I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Thirteen: Getting Even

"He's dead, sir." Nagao leaned back in his seat and ran his free hand through his hair. The hand holding his phone to his head was shaking. "It was DOA. His heart and lungs were riddled with .22 slugs. When Ikari found him he was barely coherent. We also discovered that his Mk. 23 was missing."

"Why wasn't anyone wearing vests?" he asked, trying not to sound accusatory.

"We don't have plates, sir," Naota stated. "At the time, all we knew of the weaponry was what the direct action team used. Just the vests wouldn't have stopped 4.6mm armor piercers."

"What happened to your plates?" Nagao demanded.

"Never issued," Naota explained. "Both Ikari and I requested them, but we never got them."

"I see," Nagao replied.

"I thought only you had the authority to deny officers equipment," Naota stated.

"So did I," Nagao commented. "Where's Ikari right now?"

"He's at the hospital," Naota explained. "The rock star is in jail awaiting interrogation and that agent you sent Ikari after still needs to be cleaned up."

"I'll take care of it," Nagao stated. He hung up the phone. "Nanasawa!" Nagao's door opened and the dark-haired man glanced in.

"Sir?"

"Get on the line with all of our officers and find out about their equipment," Nagao ordered. He glanced around. "Keep it quiet."

"You think something funny is happening on the inside?" Nanasawa asked.

"I don't know," Nagao admitted. "Just, keep the investigation to yourself."

"Not a problem sir," Nanasawa replied. "Oh, and the new AD wants to meet with you." Nagao scowled. He really didn't want to meet with his new assistant. The man was too much of a bureaucrat. His type got Nagao's type killed.

"Tell him something."

"Yes sir."

(:ii:)

Misato looked around the hospital waiting room and sighed in relief as she spotted the man she was looking for. "Shinji!" The young girl in her arms stirred slightly. She walked towards the seated man as quickly as she could without further jostling Kimi. She hesitated for only a moment when she saw the blood on his shirt. "Shinji?" The man was staring blankly at the far wall. "Where's Takeo?"

"He's dead," Shinji stated flatly. "I tried everything I could, but it didn't matter." Misato sat down quickly before her legs could give out.

"How?"

"He was shot," Shinji replied. "He was shot and killed with a fucking twenty-two. I gave the orders to go in without vests. If he had been wearing a vest he'd still be alive."

"It's not your fault," Misato began. Shinji's head whipped around and Misato shivered when his eyes met hers.

"I was in charge of this mission," Shinji stated. He leaned back in his seat and put his hands over his eyes. "There wasn't any proof. They had used MP7s before. A vest wouldn't have mattered, but he was shot with a God damned twenty-two." Misato wrapped an arm around him gently, frowning as he jerked at the light touch.

"Shinji," she began soothingly. "You're in shock."

"I got him killed," Shinji whispered. He wrapped his arms around his head and rocked forwards till his forehead rested on his knees.

"There you are." Misato looked up and stared at the dark-haired man. "Where's the kid?"

"He's dead," Shinji stated. The man's face fell.

"Shit." He sat down across from them and stared at the ceiling for a minute. "What about Naota and Dan?"

"They're making an after action report to Kita," Shinji stated.

"Who are you?" Misato asked. The man turned to her, apparently noticing her for the first time.

"Manfred Walther," he replied. "May I enquire as to who you are?"

"I'm Misato Katsuragi," Misato stated. Manfred's face registered recognition.

"Then that must be Kimi," he stated, a small smile sliding across his weather face. "She's as pretty as Shinji said she was." Shinji rose to his feet and looked around. His face was much more focused, almost like he had woken up.

"Let's go," he stated.

"Where to."

"To get even," Shinji stated. He started forward and froze as his eyes fell on Misato. "Misato?"

"Morning," she returned.

"How long have you been there?" he asked.

"Long enough," Misato stated. "Don't worry, I can keep a secret." Shinji stared at her for a moment more.

"I'll explain everything later," he stated. "I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

(:ii:)

"Woo." Joseph stared at the black SUV and tried to hide how impressed he was. "How man shots did he fire?"

"I don't know," the driver replied. "At least ten." Joseph whistled and put his hand on the rear windshield. The palm of his hand completely covered the main impact point. Ten rounds on a moving target hitting within millimeters. "This guy's a freak."

