Twelve: The Dungeon and the Tower
Central Dogma, Tokyo-3 Special Administrative District, Japan.
July 26th, 2015.
Shinji pulled the rumpled card out of his pocket, giving his surroundings a quick once-over. The pale moonlight washed the colors out of the hill station, a silver-screen town perched above a lake of glass. He punched the number into the payphone and picked up the receiver. The plaintive whistle of a night-train pulling into the station echoed from the walls of the valley.
The dial tone fell silent. "Hello?"
"Is this Lorenz-san?"
A pause. "Shinji-kun? Is everything—"
Shinji interrupted him. "They're trying to kill me. I found a paper—Katsuragi-san is putting a bomb in my plug. I ran away. I don't know what to do. Where do I go?"
"Okay, calm down for a moment. You ran away? Where are you now?"
"I'm near Hanaori, below Owakudani." Shinji glanced down at the road as a car drove by, headlights shining long amber swatches across the silvered forest. He shivered.
Lorenz coughed. "And NERV tried to…kill you?"
"I found the report. They'll blow the plug with me in it. They called it a 'lethal failsafe.' "
Lorenz let out a breath. "So they've shown you their true colors, huh? They pulled the same trick on Baranov in '09, using a brick of semtex. You aren't safe this close to Tokyo-3, Shinji-kun. They've probably raised the alarm already. You don't have anywhere to go, right?"
"I could go back to Sensei's house in Matsumoto, or to Ren-ch—Kisaragi-san's place."
"Maruyama's on NERV's payroll. He'd turn you over to Section 2."
"Kisaragi-san's family wouldn't. They'd hide me—"
"For how long? A week? A month? Section 2 will search Matsumoto and Greater Tokyo-2 first. You'll be caught the second you leave the house. Staying in Tokyo-3 is a no-go, and you won't survive the trip through the Exclusion Zone. You have to go south, before they close off the roads."
"I don't know anyone there. I don't have any money either."
"Your grandfather lives in Nagasaki…but that'll take too long. We have to get you out of the country."
"Out of the country? I can't just leave—"
Lorenz cut across Shinji. "You can't stay in Japan. Five years ago, sure, but they've cracked down since the Hayakawa Incident. No matter where you go, NERV'll find you, if the HERZ bastards don't knock you off first. Your only chance of survival is in Germany."
Shinji looked down. For the first time, the lights of the city seemed menacing, not comforting.
"Well?" Lorenz prompted. "What—"
The Third Angel loomed over Shinji, loathsome paws closing on his neck. Shinji fought and writhed, but its vice-grip tightened. A claw pierced the skin, sending a warm trickle down his collarbone. Darkness ate at the corners of his vision…
The Fourth Angel floated above the ruins of Tokyo-3, a slaughterhouse stretched out below. Lake Ashi shone red as blood under a bright full moon. The Angel reached out with one tentacle and brushed Shinji's cheek, almost tenderly. He tried to slap it away…Shinji looked down as his body split along a hundred lines, tumbling to the ground in pieces.
Shinji found himself pinned to the wall of a bar, held firm by ropes bound around his wrists and ankles. Yuichi stood beside the table, gun pointed at the door. Red stains covered the back of his shirt, a handkerchief bound around his mangled right hand.
Suddenly, the windows blew into a shower of glass shards. A volley of bullets tore through Shinohara. The man stumbled towards Shinji, a look of mad desperation in his eyes, before one more shot thudded home. He fell like a discarded doll, bleeding from the head. A black-clad soldier climbed in through the window, assault rifle leveled at Shinji's chest. The creature's eyes were smooth red orbs without lids or pupils, two crimson pearls set deep in a bloodless face. The man's wide, lipless mouth bristled with iron nails,the same dull gray as his stained, perforated steel helmet. Shinji opened his mouth to scream…
BANG.
Shinji jerked awake, clutching at his chest. He sucked in a greedy mouthful of cold, clammy air, leaning against the concrete wall for support. He sat there for a long moment,
He clambered off the bed, a thin mattress laid over a concrete ledge. The inside of the cell was three paces to a side. The bare, cold walls were adorned only by a colossal NERV emblem, looming over the bed. A steel toilet and sink sat against one wall and a tray of half-eaten food sat by the firmly bolted door. Shinji sat back down on the hard bed, pulling his knees to his chest, and let his mind fall back into the gray stillness. Maybe I'll fall asleep again.
