7
"I see, so, if anything, then this has had the opposite effect, and now the Monarchy is likely to try something sooner rather than later?"
"Yes. I had thought this would buy us the time we'd needed to gather our resources and make our move..." The commander trailed off, more pensive than he otherwise would be.
"And this gamble of ours has actually caused more problems than it would have fixed." Finished Hanji, massaging the bridge of her nose worriedly.
Armin shifted uncomfortable at the implications of what the Military Police were liable to do. There weren't a lot of options left at this point, and he doubted the commander was going to be as crazy as to suggest open rebellion, no, it was most likely going to be hiding Eren and Ymir until things could be gotten back under control. Though how long that'd take, he didn't care to think.
"So, what do we do in the meantime?"
The commander took a full minute to respond, either deep in thought or choosing his next words carefully.
"We need to find some way to stir up trouble for the Military Police without indicating we're behind it."
"I see, give them something to distract them to buy us more time." Hanji chimed in.
Erwin gestured to the small stack of folders. "These are locations and status reports of a few of our older properties, primarily used from back when the legion was much larger and couldn't be properly centralized."
"So, we're moving Eren and Ymir to one of these older, more obscure, bases?"
"No. We'll merely be making it look as if we are. They'll actually be sent to a secure location towards the westernmost district of wall Rose."
"I've got an idea, actually. The people of Trost district are in rather dire straits after the decimation by the titans, and if we could amplify their quiet unrest into full on insurrection..." Armin let the idea weigh on the air. "I-I know what it sounds like, but, well... if it'll buy us the time we need. Then,"
"Then the ends justify the means." The commander finished for him, eyebrows furrowed. "We'll reconvene this time tomorrow, and until then no one is to know we were even in the same building this night."
Captain Levi turned to Armin, single eyebrow raised. "You need some excuse to keep Yeager and the lot quiet?"
Armin shook his head. "No, sir, I've already prepared a plausible excuse. Sasha'll cover for me. Like always."
"Remember what Erwin said. No one is to know anything."
"She's never asked before, no matter what time I would sneak back into the cadet dorms."
"Tch. Kids..." The captain sighed, stalking away.
Armin made sure to stop by the kitchens on hs way back, and with a little white lie which wasn't technically a lie, managed to acquire something which to secure his alibi. And, if anyone was to ask Sasha where he was, it would be either with her all night- or with some other random girl. As he'd mentioned before; Sasha always covered for him, and nobody expected potato girl to earnest to tell even a halfway convincing lie.
Some of the time when she would cover for him he'd actually be off with some girl or another, his cherubic features and sharp wit was more than able to land him in a woman's bed. Other times it'd be for him to make an off the books errand for the vice instructor, picking up his alcohol or other contraband, in return for him looking the other way here and there or procuring the odd bit of extra ration for his cover story. Speaking of which, she'd come to him for once.
The nerves were written across her face: worry, fear, and some other third thing he couldn't quite place. She looked as if every step would be the catalyst for some great disaster, her face was pale, and her lithe form was trembling.
"Armin, I think I'm pregnant."
Well shit. Just what he'd needed to hear.
SHORT ONE, MOSTLY SETUP FOR WHAT IS TO COME. MY ORIGINAL PLAN WAS FOR JUST 10 CHAPTERS OR SO, BUT I'M NOT SO SURE ANYMORE IT'LL PROLLY BE LONGER.
HAS NOT BEEN GOOD YEAR FOR ME SO FAR, PLANNING ON FINISHING THIS BY MARCH OR APRIL OF NEXT YEAR AT THE LATEST.
SHOOTING FOR 20 CHAPTERS NOW.
PLEASE REVIEW IT HELPS TO KEEP ME GOING.
