Chapter 11
Eren raised from the bed with a huff. He'd spent the whole day "conditioning" the castle that would become the new base to the Survey Corps, slavishly cleaning and polishing every surface that showed the tiniest speck of dirt. He knew he had to take a shower but he didn't care in that moment, he needed a damn break.
And then the door opened. The boy barely managed to keep a whimper inside as he turned is face to see whoever came. Maybe Gunther, or Oruo or...
_A-Armin? -he stuttered, forgetting all his exhaustion and getting up to greet his friend with a smile- You... what are you doing here? How did you get permission to...?
_Eren.
Jaeger looked from his friend to the person who spoke, standing in the door. Bane looked at him with his trademark empty eyes.
_Alastor? Is everyone here already? I thought the ceremony to choose military branches was...
_This is different. He has been brought here as member of the Corps quite urgently, if also in a discreet manner. We're having a meeting right now. Follow me.
Eren gave a step towards the door, but he stopped with a sudden flinch.
_I-i need a little while guys. You see... i'm dirty.
The other two shot him a confused look.
_So? -Alastor said as if he wasn't sure he'd heard well.
_Captain Levi is... quite um, obsessed with hygiene and...
_Shut it. This can't wait for a shower. I think Ackerman won't mind your state much.
The teen opened his mouth to reply, but frowned. Alastor called Levi by his last name quite casually, even if said person wasn't present. With a sigh of defeat and cursing internally for not taking a shower sooner, he went after the others. No one spoke as they made their way to the room where the meeting would take place. It was when Alastor knocked on the door that he finally noticed how nervous Armin was, how tense. He'd never seen him like that aside from the day of the attack.
_Are you alr...?
_Jaeger! -Levi growled and he startled- What the fuck is all that dirt? I remember telling you to clean yourself quite a while ago.
_So-sorry Captain. I was tired and...
_Enough, Levi. -said Bane. Eren's eyes bulged at him using the Captain's name- You can clean him yourself after this is over.
Ackerman narrowed his eyes but didn't reply, choosing to take a sip of tea as he eyed Smith, whom Eren had just noticed. Jaeger was surprised Levi didn't actually manage to scare his comrade into a babbling heap. Well of course, it was Bane.
But then again, this was Levi. Goddamn Levi.
His green eyes scanned the room to find the rest of Levi's team along with Hange, Mike and -he blinked in surprise- Mikasa. Alastor took a step forward and saluted Smith with respect.
_Commander, i hope we are ready to begin now -said Bane softly as he motioned Eren to sit far from the Captain.
_We are now. Ladies and gentlemen, our situation has... complicated.
Everyone in the room exchanged looks of apprehension, from Levi's Squad to the recruits. Mike nodded solemnly while Hange, strangely silent for the moment, gave a long suffering sigh before Erwin dropped the bomb.
_We know the identities of the titans who attacked Wall Maria and Rose.
_WHAT?! -Eren stood so fast his chair fell- WHO ARE THEY?!
_Sit, Jaeger! -both Levi and Alastor barked at him.
The boy blinked in surprise and confusion while Levi's squad and Mikasa gave signs of surprise. Erwin cleared his throat before looking at the flustered teenager.
_Eren, sit down. -As he did, Smith glanced over the people in the isolated room- As i said, we know who attacked us four years ago. Their names, although not their motivations. All of this thanks to him. -he finished, nodding in recognition at Arlert.
Eren gaped at his friend. How in the world had he found out? Armin, on the other hand, didn't even look at him as Erwin told them how he had been approached by the young cadet while they were finishing the preparations to bring Eren to the castle, looking nervous and worried, asking to talk in private. What Erwin thought would be a plea for Eren's safety turned into a revelation that actually managed to shake him momentarily, before regaining his composture and sending the teen off, promising to "take his advise into account". Then he'd pulled all the strings he could to bring Arlert and Ackerman in secrecy to the castle, as well as to gather the information he needed about those people.
_Bringing Mikasa here was actualy Bane's idea, from before my chat with Armin. He seems to consider her a valuable addition, and i trust his judgment. As i choose to trust both of them with Armin's knowledge, unless you think there's a valid reason not to.
_Well. -Oruo spoke, scratching his head- They're kind of unexperienced. I'm not sure they should know this much. I mean, they're not veterans like us.
_Experience is irrelevant. -Mikasa answered quickly- What matters here is our disposition to keep this secret. And i am, to ensure Eren's safety against them.
_As i am -Bane said- for those same reasons. If you gathered information about them, it means they are inside the walls, am i right?
_Indeed.
_Military? -Alastor asked and Erwin nodded- Cadets? -he said in a sharp voice. Smith nodded again.
_Wha... Alastor, how did you know? -Eren asked, frowning. The soldier didn't answer immediately. Instead he kept staring at Erwin, as if asking permission. Smith gave the lightest of nods.
_Remember when they attacked last. Mere hours after the Scouts departure. The people best suited to fight titans.
_It could be a coincidence. -Gunther pointed.
_A coincidence that gives them so much advantage isn't such. They knew the Corps were leaving.
_But why the Military? Anyone could know the Legion was leaving, right?
_The Colossal Titan appeared outside. Being a... "shifter" like Eren, as it is the only logical explanation, meant whoever it was needed to get over the wall. And the lifts to get up there are always watched by at least two members of the Garrison both on the ground and atop the walls. Not to mention they needed to go down the other side of the wall; and there is only one way to do that...
_With 3DMG gear! -Petra said, gasping- And only the military can train you to use it properly... but couldn't they get it in the black market?
