VIII

The heavy lines on his forehead showed it had been a bad day again. Levi sat at his usual spot, his hands fiddling with the cravat around his neck. Petra knew he was itching to rip it off and to slump on his chair, but pride was holding him together. She glided across the room, sitting in front of him and handing him his usual cup of tea. It had become her routine, if CCG ever had a routine for its members, to make her his tea. Two minutes with the teabag inside, stirring clockwise four times and one minute to cool down.

"How's the chase after Colossus going?"

"Oruo is an obnoxious, little shit. We spent the day cornering him in the 9th Ward and we were about to get him when he had to bite his tongue and ruin our cover."

She smiled sympathetically. "You're going to get the ghoul another day, Captain."

Levi shook his head, grim. "We're losing people the more we wait."

"You're doing great, Captain."

He nodded, looking away, and then inquired in a mutter, "What about you?"

"Well, you know Eren passed by today and he's improving already. I must say he has has an impressive stamina. Last time, Hange ran tests on his transformation and it seems that if he bites his hand, his kagune appears. Today we were working on his kakugan. He can't hide his eye forever. It's a little trickier, but if Eren gets angry or irritated, then he might lose control. Also, he—"

"When I ask you about yourself, I expect an answer along those lines," Levi interjected, a scowl marring his face. "I heard enough about the brat to hear you enthuse over him as well."

Petra stopped, her mouth still open, and then laughed. Her laughter filled the room, flooding it with warmth that could rival the sun's. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying in vain to stop her peals of giggles, as her superior's scowl deepened in incomprehension.

"What?" He bristled, his back straightening.

"If I knew better, I'd say you're feeling a little envious."

"Envious of the brat? As if."

She sobered, smiling sheepishly. "I know I've been talking about Eren a lot, but it's just that I have nothing to talk about except for him. You have to give his chance. We'll all work together after all."

"Don't remind me." He took a sip of his tea, shooting a withering look at the liquid as if he held it responsible for his misfortunes. "The sooner we get it done, the better."

"He's a nice guy when you talk to him. I said when you talk to him, not intimidate him."

"It's not my fault if he's so fucking impressionable."

"Captain, promise me you'll try to talk to him in a civilised way?"

He avoided her eyes, grumbling, "What does 'a civilised way' entails?"

"Just talking to him. Not scaring him away with your glaring or riling him up on his sister."

He mumbled something under his breath that she didn't quite catch. Instead of answering, he preferred drinking his tea at the slowest pace she'd ever witnessed. When the last drops were collected by a swipe of the tongue, he had no choice but to put his teacup away.

"I can't promise anything because his very kind appalls me but I can try."

It was already more than she could ask. She squeezed his hand, whispering, "Thank you." Then she released him, her cheeks warming. "Say, Captain, are you coming to the anniversary?"

He frowned, "What anniversary?"

"The two-year anniversary of CCG's foundation."

"Oh, that." His lips curled in disgust. "Too many people."

"But Hange and the whole Squad will be there."

He shook his head and looked away. If he hadn't been so prideful, he might have pouted like a child. Petra sighed, aware that once her superior had his mind set, his decision was nearly irreversible. Still, she wanted him to take a break and come to the anniversary. Levi was always tracking ghouls like a restless and starving hunter. In his perspective, the ghouls were predators he had to neutralise to ensure mankind's safety.

"I'm going," she told him. "I think I'll invite Eren."

"If you want him to get skewered by a dozen of Quinques, then it's a great plan."

"You know he has to meet the team eventually and I thought it'd be nice he does it in a friendly event instead of in training where everyone's so serious."

"It is a serious matter," he retorted, his eyes ablaze. "Tokyo is plagued by his kind."

She decided to let go of this argument, switching the topic, "Are you sure you won't come to the anniversary? It's just dinner. Erwin booked a penthouse and a small orchestra for the evening."

He perked up a little at Erwin's mention. "He'll be there?"

"Of course he will. He's the Head of CCG." She frowned, taking in his pensive eyes riveted to the floor as he was lost in his mind. "Is something wrong?"

Before he could answer, Hange barged inside the room, panting.

"Eren's chip went off."

He was on his feet before anyone could blink, storming out of the room. Petra and Hange followed suit, running after him. They were out of the building in a flash. Tokyo's sky was scribbled with charcoal clouds. The wind was picking up, causing Petra to shiver. Levi seemed unfazed even if he wore nothing but a white button-up shirt and a light jacket.

"Petra, you get the Squad. Hange, with me."

"But Captain, I—"

"I've got his back." Hange flashed her a reassuring smile before darting away.

Petra watched them disappearing with a pang. She knew he had chosen Hange because she could knew more than anyone about Eren's weaknesses, but it was a harsh blow to be pushed away in such a critical situation. She was convinced Eren trusted her more than Hange, that he would want her instead of Hange, but Levi... She took a deep breath as she spun on her heels. It would do no good to brood and beside, she had the utmost faith in him. The best way to help him was to get the Squad.

