Chapter 4: Attack pt 2

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own NGE, Gainax does. However I do own any original characters in this fiction, and if the characters bear any resemblance to characters of other stories or in real life, they are purely accidental

Now, on with the show…

Nerv HQ

After the alarms had rung, all civilians had moved to the designated shelters, and Tokyo-3 was put into lockdown. At Nerv, the pilots had all suited up and were prepped for launch.

In the command center, the technicians were all working on identifying the new target (although, how they could mistake it for anything other than an angel is beyond me).

"Target is moving slowly at 2.5 kilometers per hour"

"Evacuation of the South District is nearly complete"

Misato entered the command center looking harried and disheveled.

"You're late" Ritsuko said disapprovingly.

"Sorry," Misato replied," what's going on? The observation center at Fuji…"

Aoba finished for her, "Didn't detect it. It just appeared suddenly above us."

Makoto then interjected, "Pattern Orange, no AT field detected"

Ritsuko asked in a tight voice, "A new type of Angel?"

Maya replied from her console, "MAGI are withholding judgement at this time"

Everyone looked to the screen to observe the images from cameras around the city. In the center of the main screen floated a large black and white striped orb.

"Damn, a situation like this and Commander Ikariis out!" Misato muttered

Outside with the unidentified object the three Evas were stationed awaiting orders. They were all positioned out of sight of the angel, Unit-00 equipped with a rifle, Unit-01 with a handgun, and Unit-02 with a Progressive Axe.

Shinji was sitting in his entry plug going over the words the stranger on the bus had told him. He was right. I wonder how he knew about this.

Back at HQ, Misato was having similar thoughts. Turning to Ritsuko, she quietly said, "This is just what Shinji told me about, the man told him an angel would attack today."

"Yes," Ritsuko replied also in a quiet voice, "this is most strange. But we must focus at the task at hand. We can worry about our fortune teller after we deal with this."

Nodding, Misato opened communications with the Eva pilots. "Alright everyone, we sent you all the data we have on the target. Because of how little we have, you are to observe it and attempt to lure it out of city bounds. Asuka, you're to take point, the others will back you up."

"Are you sure? Because I think that Shinji should take point instead" she replied.

At this, everyone looked up in surprise. Asuka was actually letting someone else take the spotlight? Shinji was especially surprised at this, as could be seen on his face.

What no one else knew was that this was part of her plan to get back the respect owed to her as the best Eva pilot. By having Shinji attack an unknown target, he would be undoubtedly beaten and have to be rescued. It was at this point that Asuka would jump in and save not only Shinji, but the city by destroying the Angel. Then everyone would know she was the best and Shinji would be brought down from the spotlight.

"I mean," Asuka continued, "this is a job for our best pilots right? Shinji is Number One in the scores." Looking over and seeing Shinji's face she asked, "Don't you feel up to it, Shinji-kun?"

Inwardly, she knew that he couldn't let this challenge go, and would follow her plans. Smiling, she awaited Shinji to accept her proposition.

"I would advise against that plan, Pilot Sohryu" a new voice spoke over the com, "it would lead to unnecessary danger"

Shocked, no one said anything until Maya reported, "Three new targets approaching the Evas positions; Pattern Orange, no AT Field detected"

"Getting visuals now!" Makoto cried out from his terminal and pointed to the screen. On it appeared three humanoid figures. What was disconcerting was that they looked like Evas

Looking to Ritsuko, Misato demanded, "Evas? Ritsuko, are those the other Evas?"

Turning with a stunned look on her face, Ritsuko only shook her head wordlessly. It was apparent that she was in shock.

Out in the city, the originals looked on with surprise at the new Evas. The one in the middle was shaped similar to Unit-00, except it had two eyes like Unit-01 and was carrying two cylindrical objects on its back. It was colored in cameoflage green, except for two white stripes on either side of its head.

The Eva directly to the left of the middle one was built similar to Unit-01, but was about a head shorter and was colored a darker purple with orange on the forearms and legs from the knee down.

The unit on the right was the strangest looking one, in that it looked like a weirdly disproportionate unit-02. Its left side was normal enough, but its right side was much bulkier, the leg dragging slightly in a limp as it walked. It was colored a gray on its bulky side and a dark red on the normal side. In its bulky arm, it carried a large metal container.

All three moved up to the other Evas, who had their weapons held up in case they had to defend themselves. The middle one, the leader of the group, opened up communications with the command center and the pilot and appeared on their screens. His mousy brown hair was cut in a crew cut, and he was wearing a military green plug suit while holding himself with a military straightness. His face also appeared to give off an aura of a military feel. Lines on tanned his face showed that he had gone through many hardships, and would survive more to come. What was odd about the person was that he appeared to be a boy no older than the pilots. Yet, when he spoke, it was in a powerful and confident voice of a commanding officer.

"All pilots are to report here, now"

"Hey, who the hell do you think you are coming here and ordering us around?" Asuka demanded.

Looking at her, he replied, "I am Lieutenant Colonel Hunter, and I am ordering all pilots to report before me now"

Misato decided to enter the conversation, "I'm sorry, but you have no authorization in this operation."

"On the contrary, he does Major Katsuragi, and you better listen to him as he outranks you" came a new person's voice.

