Jean's throat was tight as he sat down across from Zeke. The room was dark, lit only by a gloomy looking lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. It was so unnecessary but he had a feeling it was just for the mood.
Ymir was sitting next to him, her face still and unamused. But her hands were fidgeting quickly and there was a bob in her throat. Her brief explanation hadn't been enough. He didn't understand.
Jean didn't know what he had gotten into. He was doing this for the Survey Corps, to gather information on the infamous criminal, the Beast. Which he'd done successfully for a few weeks. None of the crimes had been serious enough to risk breaking his cover.
But this? His life was literally in danger. Whatever they were doing to Annie and Reiner or Bertolt, Jean knew he wouldn't come out of it in his right mind. He could die.
But there was no way to back out now. He was stuck here until he could escape and find help.
Zeke gazed at them through his thin framed glasses, a lazy smile appearing on his face. The guards stood on the either side of the door, their dark glasses and grim expression just adding to the intimidating aura.
Jean swallowed nervously.
"So…." Zeke drawled. "I'm assuming you're quite confused about them, um, noises... that your friends are...making... But I can assure you, all this is for the greater good."
"What… What do you mean?" Jean said.
Ymir's eyes darted towards him but flashed back before he could catch her gaze. Her knee was bouncing quietly beside him but was quickly picking up speed. She was a bundle of nerves just waiting to explode.
Zeke arched an eyebrow at him but he didn't lose that psychotic grin of his. If anything it seemed to grow.
"What's happening to them?" Jean had to keep pushing. As much as he wanted to just save himself, he couldn't just… leave them there.. with whatever was happening to them. "Why are they screaming? What are you doing to them?"
"Jean…" Ymir said weakly. She looked at him desperately.
Zeke let out an amused laugh, his deep voice shaking him down to his core. "All good questions, my young boy, and you will get answers. But I do think your friend next to you is more qualified than me to inform. She does after all… have personal experience…"
Jean's eyes darted to Ymir. She stared back him, her hard expression replaced by something sadder. What?
"What does he mean?" Jean breathed.
Ymir looked at Zeke, then around at the guards and finally back at him. When she met his gaze again, there were only tears gleaming in her eyes. Slowly she shook. Jean could only stare. Ymir took a deep breath and started talking.
"You.. You asked about what happened before. You were right. I did have a team. Before you guys…" All the while Ymir was talking Zeke just smirked even harder at them.
"You asked did I hear them scream... Well I didn't. I didn't hear anything from them. But they heard me…" Ymir's hands were shaking and slowly closer them into fists. "I was the only one of my group to make it out alive…."
Why Zeke was letting her say this, Jean didn't know. Everyone knew the Beast's morals were… not on the right side. But killing and torturing their own members? He just didn't understand.
"They.. they injected something into me. A drug of a kind. These drugs… they have a compatibility rate of less than a thousandth of a percent… that doesn't make much sense really.. But hardly anyone can take them without being subjected to endless pain."
"I. I am one of the rare few. I.. I can do things other people can't. I'm older than you think I am. I can do some much more but at such a cost..."
"I don't understand… what did they do to you?" Jean whispered.
Zeke finally leaned forward, his fingers twined. "Don't you get it Jean?" he purred. "Don't you understand? This- this science, it's life-changing. These drugs can do miracles. Life-saving miracles."
The man pulled a knife from somewhere on his person and it took all of Jean's willpower not to sprint for the door. Zeke drew the blade across his finger dip without flinching. Dark blood bubbled from the cut, droplets hitting the table. But something else was happening.
Steam. Steam rose from the cut, wafting into the air before dispersing off into the room. Jean could only watch as the cut closed and vanished as if nothing had happened. Not a scar, not a mark, completely clean.
"Miracles," Zeke breathed. He leaned forward, face inches from Jean's. Jean's heart was beating so fast he thought it might explode.
"Don't you understand what's happening?" the Beast whispered. "I'm changing the world, one person at a time."
~•~•~•~
Mikasa paced back and forth, her impatience getting the better of her. Armin sat near her, her blond friend watching her with concern.
Jean had missed the 11:00 p.m. update. They hadn't dared try call him but it was 2:34 a.m. now and worry was starting to set in. Their team were silently freaking out. Hanji was sitting at the radio, the headset never leaving their ears for a second.
Marco, one of Jean's boyfriend, was in the same situation as her. He wasn't pacing but he was nervously chewing his nails. He stared at his screen, waiting for something to happen. Armin had always been the calmer out of the three but even his logical brain was starting to panic.
"Quit it, brat," Captain Levi squawked from his seat next to Hanji. His feet were resting on the desk, his lips curled. "Your footsteps are pissing me off!"
Mikasa whirled on her cousin, eyes narrowing. "Oh forgive me for being worried about my friend who could quite possibly be severely hurt! How dare I care that I might be the reason Jean's not answering. And how dare I panic because the Beast himself was with them!"
Mikasa had made it to a nearby farmhouse when she escaped from the house. From there she got a ride off the nice farmer to the police station. Everyone had been relieved to see her. But then the fate of Jean hadn't been known and this worried attitude had settled over everyone.
Mikasa was so worried. Not just about Jean but like… she didn't want to say it but Annie as well. They'd… bonded if that was what you could call it. What was between them, she didn't know. She really didn't think Annie had a clue what was going on, that she'd been roped into it because of her friends. And that worried her so much.
