I don't own anything.
Intelligence
-Chapter Seven: History
"Bullshit Shinji."
"It's off," Shinji insisted as he pulled out his phone and thrust it into her hands. "See?" Misato stared skeptically down at the device.
"I think I'll hold onto this, if you don't mind."
"It's yours for the night," Shinji stated. "Kimi already called, so no one else of any importance is going to."
"What about your boss?" Misato asked.
"He has Takeo's number," Shinji replied dismissively. A tone sounded and the elevator doors opened.
"Speaking of whom," Misato began, "is it a good idea to leave him alone with Asuka?"
"Why?"
"I just get the sense that he doesn't like her," Misato stated. Shinji kept his amazement to himself. Women's intuition, scary stuff. "You know something!"
"Of course I do," Shinji replied as he began walking towards his motorcycle. "I know everything."
"Where are you going?"
"To start the bike," Shinji replied.
"We're not taking the bike," Misato stated. "I'm wearing a dress. We're taking the car."
"With the way you drive?" Shinji asked.
"Like you're any better!" Misato snapped.
"I learned to drive from you," Shinji commented. Misato glared at him.
"We're taking the car," she stated. Shinji sighed and tucked his keys back in his pocket.
"Fine."
(:ii:)
Nagao stared at the reports laid out in front of him. "So, she was a pencil pusher?"
"Yes, sir." Nagao frowned, considering this new information. It seemed that his worries about Asuka Sohryu had been misplaced. Originally he had very much disliked the idea of his top officer staying with a foreign ex-military officer. "I think she was being bred for generalship."
"She barely qualified with a rifle and she took no hand to hand courses or real combat classes," Nagao noted. "Her pistol score was outstanding though."
"It was competition style, not practical. That aside, she's about as much of a non-combatant as they come, sir," Officer Nanasawa stated. "She stands no chance against Ikari. I'll call him and tell him that he can relax a little."
"Don't," Nagao ordered. "I want him on guard around her at all times. Training means nothing between a person with a pistol and a person without. This isn't the old days where skill was all that mattered."
"I see," Nanasawa replied. "We have more than enough evidence to cause suspicion, sir. We should bring her in."
"I agree with Ikari's report," Nagao stated. "We'll bring her in when he believes it to be necessary.
"What of the history between them?" Nanasawa asked. "Could that affect his decision making ability."
"I doubt it," Nagao replied. "His reports show a very concise and clear way of thinking. Is there anything else?"
"Out partners found out about Doctor Miho," Nanasawa stated. Nagao tensed at the mention of the traitor, the man who was the case of his worry about NERV.
"So?"
"They asked if we would like their assistance," Nanasawa stated. Nagao scowled. He hated foreigners who believed that what another country did was their business. Their partners were amongst the worst in this category.
"Tell those bastards that if I wanted to make this situation a bureaucratic cluster fuck, I would ask for their assistance!" Nagao thundered. "I thank them for their assistance in establishing the ISDF, but this is not their country."
"Yes sir," Nanasawa replied. "What is we catch any of their officers, sir?"
"We send them back to the CIA with a set of lumps," Nagao growled.
(:ii:)
"Did Shinji and Misato go out?"
"Yeah," Takeo stated. He watched as the German walked into the room and sat next to him on the couch.
"What's this?"
"Old spaghetti western," Takeo replied. "The dubbing is horrible, but it's funny."
"Ah," Asuka replied. She turned and smiled at Takeo. "We really haven't gotten a chance to talk, have we?" Takeo muted the TV.
"I guess not," he replied, wondering what he should do if she tried to recruit him. He was sure she was an officer. Would the boss be pissed if he knocked her out and gave her directly to Nagao?
"So," Asuka began, "how did you come to work with Shinji?"
"I was a member of a Special Operations team in the MSDF," Takeo explained. "I had a minor incident and retired from the military. The ISDF offered me a job and I took it.
"Does the ISDF usually hire Spec Ops guys to become watch dogs?" Asuka asked. Takeo felt an eyebrow rise. He supposed the term fit Shinji's cover story. Ironically, it also fit their actual job.
"Watchdog," he repeated. "I like that. The answer is, you'd be surprised. Spec Ops people are observant, patient, and highly motivated." He considered her carefully. "How did you meet Shinji?"
