Because Of You

Chapter 30

"What was that?" Levi demanded as he mounted Bowie, gripping onto the assassins cloak as she ushered the two of them away from the barracks.

Truth was, she didn't know. Why were they after her now? What was so important that they needed her dead? Was she a threat? All of her questions needed to be pushed aside of she was going to get out of this alive - there was no room for distraction when being hunted. She'd seen it first hand. That split second that dictates life or death - she simply knew she couldn't take that risk.

"Carmen." Levi persisted, he was gathering more questions than Carmen, but then again, if something was bothering her, then he wanted to be the first person she went to. "Are you deaf?" He yelled this time, making the woman jump at the familiar tone.

"What?" She asked as she regathered composure.

"I said, what was that?" He repeated.

"An assassination attempt." Carmen decided to get straight to the point - she was never one for dodging the subject, besides, Levi wouldn't have appreciated it. "They want me dead. I don't know why, but they sent a doll after me."

Levi's shock was evident with his silence. However, he needed to know more. "Did anyone die?" Was his first choice.

"No, I made sure to keep her alive." Carmen replied instantly. "Though, she is paralysed from the waist down. So, I doubt I can be praised for avoiding drastic measures."

It took a while for him to comprehend the fact that she'd paralysed a women for life - but he supposed it was better than the alternative. "So that's their play? Send out countless assassins after you until one finally gets the job done?"

"More than likely. Dolls work alone, as far as I'm aware." She answered. "We aren't trained in teamwork, our fighting styles are simply individual and make clear that our goal is to only look out for ourselves. I imagine a fight with a group would be uncoordinated and sloppy, however their skill is still undeniable."

"So if this happens again, you'll be able to hold your ground?" Levi assumed, hoping his guess to be true. According to Erwin, Carmen was more valuable alive than dead.

"Who knows, really? I was attacked in a hospital for wounded soldiers. The nurse tried to inject this, telling me it was a painkiller." She revealed the needle she stole from her aggressor. "We could have Hange test it, but I'm fairly certain it's death in a vial." 

"Speaking of which, the sun will be setting soon. We should head back towards Wall Rose, it would have been easier for them to find the breach in daylight."

Carmen nodded before leading her horse towards wall Rose again. She was glad that Levi wasn't scolding her for her rash actions - after all, she knew fine well that she could have captured her assassin, but deep down knew her decision was the best. Dolls were renowned for fulfilling their missions, to return as a failure was the equivalent of returning as a corpse, Carmen only experienced that once in her lifetime, and she never wanted to see it happen again.

Although they couldn't inflict any physical torture upon her, they most certainly gave her a fair share of emotional injury - making her into the expressionless machine she was. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted letting her assassin live.

"Turn right here." Levi tapped her shoulder and the woman complied. She noticed the scouts stumbling through the gates with a significant number of MPs missing, they were never truly fit for combat anyways. Top of the class meant nothing against actual experience.

"Not their smoothest operation." The blonde said as they both tried to find familiar faces. It wasn't easy to see past the blood staining their uniforms and running down their faces, but as soon as they heard the angry yell of a frustrated scientist, they knew where to guide the horse.