't mind going out and doing something. By the way, Rei, do you want a cup of coffee?"
She nodded. It was good to try new thing's right? "I would," she replied. "Thank you."
He stood from his seat at the kitchen table and moved to retrieve a mug from the cabinet. In moments he'd poured her a cup and handed it to her. "I have cream and sugar," he stated. "If you want it."
Rei wasn't quite sure what the purpose of adding those things to coffee was as she'd never had the drink before. She knew that she drank her tea without any additives and coffee was another warm brewed drink so... what was the difference? "There is no need," she replied. "Thank you for the offer."
Asuka made a disgruntled noise and wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, the both of you, how can you enjoy it that way?" she asked, her disgust evident.
"I don't see the problem really," Shinji replied nonchalantly, sipping his cup.
Rei found Asuka's reaction interesting but didn't let it bother her as she raised her own cup to her lips. It smelled earthy and rich, different than the tea she was used to having, but it didn't smell bad. What could Asuka be so repulsed by?
As soon as she took her first sip she began to understand. It was far more bitter than any tea she'd ever had. She winced as she swallowed. It wasn't terrible but perhaps in future she'd try it with just a pinch of cream and a bit of sugar. After a few sips she felt a bit of a head rush and her body began to feel jittery. The caffeine content must be considerably high. It was no wonder that many people drank coffee in the morning to wake up...
It was then that Misato entered the kitchen with a loud yawn and made a beeline for the coffee machine, nearly bumping into her as she grabbed her own cup. "Morning guys," she greeted groggily. "How are you all feeling?"
"I'm alright," Shinji replied. "You? You got a little drunk last night..."
"Drunker than usual," Asuka added.
Misato sipped her coffee and smiled. "I'm fine," she replied. "I just got a little carried away, that's all. How about you, Rei, how are you?"
Jittery would have been a good adjective to describe her current state but it was obvious that was not what Misato was talking about. She also noted that the dark haired woman looked even more sleep deprived than Shinji. "I am well," Rei replied. "You look tired, Misato-san."
"More like hungover..." Asuka quipped.
Misato shot Asuka a passing glare as she sat down at the table. "So..." she drawled. "Aren't you going to be late for school if you hang around any longer?"
Shinji stood from him seat, setting his coffee cup down as he did. "Misato-san is right," he stated. "We should best be going."
"Fine," Asuka huffed. "You win this one, Misato."
Misato smiled with closed eyes in an expression that Rei could only describe as smug. "Have fun at school all of you," she replied.
"As if fun exists in a place like that..." Asuka grumbled.
Rei set down her own cup on the kitchen table. It was true that they probably were running out of time before they absolutely had to start their trek to school. "We shall be off now," Rei stated. "Take care, Misato-san."
"You too Rei, always good to see you," Misato replied with a cheerful grin. "All three of you have a good day, okay?"
"You too," Shinji replied as he stood up and moved toward the hallway.
"We'll try at least," Asuka grumbled.
Rei followed her friends down the hallway and pulled her shoes back on. Shinji and Asuka did the same and in a matter of moments they were on their way to school. Rei fell in step beside Shinji as she always did. It was shaping up to be just another normal day. Even so she was curious about what it was about last night that had prevented Shinji from getting any sleep. She glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and studied his expression. Even now he looked like he was deeply contemplating something, brooding, as Asuka would say. Perhaps later in the day he'd bring it up again or she'd ask him about it...
"Dammit!" Ritsuko hissed as she grabbed at her hair and stared at her computer screen. For the life of her she couldn't understand why these mysterious errors kept happening! What was worse, staying all night at the office and only leaving to use the bathroom or have Maya grab her a coffee all morning had been almost pointless!
Despite all of the damned retooling that she'd undertaken there were still errors present with translating Rei's memory files into usable data for programming the Dummy Plug. It seemed that the data from her subject's time of activation from the clone tank in the bowels of NERV was readable up until just after the accident with Unit 00 that had left her grievously injured. That was at least a sign to Ritsuko that she was on the right track but it was also puzzling. It was as if the most important data was scrambled by some unknown force. What was the cause of this? Was there some mysterious bug in the software that she kept failing to catch? But what was the cause? What!? What could it be!? She'd set the time integration parameters perfectly? What the hell was the cause of these errors!?
The faux blonde scientist heaved a sigh and slumped back in her swivel chair. Perhaps the answer was something simple that she'd overlooked, like some time frame parameter being off like leap years and whatnot. No... she had coded these programs while exhausted most of the time yes, but she wouldn't be foolish enough not to account for that. It seemed like the only recourse would be to translate what was readable to image files and comb through them until she could discern a cause for the software malfunctions. Perhaps therein would exist a clue that would help her solve this mysterious riddle hidden in the code...
She did not have long to ponder these things though when a knock sounded at her door. She minimized the windows she had open and stood from her seat with a groan. Sitting hunched over her keyboard for hours watching the programs run had caused her back to stiffen up. She snatched up her cup of coffee and ambled to the door. Who could it possibly be?
When Ritsuko opened the door, there stood Misato on the other side. "Hey," her friend greeted with a cheerful smile. "How are things going in there? I swear, I never see you on the bridge anymore."
Ritsuko sighed and hung her head. It was very true that she'd become somewhat of a recluse as of late and until she managed to get her programming working properly that was unlikely to change. "At this point I would prefer to spend some time on the bridge," she grumbled.
"So why don't you?" Misato asked, wrinkling her nose. "Why spend all your time in this office that reeks of cigarettes?"
Ritsuko sighed once again, and began stalking back to her desk. "As always, the commander gives me some project and I have to make it work," she replied. "You want to come in?"
"Sure," Misato replied, stepping into the office. "So long as you don't light up. It almost makes me want to have one."
Ritsuko let out a wry chuckle. "That's right, you used to smoke in college, didn't you," she returned.
"Yeah, I did," Misato replied. "I gave it up though, don't want to start up again."
"It's probably for the best," Ritsuko returned. "It's too expensive these days."
"It really is. I don't see how you manage," Misato quipped. "So... what is it that you're working on that's keeping you cooped up in here?
