CHAPTER 35: THREE DAYS OF THE WOLVERINE
Day One, 19:38L
Tokyo-3, Japan
She hadn't slept. After being debriefed that morning Misato had been placed on 'administrative leave'. She hadn't been fired…yet. But that was only due to the fact that she had been unconscious for the whole incident and therefore not responsible. Misato also figured there was another reason why she was sent home: bait.
They had already come and taken most of Shinji's belongings when she came home. The only thing she was able to convince the Section 2 agents to leave behind was Shinji's flag. They relented only after she pointed out that it bore no intelligence value.
Now she sat at the table, eating a noodle cup with her good arm while the uninjured Asuka sat in silence across from her. She hadn't touched her food. PenPen sat off to the side, ignoring his fish while wondering why the two females were so quiet and where the male human, the Culinary Caesar, Shinji, had gone.
Finally, Asuka broke the silence. "What the hell is going on, Misato?" She asked her guardian.
"How should I know?" Misato asked off-handed. "When I blacked out all I knew was that Unit-03 was infected by an Angel. And when I came to I learned that Shinji had killed or crippled a rifle squad of seasoned, professional soldiers in addition to two Section 2 response teams."
"I meant," the Teutonic Tornado growled, "what the hell is going on with Shinji? I can understand why he got so pissed. I may not like Toji and wouldn't have stood for what the Commander did either. But, that dumbkopf's response was way over the top."
"Maybe," Misato said as she took a sip of water. "But I'm not completely surprised either. Shinji is the protective type." She then looked Asuka in the eyes. "And you should know just as well as I how zealously he fights." Asuka huffed but reluctantly agreed. But there was something that still confused her.
"That Russian called Shinji a 'Wolverine'," she even used the quotation marks. "What the hell does that mean? Wolverine? Was he talking about the animal mascot of that one American college or the X-Men character?"
"Neither actually," Misato replied as she set the remains of her dinner off to the side. "Well, indirectly referring to the animals. But…" She massaged her forehead. The day had been a long one. "I keep forgetting that you've all but turned a blind eye to Shinji's past."
"How can you say that!?" Asuka shrieked as she leaned over the table at Misato. But the older woman didn't even flinch.
"You said it yourself that you didn't care about his past." Asuka sat back down. "The term 'Wolverine', in recent jargon, refers to civilian guerilla fighters who fought against the Russian troops that invaded America."
"You-you're serious?"
"As a heart attack, Asuka," the NERV officer nodded. "And, according to both Shinji's admission and Rei's confirmation, Shinji fought in…"
"Philadelphia…"
"The American Stalingrad."
"I do remember hearing about Philadelphia and the battle that crushed Russian forces…"
"Operation Gadsden," Misato nodded. Asuka just shook her head in shock and confusion.
"But I don't recall hearing anything about teenage kids fighting in the damn streets!"
"The American government was very careful to keep public attention off the Wolverines as much as possible," the raven haired woman explained. "Both during and after the war. It was feared that some would become targets for retribution, either by turncoats or bitter Russian Ultranationalists. A few Wolverines who have come forward publically have had death threats made against them as well as legal and civil litigation. Most just returned to their old lives as much as possible."
"And Shinji?"
"Shinji came here," Misato said as she stood from the table. "And that's his story as far as I know." She paused mid-step on her way to her bedroom. 'Shinji's just too complex for this to be a simple tantrum.' Misato's mind began to race on what he's up to. She shook those thoughts out of her head quick; she was too tired to think on it clearly. And with that she decided to turn in early to get some rest; she'd been up since midnight and the stress from the day that followed had just sapped at her soul.
XXXXX
Day Two, 02:03L
Tokyo-3, Japan
Her phone woke her up. "This better be fucking good," Misato grumbled to herself. 'Please don't let it be Shinji dead in a…' "Mm-hello?"
"Catch you at a bad time?" The voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the tone.
"S-Shinji?" Misato bolted upright, her bed sheet falling to the floor. "Wha-what's going on? Where are you?"
"Misato, you're smart enough to know why I'm doing this," the Wolverine explained in a grave voice. "And don't act surprised either."