Footsteps thudded against the hall outside the door. That isn't the guard's boots. Maybe Mis—Captain Katsuragi came to get me? A key rattled in the lock, accompanied by the scraping sound of the bolt. Shinji buried his head further into his knees as the door slid open.
"Pilot Ikari, get up." The American's voice was sharp, laced with a heavy accent. Shinji looked up. Henry Powell loomed in the door, a bulky, padlocked briefcase in his right hand. The hallway light streamed over the edges of his silhouette, shadowing his features. Shinji slowly rose to his feet and shuffled to the door. A grim-faced cuffed his hands behind his back and prodded him forward with a baton.
They walked through the suffocating halls of the cell block, passing by rows of doors marked with stenciled numbers. The compound was eerily silent. At least the screaming stopped. Made it impossible to sleep. Shinji shuddered, stepping around a dark stain. That wasn't there earlier. Powell pulled open a door to the left and motioned for them to follow. Shinji stepped into the room, the guard filing in after and closing the door.
The room itself was plain; a wooden table, desk lamp, two chairs, and a filing cabinet were the sole furniture, save for a large mirror hung over the far wall. Powell sat in the nicer of the two chairs, gesturing for Shinji to sit in the other. Shinji did so, and Powell set a styrofoam cup of coffee in front of him.
The NERV officer interlaced his fingers on the table, fixing Shinji with an unblinking stare. Shinji fixed his eyes on the cup, refusing to look at him.
"Let's get this over with so you can get back to work—"
"I'm not going back," Shinji snarled. "Not after you tried to kill me."
Powell frowned. "NERV pilots don't get that choice. You will deploy in the Evangelion until death or discharge."
"Then discharge me, but I won't get back in that—."
"A former pilot was shot down over Fujinomiya."—The head of Section 2 rummaged through his briefcase, talking over Shinji—"The body was burned beyond recognition, but the Commander believes you were acquainted." He slid a black and white photograph across the table. Shinji's eyes flicked up to the picture of an arm, then returned quickly to the skin was flecked with burns, but the long lines of ridged scar tissue were unmistakable.
Kentarou. You bastards.
Powell leaned in closer. "Recognize anything?"
Shinji bit back a curse. If they don't know who he is, then Yuichi got away. If one brother was in SEELE, they'd look into the family. A little spark of hope began to burn in his chest, mixed with boiling anger. They killed Ken…and they want me to rat out his family so they can murder them too.
Shinji crossed his arms. "Sorry, never seen him. Maybe put up a poster?"
Powell frowned. "Are you sure, Pilot? Lying to an investigator is a felony—"
"I said, I. Don't. Know. Him."
Powell stared at him for a few moments, before leaning back. "Who said him?"
Shinji felt a chill run down his spine. "Um—"
Powell tugged a second document from the case. He slid the paper towards Shinji—blank—and set a pen beside him.
"We are concerned with the three telephone calls you placed to one Kiel Lorenz, CEO of Lorenz Holdings. NERV takes espionage very seriously, pilot. And when a deserter calls a foreign arms dealer thrice and is then found in the company of terrorists, that's going past espionage and into treason. We both know this country's punishment for treason, don't we?"
"I called a family friend, that's all. What, is that a crime now?"
"We intercepted your calls, and we will decode them within the week. Write a confession now. If it matches the transcript, I'll drop the charges. Make us wait? You'll be buried in this prison."
Shinji gritted his teeth. Is it possible they got ahold of the transcripts…no, wait. Think, Shinji. If they actually have the transcripts, they wouldn't give me time to get my story straight; they'd just drop them on the table and tell me to confess. So they either can't crack them, or they just have the logs…The only safe thing to say is nothing at all. He almost got me, the son of a bitch.
He glanced up at Powell, who was sipping at his coffee. "I don't know what you're talking about, sir," he said. "Lorenz-san was telling stories from when my father was his student. I didn't tell him I ran away, and he didn't mention anything about NERV or the Evangelions. Can I leave now? Or am I being arrested?"
