Zeke

Zeke reached out for the empty glass.

He had to use his both hands because his wrists were still handcuffed. He raised the glass towards Levi, who was standing against the wall.

"Can I get some more water?" Yaeger asked with a charming smile. "This endless talk dehydrated me".

Ackerman's eyes narrowed. Zeke could see that the detective was on the verge of patience. No wonder, a few hours have passed already ... A little more time and maybe he would even provoke him to do something that Levi would regret right away.

Yaeger shifted his gaze to the man sitting at the table in front of him. Smith, on the other hand, acted like "the good cop" He spoke to Zeke calmly, he didn't swear. He waited for the suspect's answers, dhe didn't rush him. For some reason, however, it was in his eyes that Zeke saw even more resentment and silent menace than in Ackerman's. Whoever this man was, he was hiding his true emotions well.

"You just finished one glass" Erwin replied in a soft, gentle tone, reaching for the papers. "You'll get another one if you answer these questions. Do you confirm that you own the car we are showing you in the photos?".

"I don't understand why is that so important. You have nothing on me and you are trying to accuse me of stealing someone else's car?" Zeke stretched his arms all the way up, then crossed them behind his head as if to lean on them. "It's my car. I obtained it fairly".

"The car is registered to Urlich Rott. Six months ago, he reported that his car was stolen".

"Yes, but the matter was clarified. Urlich was wrong. He had completely forgotten that I had auctioned off his car. His son was really sick and Urlich had to raise a lot of money for his treatment. Our family supported him".

Zeke smiled even wider.

The men exchanged glances.

Of course it was bullshit. The truth looked completely different... Urlich worked as a dealer, he owed them a lot of money, although he had a sick child indeed. Grisha generously agreed to confiscate several of the man's possessions in exchange for a debt reduction. One of them was the car Zeke really liked.

"I'm sure Urlich will confirm everything" Yaeger added.

"We'll see. Until then, you must remain in custody" Smith announced, then reached for other documents. Zeke saw a change in his face, a few muscles twitching slightly.

Apparently, they were about to touch on a topic that wasn't easy for a detective. When Zeke saw what photos Smith unfolded in front of him, he immediately understood what it was about.

Before Erwin could speak, Levi approached the table. He slammed his open palms against the wooden table and stared at Zeke with a hostile look.

"Do you recognize this man?" He asked without taking his eyes off the detainee. Yaeger brought up his most natural and innocent expression.

"I see him for the first time in my life. But... I must, say, I'm impressed. He has an epic mustache".

Levi reached out to the photos. They portayed Mike in plain police uniform. But there were other photos underneath, the ones that showed his dead body. Zeke saw a bruised face, dried blood on his t-shirt and half-closed eyes. A sight he remembered well, though of course he pretended that he didn't know what was going on. He expected the detectives would try to link him with the murder of Zacharius.

"Mike Zacharius was murdered on March 30th, at the evening. His body was dumped on the outskirts of Trost, on the premises of old production plants".

"Well, I'm sorry" Zeke shrugged. "But things like that happen all the time. Why are you telling me this?".

"Why don't you tell us?" Levi asked, not taking his eyes from Yaeger. "Where were you that night?".

"I was at the party. We celebrated my little brother's birthday. Eren''s birthday" Zeke confessed. Something on Ackerman's face changed as he said the name. The detective frowned slightly. Zeke was a little surprised to see that. Were they suspecting something from Eren?

After a while he continued:

"We were in the Red Bow. Then, I went to take over the night shift at one of the hotels in Stohess".

"Really?" It was Smith who finally spoke. He leaned toward Yaeger, as did Ackerman. "Is there anyone who can confirm this?".

"Of course" Zeke shrugged. "Hotel's staff. My brother. And also my stepmother, Carla Yaeger".

"Stop telling us fucking bullshit..." Levi narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You weren't in any damn hotel that day".

"You know what?" Zeke looked offended. He folded his hands in his lap and looked to the side. "If you want to use that kind of language, I finish my cooperation".

"What cooperation?" Erwin raised one eyebrow.

