CHAPTER XXII

His conversation with Nile at least made him certain that his former comrade was simply doing his job, but he wasn't involved in this dark business; to him, his family and the citizenry continued to be what mattered most, even over his position, and that was an advantage to the plan he would be sharing with Commander Pixis in a few minutes.

What he didn't expect that morning was the arrival of his nurse, carrying an official document, signed by the doctor in charge of his case, and stipulating that an ongoing medical treatment couldn't be denied and/or interrupted to a patient still under investigation. She obviously had no idea that the order came from the very top and they could act, adjust the rules as they pleased.

"You're trying to do your job, but so are we, Commander Nile" she had told him, politely handing over the document, trying to restrain her reproach about the day before yet he could tell her eyes betrayed her a little.

His colleague examined the piece of paper from top to bottom, then looked at her as if considering what to do, and finally turned to him.

"I'll allow the young lady to do her work this time" he established firmly, and Erwin noticed the warning implied in his words and gaze "And I'm retiring now but my men will be here in an hour and a half to pick you up, Erwin. Be ready by then" this time he turned to her, who didn't seem intimidated by the man or his rank and nodded slightly in her direction, leaving immediately after, and realizing that no matter what he said, the woman would only listen to Erwin.

Once Nile closed the door, the blonde sighed, completely mindful and ready for what laid ahead; this fight was going to be a hard one, if not the hardest one, but it didn't have to be like that for her. She's no soldier, his head reminded him, imitating Levi's voice, in a menacing tone.

Without saying anything, he first allowed her to tend him in absolute silence, knowing well that he wouldn't be able to comply with her indications from that day on.

"Miss Stoltz, before you go, please take a seat" he asked, looking at the door, knowing Commander Pixis would be arriving in any time. He then glanced to the window, still closed, and covered by thick curtains that at least provided some privacy.

"I'm sorry I couldn't visit you yesterday, sir" she apologized, getting his attention as she looked down "I hate to excuse myself, but I couldn't get through. That's why I came prepared today, after exposing the situation to doctor Nowak".

"As much as I appreciate it, you shouldn't have insisted" he said, observing her take the seat in front of him. Her stern face showed she foresaw what he was going to say "I don't think I'll be able to see you anymore because I'm being transferred to other facilities in a while, that's why I need you to desist" he emphasized, omitting details for her own safety.

"I imagined you'd say something like that" she commented, playing with a tiny piece of gauze between her hands. She stopped and looked at him, irritated and worried "I understand the situation but still, they shouldn't oppose your treatment. You are to be judged, that means you may be found innocent of all charges but if you end up dying from an infection all the same, then what's the point?" the woman frowned, visibly mad "They could at least try finding a less disgusting method to kill you, Commander".

"Be sure I don't plan on dying just like that, Miss" he tried to lighten the mood, yet he was also being very serious about it "Therefore, don't worry about me and keep a low profile. It's for your own safety" he hoped that would convince her, but those words only exasperated her.

"I know, but please stop with that. I'm no child" this time she raised her eyes and looked at him, disapprovingly "I may not know what this is all about, but I'm sure the Corps fight for all of us. You keep on doing it now, even when they're accusing you of something you didn't do, don't you?" she stated, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

"I esteem your faith. I really do" Erwin couldn't avoid a sad but grateful smile "Nonetheless, guilty or not guilty, things are getting trickier and to be honest, I dislike the idea of endangering you or any other citizen. Dimo Reeves may not have died by my own hand, but his decision to stand with us got him killed".

"True, but you just said it: his decision" she highlighted, and the blond startled a little at the tranquility with which she spoke "This is not about blame but more like consequences. And he surely understood what he was getting into, but that didn't stop him".

Erwin listened with interest and remained undaunted by her words on the outside, but he was actually somewhat moved by them.

He couldn't help thinking of Levi's message and how he had to mention, though briefly, that he'd eavesdropped on her and her friend, which he felt forced to share because of the data he got. He stared at the woman, who had no idea she indirectly provided valuable information; well, technically her friend did, whom Levi was probably not happy to see. In the middle of this whole mess, it'd been entertaining to see his very naïve friend trying to disguise his wish to go and make sure she was safe with the excuse of finding out what happened after he left that tavern.