They were lounging in their quarters, which consisted of half of an entire floor. The Special Operation Squad was the best in CCG and its members, handpicked by Levi. She had been the last one to be added to the tightly knitted group, but she was confident she had carved her way inside. She barged inside the squad's office, her eyes narrowing as she took in the men already on their feet and checking their gear.

"Erwin told us about the one-eyed ghoul. Let me tell you, the boy's all but trouble," Oruo declared as he put his coat on with flourish, making it billow in his back. "He's—"

He didn't finish his sentence as he bit his tongue. He spluttered as a grimace contorted his features. Eld patted him in the back, his chestnut eyes devoid of their natural warmth.

"Apparently the boy was attacked."

"Attacked?" Petra grew tensed. "Which ward?"

"The second. Colossus might attack us as well," Gunther grumbled as he secured his cape around his neck. "Did Levi say anything?"

"No. Let's stick to defence this time."

She felt like her stomach was sinking. Even with her Squad, Levi's skills and Hange's expertise, her gut was twisting. The entire ride to the second ward was silent, only punctuated by the screeching of tires. Her hands were wrapped around the handles of her Quinque in its suitcase form, her knuckles growing white. Captain Levi will be alright. Eren will be alright. She looked out by the window, Tokyo rushing by in a blur of colourful, flickering lights. Pedestrians were crowding the streets, huddled together in groups of strangers. It made her uneasy to know some of them might be ghouls, disguised in their human skin. Yet what made her even more uneasy was that some of them might be ghouls yet retaining their human side just like Eren.

The van pulled on the side and the four of them burst out of the car. Petra shivered in her coat, narrowing her eyes at the ominous darkness creeping on the sky.

"Let's split. One takes the ground and the other, the roof," Eld suggested.

"Oruo and I will take the ground," Petra offered, grabbing the concerned man by the sleeve.

They took the emergency stairs on the side of a building. The metal was crusted with rust, creaking as they climbed up to the roof. There was no sign of investigators or any ghouls or even any sound of fighting. Beside her, Oruo was stiffening as well.

"There's no one here."

"There's something we're missing. Are you sure it was Ward 2? Who was your intel?"

"What are you talking about? Erwin told us."

"But who told Erwin?"

A scowl was forming on Oruo's forehead. "No one has to tell Erwin. He's of CCG and he's the one who planted the chip in the first place. He knows how it works."

Petra bit her lower lip, looking around. Her hair was swirling in her vision and she pushed her locks behind her ears. The wind was stronger in altitude.

"He knows, but what if someone else knows?"

Oruo opened his mouth to answer when a flash of light caught Petra's eyes. She opened her suitcase, the Quinque almost springing out. The whip uncoiled itself, the kakuhou cells coursing through it crackling. She lashed out and sidestepped, the cord-like weapon curling around loose air as she missed her target. The thing hurtled towards them and would've collided in both if not for Oruo's reflexes kicking in. He pushed her away, taking the full blow by himself. She lost her footing on the slippery ground, her eyes widening.

"Oruo!" She screamed, scrambling to her feet.

She recognised it for having seen so many times in the reports piling up on Levi's desk. The Lady. The ghoul they had been hunting for, along with Colossus and the Armoured Ghoul. Her rinkaku's tentacles lunged at her and she dodged, clutching her whip tightly as she waited for an opening. Her heart leaped in her chest as she noticed Oruo wasn't moving. The ghoul was skilled, Petra had to give her that. She was dancing, her rinkaku an extension of her body, twirling on her feet like a ballerina. Whenever Petra felt her faltering, her rinkaku was shooting from behind her back.

One of the tentacles slit open her forearm, making her cry out. She staggered backwards, her whip slashing the air in front of her. The scarlet pupils were glowing against the dark sclera, its veins pulsing. They were the colour of invaluable rubies yet they were as cutting through her soul as diamonds. Petra let her weapon flick once again, the Quinque crackling as it hit the rinkaku shielding the ghoul like a dome. The tentacles unfolded like a crimson flower blossoming in spring.

"You are Ral, aren't you? Petra?"

"And you're the Lady," she replied, on edge. She eyed Oruo, fear clawing at her heart.

The ghoul chuckled, caressing one of her rinkaku's bleeding tentacles. "The Lady? I am honoured."

"Who coordinated this trap? Was it you? Is it someone you know?"

"Oh, but Petra, I can't tell you. I would like to tell your Captain, though, or that interesting one-eyed ghoul. Perhaps you could lead me to them?"

She's toying with me. "If you really want to tell my Captain, then you can tell him in an investigation room. As First Class investigator of CCG, I arrest you."

The ghoul burst out in giggles, her kagune jerking as if also shaking in laughter. "You're funny, Petra. Funny but naive."

Petra barely had the time to react, bringing her whip up. Yet the rinkaku was too powerful, ramming into her like a train, and pushed her over the building's edge. She gritted her teeth as she felt herself toppling. Her Quinque was ripped from her hands then thrown away. The last thing she was the the ghoul's triumphant smile looming above her.


Is the plot thickening...?

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