Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Where Darkness Falls ❯ True Colours ( Chapter 6 )

Where Darkness Falls

Chapter 6 - True Colours

Misato's knelt, very carefully, and placed the shotgun on the floor, swallowing hard as Gendou stepped into view on her left side and slid his hand into her jacket, his lips compressed into a thin line as he pulled her service pistol and dropped it on the floor. Ohhh, not good, Misato thought, taking stock of her options as the cool, smooth barrel of an assault rifle pressed tighter against the nape of her neck.

"Now turn around," Fletcher's voice ordered, the barrel pulling away from her skin.

With her hands up, Misato turned and found both Ikari and Fletcher standing in front of her, their weapons aimed at her forehead (Fletcher) and her stomach (Ikari).

"So you were the one who opened the locker before us," Gendou said, regarding Misato with a coldly appraising glance. "What are you doing here, Major? I would think that you would have the sense to know when your presence is neither required nor needed."

Misato drew a deep breath. Well, she thought, when you got nothing to lose, sometimes you just have to say fuck it.

"I was just curious about the properties of something called `Sakura,'" she said boldly, "it seems like you and the chief here have gone to a great deal of trouble to make sure no one finds out that you've been testing it… feel like letting me in on the secret?"

Fletcher looked edgy, glancing around the room and tightening his hold on the assault rifle in his hands, but Gendou's features bent into an indulgent smile - as if he was talking to a rather dim-witted child. "I don't suppose telling you will affect much," he said smoothly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, opaque vial, "after all… after seeing all that you have seen, you will not be leaving this basement."

Misato fought the urge to shiver, meeting her Commander's gaze head on and waiting silently for him to continue. We'll just see who walks out of here and who doesn't.

"Project Sakura is an experiment in methods of making an EVA pilot more…co-operative," Gendou said, clearly pleased to be explaining his program to someone with the capacity to fully appreciate it. "This current incarnation utilizes a drug extracted from a flower unique to this region called `White Claudia,' a mild narcotic at its weakest… but a powerful personality suppressor when compounded with a few other key elements."

"You were planning to control the Children with DRUGS!?" Misato snapped, unable to contain her anger.

Kaji is one thing, she thought, her fingers itching to close around the man's neck, he knew what he was getting into when he started poking around - but Shinji, Asuka, and Rei? They're just KIDS!

"When broken down to its most basic, yes," Gendou said mildly, slipping the vial back into his pocket. "White Claudia's potential applications in `brainwashing,' if you will, were quite enormous and I was often frustrated that I had no method to use to ensure that the Children were obedient to my instruction without undermining their piloting ability until I discovered its properties. The disappearance of the Second Branch was a minor inconvenience, as one of their facilities was testing the limitations of the compound, thus I was forced to have Chief Fletcher here arrange some facilities for us and provide us with more of the base ingredient."

Misato glared at Fletcher, who simply shrugged and added, "Well actually, I was more of a middle man - can't be actually involved in things like that you know, I do have a reputation to uphold."

Gendou frowned at the interruption, continuing, "The directors of both Ridgeview and Brookhaven were quite co-operative, and-"

"Yeah, when you blackmailed them," Misato muttered disgustedly.

"The director of Ridgeview has an addiction to White Claudia," Fletcher clarified, grinning as he added, "and Carter…well he fucks around with some of the nurses and kind of has an…`unhealthy' attitude towards sex - which includes a rather nasty penchant for sadomasochistic practices. Some of his `employees' were hurt… he had the poor judgement to tape it."

Misato straightened her back. "Where does Kaji fit into of all this?"

Gendou took a discrete, cautionary step back. "Ahh Agent Kaji," he said slowly, "I thought he would be a worthwhile test subject… and seeing as how he had decided to pursue his own agenda rather than my own, I ordered Section Two to have him brought in alive and transferred to Ridgeview where our temporary facilities were set up. Within a month they had made excellent progress," he shot Fletcher a disdainful glance, "until he escaped, that is…"

"What really happened?" Misato looked pointedly at the police chief, who shrugged indifferently.