"Shinji I-" Misato was on the verge of crying. "I miss you. I feel as bad as I did that time I slapped you. Worse. But, all this trouble…why?"
"'Why' what?"
Deep below Tokyo-3, the eavesdroppers were listening in and tracing the call. Both the Commander and Tokarev anticipated this. Misato was Shinji's lifeline in Japan, if he wanted to get out of the country or really do anything, he'd need her. And even if he didn't, his emotional attachment to her would be great enough that he'd reach out to her. That was the theory.
"Why this extreme response? This is radical even for you." Misato said to the guerilla-in-hiding.
"As extreme as writing off a human life as if it were a flat-tire?" Shinji shot back angrily. "This isn't over a simple disagreement. This is over what could be considered reckless endangerment or negligent homicide, depending on whether Toji pulls through or not."
"Shinji…"
"No, Misato…the Commander crossed the line, not me…"
"Do we have a trace, yet?" The Commander Ikari asked the technicians, a different crew from the usual bridge bunnies.
"Not yet, sir," the first one replied.
"There's always a lot of cellular traffic this time of night," a second one said.
"The Colonel's phone is routed to the main switch center and not the wireless network," the third one added. "He's using a landline. Should have the trace soon."
"Shinji, the Commander is not going to let this go," Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi pleaded with her former charge. "And Tokarev may very well be out for your blood."
"Three years ago I might have tried to run away, Misato," Shinji explained. "Or just given into despair. I was a coward then. But that Shinji died long ago. You've never even met him. This is the real me."
"Shinji, please…not this way!"
"What would you have me do? File a complaint? There comes a time when one must fight." He paused. "And that time has come." Another pause. "Hasn't it, father?" Misato audibly gasped over the line, having fully woken up and realized she may have accidentally allowed NERV to trace the call. "I know you're listening."
"I am," the Commander's dead tone came over the line. "I must say I'm disappointed in you, Shinji."
"Like I ever gave two shits about your goddamn approval," the Wolverine retorted. "This is all on you, old man. Time to reap what you've sown."
"Do you really think you stand a chance on your own, child? Turn yourself in and I may consider allowing you to live. You cannot win this fight."
"I have not yet begun to fight."
"Bravado will not help you. We will find you, boy."
A technician held up a white board with the words 'thirty seconds' written on them. A few more seconds and they'd have his location. "It's only a matter of time."
There was a discernable pause before Shinji replied, "Good luck," and then he cut off the conversation.
"Damnit," the third technician swore. "Twenty more seconds and we would've had it down to the block."
"What area of the city is he in?" The commander asked. The map on the main screen zoomed in. But before the technician could reply vocally Gendo Ikari recognized the area. "That's the First Child's former residence…" He picked up the phone and called Tokarev.
XXXXX
Day Two, 02:21L
Tokyo-3, Japan
The tactical vehicles surrounded the building. They approached with their lights off and they used their brakes conservatively to avoid disturbing the area. The troops then sealed off the foot approaches to the building as a four man fire team ascended the stairs to the fourth floor. Silently, using only hand signals they approached the door to apartment 402.
On the other side of the building, a sniper team peered thru their scopes. One sat behind an H&K PSG-1 sniper rifle and the other behind a thermal scope and an RG6 six-shot grenade launcher lying off to the side.
"Svarog One," Tokarev called up the sniper team. "Any sign of the target?" The spotter called out his findings.
"Unconfirmed, sir. I have two heat signatures inside," he whispered into his radio. "One is definitely a heating element just inside the door. The other is prostrate, lying on a bed. Probable human signature."
"No other movement," the sniper confirmed. "Cannot get clear view of the bed though, curtains are closed." He turned to his partner. "If I see Wolverine, I shoot Wolverine."
"Da," the spotter nodded. "Our dead brothers deserve vengeance." After getting showed up by Shinji the day before, the Russians under Tokarev's command were eager to get their vengeance on.