"Yeah," Joseph replied. "Shinji Ikari. Scary."

"You IDed him?" the driver asked. "How? After Sohryu jumped in and I took off all I saw was a shadow come out of the alleyway and open fire."

"We didn't need to ID him," Joseph stated. "We IDed the man Sohryu shot. It was Ikari's partner."

"No wonder he was pissed," the driver commented.

"What about the weapon you recovered?" Joseph asked. The driver leaned into the SUV and produced a massive black pistol. Joseph took it and looked it over. It looked like a standard Mk. 23 with all the edges rounded out and translucent grip plates showing the brass cases of the .45-caliber rounds inside. "Impressive."

"Yeah," the driver agreed. "Interesting how they managed to make such a big weapon so concealable."

"It's a good trick," Joseph allowed as he inspected the weapon even closer.

"Where did Sohryu go?"

"Gehlen took her back to his office for debriefing," Joseph stated as he set the pistol aside and picked up the power sprayed by his feet.

"What about that guy from the ISDF?"

"He'll be here in a few minutes," Joseph replied. "Better get to work." A quick pass over the SUV's exterior with the sprayer and the black top coat peeled back to reveal the white underneath.

(:ii:)

Shinji stalked towards the sedan and reached into his pocket for the keys. "You're driving."

"Still haven't gotten over that, eh?" Manfred asked.

"No." Shinji opened the trunk and pulled off his bloodied white shirt to reveal a simple black T-shirt. He grabbed a vest and pulled it on, checking the pockets and finding them all loaded. "Here." He thrust Takeo's vest into Manfred's arms and pulled out the entry gun, a sawed off black shotgun with a pistol grip and a toothed muzzle brake.

"We're calling Dan and Naota, right?" Manfred asked.

"Sure," Shinji replied as he slipped the entry gun's one point sling over his right arm and head. "Whether they get there in time is something else altogether." He pulled out the short-barreled, German-made M16 rifle and pushed a heavy dual drum magazine into it. He pulled the charging handle back and let it slam forward. "Here."

"H&K 416?" Manfred asked. Shinji just nodded and pulled out a second, identical weapon. He loaded it and walked around to the passenger side of the car.

"Let's go."

"How are we going to find them?" Manfred asked as he climbed in.

"Homing device bullet," Shinji stated. "Now drive. We need to get there before they notice the signal."

"Good to go, Mister Bond." Shinji dug his cell phone out as the sedan backed out of the parking space. He punched in the number and waited.

"Fujita," Naota greeted.

"It's Shinji," Shinji stated. "We're moving on the Germans." He pulled the GPS out of the glove compartment and consulted it. "They're in a warehouse on the docks."

"We're right by there," Naota replied. "We'll meet you at the front gate to the industrial park."

"Right," Shinji replied. He flipped his phone shut and threw it into the glove compartment. He leaned back in his seat and stared out the window. Good soldiers weren't supposed to take anything personally. If a partner was killed, well, that was part of war. Shinji had never been a good soldier in that respect.

(:ii:)

"Turn here." Shinji stared at the industrial park through the windshield and frowned. He hated fighting in urban terrain. There were just too many angles to cover.

"We're being followed," Manfred commented. Shinji glanced back and saw a familiar black car.

"It's Naota," he stated. "Pull over." The sedan pulled into a deserted parking lot outside one of the warehouses and Shinji climbed out. Naota's coup pulled up as well.

"I don't like this," the older man stated. "There are way too many places of hide. They've probably got snipers everywhere."

"Yeah," Shinji agreed. "We're a good way away from the right warehouse. I'm hoping they don't have sentries out this far. Pop the trunk." Manfred opened the trunk and Shinji pulled yet another weapon from inside.

"What on Earth?" Naota began.

"Suppressed KAC SR-25," Shinji stated as he checked his sniper rifle. "I carry it just in case."

"We should look into getting that issued as a standard piece of kit," Naota commented. Shinji picked up a pair of magazines he had clamped together earlier and pushed one of them into the weapon's receiver.

"It does come in handy in situations like this," he allowed. He popped the cap on his scope and pulled out an old AN/PVS-22 night vision optic. He attached it to the rail ahead of his scope and set the weapon down. He unslung the entry gun and gave it to Manfred. "I wish we had satellite surveillance right now."