Ritsuko sat down at her desk and snatched up her cup of lukewarm coffee, swiveling around to face her friend with a pensive frown. Misato was going to know about the development of the autopilot system after the test she had planned for the next week, there was no point keeping things secret any longer. "I've been developing a new combat system for the Evangelions," she replied tersely.
Misato blinked as if in surprise. "That's what's been taking up all your time?" she asked. "Must be pretty complex if it's making you work like this. Mind if I ask exactly what it is?"
Ritsuko knew that her friend had no idea just how damned complex it really was... "It's an autopilot system," she replied flatly. "So yes, it's quite complex."
Misato's mouth fell open. "An autopilot system?" she inquired. "What exactly does that mean? How is that going to effect future operations?"
Ritsuko sipped her coffee and winced at how foul it tasted now that it was getting cold. "Once I can manage to get it working, it will be just an auxiliary system at first, one that would be used in the event of pilot incapacitation. After we can iron out the bugs, it will be the brains of the Mass Production Eva Series, allowing for a fully automated combat platform," she replied. "That is if I can get it working in the first place..."
Misato sat down on the edge of the desk and folded her arms. "That's a big responsibility," she stated. "I'm sure you'll work out whatever has been going wrong though."
Ritsuko was glad that her friend wasn't pushing any further. How on earth would she ever be able to explain the complexities of the software? Besides... it was better if Misato didn't know about how she'd literally trying to turn Rei's actual, living memories into computer software. "I certainly hope so," she returned with a sigh. "Perhaps the next round of tests will make it easier."
"Oh yeah, that's right..." Misato mused. "The B wing testing chambers will be finished next week, won't they... So I'm guessing that the test you've got planned feeds into that autopilot, right?"
Ritsuko frowned and turned back to her computer, gulping down the rest of her coffee as she did. Indeed the next series of tests she had planned took place over there. Even she would admit that the next round of tests would be quite... invasive to say the least. She would be lying if she wasn't a little sorry for the pilots for having to be subjected to it. Even so, it was the nature of her work, nothing she could do about it. In the end, it would all serve the greater good and the advancement of her goals both personal and professional... "Yeah," she replied. "It is. We'll be doing an in depth harmonics test with the goal of taking imprints of each pilot's profile in order to better integrate the auto pilot software for each Evangelion."
Misato raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like something you could just do in the test plugs we've been using," she stated. "What's the point of waiting until the B wing is complete?"
Ritsuko was beginning to tire of Misato's incessant questioning, but she supposed she was going to find out about the nature of the test soon anyway... "Because we need to take extremely accurate measurements," she replied. "This will require the use of special dummy Evangelion bodies, an in depth decontamination of the pilots, and for the pilots to participate... nude."
Misato laughed and grinned. "You're joking about the last part, right?" she returned in a tone that showed she thought what had just been stated was a joke.
Ritsuko stared at her friend with a serious glare. "Without the interference of their plug suits, we'll be able to collect the best data," she stated flatly.
After a moment, Misato's playful grin faded into a look that displayed she understood that the statement she was grinning about was indeed serious. "I see..." she muttered, looking away. "I guess I should inform the pilots then. Asuka's probably going to throw a fit. You've got to admit that this test of yours is going to be humiliating for them..."
Ritsuko scowled. "I know that, but I don't have much of a choice," she replied. "The commander wants this system up and running as soon as possible and that's the most efficient way."
"I trust you on that," Misato stated with a frown. "Still... sucks for them."
Asuka raised her arms in the air and stretched. Finally the school day was over and the weekend awaited. At present, she was leaving the school grounds with the usual group. She walked ahead of the group of course with Hikari at her side, Shinji and Rei just behind, and Touji and Kensuke just behind them. "Finally!" she exclaimed with all the pent up boredom from the day leaving her with that expression of relief. "The week is finally over and we can all finally relax and have some fun!"
"I agree," Hikari stated. "It's been a long week. It seems like those Angels you guys are always fighting will never stop."
Asuka smirked. That was a sentiment she didn't fully share. As crazy as some of those battles had been, they were what she'd trained her entire life to do. They were what gave her life purpose and honestly they were kind of exciting at times. "Don't worry, we'll beat em all eventually," she replied cheerfully. "Right now let's just try to take a breather from school."
Touji snickered. "For once I agree with you Soryu," he stated with a grin.
"So..." Kensuke drawled. "Since we've got the afternoon free, anyone want to hit the arcade?"
"Hell yeah!" Touji exclaimed. "I'm game to take on the basketball scoring game. I'm feeling lucky, today I might beat my high score!"
"You mean the one you set last time we were there?" Kensuke quipped.
"Yeah, the one I set last time," Touji retorted. "What about it? What do you think, Shinji? Want to hang at the arcade?"
Shinji shrugged. "I don't have an opinion really," he replied. "It's up to everyone else."
Asuka rolled her eyes. Typical Shinji, just passing things off and not taking any initiative. It was so frustrating to see him do shit like that. It was almost impossible for her to reconcile the two sides of him that she'd seen. It would always puzzle her how he could be so courageous in battle and yet so passive in life. Then again, despite those two sides of him puzzling her it also fascinated her, attracted her to him... She supposed she wouldn't mind going to an arcade. She was pretty good at video games after all. "Sounds like a fun time," Asuka stated. "We should all go."
"I guess I wouldn't mind going," Hikari said, turning to Rei. "What do you think, Ayanami?"
"I will come along if this is the collective decision," Rei replied.
Asuka sighed. Such passive people. What would it take for either of them to just for once take initiative and seize the day? "You and Shinji both are hopeless, you know that, Wonder-girl?" she huffed.
"What do you mean?" Shinji asked. "We both said we'd come along..."
"Still, you've gotta want it!" Asuka retorted, before turning back to the two stooges at the back of the group. "So, what kind of games do they have over this place we're headed to?"
"Just the typical arcade fare," Kensuke stated. "Some shooting games, racing games, Dance Dance Revolution, the usual stuff."
"That last one actually sounds like fun," Hikari stated.
Asuka smirked. "It's decided then," she declared. "We're going."
"I have never been to an arcade before," Rei murmured. "This is new to me..."