"You're questioning me without the presence of my lawyer. I wanted to be nice and talk to you guys, but since you're getting hostile, I'm done. I'm not telling you anything".

"Your lawyer has been notified. We're waiting for him and keeping you company" Erwin explained as he picked up Mike's photos from the table. Zeke guessed the man couldn't look at them any longer. "It's a friendly chat, nothing else".

"I want to make a call" Zeke suddenly changed the subject. He sat up straight and looked at Ackerman, who only snorted in response. "What? I have the right to make one phone call. You've been keeping me here for a couple of hours, that's not fair".

"It's really tragic" Levi muttered, then moved away from Zeke. "But you're right, it's almost morning. Erwin, how about us having some breakfast?".

"That's a good idea. We'll be back soon" Smith explained, then gathered all the papers and stood up.

"Hey, that's really not fair! What about me? I want breakfast too!" Zeke stood up as well, watching the two detectives walk to the door and then leave the room. "Shoudn't you at least put me in a room, so I can take a nap? That's breaking the law!".

"The stuff you've taken will keep you awake for a few more hours" Ackerman remarked and almost smiled. No, that was different. Yaeger stated that the grimace made the man finally look a little scarier.

The door slammed shut behind them and Zeke was left alone.

He fell back into the chair. Fucking hell. He didn't want to leave it like that. He had to make a call... Calling Grisha was too risky. It should be Eren, Annie, or one of the Gaillard brothers. He was sure that Carla was on the way, and so was Floch.

Zeke got up and went to the door. He knocked on the gray wood before the guard's face appeared in the small window.

"Hey you! Yes you! My name is Zeke Yaeger and I want to use my right to make one phone call. So, open this door and let me out...".

"No way. You have to wait" The cop replied, then turned his back on him.

"Hey! Hey, don't ignore me!" Zeke called, pounding his fists on the door again. Without handcuffs, it would certainly be more comfortable. He only liked to use this item in bed. "You will regret it! Go ask your supervisor, you hear me?".

Zeke fell silent as another man suddenly approached the guard and whispered something in his ear. The latter looked at the other policeman with surprise. Then he shrugged, turned to face Zeke, and opened the door. Yaeger felt a rush of triumph.

"Follow me" The unknown man explained. He looked like an ordinary officer. He showed Zeke the way, and as Zeke started moving, the policeman started to follow him. They walked through the empty hall, passing by other rooms. Suddenly, they came to a place where two corridors intersected. Zeke saw a vending machine with drinks, and on the other side there was the telephone, hanging on the wall. The policeman nodded at him.

"One call".

"Excellent" Yaeger announced, then reached for the receiver. He was glad his father had so many friends. He dialed a number he knew by heart, then put the receiver to his ear. After a few rings, the person on the other side spoke up.

"Yes?".

"Yo. How are you? Are you all alive?" Zeke muttered into the phone.

"Yes. Already in the base. The son and his guys are gone" said Porco.

"Fine. We'll meet them another time".

"Zeke ... There's a situation".

"What situation?".

Zeke's gray eyes, hidden behind the round glasses, rounded in surprise.

He listened to what Porco said to him, he listened carefully, but he coudn't understand it. No, it wasn't like that. Gaillard used phrases in such a way that no outsider could guess what they meant. For a second, Zeke thought that maybe Porco meant something else, or maybe it was him who had misunderstood this code... But there was probably no chance for that.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes".

"Thanks" Zeke slowly hung up the phone. He stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the wall.

Tom Xavier didn't show up at the lab. Nobody knew where he was. His apartment was empty, his phone didn't answer. His neighbor confessed that the previous evening Xavier went somewhere in a hurry. When asked about his destination, he explained that he had an urgent call from his friend.

Zeke frowned. Had the police somehow found Xavier? Did they have anything on him? How had they contacted him to lull his vigilance? Did they impersonate someone?

Did they impersonate.. him?

Was it an accident that they arrested him at the same time? It also couldn't be a coincidence that the Tybur's people found out about their whereabouts on the very same evening Tom was picked up by the police.

One of them must have been snitching.

Zeke clenched his fists. Now that Tom was taken, that meant they were left without a chemist. When Grisha found out, he would be furious like never before. Zeke knew that he had to get out of here as soon as possible to help put out the fire.