"We have a sniper," Manfred replied. "Next best thing." Shinji nodded and looked around. He spotted a water tower and picked up his rifle.

"I'll be right back."

(:ii:)

Reinhard stared at the report on his computer. "That's everything?"

"Yes," Asuka replied. Reinhard took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat. then he promptly ripped the report up. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Japan and Germany have come to an agreement," Reinhard stated. "We're no longer informal enemies. We're pulling out of the city now." Asuka stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"But. . ."

"It's final Sohryu."

"Just like that?" Asuka asked.

"Just like that," Reinhard stated.

(:ii:)

Shinji examined the warehouse carefully. There were four men sitting on top of the building trying to look casual, they were even smoking. Shinji scanned the other rooftops, but found nothing. In the short time he had been watching, two vans had left the building.

Something was happening. Shinji sighted in one of the men and fired. Three more shots and it was done. He stood and slung his rifle over his shoulder. "Good shooting," Manfred commented as he lowered his binoculars.

"Picked it up from my friends," Shinji stated. "Something's happening."

"Yeah," Manfred agreed. "What do you think?"

"I don't know," Shinji stated. "We should hurry."

(:ii:)

"Hello?" Joseph frowned and set the radio down. "The roof isn't responding."

"You know those jackasses," one of the officers commented as she packed up all the computers. "They're probably playing cards."

"Yeah," Joseph agreed. He glanced at the tall Asian man standing by his side. "Something's up."

"Ikari," the Japanese officer stated. Joseph nodded. "Of all the times to attack, why now?"

"You should get out of here. With the evacuation, I don't have enough people to hold them off."

"I'll stay," the Japanese officer replied. "We're allies now, aren't we? To bad this didn't happen tomorrow. By then Ikari would have gotten the memo. I don't suppose I'd be able to talk some sense into him?"

"Don't waste your breath," Joseph replied. "His partner was killed. It doesn't matter if you were the one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff."

"Agreed," the man replied. Joseph picked up his radio.

"Attention all personnel, we're now on level one lock down. I repeat, we're now on level one lock down."

(:ii:)

Shinji tried the door knob and it turned easily in his hand. He nodded to Manfred and pushed the door open. The German moved into the stairwell beyond with Naota and Dan behind him. Shinji moved in behind them with his rifle pointing back the way they had come.

Clearing buildings was always a ridiculously risky option. For a building the size of the warehouse, at least a company-size element should have been used. They had four people.

The stack stopped at a T-shaped intersection. Naota and Dan went left and Shinji and Manfred went right. Shinji took the lead with Manfred behind. They came out onto a long terrace that went along the inside perimeter of the warehouse.

"Pretty sparse," Manfred noted in a dry hiss. Shinji nodded. He looked around, taking in the bags and boxes scattered around.

"They're taking off," he returned. They came to a ladder leading down into the maze of boxes below. He un-slung his SR-25 and handed it to Manfred. The German took the weapon and rested it against the catwalk's handrail.

Shinji climbed down the ladder and ended up in a shadowed corner of the warehouse. "I've got a view on five people," Manfred whispered. "You want that I should make them dead?"

"Do it." A rapid fire string of pneumatic-sounding pops rang out overhead. Shinji made his way silently among the crates with his 416 at the ready. He heard his first target before he saw him. It was a young woman taking cover behind a crate. Shinji slung his rifle and knifed the kid before she knew what was happening.

"Topside all clear," Naota whispered in his ear. "Since someone decided to jump the gun and assault down below, we'll stay up here so we don't have any friendly fire accidents." Shinji frowned as he realized his error. He had been operating in small groups, and often by himself, for far too long.

"Five down," Manfred reported. There was another pop. "Six."

"Plus one," Shinji hissed. He sheathed his knife and shouldered his rifle. He never even saw the attack coming.

(:ii:)

'How many are there?" Joseph wondered as he crouched, sheltered between two crates. He had heard six gunshots. That meant, best case scenario, there was only him and one other. Then he saw his target, a man in full tactical gear, his face obscured by a pair of clear goggles. He held a knife dripping with blood and Joseph knew he was alone.

The soldier sheathed his blade and reached around to mount his rifle. Joseph grabbed the knife mounted horizontally on his vest's front. This would have to be quiet, or he would incur the wrath of the sniper above. He struck as the man was still shuffling his rifle into position.