"Well after he escaped I found him near the Lonsdale apartments," Fletcher said coolly, "I hadn't been able to find him for nearly 24 hours, so I was sure he'd skipped town, then I spotted him down an alley - and hey, you Japs aren't all that common around here, right? So even thought it was dark, I knew it was him." Spotting Gendou's narrowed eyes, the man hurried on. "Anyway, I tried to bring him in quiet - you know, tell him I'm here to help him, all that crap, but he must have recognized me. Fucker waited until I got close, holding his stomach and pretending to be in pain, and then made a move for my gun." He shrugged. "The rest is in the report."

No mention of Shinji, the thought popped into Misato's mind like a bullet hitting her in the forehead, maybe they don't know he's here? Hell, it sounded like they didn't know Ritsuko was here until they saw her…but who in the hell is this `alternate subject'? Maybe a native? Damn it, I hate being in the dark!

Misato braced herself as the Commander brought his gun up and thumbed the hammer back.

"Someone else will find out," she said levelly, refusing to close her eyes as Fletcher readied the assault rifle, mirroring Gendou's pose. "Something this big will be uncovered by someone, and-"

"Unlikely," Gendou cut in coolly. "Goodbye, Major."

Misato kept her silence, waiting for the inevitable. I never thought he would stoop to this, she thought grimly, her eyes meeting Gendou's as her lips compressed to a thin line, controlling people with drugs, taking away even the most basic freedom… it's sick! God, I don't suppose you could do me a favour and hit him with lightening do you? Maybe it's a selfish last request, but someone needs to take this bastard out!

In spite of her best efforts, the sound of gunfire made Misato cry out, her eyes clenching instinctively closed. When she was still standing a moment later, she risked a peek out of her right eye, finding the two men staring at the only door from the room.

"I'll check it out," Fletcher mumbled, hefting his assault rifle and starting for the door, "might be your doctor friend."

Gendou nodded. "I'll finish up here," he said calmly, levelling his pistol at Misato as the policeman made his exit. "You really should have stayed out of this Major;" he said quietly, "what we're doing here is for the sake of all humanit-"

He was cut off by Misato's laughter. It was not a humorous laugh but a cold, bitter sound that dripped with contempt. "That's what you keep saying," she said, shaking her head ruefully, "but the fact is you're only in for yourself - you don't give a shit about defending humanity! All you care about is yourself… good god; you don't even give a fuck about your own wife and son! Their just more means to your ends!"

Gendou's normally blank expression contorted to rage. "What would you know about it?" he snapped. "I-"

"Have no room for trivialities like a wife who died so you could have your precious `scenario' - you never really gave a fuck about her! Did you wait until after the funeral before abandoning your son, or did you kick him out before the LCL was cold?!"

"I didn't-"

"You found time to raise Rei, though," Misato whispered, taking great pleasure in seeing the Commander at a loss for words, "how convenient…"

Their exchange was cut off by the sound of the door banging open. As Gendou turned to make sure it was Fletcher coming in, Misato made her move; grabbing the man's gun hand and whipping him back around, making sure to keep the barrel of his pistol faced away from her as she brought her knee up into his stomach, driving the air from his lungs. As he stumbled, gasping for breath, Misato drove her right fist into his jaw, sending him to the floor in an undignified heap.

Keep moving! she told herself, diving to the floor and coming up with her pistol in one hand, whirling around to face the door, fully prepared to open fire on the blonde police chief.

"Damn," the woman in the doorway muttered, lowering her shotgun, "you work quick." Ritsuko shook her head as Misato opened her mouth, forestalling any questions. "No time - let's go!"

"Wait," Misato called, scooping up her shotgun and hurrying to the door, "in the first office on this floor, there's a girl, I-"

"There's no one here but us!" Ritsuko cut in quickly, "I was just in that office - now come on!!"

