Chapter 36

Levi

Ackerman was slowly sipping tea from his cup when Hanji shove a piece of paper under his nose.

"Look at this!" She exclaimed, staring at him with her good eye. "Here's the official arrest warrant for Zeke Yaeger. Beautiful, isn't it?".

Levi took the document from his friend, studying it carefully. After a while he nodded.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my whole life. Only one thing can be more beautiful than this: Zeke, handcuffed, on his knees, right in front of us. Or in a prison cell'.

Erwin, sitting next to Levi, laughed softly. He leaned towards his shorter friend, peering over his shoulder. Levi felt a slight tickle in his stomach, having Smith so close.

"It does look great. Now we just have to find the bastard".

"You know what could be more beautiful than this? Grisha's arrest warrant…" Hanji added, sighing softly. "But we still have to wait for that".

They were still talking, while Nanaba entered the office. The woman walked over to them and looked at Ackerman, then at Smith.

"Someone wants to see you, some journalists. Do you have a moment?".

Levi and Erwin exchanged surprised looks. Their curiosity won out, the men rose from their seats right away and went to the small conference room. As expected, the journalists turned out to be Sasha Blouse and Connie Springer. They both looked strangely pale, which Levi immediately noticed. Something must have happened.

Ackerman closed the door and then sat down next to Erwin, who had already taken his place at the table, opposite the journalists. After short greetings, Sasha got straight to the point.

"We're here to ask for protection".

"You were right" Connie added, resting his elbows on the table. "Grisha targeted us, or at least his two sons did".

Levi's eyes widened slightly, and his heart began to beat faster with anxiety.

"What happened?" Erwin wanted to know.

Sasha and Connie quickly summarized the situation. They told the detectives about how they were supposed to be shooting a material about a closed laundry. They made an appointment with a married couple who went bankrupt and lost the case in court against the municipal office. However, these were only appearances, it was Grisha's sons waiting for them there. The woman who had spoken to them earlier wasn't who she said she was. Sasha and Connie didn't meet the former laundry owners. It was Zeke and Eren Yaeger who waited for them, they wanted to kill them off. Spinger was shot in the leg, but the wound was minor. Sasha didn't get hurt.

Levi listened to the journalists' confessions with a calm expression on his face, which was difficult, because inside he was just boiling with emotion. He felt internally torn. On the one hand, he was horrified by what he heard about Eren, about his attack on journalists, but on the other hand, he felt unspeakable relief. So Eren was alive! Apparently he was in the very center of this mess right now, doing the worst kind of job, but what mattered to Levi at the moment the most was that the boy was safe and sound.

The detectives took their statements and promised two journalists the protection, at least until Zeke Yaeger would be officially arrested. Finally, Ackerman finished the report and handed it for Sasha and Connie to sign.

"Is everything correct?" He asked calmly.

"Yup, pretty much" Springer said and then he signed the document right away. Blouse in turn stared at the piece of paper as if something didn't quite suit her. Levi noticed it.

"Something's wrong?".

The girl shook her head quickly.

"No... It's just what you wrote at the end" Sasha pointed to the document. "Eren Yaeger followed us to continue the attack, that's correct. It's just… I'm surprised by one thing. He was so close and he missed. I was sure we will die out there, and somehow we managed to escape".

"I guess that's good" Connie muttered grimly, handing Levi back the document. "Apparently we were lucky. Or this guy has really bad eyesight".

"Yeah" Sasha said, sighing softly and signing her statement as well. "After all, someone like him wouldn't miss on purpose".

Levi stared at the woman's face, mentally processing her words. He felt his heart pound again... In fact, every mention of Eren had that effect on him. He was terrified of the fact that the boy was so involved in his father's activities, but at least now Levi was sure that Eren was back in Trost.

The man felt Erwin's eyes on him, so he looked at the blond, who was sitting on his right. Smith must have guessed what Levi was thinking and he nodded gently, apparently thinking the same. Though Eren was no longer on their side, there was still some chance that he was the same man they knew.