"All teams, stand-by. Remember, no one leaves the perimeter. Detain anyone trying to leave. Any runners, shoot them." He was now in the back of a VPK-39272 Volk tactical vehicle modified into a command vehicle. Helmet cams from the two assault teams and the sniper team fed onto the screens in front of him. After double checking with the circling ZALA 421-08 mini-UAV his back up force had deployed he called for a status check from his tactical teams. "All teams, report status."
Tokarev waited for affirmatives from his men and a double mic tap from the entry team. A second team waited at the stairs incase the target resisted. 'He will not be getting away this time.' "Go!"
On the fourth floor the entry team detonated the breaching charge placed on the door handle and filed into the apartment. The entryway was clear and a quick glance inside the bathroom by one of the troopers confirmed it was empty. Stepping into the bathroom saved that trooper's life. The second the other troopers reached the bed one of them launched onto the form under the covers, aiming to pin the host. As soon as he landed the whole of apartment 402 burst into a fireball that shattered the windows, set the curtains on fire and rained burning debris out the windows and front door.
"Pull back!" Tokarev barked through his radio as he jumped out of the truck. "Assault teams, pull back!" Team two collected the fourth member of the entry team who staggered out with severe burns on the left side of his body before retreating down the stairs. "Son of a bitch!"
"Comrade, Captain," a trooper appeared at his side. "A call on your personal phone, sir." Tokarev took the phone.
"Commander, I don't know what happened, yet," he spoke as soon as the phone was at his ear. "But it would appear the target played us, Comrade. He left an IED for my team."
"Loochshaya oodacha v slyedooyoshtiy raz, Tovarisht," a sarcastic voice replied before killing the line. (Better luck next time, Comrade). Tokarev swore and nearly smashed the phone to the ground when he realized that the third Child had just added insult to injury.
Fire crews arrived five minutes later and put out the fire that killed three more of Tokarev's men.
XXXXX
Day Two, 10:42L
Tokyo-3 Japan
"The IED was comprised of mostly gasoline and HOMEX, homemade explosives," Ritsuko briefed her findings to the NERV Commanders, Colonel Katsuragi and Captain Tokarev. "The HOMEX was most likely a fertilizer-based explosive. But the primary charge was definitively a small amount of C4." She casually looked over at the Russian. "No doubt from the gear the Third Child acquired from Tokarev's men." She flipped a page. "Evidence also suggests he used a heated blanket to give a false thermal reading."
'Clever little ooblyodok,' Tokarev said to himself. (Bastard).
"Shinji's resume just keeps getting better and better," Misato said in the best monotone she could manage. But the respectful undertone was still noticeable.
"It would appear that we've greatly underestimated our adversary," Tokarev said objectively. "We were overconfident in our first attempt to apprehend him and we did not anticipate a trap the second time." He shot Misato an accusatory look. "He knew exactly how long it would take NERV to trace his call. Analysis confirms he used a phone booth a block and a half from the First Child's previous residence. Playing on our biases and knowing where we would dispatch our troops…" He shook his head at how obvious it should've been. In hindsight it's always 20/20.
"The Third Child has shown that he will not be content with simply disappearing," Vice-Commander Fuyutsuki spoke up. "Nor will he allow himself to be apprehended without a fight."
"I agree." Ikari nodded. "This incident has also shown to us that we cannot expect him to return to any known previous pattern. That will make any systematic search all but useless."
"I've already tasked the Magi with scanning Tokyo-3's traffic, police and emergency management camera systems using facial recognition technology," Dr. Akagi spoke up. "But given the population of the metropolitan area the chances of an immediate identification are slim."
"We shall have to reinvestigate every aspect of the Third Child's past again," Ikari ordered. "It's quite clear that important facets were deliberately hidden from us." He turned to the ex-Spetsnaz standing in front of him. "I place this operation under your direction, Captain. All of NERV's resources are at your disposal in the apprehension of the Third Child."
"Da, Comrade Commander," Sergei Tokarev, formerly of the Russian Spetsnaz Special Forces, saluted.
After the meeting was adjourned Misato decided to get something to eat from the NERV cafeteria. Ritsuko joined her, even though NERV's head scientist was something between an ally and an enemy in the case of Shinji Ikari. Misato allowed her to join her out of sake for what remained of their friendship. However, her appetite disappeared when Tokarev sat down right in front of her, and without asking her permission. "Start talking," he barked, not even trying to soften her up or warm up to the conversation topic.