Reluctantly, Misato let herself be led away, praying once more that the teen was ok as they rushed out of Brookhaven as fast as they could.

**

The run from the hospital was so fast and adrenaline driven that Misato barely even knew where she was. "In here!" Ritsuko gasped, yanking the other woman into a nearby house whose door was slightly ajar.

"Thanks… Ritsu…" Misato panted, resting her hands on her knees and leaning forward to catch her breath, "didn't… think I'd… make it that time…"

"No… problem…" Ritsuko panted back, drawing in a few deep breaths to calm down, "I was just walking down the hall, looking for you, when I heard Gen- Commander Ikari's voice… I heard the whole thing." She leaned against the house's front door, wiping sweat from her brow. "I ducked back into one of the offices and fired a shot, knowing they couldn't just ignore it, and prayed they would come check it out BEFORE finishing you off." She shrugged uncomfortably, averting her eyes. "Sorry," she mumbled, "I just didn't think I could take them both head on…"

Misato nodded. "I understand," she said soothingly, "believe me, I'm not complaining - but what happened to Fletcher?"

Ritsuko grinned. "Oh, he's in a closet with a golf club through the handles," she said airily, "I imagine he's broken it down by now, though."

Misato did not doubt it. Fletcher was a powerfully built man and it would not be impossible for him to break through solid oak, in her opinion.

"So," Ritsuko said slowly, "What happened? I… I heard them coming into the gym, but I couldn't get back downstairs to warn you." She smiled weakly. "Looks like I'm not much of a partner."

Misato shrugged the apology off, quickly telling Ritsuko about all that had happened since their separation, including the Sakura project and everything she understood of it. Ritsuko's face fell as Misato told her what happened to Kaji and she showed genuine horror that their old college friend would be strapped to a bed like an animal and treated with drugs that made him `obedient.'

"I thought that program was shut down long ago…" Ritsuko muttered, looking visibly shocked that anyone could try to control another person for the sake of `humanity.' "It was from my mother's time but…"

Misato only nodded. This time she could believe Ritsuko - because while they had their differences in the past, there were some things you just KNEW about a person, and Misato knew that Ritsuko was as disgusted by this as she was.

"Wonder who that alternate subject could be…" Ritsuko mused.

Both shuddered at the thought of someone else being subjected to these barbaric mind control experiments.

"Do you think it could be Shinji?" Misato asked softly, not truly wanting to hear the answer.

Ritsuko thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't think so…" she said finally, "I doubt Gendou even knew Shinji or I were here. It's likely he's having the subject transported in, or he might have been bringing their here personally…I hope its not…"

Misato caught `Maya' on Ritsuko's lips as the woman cut herself off, and she paled just imagining what would happen to the naïve tech if Gendou found out that she helped Ritsuko escape.

"Huh? What this?" Ritsuko said suddenly, pointing to a photo hanging on the wall with a look of recognition.

Misato turned around, reading the plaque underneath a small frown. United States Marine Corps huh? Hey! She gasped as she recognized the blonde hair and younger, but still recognizable features of one of the soldiers in the photo.

"Holy shit we're at Fletcher's place!" she sputtered.

"Looks like it." Ritsuko mumbled, nodding to the living room, "seems like your average clean-cut people, don't they?" she said thoughtfully, pointing to a row of pictures showing Fletcher with his wife and son. "All-American, hotdogs and apple pie kind of family… if you ignore the psychoses."

Misato nodded, wandering through the house until she found herself in a much-used, neatly kept study on the second floor. Uniform, she thought, opening a small wardrobe in one corner, made sergeant, it looks like… and service ribbons too. You must have been a good man at some point, Fletcher… what happened? She turned to her left, finding a small, glass-front cabinet filled with a variety of photos and medals, further reinforcing the idea that the man who lived her was once more than he was now.