Asuka glanced over at her friend with a somewhat somber expression. Considering how she had been at the mall with her a few weeks back, Asuka was painfully aware of how socially isolated Rei's background was. It was kind of sad to be perfectly honest. "Trust me, it's gonna be fun, Wonder-girl," she stated.
Rouji Kaji sat in his spartan flat within the geofront, staring at his laptop screen and reading through the notes of his investigation so far. Even though he'd been in Tokyo 3 for a relatively short time what he'd uncovered so far had been equally interesting and unnerving.
From his clandestine investigation so far, he's discerned much. He'd done some digging into the reasoning behind why Commander Ikari wanted to keep the embryonic Adam at NERV headquarters and all he'd found when digging through what electronic files he could get his hands on was something about regenerating it for use in the vaguely described Human Instrumentality Project. Though the details of this program remained elusive he did know that his other backers, SEELE, were the ones behind it...
There was also the digging he'd done into some of the other secret programs going on surrounding the Evangelions. There were some suspicious documents he'd uncovered about SEELE planning for NERV to produce an autopilot for the Evangelions. This had been code named the "Dummy Plug" according to the files in question. Though he could not be certain, he was quite sure that he'd walked in or Ritsuko working on something regarding that the other day. It would certainly make sense. He'd been keeping tabs on her and most of the high ranking members of NERV's staff and it would explain why she'd been spending so much time in her office alone. After all she was the head of the Evangelion development team in Tokyo 3...
Then there was the information he'd been hearing from other spies within the PSIA and the JSSDF about the ongoing developments surrounding the Mass Production Evangelion series which were set to be completed very soon, though the exact time was a mystery. It went without saying that despite the funding from the international community, the Mass Production Series put nations of the world on edge. Why wouldn't they? One Evangelion possessed incredible power, fears of an Evangelion arms race were being whispered in the legislative bodies of nations all over the world.
Kaji ran his hands over his hair and pinched his temples. What did it all mean? What was the end goal of all of this past defeating the Angels foretold by those mysterious Dead Sea Scrolls that SEELE had kept hidden from public eye? What was the Human Instrumentality Project? How deep and dark did it all go?
He lit a cigarette and sighed. He dreaded just what the answers to all those questions really were but he was going to find out regardless of the cost. He had to, for himself and all those he cared about who'd died in the Second Impact and afterward. The memory of his brother's death at the hands of the military still weighed in his mind. He had to find out, no matter the cost...
His cell phone began to vibrate and he pulled it out of pocket. The number on the small screen was one he had not saved but he knew who it was. It was his handler within the PSIA. Slowly he placed it to his ear. "Hello auntie," he said over the line in a chipper tone. "It's been a while since you've called. How are you?"
"I'm well, nephew," his handler replied. "How are things regarding the business? Any word on the board of directors?"
Kaji scowled and clamped the cigarette tight in his teeth. It went without saying that while he was in the vicinity of any potential wiretap from NERV that they speak in code and he knew exactly what his contact was getting at. The board of directors was their code word for the Marduk Institute, the international body tasked with finding and selecting candidates to pilot Evangelions. He'd only just begun his research into the companies that made up the organization but the ones he had looked into had turned out to be empty shells, fakes. "Not the best," he replied. "I've met a few of the members of the board and they all were empty suits. Seems like my business ventures are doomed to stall for now."
"I certainly hope not," his handler replied. "The family head has put a lot of faith in you."
The family head referring to the Japanese government and department of defense... "I won't let him down," Kaji replied. "I just need a bit more time."
"With those Angel things arriving all the time and disrupting things, I hope not much longer," his handler replied. "They've been very bad for business."
Kaji took a puff of his smoke. He had the list of companies in hand and would be getting around to them in short order. He had numerous addresses to look into and a ton of names to investigate, everything was already lined up. "I have a solid business plan," he replied. "What more can grandpa want?"
"He wants you to succeed," his handler replied. "Simple as that, the honor of the family is at stake."
Kaji took another long pull of his cigarette. Indeed, the future of Japan was indeed at stake... "I'll manage," he said softly. "You needn't worry."
"Then get to the grind," his handler returned. "I hear of an opportunity in Chiba with one of the chief executives. You should probably check it out."
Kaji scowled. That city had fallen into decay after Second Impact, why would a Marduk Institute branch want to set something up there? Chiba was roughly three hours away from Tokyo 3 and barely outside the wasteland of old Tokyo... Still, it was close enough that if he could leave early in the morning and investigate before noon. "I'll look into it," he replied. "Thanks for the tip."
Alright, nephew, talk to you soon," his handler returned.
"Talk soon, auntie," Kaji replied jut before the line went dead.
Kaji stood from his seat and made his way to his refrigerator to retrieve himself a beer. He grabbed one and cracked it open, bringing it to his lips and taking vigorous gulps as he did So the Marduk Institute was to take priority for now it seemed. He only hoped that there would be some sort of payoff to his continued snooping for the Japanese government that would lead to his own ends. That path seemed so much less important than the other things he'd uncovered but who was he to question his superiors?
His thoughts drifted to Misato as he stared at the bottle of Asahi in his hand. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen if Misato were to discover the kind of... extra-curricular activities he'd been undertaking. The deeper he got into the situation he was in the more alone he felt in the world and the more he wished he could just... trust her with his deepest secrets again.
Kaji began to grin wryly. He really had never stopped loving her...
He laughed to himself and took another pull of his cigarette followed by a sip of the beer in his hand. There was no denying it to himself any longer, eventually he'd have to tell her about what he'd been up to. It was only a question of when that time would be. Eventually he would have to put his trust in her once more. Even though it wasn't right to reveal his real intentions at NERV yet, he had faith that when he did she would accept it.
Asuka stood with a soda in hand as she watched Touji go crazy on the basketball game at the arcade. Even she had to admit that he was pretty good at what he did, even if he was a complete and total moron. At present she was taking a break from playing Dance Dance Revolution with Hikari. She'd worked up a sweat and needed to cool off. So far the arcade had been a pleasant distraction from everything but even so her inner debates over how she felt about the people in her life remained despite her desire not to think about that sort of thing.
