Hand in Hand

34. Manipulate

The grotto underneath the chapel had been dug deep into the Earth, its ceiling tall enough to house a fifteen meter titan. It was held up with thick crystal pillars. The only entrance in was through a small trapdoor in the chapel which led down to a crystal staircase to the main cavern. Where Reiss, his daughter, and Eren were was past that cavern and down a hallway to a smaller one. It had one use and one use only, which is why Kenny and Markus were not allowed to be in there while the transformation was taking place.

The entire grotto was the color of a bright, clear blue pond on a sunny day, it didn't need the sun or torches to light it up. The walls reflected the faces of Kenny's men like a million cracked mirrors. If he hadn't had known its history with the Reiss family, Kenny would've thought the place to be beautiful, a haven from the death up above. The crystal walls and pillars, even the smooth reflective floor, were all titan skin that had hardened over time.

"What a lovely veil for such a disgusting and horrifying place," Kenny muttered as he looked around at his picturesque surroundings.

He made his way to Markus and the rest of his squad who had already taken their positions. Hidden on every ledge of every pillar was a member of Kenny's squad. Each of them was supplied with prototypes of the secretly developed ODM gear. Markus, of course, kept close to Kenny.

"Listen up!" Kenny yelled toward the top of the pillars. "The last time this squad faced Levi Ackerman, he killed six of our men alone!" Looking toward Markus, he added, "With the government overthrown, don't count on any MPs coming to our rescue. I estimate about eight foes with Levi's squad."

The people on the pillars waited silently to hear their Captain's next words. Even with the anxious sweat dripping down their backs, each of them was as loyal to Kenny's dream as the next.

"If they're vermin," Kenny said, his tone dripping with hatred, "Then we're going to exterminate every last one of the damn bastards!"

The loud, cheerful banging of ODM gear on the pillars erupted in the cavern, signaling that Kenny's men were with him every step of the way. From beside Kenny, Markus's body tensed and a single spark of heat shot up his spine. Slowly, he turned his head towards the man who he had called his partner for the majority of his life and saw nothing more than an old shell of an odious man. The scorching heat in his spine grew, bubbling up and around to his fists and face and tingling every tip of his body. 

Markus reached out in front of him, grabbed Kenny by the collar, and pulled the man up until the tips of his boots were barely reaching the cavern floor.

"If she gets hurt by your hand, It'll be you against me, Kenny." Whatever Markus' squad was seeing, he didn't care. It went way beyond them.

Kenny licked his lips like a starving wild dog and grinned maliciously. "Don't tempt me, Markus."

Markus's grip lingered as his eyes desperately scanned every inch of Kenny's face to find a hint of remorse, a change that he was lying. With every passing second, the little faith he already had in Kenny was wavering. The two of them stood staring at each other, Kenny testing the waters. He loved seeing how deep he could drag Markus into murky waters. The silent, pleading look behind Markus' eyes and his knitted brows told him all he needed to know.

"Are you ever going to let go of me?"

Kenny's question was calculated, suggestive. He had always played with Markus' limits because he knew that Markus liked to have his cake and eat it too.

"Don't do something you'll regret," Markus warned. He let go of his grip and shoved Kenny away from him. His partner stumbled back amused and watched as Markus shot his ODM gear high up on a pillar to get far away.