Chapter Eight
Grayish-blue eyes narrow suspiciously as he studies the petite cadet's convulsing form at his feet. Golden blonde locks cling messily to her flushed features as her shoulders rise and fall with the force of her ragged breathing. Annoyance twists the bottom of his lips as he takes in the angry, red marks littered lewdly across her pale neck and breasts where his lips had hungrily suckled her moments earlier. Her trousers hang carelessly below her waist, golden wisps slightly visible above her waistband.
The heat of her kiss still tingles his thin lips, the taste of her skin lingering on his tongue as he reaches to straighten the back of his once-neatly combed hair now standing awkwardly where her hands had slid through earlier. He ignores the painful throb of his traitorous member beneath his black slacks. He stoops to straighten her clothes, disregarding the stinging in his right palm from the time he had slapped the tree trunk behind her in frustration, desperately willing his body to resist.
He freezes a split second before his hand can make contact with her skin once more as he is reminded of the moment he had surrendered control to his own lascivious need. It had been when their eyes had met and he had seen his own shameless lust reflected in her innocent pale blue eyes. He wordlessly retracts his hand with an irritated sigh.
Now what? He wonders, reaching for his rucksack.
"Captain Levi!" Nifa's voice rings out behind him, prompting him to pull a large sleeping bag from his rucksack which he hastily unfurls around Historia's motionless form, shielding her partially-clothed body from view. He turns to face the breathless redhead before moving to rise to his feet. A strange spasm between his legs halts his movements, causing him to stumble backward gracelessly.
Nifa's jaw drops as she watches him warily, unsure of whether to offer him assistance or simply leave him be. Sleet-blue eyes stray to inspect the space between his legs with a baleful glare as he takes in the sizeable bulge of his clothed manhood.
"Tsk!" He hisses beneath his breath, pausing to retrieve his omnidirectional gear from the floor before turning to tuck the edges of the sleeping bag snugly around Historia. Scooping her limp form into his arms, he rises to his feet, holding her in front of him as he walks past Nifa.
"Are you alright, Captain?" Sean asks as he and Eren Jaeger sprint into view. "We heard screaming and raised voices." Doing his best to keep his erection concealed behind Historia's form, Levi gently deposits her onto the forest floor.
"I think she had a nervous breakdown." He overhears Nifa reply in a deeply concerned tone as he turns to walk away, not bothering to correct her.
"Watch her will you?" He calls over his shoulder. "I'm going over there to relieve myself."
"Sir, yes sir!" The three scouts call out in unison with identical salutes. He walks until their voices fade into the background, allowing him to shift his attention towards more pressing matters.
"C-Captain Levi!" He remembers the ragged tone of her voice as his lips had suckled her bosom greedily. His fingers slide his trousers low enough to free his straining organ. Grabbing it firmly in his large, strong hand, he closes his eyes stroking himself harshly towards a rushed finish. Pausing briefly to wipe away the evidence and readjust his clothes, he retraces his steps back towards the group.
I should have burned that fucking diary when I had the chance. He realizes when he notices Historia stirring. While part of him didn't mind searching her groggy form for the salacious memoir in front of the others, he couldn't come up with a discreet way to do so without embarrassing Historia by exposing her partially-naked form to their comrades.
"Captain! She's coming to!" Nifa observes with a relieved smile, leaning forward to inspect the blonde.
"I can see that," he grumbles, trademark scowl firmly in place. "Try not to move around so quickly." He states addressing Historia as he digs out the map of Trost he had been examining earlier. "You suffered a nasty shock just now." He feels Historia's gaze shift towards him as he hands Nifa the folded map with a pointed look. The redhead casts an awkward glance over her shoulder at Sean who shrugs back in response.
"I'm sorry, sir." His scowl deepens as she hesitantly accepts the map. "But is it wise to move her, sir?" When he continues watching her without responding, she offers diplomatically. "I could stay behind with her and move her to the wagon once she's recovered."
Like fuck you are!
