Angel of Man

Chapter VI

The Interrogation

Ritsuko looked through the two way mirror, into the small box of a room which had been built to house potential security risks, the only things inside it, three chairs were set around a plain square table. The chairs had been arranged so that one was sat facing the other two, which was the Commanders. Though Ritsuko had been injured from the attack of that 13th Angel when she heard what had happened there was nothing that could be done to stop her seeing if it was true.

The boy was in there, in that cramped grey room, he was in there with the First Child, who looked as board as she ever did. The only difference was that light hint of something in the depths of her eyes, a brightness that had not been there the last time she had seen the First, something she felt should not be there.

They looked like an odd couple, the quiet stoic blue haired child and the silent lively blue eyed boy, who was right now studying his reflection in the two way mirror. He looked, with an expression of titanic concentration, at his apparent reflection, making sudden and unexpected movements, marvelled by the simply act of his reflection duplicating his actions. Ritsuko chuckled lightly to herself at the boys’ antics, a chuckle which stopped when the boy suddenly started studying the mirror even more attentively and critically.

She watched as he sniffed the mirror, then he turned his head and place his ear onto its surface, as if he was listening for something. Had he heard he chuckle? That should be impossible, that room was completely sound proof, no sound got in or out, he couldn’t have heard her, he couldn’t have.

“So is that the intruder?”

Ritsuko nearly jumped and the sudden intrusion, turning to face the door she saw Misato starting there, one arm in a cast and sling, bandages on her head and a crutch held in her right arm supporting her. She limped over to Ritsuko and stood next to her, the two silently turned their attention onto the boy who had seemingly given up is examination of the mirror and had gone to the side of the First Child.

As he sat and looked up at her smiling contently, Misato and Ritsuko looked on and, to both the women’s amazement, saw something that they never expected to see, Rei looked down at the boy and smiled. It was the truest smile that the two had ever seen; Rei, the apparently emotionless girl, was smiling gently down at the boy, a smile that seemed to fill every corner of her face with light. It lasted for the split second before the door was quickly opened, Commander Ikari walking in shortly followed by four heavily armed men.

As he walked in he could have sworn that he saw Rei smiling, something unknown and forgotten jumped inside of him at the thought but he ignored it. There were more important things to think about right now. Taking the seat opposite the two, so is back was to Dr. Akagi and the Major; he waited a moment until the securities personal were in the room. As the door was closed and locked Gendo looked down at the boy, who was now cowering behind Rei, looking at him with fear again, why did he fear him so much?

“Who are you?” he asked in his commanding voice.

The boy said nothing and scooted further behind Reis chair. Narrowing his eyes he decided to ask a different question.

“Where did you come from? How did you get into this base?”

He only got the same response. This was infuriating, the boy refused to talk! He wanted answers, he needed answers and he needed this damn boy to start talking! He needed to figure out just what the hell this boy was; where had he come from, why was he here, was he an Angel? He had to know what this boy was!

“Why are you here?” he asked with a vicious voice

“Sir.” Came Reis quiet voice.

“What is it First Child?”

Rei could tell that the Commander was getting angry, that was evident even to her and she knew what he was like when angered. She was afraid for the boy, he was not a threat, not now, and she did not believe he deserved to be punished for defending himself in the shower room. Also, from what the Commander had told her about the Second Giant of Light on their way to this room as well as its possible connection to the boy, she had become curious.

There was also the matter of the boys S^2 Organ, she had always wished to learn more about her own, but after repeatedly being refused information by the Commander she knew that she would never learn anything through him. Perhaps this boy would be able to tell her something so in order to protect the boy and any information he might have, she needed to get the attention of the Commander before he killed the boy to simply try and remove the problem.

“I do not believe he can speak, Sir.”

“According to the medical scan, taken before he awoke, the boy is physically capable and mentally powerful enough to speak. As such I know he is able to speak, First Child, and I expect him to answer my questions.”

“Even if he is capable Sir, I do not believe he is able, he has expressed no ability to speak, he has only grunted and moaned, but never vocalized any coherent words.”

There was a tone in her voice he didn’t like, one that shouldn’t be there, she was scolding him? Was she questioning him, his methods? She was, in essence, telling him to stop, that this was pointless, what the hell was going on? First she tells him no, then she shows interest in the boy, now she was berating him.

“Leave.” Was his simple command to the girl, obey my command, he thought to himself.

Rei said nothing. Any other day, any other time, any other place and she would have followed his order that second, but this was not one of those days or times or places. She would not, could not leave the boy alone with the Commander, he would end up dead and that was unacceptable. Which is why as she sat there, her hand unconsciously squeezing the boys, she steadied herself to say the simple word that she knew would seal her inevitable fate.

“No.” she said calmly looking at the Commander in the face.

Ritsuko blinked. No? She had told that man no? Impossible, she must have seriously hit her head during the attack, she was hearing things now. Looking at Misato, who liked as surprised as she felt, she asked if she had heard right. When Misato nodded in acknowledgment Ritsuko paled, this would not end well.

