AN: I apologize for how late this chapter is. I came down with a severe, unexpected case of writer's block. Special thanks to GodzillaFollower1998 for helping me out of my funk with the intro scene..
Before we get started, I have to say something else: wow. Over 500 reviews, over 500 followers, and close to 500 favorites. This is incredible, and I can't thank you enough for sticking with me this long. I don't know if I'll ever reach 1000 reviews on this story, but… that would be cool, too. In the meantime, enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 56: Divide to Conquer
Eren rubbed his brow, irritated. He felt he had just witnessed something incredibly important, flashing before his eyes like sunlight off glass, but it had slipped through his hands. Whatever, though. That wasn't important. What was important was how he had failed, for the nth time. He couldn't master hardening in his Titan form, at all if Hanji's words were to be believe. Yet again, he had failed to stand on his own feet when he really needed to.
But there was something else as well. Eren might not be book smart, but he wasn't stupid. He had noticed a subtle shift in Hanji's demeanor, only when she was speaking to him. There was some intangible something behind her eyes, an odd hesitance. Like something she wanted to say but couldn't. It irritated him as much as it worried him. What could be so bad that Hanji, chatterbox of the Scouts, wouldn't tell him?
"I haven't seen you that deep in concentration since you tried to figure out the ODM gear in Training," the voice of his friend noted. He didn't even realize Armin entered the room until he spoke.
It was so sudden that Eren jolted like a startled rabbit. "Armin," he muttered, trying for a smile in greeting but couldn't make it come for his face.
"Hey," the blond greeted, looking more than a little concerned for his well-being. "What's wrong, Eren?"
Eren heaved a sigh. "You saw me out there. I failed. Again." There was no point trying to evade Armin, frightfully insightful as he was. "I couldn't harden my Titan. I'm still weak, too damn weak to make a difference. Not like Annie or Dillon..."
"That's not true, Eren," he chided quietly, taking a seat next to him. "You were the one who sealed the hole in Trost, and you were the one that helped us all escape when the enemy captured you."
"Two instances, Armin, far between each other as well. And both times, I needed help and got the rest of you in danger. In Trost, I almost killed Mikasa. And with Reiner and Bertholdt, Commander Erwin lost his arm and-" Pain twisted his lungs, leaving him momentarily breathless. "Hannes. He died protecting me, because I wasn't strong enough."
"I wasn't strong enough to save our friends when they needed us," Armin reminded him, remembering that horrible day. "Nac, Mylius, Mina... I froze in the thick of it."
Each name may as well have been a knife, stabbing into his heart. "And why did that happen to begin with?" Eren said darkly. "Because I ran out there like a maniac, when I should have been leading our Squad. Their deaths are on me, Armin, not you. I should have known better, but as usual, I didn't think."
"It's easy to dwell on these things, but if we keep doing that, we'll never look forward," Armin said, putting his hands together. "Just because you can't harden doesn't make you any less useful."
"Does it?" Eren asked, voice bleak. Again, he thought of the things hidden away in Hanji's expressive eyes.
Armin paused for a moment. "This doesn't really have to do with the experiment yesterday, does it?"
Eren considered his response carefully. Armin was his best friend and he trusted him with his life. This was an undisputed fact that would never waver. But Armin was also irritability careful when it came to speaking about matters he considered sensitive, everso loyal to the chain of command that gonvered their lives. He also, like many others, tended to walk on eggshells with speaking to Eren, even though he should know he's never harmed his friend, nor would he. He sighed, deciding to take the plunge: "I'm being lied to, Armin."
"Y-You are?" he asked, shocked that he would even consider such a thing. Clearly, he didn't expect that from him.
"It's Hanji, and Captain Levi. Maybe even Commander Erwin, I don't know." Eren huffed a terse sigh, irritation flickering in his breastbone. "I can see it in their eyes whenever they're speaking to me, especially Hanji. It's like… like they're worried about something."
"I have noticed something like that." Armin glanced away to avoid eye contact. "Ever since they interrogated Annie... she told them something, but none of us know what."
"I bet Dillon knows." A dark scowl etched itself into Eren's face. "They know something and they're keeping it from us. No. They're keeping it from me. Like they're afraid I'll go on a rampage or something."
"Maybe they're waiting for the right time to tell you." Playing devil's advocate probably wouldn't help matters, but Armin had to try for his friend's sake.
