Hey guys, the next set of chapters are here so let's dive right in.
Chapters 25-27
Chapter 25: Brandyn struggles with the reality of what he has to now do. He goes back to the apartment and is relieved to find that Mari isn't there since he doesn't want to get her involved with this. He hears Shinji pick up the phone and talk to Ritsuko, who calls both him and Misato out to Nerv Headquarters just like in the original series. Once Misato and Shinji leave Brandyn sneaks into Misato's room and finds a spare pistol. He then asks Rei to go on a walk with him (to which she obliges since well, the only thing she knows how to do is take orders) , and shoots her in the head once they get far enough out. Without Rei around then Gendo wouldn't be able to start up third impact, and then that means the only threat is Kaworu. And since Misato and Shinji should be watching Ritsuko destroying the Dummy Plug system there are no Rei's left at this point. The plan was perfect. Well...nearly perfect. Before Rei's body can even hit the ground a bullet rips through Brandyn's shoulder. Damnit, he should've known he was being tailed. A bullet in the shoulder would've put most people out of commision but he's an Eva pilot, it's going to take a hell of a lot more than that to take him down. Brandyn goes for the pistol that he dropped but before he can get it something slams into the back of his head, knocking him out.
Chapter 26: Brandyn wakes up in SEELE HQ and is tortured for information. Seele had been watching him from the start, since his involvement was not predicted in the Dead Sea Scrolls. At first they had assumed that it was Gendo trying to throw a wrench into their plan, they didn't really trust him much to begin with. But it was the fact that he had killed a fellow pilot that made them truly curious. They had to know what had compelled him to do that. At first Brandyn responds with jokes and then eventually shuts down completely, not replying at all and retreating into himself.
Chapter 27: It was a few days later, Brandyn wasn't sure how many. It's hard to keep track of time when you're stuck in a windowless room, but it couldn't of been more than a week. He hears a guard outside of his room shout: "What the hell?!" right before a gunshot echoes throughout the hallway. A second later the door to his room opens up and he sees Mari. Mari quickly undoes his binds and explains what's going on to him. It's been about three days since he was kidnapped, turns out he wasn't the only one that was kidnapped though. Turns out Fuyutski was kidnapped too, just like in the original series. And much like the original series Kaji is here too, breaking Fuyutski out while they're talking. Mari hands Brandyn a pistol. At first Brandyn refuses, still wracked with guilt over Rei in cold blood. Killing Angels was one thing, they were non human and plotting to start the apocalypse. Rei though emotionless was still human and was just a pawn in a game of lies and deceit by a sick man. Quickly Brandyn's guilt turned to rage against Gendo and he grabs the gun out of Mari's hand. They make their way through Seele's base and meet up with Kaji and Fuyutski. After the four meet up they once again try to escape but Seele has sent some of the JSDF on them. While they're trying to escape Kaji gets shot and fatally injured. Despite Brandyn and Fuyutski's protests Mari refuses to leave his side. She urges the two of them to get out of there, they're near the exit and their should be some C-sec members waiting for them to escape. They don't have time to argue with her anymore as more JSDF members show up. Mari says she'll hold them off but they have to leave now. Against Brandyn's better judgement he leaves with Fuyutski, knowing this would be the last time he would see Kaji or Mari alive. As Brandyn and Fuyutski leave and approach the C-sec agents Fuyutski casually issues orders to subdue Brandyn. "Not again!" Brandyn thinks before he's knocked out again.
Fun fact: Mari's death was going to be slightly different in early "drafts" (and I use that term loosely, it was more all the random ideas floating around in my head.). She was originally going to break into NERV (remember, in the End of Evangelion it's stated that NERV wouldn't even be able to defend itself against a terrorist) and try to kill Gendo. I was then going to borrow a plot point from the manga (my personal favorite version of Evangelion) and make it so Gendo kills Mari by having the bullet meant to kill him reflect off of an A.T field he gets after absorbing Adam into his hand and well killing her instead. Though let's just say that A.T fields still play a factor in hear death...tune in next update (which will be the last one, detailing my ideas for the last 3-4 chapters of the series. ) to see what I mean by that.