"Well, the weather outside is a little frightful today," Misato replied randomly, taking a tactic out of Shinji's playbook: if someone pisses you off with a question, give them a random answer. "Heavy rain in the forecast. But, the fire is so delightful." Ritsuko could only rub her eyes and the bridge of her nose in annoyance, too tired to comment. "Oh!" She fake 'remembered' that three of the Russian's men died in an explosion and fire last night. "Too soon?"
"Don't play games with me, Katsuragi," the Russian growled angrily. "You knew he was a Wolverine. And the Wolverines in Philadelphia were considered the most savage of the American Resistance."
"So what?" Misato shrugged. "That war is over. And Shinji's battle experience, I imagine, contributed to-"
"I don't care about any of that!" Tokarev barked at the Colonel.
"Then what do you care about, Captain?" Ritsuko spoke up, coming to the defense of her friend. "What are you trying to accomplish here? Information? Or are you trying to vent your anger like a child?"
"I'm trying to figure out how a child with the battle experience and skills of a combat veteran could slip beneath NERV's radar."
"Why are you asking me?" Misato glared back. "Recruitment is not my department. Talk to the commanders about that. Nor is counter-intelligence investigation under my purview. I'm the Director of Combat Operations."
"Questioning me would also prove fruitless," Doctor Ritsuko Akagi added. "My interactions with Shinji are mostly limited to the workplace and I also am not involved with recruitment or counter-intelligence."
'That's a partial lie,' Misato said to herself. Knowing that Ritusko was in fact one of a handful of people in charge of selecting EVA pilots.
"It matters not," Sergei said casually leaning back. "Regardless of what experience he has, the Wolverine is still a child. And with his passport blocked and his biometrics at every airport and train station in the country he can't flee."
"You sound overconfident again," Misato grinned at the Captain. "And Shinji is more skilled than you think. You're still zero for two against him."
"You're well trained and an effective officer, Lieutenant Colonel; as far as the Evangelions are concerned. But you have little experience in more…conventional matters." Tokarev reached over and grabbed a ketchup packet from a small bowl. "It's a simple matter, really," he held the packet in his hand, slowly closing it around the single serving package. "He has skill, yes, and fought well. This is true. But, and the Comrade Doctor will appreciate this analogy: he is a dying star, a white dwarf on its way to a black hole." The ketchup packet burst in his hand and red sauce began to ooze out between his fingers. "That's physics. It's inevitable." The Russian, his speech done, dumped the flattened packet onto Misato's tray, wiped his hand with a napkin and turned to leave the two women. Misato's voice stopped him.
"You may be right," she said. Tokarev stopped, but kept his back turned. "Maybe it is only a matter of time before that happens. Then again," she chuckled darkly, "you're forgetting one thing."
"What's that, Comrade Colonel?"
"I'm no scientist, but there's one thing I do know about black holes." She stood up and Tokarev turned to look her in the eye. She was glaring with righteous fury at him. "They destroy every fucking thing that gets in their way." Having turned his own one-liner against him, Misato dumped her tray's contents into the trash and departed, leaving a silent, seething Sergei Tokarev behind. Shinji would've been proud.
XXXXX
Day Two, 17:46L
Tokyo-3, Japan
Commander Ikari always arrived at or left NERV in an armored sedan. This time however, given the danger his own son posed, he departed with two of Tokarev's up-armored H3 Hummers escorting him. No doubt machine guns waited concealed beneath their roofs, ready to throw out a stream of firepower if an attack occurred.
Shinji had no intention nor any real means to attack such a target anyway. Instead, he just watched from the inside of the sushi bar, as he finished his meal. He paid the tab and left, casually leaving out the front door. Normally one would think that being so close to the 'enemy' would be suicidal, literally right across the street. But, it would be the last place they'd look for him. That and being in disguise which included minor facial prosthetics made it even easier to hide in plain sight. But that didn't make it accident-proof.
