Cornered

Divide

Jean did his best to ride while holding Eren in front of him. It was tricky, but not impossible. He could see that Mikasa was trying hard not to be worried but he knew she must be. Eren was strangely unresponsive. Mikasa finally called a halt and helped Jean lower Eren to the ground. She checked him over finding a puncture wound in his shoulder but it was small. She remembered the syringe and wondered what he had been injected with and how much. He was breathing evenly so it might not be something terrible. Or maybe his healing would take care of it and they wouldn't need to worry. She still wanted to have him taken to a doctor and looked over just to be sure.

"Mikasa, someone's coming." Armin was right; she could hear the jangle of harness and the clatter of wagon wheels along with the pounding of horse's hooves. Jean helped her pull Eren to his feet then he mounted so he could help her lift Eren onto the saddle in front of him again. Once Eren was situated she pulled herself onto her own horse and drew her blades. Just ahead of her the first riders materialized not quite clear in the fog. They looked like silhouettes of riders as the lead rider held up a fist signaling a halt. They stared at each other for several moments and Mikasa heard the noise slowly die down to the occasional snort from a horse or the stomp of a single hoof.

"Who are you?" Mikasa called to the shadows. The lead shadow rode forward slowly until she could make out Captain Levi.

"Are you all right?" he asked. Mikasa nodded sheathing her blades.

"I'm fine, but Eren was hit with something. He won't wake up." Captain Levi sighed in exasperation. He rode towards Jean who let him examine Eren. Then Levi turned back to Mikasa. "We need to move on, put some distance between us and our pursuers. I think we should continue with Arlert's plan. It might still work. Kirstein, you and Arlert will go with me." Levi turned as if to divide the rest of the company when Mikasa interjected.

"I'm going too."

"Ackerman I need you to go as a leader for the other group! You know the plan and I know you'll follow it." Mikasa shook her head.

"No! I won't leave Eren!" Levi's eyes glowed with anger, but Armin stepped in quickly.

"Jean's a good leader. I'll go with him so he knows the plan and we'll meet up with you later. That way Mikasa can go with Eren." Levi looked like he wanted to argue, but he was a good enough leader he recognized that the compromise was a good one.

"Very well, but we can't delay."

"He needs a doctor!" Mikasa insisted.

"Ackerman I don't have time to take him to a physician!"

"Maybe you do," Levi rounded on Armin who quickly fell quiet and lowered his gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"Well there are plenty of injured, if both parties stop to see doctors then it will make both trails look like the right one. It will just be another mirror to make it more confusing."

"Yes but they'll notice if they ask the doctors what they treated their patients for."

"Not necessarily." Armin held up the syringe, and Mikasa couldn't help a small gasp. "This is the poison they used. I can ask about a cure for it and so can you. Neither doctor will see Eren, but we will both obtain a cure making the trails seem convincing and genuine."

"Impressive Arlert. I've been underestimating you it seems. Should I still take Eren east?" Armin nodded.

"Yes, they will probably still follow us north first and then later when they learn you went east think that they had the direction wrong. You should perhaps even ride with your hood down for a bit. That way people will recognize you and pass that information on for us." Levi looked slightly uncomfortable.

"I was hoping not to draw attention, but it might work. Alright, Kirstein put Jeager in one of the wagons and then talk to Arlert so he can catch you up on the plan. I need to divide the rest of the company."

"Sir," Jean acknowledged before riding over to one of the wagons Mikasa on his heels. Levi handed over a small vial to Armin.

"I lifted this from Captain Hanji's supplies. They've proved surprisingly useful once or twice. Put some of the poison in there. That way I'll have some to ask the doctor about and can keep Eren hidden." Armin nodded squeezing out some of the liquid inside the syringe into the vial before capping it and handing it back.

"Good work Arlert. Keep it up and we might just get out of this." Armin nodded and saluted before Levi rode off to divide the company. In the end Jean took, Armin, Sasha, Connie, Reiner, and Krista. Mikasa, Eren, Bertholt, and Ymir rode with most of their group to the east. Armin had told Jean the basic plan and Jean was as usual impressed by Armin's cunning. He led them to the road keeping a measured pace, not recklessly fast but not slow either. Jean understood that they were more likely to be pursued than Captain Levi's group. The sun eventually burned away the fog revealing the road they had been traveling on for several hours. As they had been they rode through towns with their hoods up.