_The gear, but not the knowledge -said Smith-. And it requires more money and effort than someone coming from outside without knowledge of our economy and equipment could afford. It would take them years only to acquire it without getting too much attention from the authorities. Rare exceptions aside, illegal users are trained by former members of the military, and that is done in secrecy and with great risks.
_And as they needed to learn quickly... they enlisted as cadets. -Mikasa said almost whispering- but who are they? Armin?
The blonde, who had been silent the whole time, rubbed his eyes. He was clearly upset by the knowledge, and looked like he wished what he was about to say was all a big, absurd lie.
_Reiner, Bertholdt and Annie.
Three names that sounded like gunshots in the silent room. Eren felt his heart freeze in his chest. Mikasa's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her sockets. Even Bane looked at Arlert with something akin to concern and surprise; he took a deep breath before speaking, watching Armin with full attention, recording every trace of his anguish in his memory. After all, he was still learning.
_How did you find out?
_I guess i should tell you the whole story. It was during the recovery operation at Trost...
Flashback.
_So, what happens if a titan eats Eren? -Bertholdt asked in concern.
_Nothing, i guess. I mean, we found what we're looking for. We can just smash the gate open once more. All we need is to take the titan's power with us.
There was a short silence, and Hoover sighed and nodded.
_I guess you're right... but well, it took me some effort to make that hole. And we'd have to gather more titans.
Braun waved a hand dismisivelly.
_Let Annie worry about that, okay? It will be...
A sudden noise startled them both, spinning with wide eyes. Their eyes met the sight of Armin stumbling on the roof a few meters behind them. The blonde stood wobbling a bit.
_Reiner, Bertholdt, what are you doing so still? Didn't you hear me?
_Hear... you? -Braun repeated, blinking.
_Yeah... i saw you standing here looking at the gate, and i worried because of the titans so i shouted at you. You were so focused on whatever you were thinking you didn't hear me so i had to come at you... there's one coming! -he said, pointing at the creature a few blocks away moving towards them.
_Oh. -Bertholdt said, gulping audibly- So-sorry to worry you. So you... didn't hear us?
_Hear what? -Armin asked frowning with a confused look.
_We were worried -Reiner said, shrugging and checking on the titan nearing- about Eren.
_You tell me. I don't know how i'm holding it together. -Armin answered with a tired smile- A-anyways, let's help the teams with that one, okay? I'll help distracting it.
Reiner smiled at him with a nod.
_Ok. But don't worry too much. We've got your back, right Bertholdt?
_Ye-yeah.
Armin smiled back -not sure how he managed to- and moved towards the titan, forcing his brain to focus in the immediate threat and make it look as if he was nervous because of the titan, not because the two young men working side by side with him...
The very ones he'd come to know and respect, even care for...
...Were the enemy. The ones whose action had killed so many. Bertholdt, whom so many times spoke to him gently and listened to him talk about his insecurities, like any friend in need. Reiner, whom he looked up to as one of the strongest people he'd ever seen, the one always willing to take the burden in behalf of others. Annie, the cold but skillful girl who barely let anyone see a tiny proof of the human warmth she kept buried under a facade of ice.
Them. The nightmare had always been there with him. The monsters had never been outside.
_Look!
Armin jolted and took his eyes away from the steaming body to see where a Garrison member pointed. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw the yellow flare and prepared to retreat to the top of the wall. He could feel the weight of his knowledge creating a knot in his stomach; he didn't want to believe it.
But for the sake of everyone, he had to.
Flashback End.
_I... i know it's hard to believe. I couldn't at first either. Specially not when... when i saw them right before someone came looking for me to take me to the capital for interrogation. While we were... gathering the bodies. I saw... they were hurt. Lost.
Armin dried a tear in the corner of his eye. Eren placed a hand on his shoulder, and Arlert sought his touch. Alastor gave them a few seconds of comfort.
_You... do you think they suspect? That you know?
_I-i don't think so. If they did they would have tried something, i guess. If they had planned all this they couldn't afford any risks. And we were alone there. They could have... done it easily. Kill me. -he said with sad eyes.
_But you convinced them of your ignorance. -Petra said reassuringly- They don't know we have them in our sights. How did you do it? I think anyone else would have freaked out.
Despite his tension, the question brought a weak smile to Armin's lips. He looked at Bane.
_Back in Trost, Alastor showed us twice how a bit of acting can make someone believe and do anything. First to inspire us into fighting, and then to protect Eren's secret until we retreated to the walls.
_And you used it against them, to get the information to us safely so we can have the upper hand. -Bane said with genuine admiration- Impressive. Truly impressive.
_Now we must decide how we'll deal with the threat they pose. -Erwin said glancing at the group- Our plan of action must be cautious and precise; i haven't informed the higher ups because i don't know if they can manage with this knowledge, but every moment we delay we risk our chances of capturing one of them alive and i cannot stretch this situation indefinitely. Sooner or later they'll have to know.
_Commander, i will need a team of my own.
Eren looked surprised at Bane.
_Alastor? What do you mean a team?
_If they are after you, it means they'll try to infiltrate the Legion; at least one of them. Remember were they aimed at first?
_The MP?
Hange nodded in agreement at the soldier's point.
_The people closer to our government, to our secrets. -she cleared- We can't forget the possibility they may try to get there in hopes to find any useful information. But why a separate team? Weren't you appointed in Levi's to keep watch on Eren?
_We'll have to make changes now we know who we are facing. We need to make new plans and have them under discreet vigilance. I hope Braun chooses to join the Corps.
_Why? Why him? -said Eren.
Bane turned to face the teen, eyes cold as steel.
_Because he has to die.
End of Chapter.
