Chapter 7
My dress is in tatters on the floor and now I wear a plain blouse, pants, and a black jacket. That is all we could get me into on the short notice. I mean, there is a murderous psychopath with our names running to the King as we speak, so I wasn't picky. The only other thing I insist on bringing is the man's MP rifle which now bumps against my back as we rush towards Wall Sina.
The horse is streaked with sweat. A regular horse would have died with us having ridden them so hard but these horses are breed for outside the walls and they go faster and tire slower than a normal horse.
I am immensely glad of this because otherwise I would be far more concerned than I already am. My mare is galloping at a speed that I would usually be uncomfortably going, but today is very different. I hunker down and loosen my reins to give her her head. She's able to see better and so goes faster than otherwise. It's almost like she feels my urgency.
Levi is riding next to me on a completely black horse and Hanji rides on her favourite appaloosa next to him. The three of us tear across the silent countryside, the sound of hooves and our own heartbeats drowning out the crickets. There aren't many farm houses and those that there are have only a small lantern outside to confirm that anyone lives in this wasteland of world besides us. The tall grasses catch the light from the slivered moon but otherwise there is no light to be had. The darkness doesn't bode well for our search.
I focus on riding to keep the anxiety at bay. I feel it deep in my gut and I fight to ignore it.
We ride without stopping for a moment when we come upon a wall town. We enter it quickly, pulling up at the last minute to stop us from colliding on the tight (but empty) street. This town is the one leading directly to Wall Sina and so this is where he would pass through. The town is dark and feels abandoned and I immediately feel my heart accelerate its beating.
I look at Levi and Hanji. Hanji looks at me and shakes her head. "He wouldn't stop here, he needs to talk to his superiors too urgently to be able to stop for the night," Hanji says while scanning the area. It's almost as if she doesn't believe her own words.
I tuck my hair behind my ears and stare into the night on the road ahead of us. I don't know what lies ahead but I feel that just sitting here is not what needs to happen. My legs itch to just start running after him. I sit on my horse; she bucks her head a little sensing my angst. I smooth down her hair as soothingly as I can; the course fibers do little to distract my nervous fingers.
"Levi we should go," I glance his way. He stares off down a dark ally, his black hair is a mess and yet he still has the ability to put butterflies in my stomach. His gaze is unwavering. Hanji stares in the opposite direction and I glance around not fully aware of what they are sensing. The darkened streets hold no people and the wind is all that whispers in the night. A chill runs its way up my spine.
Water drips from the houses as we move our horses to a slow walk. The echoing of our horses hooves is deafening to my ears. I pick away at the worn leather reins in my hands. The cobblestones are damp from the mist and I have trouble feeling secure on my horse. Residential houses: they're all black and empty line the streets ahead of us. No cats run between doorways, no sound of human conversation fills the emptiness. There are only a few street lanterns flickering in the night that prove that this city is inhabited at all.
We are completely alone. Too alone. There's something wrong here. Maybe the escaped prisoner terrorized the city before escaping into the night, maybe that's why no one is here. I worry at the leather with my fingernails. Something is definitely wrong. I glance at my companions, wondering if we should leave.
Instead Levi dismounts and Hanji follows quickly after. I wait only a second before I get off my horse too. None of us are in uniforms; we just look like well dresses merchants. How is it possible that three soldiers look more like civilians than actual civilians? I worry the sway we would have had as soldiers is lost.
Not that there's anyone here to see us. I slowly pull the rifle off my shoulder and carefully load it. Levi motions and we begin walking.
The light flickers and my heart beats loudly in my ears. We carefully tread down the uneven stones which are slippery in the dense humidity of the night. It feels like I'm breathing underwater with the moisture sticking to the sides of my nostrils. The fear is palpable.
I don't ask why we are going on foot or what Levi has seen that has pushed him to walking the streets, I just follow. Hanji breathes quietly next to me; her swords are out and pointed towards the thick shadows. Levi stands with one sword out as he scans the darkness. My hands grip the rifle to keep from shaking with the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
The shadows shift and the barrel of my gun is up before I can register why it would be. "Who's there?!" comes my too timid voice. Levi turns to stand at my side and Hanji takes my other side. We look like fearsome vengeance to any outside observer. Little do they know I'm quaking in my boots.
