"Hey, Moblit."

Moblit raised his eyes from the clipboard he had in hand. He'd been doing his best to use his cloak to keep the light rain from distorting the ink, however a growing spot in the upper corner was quickly making it clear he'd have to re-pen his field observation notes entirely. The thought alone made his eyelids droop.

He blinked in a tired fashion as he locked eyes with his companion.

Celine regarded him from over her shoulder with a thoughtful expression. She was wearing a green cloak, having borrowed one from the Scout Regiment on the basis of not wanting to get her own cloak singed. Seeing her dressed as a Scout soldier had Moblit thanking a god he didn't believe in that he only had to deal with corralling Celine within the walls.

Water dribbled from Celine's hood as she tilted her head. "Let's get married so we don't die alone," she said, using a tone as if the statement wasn't absurd.

"Pass."

Celine's expression darkened to match the clouds above. "That rejection was a little too fast from someone who I know finds me attractive."

Moblit let out a heavy exhale. He secured the clipboard to the side of his harness before stepping forward.

"That was before I got to know you better," he said, knowing full well the comment may be the last thing to pass through his lips. The reason the two of them were in a field on the outskirts of Trost in the first place was to test the durability of the Titan armor's final design. This included firing thunder spears into the side of the gleaming material at close range, one such spear loaded and at the ready in the hand Celine didn't have on her crutch.

"There's a farm just down the road," Celine said, locking her eyes with his as he stopped at her side. "I'll feed your body to the pigs, and they'll never know what happened to you."

"I hope you know you're only backing up my point," Moblit said. A neat stack of thunder spears was to his left, Moblit lowering himself into a squat to grasp the one at the top. "I'm sorry the Captain didn't share your feelings."

Moblit turned his head to look up at Celine as she hummed. She was studying the grass as if it were a piece of machinery she could take apart. He admired her for her analytical sense but had the feeling she missed out on enjoying simple pleasures because of her desire to take nothing at face value. There was a good chance her mind ran at a constant hum; Moblit felt pity over the idea of not being able to enjoy even a moment of peace.

"He didn't reject me, exactly," Celine said, still regarding the damp grass brushing against her boot. "I'm afraid that if I keep trying to push things with him, he'll sever the connection we've made." Her features relaxed. It was a soft sort of expression Celine didn't wear often, causing Moblit's eyebrows to rise as she finished her thought.

"As it turns out, his company is something I'm not willing to lose."

A smile tugged at the corner of Moblit's mouth. He balanced the thunder spear on his shoulder, straightening with a grunt. "I want to give you some recognition for that being the most mature thing I've ever heard you say … even if I disagree and think you shouldn't give up."

His smile widened as Celine looked up at him with a line between her brows.

"During the times you were recovering in the Infirmary and the Commander wasn't by your side – I was there," Moblit said. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "And at the times neither the Commander nor I was there – it was the Captain."

Celine studied him in apprehension. "Really?"

"Really," Moblit said. The childlike glimmer behind her gaze caused him to chuckle. "The two of us crossed paths on the morning you finally woke up after your surgery. He didn't have to say a word for me to tell you were going to be alright. I don't think I've ever seen the Captain looking as relieved as he did that day."

A pink hue touched Celine's cheeks. She looked away, balancing on her crutch to lift her hand and place it on her cheek. "Why are you only telling me this now? Jeez … My heart feels like it's going to burst. He's so cute, Moblit – you don't even get it! Even the uncultured way he holds his teacup is oddly charming. Ah … What am I going to do? Do you think I should get him flowers? I feel like white roses suit him. How many bouquets would be too much?"

Moblit's shoulders shook as he laughed. Celine's arm received a final pat before he pulled away. "Welcome back, Unit Captain." He took a step to the side as he readied the thunder spear in a firing position. "It's good to see you back to normal; being mopey doesn't sit well on you."

"I think you're right, Unit Captain," Celine said, a new bravado to her voice. She mirrored Moblit's movements with her own spear. "You're a lot less of a drag to talk to now, you know? It's like you went from the kitten who hides under the bed to the cat who nips at your ankles."

