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An Assassin's Memories

First Shot: Disappearing

Shinji Ikari settled back into the seat of the test plug and closed his eyes. "Now you have to focus," Doctor Ritsuko Akagi said. Shinji tried to focus, but apparently it wasn't enough. "That's pitiful Ikari," Doctor Akagi said. 'I'd like to see you try,' Shinji thought darkly.

"Take it easy," Misato Katsuragi said. "He's been having some trouble even since the Seventeenth Angel." Shinji could tell that he wasn't supposed to have heard that.

"Fine," Doctor Akagi said lowly. Then she spoke in a tone that Shinji was meant to hear. "That's it for today Ikari. Go home and get some rest, but I want you to be here tomorrow and I expect you to do better."

"Okay," Shinji said. The plug went dark and Shinji lowered his head. Memories of Kaworu staring up at him from the Eva's purple hand flooded his mind. "Rest," he said angrily. "Like I can actually close my eyes for more then a minute." The hatch of the test plug cracked open and light flooded the claustrophobic space. Shinji carefully climbed out and walked down the catwalk. He glanced over his shoulder and watched as the other test plug rose into position. The hatch opened and Rei Ayanami climbed out. The third test plug sat unused off to one side.

"Hey Shinji!" Shinji turned back towards the doorway leading out of the testing room and saw Misato waving at him.

"Hi Misato."

"What do you think about getting some take out tonight?" Misato asked. "We can go to that place you like."

"Fine," Shinji said. "I'm going to go get changed."

"And take a shower!" Misato called after him. "I don't want my car to smell like LCL."

"Okay," Shinji said. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Hurry up," Misato said. "I'm hungry!"

(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)

Shinji looked around the empty locker room and depressurized his plug suit. He opened his locker and hunted around for the small bottle of pills. He found the cylinder of orange plastic and twisted the cap off. He popped two in his mouth and swallowed. He was taking them an hour early, but he doubted that it really mattered. "Are you alright Pilot Ikari?" Shinji turned and saw Rei's silhouette on the curtain dividing the boy's half of the locker room from the girl's.

"I'm fine Ayanami," Shinji said.

"Alright," the girl said quietly. Shinji put the cap back on the bottle of anti-depressants and tossed it into his locker. He had been taking them ever since his last psyche evaluation. Shinji sighed and began to pull off his plug suit. He tugged his right hand free of the clinging fabric and watched as his fingers curled into a tight fist. He had to force himself to unclench his hand.

"Hurry up Shinji!" Shinji glanced back at the door and stood up.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize!" Misato called from outside of the locker room. "Just hurry."

(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)

Misato watched as Shinji carefully picked up a few noodles with his chopsticks and slurped them down. "So how was school today?"

"It was alright," Shinji muttered, keeping his eyes focused his bowl of ramen.

"You synch score went up," Misato said. "Its two points higher then it was last week."

"Okay," Shinji said. Misato sighed. 'God help us if another angel attacks,' she thought. 'One pilot is catatonic, one doesn't have an Eva, and one has a synch ration that is barely high enough to make his Eva move.'

"All you have to do is step back up to the plate and swing," Misato continued cheerfully. It was something her father had always told her. Of course she had never been a big fan of baseball.

"So what time does Doctor Akagi want me to be at NERV tomorrow?" Shinji asked, surprising Misato. It had been the first time he had spoken without being prodded into doing so in weeks.

"Right after school," Misato said. "You also have another meeting with Blain right after that."

"Okay," Shinji said.

"So is he nice?" Misato asked. She had never met Shinji's psychologist, but Ritsuko said that he was one of the best.

"Blain?" Shinji asked. "He's pretty nice. He's teaching me to play chess."

"Maybe you could show me," Misato said. "Ritsuko always used to tease me because I was the daughter of a famous scientist and I couldn't play."

"You don't want to learn from me," Shinji said. "I'm really bad at it. Blain always lets me win."

"That's nice of him," Misato said.

"I guess," Shinji said. He finished his ramen and leaned back in his seat.

"All done?"

"Yeah," Shinji said as he stood up. "I think I'm going to take a walk."

"Its pretty dark out," Misato said. "You sure you want to go for a walk?"