"I don't think I've succeeded to convince you. And I wasn't expecting you'd manage to help me consider some things differently" the Commander muttered, amused, resigned, and thinking about the situation that would most likely take place once they finally got him "That being the case, there's something you may be able to help us with, but I cannot tell what it is. I'd just recommend for you not to leave the premises until after my arrest".

"My sister once said your mind worked in a very unique way" the healer half smiled, probably recalling that moment in her mind "So I guess I shouldn't be surprised you're entrusting me something without specifying what it is"

The enthusiastic sparkle of her gaze told him she accepted the mission, visibly grateful for this chance to cooperate with them. Levi would certainly disapprove and be furious at him, but the woman was right; nobody inside those walls would have a future if they perished. It wasn't a narcissistic belief but a simple fact so, in a matter of speaking, she was involved too, whether the Captain liked it or not.

"However, it's really important for you to be extra careful and do not show your support to us; the population is not ready to grasp the truth yet" he said, remembering how vehement she'd been about them when she spoke to Petra Ral's father.

Erwin Smith trusted she'd figure things out; the woman was no fool and she'd proven herself very perceptive towards her surroundings.

"I won't say anything, but it's still bothers me to see how easy it's to manipulate people, not to mention how low is to go against you when you haven't fully healed".

"Sometimes the best way is allowing things to go from bad to worse, to follow the course they want in order to counterattack when time is right" he declared in all earnest, promising her intrinsically that they wouldn't fall without a fight.

"Thank you, sir" she bowed her head, appreciating his vote of trust and the determination and confidence she saw in his eyes. But then she stared at her hands, a little hesitant at first yet it soon changed to resoluteness "I know you cannot say much, but there was a big shooting in Trost midtown yesterday... I just wanted to ask you if the officers involved are alright".

"As far as I know, they're fine" of course she must have been worried.

Levi told him she saw everything, and he valued to see that despite watching the Captain getting rid of his persecutors successfully, she still saw him as the man he was and not an indestructible being. So, the least he could do was to be honest and let her know that Levi and his squad were okay.

"I'm glad" Elia said, much more relaxed. The healer looked up at him again, and this time her gaze showed nothing but a solid conviction "Don't know how but I'm positive you'll overcome this" she replied with a subtle serene smile, which faded a little when she glanced at his stump "You're a great man, Commander, so please try to look after yourself as best as you can because your people need you. And I'm not just talking about the military; you're a good leader to all because you're a good person".

At that instant, she stood and took a little brown bag from inside hers. She placed it on the table and opened it to show him; it contained a tiny flask with his medicine, two sets of bandages, gauze, and a small bottle of alcohol.

"I suspected something like this would happen so I brought a couple doses" she explained, pushing the small container towards him, with some uneasiness in her eyes "These people play dirty, so I doubt they'll assign a nurse to where they're taking you but given your abilities, I think you may be able to do it on your own".

Erwin smiled gratefully, filled with melancholy. The woman's kind spirit reminded him of Marie, the one person he ever had an interest in; whom he quit to love because of the choice he made.

"Thank you, Miss Stoltz" he said, nodding and standing as well, bringing the conversation to an end.

"No matter what, I believe in all of you, Commander Erwin" the hope and strength he noticed in her gaze before she bowed and walked out the door was contagious.

The man walked towards the bed and lifted his outer shirt from it; he still had time, but it was better to be ready. He couldn't waste any second once Pixis arrived. A lot depended on his decision though unlike Nile, this veteran fortunately wasn't short-sighted.

Erwin looked back at the table and saw the small kit, and the effort she made to bring that here. It saddened him to know he wouldn't be able to take it with him; skillful and everything, he knew they'd put shackles on him. Therefore, self-treating was impossible.

Thank you, Miss he said in his mind, looking at the door and thinking of his friend... You deserve some happiness beside someone who could fully love and support you, Levi, he said this time to him, hoping the cut in her neck showed him how futile was to waste time and the opportunity of some light in the dark.


As soon as she went through the door and closed it behind her, she came across the face of someone whom she'd seen and talked to some time ago. The kind and gallant smile he dedicated her showed he really remembered her so, she tilted her head in his direction, returning a respectful one.

