Memories ~ Attack on Titan

Chapter forty one

Flegal, the son of the head of the Reeves company, who's father was recently murdered, was running through the streets. Hange, Moblit and I watched from the rooftops and he was chased and hounded by the military police, calling him vial names and eventually cornering him into an alley way. It made me sick. My breath hitched, "Hange, are you sure we can't-" I started but was cut off by my section commander. "Just watch," they responded not even for a moment looking away from the scene underneath us. Flegel turned into the alley where the three of us were sitting over head, I gasped as Hange, without warning swung from the room and grabbed Flegel, holding his mouth and pulling him to the roof top. Flegel screamed but they could hardly be heard over Hange's hand tightly clamped over his mouth. Hange took them to a different roof top but that didn't stop me from following. I zipped over and landed next to them. Flegal was sat down breathing heavy while Hange knelt next to them. I landed on my feet, standing in front of the two. Hange started, "you're the son of Dimo Reeves, correct? What's your name?" Flegel panted before softening his previously tight facial expressions. Hange continued, "Flegel. Nice to meet you. My names Zoe Hange, I'm a section commended for the scouts. And this is Rin Ackerman. I know this is sudden but if the MP's are trying to hunt you down, then I'm going to assume that you know the truth about your fathers sudden death. Could you tell me how it happened?" Flegel looked up at me with an anxious yet soft expression. My face took a naturally hard shape, staring daggers into the poor man sat beneath me. I don't intend this but more recently I've felt a more numbness in my mind. Flegal didn't matter to me, making him comfortable wether he was on our side or not didn't even strike me as a priority. Flegal looked down, seemingly a bit defeated, before looking back towards Hange and finally speaking. "We made a stop so I could take a piss. That's when the interior police found my dad. A tall guy in a black coat and hat, he slit my fathers throat." I took a heavy breath, "tall man in all black, wonder if that was the man Levi and I ran into." Hange shook their head, "anyways, I'm glad you survived. Now we can make the truth known to the public." Flegel cut Hange off, now raising his voice, "you're crazy! Haven't you seen the papers? If the MP's say you guys did it then you did. My testimony means Jack shit! They figured out I was there. They know I saw everything. I'll be hunted for the rest of my life. My life is over," Flegel began to cry now, a nasty cry at that, with snot and tears running down his face. I scoffed before butting in, "yea maybe. But that's not living. Instead of spending the rest of your life feeling sorry for yourself, and skulking around like a scared rat till you die you could stand up like a man and face the enemy head on, even if you die." Flegel looked up at me with wide eyes, filled with a mixture of terror and confusion, "why the hell would I do that?! Not everyone has the same disregard for their own lives as you all! I am scared! And I have every right to be." Hange stood up now, standing next to me and yelling back at the fool on the ground, "your family! The company! Don't you think they deserve the truth?" Flegal continued to retaliate, this time a bit of anger mixed in with his already whirl pool of emotions, "come on! That's just what would be best for you and your buddies!" I stoped in front of Hange, my anger towards this idiot taking control, I grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him up to meet me face to face, yelling now, "of course it is you damn fool! People are going to die because you're a damn coward! It's time you start thinking about what's best for you and everyone else damnit!" Suddenly we were interrupted by a civilian in the room below us, "hey! Who the hell is on my roof." I rolled my eyes and let go of the man, grabbing him by the arm this time, "alright Flegel, you're coming with us. I don't give a fuck how scared you are." I looked back at Hange who gave me an approving nod. Flegal tried to pull away and yelled again, "what? Your gang already lost! Just give up! Why don't you know when you're beat?!" I dragged the man and ran across the roof top, Hange on the man's other side, they laughed a bit before responding, "that's real simple, defeat is the only thing the Scout Regiment has ever known!" I scoffed, "listen Flegel. We want to avenge your father. But we can't do that without you. Are you just going to cower in fear and disappoint him? Or do you want to to hear the plan?" I asked harshly as we moved from roof to roof. Flegel looked over at me, tears in his eyes, "will I die?" He asked quietly, like he already knew the answer. I took a deep breath, "I won't let you die" Flegal looked suprised, but I could tell he believed me, he looked down with a soft smile, "okay."