Detectives said goodbye to two journalists, then went to meet Shadis. The man accepted their request for Blouse and Springer's protection, and stated that they should finally publish the information that Zeke Yaeger and the Gaillard brothers were wanted. After the meeting, they returned to the office to give Nanaba, Gelgar, Hanji, and Reiner the good news.

"Where should we start looking for him?" Hanji asked as the workday was over and they finished their job. "I mean Zeke. Yes, I know we have a few more locations to check out but this is going so slowly...".

"We can't help it" Erwin replied, looking at his friend. He got up from his desk and turned off his computer. "We have to wait. Right, Levi?".

Ackerman froze in place, as he was just approaching his friends and slipping his bag over his shoulder. He briefly looked at Erwin and Hanji, then his gaze wandered somewhere to the side. He nodded his head.

"Yes, Hanji, it's just like Erwin says. We must wait".

He felt like a hypocrite, but only a little.

Eren

He paid the bartender for the drinks and then pointed to the correct table. The bartender nodded, which meant he would bring them the order himself. Eren turned on his heel. The boy looked at Zeke, Marcel, and Porco, who were sitting on the couch, just in front of the dais where one of the female dancers was just displaying her charms.

They were in the Red Bow, one of his brother's favorite strip clubs. There were only two ways to improve Zeke's bad mood - by bringing the women or finding an opportunity for shootout or fight. Eren chose the lesser evil.

Suddenly he felt his phone vibrating. He glanced at the display and saw a message from Kruger. Apparently there was a malfunction in one of the labs. Eren always took care of this sort of thing personally, so he sighed, then quickly walked over to his brother and the Gaillards.

"We have to go back. There's a situation in one lab. I guess the air conditioning failed again".

Zeke teared his eyes from the stripper and glanced at Eren. He looked inconsolable.

"Shit, we just got here. Kruger can't handle this alone?".

"I'd rather know what's going on" Eren confessed with a shrug. In fact, every opportunity to leave this place was worth its weight in gold for him.

And then, suddenly, he felt something strange... For he had the impression that someone was watching him.

He looked ahead, over the heads of Zeke and the Gaillards, towards the man sitting alone a few tables away. The man had blonde hair falling over his forehead and glasses. He was slim, wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a gray, elegant vest. The moment Eren's gaze fell on him, the stranger looked the other way and sipped his drink.

Eren studied him for a moment. He had no idea why this man seemed familiar… The boy knew it was stupid, but for a second he thought he see the detective, who had haunted almost all of his dreams lately. Apparently, he was worse that he initially thought, since he started to see Levi in total strangers.

Zeke's voice broke him out of his reverie:

"I'll stay. You can do it on your own, little brother".

Eren quickly looked at Zeke and nodded.

"Fine, I'll call you!" He spoke loudly, leaning towards Zeke to shout over the loud music. "Take care of yourself, okay?".

Zeke shook his head.

"Take the Gaillards with you, for protection".

Eren raised an eyebrow.

"What? Zeke, you don't have to...".

"Porco, Marcel, go with him. I'll stay here for another hour" Zeke decided, then sat back comfortably. The bartender had just brought them drinks, and the older Yaeger burst out laughing. "Oh yeah, it's all for me".

Marcel and Porco obediently rose from their seats and looked expectantly at Eren. The boy thought it was actually a good idea, so he didn't say anything. He walked slowly towards the exit, passing the strangely familiar blond-haired man, but Eren didn't look at him anymore. He preferred not to make an even bigger fool of himself.

He stopped suddenly as a short woman with blond hair, wearing a blue dress, blocked his path.

Eren was surprised to see her, especially since he knew her.

He met her here, when he was celebrating his birthday. She was his "gift" from Grisha. Back then, Eren asked Ymir to drive her home... He even remembered her name. Historia.

