Surface - 43rd Recon Mission
Year 844
Exhausted blood-soaked recruits huddled around fires and sat on their sleeping pallets in traumatized clusters. Sierra ignored their agonized weeping as she strolled to her one man tent situated next to a tall tree further out from the rest of the camp for some much-needed solitude. One of the perks of being an officer.
Hushed conversations ceased as she walked by, cloak stained with the blood of 20 some titans she'd left in smoldering ruins earlier in the day. Erwin knew full well she didn't play well with others and so he assigned her to the outlier positions in his formation. Let her loose and clear the way forward so the troops could continue carving routes.
Needless to say, she got results...but her willingness to risk life and limb terrified the newbies. They thought she was some kind of machine. A bloodthirsty ripper. Within two years her kill count stood at 50 solos and 0 team kills. A number that, as of now, stood at 150 and would climb with dizzying speed, earning her peers respect the hard way and challenging everyone else to step up.
She'd just lifted her tent's flap when she heard a female voice call out.
"Major! Hey! Please, wait up!"
The fifteen year old let out an annoyed chuff.
Oh yay. Ral's here. Trying to make friends. Again.
Petra Ral jogged over to her position, copper hair bouncing around her shoulders. A warm smile lit her face and-God, why was this chit always SMILING? Most of the time, she did it over the stupidest things or for no reason at all.
She slid to a graceful stop and bent over her knees, panting from her mad dash across the camp. After a few moments the petite woman straightened and threw her a crisp salute.
"You were amazing out there ma'am! We wouldn't have made it this far without you."
Sierra raised a laconic brow at the admiring remark. Watch out Wolf, she thought. The hero worship is strong with this one.
"Way ta state the damn obvious Ral."
Petra blinked at her superior's icy response. Suddenly aware of curious eyes straying over her small frame from those closest to the edge of camp. Nevertheless, she maintained her salute and pressed on.
"I-I just wanted to congratulate you-"
"On me doing my job or you trying to score brownie points?" Arctic silver eyes gleamed white under the light of the half moon. Petra fought the urge to back up slowly. "Like the time I was at HQ and was on my way to drop off a stack of reports to Levi and saw you stumbling out of his office lookin' like a blushing bride." A devious smirk worked its way across her lips. "Musta been a real intense...'paperwork' session."
She remembered the incident all too well. Somehow, Hange had found her crossing the grounds to the stables, intending to go on a long ride in the woods. Instead the crazy hag cornered her and thrust a two-inch thick stack of her 'scribbles' into her chest.
"Sierra, could you be a dear and give these to Levi for me?" Hange babbled, her glasses flashing in the sunlight. "Pretty please with a titan head on top?"
Her eyebrow twitched and she felt a vein forming on her temple.
"I ain't yer porter, hag. Last I checked that's Moblit's job."
The older woman rolled her eyes at the younger girl's bluntness, as if Levi himself had uttered the sentence.
"Well he's busy compiling my field report for Erwin and I've got a business meeting in ten minutes. Which I'm running late for."
"Fine. Just this one time tho-"
"Ahhhhh thank you girlie, you're a lifesaver!"
After enduring a bone-crunching hug and saying that she owed her one Hange rushed off towards the castle. Blowing out an annoyed breath Sierra followed at a much leisurely pace. Once inside she crossed the spacious foyer and climbed the stairs to Levi's office located at the rear of the third floor. But when she cleared the last stair-being careful not to dislodge the neatly stacked papers-she was met by a strange sight.
Petra Ral stumbled out of the door leading into Levi's meticulous office. Sierra didn't think much of it until she got a look at the older woman's body language.
Flushed cheeks. Shining eyes. And a stupid, dreamy look on her face. Not to mention she was giving off a musky smell.
She flattened herself against the stone wall, breathing though her mouth so she wouldn't alert Ral to her presence. Watched as Ral walked past her position, fingers pressed lightly over her mouth. A girlish giggle escaped her lips as she faded down the corridor heading downstairs.
As soon as the ginger was gone Sierra stood rooted to the spot. Only one activity she knew could reduce someone to such a euphoric state.
Sex.
When a few minutes had passed she hurriedly crossed the five steps to Levi's office and pushed open the door.
Levi sat at his immaculate desk filling out paperwork. His head snapped up at the sudden intrusion into his domain ready to yell, then stopped himself when he recognized who it was.
"Oi. Knock first."
She set the documents down with a thump on his desk. Not bothering to hang around Sierra turned on her heel and began walking away.
"Smells like vagina sweat in here."
Levi caught his breath, but recovered by volleying a deadpan retort.
"Sounds like you swallowed a dick."
...
