Chapter 07 | Who Knows

PHHSSHHT!

Armin expertly topped of another set of 3D maneuver gear with gas. After he sealed the cap and checked it one last time, he handed it over to Mikasa who took it silently and placed it on the rack with the others.

Armin watched as she adjusted it carefully. He was concerned. Mikasa was more thoughtful than usual today, and there was tension in the air. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure they were still alone. The armory was empty except for the two of them. He ventured a quiet question that had been working on him for some time… It was only for her.

"Do you think they've arrived yet?"

Mikasa didn't turn around as she slid the items on the rack down to make room for more.

"Yes."

Armin began to fill the next set of gear and the rumbling sound of the compressor and hiss of the gas entering the convoluted internal compartments sounded loud in the empty room.

Though loud, the noise couldn't distract him from the concerns he had for his friend. Even her tone of voice was concerning him. Armin had known Mikasa since they were small children. It seemed like a thousand years ago when he would play with her and Eren in the streets… making up adventures and dreaming about a world beyond the walls. So many years… so much history… enough to know…

…something is bothering Mikasa… Something serious.

Crouching by the controls of the gas pump, Armin looked up at his longtime friend. She was watching him, but he could not begin to guess what she was thinking or feeling behind her stoic expression. He decided to continue their initial conversation.

"Uh huh… But do you think Krista's seen –"

"Yes." Mikasa bluntly interrupted. Then she added. "This is not the place to be discussing these things. We can go for a walk later – when they return – we can talk then."

"O-Okay."

She pointed to the maneuver gear Armin was filling.

"Pay attention."

"AH!"

Quickly, Armin removed the gear from the pump and it disengaged with a harsh snap and a wicked, sizzling hiss. The pressure had built to nearly critical levels.

"Sorry! M-Mikasa I'm –"

Mikasa simply took the gear from him and turned it carefully as she assessed it.

"This is dangerously overcharged… It has become like a bomb."

Reaching for the device, Armin wanted to make it right.

"H-here, Mikasa, let me vent it. Then once it is safe, I can destroy it. It's probably damaged anyway and might be a serious dan –"

He tentatively pulled his hand back as Mikasa shook her head.

"No."

She glanced over to a set of maneuver gear sitting apart from the rest. It was dust covered from lack of use. There was a gleaming brass name plate over the niche where it hung. It had been skillfully etched with the inscription [Commander Erwin Smith].

She walked over to it and removed the unused gear from the hook, and replaced it with one Armin had just dangerously overfilled. Mikasa took great care as she hung it in place so as not to jostle or bump it. Armin's eyes grew large as he watched.

"Mikasa? Wh-why are you re-um…replacing… Commander Erwin's… uh…"

She picked up a sturdy metal spike from a nearby work bench and responded in a steady quiet voice.

"Because this one is…"

With incredible speed and force, Mikasa drove the spike straight through the side of Erwin's dusty maneuver gear. Her voice rose only slightly as she spoke over the sound of the gas that whooshed out of the rupture.

"…broken."

Armin just stared at Mikasa for several seconds.

She…Mikasa knows something…

Then without changing expression Armin merely muttered.

"I… see."

"Good girl! Okay, one more time around and were done."

Back at the pool in the woods Krista was walking her horse in short circles before tightening the saddle straps. Levi had just thrown the packs across Rosco's back and as he carefully secured the bags, he looked over at Krista. He watched as she gracefully swung up into her saddle. He could tell that there was something she wanted to ask.

"Question?"

Slightly surprised that he knew she had a question, Krista responded as she gathered up the reins and patted her horse's neck.

"Steady there Poppy… Yes, as a matter of fact I do have a question. The strange city… the source of those terrible titans – who else knows about this?"

Levi sprung lightly up into the saddle and wheeled his horse up alongside Krista's. Rosco and Poppy rubbed noses and gently grunted to each other while Levi answered Krista's question.

"Only Armin and Mikasa."

Krista was surprised to hear that.

"Just two? B-but what about all the others – what about Commander Erwin?! Why surely he would know what to do about this."

Krista was concerned as she saw a troubled expression cloud her captain's face. He looked down at the reins in his hands. He didn't look up as he answered.

"I… I'm not certain that Commander Erwin can be trusted… anymore."

They rode back out into the night and cantered side by side under the clear, starlit sky. Krista thought for several miles before she finally posed another question.

"What about Eren?"

She shouted over the thudding of the hooves beneath them.

"What about Eren?"

Levi countered.

"Well… if you told Mikasa – then why did you choose not to tell Eren?"

"Because Eren is an idiot."

Then off of Krista's shocked expression, Levi explained further.

"The second he thinks that there is even a remote possibility of confronting the enemy – he'll go flying straight in like a cannon ball. Our ONLY advantage right now is the knowledge we have based on the information I stole. We know that the royal house is communicating with the city on the far side of that canyon. We know that it is from that location the titans are originating. But that's it – we don't know why… we don't know how… or for what purpose. So until we know more – we need to keep it strictly to the four of us."

Krista nodded her agreement then she frowned and added thoughtfully, "I understand."

She spoke it almost to herself, but Levi heard her. He pressed his lips together and nudged Rosco forward into a gallop as the terrain became more even. Krista gave Poppy a squeeze with her legs and made a short clicking sound to coax her into a gallop to keep up. They could now just see the dull yellow-orange glow from behind the great dark walls far ahead. Levi shouted to her over his shoulder.

"Trust me Krista, the fewer who know at this point… the better."