"Do you remember me?" The blonde asked, leaning towards him so that he could hear her well. He saw an unusual determination in her big, blue eyes. She had to be here for a specific purpose. "I hope so, because we need to talk, Eren".

"Historia, right?" The boy asked, while studying her face. "As far as I know, you were supposed to avoid this place".

"Relax, I don't work here. I come here every now and then, because I wanted to meet you. And finally I did".

"What's this about? I'm in a hurry" Eren confessed, which was true. Porco and Marcel stood beside them, watching them curiously.

"It will only take a moment, please" Historia said, looking at Eren with pleading eyes. "It's true that we don't know each other very well, but only you can help me. If you don't have time now, please, give me your number at least...".

Eren hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay, let's talk outside" The boy decided. He put a hand on Historia's shoulder and led her out of the building.

The Gaillards followed close behind, asking nothing. Once they were outside, Eren looked at the two brothers.

"Wait for me in the car".

The men nodded and walked away in the direction indicated. The boy finally looked at the shorter blonde.

"What's happening with Ymir?" The girl asked, going straight to the point. Eren raised his eyebrows. He had expected anything but this question.

"What? Why are you asking about Ymir? I thought you were having problems with money again...".

"No, it's fine. Thanks to your help. And, also, I got a job" The girl waved her hand as if it suddenly wasn't as important to her as another matter. She looked up at Eren with her blue eyes. "Ymir is... someone special to me. I haven't had contact with her for a couple of months. What happened to her, Eren?".

The boy parted his mouth, but hesitated before answering. After the blonde's teary gaze, he guessed that the women must have been really close. Finally he replied:

"Ymir did something my father found unforgivable. I don't know when you'll see her again".

"Is it because she wanted to run away?" Historia asked. Her lower lip trembled slightly, but the girl quickly restrained the weakness, frowned and clenched her fists. "What's wrong with that? She didn't betray you, she did her job! Is this how your father repays for many years' cooperation?".

"Believe me, you don't want to know anything about my father" Eren sighed, grabbing his own neck and rubbing it gently. He didn't expect that talking to the girl would make him feel remorse. "I can only assure you that Ymir is alive. And if she will play along, maybe you'll meet her again".

Historia shook her head. She pursed her lips, then reached out and grabbed Eren by the fabric of his shirt. The boy raised one eyebrow.

"Please, help her. Try to convince your father...".

"Not a chance" Eren muttered, then grabbed Historia by the wrist and removed her hand from his chest. "Sorry, but I can't take that risk. I have people of my own to protect, Ymir is not my friend".

"She helped you once, when you were working, packing drugs during your summer vacation" The girl said, staring at his face. Eren twitched slightly. "She told me about it. You lost one batch and she found it and didn't say anything to Grisha. I also know that she kept your friend safe at various parties, always being somewhere in the background to help her. She also didn't let you kill some random guy, while you were drunk...".

"Enough" Eren drawled, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"She told me that you're a good man and that you don't fit in this family".

The boy couldn't help it, his heart was beating faster and faster. For some reason, he knew that Historia was telling him the truth, that it was indeed Ymir's words. But whether they were true it was another question.

"Your girlfriend got one thing wrong. I'm not a good man".

Eren and Historia stared at each other in silence for a moment. Finally the blonde spoke in a soft tone, not devoid of regret:

"You've changed since the last time. That's a shame".

"Take care, Historia" Eren said, assuming the conversation was over. He walked past the girl and headed towards the car where Marcel and Porco were waiting for him.

As he walked towards the vehicle, he tried not to think about everything Historia had told him. The boy knew perfectly well that he couldn't help her, he could do nothing for Ymir, but the gentle reproaches continued to bite his conscience.

Levi

It was after ten when Ackerman stopped the car in a small parking lot in the shade of a two-story building. The street lights barely reached this spot, which was fine with him. Music boomed loudly somewhere nearby. Soon he would hear these sounds much clearer.

