Shadows of Truth and Deception (Levi • OC)

CHAPTER 22 - Invader

invader /ɪnˈveɪdə/ — a person that invades a country, region, or other place

     Erwin shared his plan the evening before the mission—or rather, a part of it. All scouts were to go outside the walls organised in a giant formation to protect themselves from the Titans. Levi's squad and Eren were to be positioned in the centre of the backline, where they would be the most protected. The entire mission revolved around Eren's safety, which pissed Reinae off, but she knew Erwin was hiding something greater, something he had a reason not to share. She was sure it had everything to do with the threat to humanity, the spy he told her about.

     She still hadn't told Levi about the special task Erwin assigned her—the task she still didn't know anything about. When the commander informed them that Reinae would be riding with him during the mission, Levi refrained from asking questions, knowing they would go unanswered.

     Everyone was restless in the evening, sensing the commander was plotting something beyond them. Reinae told her squad to be careful so many times that they ended up cussing her off, sending her to the garden to cool head. She was in the middle of smoking a second cigarette when Hange found her.

     "There you are!" she sang, plopping herself on the bench beside her.

     Reinae glanced at the squad leader. She immediately noticed the uncertainty behind her cheerful exterior. She silently handed her the herbs.

     "Where did you go yesterday?" Reinae asked calmly. Hange twitched. "With Moblit and Miche?"

     After a few moments of silence, Hange laughed, igniting a cigarette. "Nothing gets past you, huh? We went to the forest."

     "Which forest?"

     "The same forest we're going to tomorrow."

     "Why?"

     "Stop asking me questions I'm not supposed to answer," Hange said with a pout.

     "Then why are you answering them?"

     "Because I like you," she sang again, throwing an arm around Reinae's shoulders. "And because I've been dying to tell someone about my new invention!"

     Reinae narrowed her eyes. "What invention, Hange?"

     The squad leader's cheeks flushed, her eyes glowing in that crazy way they always did when she talked about her science.

     "I created a weapon to capture a titan-shifter," she whispered, wiggling her fingers excitedly. "It will completely immobilise whatever Titan, even the Armoured one!"

     Reinae raised her eyebrows, partially out of surprise and partially in awe. "Erwin wants to capture a titan-shifter?"

     "YES! Oh, I can't wait to question it about everything! I made a whole list of questions. This is something I've been waiting for forever..."

     Hange yapped and yapped about everything she wanted to learn from the titan-shifter, but Reinae stopped listening. She looked up at the sky, her eyes serious. The mission is bait. Eren is bait. To drag out whoever killed Sonnie and Bean. To drag out the spy. Reinae scoffed. Erwin, you clever bastard.

     "Are you even listening?"

     Reinae looked at Hange's pouting face, her eyes still gleaming with excitement.

     "I'm not," she replied flatly. "A lot can go wrong tomorrow, Hange, so stop dreaming about questioning the shifter before we actually have it locked up."