It had been kinda fun so far to show Rei how to play the various games at the arcade. The blue haired girl had actually managed to beat her at a couple of the shooting games which would have been just a bit surprising if Rei had been someone other than a fellow Evangelion pilot. The target simulators for the Evas were far harder than any light gun video game could be after all and Rei had been a pilot for at least as long as she had been. It was only natural for Rei to actually give her a challenge at games of that sort. At the same time, the competitive side of her was quite displeased at being beaten at something. She prided herself at being the best at anything she set her mind to after all...
Then there was Shinji... Seeing him actually enjoy himself playing various games had been interesting to say the least. She was so used to him being so gloomy and sullen all the time, watching him actually have a good time with Kensuke playing some sort of race car game was kind of endearing. Even she had to admit that he had a cute smile...
No, she didn't want to think about him like that! It would only cause problems anyway. Besides... she might still be able to get Kaji's attention... right?
"You seem tired," Rei's voice shook her from her inner contemplation. "Are you alright, Asuka?"
Asuka looked up to face her blue haired friend with a grin. "I'm fine," she replied. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
Rei nodded. "It is an interesting experience," she stated softly. "The light gun module reminded me of rifle training in the Eva."
Asuka chuckled. "Yeah, it is kinda like that, isn't it?" she mused.
"Indeed," Rei replied.
It was then that Touji came walking over, ruining the peaceful mood. "Hell yes!" he declared, pumping his fist in the air. "I beat my old score! I'm in the top five on that machine now!"
"That's very nice, Suzuhara," Hikari said with a warm smile. "I'm glad you're having fun."
Touji nodded and returned her smile. "Would have been nice to have an audience though," he returned.
Asuka rolled her eyes. Now if anything made her sick to her stomach, it was the damned crush that those two had on each other... She turned to Rei. "Hey, I'm gonna go grab a soda, want to come with?" she asked.
Rei nodded. "I wouldn't mind," she replied.
Asuka wasted no time getting away from Hikari and Touji, making a beeline for the soda machines with Rei following close behind. She had enough infatuation related bullshit to deal with...
Shinji was walking home beside Rei and Asuka after the three had said goodbye to Touji, Kensuke and Horaki a few blocks back. The trip to the arcade had done a bit to distract him from his internal conflicts, at least in the moment. Now that the evening was approaching and the sun was getting lower in the sky all the thoughts that had been evoked by the previous night's conversation with Misato were swirling in his mind once again.
He just couldn't stop thinking about what his guardian had said about her own father and how his situation could actually have closure. It actually gave him hope but... he remembered what had happened the last time he'd had hope in regards to his father. He'd been summoned to Tokyo 3 and forced into fighting a monster... Even though things had looked up since then he would always be just a little bitter about how that had gone down.
Of course this event had ultimately led him to actually have some improvements in his life overall, excluding the burden of piloting Eva. Before he'd come to the city he now called home he couldn't remember a time when he'd actually had friends. Now he had Misato, Touji, Kensuke, Asuka, and Rei... He'd grown to care for all of them. Touji and Kensuke were fun to hang around and didn't judge him for who he was. Misato was almost like a big sister that he'd never had. Asuka was always pushing him to have more of a spine and even though they butted heads at times he liked her. And Rei? She was the best friend he'd ever had, someone who he could trust with everything...
"You seemed happy at the arcade," Rei said softly, shaking him from his introspection. "And yet now you seem glum. What is bothering you?"
"Yeah," Asuka added, seeming a bit concerned despite the snarky tone in her voice. "You've been off in your own head since this morning. What gives?"
Shinji sighed. Eventually Asuka was just going to pry it out of him so he might as well just spill. He would have preferred to talk to Rei about it in private but he seldom got the chance to see her alone anymore... Even as he started talking he felt dirty, like he shouldn't be telling either of them about this sort of thing. It was something Misato kept well hidden after all. "Last night I... had an interesting talk with Misato," he said almost under his breath. Best to be vague about it... "She mentioned some things that... kinda made me... think about how things are with me and my father."
"Well, that's a bit vague," Asuka huffed. "What about that is a reason to be so gloomy?"
Shinji stared down at the sidewalk, having difficulty putting his thoughts into words. "It's... hard to explain," he muttered. He felt dirty talking about this subject... "She told me about how their relationship wasn't the best and how he died before it had a chance to get better, before she could get any... closure."
"I... understand that fully," Rei replied. Shinji turned his head and met her gaze. She was staring back at him with a compassionate look in her eyes. He didn't need to explain anymore, she understood what he could barely find words to say... She also understood just how difficult it was for him to talk about this kind o-
"So... what does that have to do with you and your dad?" Asuka asked with a puzzled somewhat frustrated expression. "Just say what you mean, Shinji."
Shinji stiffened and looked back down at the sidewalk, watching the lines scrolling past beneath his footfalls as he gathered his thoughts. He hated having to explain this kind of thing. "I just... can't help but worry," he replied. "What if things between my father and I can't get any better? What if there's no closure to be had for me too?"
"I believe that your relationship with him can improve," Rei said softly. "He did say he would make time to talk."
"Yeah, don't think like that," Asuka added. "If you do you're just setting yourself up for failure! Besides, he actually said he'd make time for you just like Rei said, right? Have a little faith!"
The both of them had solid points that he honestly had a hard time refuting. Even so, the doubt in the back of his mind remained. That doubt would always be there, that fear... Still, their words forced a small smile to crest his lips. "Yeah..." he murmured. "You might be right..."
"Of course we're right," Asuka stated with a smirk before turning to Rei. "By the way, you want to hang at our place for a little while Wonder-girl? The evenings are boring with just Shinji and I know you can't say no to his cooking!"
"I would enjoy that," Rei replied.
Shinji found himself just a little bit bothered by Asuka's comment. "Hey, I'm not that boring am I?" he protested.
"No," Asuka replied with a playful grin. "You're worse."
Rei followed behind Asuka and Shinji as the three of them stepped inside the Katsuragi residence. The trip to the arcade had been interesting to say the least. She was familiar with the concept of video games but had never actually played one until today. Who would have known that flashing lights and simple actions carried out on a television screen could be so enthralling. At the very least she now better understood why Aida would sometimes talk at length about those kinds of games during lunch time at school. Perhaps in future she might return there with just Shinji. As much as she'd come to enjoy the group of friends she was now a part of, it had been a while since she'd spent any time with just her closest friend...