Levi looked around to make sure no one was looking at him, then stripped off the gray shirt he'd been wearing all day at work. He reached into the bag and pulled out a white, delicate material. He quickly put it on himself. It was a white, elegant shirt that pressed tightly against his body. He left the top buttons undone, turn the collar up and rolled up his sleeves.

Levi winced slightly. If it was up to him, he would never have dressed that way publicly. Unfortunately, it wasn't over. He put on a gray, slightly shiny vest. Then the detective reached into the bag again and took something else out of it. Rectangular glasses that made his face look a little different as well as another thing. Levi put it on his head and looked in the mirror. He looked terrible, which meant he looked perfect.

This was the third time he'd been here, changing into this outfit, like some pathetic superhero wearing his cheesy costume. He didn't say a word about it to Erwin or Hanji, as he didn't want to worry them. Nor could he use their help. It might be unfair, but those were the facts. A man with an arm in a sling and a woman with an eye patch would attract too much attention. Levi needed to blend in with the crowd.

He had to be invisible to observe from hiding, to wait for his victim, which didn't expect an attack.

Half an hour later, he squeezed through a small window in the back of the nightclub he wanted to get into unnoticed. Levi fell to the floor and dusted off his shirt. He was glad that no one was watching him at that moment, because there was only one possible comment for this situation.

His height has finally turned out to be useful for something.

He knew one person who certainly couldn't refrain from a teasing comment like that.

He'd never thought he would ever miss Eren's stupid jokes.

Levi left the back room. He started down a corridor he already knew well. After a while, he mingled with the crowd of men who had to get in through the main entrance. Each of them was searched by a bodyguard, and Levi wanted to avoid it, as he had a gun with him. He walked slowly towards the main room, trying to look innocent. Well, maybe that was an inappropriate word, as the place had nothing to do with innocence.

Ackerman finally found himself in the main room of the club. His ears were immediately filled with loud, pounding music. He saw long, high paddocks with half-naked women striding. One of the dancers was just doing some sensual pole dance. She was wearing only thongs and incredibly high heels. Oh, and of course the heart-shaped nipple stickers. Levi suddenly decided that his outfit wasn't the worst after all.

The man narrowed his eyes against the harsh, colorful light of the strobe lamps. After a while he started towards the bar. Levi bought a non-alcoholic drink so as not to arouse suspicion. He sat down on the leather couch and fixed his gaze at the woman dancing on the catwalk. After a while Ackerman looked around very carefully. He did this every few minutes so as not to alarm anyone.

Looking through old reports, he and Erwin came across a mention of this place recently. It was Zeke who revealed to them information about this club during his interrogation. Red Bow. Strip club for men. Upstairs, Levi guessed, were bedrooms that could be rented to spend an enjoyable time with the girls.

Ackerman's gaze suddenly turned gloomy. The idea that Eren had spent his eighteenth birthday in a place like this felt like an abstraction. Maybe he didn't get to know Eren that well, but he knew he wasn't interested in strip clubs. He guessed the boy must have felt insecure and unfamiliar in this place.

Levi brought his drink to his lips. Another five minutes passed, so he allowed himself another look around the club. Suddenly he froze in place.

Zeke Yaeger was sitting a few tables away, on a leather couch. He was just laughing at something along with the Gaillard brothers who sat across from him. The men acted as if they had every right to be here, as if the police weren't looking for them at all.

Levi couldn't believe it. So, he was right! As usual, his intuition was unfailing.

The man put his drink down on the table and began mulling over an action plan in his head. He had to call for backup. He shouldn't try to arrest such dangerous individuals all by himself. If anything went wrong, it would be his fault. Levi had to wait for reinforcements. It was necessary to surround this place and not let Yaeger escape...

Levi suddenly felt as if the whole world had stopped.

A thin, tall boy with long brown hair has just appeared next to Zeke. The young man was wearing an elegant black shirt and trousers. His face was smooth and calm, his eyes confident and sparkling with youthful energy. He was standing there, safe and sound.