"I met him a long time ago," Asuka stated. "It was back when we were teenagers. We were working for NERV and Misato was our guardian." Takeo frowned. Now she had his interest.
"What were teenagers doing working for NERV?" he asked.
"That's classified," Asuka replied, "sorry."
"It's fine." Being in the world of covert warfare, Takeo had long ago come to terms with the finality of that answer.
"So, I know how Shinji ended up in the military. How about you?"
"My choice," Takeo stated. "My family is fairly well to do, but the men have served in the Japanese military for centuries."
"Wow," Asuka replied. She frowned and reached into her pocket for her phone. "Excuse me, I have to take this."
"Not a problem."
(:ii:)
Asuka scowled and stepped into the kitchen. The man was hopeless. She knew his type. He obviously loved his country to much to betray it and he was way too sharp to be tricked. 'How could anyone believe in something so deeply?' she wondered. She loved her country, but that kind of devotion, well, she wasn't sure she could muster it.
At least with Shinji there was a lack of patriotism. Asuka was sure she could sway him to her way of thinking. A picture on the counter caught her attention. She had passed it a dozen times, but never noticed it. It was of Shinji, Misato, and the little girl that Asuka had come to identify as Kimiko Ikari.
'That could be useful,' a calculating part of Asuka's mind decided. She frowned immediately. Such things were not her favorite ideas, but if push came to shove, the girl would prove a useful bargaining chip for Asuka to use against her father.
"What have I become?"
(:ii:)
Reinhard leaned back in his seat and stared at the screen of his computer. On it two men in black combat gear swarmed through the building, taking out the Direct Action team with remarkable speed. "Woo," Joseph Heinrich commented brightly.
"We wondered which agency was using those imported H&K Mk. 23s," Reinhard commented. "We never saw them after they were imported, but H&K kept getting orders for more replacement parts and units."
"Well, I guess they were looking for good guns," Joseph stated. "Can't fault them for that."
"Or maybe they were going on someone else's suggestion," Reinhard stated.
"Americans?" Joseph asked. "You think there's something more than training going on between America and Japan?"
"America is the only country to use Mk. 23s in any significant number," Reinhard stated.
"I suppose," Joseph replied. "So, you still haven't told Sohryu the full story behind her buddy Ikari."
"If I told her everything she would blow her cover," Reinhard commented as he rewound the footage and watched it again. "God damn they're good. Anyway, if I told her, do you think she'd ever look at him the same again?" Joseph considered this.
"Nope. She's definitely begin acting funny around him," he stated. "That would draw his attention, but do you think it's a good idea to let her go on thinking he's just some Spec Ops guy?"
"She knows enough to be wary," Reinhard said flatly.
"She said something about a pistol," Joseph pressed. "What color did she say it was?"
"Black and green," Reinhard answered. "Ring any bells?"
"Yeah," Joseph replied. "I only know of one manufacturer who makes weapons in those colors. It's called Wilson Combat. The weapons are excellent, but pricey. Hell, its what I carry. That sounds like a CQB. I think that pistol only comes in .45-caliber."
"I'll look into it," Reinhard promised.
"Do you really think Ikari was a Black?" Joseph asked.
"You'd know better than I would," Reinhard commented. "I'd say yes."
"He seems the type," Joseph agreed. "He has the skills and the abilities. Not to mention the necessary. . .how should I put this? Moral flexibility, that's it. I'd love to run into him on the battlefield."
"You're insane," Reinhard pointed out. Joseph grinned.
"A little," he commented. "But than again, most Black Operations personnel are."
(:ii:)
Misato staggered into the apartment and pulled off her stilettos as soon as she could. "Thank god." The heels were a marvel, but also a major pain. She staggered into the TV room, intent on going to bed, but froze when she saw Asuka watching TV. "Kind of late, don't you think?"
"I could say the same about you," Asuka commented. "Been making rounds at the local love motels with Shinji?"
"I'll have you know," Misato began, "we're not like that."
"You'd like to be," Asuka accused. Misato paused.
"Damn strait. He's a fine man." She smirked as Asuka fell silent with no smart comeback.
"He's too young for you," she stated finally.
