I released two new stories, both Floch related one-shots. One's a crackfic about the port battle, the other is a FlochxSasha Humor/Romance using the theme of Pavlov's experiment, both are on my profile if you'd like to read them. Edit: I have no clue what's going with the SashaxFloch story, it's not showing on my profile and the link is dead, so I guess if you want to read it you'll have to search for it on AO3, it's titled "Baked potatoes".

I sometimes think about writing more romance/lewd stuff but I end up just letting them be little thoughts in my head that I day dream about from time to time, I have a carefully crafted wholesome author persona to keep up, I'm just the family-friendly Floch author who occasionally drops fucked up descriptions of people being deleted to you guys aren't I?

Anyway, STD or whatever, enjoy!

Kenny Ackermann and his second-in-command, Traute Caven, stood before an elegant residence in the eastern reaches of the Stohess district. Their recent investigation into the death of an MP officer at the Ehrmich Military Hospital had led them to the doorstep of a former nurse who had resigned the day following the incident. Kenny, his patience wearing thin, tapped his foot impatiently as he rapped on the door once more.

A few seconds later, a woman emerged, her gaze shifting between the two figures standing before her. "Hello, can I help you?"

"Greetings, ma'am," Kenny began, tipping his hat in a show of politeness. He then displayed a badge bearing the emblem of the Interior Police. "We're both investigators with the Ehrmich Military Police district. We're hoping to ask ya a few questions regarding an incident at the dirstrict Military hospital from a few years back. May we come in?"

The blonde woman regarded them with a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, a hint of worry crossing her features—something that did not escape their notice. After a brief pause, her eyes widened slightly, and a faint smile touched her lips as she nodded. "Certainly, officers. Come on in."

Kenny maintained his neutral expression as he stepped across the threshold, one step closer to unraveling the mystery of the case.

"He hasn't been dead for long."

Jean's lips thinned into a grim line, kneeling down on one knee and gaze fixed on the still-warm body of Kemper Boltz. Nearby, Marco struggled to rise from his chair, his breath shuddering as he steadied himself on the table.

"We need to report this fast, lock the place down." Jean added.

He sighed, his hand running through his hair in frustration. "God damn it, I should've stayed in bed. At least that's a bunch of Coderoin off the streets, silver lining and all..." Turning toward Marco, Jean's eyes held a hint of uncertainty. "This isn't going to come back to bite us if we do report it, right?"

Marco's jaw tightened, "We can't. We're the only witnesses to the crime, and HQ will be all over us in questioning, we have no option but to find the girl and report it anonymously if we want to meet up with Floch tomorrow."

After a brief contemplation, Jean clicked his tongue. "Find Carly, easier said than done... Shit, I shouldn't have let those three back in the tavern out of my sight."

Marco didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned away from Jean and reached for something on the table. "We're not done here, we'll pretend we never saw anything, we did enter without permission and somebody could have seen us." He said as he turned back around. "Stratmann has to explain why his daughter's involved in peddling large quantities of drugs with her now deceased boyfriend."

Jean nodded. "Works for me, Let's lock the door and leave."

They ventured back onto the street, retracing their steps to the awaiting carriage. Marco's mind raced with questions. Had the girl been abducted, or was she the perpetrator? Perhaps it was just unfortunate timing. Regardless, the girl's whereabouts remained a mystery, leaving them with few clues. One thing was certain, Elliot was concealing something.

"Take us to the Stratmann Manor," Jean instructed the driver, only to realize the presence of another man lurking behind him.

The tension in the air escalated, and Jean's hand inched toward his concealed pistol. The carriage door flung open abruptly, and a blade hovered perilously close to his throat, causing him to gasp. The hand still reaching for his inner pocket froze as another man, sporting a smug grin, approached with a menacing double-barreled pistol.

"Stay perfectly still; I have no intention of ending your lives here," the man inside the carriage declared, instantly recognized by both MPs.

"A man in a francy suit with a red fake eye—hard to miss," echoed the words of one of the men they had apprehended at the tavern.

Jean clenched his teeth as the man behind him swiftly disarmed him. They had no choice but to comply, forced into the carriage. Moments later, it began its journey, while a hooded figure observed from a nearby alley, disappearing into the shadows.

Time was slipping away, and Ymir would be lost to them forever.

Floch had told them that much, recounting the events leading up to her abduction, and how she chose to leave with those warriors, as he referred to them. Historia's eyes clouded with concern, and she lowered her gaze to the desk before her, deep in contemplation, they needed to intervene before she gets forced to remake that decision.