"Hey, you have to go back to the room" The officer muttered. When Zeke's furious gaze fell on the man, he looked like he wanted to take a step back. But Yaeger said nothing. He turned on his feet and began walking back.

He allowed himself to be led back into the interrogation room. He dropped into a chair, staring at the doorknob. Apparently someone was really bold enough to trick him and to capture Xavier... He couldn't leave it like that.

Zeke narrowed his eyes. It wasn't easy to deceive and hardly anyone ever succeed to do it. This time it was different and the current situation was beginning to throw him off balance. He was really pissed off.

When the door opened, Zeke could barely sit still. His whole body felt as if he were trembling with rage. He saw Ackerman entering the room, with a water bottle in his hand. He closed the door behind him and set water on the table.

"I heard from the guard that you made your call. Enjoy it while you still can, scumbag. At some point your connections will end and daddy won't help you anymore" Levi muttered, giving Zeke an indifferent glance. "For some reason I'm sure it'll happen sooner than you think...".

Levi didn't finish as Zeke jumped up from his seat.

It was the last straw. He couldn't contain his rage any longer. He couldn't help but enjoy seeing the real shock on the detective's face. He saw Ackerman's eyes widen.

Zeke grabbed the agent's wrists. He didn't have many options as he was still handcuffed. Then he pressed Levi's body against the wall, immobilizing him and fixing the man's eyes with a furious look.

"You think you're so clever, huh?" Yaeger's voice was more like a hiss. He narrowed his eyes and gripped the man's wrists tighter. Their faces were centimeters apart. "You think you're just a tricky little bastard, huh?".

"Let go of me, you piece of shit! I can put you in jail for this!" Ackerman blurted out and tried to pull away, but Zeke wasn't finished yet.

He leaned closer to the detective, he almost brushed the man's ear with his lips, as he whispered:

"Your friend thought he was clever too. And see how it ended for him".

Levi widened his eyes. Zeke saw something he was waiting for. The dormant anger that Ackerman was trying hard to contain, now it was on the loose. There was also a thirst for revenge, ripening in the shadows of Levi's consciousness, waiting for the right moment to burst. The moment has come.

The detective pushed Yaeger away, using his whole strength. Zeke hit the table with his butt, but Levi didn't let him stand on his own for too long. He punched him in the face. Zeke fell to the floor. He tried to crawl backwards, but Ackerman grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer, only to punch Yaeger right in the face again. Then he did it again, and again and again... It could last much longer, but the door suddenly opened.

Smith stepped inside and widened his eyes. He reacted right away, he grabbed Levi and pulled him away from Zeke. Yaeger's face was already swollen, he was bleeding from his nose and lips.

Zeke saw the sudden realization in Ackerman's eyes, a grim awareness of what he had done and what the consequences would be. Oh, how much he wanted to laugh right now! To cackle out loud, to enjoy the fear that was written on this short man's face! But he couldn't do it, not now, he had to play along. He saw two tall figures standing on the threshold. The first was, of course, Carla Yaeger, wearing a white turtleneck and a brown leather skirt. She crossed her arms over her chest, then looked indignantly at the two agents.

"What's going on here?! Why is my son being tortured?".

The other person was Floch Forster, who cleared his throat and entered the room. He was wearing a gray suit.

"I am submitting a notification with an immediate effect. I just witnessed what methods the anti-drug department is using. You're not only questioning my client without his lawyer, but you're even committing violence against him?" Floch drawled, then helped Zeke to stand up.

"He wanted to kill me!" Yaeger exclaimed, hiding behind his lawyer. "He said he was going to kill me...".

Zeke cried softly, which made Carla quickly walk over to him and put her arm around him.

"It's okay now, we won't let them hurt you any more" The woman said, glaring at the detectives. Zeke had to admit that the woman was doing her part brilliantly. Grisha trained her very well.

Ackerman and Smith looked as though they were speechless. They stared at the newcomers with surprise mixed with horror, apparently mentally estimating the amount of damage they had just caused. Zeke was sure their losses would be huge.

