Attack on Titan: A Blacksmith's Tale

Chapter 58: The Might of the Interior

(Yarckel District)

Being confined to a hospital bed was the fastest way for Carolyn to go stir-crazy. She had been conscious for about a week and was due to stay for three more weeks. To the doctors' credit, they had gotten her started on learning to walk again, though the process was slow-going. It was hard to stand on her feet for more than a minute without collapsing but considering the torture she suffered from Elise, it was to be expected.

Elise. Just thinking of that woman caused goosebumps to spread across her mutilated body. Every time the lawyer closed her eyes, the psychopath was waiting for her to return for another round of torture. There were times Carolyn questioned if her liberation from that woman was real or if she was still trapped in the prison and this was Elise's way of tormenting her. Even being told the Psion was dead brought her little comfort.

"Where's Matthew? Where's my husband?" Those were the first words she had spoken when she regained consciousness.

The doctor looked uncomfortable when she asked those questions. His next words sealed the implications of his expression. "I'm sorry, Carolyn. Your husband was killed a week ago."

Never in her entire life did Carolyn want more than this whole scenario to be nothing more than a fabrication of her mind, something Elise placed her in. Her husband was one of the strongest men she had ever known. He couldn't be dead, but... she couldn't feel his link in her mind anymore. He would never sever it on his own, leaving only one conclusion. That day, her energy was spent weeping for her loss while the words of the doctor offered nothing to help her. Her home, her livelihood, now her husband were all gone. All she had left was Dillon.

There were so many questions she had for her son. She knew he was responsible for bringing her out of her coma, but the fact that he didn't stay troubled her. A pit formed in her gut when the idea of him knowing the truth crossed her mind. It was the only thing that made sense. Otherwise, he probably would've stayed with her for the rest of the day. Once she was released from this damned building, she would find him and do whatever she had to in order to stay with him. He was the only family she had left now.

Her musings were interrupted by the door opening. She expected it was the doctor, but instead, she got two, gruff MPs entering the room. Already, the red flags were waving.

"Carolyn Amsdale," one of the MPs, a blond, began, "by order of the government, you are under arrest."

"Arrest? On-on what charges?" Carolyn demanded. This wasn't supposed to happen. She had a deal with Darius. They had a deal!
"Treason," the other man with black hair answered simply as he brandished some shackles. "It's been a long time coming, bitch."

The lawyer narrowed her eyes dangerously. If these goons thought they could arrest her on whatever trumped up charges they could come up with, they were in for a nasty surprise. While her legs weren't functioning properly, her hands could still go where they needed to. Perhaps she could get a gun and even the odds.

Whatever plan she had was shot down when the window next to them exploded. A figure crashed through and landed into the duo, cushioning his landing quickly. He whipped out a boot knife and slit the blond MP's throat immediately. The remaining soldier attempted to shoot him, but the figure simply kicked him back. Someone else came through the window more graceful than her companion, and she only needed a second to toss the MP out the window. His screams only lasted two seconds before he landed on the ground with a sickening splat.

"How did you know there were MPs in here?" the girl asked, staring out the broken window as if looking for something.

"I didn't," the boy growled as he wiped the blood from the knife.