"The enemy will launch an assault on Ragako," His words echoed inwardly, her brow furrowing with worry. "They'll transform all those innocent villagers into Titans."

A sense of foreboding settled within her, countless lives hanged in the balance, Connie was from there wasn't he? At one point, even Ymir had been subjected to that cruelty, forced to endure the hell of being a Titan. Her gaze shifted from the desk, drawn to a particular redhead standing slightly apart from the crowd, positioned behind one of the captains, Hange Zoe. She stood at the front of the room, facing the crowds of assembled scouts, easily comprising at least half of the regiment.

"Attention, please!" Her voice rang out, cutting through the murmurs that had been weaving through the crowd of men and women. The collective chatter gradually dwindled, until the silence was so profound, one could hear a pin drop. All eyes were on her.

"As you're all aware, we've been occupied with interrogating one of the Titans we captured after our previous encounter nearly two weeks ago. And quite recently, we've stumbled upon several... let's say unsettling revelations," Hange began, stealing a sidelong glance at Floch, who acknowledged her with a nod.

"There's no gentle way to break this news, so I suppose we should just dive right in." The assembled scouts, from seasoned veterans to eager new recruits, hung on her every word, their curiosity piqued by the cryptic events of their recent mission. "It appears that the adversaries humanity has been waging war against were, in fact, none other than fellow humans. We heavily suspect that all this time, they had been transformed into the very creatures we've come to know as Titans."

A heavy, almost unbearable silence fell upon the room. It seemed as though time itself had paused, with everyone grappling to process the staggering revelation. If Floch hadn't consulted his pocket watch to confirm the passage of time, those thirty seconds might have felt like an eternity. But once those seconds elapsed, the room erupted into a cacophony of disbelief, a chorus of urgent demands for further explanations.

"This is going as I expected; they've lost their minds already," Eld remarked, his squad standing a few feet away from Floch. Eren stood between them, a furrow in his brow as he observed Hange's valiant but struggling efforts to restore order.

"Our initial reactions were no different," Gunther chimed in.

Oluo draped an arm over Eren's shoulder and leaned in close. "What are you worried about? We've got your back, Eren." he reassured Eren. Eren's brows furrowed as he nodded in response. "You trust us, right?"

"I do!" Eren replied with unwavering conviction.

Petra watched their exchange with a bittersweet smile, her gaze then shifting to Floch. In truth, none of them had truly believed in Eren until he stepped in that day.

Seated together in the serene meadow, members of Squad Levi and a few from Squad Mike took a well-deserved break. They had spent the entire day assisting in the testing of Eren's Titan abilities. Petra raised her teacup to her lips, ready for a sip, when she detected a figure approaching out of the corner of her eye. The conversation hushed, and all eyes turned to address Floch Forster, Nanaba turned around and exchanged a silent nod with the redhead.

"Finally finished?" Petra asked him.

"I figure Captains Hange and Levi can handle it themselves. Specializing in Titans is their job, after all."

Oluo scoffed. "Funny coming from you, kid."

"Give him some slack, Oluo, I'm sure there's a good explanation somewhere." Gunther interjected patronizingly.

"Let's not get into this again." Eld chimed in with a sigh.

"I'm just saying what's on everyone's minds and considering what went down at the mess hall the other night, it doesn't seem like he's remorseful about what he's done," Oluo remarked, narrowing his eyes, while the others around him shot disapproving glances Floch's way.

"Speak up, don't tell me cat's got your tongue?" Gelgar asked.

Henning spoke, his tone sharp. "Come on, what do you have to say for yourself?"

He looked past their shoulders, toward the distant horizon. "That day in trost, our numbers were dwindling fast, many relied on me for an answer. I had to make a choice."

The table grew quiet, and confusion flickered across their faces as they listened. "Comrades stood at my side, fatigued and frightened and I had to decide between their lives and the lives of a few civilians I had never met. I rallied everyone, then fought our way through Trost to save them. We later discovered those people took their own lives before we could reach them. Out of seventeen men, women, and children, only one survived."

"I made a choice that nearly killed us all." His lips thinned grimly as he recalled the events. "When all hope was lost, Eren came to our rescue and in that moment I knew that those deaths weren't in vain." Floch pressed on, his expression morphing into an unsettling mask of curiosity. "You knew precisely what you signed up for, did you not? Freedom, peace, prosperity—all of these come at a cost. Being a scout means understanding that some lives are worth more than others."

