Screeching tires, burnt rubber smell, the g-forces of the bus rocking all the passengers back and forth. A NERV leaflet stuck in the windshield, as minor showers of broken glass and high pitched sounds of things being run over were heard over. Shigeru Aoba's face was still frowning, as he kept gripping the steering wheel without so much as battering an eyelid. 

Misato for the most part, had allowed Helen a slight reprieve from her grip, thus thankfully allowing the pilot some room for her to breathe. Suffocating one of her charges was definitely not on Misato's book. The female captain eyed the back of the van and the three boys, particulary one of them, Taro. He was apparently...punching the window and screaming? 

[i]Has he already lost it? Before even setting foot on an Eva? Goodness sake, Rits, where does Marduk find all of these people!?[/i] She contemplated, as she heard the complaints of the other boys after being manhandled. Well, they could probably afford getting a little rough, being boys at all. A female voice besides her called her attention, just barely in time. Helen, in between gasps for air, had pointed something about the planes and "things moving". She eyed the landscape at her back, just for the briefest second. Realization made her eyes go wide as a gut feeling weighed more than ten Evangelions in her stomach. "No..." She said in a small voice, before springing once more into action.

The firm hand of the captain latched the steering wheel from Aoba's hands, swerving the transport off the road, rattling the contents significantly until it slammed on one side against an underpass. Aoba's surprise expression was choked by the commanding voice of the woman, who wasted no time in instructing all of the occupants. "N2 INCOMING! DUCK!" She said at the top of her lungs, her own body tackling both Aoba and specially Helen against the seats, doing her part with those who were within her reach. She had hoped the boys had done the same.

The world became wind, light and fire. Overpressure still broke all the windows of the bus, exploding in a shower of glass, one by one as a sickly hot, roaring wind cut through everyone, moving the bus several paces from its standing position, menacingly about to tilt the entire vehicle to one side. When the explosion shockwave subsided, Misato stretched, her question one obvious.

"Is...is everyone okay?" She hoped that the boys had taken her advice to their heart, after all, losing the pilots to friendly fire on her first operation was something she did not relish. The communications system of the bus sprung to life.

"PT06 respond. Please. PT06 respond." The crisp voice of Makoto Hyuga could be heard on the other side loud enough to be heard by everyone, clearly citing the codename of Aoba's transport, albeit muffled by static. Aoba nodded grimly, as he tried to stablish contact back, but in vain. The commmunication was not cut, however, and allowed some talk to be filtered through.

"They're not responding commander, they must have been caught in the explosion." Hyuga said.

A grim, serious older male voice answered. Gendo Ikari. "Fuyutsuki. Go wake up Rei."

"Can we use her?" The wizened, aging voice of the Vicecommander chimed in.

"She isn't dead" The male voice answered in a chilling callousness.

"Understood." The older man agreed, as even more noises were heard in the background.

"Transfer First Children's data to Unit 01." The voice of an adult woman commanded.

"Stop that, Ritsuko!" Misato chimed in, gripping the intercom so hard it barely avoided smashing it. Apparently, not due to an small amount of luck, the message seemed to get through, as signs and voices of surprise could be heard on the other side.

"Katsuragi, status report." The calm, dispassionate voice of the commander indicated.

Misato fumbled for a small split second. "All pilots are safe. We were caught in the N2 explosion thought, so it might delay us a bit." The captain asserted giving a quick look at the state of her charges.

"Unacceptable. Make haste, captain." The commander shot back. "The Third Angel is approaching the Geofront as we speak." The man known as Gendo Ikari retorted back, as he continued on. "Rei." He seemed to address someone else.

A weak female voice, seemingly from the other corner of the room answered. "Yes?"

"Get ready. You may have to pilot regardless." 

"Yes." Said the weak voice of the other female pilot. Katsuragi clutched her chest with no small amount of discomfort and pain. Ikari's actions could not be more clear. Bring the pilots, or we will send a wounded Rei. She had little room of maneuver in that regard. "Aoba." She said in a whisper. "I will drive now."

Aoba didn't even bother answering, instead flinched in reflex as he moved out and in the back, trying to tend the male pilots after the explosion, while Misato deftly stepped in the driver's seat, her eyes narrowing as she adjusted the broken rear mirror. "Kids... hang on tight." She cursed under her teeth, as she brought the bus back to life. And then proceed to make Aoba's Gendo driving impression seem [i]tame by comparison.[/i]

"We will get there. And we will sortie soon!" She beckoned as she speed through the ruined road.


[@Lmpkio][@Cassowarysaur][@Renny][@Holy Grail]