Levi and Eren walked Mikasa to her school at seven, indulging in a little hand holding (both with each other and a delighted Mikasa.) She kissed them both resoundingly (Hange-style) before going in the building—much to everyone's surprise. Mikasa was more of a quiet hugger.

"Damn Hange, influencin' my kid," Levi growled. Abruptly Mikasa stopped, turned and ran back down the steps. She took Levi's hand and stared up at him.

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"Careful of the bad man."

Levi jerked and stared at his daughter as she climbed back up the steps and to the waiting teacher.

"How did she know?"

Eren shook his head. "Maybe it's an Ackerman thing."

Back at the house Levi dressed in his best clothes including the hot dad sweater and a tie. Eren fluttered around nervously.

"So what's the plan? Do I take you to the police station? Which one?" Eren asked.

Levi poked him in the chest with one finger. "You don't do anything. I'm taking the bus. I don't want anybody but me involved. Hans and Mobes will be here later, and will bring Mikasa from school. You take 'Kasa to the playground, maybe buy her some hot chocolate and you wait."

"Wait?! No fair! I'll be sick with worry!"
"So what are you gonna do, dickhead? Go with and hold my hand?"

Eren shoved both hands into his pockets and pouted with as much talent as Mikasa.

"Oh, don't make that face. I'll be OK. Even if they detain me, they'll let me have one phone call," Levi said.

"Promise me you'll call me," Eren said, tugging and smoothing the crimson tie Levi wore. Levi slapped his hands away. "Jesus, I'm going to the police, asshole, not the prom! Settle down, you're starting to make me nervous."

"I'm already worried."

"I understand that but you have to be patient. Be strong for Mikasa, OK?"

A few tears ran down Eren's face. Levi wiped them away with the back of his hand. "It'll be OK. I haven't done anything wrong."

"But … but what if somebody comes after you for sni—snitching?"

"That won't happen. One thing that has protected Kenny all these years is that he never trusted anyone but me to get close to him or learn about the business. There's no one to come after me. His underlings and his enemies both will be thrilled if he goes down."

Eren kissed him several times in quick succession then hugged him. "Be careful."

"I will." He took Eren by both shoulders and held him out at arms length. "Remember. If anything happens, yours and Hange's and Moblit's top priority is Mikasa."

"Oh, Levi!"

"Promise me!"

Eren ducked his head and wiped at tears. "I promise."

Levi took the bus across Shiganshina to the police station that (according to the internet) was closest to Kenny's club and the docks where the job was supposed to go down. He had to walk four blocks from the bus stop and when the police station came into view he hesitated, then stopped. He was breathing hard and it had nothing to do with walking. He put his hand over his heart (was it getting tired?) and tried to calm himself down.

It had been so many years since he'd had to deal with the police. More years than Mikasa had been on this earth. Mikasa, the one person he loved more than anything. Her and Eren and his friends, he amended. He was doing this for them.

He started walking with purpose.

The police station was old and a bit tawdry but it retained some grandeur as it had been built back in the day when government buildings were supposed to inspire awe. The front was supported by four doric columns and Levi passed underneath feeling a bit small.

The inside was a touch more businesslike and bustling with people. There was a bank of four long benches on which sat people, presumably waiting to be helped, and a formidable counter in dark wood stretched across the width of the room. Behind the counter sat a single uniformed officer looking a little harassed. Levi took a deep breath and walked up.

The counter, inexplicably, was about shoulder height on an average man. That put it at chin height on Levi. The officer sat behind it on a tall stool. Irritated, Levi craned his neck to see the officer who never looked up from his computer where he was busily typing.

"I'd like to report a crime."

Without looking, the man extracted a piece of paper from an organizer and slid it across the counter. "Fill out this form and—"

"The crime hasn't happened yet," Levi said.

The officer was immediately on alert. He looked Levi over (presumably for weapons) and Levi held his arms out from his sides helpfully. He tried to look as innocent as possible.

"When and where is this crime supposed to occur?" the officer asked slowly.

"Today, south docks, after six."

The man lifted the receiver of his phone and spoke briefly.

Levi didn't even get a chance to sit down. A small police officer in a plain white button-down and khakis and glasses appeared. She was shorter than him with blonde hair cropped off at chin length. "Hello, sir. Would you like to come with me? I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Am I being detained?"

"Why don't you just answer a few questions first before we start speculating, hmm?"

Levi had hoped to be questioned in a comfortable low-key office somewhere but after several seconds and many twists and turns the officer opened the door to a standard interrogation room.

Levi shrank back. He had bad memories, very bad memories, of these rooms.

"Are you alright, sir?"

"Yes … yes, of course."

Levi suddenly wished Eren was there to hold his hand.

The room was small, maybe twelve feet by twelve feet and had a single wooden table topped with white formica. There were two hard wooden chairs, one on either side of the table. Set into the center of the table was a metal ring. Levi knew that there were matching ones just under the edge of the formica and some on the chair as well. There was even one set into the floor between where his feet would go if he was sitting.

These, of course, were for the chains connected to the handcuffs if they needed to restrain a suspect.

I'm not a suspect. Not yet.

One wall was taken up by an old fashioned chalkboard, the opposite wall was a two-way mirror.

"Who's behind there?" Levi asked.

For a second the officer seemed as if she would lie then she shrugged and said; "My partner, Ian Deitritch. He's just there to record and take notes. Sit down, sir."

Levi sat in the chair with it's back to the two-way mirror and tried not to think about all the metal rings. The woman sat opposite.

"I'm Lieutenant Detective Rico Brzenska, and you, hmm?"

Levi's chin tipped up a bit. "Levi Ackerman."

Detective Brzenska tapped the little tablet she had been carrying. "Hmm. Seems you've met the law before, Mr. Ackerman."

"Yes, when I was very young. I'm a different person now."

Detective Brzenska looked at him for a long moment then back down at her tablet. "We haven't heard from you in … eight years."

"No Ma'am."

"But we have heard from your uncle, Kenny Ackerman. Frequently."

Levi sat forward. "He's why I'm here today."

Hours later, Levi got his one phone call. As promised, he called Eren who was semi-hysterical with worry.

"It's OK. I've not been charged with anything. I'm just being detained. It might be 48 hours. I'll be home soon. I promise."

The officer opened the door to the cell and Levi looked inside. It brought back more bad memories. Due to the building's age, the cells offered little in the way of comfort. It was basically a cinderblock room, painted an off-white, about eight feet by ten, with a cot, a toilet, and a sink. Levi hesitated. He wasn't claustrophobic but he did not want to spend the night in there. He worried about Mikasa and Eren. He worried that if he stepped into that room, he'd never get out.

He stepped in.

The door closed behind him.

Levi felt like screaming.

The cell he was in was actually an isolation cell. As he told Eren, he was simply being detained and had not been charged with anything. Detective Brzenska had had the good grace to not want him to spend the night in a communal cell with the drunks and the disorderlies and end up sleeping on a bench.

Still, it was harrowing.

Someone had left toilet paper, a small hand towel, a washcloth, and sheets, pillowcase, and a blanket. There was that, at least.

Nine o'clock was lights out. Levi laid on the cot in the darkness, fully clothed and on top of the covers, and stared at the ceiling. He may as well have been in the drunk tank; he wasn't getting any sleep that night.