CHAPTER 38: TRAPPED SOULS, PART 1
-The First Day
Moving the command section into the secondary control bridge was quick but that didn't mean the Bridge Bunnies had to like it. Although the basic layout was the same as the now wrecked command center it was smaller and the equipment wasn't as high end. But, it would do the job until the primary command center was repaired. And, as Ritsuko pointed out, at least they had a back-up center. However, when it came to EVAs, they didn't have even that.
Unit-00 was a total loss for obvious reasons and Unit-02 would take at least a month to get back up to minimal operational status. Unit-04 was being prepared for transport from the First US Branch but would not arrive for at least a week. Unit-01, though relatively 'intact', was still a wild card. Misato was down in the EVA cage looking up at the recovered Evangelion with Lt. Hyuga discussing that very thing. The unpredictable EVA was secured with as many restraints that would fit in the cage and crews were beginning to reattach the armor/bindings.
"It may be bolted in place," Misato said as giant bandages were placed on the EVA's exposed skin. "But are we sure it's dormant?"
"Well," Makoto spoke up hesitantly. "There's been no infrared emissions, electromagnetic fields or chemical reactions of any kind. And the S2 organ that has been absorbed into the EVA is inactive…for now."
"Be that as it may," Misato retorted. "On three separate occasions Unit-01 has moved without power." When Shinji first arrived in Tokyo-3, when it freed itself from within the Twelfth Angel and just last night. "You can't judge this EVA only by things you can see and measure."
"I'll have to agree with you on that one, ma'am," the Tactical Technician nodded. "In a way," he said in a somewhat upbeat tone, "it's as unpredictable as you or even Shinj…" He caught himself when he saw his superior tense up. "I-I'm sorry, ma'am."
"It's okay," Misato sighed before leaving.
Elsewhere, the Commander of NERV was discussing the situation with his Vice-Commander and a man he felt could not be trusted, but may still prove useful. "SEELE won't be very pleased with this, Commander," Kaji said casually. "How do you plan to explain this to them?"
"Unit-01 technically wasn't under our control," Fuyutsuki explained. "It was hijacked at gunpoint by the Third Child. What happened with the Angel was an accident."
"That'll only pacify them for so long," Ikari said as he looked out the window at the devastation. Repair crews were only just beginning to get to work. "Unit-01 will be placed in stasis until the situation is fully in hand."
"In other words," Kaji grinned slightly, "SEELE can deal with it. But," his upside down frown inverted, "isn't your son and Rei still trapped inside?"
"Doctor Akagi is already at work to determine what happened with Unit-01," Fuyutsuki replied in the Commander's place. "However…"
"Yes," Ikari groaned. "With a 400% Synch Ratio…we know what that means…"
Down in the Secondary Command Center Misato was less than pleased with what was going on. The EVA was refusing to open the entry plug. And when they finally accessed the internal camera they found the plug to be empty of everything except LCL. "What the hell happened to Shinji?" Misato asked Ritsuko. "And what about Rei?"
"They've been taken into the EVA," Ritsuko said as if she wasn't surprised. "This is the result of a 400% synch rate."
"And just what the fuck does that mean?"
"Misato, the EVA is not simply a machine," she explained matter-of-factly. "It's something created by man in his own image, so to speak."
"'Man's own image' my ass," Misato growled. "You didn't create anything. You just copied something NERV found in the Antarctic."
"It's more than a copy," Ritsuko turned to face Misato with a deadpan expression. "There's a human soul and a human will within the EVA."
"Are you saying someone willed this to happen!?" Misato was not liking where this was going.
"Yes…the EVA did…"
XXXXX
-The Second Day
Misato checked in on Asuka who was busy sulking back at the apartment. She was taking her defeat way harder than Misato expected. In a double whammy, she was upset that Shinji once again outperformed her and that he did it wounded, too. Everyone had seen the security footage of him killing or wounding over two dozen men before receiving a gunshot wound from Tokarev.
But what continued to confound her beyond reason was Shinji's combat ability to fight through dozens of armed men, including Special Forces trained experts. Even knowing Shinji was a Wolverine didn't seem to satisfy her. "Some people are just naturals," Misato explained to her. "It doesn't mean you're not a good pilot or anything…"
"But where the hell did he get all his gear!?" Asuka shrieked. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the knives, his sat-phone, the cash and the nine-millimeter parabellum pistol didn't come from NERV. And just who taught him to make IEDs!?" Those questions had come up a lot over the past week.
"I don't know," Misato shot back. "His guardian back in the states was killed in the Russian invasion. After that I don't know who looked after him."
"Well who the hell was his guardian? Jack Bauer?" Misato opened her mouth to reply but then some part of her brain clicked.
'Escape and evasion kit…covert operations training…improvised explosives…weapons handling…martial arts…encrypted satellite phone? He…' She put together all of the pieces. 'He does sound like a secret-!'
