They all moved quickly, packing only necessary things.

"Make sure your gear is in top condition. We don't want any malfunction to happen. SASHA! We are not taking all that food!" Lyla scolded. Sasha meekly started unpacking the food. Levi was in his office, packing his own things. There weren't many things important since this was only a temporary base. He opened a drawer and found the picture Lyla drew. He examined the picture closely. Levi exhaled heavily as he neatly folded the paper and put it in his backpack. There was a knock. 'It would be Lyla' Levi thought.

"Come in,"

Just as he expected Lyla came in. She saluted and said, "They're all ready sir,"

"Well then let's get moving."

No sooner have they left the cabin when the MPs came breaking in.

"Whew, we were close Captain," said Connie.

"How did Commander know?" Armin wondered. Levi said in a dry voice.

"It says the Government froze all expeditions and to hand over Eren and Krista."

"Where do we go now?" Armin asked. Levi thought for a moment, then said,

"To Trost district. It would be better to go there since it'll still be disordered. But before we go they'll have to be a few arrangements since the King seems to want the Survey Corps to hand over Krista and Eren alive. Hange, I'll need to borrow some of your soldiers,"

"No problem,"

The arrangement turned out to be disguising Jean as Eren and Armin as Krista. Lyla was genuinely surprised to see that Armin actually looked more like Krista than Jean looked like Eren. They walked around the district hidden under their hoods. Lyla whispered lowly as she noticed men observing them not so discreetly,

"Looks like the King didn't really hire professionals,"

Levi gave no answer and just glanced at the direction Lyla was looking. At that moment a wagon came speeding by and snatched up Jean and Armin.

"Ahhh! They took Jean and Ar—" Lyla nudged Sasha who hastily fixed her mistake, "I mean, they took Eren and Krista!"

Lyla rolled her eyes as everybody else went to their post. Mikasa followed the disguised Armin and Jean. She watched through the window as a man started feeling up Armin. She flew up on the roof.

"How is it?" Levi asked.

"If we don't hurry they'll find out about Armin's disguise. And… I feel sorry for Armin."

"Is that so." Levi stood up. "I presume that you can handle it from here. I'll go check on Eren."

He flew off and landed on a roof next to Lyla. She slightly turned her head and commented.

"They all look like amateurs. I mean, look at how they work sir, I don't think the King would hire such men."

Levi was silent for a moment, then he said, "Have you ever heard of Kenny the Ripper?"

"The famous killer that killed over a hundred MPs?"

"Yeah, he's real. I once lived with him in the Underground City when I was a kid,"

Lyla raised her eyebrows. Why was he suddenly talking about this? At that moment the wagon with Eren and Krista started to move so Lyla focused her attention on the wagon. But seconds after Lyla felt the back of her hair stand up. Lyla instinctively ducked behind a chimney. She heard the chimney shatter and Levi shouting her name.

"Long time no see Levi. I wonder if you've grown some," a man said. Lyla carefully stepped out of the rubble. There was a tall man with shoulder-length hair. He shot his hook into the building. "Nope, it looks like you haven't changed at all boy."

"KENNY!"

Levi's sword went flying toward the man. Lyla evaded another bullet.

'He's Kenny? So he was real!?'

Lyla threw a blade at Kenny but he again blocked it with his gun.

"How did he get hold of 3DMG?" Lyla asked as she followed Levi.

"Who knows," said Levi. They turned into a narrow alley. "Looks like the Government had a few secrets."

A few more MPs flew out of nowhere, effectively separating Lyla and Levi.

"Lyla!"

Lyla shot her hook into the wall as she made a sharp turn.

'Damn! They have guns for heaven's sake! What are blades against guns?'

Lyla flew through the air and burst into a building. It was a book store. A handful of customers stared at her as well as the girl who was minding the counter. Lyla calmly walked down the aisle as if she didn't just crash through the front door.

'Jesus. I had to come in a book store. Couldn't have been a bar where they keep guns,"

She hid behind a pile of books and started to devise a plan. Lyla casually picked up a book and started flipping through it. Really if somebody saw her they wouldn't even think that she was running.

"So what to do?"

On the plus side, it was a big book store so it would be quite hard to find her. At that moment about three MPs entered the store.

"Great, they don't even give you time to think."

