Blood curdling screams were heard from the room down the stairs. Pleas of mercy were begged, but not granted. I sat at a table with Connie, Eren, Historia, Armin, Jean and Sasha. Mikasa stood up against the wall with her arms crossed against her chest. Levi and Hanji were downstairs torturing one of the two men that killed Pastor Nick.

"So its started…jeez I thought I was fighting against titans, but now I don't even know who the enemy is. Why did we have to get involved in this?" Jean asked as he placed his face in his hands.

"There's no other choice. If we fail here, humanity will be exterminated by the titans." Eren tried to comfort his friend. "We're doing the Coup D'état. As in the plan devised by the Commander that time…it's not finished yet…maybe."

"We're already considered rebels. What will happen if we fail?" Sasha asked.

"We're going to be hanged in front of everyone." Jean answered.

"It's because we're trying to change a system that's been like this for over a century." Armin began. Everyone turned their heads to face him as he spoke. "There are no precedents, but how about trying to get the people on our side? We could take advantage of the confusion caused by the repeated attacks of the titans. If we manage to rouse the public by shifting the responsibility on the monarchy…it might go well. The only problem is that in that case the public will be put in danger too and lives might be lost. I guess it can't be helped, since it's for the sake of humanity. We should cause a significant accident and make it sound as if it was caused by the monarchy of the brigade. The public will then consider the Survey Corps their saviours. I'm sure it won't be hard to fool the public…shit…just joking." Armin began to awkwardly laugh as he noticed the expression on all of our faces.

"You know…you were soiled after that pervert mocked you." Jean said to Armin.

"No, Armin has always been good at coming up with gloomy makeshift measures." Eren interjected.

"I don't remember raising him like that." Mikasa mumbled to herself.

"But…we're already criminals. Our current opponent is not someone that we must kill in order to avoid being eaten. They're enemies because they have different ideas or even just because they belong to different Corps. From now on we might have to kill someone just because of that. We're not good people anymore." Armin finished his train of thought.

"You're good people who have to make difficult decisions." I said. Everyone's eyes in the room looked at me and I realized that I wasn't looking at soldiers. I was looking at children. They were all good kids and they weren't prepared for what was going to come, but I didn't want them thinking that they were bad people because in my heart I knew they weren't. "I can't tell you if what we're doing is right and I know you want me to by the looks on your faces, but I just can't because I don't know that answer myself. What I do know is that I want to build a better world for humanity and I'll help do that by any means. However, that doesn't make me or you bad people. These are difficult decisions, but this is the path we've decided to walk, so we'll do it together."

"Be careful." I mumbled as I stood in front of Levi with my hood up. Levi was leaving with Hanji's squad members to follow Eren and Historia. Eren and Historia were placed in the hands of Dimo Reebs as planned, so he could hand them over to the Central Military Police, but shortly after the exchange – the members of the Reebs Company and was there were killed. We had received a tip that they took the two to a funeral parlour and were going to transfer them soon. Then the rest of us would follow on our horses to where they are being taken. However, Levi wasn't allowed to be on the ground with us because pamphlets were circulating with his face on it.

"People will recognize you, so you should stay at the back of the formation." He told me.

"No. I'll lead the squad like I said." I shook my head.

"You know you're putting yourself at greater risk that way. Men will recognize you."

"I know, but I'll be careful and I'll protect them." I told him.

"It's those damn eyes of yours. No wonder people recognize you." I cocked an eyebrow as I smiled at him.

"Is that a compliment?" I teased him. He sighed before turning around.

"Like I would ever compliment you." He said before taking off onto the roof and leaving me there. I sighed before placing my hand over the spot Isobel's pendant dangled underneath my clothing. She always looked trouble right in eye and I was going to do the same thing. I began to walk back to where the rest of our squad was waiting, but I stopped before I turned the corner when I heard Sasha say,

"Even though he was so accommodating towards the Reebs company! What he did scared the life out of Historia…he must want to do the same once she becomes queen, so that she would still obey his every command!" Sasha was making reference to the previous night when Levi picked up Historia by her collar and yelled at her to make a choice before dropping her on the floor.

