Chapter 21: The Mission Begins

Despite the danger, there was no time to do anything other than go through the Trost gate. They had managed to retrieve Oliver and Fhalz from herding civilians now that the Military Police seemed to be leaking out of Sina and into the surrounding towns, and the closer they'd ridden to the melted gate the more Titans they'd seen. Rather than engage they had dodged whenever they could, but it was getting harder to do. Oliver had suggested that the Trost HQ, despite being destroyed, would have its basement gas supplies intact and that they should try there to refuel, as well as hope for horses.

Around them Titans ambled and Garrison soldiers sped after them, while burning buildings toppled or continued to blaze into the gray light of burgeoning morning. In the chaos the streets had become a maze, with thoroughfares blocked by debris and scattered with corpses and the steaming dregs of felled Titans.

Every jump or sharp turn they took mimicked Jean's heart. The urge to get out, and after the Burning Titan, leapt further and faster than his horse. He led them – Eve with Baena seated behind her on horseback, Fhalz and Oliver in the air – with an unfortunate clarity. Not only was this his hometown, fire or not, but it was as if he could see the Burning Titan in front of him, feel that invisible thread that tied him to Mercedes pulling at his soul.

They quickly diverted their course to avoid the thundering steps of a ten-meter class, and practically ran into the rubble of the HQ just as they'd run into the crowd back at Sina. Again they diverted, headed around what would have been its back and in the direction of the stables. The roof was on fire and while Jean could see that some horses had gotten free only to be crushed or trampled, he could hear whinnies that mixed with cannonfire and the calls of the Garrison. Not far away rose the broken gate.

"Refuel as fast as you can!" he said as Fhalz and Oliver came down to the ground and by their dash, pointed out the entrance to the basement to him. "We'll need the horses for spares."

"Here," Eve held up a hand to him, "I'll refuel your gas cylinders; you get the horses."

Jean nodded and with her help, disengaged and handed over his cylinders; Eve went after the others, who were throwing rubble out of the way of the ramp to the basement. For the sake of his horse's ankles he dismounted and led the mare over the corpses of its kin to the stable, tying her safely nearby and ducking inside.

"About fucking time! Help me out, here," came a familiar irritable voice.

Jean took a moment to look around the broken space and then spotted her. "Ms Julia, what in the world are you doing here?" he yelled.

"Getting a spare, what are you doing here?" She wiped her hair back from her sweating forehead and continued to free the terrified horses. Another moment's searching revealed Bashka tied up nearby, dancing nervously.

"Why are you getting a spare?" Jean continued, but helped as asked. Near where two had been crushed by a wall caving in, he was relieved to spot Sabine. He ran over to her and began to untie her.

"Because I have to go meet Mercedes. I sent her and Fhalz away – I promised I'd go find them," Julia shouted, leading the last two horses out of the stable. "Seemed the perfect time. I'm glad you're here! You're smart – you must have realized what what's going on!"

Jean frantically grasped at reins – Sabine's, and another two, and then struggled for a third. His movements matched the confusion in his brain. "What do you mean you sent them away?" he started with the most basic question first, and coughed on the heat.

"They're trying to frame her, Jean!" Julia shouted angrily.

There was no time to be gentle. "Julia they already have! The Titan that caused all this has taken her – I'm with the rest of Mercedes' squad and another Scouting Legion soldier to go after her."

Julia froze beside Bashka, almost letting go of the spare she'd retrieved. Her face spoke of crippling loss in the way the shadows and glints of the fire lined her face, dimming one eye and illuminating the other. Then after another moment, she frowned deeply and snatched yet another set of reins and hobbling away. Jean followed; as they returned to the courtyard in front of the HQ he noted Eve fetching his horse and Baena jogging over with his gas cylinders.

"Ms Julia!" Baena called.

They all regrouped and Jean reinstalled his gas cylinders. Horses were reallocated and mounted.

"Are you coming with us?" Fhalz asked incredulously, eyeing Julia.

Julia turned to him, and then checked the security of what seemed to Jean to be a non-standard rifle. She looked offended. "No, you're coming with me, you hellions."

The words were scarcely out of her mouth and she had snapped Bashka's reins, jolting off down the street.

Jean cursed under his breath. "Let's go!"

A Note from the Author: That's it for Part 1, everybody! I really hope you've enjoyed this - please let me know what you think. Reviews make my day! Thank you to everyone who has read/reviewed thus far! Part 2 will begin soon!