"Hello!" Asuka called out down the hallway as the three of them kicked off their shoes. "Misato! We're home!"
There was no response as the group filed down the hallway and into the kitchen. "Looks like she's still at work," Shinji replied. "Wonder why..."
That would be a logical assumption. She was the head of combat operations and she was most likely still dealing with the fallout from the latest Angel attack. "Misato-san is a busy person," Rei stated. "I would assume the reason she's not back is related to our last deployment."
"Eh, probably," Asuka replied. "That Angel did make a big crater just outside the city."
"I'm just glad we managed to stop it," Shinji stated. "It could have been a lot worse."
"Very true," Rei replied. Indeed it could have been much worse and she was very thankful that it hadn't been.
"We won though, so no use thinking about those kind of things," Asuka added. "I swear though, I'll never understand why every single Angel attack someone has something they're bitching about afterward.
No one had time to speak any more on the subject when they heard door to the apartment swishing open with it's usual mechanical whir. "Hi guys!" Misato could be heard calling. "I'm finally home!"
"Evening Misato!" Asuka called back. "We're in the kitchen!"
After a moment Misato joined them in the kitchen. "Hey guys, sorry I'm home late," she said as she shrugged off her jacket and tucked it under her arm. "I had a long day at the office."
"I see..." Shinji stated with a sympathetic look. "That seems to be happening more often than not these days. Sorry you can't catch a break..."
Misato shrugged. "It's just the name of the game I suppose," she replied. "The paperwork after each Angel attack just increases."
"Understandable I guess," Shinji returned.
Rei watched as Misato's gaze landed on her. "Hey Rei, are you staying for dinner tonight?" she asked with a warm smile.
Rei nodded. "I was invited to do so, yes," she replied softly.
Misato glanced at both Asuka and Shinji . "Well since you're all here, I might as well let you all know that next week will be the completion of the new B wing testing center," she said. "Ritsuko has a pretty intense harmonics test planned when it's finished. Apparently she's developing an autopilot system for future Evangelion units."
Rei's stomach did a flip and her eyes widened at those words. She'd known that there would be more tests regarding the Dummy Plug system but she didn't remember them involving her friends... This was a new development and one that stirred great anxiety within her. It was a reminder that things were developing quickly and that the window for meaningful change was closing fast. Perhaps it had something to do with the errors caused by the early test when Dr. Akagi had attempted to glean the needed data from her. She still counted herself lucky that her secrets had not been discovered during that particular event. Then there was the issue of Commander Ikari's absence. Soon he would return to Tokyo 3 with the Lance, if that was the the purpose for trip he was on at present. She could only hope that the little nudging she'd been able to accomplish regarding him and Shinji would pay off... "I see..." she murmured. "What will make this harmonics test as intense as you say?"
Misato grimaced. "Well..." she replied nervously. "She said that the three of you will have to participate... nude..."
"What!?" Asuka and Shinji screamed in unison. "Are you serious!?"
"Yes," Misato replied. "Sadly, I am."
Well that was certainly an unexpected response... Rei felt queasy thinking about it. In the past it would never have bothered her to be subjected to such a thing. Now the idea was deeply unpleasant and even if they had not immediately protested she knew that it was abhorrent to Asuka and Shinji. "What is the purpose of this?" she asked. "What is Dr. Akagi's reasoning?"
Misato regarded her with a sympathetic look. "She said something about the data readings being more precise or something like that," she replied. "I don't understand it fully to be perfectly frank."
Rei supposed that only Dr. Akagi would be able to fully explain it and she didn't much want to ask her... "This it not cool!" Asuka barked. "No way! I'm not participating in something like that!"
Misato sighed. "Well, Dr Akagi is head of the Evangelion science department," Misato replied. "So it's fine if you say no, but your position as a front line pilot might be on the line."
"She wouldn't dare," Asuka growled through bared teeth.
Misato snickered wryly. "I know Ritsuko and she'll do just about anything to get her way," she replied. Rei knew all too well that that statement was tested truth...
Asuka crossed her arms and turned her head away. "This sucks!" she hissed.
"I agree with Asuka..." Shinji murmured. "It does seem a bit much..."
Misato sighed. "Sadly it is what it is," she returned...
Asuka growled under her breath and began stalking off in the direction of the living room. "I'm going to my room," she snapped. "Let me know when dinner's ready."
Rei watched as she stomped away, leaving her in the kitchen alone with Misato and Shinji. There were so many thoughts running through her mind but she did not have the words to articulate them. Most of them would just raise suspicions anyway... She watched as Shinji sat down at the kitchen table and ran his hand through his hair. "This is a lot to take in," he muttered.
"It is," Misato said with a sigh. "I'll do what I can to make sure your privacy is respected, okay?"
"That would be kind of you," Rei stated softly.
A long stretch of awkward silence followed before Shinji spoke again. "I guess I'll make dinner," he stated. "Do you guys have any preference for anything?"
Misato shook her head. "Nah, dealer's choice," she replied.
Rei enjoyed just about anything that Shinji made so she was on the same page as Misato was. "I do not have a preference," she stated.
"Alright," Shinji replied, standing up and moving toward the cabinets. "I'll just make something simple then."
Misato began to move toward her bedroom. "I'm gonna get changed out of this uniform," she said. "You guys let me know if you need anything."
"Okay," Shinji replied, beginning his retrieval of ingredients and spices from the cabinets and refrigerator.
Rei felt a bit strange just standing there watching him. She'd seen him cook before and always found it fascinating. It seemed a bit of a strain on him at times but the end result was always excellent. It would be nice if she could learn how to prepare tasty morsels for herself in the event her plans for the near future found success. It was also pleasant just... being near him without anyone else around. "Would you mind if I attempted to assist you?" she asked.
"I'm fine," Shinji replied. "I'm used to cooking without any helping hands."
Rei stood her ground. "I insist," she returned. "I would like to help you..."
Shinji turned to her, a small smile tracing across his lips. "Okay..." he replied.
