Chapter 15

The New Headquarters

Kara rode next to Eren as they rode towards the new HQ. It use to be a royal palace and a former Scouting HQ. Oluo was on Eren's other side and Levi was behind Eren with Petra. Eld and Gunther were ahead of them. The castle was seen in the distance.

"An architectural marvel, don't you agree? A proper royal residence once upon a time; and more recently, our former headquarters. Fancy, yes. But absurdly impractical once the Scouts got down to business. Much, much to far removed from eitehr river or wall. This was the early days for us, you understand. Hopes soared high. Now, this opulent bauble is a little more than a holding cell. The place where we store our newest toy." Oluo said. Kara rolled her eyes. Eren was looking around. Eren looked back at Levi to see him glaring at Eren. Eren's eyes widen and quickly look ahead. Oluo comes up close to Eren. "Do not be deceived, greenhorn."

"Excuse me?" Eren asked.

"Don't be expecting the royal treatment. Whether you're Titan or human, don't imagine for a second we all share the good Captain's and his daughter's enthusi.." The horse hit a rock and Oluo bit down on his tongue.

"Oh for Heaven's sake." Kara said, putting a hand to her face.

"Oluo." Petra called.

"Tch." Levi said.

They arrived at the new HQ and Kara put her horse in the stables as Petra scolded Oluo. Levi watched the bickerment as Kara came out. Eren was studying all the squad members.

"Looks like a good place for new HQ." Kara said.

"Tch. It's so we can do Eren's experiments with no interuptions." Levi said.

"Give the kid a break, dad. He hasn't lost control yet." Kara said.

"Yet. We still don't understand what he is and if he's gonna cause problems." Levi said.

"And what would you have done if it was me, father? Lock me up in a cell all night like Eren?" Kara asked. Levi clenched his jaw. "Thought so." Kara went towards Eld and Gunther, who were looking at the castle.

"Look at these weeds. This place has gone to hell." Gunther said. Kara had to bite her lip.

"It's been abandoned for years. Bet the inside's are shambles." Eld said. Footsteps come behind them.

"In which case we have a problem, don't we?" Levi said from behind. Eld, Gunther, and Kara turned. A shadow fell across Levi's face. "Best grab a broom and get to work."

Hours later. Kara had all the windows open in the castle Kara had a hankerchief over her mouth. She was use to her father's clean freak habbits since she joined them. She was in charge of the kitchen as soon as all the windows were open. Kara had everything spotless and was putting the food away.

"Need help?" Eren asked.

"If you want to help put the food away." Kara said, taking off her hankerchief.

"Is your dad really a clean freak?" Eren asked.

"He is. I take it he had you redo your section?" Kara asked. Eren nodded. "You'll get his cleaning eventually." Eren started helping her.

"You never really told me how you got under his custody." Eren said.

"My father was a MP in the interior. What no one knew was he abused me and my mother. One day my mom got in front of me after a beating and dad stabbed her through the heart. I went running and ran into Erwin and Levi. Ever since I been with Levi as his daughter. My abusive father is somewhere in the Underworld." Kara said. Eren looked at her in surprise.

"Jean knows. Is that why he's protective of you?" Eren said.

"Yeah. I got a bounty on my head by my own father. Still don't understand why." Kara said with a sigh.

"Brat. You done in here?" Levi said, stepping in. Eren shot straight up.

"Sir." Eren said.

"Just finishing putting away food, dad. Eren's gonna help make food." Kara said. Levi looked around and saw everything was to his liking and walked out. "You really are afraid of the Captain after that beating he gave you." Kara said with a smirk. Eren looked down.

"Yes." Eren said. Kara couldn't help but chuckle. She got to work with starting dinner.

That night after dinner. Kara brough a tray of tea out for the Levi squad and handed out the mugs. She sat down in a seat next to her father as she grabbed her mug. Eren sat at one end of the table and Levi was at the other. Kara was sitting next to Eld as Oluo was on the other side of Levi.

"It's safe to assume our standing orders will stretch into next week. But word through the grapevine is we're gearing up for a big mission a month from now. One where a bunch of wet behind the ears graduates are slated to be our main backup." Eld said. Eren and Kara share looks.

'I wonder how many of our friends will be joining the Scouts. Jean. Will you?' Kara thought.

"That can't be right. Why dod something like that? The cadets have been through enough with the last Titan attack. No offense Kara and Eren." Gunther said.

"None taken." Kara said. Eren nodded.

"Why subject them to that kind of danger again?" Gunther said.

"You have to wonder how many of those snivel drop runts peed themselves." Oluo said. He took a drink from his tea as Kara glared at him. Petra looked at Levi.

"Surely this can't be the case." Petra said.

"Mission planning isn't my responsibility. But, it is Erwin's. And you can be the man's obsessed over eyery angle." Levi said.

"That's the truth. Especially given how unique the situation is. Consider how many people died on the path to taking back Wall Maria, then hope comes in a form no one expected. One that we're not even entirely sure how to deal with." Eld said. His eyes land on Eren. Eren gasped. Everyone was looking at him. Eren looked at them in wide eyes. Kara took a long sip of her tea. Eren looked down. "Most of us still find it hard to believe."

"I'm still wrapping my head around it, but I trusted him enough." Kara said.

"Brat. You were part of the elite squad protecting him and guarding him when he was taking the boulder to the wall. You came a long way since I got you." Levi said. Kara looked at her cup.

"He's right." Petra said. Levi took a sip of his tea.

"So how does it work? This whole changing into a Titan trick. Really?" Eld asked.