He had to use all his willpower to suppress the smile that was pressing against his lips. If they wanted war, he will give them war.

Ymir

She parked the car in front of the old theater, then looked at the blonde who was sitting next to her. Historia smiled gently at Ymir, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. It was already evening, they had just eaten lunch together.

Lately, they had been meeting with each other more and more often. Ymir liked to spend her free time with Historia and because of that they were getting to know each other better. For example, Ymir learned that Historia lived with her mother, had a younger sister, and their father was an alcoholic and rarely ever came home. As for her, she didn't like to talk about herself, so she usually ignored questions about her past, gave evasive answers, or changed the subject completely.

Fritz didn't know what to make of this strange acquaintance herself. The story was a few years her junior, but she did not mind. She did not know what the girl was counting on, friendship, or maybe gaining someone like a bodyguard?

Fritz didn't know what to think about this strange acquaintance. Historia was a few years younger, but Ymir was okay with that. She didn't know what the girl was counting on: the friendship, or maybe finding herself a bodyguard?

Since that one evening outside the city, nothing more physical had happened between them. Ymir didn't quite know why she hadn't crossed that line yet, why hadn't she reached for more. Usually nothing could stop her. If she liked someone, she didn't care for any proprieties. This time, it was different. She felt a strange attachment to Historia, she respected the girl and she didn't want to put any pressure on her. Therefore, she remained in this strange state, not knowing where it was all going to. It was also a nice change from a day in the lab or accompanying Grisha on his travels. The man was in a bad mood lately.

"Okay, get out, babe. See you next time" Ymir spoke cheekily and rested her elbows on the steering wheel. "I'm going to have some work to do now, so I don't know when we'll meet again".

"Okay" History nodded. She didn't leave the car yet, though, instead she looked at Ymir again. "Maybe you want to come in?".

Fritz raised her eyebrows slightly. She didn't expect such an offer.

"What?".

"My mother isn't home, she is working late. We could watch something… Well, unless you're in a hurry" Historia said, but she was still staring at Ymir expectantly. The girl wore a white blouse, a denim jacket and dark, fitting pants. She brushed her side hair strands to the back, securing it with a clasp. This hairstyle suited her very well, but Ymir made no comment about it. She was never good at these things. For a moment she wondered what she should do. It was late now, tomorrow she had to be up early in the morning, the most sensible thing to do would be to go home and rest...

A few minutes later she crossed the threshold of Historia's apartment, looking around curiously. As expected, it wasn't a very luxurious place, it could use a proper renovation, but it was definitely pretty neat. There weren't many furniture, but there was everything that could be considered essential. A small gray corridor led to several rooms.

"Give me a minute" Historia said, then left the apartment for a moment. Ymir heard the girl knocking on the door across from them. Historia greeted her neighbor, then thanked her for her help. Ymir had no idea what it was about at first, but understood when Historia returned to her apartment. A little girl was holding Historia's hand. The child had dark hair, braided in two pigtails, and big light blue eyes. Ymir saw some resemblance to Historia, she guessed that the little girl must have been her younger sister.

"Frieda, I told you about my new friend, Ymir, right?" Historia asked as she crouched down and hugged the little girl. The child looked curiously at the tall brunette. "Finally, you can meet her. Ymir, this is Frieda, my little sister".

"Hmm... Hello" Fritz stammered, raising her open hand towards the child. She had no idea how to talk to the kids and therefore she just treated them like adults.

"Hi!" The little girl called, then gave her a high-five and smiled happily. - "Ymir, what a funny name!".

"Thanks..." Fritz raised an eyebrow, then crossed her arms over her chest. That was just perfect. The little child was making fun of her. Historia laughed softly.

"Ymir, can you help me with my new puzzles? Historia is really bad at it..." Frieda confessed, and before Ymir could reply, the girl grabbed her hand and dragged her towards one of the rooms. It turned out to be a Frieda's bedroom, there was a single bed with princess-theme bedding, a large wardrobe, a wooden desk and boxes with toys. There were puzzles scattered on the desk, only some of the pieces were already on place. There was a dragon's head on the combined puzzles. Frieda climbed onto the desk and sat down comfortably, her legs dangling off. She pointed to a chair.