His words had the desired effect on them. Some widened their eyes in surprise, while others observed with a critical gaze."I take full responsibility in the actions I took, and I'll continue to dedicate myself to humanity for as long as I'm allowed to but know that between Eren's life and the lives of a few dozen people, I'd make the same choice everytime."

"How can you say that like it makes it sound any right?! You hid another Titan from us, that's not something we can simply overlook, we placed our trust in you, had we known we could have planned better, lost fewer people!" Petra, who had been quiet until now, spoke up but was swiftly cut off by the determined redhead.

He mirrored her words challengingly."And how can you say that when none of you trust Eren? He saves thousands from certain death and starvation, and you reward him with a jail cell and prosecution. I couldn't have taken a risk like that with Ymir; Besides. even after everything Eren's done to prove his loyalty to humanity. I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't hesitate to kill him at the first sign of trouble. "

Some of the initial outrage began to wane, replaced by traces of guilt as they faced the unvarnished truth.

"I won't ask for your forgiveness as I'm sure I don't deserve it, I just want us all to work together, to rely on eachother and watch eachother's back when it matters most. If you can't place your faith in me, then place your faith in Eren. He's our greatest hope, He'll be the one to save us all." He spoke those words with so much conviction, some of them couldn't help but believe in them just like that. "We can't win if we doubt eachother, so I'll leave no more room for doubt, all I ask is that you take that first step."

Nanaba who had been silently watching this entire time met his passionate gaze with surprise. "You don't mean..."

Floch nodded, acknowledging her as one of the individuals Erwin had brought into their meeting. He turned to Petra, Oluo, Eld, Gunther, Henning, and Gelgar. "Commander Erwin gave me permission. It's the least I can do now. No more deceit, only the truth."

"If You Think It's Natural for People To Sacrifice Their Own Lives To Save Others, Surely You Understand That Sometimes A Single Death Can Save Many Lives." - Mikasa Ackermann 850 AD , to the Reeves company merchants blocking the evacutation of Trost.

Two days had passed, and it was still a challenge for Petra and her squad to come to terms with everything. However, they managed to find their footing. Now, it was the rest of the regiment's turn to learn about the Titans as Hange delved deeper into her explanation, omitting Floch's involvement in providing the information. When Hange concluded her briefing, and everyone was dismissed, a sense of unease and confusion lingered, each soldier returning to their duties with thoughts swirling in their minds.

Floch and Eren were engaged in a conversation in a corner of the room when the green-eyed boy noticed Armin, Mikasa, and the others making their way toward them.

Eren turned to Oluo, seeking permission. "Can we speak to our friends, sir?"

Oluo raised an eyebrow, giving him a side-eye glance. "Go for it, but be there on time if you're called."

Eren nodded and turned to greet the approaching recruits. "Hey, you guys! It's been a while!"

"Eren, it's good to see you again!" Armin smiled, with Mikasa offering a similar expression.

"Where have you been? We haven't spoken since the ceremony," Connie chimed in as he patted Eren on the shoulder.

Eren masked his true feelings with a grin, sharing a brief look with Historia. "You know, testing my abilities and stuff... What about you guys? I can probably guess it's really hard to fathom what you've all just learned."

Armin appeared contemplative. "A bit, but ever since we found out about your powers as well as Annie and the others, a part of me wondered if the rest of the Titans were like you as well."

"It's not a comforting thought," Sasha added from behind Armin, visibly shuddering at the idea.

"Forget that for a moment, where have you even been? We only see you around at the mess hall and even then It's hard to approach you with all those senior officers surrounding you." Gordon interjected, causing all eyes ot turn to Floch.

"I'm sorry about that, I've been meaning to speak to you guys for a while now, but after my involvement in that recent operation I've been under constant watch. It isn't exactly easy to move around when you're suspected of being an enemy collaborator." Floch replied, he met Sandra's gaze and recalled the last time he'd seen her with a subtle cringe, he had yet to clear up the misunderstanding with Historia.

"S-sorry, again!" Sasha meekly stuttered but Floch waved away her concerns.

"As long as you're fine that's all that matters." Sandra replied, she looked like she had more things to say but held it in for now, shooting him wistful glances.

"Bertholdt wasn't as forthcoming as the captains would have us believe, right, Floch?" Armin inquired.