Rei felt that familiar feeling of warmth in her chest come to life once again...
It was late in the evening and Asuka lay in the living room on the floor watching television propped up on her elbows with her chin in her palms. Rei had helped Shinji with a bit of his homework after dinner but she'd left more than an hour ago. Normally Asuka would have tried to get the both of them to watch TV with her but she was in such a sour mood after the news of what was planned for the next week that she didn't much want to socialize. The whole idea of having to be a naked subject for a glorified science experiment didn't sit well with her and made her want to be away from others.
Numerous thoughts surrounding the upcoming test spun in her mind. She shuddered to think about what it would entail. Usually herself and her two fellow pilots would board the harmonic's test plugs all together. If they were supposed to do that nude then that was just... well, it stirred a whole lot of uncomfortable emotions. The idea of being naked around her friends, especially Shinji, was quite a hard thing to think about. It stirred things in her that she'd rather not think about.
"Hey..." Shinji's voice shook her from her thoughts. "Are you alright, Asuka? You've been kinda sour since we got home..."
She turned to him with a scowl. "Why wouldn't I be sour?" she spat. "We're going to end up being Dr. Akagi's lab rats!"
"Yeah, I get that," Shinji replied, turning his head away and shuffling his feet. "I'm not exactly looking forward to it either..."
Asuka's hard expression softened. "It's just insulting..." she grumbled, turning back to the TV. "I've been an Evangelion pilot nearly all my life and I've never been subjected to something like what's ahead..."
There was a pause before Shinji spoke again. "How was it that you became a pilot?" he asked. "I'm not sure if you ever told me."
Asuka tensed at the inquiry. She had become a pilot the same day that her mother had... no, she didn't want to think about that... "I was selected when I was just a little kid," she replied. "Why?"
"I- I don't know..." Shinji replied softly. "It's just... you've been doing this for longer than me. I was wondering if you ever had to deal with crazy tests like this before... Sorry if I upset you..."
Asuka's frown returned. It was nice that he had such concerns but it stirred up all sorts of uncomfortable memories that she didn't want to reminisce on. Things like having men in suits eyeing her as she ran on a treadmill with an oxygen mask strapped to her face or being measured for her first plug suit... She doubted he'd had to deal with things like that considering how rushed his training and deployment had been. Still, it was nice of him to... try and connect with her. "I haven't really," she lied. "And you don't need to apologize..."
"Sorry..." he muttered. "I can't help it."
Asuka smiled. He was just too compassionate for his own good... "I know..." she replied, turning over her shoulder to regard him. "But it's nothing you need to be sorry about. Don't you ever get tired of apologizing for things you have no control over?"
Shinji shuffled his feet. "Yeah..." he returned. "I guess I do."
"Then why do you do it?" Asuka asked.
Shinji's eyes widened for a moment and he looked away from her again. "I don't know..." he replied. "I guess it's just... easy."
Asuka was struck by that comment. Something about that comment perked her curiousity. She turned around fully and sat up. "Why is that?" she asked. "What makes it easy?"
Shinji crossed his arms and looked downward at the floor. "I just... don't want to upset anyone..." he replied. "I don't want them to think less of me..."
Asuka was a bit stunned by that comment. A part of her resented that sentiment but another part of her understood. If she hadn't had a chance to really reflect of the kind of person he was then she probably would have just outwardly detested him for his submissive behavior but... now that he mentioned it, she understood. It was just his way of getting by, his way of running from his own burdens. It was his mask, and it wasn't too different from the mask she wore to protect her own image of her self. "I don't think less of you, you dork," she retorted. "Who around here thinks less of you?"
Shinji stiffened, his brow furrowing. "I... don't know..." he replied. "I just worry about that kind of thing, you know?"
Asuka couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him. What had he been through that had lead him to be so submissive and passive? It was painful to think about... It made her just want to reach out and- no! She wouldn't think about such things... "Well stop," she huffed, turning back to the television. "There's no one in your life you need to suck up to, okay? We all like you for who you are..."
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Just as Asuka was about to snap at him he spoke again. "Thanks..." he replied. "I'll... try to keep that in mind.
She turned around to see him looking at her with a nervous smile and her heart skipped a beat. "Right..." she grumbled, turning once again to stare at the program on the television. "You know you can sit and watch TV with me if you want..."
"Do... you mind?" Shinji asked.
Asuka scoffed. "What are you, stupid?" she retorted.
She listened at Shinji stepped closer to her. Out of the corner of her eye she watched him sit down a couple feet away from her. It was... nice to be so close to him. She hated that her heart was beating faster being close to him. What the hell was wrong with her... "Alright," he said softly. "I'll hang out for a bit."
"Cool..." Asuka replied softly.
Gendo sat in his quarters aboard Carl Vinson staring out the window at the endless expanse of ocean surrounding him. Even during this expedition he'd had to call in to the latest meeting with the Human Instrumentality Committee in order to offer platitudes which were ultimately meaningless. The Lance Of Longinus had been recovered, the fact that the committee was pressing him about the Dummy System when he was ahead of schedule was asinine. Then again, it was the truth that no good deed went unpunished... At the very least, if the Dead Sea Scrolls were correct, there were less Angels to come than had already been dispatched.
Speaking of good deeds, his thoughts began to drift back to his ward and his son. Even though he dreaded seeing them again, a part of him was looking forward to it. Even though it was just part of her routine at NERV he enjoyed seeing Rei for status reports. He'd meant what he'd said to her after the last Angel's attack about keeping up the good work. She'd shown vast improvement in her ability to pilot in combat which was reassuring. It was an extra level of security to his final ends.
Then there was his son... He hated to admit it that he was just a bit worried about how their upcoming meeting outside of NERV would go. He would certainly try to put off any real social interaction until the anniversary of Yui's absorption to avoid any... well he wasn't really sure at this point what he was avoiding. He just... saw too much of himself and Yui in Shinji. Even so, the desire to be closer to the boy lingered. He hated feeling so conflicted, especially after what had been said by Rei a few weeks prior. Those words continued to haunt him...
