Chapter 8.
NERV Headquarters interrogation room. 1:29 P.M.
The interrogation room was almost pitch black, save for a single lightbulb hanging out of reach above the metal table in the room's center. Ashcroft sat at one end in his new prison scrubs, wrists cuffed and ankles chained to the floor. His hair and beard were still slightly wet; in lieu of a proper shower, members of NERV's Section 2 had sprayed him with a fire hose and hastily blowdried him. He certainly looked less comfortable than before, especially sans whiskey.
The door to the room opened, and a tall figure stepped inside. After closing the door behind him with an emphatic 'click,' he crossed over to sit before Ashcroft at the table.
"Doctor Ashcroft, I'm NERV Chief Inspector Ryōji Kaji," he said after a brief pause. He wore a blank expression, deliberately hard to read, as he raised a metal object in his right hand. "Just to make sure: do you know what this is?"
"...A stapler?" Ashcroft furrowed his brow.
"Yes, it is," Kaji said. "A common household item. Nothing conspicuous about it. But, if you open it up like this—"
He swung the stapler's main hinge open to a nearly 180-degree angle.
"—and you hit someone with it, that someone will get hurt. It won't be the absolute worst pain you'll ever feel, of course, but it'll be just enough to sting and maybe make you bleed a bit. And then, of course, if you hit someone with it enough times... Well, I'm sure you know where I'm going with this bit."
Kaji set the stapler aside on the table, out of Ashcroft's reach.
"Now," he continued, "there are two ways in which this session could go — and which way is entirely up to you."
He looked Ashcroft directly in the eyes.
"Option one: you tell me everything I need to know about how to retrieve Shinji Ikari from inside the creature's body. You don't lie, you don't omit any details, and you don't fabricate any details. You answer each and every one of my questions truthfully — and in return for your honesty, I won't hurt you. You'll be in the hands of the Japanese government and you'll most likely be in prison for life. Which, if you think about it, isn't so bad: you get free meals, free room and board, and zero water or electricity bills. Maybe you'll make some new friends."
He picked the stapler up again to emphasize his next point.
"But then, of course, there's option two: let's say you don't tell me the whole truth. You might lie or refuse to answer my questions. You might leave out some things that you really ought to say upfront. If that should happen, I will hurt you with this stapler. For every lie you tell, or every time you refuse to answer me, I will hurt you. This holds over two hundred staples, so if you lie to me two hundred times, I will hurt you two hundred times. If you lie to me more than two hundred times, I will refill this stapler and hurt you two hundred more times. And if you keep lying after I've already embedded four hundred staples into your skin, I will go on hurting you until we run out of staples in the entire building, and then I will go out to buy every box of staples from every office supply store in the city, just so I can keep hurting you. And by the time you finally tell me the truth and are able to leave this room, you will be begging me to kill you. Now, which would you rather take? Option one—"
He placed the stapler onto the table with a loud 'thud,' as if to make a point.
"—or option two?"
Ashcroft was silent for several seconds, his face blank.
"I take it that some people have had to experience option two right off the bat."
"I've been around the block," Kaji said. "I take no pleasure from doing what needs to be done, though. It's truly a shame when people don't cooperate."
Ashcroft took a deep breath.
"Okay. Since I value my overall sanity — and not bleeding or getting an infection — I'll tell you what you want to know." He leaned forward slightly. "I just want to be clear, though: if I leave out a detail, it's not because I'm intentionally withholding it. It just didn't come to mind right away. Is that acceptable, Mr. Kaji?"
"Inspector," Kaji corrected him. "But yes, I can live with that. For now."
Ashcroft nodded before continuing. "There is a cure for Shinji Ikari's condition. It's in my laboratory, sealed behind a biometric lock."
"Where's the lab?" Kaji asked.
"Right underneath the Teiyo Warehouse," Ashcroft said. "I'm surprised you didn't find it when you were there before."
"Snark could also earn you a stapler injury, Doc," Kaji said, his expression unchanging. "That's strike one."
"Sorry," Ashcroft continued. "Look, I'll show you to the lab if you bring me with you. You can keep me in cuffs; that's fine. I just need to be there to let you inside. There are a few locks that only I can open with retinal scan, fingerprint scan, voice control... I designed it to be secure."