"No." He settles for instead, firmly crossing his arms. "The wagon must reach Trost on schedule if we're to slip into the city unnoticed. We can't afford any further delays. She can recover along the way."
"Do you think the coffins spooked her out?" Sean mutters to Eren. The titan-shifter quietly shakes his head in response.
"I don't think we should use them, Captain,"Nifa suggests watching him expectantly.
"It's fine," Historia says softly finally speaking up. His eyes narrow as he notes the movements of her shoulders beneath the mass of her sleeping bag. "Really!"
"Get rid of the coffins." He orders tersely walking away after some thought.
"But—" The blonde protests prompting him to interrupt with a curt response.
"We need you both armed and alert should something go wrong." He leaves her there with the rest as he returns to find the main group watching him warily.
"Is everything alright, sir?" Connie Springer asks as he strides past.
"We're leaving!" The Captain barks in response. Everyone but Mikasa starts slightly at the abruptness of his tone as he mounts his horse without preamble or elaboration.
"Captain!" Mikasa's voice interrupts prompting him to turn toward her with an expectant scowl. "Aren't you forgetting something?" When he arches an eyebrow at her in annoyance, she points towards the blond figure watching them shyly. "'Historia's' supposed to ride with you."
"Since when?" He shoots back with an irritated scowl.
"Since my attachment to Eren is fairly well-known." His grip on his reins tightens considerably as she throws his words from before back at him. "It seems pretty obvious that Eren would ride with me."
"Kirchstein's too big to ride with you." Something closely resembling amusement briefly twists the younger Ackerman's lips as she bites back a jab at his height with seemingly great difficulty.
Cheeky brat. She's trying to get back at me for keeping her from Jaeger.
"With all due respect, sir—" He abruptly turns his horse around, cutting her off before she can finish. Armin jumps slightly as he halts directly in front of him. Levi reaches down to help the blond unto the horse before taking off.
"Is everything alright, sir?" Armin asks quietly as he adjusts his grip around Levi's waist.
"Do you feel it too?" Levi asks shifting slightly to meet the blond's gaze and instantly regretting it as he is reminded of pale blue eyes half-lidded with pleasure.
"No," Armin admits. "But you seem a lot more tense than usual."
"I'm sure it's nothing."
"But what if it is?" Levi lets the question hang in the air between them without responding or otherwise reacting as he is reminded of the overwhelming dread he had experienced the night before when he had first noticed the columns of dark smoke rising from their hideout.
What is this feeling? I'd specifically picked this route to avoid detection and reduce our chances of running into any travelers along the main road to Trost. And still…
He turns and glances over his shoulder, grayish-blue eyes studying the growing shadows around them with a wary frown. The evening breeze is light and cool against his skin, whipping his dark bangs wildly about his boyish features. By now the sun's rays had been reduced to streaks of pink stretching out from the western horizon as thousands of yellow orbs illuminate Trost far off in the distance.
"What do you think of the plan?" Levi asks genuinely intrigued to pick the blond's brain.
"I think it's our best shot at finding out who's after Eren and Historia," Armin replies, blue eyes focused intently on the road ahead as his grip around the Captain's waist tightens ever so slightly.
"Why do you think they're after Historia?" Levi wonders, returning his attention to the road before them. Armin considers his words silently for some time prompting him to continue. "I figured you might have some guesses on the subject and wanted to hear your thoughts."
"Honestly," Armin pauses considering his words carefully before continuing. "I had expected her to know a lot more about the walls than we did."
"Perfectly reasonable, given Pastor Nick's description of her." Levi nods. "Do you think she's lying about what she knows?" Armin shakes his head.
"Why would she?" He shrugs.
"If she's like the other three cadet titan-shifters then that should be reason enough," Levi argues. The blond resists. "When she was training with you, did you ever suspect that she had an ulterior motive or even a secret identity?"
"Not at first." The cerebral cadet admits. "At least not until Ymir kept pointing out how nice she was and how she always seemed to go out of her way to help others."
"I see." So, she must be a good actress.
"I couldn't figure it out at first," Armin continues. "And when the Female Titan first appeared, I initially suspected her of being its pilot."