At the very least testing wing B would be complete by the time he arrived back in Tokyo 3. The upcoming test that was planned in that wing would likely give them a boost toward completing the Dummy Plug System, which would get the old men off his back. This said, being away from NERV he hadn't been able to closely oversee things regarding that. Perhaps calling Dr. Akagi would help to alleviate his worries. At the very least he could inquire as to what her current progress with the Dummy System was.
With precise motions he grasped the satellite phone on the desk and dialed Dr. Akagi's office. Even though it was quite late there was a good chance she was still there. That woman was always working to please him, probably due to the childish infatuation she had with him. It was regretful that he would never return her feelings. Thankfully he had not yet had to resort to the measures he'd used to keep her mother in line... Even years later he still felt sickened by what he'd had to do. Though being necessary for the advancement of his goals and humanity's fight to destroy the Angels, that was one of very few actions he'd taken that he still found difficult to justify.
"Hello?" Dr. Akagi's voice sounded on the other end of the line. "Who is this?"
Gendo smirked. "You know exactly who this is," he replied. "Have you made any progress with the Dummy Plug source code?"
"It's been difficult but I've made some headway," Dr. Akagi stated. "If I keep working on it I should be able to finish it according to the original timetable."
Gendo's smirk faded. "I see," he replied. "That is acceptable. So long as we do not overstretch the original time that will be adequate enough to please the committee. See too it that it's done."
"Yes sir..." Dr. Akagi replied.
"Take care for now," he said before hanging up the phone. Hopefully Dr. Akagi would not disappoint him. She had not yet done so.
Ryouji Kaji had not gotten much sleep, he'd spent much of the evening and night pouring over his route to his newest surveillance target and pouring over what data he already had. He'd left his apartment in the geofront at around four in the morning and hopped a train to Old Tokyo where a vehicle had been waiting for him courtesy of his handler. After that, he'd driven to his destination in the decaying city of Chiba.
The building in question was a small office on the eastern end of the city. All the buildings surrounding it were abandoned and in some state of decay, some with collapsed roofs even. The street was covered in debris and filth and the only sounds beside the purr of his car's engine was the wind. The atmosphere of the place simply put him on edge. It was just like all the other places he'd looked into regarding the Marduk Institute. Part of him wanted to just turn tail and return to NERV as not to take unnecessary risks but he had a job to do and his own curiosity to sate. In the back of his mind, the old saying about curiosity and cats weighed heavy...
Before exiting the car he reached into his jacket and checked his sidearm, making sure that the Sig Sauer P229 was loaded and ready to go should the need arise. He had two spare magazines and one loaded with a round in the chamber, giving him a total of forty six rounds going in. He prayed that he would not need to use any as he'd met no resistance at any of the sites he'd snooped around at yet but one could never be too careful as a spy. After sticking the pistol back in his coat he stepped out of the car and closed the door behind him. It was time to get to work.
He moved toward the main entrance to the building and as he got closer he realized that the glass sliding doors were cracked and their metal frames rusted. Inside he couldn't see any lights. This was all adding up to be just another shell company... Still, he couldn't leave until everything was looked over. He bashed in the cracked glass with his elbow and gained entrance into the building.
Once inside, the main lobby he took a look around. There were cobwebs everywhere and water was leaking from the shredded foam ceiling tiles. The computer monitors on the front desk appeared to have been out of use for years. He scowled, doubtful that anything in this building would end up being useful to the investigation. The most useful thing would probably end up being that this was yet another shell company. Even so, he had six floors to comb over. Hopefully he would get through it quick and without incident.
Slowly, he crept down the hallway until he reached a stairwell. He poked his head into it and look a look around nervously, listening for any signs of movement or the presence of another person. Though it was silent in the stairwell he could see a flickering light coming from the open door the next level up. Carefully, he drew his weapon and held it at his side. This was the first place that he'd investigated that had lights on. It meant that someone had been there recently. With careful steps, Kaji began ascending the stairs.
He fought to control his breathing as his heartbeat surged in his ears. The sounds of vermin scurrying around on the floor as he moved up the stairs could alert any hostile party to his presence. He clicked off the safety of his firearm and lifted it up to be ready as he shifted up against the wall once reaching the floor with the flickering florescent lighting. From cover he peered into the floor and saw a maze of cubicles and a single flickering overhead light in the center of the large room. It seemed deserted but assumptions were meaningless in the world of espionage. No matter what he would keep his wits about him. The maze of cubicles was a perfect place to stage an ambush but he had to proceed. His handler had directed him to this place for a reason...
The particles of fallen ceiling tile crunched under his feet as he moved into the room. Kaji bit his lip at the sound echoing in the room. Every step he took was certainly loud enough to alert anyone who might be lurking in the shadows no matter how lightly he tread. He clenched the grip of the gun in his hand tightly. The cubicles he was passing seemed to be empty of anything but at the far end of the room he could see the dim light of a computer monitor beaming a pale light on the far wall from a desk in a side office. Perhaps if he could reach that he might be able to glean some useful information.
He crossed the room swiftly, making sure that he minded whatever cover or concealment that he could. Flashbacks to the hours he'd spent training in tactical movement and close quarters combat were whirling in his mind. Kaji didn't want to get distracted looking over the computer that was running. The closer he got to it the more it seemed like a trap. He listened closely, his ears tuned to pick up any small sound that was out of place.
He entered the office and saw that there was no one there. The absence of people was truly becoming unnerving. Kaji took a timid step towards the desk and then another. The monitor was facing away from him so he couldn't see what was on it but it was safe to assume that someone had been using the terminal recently...
Bang!
The gunshot shattered the glass wall of the corner office and caused him to hit the deck. Kaji frantically slid to cover as his processed what had just happened. It sounded like the gunfire had come from the stairwell at the opposite end of the floor from where he'd come. Slowly he peered above the cubicle wall that he sheltered behind in the direction of where he believed the shot had come from.
Bang!
There was a flash and another deafening blast, impacting the cubicle wall inches away from his face. He ducked down and lifted his sidearm above the cubicle wall, firing off three shots in rapid succession. The reports nearly deafened him and the dust that his muzzle blast kicked up caused a haze to linger in the air. This was the kind of shit he'd most worried about but he'd been trained well. He wasn't about to let himself be killed just yet.
