Levi was disgusted by everything in the Underground. It hadn't always been so all consuming. But since Furlan and he had helped Isabel release that stupid bird back above ground it had festered within him. In the few short moments he'd seen what it was like to live in a world of sunshine he felt his entire world view shift. Now everything he saw, everything he'd seen ate away at his flesh like maggots on a festering corpse. He'd been told that Erwin Smith was some sort of Commander or something in the employ of the Survey Corps, but he didn't really care. All that he knew and needed to know was the Erwin Smith had to die for Levi, Isabel and Furlan to finally get to live.

He knew a villain when he saw one and everything about the job was concerning. The man, who'd avoided naming himself, was clearly soaked in corruption. It was clear he'd resort to any tactics to get his way. The fact he was essentially trading Yan's life for their co-operation said enough. But even still, citizenship on the surface was practically impossible to turn down. It was the sole reason he'd taken this job. He deserved better, Isabel and Furlan deserved better than this fetid mockery of a city.

His eyes peered through the grime coated windows to rest on the half hearted attempt at a city square. Gathering in it were a number of Military Police and handful of figures in green cloaks. All of them were securing ODM gear to their harnesses. He scoffed. As if the MP's were even capable of using their gear. They were all fools and not a threat. Those in the green cloaks, however, were the Scouts. They'd come for his gang just as the man had said.

He studied the group. There looked to be about eight of them in total. On the back of each of the cloaks white and blue wings were embroidered. At least they weren't as egregious as the ridiculous unicorns the MP's sported. Where the MP's slouched about in a haphazard group, the Scouts were in a loose but ordered formation far enough apart that they could engage their gear without entangling with on another. All but one of them had their hoods dropped low, obscuring their faces. The one that didn't stood out in even starker contrast against the green due to his blond hair. He was tall, commanded attention. That was their target. Erwin Smith.

Wiping the last of the smudges from the blade of his knife, Levi dropped from his lookout spot in the ruins of the church overlooking the square. It had been a laughable attempt at bringing some sort of order to the under city. If they couldn't get people to obey the law-men then maybe they could foster obedience through religious dogma. Ironically the priests were more filthy than the people born here and it hadn't taken long for them to succumb to the carnal and medicinal pleasure of the Underground. Since then the church had become a ruined representation of their sin.

As he slinked between the shadowed alleyways his eye's glossed over the unfortunates that cluttered the boarders of the streets. It was the constant reminder of the future for everyone living in the Underground. Eventually, if you survived long enough, your body would just begin to wither away. It might start with a muscle weakness or fatigue, preventing you from doing whatever meagre work you could to survive. Then your bones would ache, deforming around your weakening joints. If you were lucky you'd be able to consign yourself to a room that might even have a bed, if you were one of the unfortunates you'd collapse in the street to be brushed aside with the rest of the trash. There you would remain, wheezing your way to a slow death from starvation or disease and then another would take your place.

Levi wasn't going to consign himself to a slow death, he wouldn't waste away in some decrepit corner, he wouldn't allow himself the same fate as his mother. He was going to get out of this hell hole. He was going to get them out of this hell hole.

Entering their apartment, he allowed himself a moment to appreciate the cleanliness of it. It was likely the cleanest place in this filthy city. He knew that Furlan and Isabel mostly humoured him for his incessant need for cleanliness, but he couldn't stand the filth. He was filthy enough with all the blood on his hands that he didn't need daily reminders. He couldn't control what he had to do in this shitty place, not if he wanted to survive, but he could control his surroundings. Plus cleaning bred discipline, and a disciplined mind didn't make foolish mistakes.

"Are we on?" Furlan looked up at him from cleaning their gear.

Levi nodded. "They are gearing up in the square. The usual MPs and eight Scouts."

"As we suspected then. Is he here?" Furlan's moved from his place by the table to look out of the window. He wouldn't be able to see the square from here but Levi knew he was going over the logistics of the plan in his mind. Like him Furlan liked to be precise, to have plan and everything about this made both of them feel the tinges of uncertainty. Just the fact the Scouts had even come meant they were mixed up in this whether they'd liked it or not. No matter which way you'd slice it they'd been backed into a corner. Played. The whole thing tasted of ash. There was so much riding on this. Their freedom. Their lives. Everything.

"Yes, not that it matters today. Are we ready?"

Furlan turned back to him and meeting his eyes with a determined resilience he nodded.

"Bro Levi, you're back!" Isabel bounced into the room a ball of barely restrained chaotic energy. For as restrained as Furlan and he were, Isabel was the opposite. Where they were jaded by the realities of their lives, Isabel clung to her innocence and optimism like a drunk to their last bottle. He'd deny it till he died but Isabel had brought a sliver of hope to his existence. If something as purely joyful and hopeful as she could come from a place as savage and ruined as this, maybe there could be hope for them all.