On a computer desk she saw a younger Fletcher standing arm in arm with a woman almost unrecognizable from the one in the photos downstairs. Happier times I guess… she thought with a trace of sadness, taking in the woman's bright smile and laughing eyes.

Misato nearly screamed as she whirled around, levelling her shotgun at the small white device that had beeped so loudly.

"Hello Aaron," a tired sounding voice issued from the small box, "this is Dorothy. I just wanted to call to say I'm sorry…I've been trying to help Edith but all she does is scream at me and Charlie. No matter what I do she gets worse and worse. I think I'm beginning to understand what you meant, and I… I have to admit that you're right…she does need professional help. Please try and call me back and I'll… I'll sign her commitment papers, okay? G-goodbye."

The answering machine fell silent again. leaving the room deathly quiet. What the hell? Misato thought, tapping the Play button over and over with no result.

"What was that?" Ritsuko asked, making her way into the study. She frowned as Misato recited as much as she could of the message, crouching down to check the plugs before muttering, "Nothing electrical has worked since this whole nightmare began… why now?"

"Don't know," Misato admitted nervously, "I really, really don't know… but I don't like it."

"Amen to that," Ritsuko whispered, "let's get out of here - we still have to find Shinji."

"And Amber," Misato added quickly.

Ritsuko sighed. "Fine," she conceded, "and Amber… see if you can find anything useful, I'll check the bedroom."

Misato quickly rummaged through Fletcher's desk, finding only a small black journal and another framed picture of his wife… but on closer inspection, she found the corner of the picture folded down, as if it had been hastily shoved back into the frame. "What's this…?"

Her eyes widened as she removed the back of the frame, finding another picture hidden behind the first. In it, she could see Fletcher smiling broadly, his right hand tucked easily around the waist of a blushing, grinning, dreamy-eyed, Amber??

There was no mistaking the teen's open, innocent features… or the possessive way Fletcher's hand was pulling the girl closer to his side. "What the hell is going on?" Misato whispered, examining the picture closely before sliding it slowly into her pocket and opening the journal. "Maybe this will shed some light on things…"

6thAugust 2015

Edith keeps faking those symptoms and screaming at me for no fucking reason. This is really getting old! She even screamed at Charlie for being lazy, just because he didn't pick up the potato chips on his dinner plate! She said he had to be a good little boy or he was going to hell. I told her to shut the fuck up! God, I'm sick of this shit! Charlie keeps asking me what's wrong with her… what am I supposed to say? Sorry son, your mom's off her fucking rocker??

13thAugust 2015

Finally got the bitch to see the doctor. Man, those psych drugs are fucking expensive! I'm seriously hurting here… but I know a few ways to make it up.

Misato leafed through several more pages of mundane entries and complaining about `the bitch.' Nothing else was truly noteworthy until…

5thNovember 2015

I went to the doctor to discuss our `options.' Know what that fucker told me? "Edith's making no progress." Can you believe it? Just like that! All that fucking money down the toilet! We both agreed she should be committed (guess the fucker got all he could out of me so he wants to cut his losses), but fucking Dorothy used some power of attorney and got the bitch to live with her - Charlie too!! I told her to do whatever the hell she wants but Edith needs to be committed…

7thNovember 2015

Went out with A again. God, if Edith was like her, I'd never complain again! Little thing sure knows how to treat a man, that's for sure - or at least, she did once I taught-

"Misato!" Ritsuko cry drew Misato's attention from the journal. "I think you better come see this!"

Misato set the journal down, a disturbing thought half-forming in her mind as she headed down the stairs to the living room. A…

"What is-" she cut herself off as she found Ritsuko at the bottom of the stairs, holding a small red envelope with the initials, K. M. and A.R. across the front. "Another one??"

"So it seems," Ritsuko said softly, "here… I already read it."

Misato took the note and unfolded it, her lips moving unconsciously as she scanned the short page.

Miss Katsuragi, Miss Akagi

Not bad, but I do not think you will find anything significant at Mister Fletcher's home. I strongly recommend continuing on your way to the lighthouse.