Levi blinked once at her before rolling his eyes. "Whatever. Jean's a strong kid. They won't get him. He'll be fine."
"I sure hope so.." Armin whispered, barely audible at all.
Levi cast him a look but didn't say anything. Mikasa took her seat next to him, laying a comforting hand on his arm. Marco took up the other side, pressing a feathery kiss to his temple. Armin smiled embarrassedly at them.
Minutes passed but it seemed like hours before a sudden crackle of static made them all jump. A hushed voice whispered over the system.
"Hanji! Hanji!" Jean hissed. "Hanji!"
Hanji spun in their chair, hands reaching for the radio. Marco, Armin, Levi and Mikasa all crowded around the scientist as they twisted some dials.
"Come in, Jean, please come in! State code-"
"There's no time for that!"
Jean yelled as loudly as he could for a whisper. Mikasa could feel Hanji's shock.
"You need to get us out, now! As quickly as possible. Please! You don't understand what's happening here," Jean was frantic, words coming out quickly and hurriedly. "Please. Track the phone, bust in here. Save them please!"
"Jean, calm down, please," Hanji tried again. "You need to explain-"
"There's no time!" Jean screamed. "Every second here is another they will suffer! Get us out!"
Hanji scrabbled for another dial, one that put them straight through to Erwin. "You're sure? We'll lose our inside source and you know the cost of that."
"Please! I've never been so sure of anything, get us out," Jean was practically begging at this point.
Hanji and Levi exchanged nods. "Sure thing, Jean. Hold on until we get there."
Jean's voice was relieved but also terrified. "It's not me I'm worried about. It's them."
Then the line cut off and everyone sprang into action. Hanji set about tracking down Jean's phone with Armin jumping into help them. Marco darted off to make calls to all the off duty Survey Corps members.
Levi however looked at Mikasa. "Come on, brat," he said grimly. "Let's show these bastards what Ackermans can do."
~•~•~•~
The place was absolute chaos.
Scouts darted in and out of cover, taking down members of Titan left right and centre. But they were getting equal fire in return. Guards were at every door and they seemed to be coming from deeper within the building.
For some reason, the Beast didn't seem to be there. Or he was hiding until he had a chance. Mikasa didn't know.
Pressed tight to a wall, she advanced from the west side of the facility. Levi had led people around the east intent on wiping them clean from the map. Her squad were confident and skilled.
So far, things weren't so good. Mikasa had shot down many and others had surrendered. But the amount of people here, it just wasn't enough. They weren't making any sufficient progress.
That was until Armin arrived on the scene. Though he was one of the younger members like her, it was no exaggeration that Armin was one of the most intelligent men in the whole organisation. With a mind for strategy and quick thinking, he had them moving forward with little to none casualties.
Of course, no plan was perfect and they had their slips but Mikasa made it through the building without fail. They swept through it, cleaning it of Titans until the fighting ceased.
They'd done it. They'd taken this base from Titan.
The Beast was nowhere to be found. Which really surprised no one. He was always escaping, somehow always on top of plans before they even happened. He was gone.
Jean was recovered pretty quickly as he knew they'd been becoming and gotten prepared. There was the girl Ymir with him too. She looked weary and just glad to be out of the dark for once. Hanji took up conversation with her.
But Mikasa was still searching.
"Save them!" Jean had said. There was only one 'them' he could mean. The three remaining of the group from that night. Mikasa needed to find them.
Through the corridors she weaved, a friend close to her heels. Connie followed her quietly, mainly covering her while she tore rooms apart looking for them. He hadn't asked why she still went on but he trusted her enough.
It was only when she got to what appeared to be a science lab did she start to worry. This was the last section left in the building and the most northerly. It was pretty much untouched.
Mikasa approached, her gun cocked and ready to fire. She pressed an ear to the door and listened. But there wasn't a sound to be heard. So she went in.
Mikasa shoved open the door and dove in, scanning for any signs of movement. It was a small room with a high ceiling. Machinery, medical equipment, strange objects. Nothing moved. But she saw a familiar body.
Sitting upright on a bed in the middle of the room, was a small blonde woman. Familiar indeed. As Mikasa took her in, she turned.
Crystal blue eyes met her grey. Annie Leonhardt stared at her.
"Annie…" Mikasa breathed.
Connie shifted nervously behind her. "Is... Is this who you're looking for?"
Before Mikasa was able to answer Annie stood up. There was something different about the way she moved now. Slower. More disjointed. Her bare feet touched the ground without a sound and ghosted her way across the room.
Connie's gun was still raised but Mikasa had lowered hers. "You're alive…" she whispered.
Annie tilted her head. "Mi...kasa…" Pause. "Hello."
And that was the last thing Mikasa heard before a fist like a brick slammed into her nose. Mikasa hit the ground, red flooding her vision as she cried out. Pain spread from her nose, darting up her cheeks and down her neck.
Briefly she registered a gun firing and then a body slumped next to her. Those blue eyes met hers again and Mikasa stared. Empty. Void of emotion and any sign of who she was.
Annie stared at her but she didn't seem to care that she was hurt.
Mikasa was starting to black out. She tried to fight it but there was nothing she could do. She was being dragged down.
And then there was the smile. Dark. Amused. Smile. Mikasa drifted off with the sight of empty blue eyes and that dark dark smile.
Sorry I'm jumping povs, it just wouldn't work the other way! Thanks for reading!