"You can sit there".

"Cool puzzles. Aren't you afraid of dragons?" Fritz asked, bending over the puzzle.

The girl shook her head.

"Not at all. And you?" Frieda lifted her bright glance at Ymir. Historia also entered the room, she smiled at the sight of the girls making puzzles.

"Dragons? Of course not. There are scarier things".

"Like what?" Frieda wanted to know. Historia leaned against the desk.

"For example... Looking for a job at the work agency. Or taxes. Or the sight of my neighbor, who didn't put her makeup on. Ugh!" Ymir shuddered in horror, and Frieda laughed out loud. "Those are just terrible things!".

"It's so funny! But I'm not afraid of anything" The girl shrugged. "Well, maybe sometimes I'm afraid of our dad. That's why I like it when he's gone".

Ymir exchanged a silent glance with Historia. The blonde leaned over and kissed Frieda on her forehead.

"It's time to go to sleep, princess, don't you think?"

"But I want to make these puzzles with Ymir".

"I know, bunny, but it's late. Maybe you can finish it another time? Ymir could visit us the other day. What do you think?".

"Yes!" Frieda clapped her hands.

"Will you wait a moment?" Historia asked, then took the little girl in her arms. "I'll put her to sleep and come back to you".

"Sure!" Ymir rose from her seat. She moved to the room indicated by the blonde, which must have been her bedroom.

Fritz hesitated a little, scanning the unknown space with her eyes. The room was tiny, consisting of a small bed, a dressing table, a wardrobe and a large window with a wide sill. Some pictures were attached to the wall over the bed. Ymir didn't know anything about the photography, but she could bet that they must've been taken with the instant camera. Ymir moved a little closer to look at them. Maybe she shouldn't be doing this, but she was a straightforward person. She didn't care about good manners. Most of the photos showed Historia with her friends. A few other pictured Frieda or Historia herself.

Ymir was looking at the photos, feeling a pleasant perfume smell in the room. Well, Historia's perfumes. Fritz had no idea what kind of brand it was, and whether it would have smelled that way when combined with the scent of someone else's body. Probably not. The woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Do you like it?".

Ymir jumped up, looking back. Historia stood in the doorway smiling broadly. It took Fritz a moment to understand that the blonde wasn't talking about the scent of perfume, but about the photos.

"Oh, y-yeah. They're great. Did you make them yourself?" The brunette asked, looking back at the photos.

"Some time ago I bought an instant camera. Cheap stuff, but it's a fun toy. Do you want to watch a movie?".

The women sat on the bed, leaning comfortably against the high pillows. Historia reached for her laptop and then she turned on the horror movie. Ymir stared at the screen, trying to concentrate on the plot. It was a little tricky, considering that Historia's head rested on her shoulder. Fritz felt her heart racing, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Suddenly she saw blue eyes staring at her. She suddenly realised that if she only could, she would gladly drown in those bright irises forever.

Ymir and Historia looked at each other for a moment, exchanging glances. The events taking place on the screen no longer mattered.

Fritz reached out and touched the blonde's cheek. She stroked it gently, and when she saw the girl's lips stretch into a smile, she leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on them. It was as if the whole world was spinning around her. Historia returned the kiss. She put her arms around Ymir, kissing the woman lovingly.

Fritz lost track of time. Suddenly, Historia rose to straddle Ymir. She began to kiss the brunette in this position, thus creating them additional opportunities. They thought about the same thing. Historia reached down to her blouse, but then Ymir grabbed her hands.

"Are you sure you want this?" Ymir whispered, staring straight into her blue eyes. Historia smiled gently.

"What do you think?" The girl leaned over and pecked Ymir on the lips, then added, also in a whisper: "I'm not as innocent as you think".

The blonde reached up to her blouse with her hands and took it off herself, only to throw it somewhere. Ymir saw a white underwired bra wrapping around the shapely breasts. She had to admit that Historia was more generously endowed by nature than herself. Without breaking the eye contact, Fritz gently touched the blonde's breasts, feeling the smooth material under her fingers. Historia narrowed her eyes and opened her lips in a soft sigh.