Armin was too sharp for his own good, Floch thought to himself, but in hindsight it was an obvious observation. Floch scanned the faces of the recruits surrounding him, including those of Ruth, Hannah, Mylius, and Mina. He nodded, meeting Armin's gaze. "You've got that right, It's all thanks to Ymir."

Armin continued, his voice tinged with remorse, "I figured as much, maybe if we hadn't interfered she'd still be here... We also haven't had a chance to all properly apologize to you, we weren't acting with all the information at our disposal."

Floch looked genuinely surprised by this and noticed that most of the recruits shared the sentiment. "As I just said, It's not a big deal. It was all a misunderstanding; you had every right to think and act the way you did, I would have done the same."

Sandra shot uneasy glances toward the oriental girl beside her, while Mikasa herself looked guilty, her gaze fixed on the floor. Armin nodded, he wanted to ask more but refrained from doing so, opting to assess the redhead before him.

Floch glanced at the rest of the recruits. "In any case, I'm surprised this many of you still decided to join the regiment, after everything that's happened, figured more would follow in Jean and Marco's footsteps." Floch remarked as he turned to Mylius and Mina, missing the way Connie clenched his fists.

Mylius appeared sheepish, rubbing the back of his head. "What can I say... Trost gave me a lot to think about, left many lessons to learn..."

"It's going to take a lot more than a brush with death to deter me from joining. Eren's a great speaker, after all," Mina said with a smile before her expression softened. "Though Nack and Tom were pretty shaken by what happened. I haven't even seen them at the ceremony."

Eren's teeth clenched briefly, his gaze hardening as he shot a reassuring look to the girl. "We're in the best position we've ever been in. With my powers, humanity can finally gain the upper hand. I won't back down from this, no matter what."

Armin nodded, offering a smile. "Those dreams don't seem so out of reach now." Eren returned the smile, appreciating the sentiment.

Their conversation shifted to other topics, steering away from sensitive subjects. As the minutes passed, everyone dispersed to resume their duties, and Floch made his way back to his quarters. However, he suddenly paused upon finding Mikasa waiting for him by the door leading to his room.

"Can we talk?" she asked, glancing at him with uncertainty in her gaze.

Floch didn't know what to make of this.

"...Sure."

"So, where are you taking us?" Jean inquired, his voice laced with a mixture of defiance and concern.

The carriage steadily moved away from the slums of Stohess district, now under the control of one of the men who had captured them. Jean and Marco were seated next to each other, their hands bound, and they regarded their captors with a wary gaze. One of the men, the one with the unsettling red eye, closed Marco's notebook and looked up at them.

"We're headed to the industrial district," he replied calmly, catching the attention of the captives. "All sorts of things find their way into the depths of the industrial wastewater."

The man sitting beside him added with a mocking chuckle, "Everything that stays there long enough becomes part of the sludge."

Jean couldn't help but sneer. "So that's how you got so ugly, huh? Left your face there too long?"

The man paused for a moment, his scowl deepening, and he aimed his gun at Jean. "Watch your damn tone, or you'll regret it."

Wald quickly reached out and forced him to lower the weapon. "Let's not be uncivilized here, Lou."

Lou clicked his tongue in annoyance and holstered his gun. Jean didn't back down, though. "So, what did we do to end up on your bad side?" he demanded.

"You're not on a 'bad side,' per se," the red-eyed man replied. "But both of you are simply getting in the way of our work."

"We're searching for Carly Stratmann," Marco interjected cautiously. "I assume you already know her whereabouts. If we can't continue our search, it won't be long before someone else is sent to replace us."

"I think we've moved past the point of lies," Wald smirked. "Stratmann has already informed us that you two are working alone."

Jean and Marco's gazes hardened, now realizing they were set up.

"We were, until recently. We have comrades back at HQ who have been informed of recent developments," Marco lied convincingly, maintaining his composure. "We won't just disappear. People will come, and they will ask questions."

"What about Kemper's body, then?" the man asked, lighting a cigarette and capturing Marco's attention. "I don't suppose you spent all that time in his room staring at the walls. Interestingly enough, your first instinct was to head to the Stratmann manor. Why didn't you report it directly to your superiors? It tells me you're both hiding something, and leaving Kemper's body to decompose is quite telling. If I'm mistaken, feel free to correct me."

Jean's jaw clenched. "So, you killed Kemper."

The man shook his head. "Too messy, too crude. That's not our style. Kemper was careless, and it was only a matter of time before he met his end."