"But we don't have time, Armin!" Eren exclaimed in a burst of frustration. "Who knows when Reiner or Bertholdt come back, or that Beast Titan guy? Hell, what if another Elise shows up? Am I supposed to sit on the sidelines and do nothing?!"
Armin raised his hands in defense. "Wait a minute. No one said anything about sidelining you, Eren. You think that they would do that to you?"
"Why wouldn't they? They have Annie and Dillon. The former can hardened far better than I can and the latter has powers that make my Titan abilities look like a joke! I'm unstable! I screw up! It's obvious who more reliable!"
Armin paused to consider his words carefully. He knew damn well what Eren was going through, this sense of inferiority. He let out a sigh and said, "The only reason Annie is reliable is because they forced her to be. Dillon is still on the fence, as far as they are concerned, as to whether he can handle things in the future. Yes, you don't have a firm grasp of your Titan yet, but I know you have it in you. You took down the Armored Titan. You constantly put Annie on the defensive. You're the strongest of them all "
Eren scowled, looked down as his balled hands. "Then why do I keep screwing up? Why does nothing I do go right?"
"Because you're human." It was a simple answer, but it was the best answer. "We succeed, we fail, and that's life in a nutshell. Look at the Scouts. 57 failed Expeditions and they have barely anything to show for it. It's demoralizing for sure, but they never stopped trying. Neither should you, Eren."
His green eyes refused to face the blue ones of his friend. "You know something? They haven't spoken to me since the Expedition. Gunther, Petra, Eld, they all just… left me in the dust without a word. They only cared because I was useful to them. Now? I'm not worth it."
Whatever Armin was going to say was halted by the gentle knock on the door. "Hey, guys? There's another meeting about to start in the dining room. You need to be there."
"Thanks, Connie," the blond replied, hiding his annoyance that their talk was cut short. "Come on, Eren."
Reluctantly, the Shifter forced himself to his feet and followed Armin out of the room. It came to no one's surprise that Mikasa was waiting on the other side of the door eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Eren-" she started.
"Not now," he growled, brushing past her rudely.
Armin threw her an apologetic look as they quietly filed out towards the meeting.
As per the usual things had been for the large crowd of Scouts, they all gathered inside the dining room to hear the news. Once everyone was situated, their eyes locked onto the woman that called this meeting. It had been a long time since anyone had seen Hanji with a solemn expression. "I just came back from Trost. Minister Nick… he was murdered."
The group was taken aback. Sure, none of them actually cared for the head Wall Worshipper, but to hear that their enemies managed to get him was astonishing.
"His body was beaten and cut up. His throat was slit. I… I thought I had everything under control," the Section Commander lamented. "A different District with a different identity. I wasn't careful enough. Something slipped through the cracks."
"Can't anticipate every outcome," Levi replied with a slight tone of sympathy. It was unusual, coming from him. "He was tortured to death, so that narrows down the suspects considerably."
"He was murdered by the Interior MPs," Hanji stated, a dark look crossing her features before aiming it directly at Dillon. "Tell me everything you know about them."
The blacksmith was more than a little uncomfortable being singled out, and he wasn't looking forward to admitting the truth. "Only the parts that are common knowledge. They're a faction that works far closer to the government than the regular MPs. If they're involved, that means the government is making its move against us now."
"I'm surprised it took this long," Armin admitted. "With everything that's gone on, I thought they would've made their move sooner."
Levi took a long sip of his tea before speaking again. "It's no coincidence they waited this long. Public opinion of the Scout Regiment is lower than ever before. Allying with the Female Titan, losing the other Shifters, the high casualty rate? It all adds up in the end. Now, they can decimate us for the good of the people."
"Why haven't they?" Gunther wondered. "I mean, why not launch a full scale assault on us and wipe us off the face of the country?"
"My guess is that they don't want to risk getting their asses kicked by our resident Shifters," Hanji answered. "Except for the eyes, guns are useless against Titans."
"Something doesn't make sense," Dillon muttered, getting their attention. "We know the truth about Marley, Eldia, and everything else." He ignored the dark look Eren sent his way. "We sent that information to Zackley, who probably informed the government. What's the point of coming after us?"
"Historia is the missing piece of this long-winded puzzle," Levi explained, eyeing said blonde. "There's something about you, about your family they don't want us to know. That's why Nick was tortured." He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "Hanji, how many nails did he have left when you saw him?"