-A

"Who is this from?" asked Ritsuko, turning the envelope over and over in her hands.

"Alicia…" replied Misato, wishing she had something else to say, but not really knowing just how to feel about this turn of events.

Who is she? she thought suspiciously, How is it that she's always one step ahead of us?

With a deep sigh, she pocketed the enveloped, nodding towards the door. Worry about it later… just keep moving - that's the most important thing, just never stop moving.

**

Misato and Ritsuko walked along Sandford Street wrapped in thoughtful quiet, each woman pondering her own part in this unfolding drama. Misato was just opening her mouth to comment that the lighthouse should not be much farther when she spotted a small, dark-haired figure ducking through the front door of the Lake View Hotel.

"Did you just se-"

"Yes!" Ritsuko cut in, grabbing the other woman by the upper arm. "Go - GO!!"

They both entered an empty lobby, seeing no immediate sign of other life.

"I'll check this floor," Ritsuko said quickly, fighting down a giddy smile, "I think it was him, Miso…"

"I'll search the second," replied Misato, "just… let's not get our hopes up, k?"

"You do it your way," Ritsuko grinned, "I'll do it mine. Meet back her in twenty."

Misato sighed as the woman headed off down the hallway, finding it hard not to be infected with her enthusiasm. It really did look like him, she thought, walking towards the stairs and starting up, I guess a LITTLE hope is ok, right?

As she searched the second floor, Misato's mind wandered back to the picture in Fletcher's desk… and the journal. "Just what is going on with those two?" she mused, closing an empty broom closet; "She couldn't be the A from his journal, could she? I mean, she's half his age!"

Shinji's half your age…

This thought brought Misato up short. "Maybe," she whispered to herself, feeling suddenly very uncomfortable. "But I'm not fucking him!"

...don't you want to?

"No!" she hissed sharply. "I'm… Shinji's… we're not like that!"

...don't you want to be?

"Shut up."

Ok, Misato thought, glancing into another empty room before continuing her search, so I've CONSIDERED it. Big deal. He's a guy, I'm a girl, he's cute, I'm single - I LIVE with him - it's natural that I would think about it at least once. She gritted her teeth as she thought, yeah, but was it just once…?

"Shut… UP! I'm not a ped-" her sentence was cut short as she tripped over a bundle of cleaning cloths, sprawling painfully in the middle of the hallway. "Damn it…" She started to her feet, feeling completely embarrassed as a pair of hands came up under her arms, helping her to her feet. "Thanks… but weren't you supposed to search the -wuff!"

The air left Misato's lungs in a rush as she was propelled face first into the wall, a thick forearm slipping easily around her throat as a large body pressed into her back, pinning her with ease.

"Nothing personal," Fletcher's voice grunted in her ear, his superior weight preventing her from so much as twitching, "should have stayed out of it - like your boss said." His hot breath blew against her neck as he chuckled. "Your little doctor friend is next," he said cruelly, "think I'll just snap her neck, you know? Always hated blondes with big tits - think they're so much better than you… they remind me of my wife."

Misato struggled fiercely, but it was no use. Fletcher outweighed her by at least a hundred pounds, and his forearm was thick and corded with muscle, ensuring that she was not going anywhere. Not fair… she thought almost petulantly, knowing with an abstract sense of horror that the wretched gagging sound echoing in her ears was coming from her own mouth, I just… wanted to… see him… one… more… time… God, for… give… me…

As the world started fading away, a terrific crashing sound filled her muzzy hearing, followed by a roar of enraged pain.

And suddenly, she could breathe again.

"Misato!!"

Misato staggered a few steps as Fletcher released her, and for the life of her she could not grasp why her feet were surrounded by fragments of wood.

"Misato, God da- ahhh!"

A pair of meaty `thumps' drew Misato's head around. "R-ritsuko?" she rasped, still fighting to regain her senses as her lungs automatically drew deep, ragged gusts of air.