As he rounded the corner to leave the area he bumped into two Section Two agents who he quickly pushed past. As he did so his sixth sense told him to pick up the pace and not look back. He recognized those agents and they were among the ones most likely to recognize him, disguise or no disguise. One agent's nose was crooked from when the Third Child broke it.
"Hey!" The first one shouted at him. "You!"
'Just keep walking,' Shinji said to himself. 'Pretend you can't hear them or that you think they're talking about someone else.'
"Shinji Ikari!" The second one shouted as he reached the end of the block. "Hold it right there."
'Shit,' Shinji turned into a shopping mall. 'Stay as public as possible.' As soon as he was inside he fast walked for the largest mass of people he saw. The agents quickened their pace to catch up to him. As soon as he pushed though the group the agents came to the mass of shoppers and became bogged down. That's when Shinji bolted for it.
Shinji led the agents on a merry chase through the mall. He cut through a corner shop and raced up an escalator as the agents called for backup. Knowing that he only had minutes before reinforcements from NERV, almost literally a hop, skip and a jump away, arrived in force. He slid down a set of stairs to the mid-landing then vaulted over the railing and rolling to his feet upon landing. He intentionally slowed up, feigning a leg injury, to allow the agents to see him ducking into the service corridor.
The agents followed him inside. As they got to the first corner the lead agent was decked by a powerful, 300-style front kick that cracked two ribs and sent him sprawling onto a small set of stairs down the adjacent hall. His partner had his sidearm out but Shinji ducked underneath, and, using an underhand stab, jammed his pen knife up through the agent's forearm, causing him to drop the gun. Simultaneously he delivered an uppercut to the guy's groin. He then spun him around and threw him into his recovering partner.
The first agent barely dodged his falling partner, who crashed skull first onto the edge of one of the steps. The agent righted himself just in time to catch Shinji's superman punch with his left eye socket. The agent collapsed onto the ground, out cold with a broken zygomatic bone. He was the lucky one. His partner would be pronounced DOA.
Shinji left his pen knife imbedded in its target and quickly made for the nearest exit. Along the way he ripped off the long, blonde hair piece he was wearing and dumped it and his Team Japan Olympic windbreaker into a garbage can. He also quickly bought a Godzilla zip-up hoodie at a small kiosk and donned a pair of sunglasses before exiting the mall.
Outside, police vehicles were blocking traffic as the black Hummers arrived, being motioned through the barricades and into the parking lot. The renegade EVA pilot barely made it to the nearby bus stop before the tactical vehicles had fully arrived to secure the site. As the hummers rolled up and began displacing their heavily-armed occupants Shinji boarded the bus.
By the time the thrashed Section Two agents were found Shinji was long gone.
XXXXX
Day Three, 08:09L
Tokyo-3, Japan
"Looks like the Third Child has altered his appearance," Commander Ikari said as he reviewed the security camera footage of the corridor fight the next morning. Indeed he had. According to the footage, Shinji was sported a blonde hairpiece that went down to his shoulders, dark blue eyes likely due to contact lenses, and appeared to be sporting a false nose and chin.
"Relatively easy to do with even an amateur makeup effects kit," Captain Tokarev observed.
"He anticipated the use of facial recognition technology," Fuyutsuki deduced as the MAGI were trying to scan his face for a match to Shinji but could only get a 67% match.
"He's done his homework." Tokarev growled. "Comrade Commander," he turned to his employer. "I'm beginning to believe that there may be more than one mole within your organization…"
"You cannot expect me to believe that a child…?"
"What better? A child who wasn't actively trying to hide his combat experience, nor his insubordination to those he was spying on?"
"Hiding in plain sight?" Fuyutsuki asked incredulously. "That's quite the stretch."
"And I suppose his record being inaccurate and possibly altered is just a clerical error, too?" Tokarev shot back.
"You suspect he has connections to an outside entity?" Ikari asked next.
"Da," the Russian nodded. "Possibly even a foreign intelligence agency." Fuyutsuki shot him a shocked look. "He's too well trained in OPSEC, close quarters fighting, and evasion to be a mere amateur."
"How should we proceed, Captain?" The Commander of NERV asked next.