She cut off Moblit's rebuttal with a grin. "Release!"

The thunder spears fired in unison. Dark trails of gray spiraled in their wake before the spears met at the shining breastplate in a shower of fire and rolling heat. Their hoods flew back and for a moment the clamminess enveloping Moblit blew away. The temporary warmth passed as nature returned things to their rightful place and unloaded a shower of droplets in his hair.

"Please don't use an analogy like that again," Moblit said, blinking away the spots in his vision as he adjusted his hood. "Between you and the Commander, there's only so much I can handle."

"Oh ho! Is that so?"

Moblit nearly leapt out of his skin. His jaw dropped as a grappling hook gripped the neckline of the massive breastplate with a clunk. A figure swung themselves up from the interior of the armor.

"You've been doing a damn good job looking out for us so far," Hange said. She slammed her boot down on the edge with a grin, lifting her goggles. "I have high expectations for you, so keep it up!"

The empty casing for the thunder spear fell from Moblit's limp fingers.

"Have you been in there this whole time?!" he said, unable to hold his shock.

"Of course, she has," Celine said, casually tossing her own casing aside. "Just studying the material from the point of impact isn't enough to ensure there's no damage. It's possible the vibrations from the explosives could resonate through the crystal and create hairline fractures we'd only notice if studying the material internally."

"And it's holding up beautifully!" Hange said, cupping a hand around her mouth. "There's not even a scratch on the inside! I can't believe Annie was able to make something like this! Ah – Celine; Moblit! Being inside a structure crafted by Titan hands … It's like nothing I've ever experienced! I felt like I transcended to a plain of existence where–"

"We've been firing at it with explosives!" Moblit screamed. He threw up his hands in exasperation. "If you want to do something as pig-headed as getting yourself blown to pieces, at least have the decency of not getting me involved!"

For a moment his companions regarded him in silence. Celine doubled over, wrapping her arm around her middle.

"Ha! Look at how mad you made him!" Celine said, gasping as she laughed. "He's going to burst a blood vessel! Hange, you're going to need a new lackey!"

Moblit dropped his arms with a groan. Celine's laughter continued to cut through the air as he locked eyes with Hange. At the very least his superior appeared sheepish.

"Sorry to worry you, Moblit," Hange said. She slid down the side of the breastplate, damp grass squishing underfoot on her heavy landing. "We just knew you'd say no, so Celine and I felt it was best not to mention it."

"I remember now what dealing with you both at the same time is like," Moblit said as Hange approached. "You're the reason my hair is falling out."

Moblit received a slap on the back from Hange alongside a barking laugh.

"He never fails at being dramatic," Hange said. "Right, Celine?"

Celine straightened, tucking loose hair behind her ear as her laughter died down. "It makes him good company. I hope you don't mind being bald, Moblit – I think you're stuck with us for a while."

"Amazing," Moblit said, his tone indicating it was anything but.

"And now that all the pieces of the Titan armor have passed their stress tests …" Hange said. She placed a hand on each of their shoulders, drawing Moblit and Celine close. "… you two can help me figure out how to break the news to Levi in a way where he doesn't kill me on the spot."

Celine tilted her head with a hum. "Oh, right … That's a problem, isn't it? He isn't going to like that the material we settled on was the crystalline substance created by Annie Leonheart."

"Or that the council voted that the best course of action for plugging the hole in Wall Maria is to take Annie down there and supervise as she does it herself," Moblit said with a frown.

"But Levi is logical," Celine said, shifting her attention between Hange and Moblit. "I know he hates her for what she did to infiltrate our ranks, but he won't be able to argue against this being the safest choice. If he's worried about her escaping, we'll just put safeguards in place and run Eren and Ymir through drills on how to contain her in the case that happens."

Hange leaned back with a sigh. "I know you have blinders on concerning Levi, Celine – but he's more than capable of acting just as irrational as anyone else. Annie murdered his squad, and he's never going to forgive that. She could be the catalyst of us ending all this fighting entirely and he'd still cut her down without hesitation."