You can only be brave if you are faced with fear and do not succumb to it, Petra.
A divisive laugh comes from the shadows. "You found me huh?" A dark form emerges from the shadows, his hands up. I frown. The broken nose, the speckles of slivers that still seep blood (and soon puss), the dark hair cropped short, the completely unremarkable but also completely recognizable face, wears a smug look.
My gun doesn't waver. "Drop your weapons. Don't move."
He smiles maliciously, "Oh honey let's not jump to conclusions. At least let me buy you dinner first before I drop my weapon." He winks theatrically at me.
I don't move. Levi, however, does. "Don't speak to her like that. I can still cut your tongue and your...weapon, off." He twirls he sword menacingly. He holds his blades and his gaze steady.
The gun is heavy and is now starting to pull at my biceps. I keep my finger off the trigger as the metal of the gun is warmed by my constant touch. Worrying my arms will give out after much longer I try to hurry it up. "Big talk for a guy who was crying like a baby when we were interrogating him," I laugh quietly, mimicking his condescending manner. "Hanji go tie him up."
Hanji quickly sheaths her blades and begins to approach him. She stops when he shouts, "S-stop! Don't come any closer!" He then shuffles back into the shadows, his position mostly hidden in the darkness. Hanji looks back to Levi and then to me.
My arms begin to shake.
Levi holds his position but the man continues to shuffle backwards. Hanji looks at me again, "Uh, Petra?"
The man of arrogance is gone and I see the coward again. He is all talk when he thinks he's winning, but he loses what little he has when he feels cornered. I am disgusted by him.
The moment holds enough tension to snap. It's hard to know what I should do. Do I fire? Do we wait and demand that he stops? Do we chase after him?
There's a moment of pause.
Then...
There's a quiet sound that disrupts the still night.
I listen closely, but realize I didn't imagine it.
It's horses galloping on cobblestones.
Confused I look up the road where it widens. The lanterns cast little light but in this darkness it looks like a spotlight. I am slowly able to see. I see a small group heading for us, and fast. It's only a few seconds before they arrive. The prisoner laughs, "Just who I was waiting for."
Four horses come roaring in, barely pulling up in to turn the corner. I jump back to avoid being run down and the horses kick and settle with their dark riders. Their humans come into view; moreover their uniforms come into view. Military Police.
"Well you have made quite the mess, haven't you Schmitt?" comes an aged voice. It holds no warmth for the man standing beside them.
He, on the other hand, is near tears of joy.
"Sir! Oh sir, you wouldn't believe what they did to me! These - these filthy and stupid Recon Corps soldiers are barbaric and nefarious," he grovels to his superiors.
"Wow Robert, those were a lot of big words, are you sure you know what they all mean?" he drones sarcastically.
Schmitt is visibly taken aback. "Sir, of course I know what they mean! I came to report them to you are tell you of their inhuman actions."
The man on the horse sighs, "I think you mean inhumane not inhuman. But I guess either works. And yes we gathered, which is why we came to have to clean up your mess."
Schmitt frowns, "But sir, it's not my mess, it's not even my fault. They kidnapped me! They tortured me!"
The man barely looks at him. "And did you tell them anything while you were being tortured?"
Schmitt nods, "Yes, of course, but I came to tell you how much they know and what they did to me so we can discredit them and dispose of them!"
The man on the horse is silent a moment. "What do they know?"
He looks down, "Pretty much everything."
"Uh huh."
Silence.
There is a flash and a large bang.
Schmitt falls to the ground having the back of his head blown off, spilling his brains onto the streets. It looks vaguely like someone spilled ground beef in this lighting. Blood runs between the cobblestones.
I cover my mouth to keep from vomiting.
The man on the horse holsters his still smoking pistol and then looks to us.
"You see, I'm not a forgiving man."
Then from behind I am knocked out.