XXXXX
Day Three, 13:06L
Tokyo-3, Japan
"There was nothing I could do," Kaji said into his phone. "No I haven't seen him…I didn't have anything to do with this, the Commander activated the…I understand, sir." He took note of Misato walking up the path towards the bench Kaji was sitting on overlooking the Geo-Front. "No, I'll find him. Keep the others in place for now. We don't want to tip our hand…Heh, heh," he chuckled as Misato sat down. "You give him my love, okay? Bye, mom." He hung up.
"I guess you really are into guys now," Misato chuckled.
"Hush you," Kaji shot back.
"I don't suppose you've been asked to find Shinji?" She asked as she checked for any tails. If she's going to be hanging out with a secret agent she might as well start practicing better OPSEC.
"Actually," he leaned back. "I'm in the same boat as you." He casually draped his arm over her shoulders. "I've been placed on admin leave, too, since Shinji and I hung out a lot."
"Makes sense," Misato said leaning onto his shoulder. "Even after all this time I don't know what that kid is thinking."
"I wouldn't worry about Shinji, Misato." He rubbed her shoulder. "We both know he's tougher than steel." Misato sighed in a combination of stress and exhaustion. "He's smart, too. They won't get him because of a slip up."
"That's not why I'm worried," Misato growled as she glared over in the direction of NERV-HQ. "I'm more worried about what the Commander or his new lap dog, Tokarev, will do."
XXXXX
Day Three, 17:37L
Tokyo-3, Japan
Hikari was confronted by four Section Two agents as she left school to go check on Toji. After the hospitalization of one of their colleagues and the death of another at the hands of the Third Child the previous day, they weren't taking chances. The conversation was short in that she made it clear that she had only minimal interaction with Shinji outside of school. The agents concluded that she was telling the truth and that following her would be a waste of time. They came to the same conclusion about the rest of his classmates.
Hikari boarded a bus when she left the hospital. Toji was already doing better. His spleen had to be removed and he'd lost a leg and require months of in-traction therapy, but he would live. Hikari was grateful for that. And Toji seemed happy to see that she had come to visit. But, he was worried about Shinji. However, Hikari didn't know where Shinji was or what was going on. But, seeing Toji, even in this better state, was heartbreaking.
"Why the long face?" A passenger on the crowded bus asked her.
"My friend is still in the hospital," she said evenly, trying to keep her emotions under control.
"How bad?" The stranger asked shakily.
"He'll live but...he'll need a new leg and…I-I'm sorry," she fought back tears. "I can't tell you."
"No," his voice changed slightly. "I'm…sorry." She recognized the voice. But, Hikari was smart not to react too much. She knew it would be too dangerous.
"He doesn't remember exactly what happened," she said. "But he knows that it wasn't his friend's fault."
"This…friend of his…was it his fault?"
"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen him since," she explained. "But he's a good person and I can't imagine how bad he feels about it." The 'stranger' sighed. "But, my friend doesn't blame him. That's good enough for me."
"I'm glad to hear that." The bus stopped and the stranger moved to disembark.
"I don't know what happened," she spoke up a little louder. "But, whoever really did this to Toji…" her breath was becoming heavy and she fought to keep her anger in check. "Make them pay."
"That's the plan." The doors closed and Shinji disappeared into the foot traffic of Tokyo-3.
Forty minutes later, he arrived at his safe house on the edge of the red light district. Literally right across from it and the first of many "Gentleman's Clubs". The last place anyone would look for him. He climbed the barely lit stairwell and entered the one bed, one bath apartment. The accommodations were Spartan, much like Rei's old apartment: bare mattress with wool blanket, boxes of MREs and bottled water and a computer terminal. But, NERV would never find him here.
He had no sooner stepped inside when an explosion echoed over the city and he heard sirens blaring throughout the city. Shinji paled and felt his blood run cold as soon as he heard it.
He wasn't the only one. Misato slammed on the brakes of her car and power drifted into the oncoming lanes to head back to NERV. "That's the Red-One Alert!" Misato shouted, as an explosion rocked the perimeter defenses. The angel was right on top of them. "It's too soon!"