Cornered

Disguise

Jean was grateful there were mostly minor injuries in his company with the exception of Connie. He hoped his friend was all right but he knew that the amount of time he had been unconscious was a bad sign. They reached the outskirts of a good sized town about mid-day. Jean decided it was a good time to stop and find a doctor. When he mentioned it to Armin he was surprised to see his look of determination.

"What is it?" he asked.

"We need to disguise Connie to look like Eren."

"What!? Why?"

"What do you think the people following us will ask?"

"If the doctor treated anyone with similar symptoms to Eren's."

"And failing that?"

"Um..." Jean was at a loss.

"If the doctor saw someone exhibiting similar symptoms. Connie won't have to try at all. All we need to do is keep the doctor from getting too close. Reiner can help with that. He looks intimidating enough."

"But then he won't be able to examine Connie and find out what's wrong with him?" Armin nodded.

"I know, but he's our best chance. Let me examine him just to make sure he doesn't have any broken bones or serious injuries and if I don't find anything we should proceed with that plan." Jean wanted to argue, but he knew Armin was right. He could never outsmart Armin and he doubted their pursuers could either.

"Fine. I'm coming with you." Armin nodded and together they walked over to the wagon. Sasha still held Connie giving him a softer place to rest then the wagon bed. She watched them curiously as they both climbed in. Reiner lowered his water skin and watched them all steadily.

"Sasha can I examine Connie for more serious wounds?" Armin asked gently. She nodded sitting up to make it easier to reach Connie. Armin started by gently feeling along Connie's bones checking for breaks. He was pleased to find that nothing seemed to be broken. Then he gently felt along Connie's bandaged head a look of deep concentration on his face. He smiled in relief.

"No broken bones." Sasha smiled.

"And his head?" Armin nodded.

"It's still in one piece. I'm guessing the wound is external, I don't think it broke the skull at all." Armin saw a few tears gathering in Sasha's eyes and quickly looked away. Having grown up around Mikasa it made him uncomfortable when girls cried. He worked free the upper part of Connie's harness and lifted his shirt to examine the skin. He couldn't help letting out a gasp of shock. Under his shirt they found that his back was a mass of bruising most heavily along his lower back where his gear normally rested. Sasha couldn't see what Armin could but she was surprised by the anger that burned in Reiner's eyes when she glanced over at him.

"Reiner...?" she asked hesitantly. He shook his head and looked away. Sasha turned to Armin.

"Is there anything we can do?"

"Yes Sasha. We're going to see a doctor in town, but we can't let him examine Connie." Reiner's head snapped up a fierce look in his eye, but he said nothing.

"Can't...? What do you mean?"

"We need to use him as a decoy for Eren. But I promise we'll get medicine for him."

"Do you think that will be enough?" Reiner's gruff voice asked from behind and Armin turned to face him.

"Yes. I think Connie will be all right. There are some other questions I can ask the doctor to help me know how to treat him. Please trust me." There was silence broken only by Connie's deep and measured breathing. Finally Sasha nodded.

"Okay. What do you need me to do?"

"I just need you to stay here and hold him. I'm going to put a brown wig on him over his bandage. Reiner, when we stop to see the doctor you'll need to make sure no one gets too close to Connie. We want them only to be able to provide a vague description at best. Reiner nodded and the fire in his eyes was intense enough it almost scared Armin away. He wondered what had made Reiner so mad. Was it what had happened to Connie, or maybe it was related to those responsible. Either way Armin knew they couldn't wait here much longer without looking suspicious. He pulled out a brown wig and situated it carefully on Connie's head being gentle especially around the wound.

Once everything was ready Jean and Armin returned to the front to lead the column into the town. They inquired about a doctor and were lead to one. He was willing to treat them and Armin inquired about the substance in the syringe. Armin noticed the doctor's look over to Connie and Sasha in the wagon bed but he didn't say anything. The doctor smelled it and then tasted a drop before nodding. He retrieved an antidote and Armin also asked for something to treat bruises.

"The best treatment is ice but that won't last long in this weather. I have some ointment that might help a little but there's no guarantee." Armin nodded. The doctor retrieved a pot of ointment stating that Armin could probably use all that he could get. Armin smiled and nodded asking curiously about various procedures so the doctor wouldn't catch on to his true intentions in asking. He helped the doctor giving more time for conversation as they treated the members of the corps. Once he had gotten the medicine and information he needed Armin paid the doctor and thanked him for his help.

Reiner stood in the wagon bed alternately watching Armin, the various people around, and Sasha. She kept glancing worriedly at the people around them and kept her arms wrapped pretty tightly around Connie. Reiner doubted she was aware of what she was doing. Still he didn't say anything, he understood the illusion that Armin was trying to create and likely their pursuers would mistake Sasha for Mikasa when her actions were described to them. A few people approached the wagon curiously but none came any closer once they had drawn Reiner's attention. He was furious at the bully who had hit Connie so hard. If he ever saw the man again he would teach him a good hard lesson; one he would never forget. At last they were loading up the supplies they had received and preparing the injured for the road again.

"How far are you going?" the doctor asked. Jean had also noticed the doctor's glance at Connie and now he felt his concern and panic rising at the doctor's line of questioning. How much should they tell him? What danger would come of what they said right now?

"We've a good long ride to the north ahead of us," Armin answered quickly and easily.

"But your injured shouldn't travel so far. They need rest." Armin nodded.

"True. We'll probably take more rests than we normally would, but we must get to our destination as quickly as possible."

"But..." Armin waved a hand interrupting.

"You can't dissuade us. Sorry, if there was another way believe me we would take it." The doctor blinked in surprise, unable to come up with a good answer.

"Come on Arlert, we need to go." Jean called. Armin nodded and waved to the doctor as he ran over to his horse and mounted.