"What changed your mind?" Captain Levi wonders.
"Well, she appeared shortly after the Female Titan's departure from an entirely different direction and seemed genuinely concerned for our safety. Besides, having seen Annie fight up close loads of times, it wasn't hard to recognize her fighting style and tactics. They are quite distinct." He shifts slightly as if trying to study the Captain's reaction. "Wait a minute…do you think she might be deliberately withholding the secrets of the walls from us?"
"The thought did cross my mind," Levi admits slowly eliciting a surprised gasp from the blond.
Why else would she steal Petra's diary and abruptly start kissing me?
"What made you think that?"
"I'm not sure." Levi lies. "Call it a hunch."
"I think she told us everything she knows about all of this. If you ask me, she seemed as confused as Eren and the rest of us when Ymir and the others exposed themselves." Levi remains pointedly silent as he considers the blond's words carefully.
"So why all the questions all of a sudden? Does the Commander suspect her?"
"Not to my knowledge." He replies without elaboration.
"But you do?"
"I'm not sure." He settles for instead.
"Why?" It was a valid question, one Levi hadn't anticipated the blond asking.
"Before I answer that, let me ask you this," he says, directing his gaze skyward in contemplation. "Based on the enemies' actions so far who would you think was more important to their plans? Eren or Historia? I know they prefer both but when the chips fall, who would they rather not go without?"
"That's tough to answer given what little information we do have about the enemy." Armin settles for after some consideration.
"So give me your best guess then." Levi presses.
"My bet's on Eren," Armin replies with a determined frown. "Because they've always been after him. Right from the start. They would have most likely succeeded in getting him after the Battle for Trost had you not intervened when you did. Their interest only shifted to include Historia when word about Eren got out."
"True," Levi agrees. "But why? Does she know something about Eren's abilities that is crucial to discovering the truth of the walls and titans?"
"Captain?" The blond mutters meekly after a tense silence. Levi shifts slightly allowing the blond to see his attentive expression. "Was it Historia that was screaming in the forest earlier?"
"It was," He replies, frowning slightly before adding. "This stays strictly between us." The cadet nods, eyes heavy with concern and sadness. "What?"
"F-forgive me it's just that…." Armin's shoulders tremble noticeably behind Levi prompting the Captain to lower his gaze to the blond's hands clasped tightly around his waist. "When you spoke earlier…it sounded like you knew a lot about torturing people—"
"Mostly vicariously," he surmises bluntly.
"I see," the blond responds quietly.
"I wasn't torturing Historia." Armin starts slightly at this, noticeably relaxing against the Captain's back with a relieved sigh. "She suffered a shock."
"I see." The cerebral cadet repeats softly causing Levi to return his attention to the road.
Fuck. He's not stupid! He knows something's going on. Honestly, with the way she's been acting lately, it's a miracle more people haven't caught on. Had Nifa been just a little quicker she would have caught us right in the act. Foolish girl! What on earth was she thinking? Coming on to me like that!
"Captain? Is everything alright?" Mikasa's voice inquires snapping him out of his thoughts. He turns to find her riding in step with him, Jean Kirchstein pressed contently against her back, a noticeable blush tinting his cheeks as he watches the back of their horse's head with a studious frown.
"Why do you ask?" He wonders arching an eyebrow.
"It's just that," Connie Springer says from behind them. "We thought we heard someone screaming from the forest earlier before you arrived."
"It's under control." Levi snaps urging his horse faster. "Just focus on the mission!"
It is mid-morning by the time they arrive at the Trost gates and already the city is bustling with vendors and shoppers haggling and wandering from stall to stall. Festive banners and decorations hang from street posts and windows high above loaded carts flanked by several armed military police officers.
Captain Levi maneuvers through the packed market square, leading their group past a makeshift stage where several military police officers are addressing the gathering crowd.
"Try not to walk clustered together." He orders quietly without turning to face them. "We'll stand out." His grayish-blue eyes stray towards the nearby rooftops and balconies, searching for any signs of military police officers keeping watch above. "Eren and Historia, just act normal."