"I'm sorry for having taken up time with Commander, but I needed to change his bandages and verify his current condition, sir" she apologized, realizing this visit was surely of importance. Dot Pixis cared for the people's wellbeing, therefore having him here was a good omen.

"Long time no see, Miss" the Commander of the Garrison greeted her, and nodded back at her salutation "How nice to see you here".

"I was appointed as the nurse in charge of Commander Erwin's recovery" she explained, with her usual manners and deference "He's alone right now, so I'll leave you to it, Commander Pixis. Is good to see you too".

"Well noted, Miss. And I'm glad you're getting you degree; it's very promising to know we can count on reliable people" the officer said, and she got a friendly wink from him before moving to knock on the blonde's door, which opened a couple seconds later. She resumed her way but still got to hear the old officer exclaiming and Elia stopped, nervous "Seriously Erwin, I'll fill a complain for such injustice! In all my years, I've never been appointed to any of the young, pretty nurses".

Now at ease, she couldn't help shaking her head at the comment, but she knew that man didn't mean it disrespectfully; Pixis was as eccentric as ever, but the couple times she spoke to him, he'd behaved with propriety the whole time. She recalled the day he'd authorized her to support humanity's first counterattack; a decision that brought so many unexpected events, such as finding Petra, meeting the people her sister most admired and finally, it had been the first time seeing him, completely unaware of his future impact in her life.

Whilst she wasn't leaving that office entirely happy, Elia was calmer to know they would fight; she sensed it in Commander Erwin's conviction, and she was also happy to corroborate Captain Levi escaped with flying colors the day before. He's probably working with his squad right now, she considered as she looked through a window and noticed the sun would soon begin to illuminate the top of most buildings, just like the hope she had in their fate.

Elia breathed out and made her way to the restrooms of the compound before considering what to do next. An hour ago, and in the hurry to get there from the hospital, where she heard the news about Reeves' murder and the accusation on Erwin Smith, she didn't have enough time to change her clothes properly, so she'd brought them with her. And now fully dressed in those white attires, except for the dress because she preferred dark pants, she walked towards the gardens near the exit, so she could have a better view once the Brigade arrived.

She contemplated many Scouts on her way there, yet two of them particularly called her attention because none wore their uniform. Just like Captain Levi, she evaluated, watching them enter the building with discretion. She knew she'd seen one of them before, but she couldn't put her finger on it so she gave up.

The healer sat on an empty bench, placed her things right next to her, took out her notebook and began to write down some notes about her patient's evolution. She'd been somewhat engrossed on that for a couple minutes, until she noticed murmurs from outside the gates, getting louder and louder; exclamations of surprise, one or two curses and then some crying. She left her things there and got a little closer to see what was going on now, not understanding at first why there was a crowd gathering near the entrance.

To her horror, instead of taking the bodies to the hospital's morgue, where they should be, someone decided to leave three corpses in front of the place. But she comprehended what this was about as soon as she confirmed one of those was Dimo Reeves' inert body; she knew the two devastated women beside him: his wife and daughter. Elia looked around them, disgusted by the macabre idea of using this to ruin Commander Erwin and the Legion, knowing she couldn't blame these women because they were nothing but puppets here.

In was right then that she accidentally overheard something unexpected coming from the other side of that fence.

"High command stated that once he's under arrest, we go in and do the same with all his rabble" the stranger's voice wasn't so loud but from where she was standing, it was quite clear. Elia assumed these were Military Police "And it seems we're lucky today, Bill. We've just confirmed Hange Zoe recently arrived, she and her lapdog. She surely came to see him before we take him" that was her! she thought to herself, finally getting the answer.

"Wait to see the results, man" his comrade replied in a tired tone, who unlike the first, seemed to have a lack of interest in the situation. She bet this was one of those merely doing their job without questioning or supporting anything "If they're equipped with the ODM gear, they'll escape this. The woman may look crazy but she's smart".

"Perhaps" the other admitted and his triumphant tone was disgusting "But even if they make it out of here, the large number of auxiliary forces sent from the capital won't make things easy for her, so we'll catch them regardless. And don't get me started on the Internal Police division".

Elia didn't need to hear anything else. She turned around, walked back to the bench, and sat for a couple seconds, trying to think fast. And she came up with something after seeing her notes yet pondered if this was what Commander Erwin referred to earlier. She had no idea, but her instincts told her it was the right call so, determined to see it through, she collected her things and went back inside.

