Attack on Titan: A Blacksmith's Tale

Chapter 61: Midnight Ambush

Tense didn't even begin to describe how Dimo felt being in the same wagon as the MPs. With a simple pull of the trigger, he could be fertilizing the ground in a moment's notice. It didn't help that the sunken eyes of the corporal in charge were on him and his son as if anticipating their betrayal. Luring him out was the easy part. Surviving what happened next would be a greater challenge.

"Quit staring like that!" Flegal Reeves demanded, goosebumps covering his skin. "It's creepy."

Dimo resisted the urge to smack his idiotic son on the back of his head. If they died here, it would be his fault.

"You seem to be on edge, Flegal," the corporal pointed out simply. "I'd like to know why."

He scoffed at that. "Oh, no reason. We're just going up against Humanity's Strongest Soldier and his contingent of Scouts. Simple as that, right?"

"That's enough out of you, Flegal," Dimo scolded, hiding how impressed he was. If they couldn't pull off a good poker face, using the tension to their advantage was the next-best thing. "Forgive him, Corporal Sannes. He hasn't been through a lot of combat."

"Someone as fat as he is, I'm not surprised," the only other MP with them taunted.

"Ralph," Sannes said in a warning tone before addressing the merchants. "I understand your concerns. Captain Levi is not one to be trifled with, but he is arrogant. He won't expect us using the ODM gear to our advantage." A snort escaped his nostrils. "He thinks he's superior because he's a Scout? The fools have no idea."

"Just remember the plan before you wet yourselves," Ralph ordered. "Hand us over, and duck. Simple as that."

"Of course." Eight Interior MPs followed closely in the forest. They were all armed with ODM gear, of course, but the equipment wasn't known for being silent. Once they got close enough to the Scouts, then they could use their gear in an ambush that would catch them off guard.

"Captain Levi will probably expect me to double cross him," Dimo pointed out. "To be honest, you should have brought the entire regiment with you."

Sannes gave a slight chuckle. "If he has no countermeasures in preparation for that, he deserves to have his innards strung up before he dies."

"Plenty of knives can do that job right," Ralph added.

At long last, the wagon came to a stop just outside the village. The two merchants glanced at each other, silently praying that they would make it out alive from this. The MPs, on the other hand, hit each other's faces with the butt end of their pistol before during the same to the back of their heads.

"What are you doing?" Flegal questioned, aghast by their actions.

Wiping the blood from his bleeding nose off, Ralph smirked. "Gotta make it look convincing, numbnuts. This why we work for the King, and you two are merchants. Someone has to do the thinking around here."

Sannes tossed the two a pair of shackles. "Here. They've been outfitted to break easily. Cuff us from behind, and use our guns to force us towards the Scouts. They are loaded, so try not to blow our heads off by mistake."

"I know how to handle a gun, Corporal," Dimo responded with a bit of an edge to his tone.

Once the MPs were "properly" shackled, they were forced outside with Dimo taking Sannes while Flegal, to his annoyance, handled Ralph. The trees only allowed for small specks of moonlight to shine through, forcing the people to rely on torches to see in the night. Only Levi and Mikasa were waiting for them, both armed with their ODM gear.

"Just as you requested, Captain," Dimo announced. "Two high-ranking MPs from the Interior Squad. I believe this clears any debts I have towards you."

"Hardly," Levi sneered before gesturing to Mikasa. "Cut the tendons in their legs. Make them crawl."