"Why's the royal flag hanging everywhere?" Connie Springer wonders behind him in mild bemusement.
"Today must be King's Day—the anniversary of the King's coronation." Sasha Braus explains. "Once a year they celebrate it by handing out extra rations."
"Oh?"
"May I have your attention please?!" A military police officer calls from the stage in a loud booming voice. "In response to the hardships of Trost, King Fritz has decided to donate the royal family's reserves to Trost and its citizens." Captain Levi's eyes twist ever so slightly in disgust as he pauses to study the crowd's predictable outpouring of praise and gratitude at the announcement.
"Thank goodness!" A man cries out slavishly.
"Long live King Fritz!" Another calls out thankfully.
"All that food and he's just giving it away?!" Sasha asks perplexed.
"It's not as if he needs it all." The Captain explains unimpressed. "People are a lot easier to control when they're not starving." Deciding that they've lingered long enough, he continues leading the way.
They walk down a narrow and equally busy street, taking care to keep close without attracting too much attention to each other. From the corner of his eye, he notices Mikasa trailing his gaze from the faces of the crowd pressed against them in the street below to the revelers and onlookers watching from the balconies and rooftops above. He suppresses a pleased smile and continues scanning for any threats or hostiles in the vicinity.
The faint rumble of an approaching carriage temporarily distracts him as he frowns down at the trembling ground beneath his feet.
Strange. All the other wagons and carriages were diverted towards the other streets presumably for the celebrations. Judging by the tremors in the ground the hooves are picking up speed and approaching… us!
"Behind us!" He calls out spinning to face the rest of his group. "Look out!" He adds when he notices a cart hurtling towards them at breakneck speed. It takes every fiber of self-control in his body to restrain the surge of adrenaline spurring him to step aside and slash the cart's wheels as it barrels through them. Instead, he halts, allowing himself to be knocked off his feet as Jean and Armin are dragged into the cart by two waiting assailants.
"Uh, Armin!" Sasha Braus blurts out before catching herself. "I mean—Krista and Eren! Those bastards are running off with them!" Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he shifts into a crouching position, squinting against the cloud of dust to trail the cart's progress through the street. Mikasa leaps into action, giving chase without preamble or hesitation as the crowd of onlookers gasp and mutter in bewilderment.
What the fuck? He narrows his eyes suspiciously when they easily catch up to Mikasa. Look up. Look up. Look up! Although she is crouching and trailing the kidnappers through the rooftops, the kidnappers in the cart below merely glance around briefly before exchanging congratulatory hugs and high-fives. Never once dreaming to scan the rooftops for any potential hostiles trailing their progress through the city. Who the fuck are these amateurs?!
"Spread out," he hisses to the others beneath his breath. "There could be others guarding the cart."
There aren't.
Could it be? Judging by the cart's movements they seem to be heading for the warehouse district. No. Although it would make sense for them to stash their captives in a safe place…could it really be that easy?
It surprisingly is. To be safe, he orders the other cadets to hold off for a little bit while he and the younger Ackerman survey the area for any guards or hostiles hiding in wait. Finding none, he gives the signal for the others to swoop in, surrounding the warehouse while dispatching Mikasa to peep in through a nearby window.
"How's everything going inside?" He asks in a bored tone as she returns mere moments later.
"If we wait any much longer they'll see through Armin's disguise." She replies, concern weighing her voice. "He's getting pawed at." Levi shifts ever so slightly to glance back at her with a small scowl.
And to think that could have been Historia…again.
"I see." He mutters calmly.
"How's your leg?" She asks genuinely concerned as she turns to face him. "Any better?"
"I can move well enough." He assures her rubbing his left knee absent-mindedly as he shifts his attention to more important matters. "Now then, did you notice?" She says nothing in response prompting him to continue. "These kidnappers are obviously rank amateurs. Why wouldn't they use professionals for a job like this?" It is clear from her silence that the thought had never crossed her mind.
Something's going on. This isn't like the Military Police. He thinks rising to his feet with a bored frown.