“What?” was is shocked but still stern question, “No? You are refusing my orders again?”

“No,” she repeated, causing anger to serge through his veins, what was going on? “I did disobey you original orders and…yes, I am disobeying your orders now Sir, I will not leave.”

“Leave now Pilot Ayanami or you shall be dealt with in the appropriate manner!”

“No.” she said simply, looking away from the Commander to the boy, who looked up at her with fear.

The Commander took his characteristic position, his fingers crossed infront of his mouth and his elbows resting on the table top. His tinted glasses clouded over from the light and Rei could not see his eyes. This was not good, she recognized this feeling she was getting, something bad was going to happen soon. A something that would probably happen to her for disobeying his order but, for some reason that alluded even her, she could not leave the boy, would not, even if it killed her she had to protect him, just like Ikari.

Turning his head slightly he told the guards to leave, as the door closed again he stood and moved next to the two way mirror and flipped a concealed switch on the wall next to it. He then moved to the door, never once making eye contact either the First Child or the boy, and locked it with a satisfying ‘click’ as three overlarge deadbolts slide into place. He would have loyalty, he thought as he turned and stood above the sitting First Child, who had still not finished dressing, only wearing her cotton undergarments.

She swore in her head as the Commander blinded the observation room. The switch he had flipped and darkened the two way mirror, making it impossible to see into the room, it also killed all the security feeds into the place so that nothing would be recorded by the Magi. Ritsuko looked at Misato, who had the same worried look she had. Misato knew the rumours of the Commanders methods whenever interrogating a prisoner. Though he had never done it often, the number of times could be counted on one hand, the way he extracted the information was highly…effective.

“We need to stop him.” the said in unison, they were kids for the love of God.

“Leave.” He said again, one last time, one last chance, obey my order!

Rei looked up at the Commander and, though she knew what was coming because of it, repeated her original answer.

“N…”

CRACK.

The sound of the slap echoed in the small room. Her face was wrenched to the right and her check was on fire, a light tingling and prickling covering the side of her face and her left eye streamed water. She tried to show none of the pain she felt, she had felt worse and knew that she would likely feel worse today.

He jumped at the sound, looking up he saw that monster standing over her, one side of her face red and teary. He had hurt her! No! He wouldn’t let him! However, before he could do anything, he was hit with something that sent his whole body into a burning spasm, his body was on fire, every last part of his body was in pain, everything was anguish, he heard her something and then he blacked out.

Gendo looked down at the boy and his pendant which began to glow. Realizing what was about to happen he quickly pulled out a special gun that fired electrical pulse. It worked similarly to a taser but it didn’t need wires to transfer the energy, in this weapon the energy builds up in the gun and is then repealed at the enemy in a ball of electricity. Upon contacted with something organic every nerve ending is attack by a wave of electrical stimulus and the body goes into haywire. It was apparently very painful and considering he had used three times the recommended power level he doubted that the boy would be up soon.

As he saw the boy black out Rei jumped towards him yelling at him to stop. This did nothing but make him even angrier, she cared for the boy? Cared for him enough to disobey him? This was unacceptable. Grabbing the back of her hair he yanked and pulled her back away from the boy. Her feet, unprepared for the sudden reverse in movement, slipped out from underneath her as she was thrown into the corner.

“Leave!”

He yelled down at the girl now struggling to get to her feet in the back corner of the room. As she slowly and uneasily stood, a large bruise already forming up her right side, she said, without looking at him but keeping her eyes on the boy.

“No.”

Another slap sounded and this time her head was forced to the left, her right cheek now red and painful. She managed to remain standing, which only seemed to anger the Commander even more, because he hit her again, then again, both blows landing on the side of her face, now throbbing and raw. She stood, uncontrollable tears running down her face, she stood there, quivering and practically naked, exposed and sore, beaten by the man who was like a father, the man now glaring at her with nothing but hate and loathing.

“Pilot you shall obey your Commander, leave this room at once.”

“I can not obey Sir.”

“Why?”

“I do not know Sir.”

Gendo narrowed his eyes, she didn’t know? How could she not know? She was meant to understand every action she undertook, meant to know and analysis every situation and never act without reason. For her not to do something without knowing why was something unheard of was, something she shouldn’t be able to do, so why did she just say that?

“What?”

“I do not know why I am refusing your order Sir. All I know is that I can not leave.”

“Pilot Ayanami,” he said coldly, “That is inexcusable.”

“I am sorry Sir.” She said automatically, looking at the floor.

“You shall be punished for your disobedience, do you understand.”

“Yes, Sir.”