Amber eyes darted around the immediate vicinity making Ral look like a trapped animal. Or a guilty pleasure Levi indulged in that was supposed to be kept a secret. Sierra realized she'd stumbled onto something big. And if she chose to, it could end with Ral's head on the chopping block. Petra seemed to sense this and tried to fabricate a reason that wouldn't get her or Levi in trouble. "Y-yes ma'am, it sure was...Captain Levi had a huge stack to go through...and I thought I'd help lighten the load"
Unfortunately for her, the silver-eyed teen wasn't fooled by her paper thin excuse. Not for an instant.
Sierra raised a slim eyebrow, her dead eyes burning through the charade.
"You were gettin' hot and heavy in there, Ral."
Petra fought the urge to cry. She truly believed she'd been careful engaging in her secret, passionate trysts with Levi but now...both their jobs were in jeopardy thanks to one girl's razor sharp perception. There was no choice. She had to tell the truth and pray her superior wouldn't report this to Erwin or worse, Darius Zackly.
"Please Major," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "Nobody else knows about this but you. I'm begging you to keep this quiet cause, I'm not sure where this is going myself. And...I don't want the Captain to lose his job. Humanity needs him."
"Shoulda thought of that BEFORE you decided to get in each others pants, retard."
Petra inched forward. Her right hand trembled a bit at the younger woman's callous tone.
"Promise me you won't tell Major. Please." Tears welled and she fought to keep them from running down her delicate cheeks. "I'm begging you. Please...show some mercy-"
"Shut up." The teen narrowed her eyes at the desperate elite who instantly obeyed.
Such a good little lap dog. Sierra thought barely resisting the urge to punch the older girl in the face. Her eyes gleamed with a hard frost. No wonder Levi picked her. She was brave.
Honest.
Loyal to a fault.
Caring.
Warm.
Hopeful.
Clean.
Everything he wasn't.
Sighing she massaged her forehead with a grimy hand. Four years spent in the Capital's seamy underbelly had left a bitter taste in her mouth. Along with her extreme hostility towards men, she'd been completely turned off sex thanks to countless perverts looking for a quick fix. So she wasn't in any state of mind to deal with Ral's growing attachment to Levi.
"First off, you pledged to give your heart for humanity's sake Ral. You don't have time to play house. Remember your place. Fooling around with a superior is a fast way to end your career. And I can tell ya this. Levi's not doin' himself any favors hosting random shag parties in his office with you, or wherever the hell else he feels like getting his rocks off. Besides," she paused to allow the weight of her next words settle in. "Ya might be on his squad, but you can be easily replaced. Levi can't."
Petra broke eye contact with her superior officer, looking at the ground. Cringing at the vulgarity coming out of the younger girl's mouth over her budding feelings for her much older Captain. But the rules didn't care about how she felt. Their relationship was illegal and if they were caught, the consequences would be severe. The 19 year old scuffed the toe of her boot over the grass, trying to diffuse the rising heat in her cheeks.
"I-I never meant it to get this far," she whispered swallowing thickly. "Honest to God, Major. One thing led to another and things just...started happening."
"Right," Sierra drawled. "Of course ya didn't, cause it never starts out that way. I'm not stupid girl. Ya came outta his office smelling like sex. There's no way that 'just happened'. And for the record..."
Her sudden pause prompted Petra to blink and look up.
"Whatever's brewin' between you and Levi needs to stop. Like now." Her expression stayed stoic as she spoke. "If ya can't control yerself, then have fun explaining in detail to ole Zack why you can't seem keep yer legs shut around the man you call Captain at a military tribunal."
She turned her back and let the tent flap close in the stunned soldier's face.
Stohess - near the east wall, present day
Levi lowered himself with one of his hooks to the street below, an unconscious Eren slung over his shoulder. As soon as his boots touched the cobblestones Mikasa rushed over and grabbed the boy. He stood there quietly as she carried him with ease over to a clear space where Arlert waited, an anxious look on his face and gently sat Eren down. Her arms never broke contact with the kid's body.
Wake up Eren. Please. Open your eyes. The young Asian silently pleaded as she stared at the dark red burn marks covering his face and ears.
She breathed an inaudible sigh of relief as the shifter's teal eyes cracked open as if he was coming out of a deep sleep.
"Mikasa? Is Annie...?"
Her gaze fell to the paving stones. Dimly he heard the sound of a steel blade breaking and looked up to see Jean striking the crystal cocoon protecting their quarry. The taller boy's harsh, expletive laden shouts for her to wake up and face the music, that she owed them answers fell on deaf ears. No amount of hitting that cocoon was going to change the fact Annie Leonhart, a girl who they'd went through the hells of boot camp with was a threat to humanity, now trapped in indefinite stasis. Unwilling to cough up her secrets.
He raised the stub of his blade to start pounding on the sac's unyielding surface when a firm hand clamped onto his shoulder. He turned around to see Levi standing there.
"Stop. That's enough."
