Brianne wakes up early in the morning, and she rolls to her side to see her bed empty. She slowly sits up, and she walks to the next room where her baby boy, Niles Jr., is fast asleep. Brianne sits on a chair next to the baby's crib, and she watches her son sleeping soundly. She hums a quiet lullaby, and she is reminded of her parents while humming the lullaby. She remembers her mother's beautiful golden sunshine hair, her father's hearty laugh, the love they shared for one another and for their daughter.
Brianne's heart aches thinking of her parents, and every night she's constantly reminded of her tragedy through her nightmares. Ever since that fateful night, Brianne hasn't had a pleasant dream. Her nightmares were always powerful and vivid, causing her to wake up most nights trembling and crying. Brianne thought that by now she'd be able to move past her parents' death, but that day is yet to come. Her heart grieves every night for all the people she's lost from her parents to Edgar and Missy.
An extra weight is put on Brianne's shoulders knowing that Erwin and Levi are beyond the Wall on another expedition. Though she knows Erwin and Levi are very experienced in surviving outside the Walls, there's always that chance that something goes wrong. Brianne stays awake deep in thought, and the cries of her baby wake her up. Brianne snaps out of her thoughts and picks her baby up in her arms. Niles Jr. smiles up at his mother and coos, babbling and drooling.
Brianne: (smiles) Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well last night?
Niles Jr. babbles more and starts making bubbles with his drool. Brianne prepares her son's milk in a bottle, and she hums while feeding him the milk. A knock comes on the door, and Brianne opens it to see Audrey there.
Audrey: Hey Bri! (to Niles Jr.) Hi little one.
Brianne: (smiles) Come in.
Audrey steps into Levi's home to baby-sit Niles Jr. while Brianne continues her service as a MP. Brianne hands her baby over to Audrey, and she walks back up to her room to change into her MP uniform. Audrey steps into Brianne's room with Niles Jr. still in her arms.
Audrey: You didn't eat breakfast yet, did you?
Brianne: (fixing her cape) No, not yet.
Audrey: You should eat something before going off to work.
Brianne: (scoffs) You sound like Erwin and Levi.
Audrey: Breakfast gives you the energy to go throughout your day.
Brianne: I've survived this far without breakfast.
Audrey: Watch, today will be one of the craziest days you've ever had, and you're gonna wish you ate breakfast.
Brianne wants to say something back, but she doesn't have anything to say. Audrey smiles knowing she won this fight.
Audrey: I'll go make something now. Just hold on, alright?
After Brianne puts on her uniform, she heads downstairs and smells the smell of a delicious breakfast. Brianne sets up the table while Audrey finishes cooking. The two eat their breakfast at the table while Niles Jr. is playing around with his baby food.
Audrey: The Scouts have been out longer than usual.
Brianne: Yeah.
Audrey: They're okay, aren't they?
Brianne: I'm sure they are. (finishes eating) Hey, thanks for making breakfast and for watching Junior. I'll see you in a few hours.
Audrey: (nods) Alright. Hope you have an easy day.
Brianne: I hope so too.
Brianne kisses her son goodbye, and she heads out the door towards the MP building. The day begins like every other normal day in the MP building. Brianne meets up with her squad and they're debriefed by their captain. Today, there is nothing going on and no tasks for Brianne and her squad to do. Brianne is thankful for this, and she walks into the Situation Room where, for months, she tried putting the pieces of the puzzle together about the 2 remaining nerve gases and the woman behind all this. A knock comes on the door, and Brianne looks to see her friends there with bunches of food in their hands. They all enter the Situation Room, and they sit at the table to put the food down.
Porter: Damn Bri, working hard even when there's nothing to do all day.
Nadia: We bought you lunch.
Brianne: Thanks guys.
Curtis: So, any new developments?
Brianne: (sighs) No. (to Miles) How's the subcircuit coming along, Miles?
Miles: It's 100% completed. Finished it yesterday actually.
Chloe: (eating) You know, I don't understand why we're keeping all Military personnel information and defense systems into a single file. I mean, what if the subcircuit gets into the wrong hands?
Janis: There's no way the subcircuit can get into the wrong hands. The MP are gonna protect that file with their lives.
As Brianne and her friends start munching down on their lunches together, multiple gunshots are heard within the MP building. Brianne and Curtis immediately look at one another and they know shit is going down.
Man: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
A bunch of men in white masks holding a bunch of shotguns barge into the MP building. The men force every soldier into the main room, and the leader of the gang looks at the crowd of frightened and confused faces.
Man: (patronizing) Oh, didn't you get the memo? We will be your entertainment for this afternoon! (laughs)
There is no response, and the man looks around at all the soldiers.