"Obviously, brat."

"Are we gonna do it then? Are we gonna do the job?" She was practically vibrating with energy.

"Tch. Get your gear on." He ruffled her hair, amused when she dramatically tried to smooth it back into her pig tails. A lot was riding on today. It would mark the first step towards their new lives. "Go over the plan."

"Ugh, again bro Levi?" He kept his stare level on Isabel's face which scrunched in frustration. "Furlan, tell him we've got this."

Furlan just smirked at her.

Clearly recognising that she was getting no help from either of them she huffed. Ticking off the major points on her fingers she, in the broad strokes, reiterated the plan they'd come up with. "Ugh, fine. We do our usual, get them fat merchants that always deliver to the MPs. Wait till the Scouts are on our tails and then Furlan and me split so they divide their focus and make 'em think we're tryin' to lose 'em. "

"And then?" He prompted.

"And then what, bro Levi?"

He was about to berate her forgetting the most important part of the whole operation, but Furlan stepped in.

"And then we let them capture us."

Isabel huffed. "Why do we have to let them capture us, why can't we just beat 'em and then demand they give us what we want. Hold one of 'em hostage or something."

Exasperated Levi's voice became curt and cutting. "We've been over this several times. We don't know exactly what we are dealing with. Our best bet is to play it safe. Get captured and let them take us back to their headquarters for questioning. Break out, get the document and kill the target. Get it through your thick skull idiot." He poked her hard on the forehead just to drive his point home. Sometimes he forgot just how young and immature she could be.

Irrelevant of how Isabel seemed determined to fuck it up, it was simple plan. The Merchant had indicated that the Scouts were desperate to know where they'd learnt to use their ODM gear. They were concerned that people with military training were defecting to become crime lords in the Underground. The idea was fucking laughable. As if anyone would prefer this shithole to life above ground.

If the information the Merchant had was correct then the Scouts were just as idiotic as he heard the MPs claim.
Supposedly, only those that weren't good enough to make it into the Military Police ended up in the Scouts and if that was anything to go by Levi wasn't expecting them to be much of a challenge. The MPs weren't after all.
That being said, the group he'd observed in the square earlier didn't come across like a ragtag group of psychotic idiots. They had been ordered, professional, alert. Even while they had been preparing, they'd scanned their surroundings. It was apparent that they were trained, but to what end remained to be seen.

Even still, he didn't like to leave things to chance and the Scouts were an unknown. Levi didn't like unknowns, but they didn't really have a choice.

"Good. At least Furlan can be relied on to pay attention." He levelled a quelling glare at Isabel.

"Don't take risks. Don't show off." The last thing he needed was either one of them getting caught in a perilous situation since he wouldn't be able to back them up. Splitting up was a risky play already. They'd always worked better in a team, Furlan's calm tempering Isabel's joviality, Isabel's compassion cushioning his brutality. But he was predicting that their familiarity of the terrain would put them at an advantage over the Scouts.

She stuck her tongue out at him causing to Furlan to chuckle at her antics. Childish brat.

"Isabel." He firmed his tone.

"Yes, fine. No showin' off. Sheesh."

"Furlan."

Furlan's face turned serious, his grin giving way to a determined line. He nodded. "We stick to the plan Levi."

"We leave in five minutes." Satisfied that they'd prepared as far as they could he set about strapping up his gear. As he tightened each strap instead of feeling restricted and confined he felt himself relax, shrugging away the tenseness that had gathered with the complexities of their situation. Ever since Kenny had taught him how to fly with the ODM gear he'd found his solace cutting through the air. He couldn't deny that he craved the adrenalin that crackled through his veins as he sliced through the air. It brought everything into sharp focus. No one could match him in the air, the city became his playground.

Sliding his knives into their positions he clipped the ODM gear onto his harness. It had seen better days but they made do with what they could get. He checked the trigger mechanism before sliding the gas canisters into their casing. It was time.

As a group they left the place they'd once called home. Tomorrow they would be on the surface and one step closer to staying their permanently. He wouldn't look back. He was done with this shithole and he was done with being trapped in the dark.

Sticking to the darker alleyways they weaved their way towards the merchants drop off point until they were so close that they could hear their inane chatter. Eyeing Isabel and Furlan he gestured towards the roof. With the ease of familiarity they scaled the withering staircase. Reaching it's pinnacle, he spared a glance to his companions beside him which they both replied with a nod. Isabel's face was rapt with excitement. Furlan's set with determination. They were ready.

Opening his out towards the side he let himself fall. Wind rushed by his face, whipping strands of his black hair across his cheeks. He could hear Isabel's jubilant whoop as she followed behind, and Furlan's exultant crow. Levi permitted himself a smile as he triggered his hooks to deploy. Flipping in the air he let his boots skim the surface of a puddle before shooting up into the air, they'd start this like their usual heists.