Gritting his teeth, the French teen lowered his hand shaking with pent up anger and frustration. Hange came over and immediately took charge.
"Someone get me a wire net! This thing belongs deep underground!"
"Understood!"
Levi turned his back-ignoring the giant smoking titan carcasses-and left them to it. He walked to where Erwin stood in chains surrounded by the main bulk of the Military Police and Nile Dok.
"Well, I guess mission accomplished wouldn't be the right choice of words." Forgive me, Petra. Guys. I failed to avenge you.
Erwin kept his icy blues forward, not bothering to glance at his faithful right hand. "No I suppose it wouldn't. Though the Scout Regiment has survived. By the skin of our teeth it seems."
Levi grunted and continued walking. That puts my mind at ease. We're just a hair-trigger away from being shut down for good.
"Hey!" A tenor voice pierced through the thick silence. "Lemme go! I told you I'm part of a two-man intercept team per Commander Erwin's orders!"
Levi glanced over at the source of the commotion. A tall, lean kid-no more than 17 he guessed-was struggling in the grips of two burly MPs who held him fast by both arms.
"Nice story kid," one of them drawled. "But I don't see your partner."
Sweat beaded on the younger man's brow. "I'm telling the truth sir! We must've gotten separated during all the fighting!"
"Spare us your whining-"
"Hey, you dickless skags."
Both men holding Evan Frei froze in their tracks at the cold female voice. But the young cadet's body quivered in relief at the sight of the short woman striding with authority towards their position.
"Major! Thank God you're all right!"
She grunted, dismissing his concern before turning a frosty glare on the two policemen.
"Let him go. He's got a report to file with Erwin." When they hesitated she narrowed her eyes, a vein starting to throb on her temple.
"Now."
Frei felt his arms released before she could finish issuing the order. He chafed them to restore circulation.
"You heard her Cadet." Erwin turned to face his subordinate. "Report to HQ on the double. As soon as I finish my debriefing with the Mayor I'll be right with you."
Frei pounded his chest.
"On it sir!"
Casting a surreptitous glance at Sierra he was slightly disappointed she was moving toward Squad Leader Hange and her crew hastily binding Annie Leonhart's crystal prison. Snap out of it Frei. She's too old and too wild for you. I'd expect nothing less from Humanity's Deadliest.
He made an abrupt about face and stepped smartly towards Stohess HQ to clean up and prepare his report.
Sierra paused when she passed the blond iceman standing with his usual stoic mask in place.
"Frei did his job. Now get him off my back."
Erwin kept his face closed.
"As you wish."
The sound of a rifle being cocked put an end to his sentence. He glanced back only to find the muzzle wasn't being aimed at him but at the young woman standing several feet away.
Unafraid, Sierra turned to face its owner, a sweaty, high-strung Nile Dok.
"What-what the hell are you doing here Titan Ripper?!" Beads of persperation broke out over his forehead. Despite the eerie calm that had fallen over what remained of Stohess and Eren subdued in his human form, it took every ounce of self-control the trigger happy MP owned to keep his rifle steady. "You were supposed to stay in the shadows! That was part of the agreement. I oughta arrest you right here and now you little piece of-"
"Nile." Erwin Smith's implacable voice cut through the MP's rant. "Take it easy. She's here per my request."
Dok swung shocked, dilated pupils in Erwin's direction. "Take it easy?! Have you lost your mind?! Why? Why did you call her here-?"
"If ya shut up for two seconds he'll tell you, dumbass."
Levi's dark, cold voice had the desired effect. Nile gritted his teeth. As much as he despised the former thug, this was a man you never wanted to provoke. Ever.
"Good dog. Now," the short man said. "Lower you gun."
It wasn't a suggestion. Grudgingly, the trigger happy police chief dipped the muzzle toward the ruined street.
"C-Captain Levi?" Armin's small, timid voice sputtered through the steam rising off the dissolving titan carcasses. "Pardon me sir...but who is this lady?"
Jean cocked his light brown head toward his blond friend where he stood next to Annie's crystal cocoon. That's what I wanna know! Judging from the police chief's edginess she was obviously someone huge or he wouldn't be sweating bullets.
Levi flicked his dead eyes at the young genius but Erwin beat him to the punch.
"Wait on that, Cadet. All will become clear in due time. Right now, I've got a meeting with the Mayor of Stohess. Levi," the Recon Corps Commander ordered. "The Major will accompany you and Hange taking Annie Leonhart to her holding cell underground."
Everyone blinked at that little bombshell.
Mikasa Ackerman felt her black eyes widen without her consent. She prided herself on being prepared for anything but this threw her for a loop. Major? Her? You've gotta be kidding.
Ice blues locked with arctic silver. "I'll explain everything to you later."
