"Move it soldiers!" Erwin commanded the fresh recruits. All drenched in sweat and hunched over. They all took deep breathes and struggled to stand. "I think I'm gonna puke", Sasha said. "What was that?" Erwin asked. He walked up to her and got in her face, "Repeat yourself soldier!" Sasha turned around and vomited on the fresh grass. They stood outside the military blockade where an open field rested. "For that little incident you'll be running another lap! Move it!" he ordered. The field was at least two to three hundred yards long so and after the laps they've done they could die.
A bike was heard approaching the camp and yelling from that direction. Mike opened the back gate, "Commander! Soldier from Maria!" he yelled. Erwin pointed at the camp, "Run there and go refresh on water. We'll train later." The recruits slowly jogged into the camp and fought each other for the cooler, filled with cold water bottles. Erwin walked into the camp and shut the gate. He took his jacket off and threw it over his shoulder. "Soldier from Maria you say?" Erwin asked. Nanaba helped the soldier over to the commander.
"Soldier, you come from Maria, yes?" he asks. The soldier wipe sweat off of his forehead, "I'm Moblit Berner. I served as Doctor Hanji Zoe's personal assistant and bodyguard. Corporal Levi and his squad rushed in with a wounded. He turned and we found new research from his death," he held up Olou's dog tags. "I collected them as we left the basement for the garage. Most likely every other doctor and soldier inside the basement is dead." Erwin took the tags and handed them to Mike, "Where is Levi and his squad? Doctor Zoe?" Erwin asked. "The Company seems to have taken control of Maria and watches it closely. They most likely have been testing and making these aberrant zombies. The Company took Levi's Squad to 86 with the cure and her friend. Levi and Hanji were left behind. I tried finding them but couldn't so I came to report."
"Shit. We'll need lookout teams everywhere and the entire Survey Corps to attack 86. Unless we get Hannes back to Sina there's no way of getting Garrison support. We can't connect to them through radio from out in the boonies," Erwin said. Erwin pat Moblit on the back, "Good work soldier. Go get rest and help around camp. We can't risk losing other soldiers currently as this camp is our entire force. The only thing we can do is wait for further notice. If Levi and Hanji don't appear within our general area then we'll attack 86 without them," Erwin told him.
Moblit didn't know what to do as his life since he joined the Survey Corps had been protecting Hanji. He sat down in a lawn chair laid out next to the command center. He watched the new recruits and saw how young they were. He began to realize how devastating the infection has been, on how it could turn asshole teenagers into, possibly, the worlds last hope. He leaned back and looked up into the afternoon sky. He smiled and closed his eyes.
"Training later? Uuuugh," Sasha complained. "Don't complain, you were the once who wanted to join with us," Armin told her. "Call it peer pressure because I think I was drawn in with her," Connie joined in. Eren helped Mikasa wrap her scarf around and joined the group. "You guys going to act sick to skip training later? I heard we got some new recruits coming in from local camps," Connie asked. Mikasa shook her head and looked at Eren. "We signed up for this so let's see it through. No cheating our own way," he told them.
Horns honked and the gate opened, allowing the convoy into the camp. Reiner parked his van and Ymir parked her truck next to his van. She got out with Christa and welcomed Reiner after their long break. "How's it going? So this is 86," Ymir admired the large camp. People moved around and in and out of buildings and tents. People ran around with food and weapons. The hotel building served as The Company's command center. It stood in the back of the camp but surrounded in a concrete wall. The only way in is through an electric fence which can be turned off from inside the hotel.
"Ymir, take Christa's things and go pick a tent next to us. I want to show Christa something real quick," Reiner told her. Ymir's first thought was the bite on Christa's arm and the possible cure. Ymir saw Levi's Squad gagged and hands tied being held prisoner. "What are you going to do with them?" she asked. "That isn't the point. Let me show Christa something cool." Ymir pulled Christa closer to herself, "I will if you give me an honest reason." Reiner got into the girls face, "You know exactly why. Her arm, the bite, her blood. We need her," Reiner told her.
Reiner's men escorted Levi's Squad out of the vans and onto the gravel road leading to the hotel. Reiner tried grabbing Christa from Ymir but failed. "Don't make this hard. You're both good people so don't but rough," Reiner said. Ymir punched Reiner hard in the chin. He flinched and gave Ymir a backhand. "Help me over here!" Reiner yelled. Men came over and grabbed Ymir and Christa. Reiner rubbed his chin, "Take them to the hotel with the squad. I'll take the blonde one up to him," Reiner said. Reiner held Christa at gun point and forced her to the hotel with Ymir.
The fence gate opening and no longer energized, a bandit holds it open for the prisoners. Bertholdt and Annie watch from their tent. "That was Ymir and Christa right?" he asked. Annie fiddled around with her hoodie strings to make them even, "Yeah. I guess Christa is immune to the infection and they're going to either use her as leverage against the military or make a cure," she replied. "They told me..." he trailed off. Annie made them even and looked up at her boyfriend, "Excuse me?" "They trusted me when they first arrived. They told me about her being bitten and her being immune. They...they trusted me," he buried his face into his open palms.
