Petrichor

Chapter 16- Adalynn (Trial)

"Writing's On the Wall" Sam Smith 

"I don't understand how kicking the shit out of her is going to get us anywhere, Levi."

Levi sat against a bench, legs crossed, propping his elbow against the frame as he rested his chin on his palm. "It's about showing them we can subdue Jaeger and Sterling. Showing the Premier that we have full control aids our proposal."

I paced back and forth, the sound of my boots echoing in the small room. It was relatively bare. A singular bench against the wall, a table against the other. Awkwardly placed furniture, but according to Levi it wasn't used often.

"I don't like it. I can't do that to her."

Levi yawned. "Unless you want her dead, you're going to have to."

This is not good. I favored none of the options I was given, which were limited to begin with. Beat the shit out of my best friend or let her die. And right beneath my feet, in a cell, she sat. It'd been hours. No one would let me down.

"Not yet," Levi had told me. "If they see you down there right away, they'll use it against you in the trial."

Screw the Military Police. They shackled Rory and the kid up and stuck them underground. And now they wanted to kill them.

"Fine," I stopped to stand in front of him. "When?"

The corner of his mouth curved upward for a split second. "We see how it plays out. I'll make a move accordingly, and you'll follow. Stick close to me in the courtroom." He sighed, sitting himself up and scooting to make room for me.

I gingerly accepted the offer, sitting a foot away from him as he began to speak. "Premier Zachary is the deciding factor in the deliberation. The MPs, Survey Corps, and Garrison Regiment fall under his jurisdiction. If the Premier thinks Sterling and Jaeger are a threat, they'll be executed immediately. In the very room, perhaps."

I intertwined my fingers together, leaning forward, elbows pressed against my knees. "They both fixed the hole in Trost. I don't understand why everyone is gunning to kill our heroes."

Levi clicked his tongue against his teeth. "They won't see Sterling and Jaeger as heroes. They're tools ready to be taken advantage of. Even if they're an extreme asset, no one cares to risk housing two titan shifters who could easily wipe out half the population faster than a hoard of titans could."

My blood was beginning to boil, the heat rising to my cheeks. "Then explain to me why the Scouts want them alive. If it's such a risk, right?"

Levi shrugged. "A risk, perhaps. But it's one worth taking."

"How can you be sure?"

He raised a brow, head tilting to look at me. "Do you have your doubts?"

I scoffed. "Absolutely not. I want her alive. She's useful, she can be useful. Everyone thinks she's some kind of monster, but she-"

Levi finished my sentence. "But she's not." I glanced at him, nodding. "You answered your own question. She can be useful, her and the Jaeger kid. They've proven that. But Eren's outburst and Sterling hurting you-"

"She was killing a titan. I got in the way."

Levi shook his head. "No, you didn't. She lunged over you. Multiple soldiers can attest to that. Don't lie if they ask you."

"I didn't get hurt."

Levi leaned forward to meet my eyes, forearms pressed against his thighs. "The bloodstains on your shirt earlier and bruises on your back could argue against that. There's no point in lying, Adalynn."