Doctor Who: The Evangelion Error (Book Two)

E13 Part 1: If Crazy Equals Genius

(warning: explicit)

Somewhere Beneath Tokyo-3.
October 2015. Early morning.

The op had gone bad. Sam could feel it in his gut. Not that there was anything he could do about it now. It was like they'd said way back in basic: sometimes, you just have to show up and dance the Charlie Foxtrot.

He and George cautiously advanced back-to-back through the darkened tunnel. A wave of static abruptly covered his view. He knocked the butt of his rifle against his night vision goggles to clear things up. Piece of junk'd been on the fritz ever since landing...

***

Misato's apartment.

Okay, step one: pants. Could he get away with khakis? No, best to stick to the uniform rules, just in case... besides, it's not like black wouldn't match anyway, right?

***

Beneath Tokyo-3.

Behind him, Sam heard George curse and fire off two rounds. He twisted around. Area behind them looked clear. "What? What is it?"

"Thought I saw something." George ran her laser sight over the tunnel wall. "Corner of my eye sort of shit..."

***

Misato's apartment.

Next, the jacket. He slipped it on and buttoned it, careful to leave the bottom two free, like the store clerk had told him to. Which was weird, really. Why even put buttons there if you're not supposed to use them?

***

Beneath Tokyo-3.

Sam shook his head. He didn't care much for cussing himself -- being raised strict Adamist does that to you -- but he knew how she felt. They all knew the whole mission was FUBAR at this point. Had been from the moment the initial takedown had failed. (And God only knew what'd happened there. Sam had been LOS himself, and he still couldn't figure it out.) They should've pulled back at that point -- wouldhave pulled back, under any other circumstances. Following the target down here was just asking for this cat-and-mouse horror movie... stuff.

Unfortunately, their mission parameters were clear: bring the target down, no matter what. And Team Sixteen didn't do failure.

***

Misato's apartment.

So he probably should have thought about this part before he put on the jacket. He pulled out the necktie and studied it cautiously in his hands. The store clerk had kindly put the knot in it for him, and he didlike the color. But still...

***

Beneath Tokyo-3.

The radio crackled. "Target located," Chief Duncan rasped. "Regroup at my beacon." A waypoint popped up in Sam's goggles.

He and George hoofed it back through the twisting maze of concrete tunnels. They found the chief and Jarvis waiting in position beside a wide steel door. "Where?" Sam whispered.

Duncan pointed his thumb at the door. "Already handled the lock," he muttered. "Maps say one large room on the other side. Two exits opposite to us, stairwell and an elevator." Sam nodded.

The rest of Team Sixteen collected alongside the wall. "Preston on point," Duncan murmured. Sam went to the side of the door opposite the handle. "I'm two. Jarvis, three. Elliot, four." George nodded and took her position in the line.