After yet another journey back to the Wall, I headed straight for the main gate into the District. Relief washed over me as I leapt off Streak and the soreness in my lower back and butt immediately lessened. As predicted, Rand was already there in the office nearby and immediately waved me through. A young Garrison guard came up and I gratefully passed Streak onto him for some food and water. My poor horse needed a break.
"Thanks." I turned to Rand next, my grateful demeanor vanishing. "Who's the leader here for the Garrison?"
"The Garrison commander here is Officer Wallace Rojas."
"First impressions?" I sighed in relief as I stretched my lower half from the cramps of riding constantly.
Rand paused at this question, simultaneously waving in more straggler Survey Corps soldiers as they arrived. Getting a bad feeling from the hesitation, I waited for his answer.
"He seems sensible but is very attached to this part of the city. I overheard that he was born and raised here."
I clicked my tongue.
"Then we might have some problems, depending on what Erwin's plan is."
"How are things with the Titan?"
I ran my fingers through my hair and rolled my neck to release some stiffness.
"It's still moving towards here and there's no stopping it out there. Everyone is heading back here as we speak. Erwin, Levi and Hanji will have more details once they get back with the rest. In the meantime," I shook my arms out to get some energy back into me. "I need to have a chat to this commander."
Following Rand's directions, I refilled my gas tanks and reeled myself up onto the top of the northern Wall. As expected, there was a small group of Garrison guards, with one staring intently into the empty distance. The Titan wasn't close enough to see with the human eye yet, but it wouldn't be long before it could.
"Garrison leader Rojas?"
"It's Commander Rojas, officer." He didn't even turn towards me and continued to gaze into the horizon. I walked up, undeterred.
"Sorry, I only have one Commander and that is Commander Erwin Smith of the Scouting Legions."
At this, he startled and finally whirled around. Short in height, dark hair, a tad of facial hair and a pair of wise eyes. Unfortunately, wise didn't mean he was experienced in the front lines. I saluted politely regardless.
"I am Special Operations Squadron Leader Rina Hazura of the Scouting Legions. I'm sure my fellow soldier, Officer Rand, gave you the basic details."
Rojas stood up a tad straighter, saluted back and looked at me right in the eyes. My respect level for him rose a little at the confidence he displayed. At least he didn't seem like a coward.
"He did. I have my respect for the Survey Corps but I do not see any Titan and it has been some hours since I was told that one was coming."
I tilted my head. "I can assure you – one of unimaginable size is crawling its way here as we speak. The rest of my Survey Corp soldiers will arrive here shortly."
"The city here will provide food and water for all, rest assured, Squad leader Hazura."
"We will also need a private and large room for further discussions on how to deal with this incoming Titan. For a start, I will need you prepare all your soldiers and weapons, and put them on standby."
"All my soldiers?" the calm and collected Garrison lead cracked. He took a step towards me. Three officers nearby tensed at our sudden situation. I raised an eyebrow.
"Is there a problem, sir?"
"Yes, there is a problem. This District is as large as any other and you expect me to gather all my reinforcements and weapons in a couple of hours, to prepare for an attack that is never going to come?"
My eyes narrowed slightly. "As I have said before, a Titan of unimaginable size is heading here and will crush anything in its' path. Is that not enough reason to ready the city for an attack?"
"There are thousands of people here and you want us to prepare the whole District for some…fake attack?"
My blood boiled at the last two words, insinuating that all we had said was a lie. Just because he couldn't see Rod Reiss yet did not mean that the Scouting Legions was lying. The bastard - he must be one of those seeing is believing people. My hands slowly moved to the handles of my swords.
"It takes us days to prepare for an emergency evacuation drill!" Rojas continued, throwing his arm out over the city.
"You idiot!" I growled.
Rojas shrieked and stumbled back as the three Garrison guards pounced on me. Acting in defence, I swiftly pulled out a blade and parried the attack on my right. Leaning, I kicked out to my left and perfectly delivered my boot to someone's abdomen. The soldier skittered across the Wall, away from me. A war cry approached my front, signalling another attack. Grabbing the wrist of the man that had first swung at me, I pivoted on my feet, pulling the first attacker to cover my front. A human shield, if you will. The cry was cut short and I used that split second, releasing the wrist and shoved my boot against their back. Both men collided before toppling into a groaning mess. As I looked up and my eyes focused, Rojas was gone.
"You want days, Rojas?" I called.
A shift of someone's footing behind me, to my slight left and I instinctively spun out of the way. A blade came whistling past, appearing before my face. Both of my hands whipped out, snatching the wrist and twisted sharply. A brief cry of pain and the metallic clang of metal dropping indicated when Rojas was disarmed. Changing my grip and planting my right boot in front of Rojas, I grunted with effort and heaved him over my shoulder. The pure momentum was enough to smash him into the Wall tiles, his breath being effectively knocked out.
My hands now practiced in disarming offenders, they smoothly forced Rojas onto his chest, with an arm pinned behind his back. Pressing a slight pressure to the back of his head with my palm, I made him turn to face the dark horizon. A few seconds passed before a very faint glow appeared in the distance.
Followed by the unmistakable shape of a huge hand lifting from the ground and then dropping from the sky.
The man was smart enough to figure out how big the Titan must be if we could see it from this distance. The Garrison guard leader stiffened underneath me, before breaking out into a shiver. I knelt down closer to him so he could hear me.
"Then you tell me, Rojas. How many days do you think we have left?"