Sierra quirked a brow, one hand loosely planted on her hip. Her slightly roughened alto-thanks to that knife slash across the base of her throat-came out arch and clipped.
"Oh yes. You will."
Eren fixed the newcomer with a curious gaze, but due to his exhaustion after being in titan form battling Annie, her compact silhouette kept fuzzing in and out of focus. He took note of her semi-aggressive stance toward the Scouting Commander and how roughly she addressed him. Her fearless attitude struck a chord with his wild spirit. I wonder if we can be friends someday. She doesn't strike me as the clingy type. Tired teal orbs fluttered closed. Thank God. The last thing he needed to deal with was another Mikasa.
Erwin turned on his heel and began his trek to the blue and white domed Justice Building accompanied by a phalanx of MPs and Nile Dok, his mind carefully forming his report of the raid and the defense of the Recon Corps actions to the Mayor. He above all else needed to be persuaded the tragic loss of life wasn't for nothing. That it moved humanity a giant leap forward towards the final eradication of the titans. They had a traitor in custody. Granted she was useless to them now, but it proved a point. Annie Leonhart was a threat to humanity and her capture proved there were moles. He hoped this would force any insiders working with her to reveal themselves.
Sierra watched Erwin's imposing form retreat towards the Justice Building then turned her attention to the black-haired Oriental girl clutching the Titan boy close to her chest.
"You. Girl. Get Eren outta here. He needs rest and medical attention."
Mikasa snapped her gaze to the reddish-blond haired Major who'd issued the sharp order.
"Pardon?"
She immediately regretted the question when it earned a cold glare from the shorter woman.
"You deaf Asia?" The younger girl's shoulders tensed. She'd never been partial to nicknames-even as a child-but she dared not object. This woman outranked her and as a soldier, she had no choice but to follow through.
"No ma'am. I heard you perfectly."
"Then move."
Levi fought to keep a smirk from forming as he observed Ackerman scramble to obey. Wow. She's bossier than ever. In the midst of losing his comrades mere days ago, surrounded by countless casualties with Stohess in smoldering ruins a faint pulse of amusement thrummed through his body.
He moved to where Hange stood supervising her men wrapping thick wires around Leonhart's diamond cocoon to drag it underground. Serves the selfish brat right. Her actions cost us a chance to beat some answers outta this bitch.
He felt rather than saw Sierra standing on bloody glasses' far side and started talking to herself.
"So this is the monster's true form eh? Hard to believe such a tiny thing can do so much damage but then again...you usually don't see them comin' when they mix brains and beauty together."
Levi shifted his steel grey eyes in her direction. He'd grown so busy with his duties over the last five years, he nearly forgot how scary perceptive the younger woman was. A slight shudder left him cold, not wanting to imagine the hell she went through to gain that wisdom.
Hange's mouth tightened.
"Yeah, and a lot of good soldiers died because we were too slow to figure that out."
"Stop bitching four-eyes," Levi's tone was flat and hard. "Regrets get us nowhere. All we can do is monitor the traitor until that shell breaks."
Hange's men finished securing Annie and began to pull the crystallized sac toward the remains of the underground staircase. The trio followed several steps behind.
Levi then turned to address Sierra.
"So, tell me. Exactly why did Erwin summon you here? It's not due to your popularity with the Military Police."
She rolled her eyes at his bluntness.
"No, it's cause I'm real happy to see ya."
Hange snickered at the sarcastic response, earning a death glare from Levi.
"Something funny?"
The titan researcher waved her hands in a warding motion, trying and failing to stifle her traitorous giggles. "Nothing...it's nothing...don't mind me. I need to catch up with my team."
Before he could fire a sarcastic retort she scurried off.
Sierra frowned.
"What's crawled up her shorts?"
Levi shoved his hands into his slacks.
"Ignore her. She's on her period again."
She shot him a sideways look as they passed through the shattered remains of the stone hallway, boots thumping over the stone floor.
"Hn. Says the guy whose squad got murdered by a little girl in her titan birthday suit." She'd returned home after a three week forced leave by Erwin-who revealed the day before she left for the mountains that Levi was the one who put the request in-much to her chagrin and irritation. Only to find she wouldn't make it in time to ride on the 57th Expedition, which really pissed her off. But when she found a sealed report marked URGENT on her desk the day after, everything clicked.
There had been over 100 casualties inflicted forcing the Scouts to return early. Among those listed dead were the elite Levi Squad. Killed in action by the mysterious Female Titan. Who was no one other than Annie Leonhart of the Military Police.
Levi pinned her with a glare so frozen her eyebrow went up by reflex.
"Shut up. You can stand back and watch for that. I don't wanna be in the same room with you right now."
She shrugged. Being left out of the loop made her callous to his pain. He was being extra douchey, which only served to trigger her short fuse.
"That's fine. I never wanted to share space with ya anyway."
TBC...