"You can handle the rest on your own." His hands unsheathe his grappling triggers. "I'm going to make my way to Eren. Come and meet up with me when you're done taking out the trash here."
"Yes, sir." She finally replies.
"One last thing you should know." He pauses. "Just in case—tell Armin and the others too—from now on we'll be fighting both humans and titans."
"I see," Commander Ervin had mused with a disappointed frown once he was sure that Levi was done talking. "Another failure then. Imagine if it had worked. We could have sealed the hole in Shingashina in less than a day."
"What we need is information." Levi had replied with a quiet frown. "It'd be a different story if there were books on the subject. As it is we're wasting time fumbling around blindly in the dark. But…we do have Krista—no Historia Reiss. Maybe she can give us some insight into the nature of the walls."
"I read the report on her life before joining the Training Corps. The illegitimate daughter of Lord Reiss." The Commander had paused sympathetically. "That couldn't have been a happy childhood." Levi had been reminded of his own childhood in the slums of the failed underground city. "Lord Reiss is the key to all this somehow." Commander Ervin had continued, returning him to the present. But why would a mere regional lord know the secrets of the walls?"
Levi had shifted in his chair to study the tall blond staring out into the inky darkness pressing against his bedroom window. Judging by his tone and the stiffness of his shoulders, it was clear that the Commander was already beginning to see through the cracks in the enemy's façade. Although he was curious to learn his thoughts on the matter, Levi knew better than to ask. Trusting the Commander to fill him in once the time was right, Captain Levi had risen to his feet, prepared to leave.
"Historia Reiss." He had frozen and turned to face the Commander as he had spoken up once more. "What do you think of her?"
"What do you mean?"
"You think Pastor Nick was being truthful about her—being the key to all this I mean."
"You're having doubts?" Levi had asked turning fully to face the taller man.
"I know she's being truthful but I still can't shake the feeling that there's more she's not telling us." The Commander had replied.
"Possibly because she never knew or doesn't remember it anymore," The Captain had reasoned.
"You think the enemy could have tampered with her memories somehow?" The Commander had asked.
"Not intentionally." Levi had replied with a bemused arch of his eyebrow.
"What do you mean not intentionally?"The Commander had pressed.
"Trauma has a funny way of suppressing memories and information," Levi had surmised.
"That's true," Commander Ervin had muttered quietly turning away.
"What did you mean," Levi had said frowning as he approached him. "When you asked if the enemy had tampered with her memories somehow?"
"That's right, I never got the chance to tell you about my father's theory." Commander Ervin had said as he motioned for Levi to join him by the window. The Captain had silently complied, turning instead to study the blond as he continued staring out of the window left arm folded behind his back, lost in thought. "Remember I told you about my father being a teacher and how he pointedly avoided answering my question during class?"
"Yeah."
"There was a reason for that. When my father returned home that night, he pulled me aside and explained how the history books issued by the government were ambiguous at best and contradictory at worst. He believed that the King had altered humanity's memories long ago when we first fled behind the walls in order to make them easier to control. When I learned this, I immediately started telling my friends and everyone who showed even the slightest interest in order to spread the word. My father mysteriously perished soon afterward."
"I see." The Captain had paused to shift his gaze towards the window. "You think Historia might have suffered a similar fate?"
"I'd be lying if I told you that the thought hadn't crossed my mind," The Commander had admitted. "But without any concreteproofI'm loathe to do anything that could needlessly traumatize and alienate the girl. She's endured enough as it is." Although Levi had been inclined to agree, he said nothing as he had taken his leave.
The sun is already sinking by the time he spots the wagon slowing to a halt along a crowded street. He spots Nifa's cloaked back observing the wagon's progress from a rooftop and senses Sean perched carefully on another in the distance. Landing gracefully beside the redhead, he turns to watch Richard shoo away a crowd of straggling revelers blocking the road.
"Captain?" She asks, somewhat taken aback.
Not good. I could literally have been anybody. He ponders as he leans back against the chimney.
"Well?"
