Author's Note: I took the liberty of saying the MP have blue cloaks. I couldn't find a reference to what color they have but if anyone knows please let me know As always. Thank you for reading.

The moon was high when Levi snuck out of the dormitory. He 'borrowed' a blue MP cloak he found hanging up to cover his jacket. The next step was jumping over the compound wall. There was more security here than at the Survey Corps compound. Once over the fence he felt another cold chill go down his spine. He looked around but nothing seemed out of order. Levi slipped the envelops into his inside pocket and drew his knife. In and out that was the plan.

At first glance the underground looked like any other district, vendors sold their wares and housewives cleaned their homes. If you took a second look one would see that the waves were stolen and the housewives were squatters in busted buildings. The little home he shared with Farlan and Isabel was prime real estate. It was taken soon after they joined the Survey Corps.

He pulled the hood down on the MP cloak. Levi's stomach tightened into a complex knot with every step. What was wrong with me? Had being on the surface for so long made me jumpy?

Levi shook off his nerves. This wasn't about him. He would drop off Isabel's letter first. Anytime, day or night, you could find Bert singing for spare change. People in the underground didn't have a story of their own, but rumor was that Bert had been a famous singer in the King's opera. Now he was just another dirty bum trying to scrap out a living in the filth. The old man appeared to be dozing on his dirty corner. Bert flinched when Levi approached.

"Please don't hit me," Bert's voice was weak and feeble.

Levi pulled his hood back just enough so the old man could see his face. "Levi? Does that mean…?"

"Isabel was killed by a titan," said Levi. The words hurt to say. "She died trying to protect Farlan." The old man nodded.

"She was a good girl," said Bert. Levi handed Bert an envelope and forced a few coins into his hand. "It's good to see you Levi."

"You too Bert." Levi pulled his hood back down.

Farlan's mother was a drunk who turned tricks in the taverns. She wouldn't care if he died. Hell, she barely cared when he was alive. It took Levi a few moments to remember which building Farlan's siblings lived in. He wandered in the direction that felt most familiar. Sometimes he would go with Farlan after they scored something big to drop off presents to Farlan's siblings.

The building reeked of stale filth so old and mingled that one could not pinpoint the source. The stairs were a bit more rickety than he remembered. Levi knew that he had to make this quick. This was one of the buildings run by his old boss. Levi ran up the steps to Farlan's sister's door.

"Who is it?" a gruff female voice called on the other side.

"It's me," he said. The door creaked opened a slither. He pulled back his hood enough to reveal his face.

"Levi?" A young girl pulled back the door. The girl had to be at 17 or so.

"Farlan died fighting a titan," Levi said quickly. It still burned. "Here, it's not much but…"

"Thank you Levi," the girl said softly.

"I have to go," he said.

"I know," she said. "And Levi…" She stepped back inside the cramped apartment. "I'm sorry." She quickly shut the door. He heard the lock fall.

"Shit." Levi looked around. Below him he heard the rickety stairs creak. That way was blocked off. He ran down the hallway. He just had to get out of the building.

000

Erwin had to admit there were some perks to hanging out with an officer in the Military Police. Nile took him to a restaurant that no captain should be able to afford. It was good to catch up with Nile even if they took different paths. The other captains weren't so bad either. He could tell most came from old money and breezed through training. When Nile and Erwin were trainees they knew guys like that. Rich kids who didn't take the classes seriously because father was a government official so all they had to do was graduate. The top ten rule didn't pertain to them. These weren't his favorite kind of people but Erwin knew how to deal with them. He told stories, made jokes. They even picked up his tab.

Erwin returned to the dormitory feeling a little warm. The captains bought him a few beers and unlike when the Survey Corps started drinking he couldn't talk his way out of it. He walked back to his suite. He looked on his desk to see that something was missing. Erwin frantically searched for the envelops before storming out of his temporary quarters. His fears were confirmed when he entered Levi's empty room. It was too late to leave the base without drawing suspicion All he could do was wait.