Annie rubbed his back, "It's okay. Not your fault. If anyone's fault blame Reiner, that gorilla obeys him as if he were his father," she tells him. "When you talk about him, you're mentioning the Manager, correct?" he asks. Annie nods, "Yeah, but no one likes to say his name as they're afraid of him. Rumor says he led the rebellion within the Corps and dwindled their numbers down. He's ruthless and feared and Reiner follows him like a moth to a flame," she stares at the prisoners disappear into the hotel.
"Let me go you fuc-," Ymir was cut off when Reiner duct taped her mouth shut. "Shut up now will ya? William, escort these guys down below into the basement and into room B6. I think that's the waiting room. I'll take Christa up to him," he says. William takes off his white mask that covered his face and points his rifle at the prisoners. "Move it people!" he commands. They walk down stairs into a cold and moist basement. The air rank of death and alcohol. William shoved his rifle into Eld's back, "Move it!" His voice echoed throughout the empty hallways. William opened the door and shoved them in. He shut and locked it then proceeded back to the lobby to stand guard.
A guard inside takes off their cuffs and removes their gags. He rips the duct tape off of Ymir. "Look around, learn to share and rest. You're life now shortens every second so value it. You mean nothing to the world now and are test patients for The Company," he says. He enters a side room and locks it. Ymir and the squad look around and see a combination of dead, sick and wounded people waiting in the room. "This is bad," Gunter tells them. "Mmhmm," Ymir replies.
Reiner knocks and stands back from the wooden door. Paintings lined the hallway leading to his room. "Coming!" a voice rang. The door unlocked and Reiner opened it. Christa had handcuffs on and her mouth taped shut. A large, open room awaited them. A big desk with an old fashioned spinning chair sat in front of a giant window. Paintings and flower pots, filled with roses, lined the walls.
Reiner shut the door, "Sir, I have her." The chair spun around slowly and revealed him. A man, at least in his forties, stopped the chair from spinning further and put his hands on the desk. "My boy, I think you've earned yourself a promotion," he told Reiner. The man was known as The Manager and looked battle hardened from time spent in the Survey Corps. His brown hair matched his eyes and his mustache covered his upper lip. He donned a brown suit and black tie to go with his attire. The Manager stood up and walked over to Reiner, "Wait outside. She'll be uncomfortable with you standing here." Reiner nodded and gave him the key to her handcuffs then left the room.
The Manager took the tape off her mouth. He escorted her over to his desk and sat her down in one of the plush chairs in front of it. He sat down in his chair and put his feet on the desk. "So, you're the cure yes?" he reassured. Christa looked away from him, "Why should you care?" "Because I want to help people but in my own way. My own custom. Just because others see it as bad doesn't mean it's not doing good at the same time. Just like Erwin I sacrifice things for the sake of the better. If I have the option to save millions by wiping out this town of sick people I'm going to massacre the sick," he told her.
Christa turned around quickly and stared at him, "That's horrible! How could you be so damn ruthless?" she asked. The Manager put his finger over her lips to shush her, "Haven't you heard of the term 'Survival of the Fittest'?" he asked her. "That's what the world is now, bandits versus soldiers. Civilians being caught in the crossfire or joining one of the bandit factions. It's only a matter of time before these factions combine into a larger force to rival The Company, they join with the company, or join with the military to defeat us. All are equal threats in their own defined way," he said.
He grabbed a mug off his desk and took a sip from it. "Ever had pre-war coffee? It's really bitter, I don't recommend it." "How can you order men to die for you so easily?" Christa asks him. He walks over to the large window and looks out it, "Because it's the end of the world if you die girly. If we don't synthesize your blood and mass copy it we're all doomed! The virus will mutate here like it did in Rose. It'll become airborne, then waterborne, then it'll spread with animals. It's going to get dangerous and bloody in the coming future," he took a sip. "And with you the military won't dare assault this place with fear of you getting hit in the crossfire. Like I said before, military versus bandits and civilians caught in the crossfire," he said.
He walked over to his desk and took a final gulp then set the mug on the corner of his desk. "When's the last time you've done your business?" he asked the girl. "Huh? What do you mean?" "I mean when's the last time your shit has came out of your ass or the last time you ate? I'll have Reiner take you to the bathroom down the hall and have him get your favorite food, if we have it." Christa looked down at the tan and brown tiled flooring. "Reiner!" The Manager clapped his hands. Reiner opened the door fast in response, "Yes sir?" "Take Christa down the hall and show her the bathroom. She'll go in alone and do it herself. While she's doing that, get the girl her favorite food," The Manager told him.
Reiner nodded and got Christa out of the chair. He took her out of the office and shut the door. The Manager sat on the desk and looked backwards and out the window, "Poor girl...stupid military and their stupid tests," he pulled papers off his desk and slammed his fist down on it. "Damn fuckheads! Damn Erwin Smith! Ordering the sacrifice of the residential area because one zombie got in, murdering hundreds because of a single threat he was too scared to fight it!" The Manager exclaimed. He bent over and began picking up some of the papers he dropped, mostly useless military documents. He placed them back onto his desk and filed them. He looked at the wall and saw his old Survey Corps jacket. He smiles and looks out the window once again.