(:ii:)

The attacker was so close that Shinji could feel the breeze as the man pivoted out of cover. He knocked aside the rifle's muzzle and brought his knife down in an ice pick grip. Shinji threw his right arm up and bit his tongue to keep from screaming as the blade entered his flesh and skittered off his arm bone. With his left hand he shoved the man away and grabbed for the knife hanging inverted from his left shoulder. His attacker studied him carefully.

"Sie sind Shinji Ikari," he stated. Shinji stared at the man. The man grinned. "Sie sind Schwarz, night wahr?"

"That's right," Shinji hissed, gritting his teeth as the pain still shooting up his right arm. The man's grin widened and them he struck again, his left hand flying out to try to draw Shinji's attention while his right hand brought the knife up, aiming for his stomach.

Shinji crossed his left arm in front of his body, deflecting the punch, and grabbed for the blade with his right hand. The man tried to pull his appendages back to defend himself, but it was too late. Shinji slashed as hand and as fast as he could. He felt his blade catch slightly on the man's spinal cord as it passed through his throat, but Shinji's momentum and tight grip allowed the knife to continued on its way.

The man stumbled back, grasping the gaping wound across his throat even as blood spilled down his front. "Sie sind ebenso gut as lich habe gedacht," he managed weakly. He stumbled and fell back against the boxes. "Kind shande darin," he added. His next words were so soft Shinji could barely hear them. "Erbärmlich. . ." he trailed off and his body went slack.

"Ikari!" Shinji snapped out of his daze and pressed the push to talk button of his vest.

"I'm here."

"What the hell was that?" Manfred demanded.

"Another soldier," Shinji stated. "Don't worry, he's dead."

"You okay?"

"He clipped me." Shinji inspected his wound. It ran almost from wrist to elbow and was oozing blood slowly. Not good. He checked his right hand. The blade had slashed clean through his glove to reveal the slash-resistant lining. It hadn't penetrated that at all.

"Hang tight. Naota and Dan are on there way."

(:ii:)

Naota looked around the warehouse and frowned. "They were definitely on their way out." He picked up a large black pistol from the table. "I've got Takeo's pistol here."

"Yeah," Dan agreed. "Female. Loretta Wolf?" Manfred stared at the woman.

"Body structures about right, breasts looked larger before."

"Well she was wearing a wig," Shinji commented, "why not a pushup braw?"

"Good point," Manfred replied.

"Look at this, sir." Naota turned and saw his partner kneeling over one of the bodies.

"What is it?"

"He's on the headquarters staff," Dan stated. "I've seen him there sir."

"Another traitor?" Naota wondered.

"Maybe." Naota saw a black briefcase by the body and picked it up. He opened it and stared at the hundreds of Euro banknotes neatly placed inside.

"Maybe this is a bribe," he commented. He kneeled and inspected the body of the man. He came up with a second Mk. 23. "I thought you said this guy was staff."

"He is," Dan replied.

"They don't give these to staff," Naota stated, holding up the Mk. 23.

"Maybe this is something else," Shinji stated. Naota glanced back and saw that Manfred has finished wrapping up Shinji's arm. The man walked over and closed the briefcase. "We never found this."

"Come again?" Dan asked.

"We never found this," Shinji stated. "I have a bad feeling. Something big is going down and I don't think it was just bribing some officer from headquarters." He glanced at his watch. "Let's clear out. It's almost dawn."

"What about a debriefing?" Naota asked.

"Only to Kita and on a secure line," Shinji stated. "Absolutely no one else."

"Have you been skipping out on your antipsychotics?" Naota asked. "You're sounding positively paranoid, my old friend."

"Notice how I'm still breathing?" Shinji pointed out. "Just because you've been diagnosed as clinically paranoid doesn't mean everyone isn't out to get you."

"Point taken."

"Now if you'll excuse me," Shinji added, "I have to go see a doctor about getting my arm sewed back together."

"Make sure they use that good, heavy black wire," Naota commented. "Don't let them get anywhere near you with that stuff that dissolves or that liquid skin shit."

"Right."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. This is the first chapter I've done fore this in a while. I kind of floundered around with ideas that I knew I wanted to use, but no idea how to use them. Now I'm good to go again. So standby, this ones gonna be epic. I hope.