"How exactly were you able to obtain such expensive security measures?" Kaji asked.
Ashcroft leaned back in his chair. "Well, in the same way that I funded my research. I have friends — okay, benefactors, not friends — in high places in the United States Government. They give me money and whatever tech I need in exchange for delivering successful results."
Kaji inhaled. "Would you say you've delivered?"
Ashcroft shrugged. "Honestly, I think it's too early to say for certain. But, so far, those in charge seem to like what I'm doing. They paid me on time."
For the first time since the conversation began, Kaji's expression changed, eyes narrowing. "They like that you're kidnapping innocent children and using them as part of a cruel experiment?"
"If that's what it takes to bring down NERV's monopoly over defense technology R&D, it's fair game, so they say," Ashcroft answered. "And, honestly: is what I'm doing any worse than what NERV already does?"
"That's strike two," Kaji said.
"Sorry," Ashcroft said once more. "I would like to have a discussion with someone about that, but I understand that this isn't the time."
Kaji rose from his seat. "I tell you what, Doc. I would like for you to show me around your lab, but I need to have a talk with the people upstairs first." He began to head for the door. "I'll get back to you at some point."
Ashcroft sat back. "Fair enough. Before you leave, though, Inspector; can I make a request for something in exchange for my cooperation?"
Kaji turned back to look at Ashcroft just as he was about to open the door. "What's your request?"
"A shower," Ashcroft answered. "An actual shower with hot water and soap. The fire hose unfortunately doesn't do it for me."
Kaji smirked. "We'll have to wait and see if you're actually worth the hot water." He opened the door, gave Ashcroft a small wave, and left the room.
NERV Headquarters medical wing. 3:00 P.M.
Asuka turned her head towards the sound of her hospital room's door sliding open, then grimaced and looked away when she saw who was on the other side of the threshold.
"Pilot Sōryū."
Asuka responded to Rei's presence with a disdainful 'tch' noise. Sitting forward in her cot, she pulled her knees to her chest and crossed her arms in front.
Rei took the hint that Asuka didn't want to talk, but nonetheless decided to give her fellow pilot company. She fully entered the room and walked to a nearby folding chair to quietly sit down.
The air was still for all of twenty seconds before Asuka spoke up. "What gives you the right to butt in, huh?"
"'Butt in'?" Rei repeated, uncertain of the meaning.
"What are you, stupid?" Asuka growled, still not making eye contact. "I had everything completely under control until you tried to steal my thunder. Don't you know that I'm perfectly capable of fending for myself? Huh?"
"I was trying to help," Rei said, matter-of-factly.
Asuka turned to face the other girl with teeth bared. "Well, next time," she continued, her voice even more venomous, "you can help by jumping off a cliff! I don't need your help. I don't want your help."
More silence followed as Asuka glared daggers at Rei.
"Whether you want it or not," Rei said at last, "I will help you anyway — because that's what I must do. It's our duty to help others, not just ourselves." She then stood up and made her way to the door before a shocked Asuka could make a retort.
"Like I said before: I do want to learn more about who you are. I want us to understand each other." She turned her head to look at Asuka once more. "When you first arrived here, in Tokyo-III, you told me that I should be your friend. I didn't understand at the time. I want to try now. But I can't do that if you won't let me."
Finally, she faced forward and walked out of the room. "I'll try again another time."
The door slid shut.
Now with only her thoughts and her loathing to accompany her, Asuka let out a groan. She felt the strong urge to break something, or at least knock something over. Instead, she just sat there, marinating in her foul mood.
She would never admit it to anyone — least of all to herself — but deep down in her heart, she knew that Rei was right. Piloting the Evas was about saving the human race, not about glorifying oneself. If NERV lost the fight against the Angels, the world would end. She would have no recognition for her accomplishments: no one to tell her what a wonderful job she'd done, no one to tell her how proud they were of her…
No reason for her very being. Nothing.
Asuka groaned softly and buried her head in her hands. This whole emotional downward spiral would likely continue, she figured, for the rest of her life. It was just so tiring. She was sick of being tired. And she was sick of trying to ignore the fact that she was so tired.
[A/N: Two chapters finished and uploaded in one day? WITCHCRAFT.]