Reiner locks stands outside the bathroom door. "Hurry up in there if you want to eat!" Reiner yelled. He heard pants being zipped up. "Hold your horses!" Christa yelled back. She looked around for anything she could make into a weapon. A bar, maybe a chair, anything. She found nothing that she could take. She sighed and walked out the door. Reiner forced the handcuffs back onto her wrists and escorted her back to the office. The Manager welcomed her back in and sat down in his chair. Reiner shut and locked the door; he went to retrieve a food menu.
"So, explain to me how you became The Coordinate," he told her. "The what?" "Coordinate, just a little nickname we came up for you. Easier than saying your entire name." "Well, the Survey Corps was conducting tests and experiments on volunteers to help make a stronger soldier. A steroid drug. My father knew they would pay handsomely for testing, and even more money if the patient died in testing. He offered me up without my consent. Doctor Zoe was very reluctant against not testing without my will but was forced to anyway. Their vial worked, kind of, it turned me into an aberrant zombie that shrieked loud enough to bust eardrums. I killed my doctors and attacked Doctor Jaeger. He injected with me with a vial and cured me. I bit him and he bit me, causing this bite," she unwrapped the bandage on her arm and showed the wound.
"So you escaped after that?" he asked. Christa nodded and wrapped the bandage back. "So since I told you my background, now it's your turn," she told him. He looked up at the white painted ceiling and sighed. "Do I really have to?" he asked. Christa smiled and nodded. The door opened and Reiner brought in a slice of cake on a small plate. He sat in on The Manager's desk and left the room. Christa grabbed the plate and set it on her lap. "Alright. I was basically a co-commander of the Survey Corps but also a recent Military Police informant. I informed Niles of the recent decision made by Erwin and the King on testing for inhumane soldiers."
"Erwin put me in charge of the project with half of the Survey Corps inside that hospital. We took the entire basement and took volunteer test subjects into the labs. The tests were brutal and I couldn't understand how the great and brave commander of the Corps could sacrifice his people for a useless cause. I couldn't stand it and rallied up the Survey Corps inside. Around one hundred soldiers didn't convert and they paid the price, they stayed in the basement. I unlocked some of the doors containing zombies and let them free. A shriek broke out everyone else. We escaped and quickly left before they could come after us. I led people here and we lost several men in the retaking of this fortress but it was worth it in the end."
Christa stabbed her plastic fork into the vanilla cake and inserted the a piece into her mouth. "So you betrayed them and doomed humanity?" she asked. "No, I never expected it to become this bad. This also proves how bad Erwin is at leading. He let these things get out by letting someone he already barely trusted lead a Project this big in size." Christa swallowed her bite, "So what will you do with Ymir and the soldiers?" "We'll most likely test on the soldiers but leave your girlfriend alive for you. If she misbehaves then we'll test on her." "To be honest when I heard about The Company being led by Erwin's co-commander I expected a tougher, more ruthless Erwin. You're actually very snazzy and prideful; only needing to kill when required than when Erwin does it out of the best of humanity."
Ymir fell on the ground. "Damnit! Let us out you bastards!" she yelled. She got herself up and rammed into the door again. Once again it fails and she falls down. "It's useless. We're down here and we're done for," Petra told her. Ymir stood up, "What do you mean? What I've heard about this Levi guy he could slaughter everyone here without breaking a sweat!" "Shut up! Admit that we're dead girl! The Company has its enemy in its hands and the cure. They'll use it as advantage and draw the Survey Corps into a trap and wipe them out or hold them hostage, using them as bait to gain access into Sina," Eld tells her.
Ymir sits down at the door and looks down at her cuffs. They listen into screaming coming from the other rooms. "So do we just wait?" she asked. Gunter nodded and took his cloak off. He set it on top of himself and used it as a blanket.
Reiner stormed over to the camp and handed papers to Bertholdt. "Job, directly from him. He wants you to gather a small team and journey to the outskirts of North Maria and get payment from them. We'll send troops out there later to protect them and give them food. You can take a side track and get your car back from behind the school as well," Reiner patted his back, "lead your own this time buddy." Reiner returned to working at the hotel and sucking up to The Manager. Bertholdt went to his tent and opened it, "Annie, Mina, come on I have a job and need a team. Get Thomas and Marco we'll leave Jean here to get our food and dry our clothes," he told them. They did their jobs and met at the van. Marco put his toboggan on and put a pistol in his new holster.
Thomas put his rifle onto his back and got into the back of the van with Marco. They shut the doors and settled in. "Mina, take the bike there and scout for us," Bertholdt commanded. She nodded and got onto the bike. The gate opened and she drove out ahead of her squad mates. Annie put the sniper on her back and got into the passenger seat. Bertholdt put his shotgun on his back and got into the driver seat. He shut the door and turned the keys. The van started and he pulled out of his parking spot. He exited 86 and began driving back to Maria. He could barely see Mina ahead of them. They begin their journey, unwary of the dangers approaching.