The Section Commander recoiled slightly, but she gathered herself in an attempt to remember. "I didn't get a good look, but I do remember the nails on one of his hands were gone."
"People who talk would do so after losing their first fingernail," Levi pointed out to his confused comrades. "Ripping off more won't do a damn thing. I'm impressed. Didn't think much of the Wall Worshipper, but he stuck to his guns. That means they have no idea we know about the Reiss family. Doesn't change the fact we have a target on our backs."
"There's more," Hanji interjected, pulling a letter out of her jacket. "An MP gave this to me to give to Dillon. It's from Supreme Commander Zackley."
The Psion's jaw fell open. "He responded to my message? What does it say?"
'"Mitras Cafe. 10:00 tomorrow morning. Make link when you see me,"' she read aloud.
"He wants you in the heart of all this crap?" Jean asked. "That's suicide."
"It's not like he can take a stroll to Scout HQ these days," Dillon pointed out, considering his options. "Jean's right, though. This could be a setup, but he might have crucial information we need."
"It's a gamble. You have to decide if it's worth it or not," Levi stated. "If you go, you're on your own. We can't extract you if you're arrested. Staying here ensures you'll have more protection, but all the information you could get will be gone."
Dillon stared at the table intently, weighing each outcome. This is what he wanted, what he needed, but they were right. This whole thing reeked of a trap. Still, there were answers Zackley had, things that were important to him whether it benefited the Scouts or not. He let out a sigh and said, "I'll go."
Levi remained neutral as he glanced at Annie. "You'll probably do it regardless, but go with him. If things get dicey, do whatever's necessary to get back here."
Annie nodded. "I'll make sure we return alive."
Suddenly, the door slammed open. "Captain Levi, sir!" Nifa greeted, handing him a letter. "I went to inform Commander Erwin on what happened to Pastor Nick and he gave me this message to give to you."
Levi took one look at it and gave an immediate order. "Clear out. Leave no trace that we were here."
For two hours straight, each and every Scout worked their asses off to destroy every piece of evidence of their existence. Burning documents, clearing up any footprints, and any sort of cleaning they could do to aide in the process. While this was going on, Levi took the owner of the house aside to speak with him.
"This house is registered in your name," he began. "They're coming for you no matter what happens."
The discharged Scout chuckled darkly. "Let them try. I've got a few rounds with their names on them."
Levi let out a sigh. "John, you know how this is all gonna end."
"I know," the man replied, "and I'd rather die as a soldier than rot in a cell while they torture me for information. They won't take me alive, Captain. You have my word. It's the least I can do."
He clapped the legless man on his shoulder. "Give them hell, John Drytenhold."
John smirked. "Yes, sir."
As the sun set in the distance, the MPs finally came on horseback armed to the teeth. The leader in charge of this squad ordered the door to be broken down, but the second that occurred, the first MP that entered lost the back of his head.
"Come and get me, assholes!" John crowed, reloading his rifle for another shot.
Two more MPs returned fire, hitting the man square in the chest. He fell out of his wheelchair and slumped to the ground lifelessly.
"There could be more of them here," the squad leader stated. "Secure the area!"
In the far distance, the Scouts stood on a hill that overlooked their former hiding place. Some held onto their horses, others carried armfuls of whatever they could get from the house. Those that didn't fit either categories were relegated to keeping watch with spyglasses.
"It's not gonna take them long to pin that death on us," Connie said nervously. "The country's gonna eat us alive."
"They would've gone after us anyways," Moblit pointed out. "For all we know, that's one less MP we have to deal with in the future."
Jean scoffed, but he didn't dignify that statement with a response.
Armin finally let out a breath. "That was too close. How did Commander Erwin know they were coming?"
"The government passed out a new order," Levi explained. "All Scout activities outside the Walls are to be frozen until further notice, and, conveniently, we've been ordered to hand over Eren, Annie, Dillon, and Historia."
The four people in question stiffened, glancing at each other. The idea of being in the custody of the corrupted government made them rather take their chances with the Titans.
"We're the best chance we have towards freeing this country, and they want to lock us away?" Eren demanded. "That's completely insane!"
"It gets worse," Nifa added sorrowfully. "After I left Erwin, Commander Nile Dok of the MPs seized him."
A dark look once again graced Hanji. "Those bastards are treating him like a common criminal."