"Spread out! She'll be here somewhere!"

An MP shouted. They immediately scattered. Lyla stayed hidden behind a bookshelf as she waited for one of the MP's to come close enough.

Finally, she heard footsteps approaching. Closer and closer he came. As he rounded the corner Lyla hit the back of his head hard with a thick, hard covered book. The man slumped to the floor.

"Really to use a book as a weapon isn't the most ideal way but well. My resources were limited.

Lyla kneeled and started unstrapping his gear. She took the gun and bullets from the man.

"I'll be taking that. Thank you very much."

Lyla then threw a chair out of the window and just as she thought, bullets were fired right at it.

'A few more were actually waiting outside, huh," she thought as she shot a grappling hook into the wall and quickly zoomed up, knocking the guns out of the MPs' hands. After a while, she met up with Mikasa and the others as well as Levi.

"Happy to see you alive Captain," said Lyla. Levi clicked his tongue and said, "This is a fucking disaster. They've been reading our every damn move."

He looked around to all of them.

"From now on, don't hesitate to kill."

Everybody's eyes widened but there wasn't time to be dumbstruck as several MPs fired towards them. Levi skillfully took out two of them.

"Jean, Armin, go get Eren and Krista. Lyla, Mikasa, you two cover them."

"Yes, sir!"

Lyla knocked out one of the MP's unconscious as Mikasa took out another one. She saw Jean land on the wagon. He pointed his sword at the soldier.

"That idiot. He should've killed her."

Lyla mumbled but she could relate to Jean. She herself didn't want to kill humans but in a situation like this, it seemed inevitable. The MP tackled Jean to the ground and pointed the gun at him. The other side certainly didn't seem to hesitate in killing them… or maybe not. Lyla saw the MP hesitate to shoot Jean. She took that chance and sliced through the MP's neck. Crimson blood splattered on her face and hands. There was no going back now. Jean looked at Lyla in shock.

"You just… you just…"

"Yes, I killed a human. But it was either her life or yours. And I certainly don't want Armin to dirty his hands because of your stupidity," said Lyla. She tried to look cool and calm but she could feel her insides trembling. She just killed a human. No matter what, it was murder. Jean looked at Armin. Indeed, he had a gun ready in his hand.

"If you want to save those you love, don't hesitate. Don't hesitate to pull that trigger, to drive in that blade, to kill. It's to protect who you care and love," said Lyla.

It was more like trying to convince herself. That what she did, was something she had to do.

"I never thought that a day would come that I'd have to commit murder."

A bullet shot past Lyla's head and several soldiers appeared from nowhere.

"Shit! Why didn't I see that coming!" Lyla cursed herself for not staying on alert. She ducked and evaded a kick. Then shot two soldiers that were airborne. She heard Levi say to retreat. Instead of following his orders, however, she saw Mikasa actually jumping in the fight.

"Need back up?" said Mikasa as she killed another MP.

"Not giving up on Eren, are you?"

"Never."

They kept up the fight until Levi had to literally pull them out.

"I said to retreat!" Levi practically growled.

"You can't let them take Eren, Captain!" Lyla shouted back.

"Do you think I don't know that? What I'm saying is that now is not the right time. You and I both know that,"

Lyla stopped struggling as she knew that Levi was right. If they kept on fighting, it would've only led to unnecessary casualties. Lyla, with Levi, took hold of Mikasa who was trying to run after the wagon. The wagon disappeared into the tunnel and Mikasa's broken cry of Eren's name shattered Lyla's heart.

"Again…" Mikasa muttered to herself as tears pooled in her eyes. Lyla ran her fingers through Mikasa's hair while Armin drew soothing circles on her back. Lyla stared blankly at the tunnel. Did she fail again? Will she lose Eren and Krista? She felt somebody pull her to the side into a narrow alley.

"Captain…?" Lyla said in a confused tone but was surprised when Levi gently, but firmly pulled her in his arms. Lyla rested her head on his shoulder and Levi placed his hand behind Lyla's head. Lyla's breathing soon became shallow and she felt tears starting to form. Soon she was silently sobbing into Levi's shoulder. Lyla felt bile in her mouth as she remembered the feeling of the blade run through a human's neck, the way it ground against the bones. Her insides churned and her grip tightened. Levi pulled away a little.