He added ominously, "We'll demonstrate that shortly enough."

Floch maintained his stance, arms casually crossed, lazily glancing back at the Ackerman before him. Mikasa fidgeted in her seat, avoiding his gaze with an awkward grace that intrigued him. He'd never glimpsed this side of her; in his eyes, she'd always been the stoic woman whose gaze could freeze over the depths of hell. He shut his eyes momentarily, to digest everything she'd shared. When he reopened them, he regarded her with a thoughtful expression.

He had been on the verge of politely escorting her out of his room when the idea struck him – he could use this.

"So... if I understand correctly, you're offering an apology for that night," he began.

Her fists clenched against her thighs as she replied, "...Yes."

"I see," he said, allowing a brief silence to linger before he shrugged. "I'm not ready to forgive you." The response was immediate. Mikasa was caught off guard, her eyes locking onto him in astonishment.

"What?"

"Forgiveness has to be earned. And you," he paused, making sure he had her full attention, He moved forward, taking a seat opposite to her, "-Haven't earned it yet. I mean, you did give me this little keepsake," he noted, tracing the now-healed wound on his cheek, causing her gaze to soften as she examined it. "I can tell this isn't easy for you, It wouldn't surprise me if Armin had encouraged you to come."

She started to protest, "That's not true—"

He raised a hand to silence her. "Regardless of whether that's true or not, the fact that you're here offering an apology is a promising start. I understand that all kinds of things happen in the heat of the moment. After all, if I was petty enough to hold grudges, you wouldn't be here to begin with, ever found it strange how you weren't even reprimanded for nearly taking my head off? You're welcome for that. See, It's easy for me to accept your apology, but I wouldn't be addressing the underlying issue by doing that."

Mikasa's brow furrowed as she held his gaze, her mind awash with a myriad of questions as she absorbed his words. "You mean... what led me to that? I thought... You were assisting Annie and the others in taking Eren away from us during that tribunal, you weren't doing yourself any favors back there..."

"Correct, but I did what was necessary to ensure we obtained the best outcome from that situation," Floch replied calmly. "You acted on impulse without a second thought. We could debate the finer points endlessly, but the core issue remains the same—it's your approach when it comes to Eren."

Her eyes narrowed, all uncertainty replaced by a sharp resolve. "I like that look, sharp and intimidating," he admitted, smiling at her. "Let me share something with you, Mikasa. You might believe your actions are justifiable, but you're mistaken. You need to recognize that Eren is no longer the same child you fled Shiganshina with all those years ago. He's grown and he's moving forward. If you continue to cling to that weaker version of him that requires your protection, eventually he'll move on from you too, people don't tend to look back when they're off chasing their dreams."

In an instant, she recoiled as if he had slapped her across the cheek, her expression shifted to one of worry, discomfort flickering in her eyes at the thought. She snapped back, her brows knitting into a frown. "You don't know what you're talking about... Eren is my family."

"What about Armin? Is he family too? Do you protect him as fiercely as you do Eren? If you were forced to choose between him and Eren, who would you save?"

His question was met with silence.

"I'm just stating the facts. You need to let go of these thoughts before they consume you. If you want to argue that I'm mistaken, then answer this: what are your goals and dreams beyond those involving Eren? If you can't answer that, then I believe our discussion has come to an end."

Mikasa's eyes narrowed as she shifted her gaze to the floor, her jaw clenching in response. But she remained seated, unwilling to yield. Floch derived a certain satisfaction from watching her squirm as she struggled to counter his arguments, even if they were small victories. Eventually, her resistance waned, and her expression softened into defeat. She glanced up wearily, momentarily catching him off guard.

"You're... not wrong," she admitted.

Mikasa swallowed hard, her hand rising to grasp the scarf around her neck. "I've lost nearly everyone I've cared about in this world. Eren was, and still is, my solace, my sanctuary, my warmth. He's given me a reason to live, a reason to fight... Without him, I'm not sure there's much purpose. If anyone tries to take him from me, I won't hesitate to cut them down. Ultimately, I want nothing more than for him to lead a long, happy life; I made that promise to someone, at the very least."

She frowned. "I understand that I can be too forceful at times, but I can't help it, that day in Trost, I had given up entirely. Nevertheless, I don't want this to create a rift between us. I believe what you said—that Eren is the key to solving our problems. I want to stand by his side when that day comes, I don't want to lose him no matter what, what is it that I have to do?!"

