The Path Back to You | Levi x OC

Chapter 42 - Façade

Anastasya

For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Anya was about to torture yet another member of the First Interior Squad, though on this occasion she'd decided to do it alfresco. With Hitch and Marlo's guidance, Squad Anvi had gone and ambushed the closest, least-manned Military Police checkpoint, rendering the recruits stationed there unconscious before tying them up and leaving them. Levi had knocked out the man in charge and they'd decided to drag him along with them, only daring to stop once they'd reached a safer location. So it was that Anya was sat on a large, fallen tree with Levi in the middle of the Wall Rose countryside, sipping from a mug of tea whilst waiting for their prisoner to come around. She glanced to where the recruits sat a little way away, talking quietly amongst themselves, before redirecting her gaze to the Military Police soldier, whom they'd propped against a grand elm just out of earshot.
"Is he going to crack, d'you think?" she asked Levi.
"Who knows? He's livelier than Sannes."
She nodded.
"Seems that way, doesn't it?"
A silence lingered between them, and she sighed through her nose.
"What?" Levi asked, blunt as ever.
"Do you judge me?"
"Huh?"
"The way I was, back at the outpost... With Sannes."
Levi cocked an eyebrow, and she merely stared back at him, waiting. A faint smile tugged at his lips, and he drank some tea before replying.
"I've always known what you're capable of. I think anyone who's lived through what you have would be the same. You and I are the same, Anya; we do whatever it takes, no matter how shitty it is, no matter how many faces we have to rearrange or lives we have to take, because we believe in what we're doing and we believe it's right."
"But?"
"I didn't expect you to come so close to losing yourself this time. We've killed but we've always managed to stay in control, to never lose sight of the end goal, and we've always done it out of necessity rather than desire. You nearly gave in back there and started doing it for the wrong reasons, and it would've changed you."
His words sent a chill down her spine.
"You're right," she said. "If you hadn't been there, I... I think I would've done it."
Levi placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I think you'd have stopped yourself, but Anya... even if you had killed him, you know I wouldn't have judged you for it. I just don't want that for you; that damn gnawing feeling of whether or not it's right, making you forever question yourself. We're not immune to self-doubt as it is, but we're able to deal with it because we don't enjoy it and we know that it's a necessary evil."
She mustered a small smile.
"What would I do without you, hmm?"
"Your room would be a tip, for one thing," he said, deadpan.
Anya was about to reply when they heard a low groan from their prisoner.
"Here we go again," she said.
"Captain Anya; I think he's awake," said Jean, jogging over.
"So it would seem."
She tossed the remainder of her tea out onto the grass and then prowled over to the man with Levi, putting into place the glacial façade that he'd been referring to just moments ago. She'd learned to appear cold-hearted from a young age, becoming so good at it over the years that sometimes she even tricked herself into believing that she truly didn't care. Levi saw through it every time, though. He knew how to melt it and keep her on the right path, but he too put on a front. He too wrestled with the demons of his conscience, though perhaps less than she did. They stopped in front of their prisoner, who glared up at them with fury in his eyes.
"Fucking bastards! Let me go!" he growled.
"That's no way to ask for something," Anya purred.
"What, you want me to plead and beg?" he sneered, spitting in her direction.
"No, that's not particularly effective either. At least, not when you're dealing with us. No, we'll show you a better way."
She stepped back and Levi delivered a powerful kick to the man's stomach, winding him immediately. Their interrogation had begun, and she could tell it was going to take a while.

***

Clouds skimmed across the moon, as though they were anxious to be on their way after witnessing the scene unfolding in the dark meadow below. Anya yanked on the prisoner's hair and sliced across his sweat-soaked cheek whilst Squad Anvi watched on, eyes wide and full of angst and uncertainty.
"Stop it..." he wheezed.
Levi crouched down to be level with him. She could tell that he was losing his patience, and she started to prepare to up the level of pain they were inflicting.
"Where are Eren and Christa?" he demanded.
"Oh, you're so brave," the man taunted them. "That checkpoint back there was just recruits who could barely wipe their own ass. You think you're some sort of heroes, beating them down?"
Anya laughed and shook her head.
"You idiot. This isn't about bravery; this is about saving lives."
"What an atrocious thing we've done," Levi remarked, sarcasm dripping from every word as he straightened up. Anya stepped back upon seeing the subtle change in Levi's stance, recognising what he was about to do without so much as a look passing between them. Moments later, he shoved his shoe into the man's mouth.
"What's even more atrocious is this mouth of yours. I recommend you start talking while you're still able to use it." He narrowed his eyes, applying more pressure. "Where are Eren and Christa?"
His voice sent shivers through Anya's body, and she was reminded of just how intimidating the love of her life could be. He removed his foot, along with several of the prisoner's teeth. The MP soldier raised his hand to touch the blood leaking down his chin.
"It's no use," he spat. "All that's left for you now is to run and hide inside these walls, covered in mud and shit! If you don't turn yourselves in, every last Scout we captured will get the noose! Starting with the most guilty of all, Erwin Smith!"
She should have known better, should have been immune, but his words riled her and quick as a flash, she had him in a bone-breaking armlock against the tree. He yelled out in agony, and Levi leaned in close.
"Shut up. Some Scouts' lives are more valuable than others. Only those dumb enough to acknowledge that join us."
"Tell us where Eren and Christa are," she hissed.
She'd done her best not to think about the possibility of Erwin being publicly executed, but now it had been brought to the front of her mind and she was terrified. They were fast running out of time and instead of being there with him and working directly to save him, she was out in the middle of nowhere torturing some low-life. She knew it was a means to an end, but desperation was beginning to cloud her judgement. She returned her focus to the task at hand and tilted her head as she sensed that the prisoner was about to crack. She applied more pressure, ensuring that he didn't have a chance to strengthen his resolve in the meantime.
"I- I don't know where they are! I'm not allowed to know!" he cried, suddenly weeping. "Kenny Ackerman is a very cautious man!"
She let him sink to the ground, taking a step back and looking at Levi, who appeared equally as confused.
"Ackerman?" he asked. "I know Kenny... Is that his last name?"
"It is, but..."
Levi's eyes widened, and he spoke more to himself than anyone else.
"True, there's a lot of things he doesn't divulge... Especially the important stuff..."
"I'm sure you have a rough idea, though," Anya said, taking charge so as to allow Levi a moment. "So you'd best try and remember..."
She hauled the man up again and slammed him back into the tree.
"Stop!" he pleaded.
"You have hundreds more bones left for us to break, and right now we don't actually have much else to be doing, so I strongly suggest you start telling us what you know."
As she held him up, Levi grabbed his unbroken arm and wrenched it behind him, ready to snap it like a twig. The man glanced between them both.
"You... You're insane!"
"Maybe we are," Levi said grimly.
Anya recognised the fierce glint in his eye and knew that the news about Kenny's identity had just made him incredibly volatile. She wondered if she'd be the one holding him back this time.
"Someone's coming this way!" Sasha exclaimed in a hushed voice. Levi slammed the man face-down into the ground, muffling his cries of protest, while the others crouched low. "More than one!"
"Told you so," the man muttered through a mouthful of dirt. "It's no use. One way or another, the Scouts will soon come to an end."