To all readers - a single message. We are back in business! (Also hope that everybody had a wonderful Christmas/holiday and Happy New Year!)
Enjoy!
Recap:
Historia had finally ascended the throne as Queen, and as the rightful heir. As the whole of Humanity celebrated and rejoiced in such an event, Special Ops Squadron Leader Rina Hazura just couldn't catch a break. Last leaving the rest of her team to protect the Doc and an injured Linda back in the Trost district, she received news that her members had disappeared. Sending Steve off first to prepare for the journey, Hazura turned into a puddle of mush as she poured out her heart to the Captain, albeit less romantically than hoped for. With the promise of them later working out what exactly their relationship was to be, Rina left with Steve, to find the rest of their team.
Steve and I left immediately after, swinging onto our horses and riding like hell out of there. Bursting out of the district gates and into the usual farmland, we began our journey over to Trost. The severity of the situation kept us quiet.
"So, you and Captain Levi, huh?"
For a bit anyway.
A slight blush crawled up my cheeks and I decided to keep quiet and hold my peace.
"You two make a cute couple."
At this, I raised an eyebrow and glanced over at him. Levi. And I. Cute?
He made a face at the realisation.
"Fine, not cute. The Captain would have killed me if he heard that. But you do look good together. It's about time too. Do you know how long we had to watch your banter and teasing and-"
"-Steve."
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
"Yes sir!"
After a long ride, along with plenty of pit stops, Steve and I finally arrived at the infirmary in Trost where had last seen the rest of the team.
"I guess Swan was right about them leaving the infirmary." Steve remarked, carefully stepping into the room. I remained at the door, holding it open with one hand, the other planted on my hip. I grimaced at the scene.
"Linda was badly injured. Something must have scared them good if it made them pick her up and run." Clicking my tongue, I pulled out a blade, just in case.
What if the threat was still around?
Steve followed my suit and together, we cautiously tread through the makeshift infirmary.
"Doesn't look trashed enough for someone to have caught them in here." Steve murmured, glancing around. I hummed in agreement, eyeing the drawers and shelves that were now empty.
"But it does look messy enough for them to have left in a hurry. Shelves and drawers bare. I know we had stocked them up before leaving. Looks like they grabbed all they could and ran, meaning that something spooked them." My grip tightened on my weapon.
Only one thing spooked us enough to go into fight or flight mode. The MPs hunting us.
"How far could they have gotten? Linda wasn't in the best shape last time I checked."
"That will have to be how we find them. It's not every day you see a severely injured soldier travelling with 3 other officers and a doctor. Surely someone saw them."
"Should we head out and start asking around then?" Steve quirked an eyebrow at me in question.
"Let's see if we can get anything here first before leaving. I doubt we'll be coming back to this spot anytime soon."
With a quick nod, Steve headed out into the hallway, probably to another section of the abandoned building. Surveying the room once again, I focused on the bigger picture. Doors relatively undamaged, windows unbroken. So they weren't so much in a rush to break open the doors. Empty drawers were scattered over the ground, cupboard doors hung ajar, shelves empty. Looks like they literally grabbed everything, threw it into a bag and ran.
But from what? Or most likely, from who?
"Damn it." I swore quietly. Steve was right. There was nothing left of value to be discovered here.
"Perhaps we can figure out some tracks outside?"
I glanced over my shoulder at my team member, who was leaning in the doorway. One look at his face said it all and I sighed in defeat.
"No luck for you either?"
He shook his head.
"There's literally nothing left."
I swore colourfully and flicked my head to the outer door.
"After you then. I'll take the south of the building-"
"-and I'll cover north."
Exiting out under the rickety doorway, I scanned down the street. Not surprisingly, it was completely deserted. Most of the townsfolk would be out in the markets or off to work. The kids would be in their schools or out playing in the sunshine. Ignoring the rays beating down from above, I narrowed my eyes at the cobble stoned ground. With the injured Linda and the doc, we could probably make the assumption it was too dangerous for them to use their 3DMG out.
"Hazura!"
Moving instantly at his voice, I hurried over to the opposite site of the building. As I rounded the corner, Steve silently pointed to a spot on the ground. My eyes widened at the colour. Dark red. Following the trail, the red liquid dripped down the street for another 3 metres before it cut a sharp right into a nearby apartment block.
"Linda." I gritted my teeth in frustration and worry. Luckily the Doc was with them, but it wasn't a good sign that she was bleeding out. Steve and I exchanged looks before both gazing at the door.
"Let's see if anyone's at home." With three loud knocks, the door opened slightly to reveal a pale looking women, holding a small child behind her body. Her body language seemed normal for a mother at home, but her eyes told a different story. She was scared shitless for something.
"Hello ma'am." Steve began gently. "We were wondering if you could help us. We're looking for some injured soldiers accompanied by 2 more officers and a doctor. Do you happen to know where they went?" He smiled his best and spoke in a calm manner, extremely different from how loud he usually was. My eyes wandered as he spoke, until a glimpse of the child made me freeze.
"Soldiers? No, I'm sorry. I haven't seen anyone like that around here." With a polite nod, she began to close the door. Until I rudely shoved my boot between it and the door frame. The movement shocked everyone in that group, even myself. However, what I saw would be our ticket in and hell if I was going to let it go.
"Hazura."
"Excuse me?!"
"You." I gestured to the small child hiding behind the woman. All eyes turned to the person in question. "You're the little girl we saved back in Wall Sina."
"Little girl?"
I glanced over at Steve.
"That's how Linda got injured – she took a dive saving this girl from a falling wall. The MPs were shooting up the entire place at the time."
"You're that special leader the nice lady told me about." The young girl stepped out from the lady's shadow and walked right up to me, pushing open the door. My mouth quirked into a confused smile.
"Special leader?"
"The lady said she was in a special group and that you were her leader. So you have to be the special leader, right?"
"Then that would make you a Survey Corps leader?" the older woman creaked the door open wider, gazing at our faces. I raised an eyebrow. Funny how that was the first thing she thought of – unless Linda had been through this way.
"Yes ma'am. I am the Scouting Legions' Special Operations Squadron Leader Hazura. We're trying to track down our fellow soldiers and the blood trail outside took a sharp turn through this door."
"Come in, come in." the lady ushered us in and winking at Steve, I walked inside.
"You couldn't happen to make this nice and quick for us and show us to Linda's room, can you?" Steve teased, closing the door behind him. I shook my head in amusement.
The lady ushered the little girl off and showed us into the kitchen. "Unfortunately no. They said it would be safer if we didn't know where they were going."
"How long ago was this?" I questioned, glancing around subtly.
"About 2 days ago. There was a racket outside on the streets before a group of five came to my door. Of course, I let them in - my family and some of the neighbours around here were providing the medical supplies for you."
I bowed my head in acknowledgement. "And I thank you for that. So what happened then?"
"They stocked up on some supplies before thanking and leaving. The last I saw them, they were heading north, down this street."
"What did they fill up on?" Steve asked, stepping up by my side. The women paused to think.
"A few water sacks, some boxes of dried food and more medical supplies. They also carried two small boxes but I never saw what was inside."
"Dang." I muttered. What the hell was my team carrying that they had to hide it from the world?
If it helps, they had to head to the nearby market street to grab some of those things."
Both Steve and I perked up at the news.
"What?" we chorused.
"I didn't have everything available at the time so two of them left during the evening to go get some things."
"We might get lucky and grab some information there." Steve mused, glancing at me. I agreed and turned to the lady.
"Where?"