"We've been searching all night, and I can guarantee you that at least between the Trost District and the Chlobra District there's no abnormalities in the wall,"

"What did you say?!" Hanji unknowingly shouted in Samantha's ear, interrupting Hannes.

"We met up with the soldiers dispatched from the Chlobra District on the way and double-checked the wall, retracing each other's path." He continued as Mikasa and Eren grabbed each of his arms, pulling him to his feet.

"Also, all this time, we haven't come across a single Titan." Samantha shot a wide-eyed look when she heard this, thinking aloud.

"But… We've seen Titans here, inside the wall, no doubt about that…"

"Maybe you're still drunk or something…?" Eren questioned, getting a slight giggle from Samantha.

"As if I'd drink in a time like this!" Hannes replied. "And come to think of it, why are you guys even here?" The trainees just stood quietly, not knowing how to answer. Why are we here after all…?

"Hmm…" Rivaille began, placing his hand on Samantha's sunken shoulder. "Well, with no breach in the wall, we have no choice but to call the operation off. So, for now, we'll be on standby in the Trost District." He began walking with Samantha still under his wing. Again, she was reminded of how much she missed his presence. She noticed the little things about him after they had been separated for awhile – things like his hair getting slightly longer. While in her thoughts, Rivaille leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. Though she was caught off guard, it was probably one of the most romantic kiss that they have shared. I hope this standby lasts longer than they usually do… She thought to herself, only to bring her back to the conversation amongst Squad Leaders.

"What is Titans who can dig underground tunnels have finally appeared? If this guess is right, we're in big trouble."

"If that's the case, locating them will pose a great difficulty." One of Hanji's "helpers" spoke.

"Alright," Hanji began more loudly. "For now, let's just worry about how to safely transport Ymir. Since there're still some Titans left wandering around on the surface."

As they began to walk, Samantha heard Eren and Bertholdt shouting. Stopping in her tracks, she slightly turned her body, placing her hands on her hips.

"Huh…? What are you guys even saying…?"

"Wh-what are you saying all of a sudden, Reiner?!"

"Our objective…wipe…wall, but there's no need to anymore." Reiner spoke quietly, but Samantha was able to read his lips – kind of.

"Eren, if you come with us, we won't…ever again. You can't my drift, right?"

"Huh?!" Eren seemed overwhelmed, so much so he absolutely could not lower his voice low enough. "No, wait!" He continued. "I don't get you at all!"

"I'm telling you to come with us." Reiner simply replied, his voice was much back to normal when he said this, yet still hushed to an extent.

"Sorry it's so sudden, but we gotta go right now."

"Right now?!" By now, Rivaille had walked quite a distance from Samantha – he had thought that she was just going to gather the trainees, but it shouldn't have taken this long…

He turns around and sees that both Samantha and Mikasa are standing, ready to take action as their hands were on their gear. Rivaille gained speed, though he was still walking. Rivaille was so focused on Eren, Bertholdt, and Reiner, and as to why Mikasa and Samantha might be staring at them the way that they are, he accidently bumped into Samantha's shoulder.

"Ssshh…"

"What's going on?"

"Well, my hearing is limited, but you see Mikasa over there…? Look at her stance… So, I thought I should standby just in case…" Rivaille nodded and decided to listen in as well.

"It's not a bad deal for you, considering the crisis will be averted with us leaving." Rivaille was shocked with what he heard, though he didn't hear everything – he could only imagine what Mikasa heard with the look on her face as she looked back.

"Hey!" Armin shouted as he waved towards everyone. "Are you guys coming?"

"Mikasa." Samantha said softly as she jogged towards the stiff girl. "Walk quickly so they can't hear us… What was said?" Samantha leaned in as close as she could with their height difference, the look on her face spoke louder than her words.

"Reiner and Bertholdt are the Colossal and Armored Type Titans." Samantha and Rivaille shared a look, and then ran with the trainees to catch up with everyone.

That evening…

"The results of Annie's full background check finally came in…" Hanji spoke as she fondled the papers in her hands. "Among the trainee of the 104th Trainee's Squad, there're two more people originating from the same area as her; Reiner Braun and Bertholdt Fubar."

"What…?" Eren question softly.

"Ah, well, we have to take into account the fact that due to all the chaos 5 years ago, all the family register documents are more than a little sloppy and sketchy. It seems it took them this long just to dig their way through all those poorly organized data." Eren swallowed hard, was what Reiner was going on about actually true…? No… No, it can't be… can it?

"According to the "buff-out-the-enemy" plan, during our expedition to the outer lands, the two I mentioned were in the group that was told that Eren was on the right flank – Annie Leonheart, "The Female Type", came to attack from the right flank as well." Hanji placed the papers aside, looking up to the three trainees, making her glasses glare from the lanterns nearby.

"Now, just for the record, this along doesn't really mean anything yet. I'd like to know more about the relationship between the three of them during their trainee days, though. Your thoughts on the matter?" Samantha was an absolute wreck, she was shaking from head to toe – hardly able to keep herself collected. Rivaille comforted her as he understood how she had gotten close to them, and to be honest, he knew she was scared – though she never said it aloud – he knew it was true. She and her other comrades were the closest to them at this time, and if what Mikasa heard was true, they could go off anytime they wanted.

"I knew that Reiner and Bertholdt were from the same village, but it didn't look like Annie was close to them." Armin said, Eren nodded as Hanji and the rest turned towards him.