"They're bringing the fight out in the open," Levi responded. "We drew first blood, so it's only gonna get worse from here. They don't want us knowing the truth about Historia no matter the cost."
"If Annie and I are now on their wanted list, we shouldn't go to Mitras," Dillon said, shaking his head. "We get spotted, we'll be arrested before we can even blink."
"Not if we sneak in," Annie pointed out, handing the reins of her horse to Armin. "There are holes in their security that we can exploit, especially if we're in disguise. I've done it before, but we'll have to leave now."
"You two do what you have to do," Levi said. "In the meantime, we'll be taking Eren and Historia to Trost."
Moblit raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Nick was murdered there. How will it be any safer for them?"
"It's because of his murder that they'll be safer," the captain explained. "The head of the Church was killed in their territory. They'll be in a panic, making it easy for us to slip in. If things go to hell…" He opened his cloak slightly to reveal the ODM gear he had hidden. "...that's where this comes in. There are bound to be eyes everywhere, so we're gonna draw some of them out of hiding."
Hanji nodded in agreement. "Alright, Moblit and I will head for the Interior to check up on Erwin. Keiji, Goggles, Nifa, I need you three to keep tabs on those MPs down there. Unless it's absolutely necessary, do not engage."
"Yes, ma'am," the three replied with a salute.
"The rest of you are with me," Levi said once she was done. "We'll finalize the plans for tomorrow and get some rest. We have a busy day coming up."
Once another "Yes, sir!" was chorused, Annie cleared her throat. "Captain, I need to speak with you alone."
Levi followed her a slight distance away from the others, his dark eyes on her. "Make it quick."
"I believe I know why the government is after Historia," she said after taking a breath. "Her family is the true family that rules this country."
He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "And what makes you think that?"
"Marleyan intelligence told us the bearer of the Coordinate would be the ruler of Paradis," Annie explained. "When it didn't show up when we smashed open the gates, I infiltrated the Interior to find out where the ruler was. I first suspected the Reiss family, but, as you know, most of them were wiped out. Now that Historia is said to be the key to all this and the government is hellbent on taking her… there's only one explanation. She's the illegitimate heir to the throne."
The captain didn't speak for a moment as if trying to determine if Annie was being honest or lying through her teeth. Her words made logical sense, and they explained everything. "I'll take your theory under serious consideration," he promised. "In the meantime, focus on not getting caught tomorrow. We need all the soldiers we can get."
Meanwhile, Dillon approached his best friend, noticing his scowl. "Something bothering you, Jean?"
"I joined the Scouts to fight Titans," his fellow brunet responded bitterly. "Not to fight against other people."
The blacksmith winced at the thought. "I know this situation isn't ideal, but we have no choice."
Jean chuckled mirthlessly. "It's always that way, isn't it? No choice but to fight Titans. No choice but to fight other humans. Gets really annoying after a while. Is it so bad I just want to have the option to stay out of it?"
"If you wanted that lifestyle, you should've joined the Garrison," Eld, having heard the conversation, cut in. "You knew the risks, so don't start falling apart now."
Jean glowered at the man, but he held his tongue.
"Hey, Hanji!" Eren called out suddenly before she left. "While I was recovering, I remembered a conversation that happened between Ymir and Bertholdt." He handed her a hastily-scrawled note. "I think this is important."
The Section Commander quickly pocketed it. "Thanks. I'll look at it later."
Eren knew he shouldn't have taken it personally, but to see Hanji just brush him off as she and Moblit rode to the Interior made him feel worse.
"We have leave, too," Annie announced, approaching her boyfriend. "Let's go."
"Good luck, everyone," Dillon said as he mounted his steed.
The group split off in various directions to complete their respective tasks. Every day, more so than ever, had to count. With the government bearing down on them, there would be no place to hide. They all knew what had to be done, and it would take them all to a darker place. The only thing that kept them going was that it was for the sake of this country.
AN: First off, I'm sorry for cutting out the conversation between Eren and Historia, but considering everything that's been said, she would just be repeating herself.
Now then, focusing on Eren's personal issues was something I wanted to do, but I couldn't figure out how to do the scene justice. Hence why GodzillaFollower got involved as Eren. The scene turned out far better than my previous attempts.
John Drytenhold is the OC of my first co-writer, Steel. He helped me lay the foundation of what my story is today. I couldn't have gotten to this point without him.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to your reviews, and I will see you all in the next one.