000

If Levi had thought this through he would have 'borrowed' someone's 3D gear as well. He stood on the rooftop trying to plan his next move. If he had his gear he could fly out of there before they could touch him. The way it looked now he was going to have to fight his way out. He was running out of time.

Levi ran across the rooftops. It was safer there. He could scan his surroundings easily. There were only a few people that could keep up with Levi even without his gear. He grew up running these roofs. It really was like being home. A glint to his right. Levi rolled forward as the bullet passed his ear. Stealth as a cat he crouched in the direction where he felt the bullet. Levi drew two of his daggers. Another glint. Levi rolled left. This time the bullet went near his shoulder. He launched one of his daggers. Seconds later the sound of a body falling let him know he hit his mark. He prepped his second one for attack.

"Welcome home soldier," said Jessie called from the shadows. Levi cursed under his breath. It was too dark for him to see. Have I been on the surface so long that can't see in the underground anymore? Levi closed his eyes. Even if he couldn't see he could hear the direction the voice.

"Jessie, I'm starting to think you have a hard on for me?" Levi said. All he needed was to hear Jessie's voice. If the bastard would just speak he'd be dead.

"Boss wants to see you."

Levi tsked. There was no escaping now. If Kenny wanted to see you there was no other choice. The knife tensed between his fingers. If he killed Jessie he could still make it back to Kenny's place. His only concern was Kenny getting mad about killing off his right hand man. Jessie started licking Kenny's ass long before Levi left the house. Levi decided not to kill the bastard just yet. Levi rose to his feet, slipping the knife back in its hiding place. Levi hoped Kenny would let him go before sunrise.

"I guess there is no other way," said Levi. He walked toward the sound of Jessie's voice. The sound of weapons drawing back led him to their direction. Morons, Levi thought. If they were serious they would have done that while Levi was distracted by the sniper. Now he knew how many were in the party without having to see them. Levi opened his eyes when the voices were close. He was right; there were seven in the party, if you included Jessie.

Levi hated the look on Jessie's face as he nudged Levi down the steps of the broken building. Jessie offered Levi the knife he tossed. It still had the thug's blood on it. Disgusting. He wiped the blade clean before putting it away.

"I don't know how much good it will do you against the ripper," Jessie said smugly. The look on Jessie's face was uglier than usual. It was the look of someone who won a hand of cards but bet nothing. Levi went along with it. Kenny would be upset with him if he didn't come when requested.

"You pushed one of my kids today," said Jessie as they walked. Levi still kept his hood pulled down so no one would see him.

"Was that your brat?" Levi said remembering the boy. "You should teach him how to pick somebody's pockets without breathing on people."

"Like he could compete against you," scoffed Jessie. "You know Levi, you're a fucking idiot." Jessie spoke. "To leave this place only to go up there and be some rich man's grunt." Levi kept looking forward. "But I knew you were a moron when you left the boss to go off with those kids."
"What the fuck do you know?" said Levi.

"I know that the boss was grooming you to take over when you bounced. I know that he keeps asking about your punk ass since you left the underground. And I know that once the boss gets rid of you he'll see that I'm the one who needs to take over." Jessie spoke with a smirk on his face. Levi stopped walking to look up at Jessie.

"Do you have shit for brains?" said Levi. "All Kenny wants is to do is close loose ends. You're the fucking idiot if you think he will pass the reins to someone who can't even teach a kid to steal. Stupid bastard."

"I may be a stupid bastard," retorted Jessie, "but at least I am going to make it out of the underground alive tonight."

Kenny the ripper was underground royalty even down to living in an underground palace. His compound was guarded around the clock by armed thugs who had no qualms with gunning down intruders. Jessie took Levi to the receiving room. It was the first and last place many unfortunate souls visited if they made it through the armed guards. Levi saw more than his fair share of killing in that room. Only a handful of people could say they saw the other rooms in Kenny's great palace. Levi was among them.

But this place wasn't where he grew up. This place was one of Kenny's newer acquisitions. Levi was 13 when they raided this place killing the previous underground king. The Kenny Levi grew up with didn't need this much disgusting space. Levi know longer recognized the king of the underground. He sighed internally. Depending on Kenny's mood he might just die underground after all. Jessie smiled like a Cheshire cat as pushed Levi forward.