Flegal ran through the alleyways I instructed him to, being chased by 3 MP's. He ran into the dead end, just as he was instructed, a dead end filled with several seemingly empty apartments I'll admit he put on a good show, panting and crying like a scared pig. Flegal stoped in his tracks, the MP's catching up. The first one, I recognized as roger, a real dick if my memory serves me correctly. Rodger laughed, "thanks, dumbass, their won't be any witnesses in a dump like this. I owe you big time tho, thanks a bunch Flegal. I mean when you have us the slip before I thought we were screwed," Rodge fell to his knees in front of Flegal, crying like the pathetic excuse for a man that he was. Suddenly he stood again, holding up his gun this time. I held my breath, preparing to swoop down and end the lives of these scum bags if needed be. Rodger laughed while rubbing his eyes, "my boss would've killed me. And I'm serious. Thanks for coming back Flegel. Nice knowin ya." All 3 men pointed their guns at Flegal now. I wanted to badly to fly down and end them in a single swoop, but I had to trust Flegal to follow through with the plan. Flegal put his arms up and begun yelling, "no wait! Don't shoot yet please! Why did my father have to die? Did the interior police kill him?" Rodger rolled his eyes, "what? I don't see what that matter. After all, you'll be a corpse yourself in just a moment." Flegal continued to plead, "please! Before I did I just wanna to know. What did my father do to deserve you killing him?" Rodger, getting impatient, answered, "huh? I figured you'd know. He betrayed us and started helping out those bastards in the Scouting Regiment." Flegal dawned a terrified look as he muttered, "so, his orders came from the interior police? You guys had him kidnap those Scouts?" Rodger looked at him with an annoyed expression, "well it was a different squad but, yea, guess old Dimo didn't say to much about it. At least not to his dad excuse for a son." Flegal's face softened as he looked down. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. But for once it was time for him to stop being sorry for himself, and that's exactly what he was doing. Flegal continued, "and what if he'd refused?" Rodger lowered his gun, getting way to comfortable with this current situation, "oh he knew way to much. We'd have killed him. I mean we did it anyway but that's what he gets for being a damn idiot. What made him think the Survey Corps could help this trash city anyway?" I felt the fuming anger radiating off of Flegal's very being. His next words had venom behind them but were calm enough to not immediately catch the attention of the officers in front of him, "you'd never understand. You think you're tough shit don't you? Wanna know the last thing my dad taught me? He said a good merchant always trusts his nose. And I'm glad I listened. Because it lead me to the people who could avenge him. And I'll always side with them!" This sent Rodger into a frenzy as he quickly raised his gun, "no need to be brave piggy! Go ahead and squeal! You're going to die here!" Before he could shoot Flegal yelled, "I'm done with you asshole! Take a look above you!" And that was our signal. Hange, Moblit and I swung into action, faster then the MP's below us could even react. We jumped down, beating the absolute shit out of them. Hange and Moblit tied the other 2 up while I sat on Rodgers back, holding his hands behind him. "Section commended that was way to reckless!" Moblit shouted, always being the worried one. Hange looked at us with excitement, "we pulled it off!" He couldn't help but smirk, "did everyone head that!" I yelled to the people gathered above. I felt Rodger try to move under me, "the scouts? But why?" He mumbled, I grabbed the back of his head and pulled it up so he could see all the people looking down at him. He gasped, a mixture of shock and pure fear. "The so called garbage around us, were actually filled with dozens of law abiding citizens. Citizens who just heard your entire confession, Rodger. Have anything to say to them?" Several of the male citizens began approaching us now. One of them said, "this dump ain't abandoned asshole. Bet it seems unlivable to you. It ain't half as nice as it used to be but it's home. We heard everything. About the killing. We're all Witnesses." I stood up, pulling Rodger to his knees, holding him still in front of the me. Rodger grunted, "yea? Well it doesn't matter. Cause it's the government that decides what's true. Idiots! Don't think for a second you'll get away with this! Flegel walked around and stands next to me, he looks down at me, gun in his hand. I have an an approving nod and stepped aside, leaving Rodger for him to deal with. Flegel pushed the man down and sat on his head, he dawned a more serious expression now, one I never expected to see on the face of Flegel of all people. Flegel signed, "listen, you'll all be fine. The Reeves Company will protect you. You trusted my father Dimo, well now I'm in charge. So from now on, you can trust in me. And that's a promise." It was silent for a moment. Flegel , tho I've only known you for a few hours, you've made huge strides today, within yourself and the community. I felt like thank you wasn't good enough, I never much liked the spot light but for Flegel, it felt worth it. I took a step forward and begun clapping, clapping for this hero in front of us. Slowly everyone joined in and we all cheered for Flegel. Hange put a hand on his head, "hey, you give 'Em hell Flegel"