He leaned in closer, his words carrying a sense of urgency. "Begin right here, right now. Someone as remarkable as you should harbor dreams of their own unbound by others' influence. Don't get left behind, Mikasa. It's all within your reach if you muster the determination to seize it."

She hesitated, her troubled gaze averting from him once more.

"I-is it really?"

He resisted the urge to smirk, as he slowly reeled her in. "Absolutely. You're not just his childhood friend or his family, nor are you a sidekick. You're Mikasa Ackermann, the strongest soldier to emerge from the cadet corps in recent memory, the woman who single-handedly thwarted a horde of titans and saved countless lives."

"I... don't even know what I want from this life, I never once thought about it. Never thought about anything beyond just... helping Eren with his own dreams."

"Let go of that little boy, and support the man he's becoming. Be selfish for once, I did once tell you to carry on Eren's dreams when we thought he died but right now I want you to truly contemplate who Mikasa Ackermann is and what she wants, not what Eren wants. You don't need to find the answer immediately; these things take time. In the meantime, if you genuinely want this change, you can lend me your support and Earn it."

Mikasa looked up at him with awe, lips quivering.

Floch wouldn't dare to look a gift horse in the mouth, this was as perfect opportunity as any to eliminate her as a threat in the future. Better yet, she could be the one eliminating other threats for him. Mikasa Ackermann may have not had a place among his ranks before, but now? Who knows? It was certainly shaping up to be an interesting future this time around.

She bit her lip, concealing the subtle tremor in her hands as she grappled internally for that answer. She drew a sharp breath, her gaze locking with his once more, her lips parting to speak. "How do I begin?"

Floch smiled as he rose to his feet and extended a hand to her. "Have you ever visited Stohess? You'll adore it; they've got some lovely shops."

She tilted her head in confusion, cautiously accepting his hand. "Why Stohess?"

"I have a few people to meet there,"

The carriage came to an abrupt halt within the industrial district compound, and both Jean and Marco were coerced out at gunpoint, their steps directed towards what seemed like their imminent graves. Jean clenched his teeth, attempting subtly to free himself from his restraints, but his efforts proved futile. The sheer terror and hopelessness of their situation settled upon them as they desperately searched for an escape, Marco's brow dampened with sweat as his frantic eyes darted around for a solution.

"Move it, haven't got all day you know?" Lou gruffly ordered, shoving Jean forward.

Dying in this desolate place, where no one would ever discover them, without accomplishing anything, was inconceivable. Marco's heart pounded in his chest, and then his eyes widened as he spotted a shard of glass along their path. He squinted with determination, readying himself. When he drew near, he feigned tripping over the uneven ground, falling face-first but quickly snatching the shard of glass, closing his dirtied fists around it.

Lou sneered, amused by Marco's apparent misfortune. "Dumbass can't even stay on his feet. Don't worry; this will all be over soon." He approached Marco, seizing the back of his jacket and pressing the gun against his back. "Stand up. If you waste my time, I'll finish it right here."

"S-sorry," Marco mumbled hastily as he rose to his feet, sharing a subtle glance with Jean. Perhaps it wasn't the end just yet.

"Hold it right there."

Marco's blood turned to ice as Wald stepped forward, his single eye narrowing with suspicion. "What's going on, boss?" Lou turned around, his curiosity piqued, as the man advanced toward Marco.

"Open your hands."

Dread filled Marco's stomach, and yet his body refused to comply. He stared back in horror before a sharp blow to his abdomen forced him to his knees, causing the shard of glass to slip from his grasp. "Just as I suspected."

"Ehh? You're quite the sneaky one, aren't you?" Lou grinned, then struck Marco across the face with his gun, breaking his nose in the process.

"Aghh!" Marco cried out.

"Marco!" Jean stepped forward but was frozen in place by a gun aimed at him.

"Nice and easy now. Let's put an end to this," the red-eyed man said, prompting Jean to clench his teeth as he reluctantly advanced with the battered Marco. They continued until they reached a corridor that led to a precipice. The two MPs halted and peered down below at a noxious pool of green sludge awaiting them, with a ladder to the side leading directly into it. This was to be their final destination.

Jean cast a sidelong glance at Marco. "Any ideas?"

"I'm sorry," Marco muttered.

"Turn around."

Reluctantly, the two obeyed, only to be met with their would-be executioners standing just a couple of feet ahead. "Well then, gentlemen, I'd say it was a pleasure, but frankly, this entire ordeal has been one massive headache. It was never personal."

