Hi everyone! So it's been awhile since I updated this story... I do apologize. Life happened and a lot of things happened in my life that pulled me from writing. I just got back into writing a few months ago and in that time, I have made a lot of changes to this story. Before I post anything new semi-consistently, I decided to post the updated versions of the chapters I've already written. With these changes comes rewriting. If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback, feel free to do so. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: All characters in this story belong to Hajime Isayama. The only thing that is mine is the plot.

Prologue

A man dressed in a long, dusty black coat steps down the dimly lit parking garage, an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips. Digging in his pocket for the matchbox, he plucks one from the carton and strikes the tip, setting the smoke aflame. Inhaling the sweet nicotine into his lungs, Levi welcomes the warmth. Exhaling through his nostrils, he watches the stream of smoke curl and disappear into the air. Flicking ash onto the concrete, he finds the car he's been looking for.

A 1929 Bentley sits at the far corner of the lot, inconspicuous and out of the way. He would have missed it completely, if not for the reflection of the light on the car's paint. Closing the distance between them, Levi takes a final drag of his cigarette before dropping it on the concrete, stubbing it with the toe of his boot. Opening the passenger door, he slips inside, shutting the door behind him.

"Agent Levi," the man in the car greets. "I wasn't sure you were actually coming."

"You said this was important, so here I am."

Silently, the man in the driver's seat reaches for the manilla folder sitting on the dash. He hands it over, keeping his gaze fixed on the windshield. "This folder contains the details of your new assignment."

Levi flips through the folder, scanning its contents. Pictures, newspaper clippings, and various reports are inside, each of them detailing different incidents occurring around Shiganshina's research laboratories. For a place that supposedly specializes in genetic research and provides the funding for charities of several debilitating diseases, nothing contained inside the folder makes any logical sense.

Levi peers at his comrade, pinning him with his steely gaze. "What the hell kind of task is this Miche?"

Miche shrugs, shifting his gaze out the driver's side window. "I don't know much. This file was passed onto my desk straight from the director. He told me to give this to you personally, no one else. What I do know is that whatever is going on at that lab, it's some really fucked up shit."

"And let me guess, I'm going to be the one thrown into the middle of it?"

Miche glances over his shoulder at Levi, meeting his cold stare. "You'll be going undercover as our operative. We already have a pair of eyes on the inside but we need more if we're ever going to figure out what's going on. Word is that the lab's working with Willy Tybur and Karl Fritz,"

"Aren't those the politicians that lost the election to the Reiss family a couple years back?"

He nods.

"They started spearheading the funding for the lab once they lost the election. There's another rumor that Marley and Hizuru are in on it too, though we don't have much to go off of for that. Chancellor Reiss tried to shut the lab down after the train derailment last year, but even he can't touch them. That's why we need an operative on the inside. The director believes that if we can expose them at their source, Sina Laboratories will be permanently shut down and Fritz and Tybur will hang,"

"I see," Levi replies dryly. He scans over the file's contents once more, pondering. "How can you be certain that whatever's going on at that lab is illegal?"

"I'm not."

A scoff passes over his lips. "That's awfully reassuring. I don't like this. We're walking in blind."

"I'm not too fond of the idea either, but the director insists. We don't have a choice here, Levi."

"Anything for a paycheck, right?" Levi mutters, bitter. He sighs. "Is everything arranged?"

"Yes, Nanaba took care of it. Everything you'll need is at your flat. I suggest looking it all over when you get home,"

"Understood."

With a finger the door is popped open and Levi steps once more into the light of the parking garage. "I should get going. I have some things I need to take care of,"

Upturning the collar of his coat to keep himself warm, Levi shoves the file Miche had given him underneath the thick wool at his side, tucking gloves hands in his pockets. He starts to walk.

"Levi."

Turning his gaze to the car, Miche leans his arm out the window, handing him a business card. "This is the address where you'll make contact. We expect to hear from you once a week,"

"Give Erwin my regards."

"Will do. Take care of yourself Levi."