The blonde was doing her best to regain her footing, the shattered remains of a chair clutched desperately in one hand as she held her stomach with the other, the light from the second story window threw her face into stark relief, clearly outlining the pain and fear in her eyes.

Fletcher was towering over her, all traces of amusement now gone as blood streamed down his face. "Bitch," he hissed, sounding dazed, "fucking women - you're all the same! I give and give and give, but it's never enough! Even that stupid little girl! I give her one thing - ONE THING - to take care of and she fucks it u-"

"Hey… dickhead."

Fletcher whirled around, his eyes widening as he found Misato bracing the shotgun against her shoulder.

"Tell my boyfriend I said hi, motherfucker."

Misato nearly passed out as the shotgun kicked in her hands, driving her weakened body back into the wall, but the results were most satisfying. The blast caught Fletcher full in the chest, knocking him through the window in a hail of glass and wood.

"He… dead…?" Ritsuko managed, dropping the fragment of chair with a pained groan and doubling over to cough out a mouthful of blood and what looked suspiciously like a tooth.

"Has… to be…" Misato replied, using the shotgun as a crutch to force herself to her feet, "God… he really did a number on you…"

"He only hit me - ow! Twice…" Ritsuko grimaced in pain, a large bruise already showing on the side of her face. "It's… lucky for you I saw him head up the stairs…"

Misato took in the woman's swollen face, bleeding nose, and hunched posture, and knew that she was not going anywhere anytime soon. "Come here," she rasped, rubbing at her sore throat as she staggered over to room 204 and pushed it open, "stay here, lock the door, don't open it for anyone but me, got it?"

"Got it," Ritsuko groaned, in too much pain to offer any argument as she was lead inside and laid down on the bed. "Got any… aspirin on you…?"

Misato managed a rough chuckle, pulling the small first aid kit from her jacket pocket. "See what you can find there," she whispered hoarsely, "I'll be back with Shinji."

Ritsuko grabbed her arm as she stood to leave. "Hey," she whispered, "if he's not here… we'll keep looking."

"Damn right we will."

On her way out, Misato spied a glint of silver. Slowly, still feeling as if she could not quite get enough air, she crouched down, reaching out and picking up the small sheriff's star from the floor. Charlie, huh? she thought grimly, clutching the star tightly in her hand, did you ever think your father was a bad man?

"Of course you didn't," she whispered, hesitating, then pinning the star to her flight jacket, "I'm sorry…"

Silently, she turned from the wreckage of the window and continued her search.

**

The second and third floors proved to be devoid of life, reducing Misato's hopes with each empty room she passed. Found another first aid kit though, she thought, trying to stay optimistic as she headed towards the stairs back down, reasoning that Ritsuko probably did not have enough time to properly explore the first floor. And one of the guests must have been on a hunting trip, because that was a lot of gear. She grinned, patting her newly acquired leg pouch.

"They won't mind," she thought, pushing the door marked 3 open with one hand, "I'll bring it back later - and Hell, I'll even pay them back for the rifle shells! Sure I don't need them now, but you can't be too caref-"

She was cut off as another scream ripped through her mind, leaving her breathless. Crap!!

Carpet and quaint paintings were replaced by rusted grates and grotesque murals, the stench of rot and decay nearly overpowering her as she quickly swept the hallway for anything walking, staggering, slouching, or slithering her way.

"Oh that's just perfect," she growled, turning to find that a large iron grate now covered the stairs down. "I'd take the elevator, but I don't-"

Stop TALKING TO YOURSELF!!!

"Guess we go up," Misato muttered, ignoring the mental command and starting up the stairs to the roof. The door to the roof opened with a rusty creak, sending shivers up and down Misato's spine… but as she stepped out onto the roof, she found her breath stolen by the view offered her.