Man: Now, I just have two questions. First, who's the man in charge of this place?
Everyone is still. Miles looks to Brianne, and she looks back at him. Brianne hesitates to answer, and the moment she flinches to stand up and claim that she is the one in charge, Miles stands up.
Miles: (looks at the leader) I am. I'm the one in charge.
The man looks at Miles, and before anyone can react the man shoots Miles in the head with his shotgun. Some of the soldiers scream from the shock, some having never before seen a person's brain explode from the impact of a close-range shotgun bullet through the head. Miles falls to the floor, his head split wide open from the bullet, his brain blown into bits and pieces all over the floor.
Man: Now, let me move onto my second question. Where is the subcircuit board?
No one responds.
Man: (losing patience) If you don't tell me, you will leave me no choice but to unleash the nerve gas in this building.
The man snaps his fingers, and one of his goons walks up to him with a suitcase. The goon opens the suitcase and reveals one of the two remaining nerve gas canisters.
Man: Well? Do I have any offers?
Nadia slowly stands up, quivering in fear.
Man: Ah, you are truly a beautiful sight, aren't you, sweetie? And a smart one too. Now, lead the way.
One of the man's goons shoves Nadia to lead the way, and she walks out of the main room to go to the room with the subcircuit. Wayne leans close to Brianne subtly.
Wayne: (whispers) He's going to release the gas even if he gets the device.
Brianne glances at Wayne, but looks away. She knows that Wayne is right because she'd do the same if she were the man.
Wayne: You get everyone out. I'll run away with the canister to the basement.
Brianne looks back at Wayne surprised.
Brianne: You'll die.
Wayne: To keep everyone else alive.
Brianne looks down on the ground, hoping to figure out another solution to keep everyone alive.
Wayne: It's the only way. Do it, Bri.
Brianne looks back at Wayne, and she can see that he is determined to sacrifice himself in order to save everyone else. Brianne nods, and they hear footsteps. Nadia walks back with the goon, and the goon holds a chip in his hand. He hands it over to the leader, and the man examines the chip.
Man: (examines the subcircuit) Funny. Something so small will cause so much death.
The man walks out of the building with the rest of the goons, and the last goon pushes the button on the nerve gas canister. Cries of "no" echo through the building, but it's too late. The canister opens, and the nerve gas is released.
Wayne: NOW!
Wayne immediately runs to the nerve gas canister while unhooking his cape, and Brianne stands up.
Brianne: EVERYONE LOCK YOURSELVES IN THE SITUATION ROOMS! Easy Company, pursue!
Brianne has no time to make sure all the soldiers in the building safely lock themselves into the Situation Rooms. She and her MP squad of Curtis, Tina, Cherrie, Porter, Katy, Chase, Nadia, and Larry immediately run out of the building to pursue the men who stole the subcircuit.
Brianne: Move out!
Larry and Cherrie move south; Katy, Tina, and Nadia move east; Chase and Porter move west; and Curtis and Brianne move north. No one has their tact ear-pieces on because the men caught everyone off guard, so Brianne and her squad have to wing it. Curtis and Brianne head north in the district, and they can hear the fling of 3DMG up above. They quickly turn on their own 3DMG, and they fling themselves to the rooftop of a building. They can see the leader flinging himself away with 2 other goons from building to building.
Brianne and Curtis go on a chase. It's times like this when Brianne wishes she had her Nightman utility but she has to settle with Military utility. Brianne and Curtis know there's no way they can keep up by just chasing straight after them. Brianne motions to Curtis the number 3 sign, signaling Formation 3 in maneuvering. Curtis steers away to the left through an alleyway while Brianne continues to pursue chase. The 2 goons turn back while in mid-air, and they immediately take out their shotguns. They shoot at Brianne, and she maneuvers around the bullets.
Curtis makes a sharp turn and is ahead of the group. He knocks their leader, Samuel Ardmore, in mid-air and sends him crashing to the ground. Citizens down below cry and run away from the scene. Brianne decides to stop pursuing the other 2 goons and help Curtis with the leader. When Brianne gets to the ground, she sees Curtis pointing his blades to the man. She can see Curtis wants to kill the man for all the deaths he's caused.
Brianne: Curtis, put down your blades.
Curtis: ...I can't...
Curtis grabs the man as a captive and puts his blades to his neck. Brianne immediately takes out her shotgun and has no choice but to point it at Curtis.
Brianne: Curtis, put down your blades now!
Curtis: How can you let this animal live, Bri? He shot Milo point-blank; he released the nerve gas in the MP building; he was probably responsible for the bombing and first nerve gas attack that killed hundreds of good soldiers! What about Edgar?!
Brianne: Curtis, please. I am begging you. Put down your weapons or I will be forced to shoot you!