Powell's nostrils flared. "You cannot leave. Under the authority vested in Section 2 by Resolution 1361 of the United Nations Security Council, you are under administrative detention. You may appeal your detention after the statutory period of two weeks is past."
"Can I go back to my cell then, sir?"
Powell snapped his fingers at the guard. Shinji took a sip of the coffee. Could use some sugar.
Central Dogma, Tokyo-3 Special Administrative District, Japan.
July 27th, 2015.
Shinji leaned against the wall and shut his eyes. I've gotten six meals…so I've been here for two days . He tapped his fingers against the floor. I'm stuck in this cell for another twelve days. Then what? Captain Katsuragi's not taking me in again, not after I pulled a gun on her. They can't discharge me, not while they're still short on pilots. Maybe they'll stick me in barracks? He noticed his tapping had taken on a tune, Ode to Joy. I'll call Ren-chan when I get out of this cell. No more running away. He heard footsteps in the hallway again. Powell again. He glanced at the sheet of paper sitting on the floor near the door, still blank. Then again, Rei might be able to sync with Unit-01, then I'll really end up on the curb. The key turned in the lock and the door opened.
Shinji saw a pair of boots step over the threshold. They strode across the floor, coming to a halt before him.
His eyes widened. "Misat—"
She hoisted him by the collar and slapped him mightily across the face. Shinji reeled back, catching himself against the bed.
When Misato spoke, her voice was low and venomous. "You absolute idiot."
He held his tongue, sullenly staring down at his feet.
Misato waited another minute and continued. "You read one report, one single damned file, and decided to run off to join a band of terrorists?! You didn't even ask me what that file meant—"
"You wanted to put a bomb in my plug."
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is what I mean. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together would have read on to page three, where I attached a letter detailing the dire consequences of strapping IEDs to children, or to page four where I threatened to quit my post if the plan went through, or page five where Dr. Akagi said she is postponing the project for the near term. I'd let you stew in the dungeons for a bit, but you have a grammar test to study for. Also, your Class Representative turned up at my door and took offense to your poor attendance. Expect an ass chewing; after I rip you another one at home. "
"I'm stuck here. Major Powell put me under deten—"
"Powell is a glorified spook on a power trip. It'll be a cold, rainy day in Hell before I let him make my staffing decisions."
Shinji raised his gaze from the floor and met her eyes. "So you didn't approve the failsafe?"
She shook her head vigorously. "It's cruel, demoralizing, and tactically pointless. Furthermore, the Mongolian Incident proved that a berserk Evangelion won't respond to explosives—and if it hasn't gotten to that point, pulling the cord works just fine. Blowing the plug is complete overkill."
The guard came back in. "Captain, your visitation time is over."
Misato glared at him. "We were in the middle of a conversation, Corporal. Leave us."
He shook his head. "Orders, ma'am. You'll have to take it up with the Subcommander."
Misato scowled, but nonetheless moved away from Shinji. "I will take it up with him, and I'll definitely mention your insolent tone. Chin up, Shinji-kun. I'll have you out of here soon enough." She stepped over the threshold, ignoring the hand proffered by the guard. The door slammed shut. Shinji slid down the wall and closed his eyes.
Central Dogma, Tokyo-3 Special Administrative District, Japan.
July 26th, 2015.
Rei pressed the wrist button of her plugsuit. The latex sealed to her body, expelling a hiss of air from the valves. She stowed her school uniform in the locker, not bothering to lock them up, and padded out into the hall, entering the fourth door to the left.
She emerged onto a steel walkway suspended above the vast void of the testing white walls of the chamber were at least three hundred feet high, studded with folded EVA restraints, power docks, and slender catwalks. The bottom of the chamber was flooded with LCL, a vertigo-inducing two hundred feet below the cable railings. A glass box protruded from the near wall, about sixty feet below the ceiling. Most notable of all, though, was the complete lack of an Evangelion. She climbed a ladder up to a wide platform, where a cluster of scientists bustled around a panel of computers.
"Captain Ibuki?"
Maya turned around, a little startled.
"Oh, there you are. There's been a change in plans, Ayanami-san. You will be cross-tested in Unit-01 today."
"Understood. Will Pilot Ikari be present?"