For miles and miles, in every direction she looked, rusted metal and decaying towers dominated the scenery. It was as if she had been plucked from the world she knew and dropped onto some bizarre, alien landscape - a place so used up and tired that it could no longer support life. This idea was reinforced as she gazed out into the dark, seeing points of light from huge, unseen spotlights casting beams of useless illumination up into the night.

Useless because there's no one here to see it, Misato thought, fighting a wave of melancholy so powerful it nearly drove her to her knees, this place - this VERSION of Silent Hill… is dead, and has been forever, and ever, and ever, and ever… God, what's HAPPENING here?!?

A low droning sound made her look to her right, and on instinct alone, she stepped back, just escaping a spray of some acidic substance issued from the open maw of the gigantic, fly-like creature whirring towards her face.

A housefly's vomit can dissolve almost anything organic, she thought distantly, bringing her shotgun up and neatly sidestepping the thing's charge, was it Kaji who taught me that… or mama…?

It all seemed so pointless all of the sudden. If this place, this world she was in, could just sputter out and die… what hope could the `real' world have for the future?

Maybe this IS the future, Misato thought, walking sideways and firing a burst as the fly-thing made another pass, the Commander's always going on about how Humanity is a society of worthlessness - maybe this is how it all ends… with rot and darkness and emptiness…

A cold wave washed over her at the feeling of HONESTY this thought held, and Misato slowly fell to her knees, closing her eyes as the fly-thing buzzed off into the darkness, presumably to make a faster run from an unseen tangent.

"I have seen the future," she whispered, keeping her eyes tightly closed as tears began slowly streaming down her face, "and there is only darkness…"

From somewhere to her right, the buzzing sound reappeared, sounding louder and somehow angrier as it sped towards her.

"But you know something…?" Misato asked the empty town before her, ignoring the buzzing as it grew closer and closer.

"I'm not ready to die yet."

Trusting her hearing alone, Misato whipped the shotgun up and fired one-handed, letting her body move with the recoil and falling sideways onto the rusted rooftop.

No, she thought tiredly, ignoring the screaming in her mind and the white light all around as her weapon's buckshot vaporized the fly-thing's head and sent her back to the `real' world, not just yet…

**

"Good afternoon, Miss Katsuragi…"

Misato showed no real surprise as she pushed open the door to room 204 and found Alicia sitting comfortably in a chair next to Ritsuko's bed. "Thought I told you not to unlock the door…?" she whispered.

Ritsuko shook her head, looking nervously at the woman in the blue dress. "I didn't…"

"Ahh."

Alicia smiled indulgently. "You are wondering, I'm sure, what is going on."

"You could say that," Misato muttered tiredly, "I had a look into the abyss… and I don't like what I saw."

"Well, you know the old saying," Alicia said lightly, "`Those who stare into the abyss beware - for as you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares into you.'"

"Tell me what's happening here," Misato said flatly, ignoring Ritsuko entirely, "what I'm… seeing, is that-"

"This is the work of a far greater power," Alicia cut in gently, "a power that knows and senses."

"What are you talking about?" Misato demanded. "Damn it, be clear!!"

"That power wouldn't happen to be worshipped here? Would it?" asked Ritsuko, giving her friend a worried glance.

Alicia smiled but did not answer, rising to her feet and arranging her dress serenely as she started towards the door.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" yelled Misato, the lethargy of the roof melting before the rage welling up within her. "Answer me, goddamn it!!"

Alicia raised a hand for quiet, opening the door and taking a deep, even breath.

"Go to the lighthouse… you will find answers there."

She stepped out without another word, closing the door behind her. Misato immediately tore it back open, her mouth open to call the woman back… but the hallway was empty.

"Damn! That is so annoying…"

"Guess we know there's nothing here, huh?" Ritsuko said, trying to make her voice light in spite of her shared annoyance of the woman's behaviour. "Let's go… I'm ok now."

Misato could only nod in agreement as they made their way out of the hotel and started off towards the lighthouse.

TBC