"Not for you," Misato replied teasingly. She saw the anger flare in Asuka's eyes as the woman shot to her feet.
"You. . ."
"I know, I know," Misato replied, waving a hand dismissingly. "Too bad he doesn't really date any more."
"She must have been an amazing woman," Asuka commented. She had found herself becoming extremely curious about the woman who had changed Shinji so radically.
"She was," Misato replied, reminiscing over long lost happier times. "They used to live in the apartment next door, did you know that?" Asuka shook her head. "I was a little jealous of how she brought out the best in him. They were dating for almost a year before you left, but Shinji kept it a secret. They got married about a year after you left."
"He mentioned her name, but I can't remember," Asuka commented.
"Kairi," Misato stated. "Her name was Kairi. They moved shortly after they got married. She was originally from somewhere else and had been visiting when they met. She stayed with her sister here so they could date. Even after they moved, they still visited a lot."
"That must have been nice," Asuka commented.
"It was," Misato replied. "I'm Kimi's god mother. I was there when she was born and Shinji asked me on the spot." Almost unnoticeable she murmured, "Thank god for Kimi."
"What do you mean?" Asuka asked. Misato sighed.
"In my heart I believe that Shinji would have died if it weren't for Kimi," Misato stated. "Kairi's death utterly crushed him. It was Kimi that helped him recover from his injuries and carry on with life."
"He was hurt?" Asuka asked.
"Horribly," Misato replied. "It was a year before he returned to work, although, with his wounds, he shouldn't have ever gone back."
(:ii:)
"Hey Shinji!" Shinji turned and forced a smile as he spotted his old friend limping towards him.
"Hey Kensuke." The bespectacled man set down the bag he was carrying and took Shinji's offered hand.
"You guys having fun?" Shinji's smile slipped a little, but he got control back quickly.
"Yeah," he replied flatly. Kensuke grinned broadly. He kneeled and unzipped the bag.
"I've got your standard pieces of a kit here," he declared as he withdrew a short, wicked-looking black weapon. "Isn't it hilarious?"
"Hilarious?" Shinji asked.
"This is a kraut gun!" Kensuke declared, "and here you guys are killing krauts."
"Yeah."
"Where's that Takeo kid?" Kensuke asked, looking around.
"Waiting in the car," Shinji replied. He took the rifle from Kensuke and put it back in the bag.
"I don't like that kid," Kensuke commented.
"Fine," Shinji replied. "Did you give us everything we asked for?"
"Of course," Kensuke replied. "H&K 416s with the ten inch barrels and the shotgun, just like you asked."
"Give our regards to Kita."
"Can you put in a good work for me?" Kensuke asked suddenly.
"What?"
"I'm trying to get back out in the field," Kensuke declared. Shinji considered pointing out that he had never been in the field as an officer. "You're Kita's top kick. He trusts you more than anyone." Shinji considered the man in front of him. Out of shape and crippled by a bullet to his knee, among other things. Kensuke would not be his first choice to watch his back.
Then there was the attitude. Kensuke had the typical rear echelon blasé attitude. He spoke too much about killing without ever having done it himself. "I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks!" Kensuke turned and hobbled off. Takeo dropped down from the shipping containing he had been sitting on.
"Are you serious?" he demanded. "He's a fucking chair borne ranger, sir! Has he even seen combat before?"
"How do you think he got that limp?" Shinji asked. "He was in the GSDF. He was a sergeant when he was first deployed. In a firefight he saw the enemy retreating and led his platoon forward."
"It was an ambush, wasn't it?" Takeo asked.
"That's right," Shinji stated. "All his men were killed. He managed to crawl out. Top brass had a hearing and found him not guilty of anything. Even gave him a bunch of medals and a commission from being wounded and bravery. That's why we've got to salute him."
"You don't," Takeo noted.
"He's an old friend of mine," Shinji stated.
"Are you really going to talk to Kita?" Takeo asked.
"Sure am," Shinji replied. "I'm going to tell Kita to keep that guy right where he is. If I wouldn't have him watching my back than I sure as hell ain't going to send him off to watch someone else's."
-End
(:ii:)
-Author's notes. No action and lots a talking. Blegh. I really don't like Kensuke.