Maya shook her head. "Not today. We're planning on testing him eventually."
"The repairs—"
"To Unit-00?" Maya tapped in a quick command to the console; a great rumble shook dust from the walls of the chamber. "We're still working on it, sorry. There's some progress, though: we've dug out the shrapnel. Another week, maybe?"
With a grinding sound, the far wall of the chamber began to slowly swing outward. A torrent of LCL poured from the gap, swirling over the flooded floor. The wall shuddered to a stop, sending a shower of debris clattering down. Unit-01 came into view, mounted to a forest of scaffolding.
Maya cupped her hands around her mouth. "Bring it in, slowly! Watch the horn!"
Four metal rails shot from the scaffolding and buried themselves in the wall sockets. The chamber shuddered as the titan slowly glided into the testing room.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?"
Ritsuko glanced over her shoulder. "Commander Allard." Goddamn it.
The Commander of NERV leaned against the railing, watching the mecha. "I believe the Evangelion is the greatest work ever wrought by human hands. I was there when the first one drew her first breath, back in '98. When Evangelion Prototype 'EVE' took her first steps, I was watching." He chuckled. "I used to dream of piloting one of them, but I never had what it takes."
Ritsuko hmmed, inserting a key into the console and lifting the cover. "Very interesting, Commander. Now, if you'll let me focus for a moment—"
Go bother someone else, Grandpa. I'm working here.
"I wanted to be a hero, I guess." Allard tapped his fingers on the console—Ritsuko nudged him away from the very sensitive instrument panel, flipping on the display switches. The gauges powered on, displaying flat lines.
"We all wanted to get the ticker tape parade and adoring fans. Sounds childish, I know, but we all were before Second Impact."
Ritsuko pulled a ripcord out of the wall and pressed the handle into the Commander's hand. "Hold this, please." She strode over to the other side of the panel, paused for a moment, and hit the stop button.
The mecha halted, suspended in the middle of the room, and was slowly lowered to the floor. The scaffolding and rails released with a pneumatic hiss. A docking bridge slid from the wall, closing around the Evangelion's broad neck. The entry plug shot half-out from the creature's nape, stabilized by a mechanical arm. A pair of technicians pried open the hatch.
The hatch closed with a clang, plunging the inside into darkness. Rei took a deep breath, closing her eyes. A sudden surge of acceleration, and the plug interface began to boot up. The audio feed sputtered to life.
"Pilot Ayanami, are you ready to begin?"
"Yes, Doctor."
The valves opened, and a steady stream of LCL flowed into the plug.
"Commencing flooding. Prepare for primary cross-synchronization."
The plug filled; Rei took a breath of the liquid, noting for the hundredth time the sickly odor of blood. Orange lights flashed through the plug.
"Primary cross-synchronization beginning. All readings are normal." The lights flashed in rainbow hues. Rei felt a subtle pressure against her temples and rubbed at the spot. She pressed the speak button.
"Excuse me, Doctor. I have a headache."
"That's normal," Akagi tersely replied. "Should go away after a few moments. Releasing restraints."
The lights shone brighter. Instead of easing, the pain increased thousand-fold, like a band of burning steel cinched around her head. Rei gritted her teeth, tears blurring her vision. The Evangelion lurched violently forward; Rei felt a sharp pain shoot through her knuckles. She could distantly hear people shouting through the intercom. A hostile presence filled the plug, pushing her away with all its might; it burned like acid poured over the surface of her skin. The Evangelion lashed out, fist sinking into the wall; Rei's hand was on fire.
A sudden bolt of agony shot into her neck. A cry escaped her, passing between gritted teeth. She heard Ritsuko yell, "It's trying to tear out the plug!" Rei clutched at her neck, biting down on her lip hard. Her head felt like it was going to burst…
Suddenly, the pressure eased. The plug went dark and quiet, the interfaces still. Rei curled up in her chair, rocking back and forth. It…rejected me?
Notes:
PREVIEW:
Yo, Kaji here with your preview. The roots of HERZ come to light. WILLE goes on the prowl. Mr. "X" makes his first move. A fatal game begins. Next time on Herz und Seele: Chapter Thirteen: Red Right Arm. Don't worry, there'll be plenty of fanservice!