Recap:
As their limp body dropped from my sight, a panicked shout cut through my concentration.
"Hanji-san!"
As I stumbled onto an empty wooden platform, I whirled around and tried to squint through the smoke. No luck. Hanji remained out of my sight. I cursed loudly.
"Where the hell are you, Hanji?" I muttered, eyes still darting the area.
"She's in hell."
My eyes shot open at this whisper above me. I leapt to my left and into empty air, drifting into the smoke cover. Twisting my torso, I watched in what seemed like slow motion as two thick bullets ripped the wooden planks into shreds. Glancing up, the MP hung above on the pillar, making a face of displeasure as their eyes searched for me. Adrenaline and anger boiled over me and I angled my hips upwards to shoot an anchor in that direction. By sheer luck, it pierced through a fleshy palm and pinned it to the crystal behind them. Red painted over their shotgun and dripped to the cavern floor. A scream tore out of their lungs and their unharmed hand clutched at the anchor, frantic to pull it out. Pinning another anchor to the other side of the MP, I reeled myself up to them, gas pouring behind me. My teeth ground together and my fingers tightened around my blades, an image flashing behind my eyes.
Hanji – unconscious and bloody, lying helplessly on the cold icy ground. I needed to get to her, and fast.
I uttered one sentence as I practically shoved myself into the MP's personal bubble and slashed a blade across their neck.
"No, you're going to hell."
As the body went limp, I released the anchor, ignoring the dripping blood. The smoke continued to obliviously move around us and I spied Armin on the ledge, still shooting spare signal flares.
"Armin! To your 45! Give me Hanji's position!" I yelled. The boy didn't even flinch before shouting back to me.
"Down to your 110! Sasha, cover Leader Hazura!"
"Go!" signalled the brunette archer, nocking in a new arrow.
I dived at her cue, narrowing my eyes against the black air particles. As the ice floor met my vision, Hanji was just to my right, a silent green ad brown figure. I nudged my 3DMG and landed closer, rushing over to her the second my boots hit the ground.
My bubbly scientist friend was in a bad state, face down and a small pool of blood steadily growing around her shoulder area. I grunted as I fell to my knees and slid the last 2 metres to her. Grabbing her arm, I flipped her over, not a sound coming out from her. She must have been knocked out. I swore under my breath and managed to snake an arm around her waist. Groaning, I shakily stood up, basically carrying a heavy weight with one arm, the other hand occupied with a sword. The familiar pop of a signal flare caught my ear and a blast of green smoke erupted into my face. Taking the hint, I dragged Hanji over to different location, just as two bullets tore through the smoke and splintered the glass floor where we just were.
"Fuck! Urgh, Hanji, help me out here." I grumbled and managed to heaving her onto my back. Looping her heavy arms over my shoulders and through my 3DMG straps, I barely secured her before Armin's voice pierced the air.
"Leader Hazura, get moving!
"Roger!" and triggered my gas. The both of us shot up back into the safety of the air and I swung us back over the entrance. Steve rushed to meet us, quickly and efficiently taking Hanji off my back.
"Military Police, fall back! We'll regroup at the final defense!" yelled a female voice. An echo of reeling wires retreated further into the cave as the MPs ran from the fight.
Silence soon over took our side of the cavern, save for distant talking and Hanji's groans as she slowly came back into consciousness. As the smoke finally cleared and settled, the far end of the cave was revealed. It opened into yet another crystal area, but the entrance had been blocked by a sturdy net, the holes small enough to prevent us fitting through.
"Levi!" I called. At his name, the whole squadron came flying back and we had a quick survey of the situation.
"We're out of signal flares so if they come back, we're in for it." Sasha piped up.
"Doesn't matter, they've got bigger things to defend. They won't be coming back anytime soon." Levi waved off the issue. "We need to get into the next cavern. No doubt that's where they're holding Eren and Historia."
"They've blocked the entrance with a net. There's no way we can get through without taking some shots." Mikasa came back from her impromptu scouting, landing expertly next to the Captain.
"The number of MPs left shouldn't be a problem, so the whole team doesn't have to go in. Just enough to cover the 2 coming out and to guard the main group. Hanji has to be escorted out."
"Steve, how was the situation with back stabbers?" I turned to my team member.
"We had a couple come in from behind. No idea if there's any left."
"Medical supplies?"
"Are stashed away with the horses. We'll have to get Hanji patched up as best as we can and as soon as we can."
"Tch. Righ-"
Levi was interrupted by a deep rumble coming from further in the cave, followed shortly by a massive crack running along the entire ceiling of the cavern. Levi and I swapped looks as the entire ground began to shift and sharp white light reflected into the area.
"Urgh!" I shrieked and my eyes instantly squeezed shut against the blinding light.
A shiver ran down my spine as the familiar roar of a Titan echoed through the air, strong enough to rattle the stray ice shards scattered across the ground.
Not good.
A huge gust of wind tore through the underground, threatening to toss us across the floor.
"Anchor!" ordered Levi and we all automatically shot out our claws, their metal jaws digging into our surroundings.
"Captain!" Armin yelled and we all opened our eyes against the onslaught to see what the cadet was yelling about. I followed his pointing arm – to what could be the best find of all. A small hole, big enough for a person to crawl through, leading into what looked like a tunnel heading into the depths of the ice cave.
"We'll split!" the Captain began barking commands over the sound of rushing air and a roaring Titan. "Armin and Steve, get Hanji out of here! Hazura, go with them and make sure there aren't any strays crawling around! The rest of you, with me!"
I grimaced at the order but agreed nevertheless. We didn't have time to argue.
"Yes sir!"