"He isn't that shortsighted," Celine said, eyes narrowing.

"No, but–"

Moblit felt vibrations through the grass. He looked over his shoulder, frowning as an object grew steadily closer. He wasn't the only one – Celine and Hange grew quiet as the shape solidified into a rider on horseback thundering through the mist.

"Commander!"

"I'm here," Hange said, stepping forward.

"The rest of the squadron are coming," the rider said, his horse letting out a grunt as it skid to a stop. "The three of you will take shelter immediately – Premier Pyxis has placed an order for all high-ranking personnel to be put on lockdown."

Moblit glanced to Hange, watching her expression harden.

"What–?"

"Hold on," the soldier said. He lifted his hood, revealing hardened features as he looked about. "Is Captain Levi not with you?"

"No," Hange said, the alarm in her voice rising. "Levi and his squad are on a special assignment. Are they in danger?"

A spark of anger flitted across the soldier's face, morphing into a sadness that a man who looked so hardened from battle shouldn't be capable of. Moblit already felt a sinking feeling in his gut even before the man spoke.

"He's dead," the soldier said, looking away.

"Erwin Smith has been murdered."

"This is really annoying," Levi said. He sighed, tightening the white bandana he had covering the lower half of his face. "I wanted to get in and out of here as fast as possible. Now we're stuck in this shithole."

Armin kept his gaze locked on Levi, fighting every urge he had to panic. The two of them had their backs against a building molded from clay; half the structure slumping from age and mistreatment. It didn't help that chunks of red material blew away every time a bullet whizzed past overhead and took part of the building with it. The window between Armin and Levi already had its glass blown out – Armin flinching when a bullet blew apart the wood of the windowsill and turned it into a shower of splinters.

"Do you have eyes on the others?" Levi said. He rocked forward into a crouch, drawing the swords from his hips.

Armin looked ahead. His squad mates had also retreated behind various objects for cover the second they suddenly went from walking down a quiet street to being showered with gunfire. He spotted them leaning around what appeared to be a rusted water tank. Like the captain, they had their swords drawn as their eyes darted about with grim expressions.

"Jean and Mikasa are at our two," Armin said, looking back at Levi. "There's two or three injured Military Police at our ten, but I don't know what happened to the rest."

"Probably dead," Levi said. He leaned to the side to glance through the window at their back. His eyes narrowed. "More bodies lying around isn't going to help with the stench soaking every part of this place. Disgusting."

"Captain," Armin said, praying he could steer Levi into a conversation more helpful than just commentary on the state of the Underground. "What are our orders?"

"Same thing as when the caravans came under attack," Levi said. He leaned away from the window to meet Armin's gaze. "The rifles they have down here are shit, and their group is fewer in number. I'll head to the left and you three brats go toward the right. Tell the Military Police to stay out of the way if they can't keep up."

Something creaked. Levi darted to his feet, bringing his arm back and plunging his sword through the wall. Armin grimaced as a shout rang out from inside the building. Levi pulled back his sword without much effort, the tip smearing blood against the new slit in the clay.

"Funny how the fuckwits down here forget how thin the building material is," Levi said. He flicked his sword to splatter blood against the wall. "We'd be dead by now if their aim was any better."

Levi activated his ODM gear. He was around the corner in an instant, Armin carefully tracking his movements.

"Jean, Mikasa!" Armin said, whipping his head around. "Follow me! And don't use anything other than metal or wood as anchor points – the buildings won't hold our weight."

Armin leapt to his feet, ducking his head as he ran the length of the building. He spotted Mikasa and Jean in his peripheral darting between crates and wagon parts for cover. The gunfire had returned, but it seemed Levi was using himself as a distraction to give the rest of his squad a clear path to take the enemy from behind. It was a risky play that Armin wouldn't let go to waste.

A collection of still, squat buildings was all Armin spotted as he peaked around the corner. He made eye contact once more with Jean and Mikasa before aiming his hooks for wooden beams attached to another clay building across the street. He was airborne a moment later, the sound of gas at his back indicating Jean and Mikasa on his heels.