Walking cautiously, with a neutral expression, she reached the stairs completely unnoticed. She'd prepared herself to explain to whoever asked that she forgot an item at the patient's room, but there was no need; the whole set up outside was enough to get everyone's attention; it was what the whispers were all about anyways.

As she climbed the stairs, the woman once again came across Commander Pixis, this time escorted by two of his own subordinates, leaving the place. The man saw her but those clever eyes of his told her he knew she was planning something, but he said no word; instead, his last communication was one almost imperceptible yet understanding nod in her direction.

Elia had just reached the end of the stairs when she suddenly heard a pair of hasty steps from where she'd come. It was the same young soldier she met during her first visit to HQ, the one that had retrieved the ointment for the Captain's ankle: a tall, of dark short-hair lad who was now rushing to get to Commander Erwin's door. Nicholas, her mind reminded, and she saw him turn right at the end of the hall after passing beside her; the worried countenance was enough to prove he hadn't seen her.

"Commander Erwin! Internal Squad demands you turn yourself in!" she got to hear before the door closed. He was probably informing him of what was going on outside now.

The healer walked towards there at a very slow pace, unafraid to be seen; unlike earlier, those hallways were deserted, so she felt no real risk to be around. She heard the doorknob and she just stopped right where she was, with her back pressed to the wall on the right, poker-faced. The instant the blonde and his assistant passed in front of her, she glimpsed a cunning little smile on the Commander's face, who didn't even turn his head. Still, that confirmed she'd been on the right track, so she only needed to walk inside that room now.

"I wonder why Commander Erwin's didn't seem scared or anxious. As in not one bit" she heard a man's voice coming through the half-opened door "Section Commander, please stop pacing like that. It'll make you sick!".

"Agh! It's always the same with him" a woman snorted, and by the way it sounded, Elia imagined someone making a face "And he drops the appointment of Commander on me just like that. To replace him during his custody or if thing went sour... Really Moblit, Erwin sometimes has a ghastly sense of humor".

He was going to answer, but Elia knew she didn't have much time left so, it was vital to act quickly. She knocked twice firmly and snuck inside.

"I'm sorry to barge in, but...this is important" the woman began to say, especially at the distrustful look coming from the brunette with the hair in a groovy ponytail.

"Who are you?" her dark brown eyes were more guarded than threatening.

"I'll explain whatever you wish know, but for now, you must get out of here carefully" she warned, observing pure astonishment in their faces "The Brigade arrived in large numbers to carry out a massive arrest of every officer in this division".

"Even though I'd like to ask how you know that, there's no point; Erwin saw it coming. He said it'd happen after he'd been taken, yet I didn't imagine it'd be immediately after" the woman muttered sarcastically, and then dedicated her an inquisitive look "So, instead of that, tell us why you're here".

"I don't believe there is a future for any of us if the Legion falls" she said with honesty and held the brunette's intense gaze with determination and no trace of fear "Although, I cannot deny that I also do this for someone dear to me. Someone who'd have been unjustly imprisoned too".

Elia immediately noticed the change in the woman's expression, who simply exchanged a cryptic but meaningful look with her comrade and both nodded. For some reason, they were these kind of people who easily communicated with no need of words, and she liked that. Just as much as she liked that their eyes no longer showed mistrust.

"Fair enough. Tell us what you know" the woman asked, and both soldiers approached to stand in front of her.

The healer summed up the recent events and saddened when she looked to the table inside that room. The little bag she'd brought was right there, meaning her patient would surely be sent straight to a dungeon and that hindered any treatment. He must have known but didn't want to refuse this and worry you, her inner voice pointed out and Elia could only hope that his body endured.

"I'd recommend you leave the district, but the gates will be heavily guarded all day" Elia commented, and she decided to act now "So, please, take this" she said, holding out a folded paper to the woman.

The brunette received it and noticed a little weight inside. She opened it and a small key fell from it, yet Moblit caught it in the air. Hange looked at her very surprised and then to her partner. She went back to the piece of paper in her hand and read a small note, an address.

"This..." the brunette stuttered, well aware of what that meant "Are you sure?"