Through the ringing in his ears he could hear the sound of a door slamming open and the sound of frantic footsteps. In an instant Kaji shot to his feet and gave chase. If whoever it was that had fired at him were to escape and identify him it wouldn't bode well for a long career in espionage. He dashed to the stairwell where the gunshots had originated and smashed through the still swinging door. As he did he caught sight of a figure sprinting up to the next floor. Without hesitation Kaji pursued him.
Upon reaching the third floor of the building, Kaji noted that it was even more dilapidated and dark. It seemed like the building had been under some kind of renovation years ago when people did fully occupy it. Instead of cubicles there was a jutting maze of half finished sheet-rock walls and computer server equipment that for the most part seemed inoperable. Kaji's heart pounded in his chest as he leveled his gun at anywhere his now hidden enemy might fire from as he tiptoed between places of cover. He pressed up against a wall and peered around a corner, looking into the darkness of the unlit floor...
A few meters away from behind a nearby wall Kaji caught sight of a black shape moving. Just as he managed to level his firearm, rapid fire reports sounded. He ducked behind his meager concealment as the rounds smashed into the wall around him. He slid to the floor and leaned into the open just enough to return fire. Dust, smoke, and smell of cordite filled the air, making it difficult to see or breathe in the already musty and stale room. After a few seconds of continuous fire the shooting stopped.
Kaji checked his weapon and realized he'd expended all the ammunition in his magazine. With a swift motion he ejected the spent mag and inserted a new one, clicking off the slide release as soon as he did to chamber a round. Thirty rounds remaining... As he stood to his feet he noted the drywall just behind where he'd been standing had been punched through by his foe's rounds. If that was the case then the wall his enemy was sheltering behind most likely provided no better protection. As he rose to his feet he peered around the corner of his concealment and toward the direction of his enemy.
The room was completely still but for the lingering smoke and dust in the air and the loud ringing in his ears. He watched for any sign of movement, aiming down the sights of his pistol, ready to dispatch any threat that entered his field of vision. Then, down at the floor, peeking out from behind a sheet-rock wall, he noticed a small rounded shape in the darkness. It looked very much like a shoe but he couldn't be sure exactly what it was. Still, his focus honed in on it, if it moved then most likely his enemy was concealing himself behind that wall...
Then the presumed foot at the base of the wall moved and he saw an object move upward along the edge of it. Kaji fired four shots in rapid succession into the drywall about halfway up from the floor. Through the ringing in his hears he could hear a metallic clatter and then a fleshy thump coming from the other side of where he'd just fired. After that, he could see a dark liquid pooling around the edge of the wall.
He sighed in relief and nearly collapsed where he stood. The adrenaline began to fade and his legs felt weak as he exited his concealment and moved toward the opposite wall. He kept his pistol at the ready as he moved, ready for anything...
Once he rounded the corner he saw his fallen foe. The man who had been shooting at him appeared to be caucasian, wearing a black suit, his weapon about a meter away on the ground. Considering his foe's ethnicity it was doubtful that he belonged to the Japanese branch of NERV. That was a relief, but what organization could he belong to? Perhaps a rival spy agency such as the CIA, MI6, or SVR? No... more likely this man was an agent belonging to SEELE tasked with protecting whatever it was on that computer or at the very least to deter anyone from looking into the Marduk Institute...
Kaji's foe began choking on his own blood as he lay face up on the ground and he leveled his pistol at the dying man. If somehow his enemy managed to survive then he would only cause him grief. This said, perhaps before he finished the man off, he could at least learn who he worked for. "Who sent you?" Kaji hissed.
The man didn't respond, only gurgling and sputtering on his own blood. After a moment he convulsed and then lay motionless. Kaji let his gun fall to his side with a sigh. So much for learning anything from that guy...
After clearing the rest of the building room by room he returned to the second floor and sat down at the singular working computer in the whole building. After investigating and pouring through the files therein, all he could find was that the company he'd been sent to investigate existed only as the office he was currently inside of and all it's digital activity was controlled through the server said building contained on the third floor. It was another dead end but, considering the resistance he'd faced, someone was determined to discourage revealing that it was a shell company. He was leaning more and more into his theory that all of the Marduk companies were empty shells...
As soon as he returned to his car he beat a hasty exit from the area and called his handler. The woman in charge of his operations for the Japanese government picked up after the second ring. "Hello?" they answered.
"I'm leaving Chiba currently," Kaji stated. "It was another dead end."
"I see..." his handler replied. "Looks like another shell company..."
"Indeed," Kaji replied. "How many more are left in Japan?"
"Not many," his handler replied. "I'll inform you as leads come in. Anything eventful happen?"
Kaji clenched his teeth. "Nothing I wasn't able to handle," he replied.
"Very well," his handler stated. "Take care of yourself, Agent Kaji..."
"I will try my best," Kaji replied before hanging up. As he drove back toward he train station he said a silent prayer. He prayed that he would survive long enough to learn the truth. He prayed that he could live just long enough to understand the depth of the conspiracy he was now embroiled in.
His thoughts drifted back to Misato... Hopefully he would live long enough to reconcile with her. If all else failed, at least he could die happy if he accomplished that...
Author's Notes
edit - I have gone back and tried to fix some minor continuity errors. Shout out to Mathemagician93 for pointing them out.
I hope this upload doesn't disappoint despite not being what many would expect. I thought it best to take a moment to do a bit of world building and exploration into things going on surrounding the main plot in this one. I promise that the next one will get back to the central plot...
This said, it was quite enjoyable to write something within that was extra-canonical. Personally I've always felt that Kaji was under utilized in the source material and that his plotline was tragically unexplored. Going forward I plan to rectify that, as evidenced by the final scene of this chapter, which was probably my favorite to write in this installment. What can I say? I'm a sucker for some good old fashioned Tom Clancy style spy action...
Next up will be the attack of Iruel and the events surrounding that. I do intend to explore quite a bit how the pilots deal with that particular event and also how Ritsuko ultimately defeats that Angel. No matter what, expect some serious character development and drama galore!
Please read and review! Your reactions always make my day!
Regards,
A.F.