Flying Solo || L. Ackerman ✓

Chapter 19

"Oh, Adira!" Hange kicks open her door and jumps onto Adira's bed and lays down against the headboard. Adira reluctantly peeks her head out of the closet, hugging the towel against her body and raises an eyebrow at her.

"I'm right here Hange, no need to yell." Adira smiles before walking back into the closet to grab a change of clothes.

"You know I love you so much, right?" Hange asked. Adira looks back at Hange and rose an eyebrow.

"What do you want?" Hange never acted this affectionate when she didn't want something.

Adira came back and sat beside Hange and stretched out her back. "As long as it's not super illegal and a low chance-"

"What no! Nothing like that," Hange exclaims. "I need to go to town and grab some things for my experiments. Want to come with me? Please?" She pleads. "A few others will be with us too."

Adira shrugs her shoulders and combs her fingers through her hair and starts to pull it into a pony.

"Sure."

Hange, Adira, Moblit and Petra walked down the streets and looked at the stalls that lined the sidewalks. People crowded the area and Hange pushed past the people trying to get to the vendors that she wanted to get to.

"Moblit! You're with me." Hange ordered. Moblit nods his head and follows after Hange who grabbed his arm and was already walking away leaving Adira and Petra standing in the middle of the street.

"So, anywhere you want to go?" Petra asks with a smile. Adira shakes her head no and follows after who leads her to multiple different stalls. Petra was browsing through a stall with jewelry while Adira stood outside with her arms across her chest waiting patiently for Petra to be done.

"I got this nice bracelet," Petra says with a big grin coming outside by Adira. She puts out her arm and shows Adira the thin chain with a small charm in the middle which dangles off her wrist. "I got you a matching one as well!"

Adira looks up at Petra with widened eyes. "Thank you, Petra," Adira says with a genuine smile. It's the first time she has ever gotten anything with meaning from a friend.

The sun was finally starting to set after a long day of the two walking around, skimming through multiple vendors and little shops. Adira notices a store by the end of the street and nudges Petra to head that way. Adira opens the door, a chime hanging above it to alert the owner. Adira browses through the aisles while Petra follows along aimlessly. Adira searches for something that she needed to get. She grabs two bottles and heads towards the area where she pays. She pulls out her change and hands it to the person. Putting it in her satchel, her, and Petra head out.

"What's that for?" Petra asks Adira. Adira glances down to her satchel and back up to the dirt road in front of them.

"It's a gift." She responds while Petra nods with an open mouth. Did Adira consider Levi a friend? Did he consider her a friend? She shakes away the thought and continues on. Walking past a small alleyway with Petra at her side, they heard small shuffling sounds and footsteps. Adira takes out her pocket mirror and turns it to the side to catch a glimpse of who was behind them. It was three men. They had a drunk look, their clothes a mess and stumbling over their own footing.

She puts away the mirror and tunes out Petra who was talking about random things going on with the military police and listens in on the men walking behind them. Petra hasn't noticed them yet and Adira wanted her to not worry.

"Hey!" One of the men behind them called out to them. Adira felt her irritation rise and clenched her fists. "Hey, pretty ladies." He calls out again. Petra looks past her shoulder and frowns.

Adira nudges at Petra's side and shakes her head. "I'll take care of them if we need to." She murmurs. Petra nods, hugging her shoulders and walking closer to Aira, almost glued through her side now.

Adira hears more shuffling and can feel the men closer than they were before. Adira couldn't get a break from morons, and of course, this would happen on her day off.

"Hey, why don't you smile for us." One with a bald spot said to her with a hand on her shoulder. His teeth were tinted yellow, and his breath reeked of booze. She was repulsed at the sight of him. She grabbed his hand and quickly twisted it into an armbar.

"You go ahead and get the horses ready. I'll take care of this." Adira ordered.