"And you're hesitating," Asuka grumbled thinking that Misato was contemplating the possibility that Shinji's American guardian was the hero of 24.
"It's getting late, Asuka," she said standing up. "You should get some sleep and I need to get back to NERV and check on something."
A quick drive later, she cornered Kaji in the parking garage as he got to his car. "I need your help," she said getting right to the chase.
"I understand you're back on the duty roster," Kaji said trying to change the subject. 'She looks pissed. I'm not going to like where this will go.'
"It's clear to me that Shinji's past is still not fully known to me," she said as she double checked their surroundings. "I need to know."
"I'm…" Kaji hesitated and covered for it by checking the surroundings as well. "I'm not sure I'll be able to get that information. NERV has been getting a little suspicious about me. I don't have a tail, yet. But…"
"Then maybe your friend Ronin can get it?" Misato asked without thinking. "He sounds like the less visible kind. Maybe he has a better opportunity?"
"I, uh…" Kaji got real nervous now. "I'm not sure I can…"
"Why not?" Misato folded her arms. "Is his cover that sensitive?"
"Ronin is…unavailable," Kaji said scratching the back of his head.
"What do you mean he's…?" Again, her mind began to race. 'It…it can't be…' And yet, it would explain a lot. It was Occam's razor, the simplest explanation. "I think I know why…" She looked him in the eyes to read his reaction. It all made sense, the similarities between the two of them, Shinji's skills… "Why him? He's just a kid!"
"He volunteered," Kaji shot back. Misato recoiled at that. "Not right away, of course. We briefed and evaluated him and gave him some training before he came over here. But he called us."
"What? Wh-when?"
"He cued me in on it back on the Rainbow." Kaji went to the passenger side door and held it open for the shocked Misato. He then got in on the driver's side. "When the First Child was injured in the Unit-00 berserk incident I figured that NERV would soon look into 'recruiting' the Third Child." He chuckled slightly. "Imagine my surprise when I learned that it was going to be Shinji…"
"Yeah," Misato sighed. It seemed so long ago now, when she first met Shinji. "The Commander's own son."
"That's not why I was surprised," Kaji said. Misato looked over at him. "The UN Fleet wasn't the first time I met him…" Misato's heart skipped a beat at that. "You should get going," he said unlocking the doors. "I don't want you getting too caught up in this. Not yet." Knowing she wasn't going to get any more information out of him, Misato left the car and slowly walked back to hers.
On the drive home, her mind raced to process the new information that turned her world on its end: Shinji was Ronin.
XXXXX
-The Third Day
"So you're saying that Rei and Shinji's life force is still present in the entry plug?" Misato asked to make sure she was following Ritsuko's science babble.
"Theoretically the LCL inside the plug has shifted into a substance not too different from the primordial soup that's been duplicated in laboratories," Ritsuko explained. "All the substances that comprise the two of them still exist within the entry plug. And their ego images, if properly energized, should give them living form once again."
"Translation please?"
"I'm saying that with the right equipment and the right process we can bring them both back to life," Ritsuko explained. "Materialize them out of the LCL." Misato's mood, however, did not improve.
"I know the Commander will want Rei back at all cost," Misato growled. "But what about Shinji? Will you be respecting his life now, too?"
"Yes," Ritsuko nodded. "Since Unit-01 rejected both Rei and the Dummy System it's clear that it will only accept one pilot. Losing Shinji is no longer an option."
"Ha!" Misato laughed sarcastically. "So you two only care as long as you can get Unit-01 back as a weapon."
"I won't deny that," Ritsuko conceded. "But given the damage we sustained we need it. Unit-04 will be replacing Unit-00 on the roster but unless we get both pilots back we'll be shorthanded especially in the short term, even once Unit-02 is repaired."
"Back to the 'rescue', Doctor," Maya spoke up. "You're saying we'll be able to reconstruct both Shinji and Rei inside the entry plug and return their souls to those bodies?"
"Yes," the scientist nodded to her assistant.
"But all of this is theoretical, right?" Misato grumbled. "You won't know until you actually do it will you?" And with that she marched off.
As Ritsuko left with Maya, Lt. Hyuga followed his boss, the Colonel, to the elevator. "You know they're not going to let Shinji get by with a slap on the wrist, right?" He said to her when the doors closed. "Assuming they're even successful at-"
"What's your point, Hyuga?" Misato cut him off. Not rudely, but still impatient.