"Lyla…?" he called in a worried tone. Lyla shook her head.

"It's nothing, sir. I'm okay."

...


...

Later that night the air was heavy around them. Lyla just stared at her food as she couldn't swallow anything. She could still smell the blood on her hands. No matter how many times she washed her hands, she couldn't erase the nasty feeling of the blood sticking to them. Lyla felt the urge to throw up.

"What? Don't tell me you can't eat because you're in this shithole," said Levi dryly. Lyla sighed. And just moments ago he was holding her so tenderly.

"No, sir, it's not that. It's just… never mind. It was inevitable."

She then hesitated for a moment but said,

"Jean, when I… flew towards you, I was sure I would be too late. I'm sorry, but how was I able to…?"

Lyla trailed off. Jean seemed uneasy.

"The MP hesitated to pull the trigger," said Levi in a monotone voice. Lyla laughed hollowly.

"That's what I guessed. She was just afraid as I was. She had more humanity than I have."

"Lyla, your hands are already dirtied. You can't go back to your old self," said Levi.

"Why do you say such things!" Mikasa shouted in irritation.

Levi turned to Lyla.

"I'm telling you to accept your new self. If your hands were still clean like before, Jean wouldn't be here. The reason you were able to use that blade was because your comrade was going to be killed. Lyla, because you dirtied your hands we didn't lose another comrade. Thank you."

Lyla looked at Levi with slightly wide eyes. Jean cleared his throat.

"At first, I was surprised when you gave that order, Captain, and was shocked when you carried out that order so easily, without hesitation. But now I know I was wrong. From now on, I won't hesitate to kill."

"I didn't say anything about me being right," said Levi curtly. "I don't know what's right. Tell me Jean, were you really wrong?"

Again heavy silence filled the air. Levi stood up and dusted his pants

"Well then, should we hear what these people got to say," said Levi as he walked to one of two people that Mikasa's team successfully captured. He tore off the tape that was covering the man's mouth.

"Please! I don't know anything! I swear!"

Mikasa walked up and said, "I know this man, sir. I saw him during the Trost district operation. People called him the 'Boss'."

"Well, boss he is. He's the owner of the Reeves Company.," said Levi. "He's been working for the King for quite a while."

"I just did as told! But now that I failed I guess the profits of the Reeves Company will be forfeited and me and my foolish son would die by some 'unknown accident.'"

"Are you willing to just die like that?" asked Levi. Reeves raised his gaze.

"Are you telling me to cooperate with you?"

Levi didn't answer directly, but instead said,

"The reason why Trost District is holding out this much is because you connected people with jobs. How many people do you think will live through this winter if the Reeves Company disappears?"

"Can you guarantee that you can save them?"

"I can promise that we'll try our damn best."

The next moment, they were waiting in front of an old stone building and before they knew it, they managed to take hold of two Interior MPs. Levi locked them in the dungeons and sternly said not to come down no matter what. Lyla nodded as she knew what would happen in the dungeons downstairs and just as she expected, not even after a minute he went down, cries of agony filled the building. The rest of the squad sat at the table with dark expressions.

The door opened. Lyla immediately took hold of her blade but relaxed when it was Hange. She saluted, "Squad Leader Hange. Captain's downstairs, sir."

Hange just nodded and headed downstairs. After a moment there was Hange's gleeful voice and more screaming.

"Somehow the screaming got more intense…" Armin said.

Jean buried his head in his hands.

"This isn't what I thought. I didn't come into the military to—"

"It doesn't matter now," Lyla cut in. Armin nodded.

"We all got blood on our hands. We can't turn back now. We're already criminals. We're not fighting titans now. We're fighting people because of different beliefs… or maybe because of the mere reason we belong in different factions."

"This power was given to me to protect my people," Lyla mumbled quietly. Everyone stared at her. Lyla continued quietly.

"But who are my people and who are not? Who are those I must protect and who are those that are a threat? All of the people are mine to protect, the people inside the walls and the people outside of it. Yet they tend to fight each other. Am I bound to pick a side?"

All of them watched Lyla with raised eyebrows. Lyla slowly stood up, "They know the answer, they know the truth. Yet they decided to keep silent and call it a truce."