With only a second’s hesitation Gendo pulled back a fist and punch her in the stomach. She was his! His pilot, he had made her, he had raised her, she was trained to do as she was commanded and she wasn’t supposed to be able to go against his orders! She wasn’t meant to, wasn’t suppose to be able to, not after the measures he went to ensure absolute control over the most instrumental piece to his plan, she simply was not meant to be able to deny his orders! She could not and he would punish any and all disobediences in a way suitable enough to remind her of her place and purpose.

She nearly vomited as all the air was pushed out of her. Doubling over she gagged as she tried to breath, but her lungs refused to work. The slap to her face changed that, inhaling quickly as he face was forced to the right. Unable to support herself she fell to the ground. She landed on her shoulder and her head flopped next to it, her forehead hitting the steel floor with a thud. As she landed she felt something click in her shoulder with a painful pop and a bullet of pain shot down her right arm causing her fingers to feel like they were being pocked by a hundred red hot needles.

Blood trickled from her forehead and pooled on the cold ground. She moaned as she slowly tried to get to her feet. She screamed in pain as she moved her right arm, but bit through it as she sat up. Breathing heavily she got up, beaten and bruised, her arm hanging limp at her side with burses covering her body and her face, nothing more that a sore and bloody heap, Rei barely distinguishable beneath the puffed and swollen cheeks, the bloody stream running down the right half of her face, some starting to drip onto her torso, or the two black bruises even now darkening over her eyes.

Gendo simply looked down at her, without emotion. She had disobeyed him, she needed punishment. Deciding to try again he asked her if she would leave, however, she stayed firm in her decision and would not leave the room. Breathing deeply Gendo clenched his fist, she was still disobeying him! He had never punished her more than this before but if she continued like this…

He punched her stomach again, causing the same response, only she weakly screamed and vomited this time, some deep red mixed into the peachy coloured contents. She would need medical attention after this. She tried to cling onto him but he stepped back and to the side away from her and she fell forwards. Her face landed in her former stomach contents on the floor and there was another thud. This time the brunt of the force impacted her leg and she felt something crack. She moaned and groaned and made every other weak sound of pain and discomfort as she coughed and tried to turn her head away from the ground, then Gendo kicked her in the stomach.

She groaned, it was all she could do, she could barely breath, she could no longer stand, she couldn’t feel her right arm and she was battered and broken lying in a pile of her own sick. She was finished for, done, she was going to die for her disobedience, she knew it, he was going to kill her, finish her life, then awaken the next to take her place. No one would know, she wouldn’t be missed, she would be forgotten and then he would have his way, he would get his answers; he would question the boy and then kill him.

“NO!”

Gendo nearly jumped at the yell. He watched, disbelievingly, as she stood with her arm useless at her side, her leg at an odd angle and blood now running down half her body. She tuned to face him and he saw the sick clinging to her face, mingling with the blood and the state of her was enough to make him uneasy. He quietly examined her face and thought that her eyes were closed, from the best he could tell, but then, to his horror, he saw a gentle red light glowing from within her stomach, where her womb should have been.

“No…”

“You shall not hurt that boy, you shall not lay a finger on him, you shall not hurt him!” said a voice that came from Rei, though it was not hers. This voice was deeper, more mature and, though he hated himself for briefly thinking it, sounded like it belonged to a beautiful woman, but was spoken with such authority that he felt a little fearful.

“What? Pilot Ayanami what are you doing?”

“You shall not hurt him, you will never touch him, I will never let you touch him, leave!”

She repeated, adding the threat on the end, as she slowly walked towards him. Gendo backed away unsure of what was happening, what had happened to her and why had her voice suddenly changed?

“Pilot Ayanami I order you to explain your actions! What are you doing?”

“You shall not touch him! I shall protect him from you Gendo Ikari; I will keep him from you! You shall never touch him!”

“Pilot Ayanami, Rei! What is happening to you?” he said now backed up against the wall, Rei still advancing on him.

As she got nearer he saw, through the black eyes and swelling that her eyes were now glowing and looked cat like. What the hell was happening?

“Pilot Ayanami!”

“I am awakening Gendo Ikari, that boy shall be protected from you. You shall do as I tell you, if you do not I shall kill you now, do you understand?” then she continued without waiting for an answer,

“This child I am possessing does not realize what is happening, she will awaken after this and remember nothing and shall think that she fell unconscious when her head hit the floor. That boy shall be left free to roam the city as he sees fit, he shall be free and shall be entrusted into this girl’s protection. They shall live together, do you understand, and you shall do nothing to halt or in anyway hinder the relationship growing between them. By all means watch him, observe him and their actions, if you can, but do not touch that boy, to do so would be to sign your death warrant for, even if you kill this girl, I shall simply inhabit the next one and the next and the next until you are dead. Do you understand me, Gendo Ikari?”

Gendo said nothing; he simply stood there and looked down at her, whatever she was at the moment. What was going on? What was happening? He couldn’t understand this, couldn’t get his head around it.

“What are you?”

“I Gendo Ikari am Lilith.”

She said simply before Rei passed out and collapsed before him.