Jean scowled. "You won't get away with this. Sooner or later, you'll get what you deserve."

"Perhaps, but one lesson I've learned in life is that no one ever truly attains their deepest desires. It's always just slightly out of reach," Wald remarked, before turning his gaze to his companion. "Lou, if you would do the honors."

Lou smirked. "With pleasure." He aimed the gun at them, and both MPs flinched, bracing themselves.

Footsteps rapidly approached from behind them. The two men glanced back in alarm, and Jean and Marco felt a surge of hope as a hooded figure collided with the red-eyed man, sending him sprawling. Lou attempted to turn his gun around to fire, but his shot missed as the hooded figure deftly evaded it, engaging in a fierce struggle for control. Lou proved to be no match as the hooded figure disarmed him and, with a swift move, swept his feet off the ground, sending him crashing to the floor. In the midst of this, the figure threw a dagger the landed at Jean's feet.

Jean snapped out of his stupor and quickly bent over, frantically cutting the rope that bound him. Seconds later, he looked up to find Wald lunging at him with a knife. Jean deftly sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding having a part of his jacket sliced off. He closed the distance between them, swiftly kicking the knife out of the man's grasp before jabbing him with his own dagger.

Seizing the opportunity, Marco chased after the fallen knife, but his heart sank as he watched it tumble off the edge and into the sludge below.

Wald intercepted Marco's attempt, and a fierce struggle for survival ensued. Jean found himself at a slight disadvantage as the man's greater weight allowed him to slowly overpower Jean, pushing him closer to the precipice. Marco attempted to intervene, but a gunshot froze him in his tracks. He turned around in horror to find the mysterious person who had come to their aid sprawled on the floor, chest oozing with blood. Lou, who had confiscated an extra weapon from Jean, stood up and assessed the situation.

"Lou! Kill him!" Wald shouted, prompting Lou to step forward.

"You got it, boss man," Lou grinned before shooting his own boss in the back, shocking all three of them.

Jean suddenly found the man leaning heavily against him, collapsing like a sack of potatoes. "W-why?" he stammered before the man slumped forward onto Jean. The boy gasped in shock and cried out as they both tumbled backward into the sludge, creating a splash seconds later.

"Jean!" Marco called out from his position before turning around to find Lou in the middle of reloading his gun.

Marco ran at him, still bound, and pounced on him, forcing Lou to the ground. Enraged, Marco unleashed a barrage of punches, using both hands together to hammer them down onto the man's face. Lou retaliated by jabbing Marco in the stomach with the gun and then using his elbow to send the already bruised Marco crashing to the side.

"You're gonna pay for that, bastard," Lou sneered as he stood up and finished reloading. He took aim at Marco's head.

Marco flinched and closed his eyes, preparing for certain death, but just as the shot seemed imminent, he heard the man before him groan before falling over with a thud. Marco opened his eyes with confusion only to find Jean standing there, huffing and panting. "J-Jean? B-but? How? I heard you..." Marco trailed off in astonishment.

Gasping for breath, he extended a helping hand to Marco, his concern evident in his eyes. "Caught the ladder at the last second, my shoulder hurts like hell. You holding up okay?"

Marco winced, assessing his own injuries. "Got a few bruises, but nothing serious."

Jean nodded, relieved. "That's a relief."

As Jean scanned the area for their mysterious savior, his eyes widened with a sudden sense of unease. There was only a trail of blood that abruptly vanished before reaching the corner, leaving them in eerie silence. Jean sighed, there was no point in overthinking it, he was just glad to be alive and Marco mirrored that sentiment. He traced his gaze back to the unconcious man before them with disdain, taking the gun away from him.

"Let's tie this asshole up and interrogate him, I want to get this investigation over with."

Marco nodded. "Stratmann will answer for this."

Kenny Ackermann emerged from the house impassively, his gaze momentarily dropping to scrutinize his shoes before he took in the sights of the surrounding neighborhood. Caven joined him, discreetly closing the door behind her. He shot her a quick, knowing glance, and without a word exchanged, they retreated from the building and disappeared into the shadows of a nearby alley.

With a satisfied grin, Kenny adjusted his hat, pulling it lower to shield his eyes from curious onlookers. He relished in the prospect of having a new name to chase after, his thoughts whispered aloud as he strolled.

"At last, I found ya, my patriotic friend."