Ymir didn't rush. She was touching the blonde's breasts slowly, caressing them. After a long moment, Ymit reached to Historia's back and with a quick, efficient movement unfastened her bra. She took it from Historia's arms and set it aside. Still staring into her eyes, she put her hands around the girl's naked breasts and began to caress them.

The blonde sighed louder, hugging Ymir's neck. Fritz leaned over and took one of the nipples into her mouth, teasing it with her tongue. After a moment she heard the soft groan, very close to her ear. It made her want to feel Historia even more, even closer. She embraced the girl with her arms, hugging her tightly and kissing her neck. She could smell the intense scent of perfume that was driving her crazy. She was completely lost in the sensation, and who knows what would come next, if it hadn't been for the loud clank of keys coming from the hall.

Both women came to a standstill, listening carefully. Someone was just entering the apartment. After the blonde's reaction, Fritz guessed that it must have been her mother. Historia jumped up, looking for her bra. She quickly pulled it on, and then put on her blouse. Ymir was impressed by her speed. She herself only managed to sit down a bit further, and just then the door opened.

A tall, thin woman wearing a black cloak entered the room. She looked at Historia and her companion suspiciously.

"What's going on here?" She asked, glaring at her daughter. She pointed to Ymir. "Who is she?".

"This is Ymir, my friend, I told you about her" Historia rose from the bed and smoothed her blouse. "We were just watching a movie..."

"It's late. I told you, no visitors at this hour" She murmured, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ymir shrugged. She didn't feel like meddling into family stuff, so she headed for the door.

"No problem. His, I'll call you".

The brunette crossed the threshold of the room and headed towards the exit when she heard the words:

"I told you to stop meeting the women! It's a sin, you're acting like a slut!".

Ymir heard something that sounded like a slap in the face. It couldn't be anything else. She froze in place, fighting with herself for a split second. It's none of her business, it's none of her business, it's none of her business ...

Fritz spun on the spot and went back into the Historia's room. She saw the blonde touching her cheek, her mother leaning over her with the true fury on her face. She raised her hand again, but Ymir gripped her wrist.

"Hey, lady, do it again and I'll whomp your ass myself" Ymir muttered, squeezing the woman's hand with all her strength. Seeing the shock on her face, Fritz let go of her, only to grab Historia by the hand. She pulled her down the hall and then dragged her out of the apartment.

"Ymir! Wait! Ymir!" Historia called, as they were coming down the stairs.

"What?" Ymir stopped and turned to look at the shorter blonde.

"What are you doing? I can't leave, it's my home, and..."

"You just want to forget it? How can you agree to something like this?" Ymir shook her head in disbelief.

"She didn't want to... She just has her problems, she is constantly stressed...".

"Oh, okay. And that gives her the right to hit her own daughter?" Ymir took a step towards Historia to get a closer look at her. "And what about Frieda? Did she...".

"Of course not! If she would ever hit her, I would… " Historia's voice broke slightly. She took a deep breath, then touched Ymir's hand and looked into her eyes. "Thank you for worrying about me, but I told you I can take care of myself. Trust me".

Ymir sighed. She had no right to interfere in this girl's life. She felt that she had already caused enough of the confusion.

"Okay. Whatever" She said, reaching out and gently stroking Historia's bleary cheek. She leaned over and kissed the girl in the aching place. "Just please, don't let anyone hurt you."

"I'll try. We will see each other again?" Historia asked, taking Ymir's hand. "I'll call you".

The blonde climbed on her fingertips to kiss the taller woman on the lips. Then she turned around and ran up the stairs, only to disappear into the dark corridor.

Ymir started walking the other way. She went downstairs and found her car in the parking lot. She got in and rested her hands on the steering wheel, sighing heavily. What the hell was she doing? She shouldn't get too attached to Historia, there's been too much going on in her life lately. Or maybe she needed that? To forget about all worries? Even so, she shouldn't be putting Historia in danger. If Grisha would find about her... It wouldn't end well for the blonde. Or for her family.

Fritz started the car and set off with a screech of tires. A fast ride. That's what she needed.