"If they find out, it could be potentially bad for you, Miss" the other officer spoke to her for the first time, just as stunned as his leader.

"I'm aware, so let's hope they don't" she kind of joked as she walked towards the table, grabbed the object, and then headed to the door, ready to leave "I'll see you around noon".

And without further ado, she left the room. It wasn't necessary to help them finding a way out; they knew every corner of that facility so that wouldn't be problematic. The complicated part would come after: where to go since the whole population believed them guilty of treason... That's how she'd figured a momentary solution: providing her home as a shelter for as long as they needed.

A traitor, destined to prison or be hanged, just like them. Those were the implications, but she was willing to take the risks; Elia couldn't stand what they were doing to them. And if this tiny contribution somehow helped them in the big picture, she had no problem on dying for a good and fair cause.


PS. This isn't the best situation but still, make yourself at home.

Hange reread the note for the umpteenth time. It was the one thing in there besides the address, and she couldn't help but weigh how dangerous this was for that woman, whom she didn't even know.

She observed the place thoroughly, even though they already did as soon as they set foot inside a few hours ago, and both agreed that someone dedicated to medicine really lived in there.

There was a beautiful bookcase with two or three titles she had herself, and several others she'd been looking for years; most of the rest looked interesting, filled with tons of information but she couldn't dare to glance through their pages because the one given by Erwin was her top priority. The only way to clear their names and be able to work without worrying was to continue their investigation, just as they exhaustedly had. And the book her friend shared was being super helpful, providing several hints as to where Eren and Historia were or would be at, which at least helped to cross out one of the many concerns of the list.

"She said she'd arrive around noon but it's 2PM already" her right-hand man's voice came from the kitchen and interrupted her concentration, though she'd noticed that too "What if something happened to her?"

"That's unlikely" she indicated, looking through the main window, to the people passing by "Yet not impossible".

"I guess you're right. Had she been interrogated, they'd have sent them after us by now" this time, she saw him walking in her direction, carrying a small tray, and taking a seat at the other side of the table, with her. She didn't look to the food he brought because she wasn't in the mood.

"Had she spoken, Moblit" the brunette closed her eyes for a couple seconds and then left Erwin's book at one side of the surface, close to her "I don't know who she is, but despite being an ordinary citizen, to believe in us in such deplorable situation it's truly something. That's why it's hard to think she'd say anything" this time, Hange turned to him and smiled confident, at least about that "Let's hope Flegel Reeves is at least a bit this brave" she muttered, and sighed, tired.

"Certainly" her comrade conceded, thoughtful. He felt somewhat unruffled to see Hange wasn't acting without thinking first. Reverend Nick's murder had hit her hard "Do you think she may have other motives?"

"I think she told us the truth" the brunette shrugged with a serene expression until he pointed with a slight tilt of his head to the tray. Hange shook her head with the same kind of energy and determination a children would show when refusing to eat.

"You need to eat, Hange" she sensed his voice was full of concern "You've been reading for hours, and we won't be able to track down young Reeves until sun sets so we'll be needing all of our energy..." of course he was right. As usual.

"I know, I know" the brunette accepted reluctantly, staring at the two glasses of water and the pair of fruits at hand. She went for the orange "Did you find anything interesting or suspicious?"

"Nothing except that the people living here are extremely clean" her subordinate commented before drinking his water and giving a bite to an apple.

"Ha!" Hange snorted and cleaned her mouth with back of her hand, amused and content to know the man and his brats were safe in the forest "I'm sure Levi would be happy to switch places right now" she said lightly, half laughing and trying to distract herself a little. She then stroked her chin, thoughtful "However, now that I remember, when we're out in the open, he never complains so I figured, clean freak and everything, he enjoys staying outdoors".

Moblit didn't have time to respond because they got alarmed at the sound of a door being unlocked in the back. The soldiers reacted, positioning strategically, waiting in silence as they drew their blades. They heard muffled steps approaching but both relaxed at the sight of the woman from before, entering the dining room with her hands in the air. She wasn't wearing uniform now, and although she was like any other civilian, Hange realized that just like her, the nurse preferred comfortable clothes rather than following social standards.

