Stohess District - Wall Sina

The morning that would change the course of the titan-human war dawned clear and bright. Fleecy clouds furled across the vast blue expanse as the sun peered over the near infinite rim of the horizon.

But the beauty was lost on Levi. Dressed in a black suit and crisp white shirt with a fresh cravat tucked around his neck, the short man's burning need for revenge simmered beneath a calm exterior as he limped his way to a carriage with the aid of a slender cane. A foot soldier wearing the standard Corps uniform opened the door with a respectful silence as Levi mounted the single stair. Once he was seated across from Erwin the man shut the carriage door behind him, saluting his superiors.

"Best of luck sirs!"

Ewrin flicked his dead icy blue eyes at the grunt.

"Let's hope we do soldier." For humanity's sake, we need to capture Leonhart as a human. We're screwed if she goes Titan in the middle of the city.

Levi stared through the burgundy upholstery and wooden paneling, lost in thought. I'm only here for babysitting detail. What a pain in the ass. But thanks to the Ackerman brat's selfish obsession with Eren, his leg was broken and until it healed, he was useless in combat. He knew things would be a lot different if they hadn't made a bunch of crappy decisions during the 57th.

Their ride was part of a caravan that waited to whisk him, Erwin and a squad of handpicked soldiers who knew the Female Titan's identity to the Capital. With Kirstein disguised as Eren in the first heavily guarded carriage, it allowed the other brats to sneak through the streets undetected and lure Annie into an abandoned passage leading to the Underground District.

His eyebrow twitched slightly. Waking up alone in an empty bed without his fiancee safe and alive in the protection of his arms further fueled his desire to eradicate all titans. Colors were less vibrant and the world a little more crueler without the hope she represented. That there were still good, decent people left in the world to make their grueling fight worthwhile.

With Petra gone there was no reason to linger in bed or admire sunrises. Secret picnics with just the two of them in the woods back at HQ were a moot point. Gazing up at the stars when everyone else was asleep on the castle parapets listening to Petra whisper about marriage and kids were now nothing more than a foolish fantasy. I can't believe I allowed myself to hope things would get better. This is why I don't do relationships. When I get too close, people die. Seriously, how can I be called humanity's strongest if I can't protect the people I care about?

It also reinforced one undeniable fact.

Beauty was fleeting and fragile and easily destroyed. She'd been too kind. Too loving. Too innocent. Everything the world they lived in made a ruthless habit of ripping to shreds.

Constantly.

If all went well, the murderous shifter would soon be at his mercy and Hange's. This was one enemy he could care less what methods they used to extract information.

If Erwin sensed his right hand's foul mood he was smart to keep quiet. Eren's fate-along with the Survey Corps's future-rode on this one mission.

He shifted his steel grey eyes to the MPs lining both sides of the street. Corrupt, fattened cowards the whole lot of 'em. Lookit all those damn pansies with their fake salutes and empty souls. That fatty King ain't worth protecting. None of these losers would know how to kill a titan...they're too far removed from the danger.

"Relax Levi." The raven-haired man's frown deepened at his boss's voice. "Your scowling won't get Annie captured any faster. We're hinging everything on Armin's gamble."

Levi didn't bother to respond. Arlert's schemes were usually foolproof...but the 57th changed all that. Not that he didn't trust him. The kid was as brilliant as they came. Years and years of witnessing horrors beyond what was considered natural and dealing death out in spades, the short man simply learned the hard way-countless times-nothing ever truly went according to plan.

He leaned back against the cushions, folding his arms across his chest. Eyes blank as he stared out the window at nothing in particular.

Without Petra by his side, it was just another day. But this one would plunge him onto a treacherous, blood-soaked path. Had Petra survived, she would've been shocked and horrified at the dark turn her lover was about to take. He was about to go to extremely scary, sadistic places and she wouldn't be there to stop him.

That was the frightening part. He knew she would try to keep him sane, remind him there was always other ways to obtain things.

So to spare himself any further pain, he decided to shut off his humanity.

I can't afford to get too close anymore. Besides, I need a break from emotions. It's not like they've done me any favors over the years.

...

The remaining travel distance to Stohess' main gate was tense. Sierra wasn't used to not being attacked by titans and it made her uneasy. Open grasslands started giving way to the dirt road that was a straight shot to the gate. Despite them approaching the wealthiest parts of society, it didn't guarantee safe passage through one of the Interior's most important cities.

And with the current backlash of public rancor against the Corps, it wasn't a good time sporting the vaunted Wings of Freedom. Especially after the disasterous results of the 57th. But then again, Sierra mused, when ISN'T it the right time? The herd finds fault with us regardless.