Launching himself feet first towards the stack of boxes. The wood splintered and buckled under the pressure, spilling the contents into the street. They'd spread the word that they'd plan to hit this delivery and unfortunates and citizens alike spilled out into the streets like rodents snatching everything they could reach.

"You're welcome!" The spluttering complaints of the merchants were drowned out by Isabel's triumphant shout.

As a group they shot past the scene, hooks anchored into the crumbling stone work, gas propelling them forward at high speed.

"Hey Levi, we're getting tailed." Furlan alerted them. As expected, it didn't take long for their MP friends to start their pursuit.

"These MPs never learn, do they?" Isabel quipped. "Did'ja hear me, Levi? Pretty cool line, right, bro?" He snorted, clearly she was pretty pleased at her amateur attempt.
"Don't be stupid."

"They're not the real threat, but I do wish they'd stop throwing MP's at us, it's almost embarrasing." Furlan remarks were not wrong. The MPs had never had a hope in hell of catching up to them. Their control over their ODM gear was an embarrassment in itself. That they even expected to be able to challenge them was almost insulting.

"It's 'cause the merchants who do business here nag them to. If it wasn't for that I'd doubt they'd even get off their asses to shit." Levi let his destain for them bleed into his voice. They were pathetic.

Furlan snorted. "Yeah, well we did just lift another unofficial donation from their vaults, so I'd imagine they're pretty pissed at this point."

Isabels voice cut across the wind. "Hey, we're just helpin' 'em avoid getting' fat 'n complacent. They oughtta thank us for the service! Ungrateful jerks!" He supposed that it could be one way you could look at it. If you squinted.

Furlan pointed backwards. "Heads up, green cloaks. That them Levi?" Shooting one hook out he spun himself in their air. As he faced back towards their pursuers he let his eyes scan over them. Seven.

"It's the Scouts. We're on. Good luck" Levi glanced back as he heard Isabel and Furlan shoot off down roads on opposite sides. Three followed Furlan, unsurprising. He was the tallest of their group. An obvious threat. Another three followed Isabel. He narrowed his eyes. Clearly they considered himself the smallest threat with only one tailing him.

Fools.

He turned his focus back to the front. Ahead was a cross roads and he launched a single hook into the wooden cladding of the building on the left using his momentum to swing him round. With those in pursuit that left one unaccounted for. Odds were that Erwin was waiting in the square for his Scouts to return.

He increased his speed. It was a perfect opportunity. He wouldn't kill him of course, not yet. But he could get the measure of him. It was foolish to fight someone so unknown without sussing out what kind of opponent they'd be. The goal was to get captured after all, but he could have a little fun doing it.

The Scout behind him was keeping pace but clearly couldn't catch up. It would make them all the easier to lose.

Whipping round another corner he spotted his chance. His eyes focused in on their target. Adjusting his trajectory he shot both hooks out to embed themselves into the crumbling frame of a window. He doubted his pursuer would follow, even if they were a suicidal manic. You'd have to be insane to try it. Insane or really fucking good. And Levi knew he was really fucking good.

Tensing his body into a straight line he angled his body to forty-five degrees. Like a dart he flew feet first through the window with millimetres to spare. Just before his vision was blocked by the frame he watched, amused, as the Scout tailing him pulled to a sharp stop, body sagging on the wires in frustration. Despite himself he couldn't contain the adrenaline fuelled grin that tore against his face. This was what he lived for. This moment.

He let his forwards momentum propel himself into a roll, springing straight back out of it into a run. Pulling his body round a corner he skipped past the stone bordered windows. Instead he sprinted for the one he'd used for his vigil earlier in the day. It would make a perfect launch for the square and Erwin. He thumb a knife out from its holster. His grin became feral as he flung himself through the glass. He would see what this Erwin Smith was made of.

He only caught a glimpse of Erwin's blond hair. So focused on his target, that he never saw, nor even expected the impact from the left. Booted feet smashed heavily against his ribs. The impact sent him careening at an awkward angle and unable to engage his gear he clattered against the damp cobbles. The knife he'd pulled out in anticipation earlier was sent skittering down the street. Impossible.

He'd counted them. There were only eight. This one was smaller than the others and was already turning back towards him. Their movements were quick, sharp. He eyes widened as they used their hooks to spin them in an arc towards him, their boots skimming across the slick cobbles. He had only moments to find his footing and grab on of his other knives before they were on him with blades that were clearly made for more than fighting humans.

He'd underestimated the Scouts. He knew that now. The ferocity of the attacks made his gear useless. It would take too much time, leave too much of an opening. The Scout was likewise grounded as Levi was making sure he left them no opportunity to escape. He increased his pace, they matched it. He put more strength behind his blows and they increased their own. Sparks danced across his vision as their blades clashed. They were quick. Each hit had intention. They were strong too, more than he would have expected. More than he usually faced.