"I'd say we're sorry, but we can never be too careful, you know" she said, coming out from behind the wall and the woman lowered her arms. Hange scratched her neck, somewhat apologetically while still holding her weapon, casually "We thought it might be someone else, like a stranger or maybe your family" she now saw Moblit discreetly motioning for her to sheathe the blade, and she hurridly did.

The woman approached a chair near the entrance and left her bag and jacket on it. She looked somewhat surprised but not angry or offended. Curiously, she also glimpsed certain awkwardness in those noteworthy eyes of hers.

"Don't worry. No one lives here but me" the nurse finally spoke, and looked to the dining table beside her, then back at them "I was hoping you'd actually feel comfortable and had some decent food after this morning events. Is that all what you got from my kitchen?"

Moblit blushed and started explaining her that they didn't need much, that providing them with shelter was enough and all that sort excuses at the disapproving expression on her face. The woman waited patiently for him to finish before saying she'd go grab some real food to have lunch with them.

Nevertheless, during that exchange, Hange thought about the kind of answer she gave. Is it not rare for someone like her, humble yet clearly well-educated, to live alone in a place like this? That house was too big, not to mention they'd seen three beds in the bedrooms. It was then that the brunette understood what she'd seen in her gaze before: she no longer had a family.

"Please have a seat" the woman returned after a couple minutes, carrying a larger tray with her "The water will boil in any minute so we can have some tea and talk".

Both soldiers watched her quietly as she offered bread, cheese, tomatoes, and a small bowl of nuts on the table.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you doing this?" after everything that happened, and despite the woman seemed harmless, being cautious was common sense.

Hange saw her turn in complete silence, heading to the first room entering the hallway, the one with two single beds facing each other and to where Moblit had a better view, but he looked as lost as she was. The confusion lasted very little, and both soldiers' eyes widened when she returned. They were now fully certain she hadn't been lying.

"It's easier to explain with this" she held a well-known item to them: a light brown jacket folded perfectly. Their emblem, the Wings of Freedom, stood out flawlessly upward as she held this delicately, and those gray eyes showed profound affection, surely for who used to wear it "My younger sister may have died but never her will".

"I'm sorry" the brunette looked down, and Moblit imitated her, quietly "I imagined something like this. You said she'd have been arrested too, so I assume it was recent".

"Shortly after Trost" the woman answered, leaving the jacket on the empty chair next to her.

She went to the kitchen and came back with three cups of tea and told them her story, which made a lot of sense to explain her wish to help them. Still, the main reasoning started with the girl, yet it was evident that the woman had also grown to believe in them on her own.

Upon hearing all this and seeing her closer, Hange managed to vaguely remember the face of a girl she hadn't seen for months. The shape of her face was a little more rounded and her eyes brown, but there was an undeniable resemblance to her older sister; they showed the same kind of energy, full of self-confidence, strength, and reliability. She never got to know her, but she did remember her because of how much she seemed to enjoy her work; almost as much as she did and that had really called her attention.

"Pardon me but even understanding part of your motivations, you're risking yourself way too much by doing this, Miss" for some reason, she had the feeling the woman kept something for herself, but it wasn't like an ulterior motive; it was more like a personal thing.

"I'm not being coursed into this, officer. I do it because I want to, and I know the possible consequences but I accept them" she said, settling that matter and then took out a notebook, from which she tore out two pages and slid them towards her "Now, I was supposed to arrive earlier but as I noticed several new guard posts, I decided to take a stroll and I noted down as many as I could, but I'm afraid there are a couple areas I couldn't cover".

Hange looked at the first sheet, which basically was a big list of intersections inside Trost. She was genuinely impressed for what she had done.

"Frankly, you have no idea how this will come in quite handy once we leave your place at dusk" she stated while handling the information to Moblit, who was just as impressed "I'd like to ask your name so I can thank you properly, but I prefer to keep you anonymous, because if we get caught, we won't have to lie about your identity" Hange half joked, with one of those easygoing smiles.

"I have no objection to tell you" the woman scratched her head, a bit confused and shocked; as if trying to remember if she truly hadn't told them, but the brunette shook her head.

"The fact that you've gone through all this trouble and risk means a lot, and I'm sure you didn't hide it on purpose but it's really safer for us to not know" Hange assured, and this time looked at the second piece of paper the woman had provided. There were three sector names in there "What do these places mean?"

