Hellfire • L.A.

Goose Chase

The large door to Chief Zackly's office was more intimidating when I was seventeen years old. At twenty-four, it reminds me more of my future; what lies ahead for me?

The two guards on the outside stand with their backs straight and guns on standby while I wait for Zackley to meet me here. He was busy in other "official business matters" and decided to just meet me outside of his office, rather than just send for me when he was ready. Bran stands next to me, fidgeting nervously and shifting his weight. His anxious behavior is causing me to be anxious, so I try to distract myself.

My thoughts wander from the task at hand and take me back to yesterday afternoon when Eren had visited me. He's such a nice boy, but he doesn't seem to understand that things aren't always black and white. There's millions of tiny grey areas and millions of darker grey areas. Kind of like people, nothing really fits into one box of "yes" or "no". Kind of like Levi...

Fuck. