"What peace can be found to grow between the hammer and the anvil?"

It was all he could do to keep himself standing. The onset of winter three days ago had quickly transformed the city from mildly cool to unbearably chilly. This, coupled with not having slept for the past week, was enough to make his little vigil extremely uncomfortable. Silently he paced, wondering if he had done well to leave Shinji alone.

"Ah, you're early."

Sound of footsteps crunching the new-fallen snow. The darkness of the day served to obscure the speaker.

"I don't see why I should be late, Ikari-san."

The haggard face of the older man came into view, stopping a few feet away from Kaworu as he caught his breath.

"Did you wait long?"

"No." It was a lie, but Kaworu felt no obligation to tell the truth to this man.

"I apologize for making you wait. There were some matters I had to attend to before I could come."

"It is of no importance. Now, shall we get started?"

"Nagisa-kun, wouldn't you rather do this inside? My car is nearby, and it would be much easier…"

"Ikari-san, when I agreed to meet you here, I was under the impression that we would take care of things here and no where else. Now that you have arrived, I would appreciate it if you would stop wasting my time and get on with the matter at hand."

His anger, barely controlled throughout the past few days, now grew as he watched a smile grace the other man's lips.

"Do you find this amusing, Ikari-san?"

"Yes, Nagisa, as a matter of fact I do. I find this all very amusing. Not only do you kidnap my son, but you also have the nerve to order me around. An unsparing boy, as I thought."

It took every ounce of willpower Kaworu had not to lunge at the man before him.

"I did not kidnap your son, Ikari-san."

"Oh really, then what was it that you did, Nagisa-kun? Please, enlighten me, as I am at a loss to find any other word to describe your course of action."

"Ikari-san." Kaworu's fists lay clenched in his pockets. "Would you please say what you have to say so that I may leave?"

Now smirking, the other man pushed up his dark-red shades to the bridge of his nose and observed the skinny boy before him.

"Very well. Are you going to tell me where Shinj is?"

"No."

"Are you planning to give him back anytime in the near future?"

"No."

"Are you planning to give him back at all?"

"No! Ikari-san, if you dragged me out here just to answer pointless questions…"

"No, I did not. I called you here to issue an ultimatum. Three days, Nagisa-kun. You have three days to give him back to me before suffering the consequences. If you choose to disregard my generous offer, then I shall be forced to come get him myself."

Silently, the snowflakes fell, as red eyes gazed in silent fury upon an unreadable face.

"Well, the decision is yours, of course. I just thought you might want to know your options." A pause, as gloves were adjusted. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Wait."

Ikari stopped in mid-turn. "Was there something else?"

"Yes. You speak as if you were the only one here who is in a position to negotiate. However, your situation is just as precarious as my own, if not more."

"What are you talking about?"

"Come now, surely you remember? I did not think it was possible for one to forget molesting a fourteen year-old girl."

Kaworu was pleased to see ripples of anger appear across the older man's face.

"Molestation, Nagisa-kun?"

"Yes, Ikari-san, molestation. Of course, you could use rape as well, but I think the first is a much more apt description."

"You cannot rape the willing, Nagisa, curious as that may sound to your juvenile mind."

"Indeed, I wonder how willing a teenage girl can be, given pressure from a much older man."

"I don't have to listen to this."

"Oh, but I think you do, Ikari-san. Imagine how terrible it will be when the school board finds out the man they appointed is a sexual predator. What a scandal."

"But you're forgetting one thing, Nagisa. Ayanamei is mine. She will never do anything that goes against my wishes. Your case will be remarkably weak when the victim refuses to submit any allegations."

"Do you think I'm such a fool as to not have visual evidence?"

Both were too engaged in glaring at each other to notice the appearance of a man in the alley nearby.

"You're bluffing."

"Try me."

Ikari looked annoyed, whereas Kaworu was stone-faced.

"So it seems we have each other by the throat. I wouldn't have thought you'd be so ruthless, Nagisa-kun. My offer still stands."

"As does mine."

"I doubt you've managed to scrape up anything."

"Well, we'll just have to see then, won't we?"

"Yes, we will. Good day, Nagisa-kun"

Kaworu watched until he could no longer make out Ikari's dark clothing, the man having drifted back into the gloom. Alone once again, he sighed, and leaned against the dilapidated brick wall that stood crumbling behind him. He was tired, not only from being in the cold so long, but also from having to endure that insufferable man. That Ikari had been right about not having any evidence did not serve to lighten his mood.

The important thing was, however, to make him think he did have something, to give the impression that Ikari was not so safe as he thought he was. Despite the older man's scoffing, Kaworu was certain he had managed to convey that. The problem was what to do now. If the bastard went after Shinji, what was he to do?

Glancing at his watch, Kaworu was surprised to see that it had been two hours since he had left his sweetheart. He was probably worried sick. Brightening up at the thought of the younger boy, he tightened the hold of his scarf and set off for home, never dreaming he was being followed all the way.