"Same here," He began. "I've hardly ever seen the two of them talking to Annie. Well, Annie wasn't the "chatty type" to begin with anyways…"

"I…" Mikasa began as soon as Eren drifted off. "I don't recall seeing them talk either." Eren looked around the room, as if he were looking for someone, and he was – it was Samantha. And sure enough, he found her curled up under Rivaille's arm – hiding half of her face with her traveler's cloak. It was easy to see that this was upsetting her.

"Still…" Eren began, still looking at Samantha, and then turning to Hanji. "As their fellow trainee squad member, I think doubting them is low. The taciturn Bertholdt aside, Reiner is like a big brother to us," He glanced over at Samantha again quickly, and saw that she was now standing – yet her face was still slightly red, possibly from crying. "And he's not a crafty enough person to deceive people."

"I second this," Armin jumped in. "I fought the Female Type alongside Reiner and Jean. Reiner even got almost squeezed to death by…"

"What's wrong?" Eren looked down at him, and spoke in a hushed tone.

"Reiner managed to slip out of Annie's grasp, but…" Armin began. "Right after that, she changed course and ran straight to where Eren was. I surmised out loud that Eren might be around the back of the center of the formation… Yet Annie wasn't in earshot to hear my words."

"So, what of it…?" Eren spoke softly.

"Out loud, you say… So, those three…" Hanji thought aloud. "Say, did any of them show any indication that he was interested in Eren's whereabouts?" Armin stared blankly for a short time; seemingly remember every single thing that happened those months before.

"Y-yes…" He finally spoke. "I offered my guess on Eren's location because Reiner prompted me to." The room shared some gasps and sighs. "And there's more…" Everyone closed in a bit more, to listen as closely as possible.

"The Female Type stared at her palm for a few moments and I think it might be because there were letters carved into it by the blade… Reiner's blade."

"Huh…? What the heck is this?!" Eren was enraged, but Hanji quickly corrected him. "How can you even say that?!"

"Eren! And all of you, listen to me… We find Reiner and Bertholdt, act like you normally do, so that they wouldn't know we suspect them. And of course, don't mention anything about Annie Leonheart. Regardless of whether they're Annie's accomplices or not, we have to play it safe so that they end up deep underground, confined."

The next day…

Samantha had agreed to follow Eren to where Reiner and Bertholdt were, just in case anything went wrong.

"Look, you're… you're simply tired." Eren spoke frantically.

"Right, Bertholdt?"

"Hm?"

"You just went through Hell, so no wonder you're a little delirious." Bertholdt thought for a moment, eventually he heard himself speak.

"Y-yes! He's right! You're simply too tired, Reiner."

"Besides," Eren began. "If you were really the Armored Titan behind the mass murder of mankind, why would you have wanna have this talk with me? You can't expect me to simply agree and meekly follow you even if you ask, right?" Reiner's eyes widen, Samantha clutched her blades.

"Oh… really…?" Reiner spoke softly and uneasy. "Yeah, that's… right. What was I thinking…? Have a really gone mad or something?" Samantha felt relief as she leaned against the wall. But this relief was, once again, short lived.

"Anyway, let's go back to the town for now." As Eren began to walk, he stopped in his tracks as he realized Bertholdt and Reiner weren't following him.

"I've been here too long…" Reiner began. "I've spent three years of my life living here, surrounded by fools, that's why I said stupid stuff like that…" Eren turned around into the position he was in before. "We were just brats who knew nothing back then… If only I'd never learned about those fools' existence… I would have never had to become the shitty, pathetic bastard I am now…" Reiner began to unwrap his arm, Samantha looking as wide eyed as Eren.

"I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore, but what I do know is that no matter what results my actions and the consequences of my choices brought about…" Samantha anticipated just a few moments more, she had seem all she needed to see – the healing of his arm, the hot steam filling the underground hall. But, she thought, would he even attack Eren considering he wanted him to join Bertholdt and himself?

"As a warrior," Reiner continued in a deep, husky voice. "I gotta take responsibility and fulfill my duty 'til the bitter end."

"Reiner!" Bertholdt called out. "You're gonna do it?! Right here, right now?!"

"Yeah! We'll settle this here and now!" Reiner saw Samantha move in a flash next to Eren, though Samantha had her hood up just barely covering her eyes, so she couldn't see what she was about to do.

"Eren, move." She spoke coldly, sending chills down Eren's spine. Eren moved back but only a couple steps and watched as Samantha cut through Reiner's right arm and down the center of his left hand. She released the blade, quickly changing it to a fresh one, as she used her second blade to reach out to Bertholdt, only cutting his wrist. Samantha then swung her new blade at Bertholdt's neck, only catching him were the shoulder and neck meet.

"Bertholdt!" Reiner swung his body into Samantha just as she was about to finish Bertholdt off, as she collapsed on the ground, her hood fell off as she looked over to Bertholdt who was crying. Does he want this as much as Reiner…? Before Samantha could finish her thoughts, her cheeks were slightly burned by the steam of Reiner and Bertholdt transformations. She quickly got to her feet as many Squad Leaders, including Rivaille, passed her. I knew this standby wouldn't last for long… I miss him already…

Reiner picked up Eren and jumped from the wall, Samantha the first one to follow.

As Eren bit his palm, he let out a terrifying yell…

"Reiner… Bertholdt… You fuckin' traitors!"