Chapter 2.5

The entire place was a confusing labyrinth.

Occasionally looking at a map, Shinji lead them through multiple corridors and stairwells to get to the hangar where the Evas were kept.

It was nearly 10 solid minutes of running that they wasted, just to get to the place.

All the while, alarms blared and little blinking lights on the walls accompanied the noises.

Occasionally, Shinji had to pull out a map of the massive underground structure that Maya gave him, to navigate it.

Placing his fingers on the paper, he would trace a route to the next section.

He realized the two pilots were doubting his abilities to understand maps, as they were quietly glancing at him.

"I-I'm still new to working on this base, okay..?"

As they ran, the two stopped looking at him.

They didn't reply, either.

As they stopped in front of an elevator, after a long sprint down a hallway, Shinji quickly pressed a button leading to the floor the were on.

Waiting, all of the fidgeted in front of the door as it came back up.

An awkward period, which would've been quiet if not for the alarms still going off.

Once the doors whirred open, the packed in and pressed the button to the lowest floor.

Designated as:

"B54"

Looking at the array of basement floors, Aubrey studied them in wonderment.

How could such an extensively large facility like this exist?

Waiting to go down, each of them was in their own space again.

Momose leaned against a wall with her arms crossed, focused on the door.

Aubrey stood around awkwardly, with his arms interlocked behind his back, as he didn't have his music player on him.

Shinji stood at the front, waiting to get out onto the catwalk.

As the heavy whirring of the industrial elevator came to a halt, the doors slid open.

Walking out onto the lifted platform, Aubrey was mesmerized.

A massive robot… suspended in the air by various cords.

It was painted yellow and orange, with some other cosmetic markings across the surface of its armor plating.

On the forehead of the robot, was the indicator:

"EVA 04"

Looking at the number, he wondered about something.

If this was the fourth model, where were the other three at?