Levi lost his alertness for a moment, unable to take his eyes off Eren. If someone attacked him now, he wouldn't be able to react in time.

The boy has changed almost nothing during the six months, at least his appearance hasn't changed. Well, maybe he only looked more formal and handsome, apparently he cared more about his image now. There was no sign of the jeans with holes.

Ackerman blinked slightly in surprise. Did he really just consider Eren handsome?

The boy's green eyes suddenly fell on him.

Levi turned his face the other way. His heart was racing with nervousness, he was angry with himself. He was supposed to be stealthily looking around, but instead he stared at Eren like the last idiot. He sipped his drink and it took him a short while before he glanced at the Yaegers again.

Eren was talking to Zeke, then nodded at the Gaillard brothers. Marcel and Porco rose from their seats and followed Eren. Zeke sat back comfortably and stared at the woman, who was still dancing in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, Levi saw Eren, Porco, and Marcel pass him, not looking in his direction.

Ackerman felt a swirl of air next to him, an electrifying tension, as Eren was walking by. The boy was so close and he couldn't do anything to talk to him...

Eren was suddenly approached by a woman, possibly one of the dancers, but she was wearing a dress, not an underwear. She leaned towards him, whispering something to his ear. The boy talked to her for a while, at one point Eren nodded and put his arm around her. Levi blinked in surprise at this sight. After a while, the whole group moved towards the exit.

Levi watched them for a moment, trying to get rid of that nasty feeling in his stomach. If Eren wanted a female companion for the evening, that's none of his business...

He looked back at the man he should be focusing on. Zeke Yaeger sipped his drink, squinting at the female dancer. At one point the woman finished her performance and Zeke took a roll of cash from his pocket and tucked them into the woman's panties. The dancer ran her fingers over his face and then gently ruffled his hair, but the caresses ended there. If he wanted to continue, he would have to move up one floor and pay a lot more.

Zeke finished his drink and set it on the glass table, then got up and slowly made his way towards the toilets.

Levi thought this was the last good time to react. He left the glass with the unfinished drink and started following Zeke. He reached for his phone, but the display showed no coverage. Levi cursed under his breath. He stated that he had no choice but to arrest Zeke before reinforcements arrived. Importantly, Yaeger was alone, so he was an easier target.

Ackerman cautiously opened the bathroom door. He stepped inside, a large mirror appeared before his eyes. He was surprised at first, as he didn't recognize his own reflection. He saw a blond young man with glasses, a white, sexy shirt and a gray jacket. Levi found his wig looked very natural. He also stated that he would never dye blond in his life, ever.

He glanced to the side and saw Zeke standing in front of the urinal. Levi went to the sink and turned on the faucet to wash his hands, while plotting the arrest Yaeger in his head. He could do it now, he was only afraid that someone might come in and interrupt them.

A rough, deep voice broke him out of his reverie:

"You know, I came here for the chicks, but if you want it so badly, I can make an exception".

Levi twitched slightly, watching Zeke out of the corner of his eye. Apparently the man didn't recognize him. Yeager turned toward him, luckily with his fly buttoned. His gaze was not quite sober, he was smiling broadly as he regarded Ackerman intently. He ran his gaze over the shorter man's exposed neck and chest, then took a few steps forward.

"You've been staring at me for about twenty minutes, so we can finally get down to business" Zeke said, coming closer and apparently still not recognizing Levi in the four-eyed blond man. "But to be clear, I won't suck you. I'm not one of those who kneel".

Zeke was almost right next to him. Levi reached to his gun, which was attached to his belt, covered with a gray vest. He turned to Zeke, pointing the weapon at him and frowning.

"It seems to me that this will change today" He drawled icily. "On your knees, fucker. Do it slowly, no sudden movements".

Zeke was completely dumbfounded at first. He widened his eyes, staring at the shorter man and the gun pointed at him. He studied the intruder's face, and finally understanding appeared on his countenance.