"My point is that I'm on your side, ma'am," he said looking her in the eye. "I don't have a plan or anything but…if you need my help getting him to safety…"
"Thanks," Misato smiled. "I'll keep that in mind…"
XXXXX
-The Eighth Day
In addition to the knife wound on his arm, Sergei Tokarev suffered a fractured collar bone and a minor concussion in his fight with the Third Child. But what was wounded most was his pride. Shinji Ikari, the Wolverine from Philadelphia, for the third time, had bested the former Russian Spetsnaz. A Hat Trick. "Repairs to the Geo-Front are coming along nicely, Comrade Commander," Tokarev observed as he met with the Commander. "Full recovery from such damage, however…"
"We will repair what we absolutely need," Ikari spoke firmly. "With funding from SEELE soon to become hard to come by we will need to be very judicious on what we spend it on."
"Unit-04 arrived yesterday," Fuyutsuki added. "Attempts to calibrate it to the Dummy System were…less than ideal. And repairs to Unit-02 won't be completed for another three weeks at the earliest."
"Temporarily designate the Second Child as the pilot of Unit-04 until then," Ikari ordered. "And when Rei is recovered from Unit-01 she will be assigned to Unit-04."
"What about the Wolverine?" Tokarev growled. "What is to be done with him?"
"Unit-01's viability as a reliable combat unit is still in question," Ikari answered. "Upon recovery the Third Child will be placed in high security detention unless needed."
"That worm killed or injured nearly half of my men!" Tokarev snapped as he marched over to the Commander's desk. Ikari remained unmoved by the captain's anger. "Would keeping him alive-?"
"The Dummy System will no longer be able to operate Unit-01," Fuyutsuki cut the Russian off. "Our attempt to use it last week proved that. And, with the 'additions' to Unit-01, I doubt it ever will again."
"I agree," Ikari nodded. "Without the Third Child Unit-01 will be useless." He looked up at the cycloptic Russian. "I don't expect you to like it. But I will expect you to live with it."
"Da," Tokarev growled, reluctantly backing down. "But…when the day comes, I shall demand satisfaction for the deaths of my men."
XXXXX
-The Thirtieth Day
Maya was reading the parameters for the LCL ionization procedure for the sixth time that night. "I still can't believe that you were able to come up with this in one month," she said to Ritsuko who was going over some calculations on her tablet.
"Well," Ritsuko let out as she deleted a line item. "I can't take all the credit. The majority of this was from twelve years ago." Her bandages were gone, as were Misato's; the raven haired Ops Director was leaning against the wall, half-listening in.
In her mind, she was trying to finalize her own 'rescue operation'. It would be tricky and likely end in disaster. But she was not going to let Shinji become a prisoner without her trying to prevent it. Nor would her ally Makoto.
She knew Kaji wouldn't be able to help much since NERV had its eyes on him. Though her help would no doubt ensure success, she didn't feel that she'd be able to trust Ritsuko enough count on her help. Maya on the other hand…she knew the young technician considered Shinji a friend. But would she help since it would mean going against her own mentor? And Lt. Ibuki wasn't known to have a strong constitution for violence.
As for confirmed enemies Commander Ikari topped the list as did Tokarev. The majority of NERV including the Vice-Commander and Shigeru Aoba, though not necessarily hostile to Shinji, could not be considered reliable enough. And many of them would not have the necessary clearances to be of the most help. And the more people involved with any kind of conspiracy the greater the chances of leaks or moles and traitors.
"Twelve years, ma'am?" Maya asked. "Did this happen before?"
"It was during my mother's tenure," Ritsuko explained as she redid the line item she had deleted. "Back when she had my job."
"Well…" Maya felt nervous about the next question. "How did it turn out?"
"They failed," Ritsuko said with cold objectivity. Misato noted how Maya recoiled at the revelation. She could almost read what Maya was thinking. She was afraid they'd lose Shinji. "The good news is we have more empirical data than they did twelve years ago. We also have more data on the pilots' psychic metrics to work with." But she refused to give any kind of odds or probabilities on success. Even all three MAGI refused to give an assessment.
At the end of her train of thought, Misato knew she had Makoto on her side; Kaji might be able to help but only after they got Shinji out of NERV-HQ; Maya was still a wild card but, Misato felt that if push came to shove, Maya would want to help Shinji. She liked him too much.
XXXXX
-The Thirty-First Day
"All probes inserted," a technician inside the EVA cages announced. "Electromagnetic radius fixed at 0-3." The still very much theoretical exercise of recovering not one but two deconstituted persons from within an LCL soup was about to commence. The hard work of technical, mechanical, medical and scientific personnel over the past month was about to be decided within the next few minutes.
"Ego-border pulse connections are complete," Maya reported as a pair of tumbling icons on her screen glowed green.
"Very well," Ritsuko said from her position. "All sections double check your systems and respond with a 'Go' or 'No Go'."
"Ionization and Microwave Control," Makoto spoke up first, "Go."
"Electromagnetic and Beta Wave Control," Shigeru continued, "Go."
"Psyonic and Harmonic Wave Control," Maya finished her check, "Go."