"Armin!"

Jean yanked Armin by the foot, moving him aside enough that a bullet flew past his hip. A gunman had popped out from behind a pile of woven sacks in an alley below. They were in the middle of reloading their rifle when Mikasa descended from above in a spiral of shining steel, severing their arm at the shoulder.

Mangled screams caused Armin to grimace as he landed on a nearby rooftop. Fighting humans wasn't as objectively horrifying as going up against Titans … but something about it made Armin feel ill. It was inherently wrong. Most of the Titans couldn't be saved or helped. Humans were different. Humans laughed and cried and had families to go home to; people who would mourn their loss. They all had names … including the man bleeding out in the alley below.

"What the hell?" Jean said.

Armin looked over his shoulder. Jean's back was framed in hazy yellow smoke drifting from a streetlamp below. The way the smoke and artificial light saturated every part of the Underground made it seem unreal even when Armin was standing in the heart of the city. It was almost like he'd stepped into the pages of a book he'd had as a child which spoke of faraway places he could only dream of. Jean played the part of the brave explorer illustrated looking out over expanses of sand or crashing waves that touched the horizon. That picture bled away as the tension left Jean's shoulders.

"You know those things Eren, Ymir, and Annie can transform into?" Jean asked. He didn't look away from the now silent streets as Armin stepped to his side. His eyes narrowed. "Those Titans ... still don't scare me as much as the Captain."

Armin followed Jean's gaze. Dark pools of blood oozed from a collection of bodies lying in the dirt. A handful were members of the Military Police who had accompanied their squad on their mission – the rest hung halfway out windows or in heaps among broken crates and machinery. The rifles a few of the assailants still had in hand hadn't seemed to have done them much good.

"He didn't have to kill them," Jean said, lowering his voice. "Couldn't we just take them prisoner or something?"

A hiss of steam accompanied Mikasa landing behind them. She sheathed her sword as she stepped forward.

"That would be risky," Mikasa said, stopping beside Armin. "It's something I wouldn't want to do."

Jean glanced at Mikasa before looking ahead with a grunt. "How the hell did you even hear me from down there? Jeez … you both are scary."

"Oi."

Levi came into view down the street. He was using a brown cloth to wipe down his sword, tossing the soiled material aside. "It looks like these assholes were associated with Kenny. Get down here – I found what they were protecting."

Armin chose to cross the distance using ODM gear, not wanting to get a better look at the bodies below. He came up beside Levi as they stood before the door of a small building tucked down a side street.

Levi lifted his hand, letting out a grunt over the sight of blood caking his fingers.

"Are you injured, Captain?" Armin asked.

"It's not mine," Levi said. His unsoiled hand reached into his front pocket, producing a handkerchief. It had a capital 'L' in looping script embroidered into the corner using deep blue thread. Having an object specially hand embroidered seemed unlike the Captain's simple tastes and immediately struck Armin as being odd.

The way Levi paused was an indicator he also found the handkerchief's presence unusual. He stared at it for a moment, Armin finding it difficult to read his expression from his eyes alone. The handkerchief was left unstained as Levi tucked it back into his breast pocket.

"Give me something to wipe this off," Levi said.

Jean happened to have a clean handkerchief, Levi making quick work of the blood as he raised a foot and kicked in the door before him. Their squad stood on the threshold, no one moving a muscle as dust settled.

"There's probably one or two more shitbrains hiding in here, so stay alert," Levi said. He tossed the cloth aside before pulling two small knives from his belt. The wood beneath his boots creaked in a painfully loud fashion.

"Should we just walk in through the front door like this?" Jean said. He picked up a rifle from the hands of a man slumped nearby with his throat cut open. The rifle was still full of ammo, Armin wondering if Captain Levi had come across the man before he even registered he was staring death in the face.

"They already know we're here," Levi said.

The entryway was a small room with little more than a table with four chairs and a few cabinets. Levi crossed it in a few quick strides before putting his back against the wall of the hallway and leaning around the corner. "There's no point sneaking around, now."

"At least take the gun," Jean mumbled.