"Yeah," Shinji said. "It's not like anything bad can happen to me with all the Section-2 agents around."

"But it's still pretty dark," Misato continued.

"The park has lights," Shinji said. Misato sighed and rubbed her temples. 'Why does he have to be so stubborn about some things?" she wondered.

"Fine, but I want you to be back at the apartment before ten," Misato said. "Tomorrow's a school night, so you have to be in bed at a decent hour."

(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)

'It's a nice night,' Shinji thought tiredly. He sat down heavily in one of the numerous benches lining the main walkway of the park. "That one looks okay." Shinji's hair stood on end. He had a really bad feeling.

"I think so," another voice said. Shinji quickly stood up and began walking. He could hear two different pairs of feet following. Shinji began to move faster. He could hear the men behind him matching his pace.

"Oh shit," Shinji growled. He began sprinting.

"He's running!" Shinji got off the main path and into the woods. He weaved in between the barely visible trees.

"Damn it!" Shinji smirked absently as he heard one of the men slam into a tree. Shinji continued to run until he couldn't hear the men anymore. 'Where the hell is Section-2?' Shinji wondered. He fumbled in his pockets and tugged out his cell phone. He hit the power button and watched as the screen stayed dark.

"Shit." He hadn't bothered to plug the damned thing in to recharge in a few weeks. 'It's alright,' Shinji thought. 'Section-2 agents are professionals. They probably know exactly where I am.'

"Nice try kid." Shinji spun and stared at the man looming behind him. The man's arm darted out and something sharp dug into Shinji's neck. Electricity arched through his body and all his of his muscles seized up with enough force to make his world go black.

(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)

"What do you mean you can't find him?" Misato screeched. "He is a fifteen year old boy. How can he run away from seven highly-trained soldiers?"

"They lost him when he entered the forest," the black-suited man said calmly.

"I don't care!" Misato screamed. "He's just a kid! Get the hell out of here!" The Section-2 agent nodded and walked out.

"Did he ever tell you what happened the very first time he ran away?"

"I'm not really in the mood for games Ritsuko," Misato growled angrily.

"He didn't run away," Ritsuko said. "Blain told me what Shinji had said. He had just started walking. He wondered away and avoided Section-2 for about three days."

"What are you getting at?" Misato demanded.

"I'm saying that if he consciously ran away," Ritsuko began. "We'll never see him again."

"I want to talk with the agents that were following him!" Misato yelled. "Someone send them in!"

"Right away Major Katsuragi."

(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)

"And he hasn't been found after six hours?" Ritsuko nodded. "He ran away again," Gendo Ikari said in disgust.

"Not necessarily," Ritsuko said. "The agents who were following him were brought in and questioned half an hour ago."

"Did you find out anything new?" Gendo demanded.

"One agent said that he saw two men pursuing Shinji," Ritsuko said. "None of the other agents saw them though."

"I wish to speak with Pilot Ikari's psychologist," Gendo said. "Find him and bring him in here."

"Yes sir," Ritsuko said. "Sir?"

"What is it?" Gendo demanded.

"Are you still coming over tonight?" Ritsuko asked. For a second she saw disgust rush over his features, but it quickly disappeared.

"Yes. I will be there are the normal time. Leave you door unlocked."

"Okay," Ritsuko said. She quickly turned and walked out of the office.

"Where am I?" Shinji looked around the plain white room and then at the young female nurse.

"Don't worry," she said soothingly. "You'll be fine."

"I can't move," Shinji said. He leaned up as much as he could. His wrists and ankles were strapped to the bed. "What the hell is going on?"

"Just relax," the woman said. She reached down onto a table beside Shinji's bed and picked up a small hypodermic needle.

"What the hell is that?" Shinji demanded as he struggled against his bonds.

"This is just something to help you relax," the nurse said as she tugged up Shinji's sleeve and brushed an alcohol-soaked cotton ball over the crook of his elbow. There was a sharp sting and Shinji struggled as hard as he could. "There," the nurse said with a smile.

"What did you do to me?" Shinji demanded, his voice already sounding slurred.

"Don't worry," the nurse said. "Everything will be better when you wake up."

-End

-Author's notes. Here we go again. I've been meaning to rewrite this. This chapter hasn't changed much, but from here the story will change a good deal from the original.