"Oh, shit. Ackerman?".

Levi reached for the wig. He pulled it off his head and threw it to the ground. His skin was starting to itch him anyway. He also took the glasses off his nose and put them in his pocket.

"Surprise, you shithead. Now get on your knees because you're under arrest".

Zeke looked at him for a moment, apparently trying to analyze this sudden situation. After a short while his lips stretched in a grim smile. He moved slowly and dropped to one knee, then the other. He reached out and rested his hands on his neck, still watching Ackerman in silence. Levi, also slowly, walked over to Zeke, pulled handcuffs from his back pocket. He stood behind Yaeger, and just then the toilet door opened.

A young couple, a man and a woman, burst in. Only after a few seconds they realized that they were not alone and looked at the scene unfolding before them. Levi hesitated. The appearance of civilians always complicated things, and Zeke immediately took advantage of his hesitation. Yaeger grabbed his arm, pulling Levi's hand as far away from him as possible. Then he got up and slapped the detective in the face with the back of his skull. Ackerman felt his ears ringing, blood dripping from his nose. He blinked, trying to stay clear-minded, and saw Zeke walk past the surprised couple and run from the toilet.

"Fuck!" Levi swore, then ran after Zeke.

He raced through the noisy club, avoiding the half-naked dancers and the customers, who looked surprised. He could see Zeke in front of him, still had a chance to catch up with the man. Yaeger seemed to be heading for the main exit.

"Get out of the way!" Levi growled, bumping into a group of men who stepped aside as they saw the gun in his hand. Ackerman kept running, ignoring the security guard who wanted to stop him. The detective didn't have time to explain himself. He followed Zeke outside, heading towards the parking lot. Fortunately, no one was around. Levi tried to shoot, but Zeke began to dodge between the cars. Ackerman jumped on the hood of one of the vehicles, jumped over to the next one, and it was then that he lunged at Zeke, knocking him to the ground.

Zeke must have expected this, as he immediately grabbed Levi's wrist and started slamming his hand against the bumper of the car they were lying next to. Ackerman hissed softly in pain and dropped his gun, his glock rolled a few yards away. Zeke smiled, but his joy didn't last long, Levi sit on him and punched him in the face, wiping a nasty smirk off his lips.

Yaeger didn't stay idle. He grabbed Levi's shoulders, pulling him closer and hitting his face against the detective's. Ackerman saw the stars once again that evening. His grip loosened, Zeke throw the man off of himself and rose to his feet. He immediately reached for something hidden in his back pocket. It was a folding knife. He swung at Levi, forcing him to jump back.

Ackerman looked sideways to locate his gun. However, he quickly shifted his eyes back to Zeke, who attacked him again. Levi dodged, but was a fraction of a second late. His left arm stung with pain where Zeke's knife had scratched him. Levi gritted his teeth as he considered his next move, as if in a game of chess.

When Yaeger attacked him again, Ackerman managed to grab the man's wrist, which he squeezed with all his might, trying to immobilize him. He undercut Zeke's leg with his right foot, making the blond man lose his balance. Zeke, however, grabbed Levi's shoulder, pulling him to the ground with him. They fell heavily, hitting each other with fists and kicks. The hand Zeke was holding the knife in was still immobilized by the detective, but Levi felt his own pressure loosen. He had no idea how much more he could last.

Zeke suddenly landed on top. Levi saw a scary, bloody smile as well as glittering eyes behind broken glasses. Ackerman felt himself starting to weaken. The knife blade was getting closer to his chest. Levi's eyes narrowed, it seemed there was nothing else he could do. The triumph appeared in Zeke's gray eyes...

It was then that Levi put into his gesture all the remaining energy he had left. He deliberately let Zeke think he was running out of strength. He twisted the man's wrist, turning the blade toward Zeke. Yaeger screamed as the knife plunged into his body. It wasn't a deep cut, but Levi guessed it must have hurt like hell.