Levi lowered himself into a crouch. His eyes narrowed as if trying to get a better look at what was down the hall.

"There's something there," he said. "I think it's a body."

"A body?" Armin said. He glanced over his shoulder in a nervous fashion. "Why would they be protecting a body?"

"Let's find out."

Levi turned the corner, disappearing from view. Mikasa took the lead taking his spot at the corner of the hall as Armin and Jean looked about in apprehension.

"What the hell is this?"

Armin frowned from the perplexity in Levi's tone. Mikasa hesitated for a moment before she rounded the corner, Armin and Jean quick to follow.

Like Levi had said, there appeared to be a dead body in the hall. It was a man with a long cloak, dark hair, and a knife stuck in the side of his neck. From the look and smell of things, he'd been there for some time.

Two doors lined the hallway. Armin glanced through the one at his left near the corpse, getting a glimpse of a small room that was nearly baren from what he could make out over Mikasa's shoulder. It appeared Levi had also opened the second door at the end of the hall, revealing that it opened into another alleyway.

"This is it?" Jean said, frowning at the body. "Nothing is here. It looks like no one even came in to move this dead guy."

"That seems to be the case," Levi said. He squatted, pulling gloves from his pocket. He slipped on the gloves before working to turn the body over. "I think all those geniuses outside thought this man was still alive."

"You're kidding," Jean said, his nose wrinkling as the body flopped on its back. "No one thought to check if this guy was still alive?"

"If Kenny gave the order never to set foot in this place, then that's what would happen," Levi said. He began rummaging through the pockets on the corpse. He came up empty. "Shit … what the hell about you was so important?"

Footsteps accompanied Mikasa exiting the small room to their backs. She met their gaze with a shake to her head.

"I think someone was living there," she said. "I found some rotten food and a sleeping mat on the floor. There's a book and some men's clothes, and that's it."

"Does the book seem significant?" Levi asked, getting to his feet.

"Not really," Mikasa said. "It's an adventure story I remember Eren's mom used to read to us. I checked the book for writing, but there was nothing."

Levi made his way to the back door, looking about for a moment before shaking his head. "We'll issue an order for the Military Police to take this asshole and do a more thorough search of the apartment. I'm gonna be pissed if I got dragged down here for nothing."

Armin followed Levi's lead, heading toward the back door.

"Maybe we missed something?" he said. "Could there be doors or a basement we don't know about?"

"Unlikely," Levi said. He crossed his arms as he regarded the body. "The way structures are built down here don't–"

Armin caught something moving in a shadow just outside the door. A hooded figure popped into view, brandishing a rifle in his face. It was like time shifted as he watched the finger the figure had around the trigger pull back in a painfully slow fashion. He felt something tugging on his shoulder as he was yanked off his feet.

A deafening bang rang through the air. The figure let out a gasp, stepping back as a bloodstain began to seep through their cloak around their stomach.

"That was a fast reaction," Levi said. He stepped past Jean, placing a hand on his shoulder in passing. Jean continued to stare ahead while still holding up the smoking rifle.

Mikasa had pulled Armin to the floor, now helping him to his feet. "Good job, Jean," she said. "You saved Armin's life."

"G-good," Jean said. His fingers slowly unfurled, the gun falling to the floorboards. "That's … that's good. Fuck … that guy came out of nowhere."

"We were careless," Levi said. He grabbed the figure by the front of their shirt, lifting them into a sitting position as they groaned. "They were crouched alongside the pile of junk near the door. I recognize their cloak – they blended in and waited until we had our backs turned to make a move. He's smart enough to make me think he knows something."

Levi gave the figure a shake, his eyes narrowing. "Oi – word travels fast down here, so I know you're aware Kenny is already dead. What the hell do you have in there worth protecting without him? All that's here is a man slightly farther along than you will be soon."

The hood of the figure fell away, revealing a young woman with freckles who couldn't be much older than Armin. Her dark eyes grew wide at Levi's mention of the man inside being dead.