"Wish I could tell you, but the fact is my memory's not clear. Guess it's kinda like being in a trance. I do know the trigger seems to be hurting myself in some way. Like biting my hand." Eren said.

"Your not going to get anything out of him. Apart from what the scribblers have laid out in the reports." Levi said. He brought his cup back to his mouth. "Huh. Not that you-know-who won't have a go at it." He took a sip and looked at Eren. "You'll be lucky to come out of it alive if that one lays into you. Of course it's only a matter of time." Kara snorted into her mug.

"Who are you talking about?" Eren asked. Someone running into the door came, making everyone, but Levi jump. Hange yell came. Levi didn't look happy as Kara got up and opened the door as Hange stepped inside, holding her head.

"I'm so sorry." Hange said. Hange turns and looks at everyone and holds up her hand. "Good evening, Team Levi! How is castle life treating everyone?"

"You're too early." Levi said as Hange stepped into the room. Kara closes the door and goes back to her seat.

"Am I? S'pose I couldn't help myself." Hange said as she walked towards Eren.

"Section Commander Hange?" Eren said. Hange stops next to him.

"Hello, Eren. In the event you haven't pieced it together yet, it's my job to spearhead the Scout Regiment's research efforts. Essentially, I poke and prod our captive Titan specimens. I'd very much like your help." Hange said.

"My help? In what way? Like, what would I have to do?" Eren asked. Hange lifted her hand to her face.

"Join me, of course! On a quest of scientific discovery!" Hange said.

"Dad. She has that crazy look on her face again." Kara whispered.

"Tch." Levi said.

"Well, uh.. I'm happy to help, except I'm afraid it's not up to me. I'm under close restrictions by order of the higher ups, you see." Eren said. Hange looks towards Levi.

"Levi! What's on the docket for him tomorrow?" Hange asked. Levi glared at Hange with a dull stare.

"Clearing out all the weeds." Levi said.

"Excellent, then! It's cinched!" Hange said. She turned back to Eren and grabbed his hand. "Young man, tomorrow will be grand.." Kara stood up and headed to go clean the kitchen. She didn't want to listen to Hange go on. Soon as she got going Eren would be there all night.

Kara was in the kitchen for a good while cleaning up. She yawned having lost track of time.

"Yo, brat." Kara looked to see Levi in the door. "Go to bed. It's late." Kara sighed as she followed her father out of the kitchen. She could hear Hange talking to Eren.

"Their still going at it?" Kara asked.

"You know four eyes. You get her going, she won't shut up. You learned that lesson when you first joined us." Levi said. Kara nodded. He walked her to her room. "Now get sleep. We might have to watch Hange's experiments on Eren in the next few weeks."

"Yes, dad." Kara said. Kara entered her room and laid on the bed. She missed her friends and Jean. She rolled onto her side and looked at the moon that was high in the sky. She fell asleep.

"Where's Section Commander Hange!" Moblit's voice woke her from her sleep the next day. Kara jumped out of bed, pulling on her Scouting cape and runs to the door, yanking on her boots as she jumped towards the door. She opened it as others did to. Levi stepped out from his across from hers.

"Captain Levi. Where's Section Commander Hange?" Moblit said. He ran over. "Hi Kara."

"She's in the mess hall." Levi said.

"What's going on?" Kara asked.

"The Two Titan Captives were killed last night!" Moblit yelled, running off. Kara's eyes widen.

"Captain?" Eld asked.

"Get your horses ready." Levi ordered. They ran down to the stables. The saddled their horses. Eren joined them with Hange. Hange looked like she was going to cry. They rode towards where the test subjects were being held. They dismounted and went to see the Titan carcases laying in the courtyard. Eren had his hood up as he stood with Kara. Hange started screaming. Levi stood with Kara and Eren as they looked on.

"Sawney! Bean!" Hange yelled the names of the Titans. Kara couldn't believe that the Titans were killed.

'Who would of done this? Do we have traitors among our teams?' Kara thought.

"How could this happen?!" Hange yelled. Hange fell to her knees. "Someone tell me this isn't real!" Hange continues screaming. Kara shook her head.

"They were such valuable specimens. Is this a soldier's work?" Gunther asked.

"Yeah. But they haven't pegged the one responsible yet. They were killed just before dawn, apparently." Eld said. Hange was pulling at her hair as she screamed. "By the time the guards go here, the bastard cleared out on ODM gear."

"Whoever it was must've had a lookout to warn him about the guards." Gunther said.

"Sawney!" Hange screamed.

"Oh dear. Somene's gone start raving mad, haven't they?" Oluo said. Petra elbowed him hard in the chest. "OW!"

"How did this... How'd it happen?" Eren asked.

"Let it go. This is a matter for the Military Police." Levi said.

"Yes sir." Kara and Eren said as Levi walked away. Eren and Kara looked back at Hange still screaming.

"This isn't good. Who can we trust now." Kara whispered.

"They really think its a soldier? Then who?" Eren whispered. Kara shrugged. Hands came on both Eren and Kara's shoulders. They gasp and look at Erwin.

"What is it you think you see?" Erwin said. Kara and Eren stare at him in shock. "Who do you think the real enemy is here?" Eren gasped and Kara gritted her teeth as she looked at the dead Titans. Erwin closed his eyes. "Ignore me. Loaded question." Erwin walks away to where Levi was waiting and they walked away. Kara watched them go and turned to look at the smoking carcasses.

'He has a point. If it was a soldier, then who is the enemy we're facing. Something isn't right.' Kara thought as her and Eren left to go back to HQ.

AN: I really think Hange can be crazy at times. LOL. Till next time.