A/N: I looked this up; in the military, a Lt Colonel is a higher rank than a Major

A new screen appeared, showing a boy about twelve years old. The voice he spoke in sounded as though two people were speaking at the same time. The pilot of the short Eva had dark blonde hair spiked up, and his face had features of both boy and girl. He was wearing a plug suit colored the same way as his Eva is. He spoke again in his echo-like voice, "Just follow our lead and everything will turn out for the best."

Withlooks of doubt, Misato and the rest of the crew were looking at one another. As Director of Operations, she had tactical command of the pilots and did not wish to jeopardize their lives. She was interrupted from her thoughts when Rei decided to speak up.

"Excuse me," she said quietly, "but what exactly are you going to do with us?"

The young one replied, "Ensure that you can beat the Angel of course. Why else?"

With a defiant look on her face, Asuka retorted, "I don't need anyone's help to beat something as bland as that ball."

Heaving a sigh and a cough, the third pilot made himself known. On his screen appeared a boy about the pilots' age with a very haggard face, his spiky black hair hanging slightly lank across his face. Coughing, he said in a raspy voice, "That 'ball' is not an Angel."

Ritsuko's eyes bulged slightly at this statement for a moment before regaining her composure. Looking back at the new face, she asked, "Than what is the Angel then?"

Pointing down below the ball, he explained, "The shadow below it is the Angel, the ball above is its shadow."

Gagging, Ritsuko took a peek at the data that they have collected. Looking back at the boy, she retorted angrily, "Impossible, that is completely impossible. There can be no way something as intangible as a shadow could be a physical existence. All a shadow is is an absence of light!"

Giving a weary smile that irritated the doctor more, the third pilot was about to reply when he was interrupted by Hunter. "Forget the techno jargon. We need the pilots to come here so that we can give them even the slightest chance of victory."

While this was going on, Asuka grew more and more angry. First, these strangers come and interrupt her plan to get back at Shinji. Next, they say they'll lose if they fight the target without their help. She ground her teeth angrily, I don't need anyone's help; I can win on my OWN!

So intent on proving this, Asuka turned and charged the target screaming, "I don't need your help, and I'll prove it!"

Shinji, who had remained silent up to this point, looked on as Unit-02 charged the floating ball. As she jumped straight at the target, she swung her axe, only to meet air as the target suddenly disappeared.

At the same time alarms went off as the computers suddenly registered an AT field. Everyone all of a sudden became very active as they analyzed the new incoming data.

Makoto cried out, "Pattern Blue! Confirmed, it's an Angel! It's directly below Unit-02!"

Outside, Asuka's Eva landed in what looked like a large black hole, and was steadily sinking. Over the com, her voice could be heard as she called for help. Without waiting for orders, Shinji moved his Eva across the black lake to get to the struggling Unit-02. Jumping across the slowly sinking rooftops, Unit-01 moved swiftly, quickly reaching Asuka. Reaching out, he called out to the struggling Asuka "Take my hand!"

Looking up, Asuka reached out with her Eva and grabbed his arm. With a great effort, Unit-01 pulled the red Eva out. Just as Asuka was catching her breath, she was suddenly finding herself flying through the air. Shinji, who had noticed that the building rooftop was dangerously close to the black surface, had grabbed and thrown Asuka's Eva with enough force to reach the far edge safely.

Reacting swiftly, the Lieutenant rushed forward and dragged Unit-02 from the ever stretching circle. "Shuri-Shara, get Ikari NOW!" he yelled.

Instantly the smaller Eva began running toward the sinking Unit-01. What doesn't happen is the Eva sinking into the blackness. To the amazement of the bridge crew, the small and agile Eva was running across the surface safely. Once it reached the struggling form, it reached down and began pulling on the Unit's flailing arms.

"Come on Shinji" the boy said calmingly, "hang on, I'll get you out"

Despite the efforts, it was obvious that the smaller Eva was unable to pull out the larger unit, which continued to sink. Realizing his plight, Shinji began to panic more, and screamed for help. Within moments, Shinji was too deep and threatening to pull in Shuri-Shara in as well. Overhead, the ball had reappeared and seemed to mock the efforts of the pilots.

"Get out of there kid! It's too late!" shouted the raspy voice of the pilot of the lopsided Eva.

"NO, I can do this!"

"Kid, I'm ordering you to pull out now" came the cold voice of Lt. Tracer

"But, sir…"

Looking at the younger boy with a hard look, he said again, "Pull out NOW!"

With a mutinous look on his face, the kid turned back to the struggling pilot. With a look of deep sadness he let him go saying, "I'm sorry"

Shinji, realizing what would happen, began to struggle even more.

"Eject the plug! Get him out of there!" Misato shouted to no one in particular

Maya worked furiously on her console, only to be denied, "No good, there's no response"

All anyone could do now was watch the Eva sink deeper and listen to Shinji's cry for help until he could no longer be heard.

Hunter was looking with an impassive look, but inwardly he was in turmoil

This is a complication that was quite unnecessary.

Heh, cliffhanger; sorry but I ran out of ideas and I decided to end the chapter here. R&R please and I'll get back as soon as possible.