"When it come down to it…I don't want to join any group that acts violently like this. The me back then…I sacrificed myself because I wanted to save humanity." Jean said. I then decided to round the corner and make my presence known.

"Ryder…" Connie said my name as Sasha and Jean looked at me with wide eyes.

"You may not agree with what Levi did, but that does not mean you should be speaking ill of your captain. He has done everything and sacrificed much to get us to where we are. You haven't seen what us veterans have seen, so I don't expect you to understand, but if you're having second doubts then I suggest you leave. Turn around and walk away now because the last thing we need are people who will not put their all into this." They didn't make eye contact with me. They all looked towards the ground and avoided my gaze as I walked towards my horse. "Now, let's get ready."

We all climbed on our horses and got in position. We waited where we would see the caskets that were carrying Eren and Historia pass by. Suddenly, the sound of gunshots rang through the air and they were coming from the direction that Levi was in.

"It's gunfire!" Sasha began to freak out form behind me. "Listen! Numerous shots!"

"Sasha, calm down. Since Levi and the others were discovered we have to change strategies like we planned." I instructed the group. I looked at Armin and nodded my head. He was the only levelheaded one here at the moment. My mind continued to think about the possibility that they had caught Levi, but I couldn't get distracted. We must go forward.

"The gunfire is getting closer!" Sasha informed us.

"The gunfire if getting closer?" Jean asked.

"They couldn't come after us when we have 3D Maneuver Gear while firing guns…unless…" My train of thought continued to work as I thought of the possibilities.

"Plus, the Military Police shouldn't be able to keep up with the Squad Leader and the others." Jean said.

"The casket! They're coming!" Armin said from his spot on the wagon. Then we all began to move forward as we followed the casket, but they Levi appeared from above and was being followed by other men that had 3D Maneuver Gear on.

"They have 3D Maneuver Gear? With guns attached?" I was in shock by seeing this new technology in front of me. We watched as Levi went for the guy that was directly behind him and slashed him with his blade. Levi then moved to the left and began to lower himself. "It's a signal. Go left." I instructed Armin and the others. Levi landed on the wagon and informed us to,

"Stop following the casket wagon. Our movements have been seen through. Let's give up on Eren and Historia for now. Their aim is to use the two of them as bait to lure out the remaining Survey Corps members, and kill them all here. I'm sure enemies are lying in wait ahead as well." Levi turned around to Armin, "Armin, aim for the closest level ground from the left."

"Yes."

"Sasha and Connie, lead the horses."

"Yes!"

"Jean, return gunfire from the roof racks."

"Understood."

"Mikasa and Ryder, you'll support the escape with your 3D Maneuver Gear."

"Got it." I said.

"What do you plan to do about Eren and Historia?" Mikasa asked.

"We'll have to find them by other means. Of course, that's if we're able to leave this place alive. When you can kill the enemy, kill. Understood?"

"Understood." Mikasa said.

"Squad leader! They're coming! Several from the right side!" Armin yelled. I ripped off my cloak and passed my reigns over to Sasha before jumping off my horse and flying in the air with my gear. One man came towards me and aimed his gun. The shot went off and I moved downwards before propelling myself upwards and slamming my blades through his torso. As his body fell, I heard someone yell my name,

"Ryder!" I turned around at the perfect second to see that another man was about to shoot me from behind from a close range, but I swung my blade and pressed the button to allow it to fly out of my handle and straight into his forehead. I watched as another body fell towards the ground. As I looked around I noticed that Levi and Mikasa had taken care of the men that they had. I flew down into the cart and saw Jean staring down at the body with wide eyes. I picked up the woman who was killed and threw over the side.

"Just keep looking forward." I said to Jean as Armin continued to ride forward.

Eeeek gonna have to start writing more for this fic since we've already almost caught up to what I've already written! I'll get right on that before my competition this weekend! :D