"Those are the areas where the Reeves' main warehouses are located" she replied, frowning a little. She seemed unhappy about it "I'm sorry I couldn't get the exact address of each but it's all I was able to collect from his wife this morning".

"Wife..." the brunette repeated, processing this and astounded when she realized she meant "Reeves' wife!?" she exclaimed in a high pitch tone and stood up abruptly, placing her hands on the table's surface, startling the woman, who nodded twice. Moblit was used to her kind of reactions anyways.

"I was fortunate enough to speak to Mrs. Reeves and her daughter shortly after seeing you" she began to explain at her obvious skepticism "Both were outside the complex, nervous and shaky after Commander Erwin was finally taken alongside most of his subordinates" she seemed very upset when she said that; a detail Hange didn't overlook "So, I approached to help them and at the same time, find out whatever they knew".

Hange tilted her head back and laughed. She just couldn't believe the amazing and unexpected stroke of luck they were having at a point where the current political outlook was worrying and seemed truly bad for them. The woman at the other side of the table tilted her head in confusion.

"What the Section Commander wanted to express was her optimism, Miss" Moblit as always, went ahead to explain "We seldom are this lucky. Besides, the fact that you are part of the medical staff allows you to ask questions without being suspected".

"Oh, I see" the healer mused, observing her taking her seat, composing herself, and ready to hear the rest of the story "According to what they said, her son Flegel is missing. The last time they saw him was yesterday morning, when he left with his father. And last night, shortly before 10PM, a tall man in a hat and a blonde woman visited them to ask about their whereabouts; they said they were from the Internal Military Police division".

Elia decided not to recount the shooting in which the Captain was involved because doing so, implied telling them about their conversation, and she didn't want to say anything without permission. Still, she was almost certain the one who visited the Reeves' was that man called Kenny.

"That's a simple description but I could bet it's the same man chasing after Levi" Hange commented to her comrade and Elia breathed out, glad to know she wasn't hiding something important "I'm sure he realized that old Dimo changed sides and that's why he's now dead" she pondered, forgetting for a second that they were in front of a civilian. It's not that she didn't trust her, but to know more could drive her to take further risks and she'd done more than enough already "Did they say anything else?"

"Apart from not knowing anything, no" Elia replied, somewhat downcast for being unable to give them more intel, knowing she had to go back to work now. It was then she recalled something else "Oh, one last thing: there are other small warehouses around the main three. They belong to the Reeves too, usually three or four, and constantly under vigilance by one or two guards".

Hange and Moblit exchanged an accomplice look while the woman looked at the clock on the wall, probably unaware that she'd really shared very valuable information.

"My apologies for having to leave but I must return to the hospital" she said, stood up and began to clear the table.

"Please, allow us" Moblit stood up as well and stepped forward, removing the couple things she had in her hands respectfully. Hange knew he wanted to express their gratitude for her hospitality and help, and the woman gave away a gentle, understanding smile.

"We'll leave as soon as the sun is gone, so I don't know if we'll see you again or if we'll succeed, but whether we do or not, we are indebted to you, Miss" the brunette decided to held her hand out, sincerely thankful for her choice and above all, that honest faith in them.

"It was an honor, Officer" the nurse shook hers with determination and a friendly smile, one that also professed hopefulness.

"Your sister would be proud for all what you've done for us" she commented, truly believing that. The girl she remembered was a rebel, just like her.

The woman´s eyes showed melancholy but also peace and gratitude.

"Good luck to you" she said, nodded to both once, picked up her things and left.

Hange had a feeling that those words meant much more than the obvious. She actually considered that perhaps this woman was fond of Erwin. Of course, not necessarily in a romantic way but the woman seemed very concerned about his condition, although that could be just her professionalism. Who knows... she thought as she carried the last couple things to her kitchen, where Moblit was doing the dishes so they could return to the notes and drew up a plan.

After reading Erwin's book, and unlike that morning, now she had a real hope about the outcome; one sowed by a stranger who asked nothing in return except their survival.


I'm sorry I couldn't post before but my dog had been a little sick lately. Fortunately, it's getting better now.

Regarding the story, I'm glad Elia got to meet Hange, another favorite of mine (who's genderqueer, but I decided to stick with the anime line).

As always, thanks for reading!

Namárië