Curtis: Why? Why me? Kill him, Bri! He's the animal, not me!
Brianne: He has information that we can use to track down the real villains behind everything. So Curtis, please, put down your goddamn blades!
Curtis: No, I can't just let him go.
Brianne is left with no option. With her one good eye, she takes aim and fires her shotgun. The bullets scratch Curtis in the neck, but the thickness of the bullets cause a massive hole in his neck. Curtis drops the man, and Brianne runs to handcuff the man while Curtis struggles on the ground to breathe. When the man is handcuffed, Brianne knocks the man out with one immensely strong punch. She then attends to Curtis in a state of panic.
Brianne: (frantic) Oh god, Curtis. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.
Brianne applies pressure at Curtis' neck, but he groans in pain. Brianne knows there's nothing she can do, and Curtis holds her hands.
Curtis: (dying) I believe in you.
Curtis dies before Brianne's eyes, and she bursts into tears. For the first time in a long time, Brianne weeps over Curtis' dead body. The Bells of the Wall ring loudly throughout the street, but no one leaves their house/shops to greet the incoming Survey Corps soldiers. They're all standing there staring at Brianne weeping over Curtis' body, the other man knocked out unconscious next to him. The gates open wide, and in comes Erwin first with his squad: Levi, Hange Zoe, and Mike Zacharius. Behind him is his legion, the 13th Legion. Erwin spots what's up ahead, and he recognizes immediately that it's Brianne weeping over a body, blood all over her hands.
Erwin immediately, on his horse, rides up ahead to Brianne with Levi following close behind.
Levi: (to Hange and Mike) Take the Legion home.
Hange and Mike: You got it.
Erwin hops off his horse and kneels beside Brianne. He recognizes that it's Curtis, Number Two.
Erwin: We should go now.
Brianne looks at Erwin then back to Curtis. Erwin helps Brianne up, and he heaves Curtis' dead body onto his horse. He then heaves the other man next to Curtis' body.
Levi: I'll take you to your building. Get on.
Brianne quickly gathers herself and hops behind Levi on his horse. Levi, Brianne, and Erwin all head over towards the MP building.
Levi: There was another gas attack?!
Erwin carries Curtis down to the ground and the man. Brianne's squad runs over to her, and they're shocked to see Curtis dead and blood all over Brianne.
Porter: What the hell happened?!
Brianne has no words. Philip Stauer comes over and sees the mess. He looks at Brianne and knows this issue needs to be put behind quickly or else everyone will get too hung up on Curtis' death.
Philip: Let's take him to the Corps' building. Chase, Porter, escort him.
Chase and Porter heave the man onto a horse, and they take him to the Survey Corps' building while everyone else stays behind.
Brianne: Wayne? Did he...
Tina: He's dead.
Philip: (to Erwin) Good thing you're here, Captain. We'd like to have a word with you.
Erwin: Sir?
Philip: Nadia was given a note when she was in the basement. It says that whoever stole the subcircuit board will return it on one condition - in exchange for you, Captain.
Erwin: Sir?
Philip: These people...the people responsible for the bombing of the Castle, for the nerve gases being released...they want you.
Levi: Did they say why they wanted the captain?
Philip: No.
Erwin: When is the exchange?
Philip: 5pm at the Bell Tower. Most likely to avoid confrontation with the Nightman.
Erwin: ...very well. I shall be there.
Brianne and Levi: What?!
Erwin: The subcircuit board is a crucial defense file. The exchange will be worth it.
Brianne: No, Erwin. Please don't.
Erwin: It'll be okay, Brianne. They won't kill me.
Levi: How do you know that?
Erwin: Because I'm important to them. Very important.
Katy: If we want to get to the Bell Tower by 5, we're gonna have to move out now.
Brianne: No, hold on.
Brianne grabs Erwin's hand, and she takes him to Levi's house with Levi following. She takes Erwin into her room, and she takes out her Nightman utility. She takes out a tiny little button as big as a pebble. She hands it to Erwin, and he holds it in his hand.
Brianne: Hold on. It's a tracking device.
Brianne turns the device on, and it blinks red once.
Brianne: It's safest to put in your shoe. Others will think it's just a pebble.
Erwin: (nods) Thank you.
Brianne: I'll be tracking your every move with this.
Brianne turns on the radar signal, and it beeps.
Brianne: See? You'll be okay.
Erwin: I know I will be. Don't worry about me.
Erwin and Brianne share one last kiss, and Erwin walks out. Levi stays behind with Brianne.
Levi: He'll be alright.
Brianne doesn't answer, and she sits on her bed in silence. She puts her head in her hands and looks at the radar signal resting on her lap.