Zeke jumped back, Levi stood up as well. They looked at each other, panting heavily. Blood was leaking from Levi's nose, as from the scratch on his arm. Zeke, on the other hand, was bleeding from a split lip and from the wound Levi had just inflicted on him. They stared at each other without blinking an eye.

"You're not gonna start crying this time, are you? Won't you run to mommy?" Levi asked, referring to the situation from the man's last arrest. In his head, he was already preparing for the next attack. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his weapon, glistening in the twilight, lying on the ground a few yards away.

Zeke smirked.

"You liked my little show, huh?" Zeke asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You're not getting away this time" Levi muttered, then froze. A female silhouette emerged from among the cars. One of the club's employees, apparently. She was walking unevenly, she must've been under the influence of alcohol or some other substances.

At the sight of two men standing still, she also stopped. Unfortunately, quite close to Zeke.

"Oh... Another fight?" She asked, then folded her arms over her chest. "You, men, are all the same…".

Suddenly the woman screamed in surprise. Zeke pulled her close to him and put the knife to her throat.

"Not a single step, Ackerman. You have to let me go, otherwise this cutie will die. You're not gonna let a civilian be murdered, hm?" Yaeger asked, smiling hideously. The girl paled, apparently quickly regained mind's sobriety.

Levi reluctantly took a step back.

"Fine. Just let her go".

Zeke started slowly backing towards the car in which he apparently came here, all the while holding the trembling woman in his embrace. Once he was at his vehicle, he opened the door and got inside. Only then he released his hostage, gave Ackerman one last look, and drove away.

Levi wasn't going to leave it like that. He bent to get the gun, then run to his car, which was standing a bit away. He didn't bother to check if the woman was okay, she looked fine. Levi started the engine and immediately left the parking lot. Fortunately, the streets were empty at this hour. In the distance he saw a car, which was driving like crazy. It had to be Zeke. Levi floored it beyond the speed limit.

He reached for the police radio, wanting to send a message right away, but for some reason it wouldn't start. He cursed loudly, mentally cursing his service vehicle, wondering what else would go wrong tonight. The previous car didn't cause him such problems. He pulled out his phone and called Erwin. At least it had coverage after all.

"I'm following Zeke down the South Avenue, we're about to pass the flyover. Send the police cars, do you hear me?".

"Levi, are you kidding me?!" Smith's voice rang in the receiver. "You're following Zeke...? And you're alone? Stop it, right now!".

"Do what I say, damn it! We're heading towards Stohess. Over and out!"

Levi broke the connection and tossed the phone aside, concentrating on driving. They were already on the outskirts of town. Zeke suddenly turned into a side street. Levi followed him, but at one point he slowed down, almost hitting some stray mutt. He let the dog run, then started, returning to its previous speed.

"Fuck!" He swore as he lost sight of Zeke's car. He continued on driving through unfamiliar alleys, glancing side to side. Yaeger had to be here, he couldn't get away. He couldn't let him slip away again...

And suddenly he found him. No, that wasn't correct, because it was rather Zeke who found him. Levi only managed to widen his eyes as Yaeger's car emerged around the bend. Two vehicles crashed into each other. The deafening clunk of bending metal and breaking glass filled the air. The world turned upside down, or so Levi saw it. His car overturned, he had no idea how many times it turned on its own axis before it came to a stop. The seat belts held him in place.

Levi passed out for a moment. He regained the consciousness when he heard footsteps. The footsteps he didn't want to hear. Ackerman groaned in pain, his whole body ached. He opened his eyes with difficulty and saw that he was still at his seat, but it looked a little strange, because he was upside down.

Suddenly he heard a soft click. Somebody just unbuckled his seat belts. Then someone's strong hands pulled him out of the car. Levi tried to look around. His head was spinning. Finally, he managed to focus on the sight in front of him. It was Zeke's bloody face. The man smiled broadly at him once again that evening.

"You're mine, Ackerman" Yaeger muttered, and then Levi stopped hearing anything.