He threw a kick towards their knee and as they pivoted to dodge caught their blade with the edge of his knife and wrenched it from their grip. One blade down.

The recovered quicker than the petty thugs he was used to dealing with and left little time for him to press his advantage. The time of playing fair was over. He made a grab for their hood, fingers ripping the material from their head. He only succeeded in removing the cloak entirely. The lack of resistance threw him momentarily. A moment that his opponent took advantage off as they used the cloak as a screen for a punch that caught his cheek.

Spitting out blood he threw himself back at them on the rebound with a ferocity he'd rarely had to tap into. He faked a jab and used the ruse to disguise a leg sweep catching the edge of their ankle. Then he went in with his knife just as they went in towards his neck with their own blade. Hands gripped wrists as both of them struggled to prevent the others weapons from reaching their destination.

Steel grey eyes met brown flecked with molten gold. They were a woman. Small, smaller than himself. Her face was painted with ferocity. Her grip was tight against his wrist but her eyes were focused on his. She was like nothing he'd every seen before. Dangerous. Untameable. Her own wrist was in his grasp. Pushing her blade towards his throat. She was…

"Stop. Look around you." The voice of the man he'd been hired to kill sent a lance through his thoughts and Levi let his focus expand from the woman he'd been fighting to encompass his surroundings. Erwin was stood a few feet back, his gaze intense on himself. To the side of the square were the rest of the Scout and between, arms restrained, them Isabel and Furlan.

"Stop pushin'. Ow, that hurts!" Isabel was frantically struggling against her captor.

"Calm down." The woman holding her, another Scout, adjusted her grip to better contain Isabels flailing.

Isabels eye's caught his own, widening in shock at his position. "No, not you to." She despaired.

Next to Isabel stood Furlan, he was similarly restrained but stood stoically. His eyes though were frantically conveying a message, and a quick shake of his head brought it home.

What was he doing. He let the knife fall from his fingers. The whole point of this was to be captured. He'd allowed himself to get too caught up in the fight.

"Seems you're possessed of sound judgement." Erwin nodded at him. Asshole.

As soon as his fingers released the knife the blade at his throat was gone. Deftly his opponent pulled her wrist from his slackening grasp and sheathed her blade. Her grip on his wrist remained strong and she used it to pull his hands to his back before securing them into cuffs.

He let his head hang low as she brought him to kneel beside his companions. He'd let himself get distracted during their fight. It had almost been like a dance. A deadly, all consuming dance. He internally berated himself as he realised he'd actually enjoyed it. The challenge.

"I have some questions for you three. How did you obtain your ODM gear." Erwin's voice echoed across the square. "You're all quite skilled at manoeuvring with it. Who was it that taught you how?" They remained silent. If Erwin wanted answered he'd have to take them back to headquarters.

Erwin approached him, his boots clacking against the cobbled street. "I take it you're the groups leader? Just how much military training do you have?" Levi glared at him.

A sharp shove had him tumbling forward into a dirt saturated puddle and Levi heard Isabel gasp from beside him.

"You jerk!"

Muddied droplets clung to his face, dripping onto his already sodden collar. He was surprised, although he suppressed any outwards reaction, when Erwin knelt in the puddle he'd just been pulled from. Disgusting.

"I'll ask you once again. Who trained you in the use of ODM gear?" He remained mute. The grip on the back of his collar tightened.

It was Furlan that broke the silence. "We taught ourselves!"

Levi cautiously watched as Erwin's eyes widened with surprise and something else. "That's scarcely possible. I don't believe you." It was clear to Levi though, that he wanted to.

Furlan continued. "Yeah, well the definition of possible changes a bit when you're trying to survive in a dump like this! But unless you know what sewage tastes like I doubt that's something you'd understand!" Take the bait Erwin, take it.

"Tell that thug of yours to let Levi go already! You can't just torture people in the street." Isabels voice was becoming panicked.

"Mike." Levi turned his head to catch the molten gold of the women's again. "Let him up." Her voice was firm with authority and he felt himself being dragged back up from the grimy water.

"I'm Commander Erwin Smith of the Scouts. Your name?" He was well aware.

"Levi."

"Levi, I'd like to offer you a deal." This wasn't going as planned but Levi couldn't help but be intrigued.

Deciding to play along he replied. "What kind of deal?"

"I'll overlook your various crimes, and you'll lend me your strength and skill as members of the Scout Regiment." Could they really be that stupid? Were they just going to let them walk around on the surface. Expunge every crime they'd committed to survive. It couldn't be that easy. He'd expected them to lock them away, he'd expected that they'd be questioned, he'd expected that they would have to break out of prison to get the job done. It couldn't possibly be this easy. This would play perfectly into their plans. They'd have direct access to Erwin without suspicion. The job was on.

Idiots.