She glanced at the young man riding her right flank out of respect to her rank. So far, he was hanging in there and keeping his mouth shut. Guess Erwin gave him the "speech" before sending him out.

Points for that.

So she took the opportunity to gather some intel on the kid. I don't wanna hear his whole life story, just the basics.

"Frei." She waited till the tall, lean young man made eye contact. "Where ya from and what possessed ya to join the Suicide Corps?"

He let out a sardonic chuff, straightening in his saddle, making the leather squeak.

"Hermina District, ma'am. Pa's an MP and Mom works for the Garrison. I'm the oldest of four siblings. Two younger sisters and a little brother."

Sierra grunted. Hn. Military brat. Seems the apple don't fall too far from the tree. But in his case, he went to sprout wings and I'm guessin' that didn't go over well with the folks.

Frei returned his attention back to the front.

"My boyhood dream was to join the Scouts. That was all I thought about when I wasn't occupied with chores and whatever. But I didn't tell my parents because...well...I knew they would try to scare me out of 'becoming fodder'. And even if I managed to survive training, Dad wanted me to join the Military Police." He shot her a sideways glance. "Better to serve the King and receive full benefits son. The real fools are the ones who fly around outside the walls wearing pretty green capes. They might look like heroes but the truth is, they're nothing more than a bunch of suicidal maniacs."

Sierra noted the young man's slightly bitter tone and shrugged. Serving the King was like sucking a john's dick.

"Freedom's not a handout, kid. Just like sane people don't commit suicide. Think about it. Out of the three branches, the unicorns suffer the least amount of deaths. They're corrupt and lazy as hell. Which means they'll be the first to die when confronted by a real challenge. Titan or human."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

For some reason, the memory of Levi standing next to Erwin's giant desk in the old Scout HQ with his arms crossed and signature bored look after she became Major flashed through her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that underneath that stern, icy exterior was a very tired, broken man running on fumes. Even after all the death and destruction, he still managed to drag himself out of bed and keep going regardless how crappy he felt.

But everyone has their limits and she wondered if he was reaching his. Or more than likely, he passed them long ago and his body-along with his mind-was on the verge of collapse.

The thought of Levi actually dying however-

Sierra gritted her teeth, angrily dismissing the chill racing through her body.

Why am I thinking about that shrimp? Of all people, he's the last person I want living rent free in my head.

"Look alive!" She barked startling Frei out of his semi-trance. "We're almost at the gate."

The stone and stucco roof houses-which had been indistinct blurs-now started to come into sharper focus. Laundry flapped on lines strung out to dry tended by aproned housewives. Children ran and played in the street laughing without a care in the world. Sierra snorted softly at the innocent display.

"Listen kid. You said Erwin was on some kind of secret mission?"

He nodded. "Yes ma'am, that's right."

Arctic silver eyes narrowed thoughtfully as the imposing stone edifice of Wall Sina loomed larger than life. The main entrance was coming fast.

"Tell me what ya know about it. Now."

He swallowed a few times to wet his throat.

"From what I was told, the Scouts were to escort Eren to the Capital under guard. After the 57th failed everyone involved was ordered to appear in court and hand him over to the police. But the Commander has a plan to capture the Female Titan using certain individuals as decoys."

"Who's the Female Titan?"

Frei gripped his reins tighter.

"Who is it brat?"

Forgive me sir. He mentally apologized to Erwin, letting a heavy sigh slip out of his mouth. But I have to tell her.

Just as Frei opened his mouth to answer, a tremendous clap of lightning lit up the interior of Stohess with an intense, eerie yellow light.

"Oh," he said blankly, fear making his brown eyes tremble. "Oh this is bad."

"What the hell was that?!"

He turned to face the Major whose glinting eyes screamed give me answers right now or I am going to kill you.

"I-I think she caught on to the plan...and now she's-"

"Shut up and talk sense!"

"She's transformed! Oh God...tell me this isn't happening-"

His head suddenly jerked to the side. Pain flared in his cheek. Dazed he brought his hand up to feel his stinging face where Sierra had slapped him.

"Kid! Pull it together! What does that light mean?!"

"It means the plan's gone wrong. The traitor's revealed herself."

"Who?"

If Sierra hadn't been riding right next to Frei, she would've missed his haunted, whispered answer.

"Annie Leonhart."

TBC...

A/N: Big hugs to everyone who's followed/faved and reviewed! As usual, I own nothing except Sierra Wolf, Evan Frei and any other OCs I choose to bring into the story.