"Power and Engineering Control," the cage crew chief responded, "Go."
"Roger," Ritsuko confirmed receipt of their reports. "Commence operation." And with that the clock started. No turning back now.
"Initiating," Hyuga responded. "Transmitting first signal."
"Signal has been received," Shigeru confirmed from his station. "No rejection."
"Confirmed, we're still green across the board," Maya reported. "Continue with the second and third signals."
"Cathesis normal, Destrudo cannot be confirmed for either target," a technician reported over the radio.
Back behind the others Misato could only wait and see. Once Shinji was recovered she and Makoto would begin putting the finishing touches on their plan. They kept no records or other documentation of their plan to spirit Shinji away after he was returned. All of their conspiring was done face to face; that prevented any infiltration or interference with their scheme. But it was all dependent on the success of today's operation. All they would have to do is get Shinji out of NERV and the Geo-Front. If he could evade NERV for three days and nights on his own he'd be fine.
'Come back, Shinji,' she said to herself. 'Come back home.'
"Shit!" Maya swore a second before the alarms began blaring. Her screen was showing both icons flashing red and spiraling out of control. "Both of their Ego-Borderlines have become frozen into a fixed loop!"
"Quick!" Ritsuko screamed. "Irradiate the wave patterns from all directions! Increase electromagnetic output!" She dashed to Maya's station to observe and analyze the raw data coming back. "Oh no! All the radiated signals are becoming trapped in Klein Space!"
"In human terminology!?" Misato shouted even though she knew that the shit had hit the fan. "What does that mean!?"
"It means," Ritsuko groaned painfully. "That…we've failed…" She righted her posture and began barking orders to try and salvage the operation for another attempt. "Abort the process! Reverse all signals and set all values to zero!"
"We've got a Destrudo reaction in the Q-Area!" Shigeru reported more bad news from his station.
"There's a change in the core pulse, too!" Makoto kept the bad news train coming in. "Plus 03 confirmed and rising!"
"Control!" The cage crew reported in. "Plug pressure is rising! Now at 36…38…41…we can't arrest it!"
"We've got to stop the radiation backflow!" Ritsuko was beginning to sweat now. "Maintaining the current condition inside the plug is top priority!"
"Something's wrong!" Maya retorted, her voice cracking. "I'm reading plus 0.5…0.8, we're losing control!"
"What's going on?" Ritsuko muttered to herself as she looked up at the image of the plug interior. Pressure within the plug continued to rise into the danger zone. If they didn't get it under control the plug would burst open and the operation would fail. "Don't…don't either of them want to come back? Are they…?"
"The Ego borders are beginning to disintegrate in the LCL!" Lt. Aoba reported the last thing anyone wanted to hear. If the Ego borders disintegrated, the subjects were as good as dead.
"Plug pressure is increasing!" Lt. Hyuga continued to report the plug pressure. "It's now beyond the rated specifications!"
"Shut everything down!" She resorted to the only card she had left. "Send Unit-01 into lockdown!" The techs looked back at her in surprise. That was the equivalent of initiating a rector scram. "It's the only option we have left! Shut it DOWN!"
"Negative!" Maya shrieked as she continued to try and send the shutdown signal. "The EVA is rejecting the signal! It won't shut down!" That's when a new alarm blared signaling ultimate failure. "NO! The plug is being ejected!"
At that moment the entry plug was fully bulged out of Unit-01 and, with a loud groan and then shriek of tearing metal, the hatch burst open like a broken steam pipe. The LCL inside the plug then spilled out into the cage; Shinji's soaked hoodie flowed out with it. "No! SHINJI!" Misato shrieked in absolute grief as she bolted for the cages. Those remaining in the Control Center were speechless from shock. Shinji Ikari, the former Wolverine and bane of Angels, and Rei Ayanami, the First Child, were gone.
XXXXX
"Goddamn science," Misato wept as she held the cotton garment to her chest, her tears flowing freely. "Goddamn, useless fucking science…" She hadn't felt this much heartbreak since her father died. "What fucking good is it if it can't save even one life?" She didn't know what went wrong or why. But she knew it had something to do with the EVA. That monstrosity of modern science. "Give them back…" She glared up at the machine. "GIVE ME BACK MY FAMILY!"
If she was expecting any auditory or physical response from Unit-01 she was going to be disappointed. The cage was deathly still. In her heart, Misato knew that the cage had become Rei and Shinji's grave. Their own mausoleum. Nothing she said or did would ever change that. With that heart and gut wrenching thought in mind she buried her face back into the hoodie.
And because her face was buried she didn't notice the red core of Unit-01 glowing. Nor did she notice the black shape bulging outward from it. But she did hear the splash of liquid and the dull thump of something hitting the ground. The sudden sound caused her to look up.