"I got him boss," said Jessie. Other than the guards outside the palace appeared to be empty. The only people in the receiving room were Levi, Kenny, and Jessie. It gave the great room an even more ominous feeling. There were only enough lanterns lit in the room to give it a twilight glow. Kenny doesn't want any witnesses, Levi thought. With his night vision gone to shit Levi would be even harder pressed to keep up if Kenny decided to attack. Not that he stood much of a chance if it were as bright as a sunny day.

"Welcome home Levi," said Kenny. He sat in a high backed chair as if he needed further proof that he was the king of the underground. "Didn't I teach you any manners? Were you just going to come to Sina without saying hello?"

Levi bit his tongue.

"Take off that pig cloak," said Kenny. "Let me see what a Survey Corpsman looks like." Levi took off the blue cloak. He clutched it in his right hand. Kenny rose to his feet.

"Well hell. You clean up nice for a brat," said Kenny. He walked around Levi, inspecting him. "You almost look like a fucking government dog." He brought his hand up to brush imaginary dust from Levi's shoulder. Before he could stop it, Levi flinched. Shit, he cursed. The average person would have missed it but Kenny the ripper saw everything. His hand paused over Levi's shoulder.

"So, when are you coming home?" asked Kenny. His hand brushed the intended speck from Levi's shoulder.

"I haven't lived here in years," said Levi.

"Yea, I but that's old shit," said Kenny. "You got no place to go. Who else would put up with your shit?" Kenny walked back to his throne. "You can even have your old room back… for old time's sake."

"I didn't know an old bastard like you was so sentimental?" Levi replied.

"What are you talking about?" spat Kenny. "You know I'm a big softie." Levi took a deep breathe. He shook his head.

"I'm not coming back Kenny," Levi said.

"Oh?" The man who raised him interlaced his fingers in thought. "Jessie told me some shit like that. And you know what I told that bastard?" Levi tightened his grip on the cloak in his hand. "Shut up you fucking piece of shit! Levi wouldn't turn his back on the hand that fucking fed him!" With every word Kenny's voice rose in anger. "You wouldn't do that would you Levi? You're not a fucking moron are you?"

Levi tsked.

"I'm not coming back Kenny," said Levi. "I'm staying on the surface." Levi kept his voice strong. If there was one thing that Kenny didn't deal with was weakness. Kenny the ripper sat back in his chair. It felt like Levi's heart was beating in his ears. Why didn't Kenny react? Shoot me? Cut me? Hell, have have his men try to kill me? Anything. Kenny the riper was most dangerous when he was thinking.

"Fuck it," said Kenny. "I gotta take a shit." Kenny rose to his feet. When he walked past Levi he placed his hand on Levi's shoulder. He gave it a firm squeeze before walking out of the room.

"Boss," Jessie called after him. "Boss, what about Levi?"

"Who?" said Kenny walking out the door. Jessie followed his boss out of the room. Levi threw the cloak over his shoulders. That was it. Now he had no other choice. If he stepped foot underground Kenny would make sure he never made it out.

Levi made it back to the dormitory a little after midnight. He dropped of the filthy blue cloak where he found it. He was exhausted when he reached the dorm room.

"What the hell?" he said looking at the blonde man asleep on his bed. Levi was too tired to think. He would sort this out in the morning. Levi hung his jacket on the hook. "Move over idiot." He pushed the bigger man towards the wall. He flopped on the bed to slip off his boots. At least he made the bed warm, Levi thought before his eyes shut.

Erwin felt the additional weight on the bed. He turned over to see the sleeping form beside him. The captain in him should have shaken the man awake and demanded why he missed curfew. Or why he stole the letters from him. The man in him didn't want to change the peaceful look on Levi's face. He could ask his questions in the morning.

"Stop looking at me," Levi mumbled behind his eyes closed. "Go to sleep." Erwin brushed a stray hair away from Levi's eyes.

"We will talk in the morning," said Erwin as he settled back to sleep.