"So, they didn't know," Levi said. He let out a frustrated grunt. "You all were so scared of going against Kenny you'd die to protect an empty apartment. Although … no, that's not right. Kenny is dead, so there's someone else you didn't want to cross."

The woman gasped, a dark trickle of blood escaping the corner of her mouth. Her eyes left Levi as her gaze seemed to be losing focus.

"I have no issue finding out who you are and the people who are close to you," Levi said. He grasped the side of the woman's face, forcing her to look at him. "I'll hunt them down and spill their guts out just like yours if you don't tell me who was being kept here."

The woman let out short, shallow gasps. She lifted her hand to point at the top of her head. She drew a slow circle with her finger before her hand shook and it fell to her side.

"Oi," Levi said, giving her a shake. "I need more than that shit description."

The woman didn't answer. Her head fell back as her eyes stared at the stone ceiling acting as the closest thing those in the Underground ever had to a sky.

"Did that mean something?" Jean asked. He took a step back as Levi got to his feet.

"It can mean two things," Levi said. He pulled off his gloves, reaching up to tug down the bandana over his face as he regarded them. "It can mean someone with lighter hair. It's also the gesture for 'crown,' and is used when talking about the King."

"The King?" Jean said, his eyes going wide. "Seriously? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The sound of hoofbeats cut through the air. Armin turned toward the main road as they steadily grew closer.

"Took them long enough," Levi said. He reached to his side, producing a flare. Its presence immediately indicated for everyone else to step back as he lifted it overhead. A trail of green smoke followed the flare as Levi fired it into the darkness above.

A rider on horseback came into view, then another. Armin could see at least seven Military Police soldiers as the group came to a stop right outside the alley.

"Come this way," Levi said, indicating the apartment with a tilt to his head. "There's a body inside we need to take back, and we're going to need to tear this place apart for any information. I think something important was being kept here."

"Understood, Captain," the soldier at the head of the group said, dismounting. "However, you and your squad will need to head back to the surface at once. The Premier has ordered that you all are under lockdown for your own safety; It looks like you already came under attack."

"Something that we took care of, no thanks to the members of your branch," Levi said. He tilted his head, his expression darkening. "And why the hell is Pyxis putting my squad on lockdown?"

"The former commander of your regiment has been assassinated," the soldier said. "The Premier is concerned it may not be an isolated incident. You are to return to the surface immediately under the supervision of the Military Police and Scout Regiment."

Armin's eyes grew wide. He exchanged stunned glances with Jean and Mikasa. He could tell they all shared the same collective thought:

Who would murder Erwin?

Levi moved in a blur. He grasped the front of the soldier's jacket, yanking him forward until his face was at Levi's level.

"How?" Levi said, voice low.

The corner of the soldier's mouth twitched as he seemed to be having trouble holding Levi's gaze.

"He was shot, Captain," the soldier said. "We don't know by who."

Levi's hand began to shake. "You're certain? You're certain it was Erwin?"

The soldier leaned back with a grimace. He nodded. "Yes, Captain. We're certain."

"Hold on a minute!"

Jean stepped forward, panic lacing his features. "Conny! Conny was living there with Erwin too, right? What happened to Conny?!"

The soldier yanked himself out of Levi's grasp. There was no fight from Levi as he looked to the side, staring into the middle distance.

"We're not certain," the soldier said, eyeing Levi as he addressed Jean. "We've started an extensive manhunt for Private Conny Springer, but so far no one has been able to locate him."

Jean took a step back, his hands shaking.

"What the hell?" Jean said, his voice hoarse. "Erwin is dead, and Conny is … missing?"

Armin dropped his gaze, landing on the dead woman staring upward. She was connected somehow to the dead man inside who she'd thought wasn't dead. That man had been connected to Kenny … who'd been the center of the investigation Erwin had been leading. It was an investigation Armin had only heard snippets of, one such being the death of a noble and the royal family's reaction of shutting themselves off from everyone entirely. This woman … the man inside … Kenny … the noble … Erwin … they were all dead. They were all connected.

Somehow, they were all connected to the person this woman meant when she traced a circle around her head with her finger.