"The road's crowded but I see nothing unusual." She reports. "It's not much further to Commander Pixis' from here so I think we're good. But how's the body double mission?"
"A success," he reports unhappily scowling down at the thinning crowd below.
"You don't seem very pleased about that." She observes with a bemused tone as she shifts slightly to face him.
"I'm not." He admits, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
Something's wrong. Very wrong. The Military Police can't be behind this. They're too arrogant and careful of their reputation to entrust such an operation in the hands of amateurs. This is more like…Assuming they'd know the wagon would be followed…a support team wouldn't be far behind.
"Captain." The relieved tone in her voice interrupts his thoughts, prompting him to glance at her as she leans forward. "The wagon's almost on the move again."
"Nifa." He feels her gaze shift towards him as he continues watching the wagon. "Have you ever heard of Kenny the Ripper?"
"That mass-murderer in the Capital?" She asks in mild confusion. "The one who slit the throats of over a hundred MP's?"
Yep. That's the one.
"Of course." She continues. "But I always thought he was just an urban legend."
"The stories are all true and trust me, he's no legend." He responds not bothering to conceal the ominous feeling growing inside him. "He is very much real. I lived with him back when I was a kid." Nifa chuckles softly at this. The dread gnawing away at him swells with every passing moment the wagon remains stationary on the road below.
"Yeah, very funny sir." She returns her attention to the street below. "This isn't really the time to be making jokes." Although he agrees wholeheartedly, he decides to let the matter drop as he retreats back into his mind, furiously trying to discern the source of the growing dread and apprehension within him.
That's right. He wouldn't care about using amateurs. If he was behind this…he'd have a team trail the wagon from both rear angles—preferably from a spot high up. Somewhere with a clear line of sight. Like—!
He starts suddenly as the harrowing realization that they are positioned in the exact spot Kenny the Ripper would have picked out finally dawns on him.
"Nifa!" He calls out as he senses a third presence on the roof behind them. There is a deafening roar followed quickly by the explosion of concrete which falls around him as he ducks at the last moment, narrowly dodging the mysterious gunman's shot. He turns to assess his comrade's condition and instantly regrets it. A spray of lead pellets blasts away the redhead's face with a sickening crunch, scattering pieces of bone and brain matter into the air as her smoking body collapses into a lifeless heap.
His gray-blue eyes widen briefly in stunned silence as he races frantically to conceal himself behind the chimney, digging out his grappling trigger before pressing his back against the chimney. There is another blast in the distance followed by a sickeningly familiar thud of a body hitting the pavement.
Judging by the direction of the shot that was most likely Sean. He thinks, heart racing madly as he turns once more to examine Nifa's remains in disbelief. In the heat of the moment, it was hard to remember what exactly they had been discussing mere moments before as he desperately tried to reconcile the grotesquely disfigured corpse with its living counterpart.
"Long time, Levi." Kenny the Ripper drawls cheerily as he straightens up. "Still a runt, or have you grown some?"
The wagon! I have to get to the wagon! Eren…Historia!
Before he has time to regain his bearings, loud shots echo all around him followed closely by the familiar hiss of pressurized air as several hostiles shoot up, weapons poised and aimed in his general direction.
"Whoohoo!" Kenny hollers as he zips through the air, flying over the Captain's hiding spot, guns trained directly at the crouching scout. His visibly wrinkled visage crinkles in obvious surprise as he notes. "Nope! Don't look like you've changed much, boy!"
"KENNYYY!" Levi roars enraged, digging out a blade with his left hand as he leans forward poised to strike.
Author's Note: Ask and ye shall receive! I had initially planned to shift gears and write a few chapters from Levi's perspective after the pair's moment in the forest but decided against it because I was too chicken to, not to mention lazy. But when one of you mentioned it in your reviews, I was finally forced to give in. I plan on writing the next few chapters from Levi's perspective mostly because it gives me more to work with. Hopefully, I did him justice and this chapter is as fun for you to read as it was for me to write. If I made him or any of the others out of character let me know and I'll be happy to make adjustments. As usual, thanks for your comments, kind words, and continued support.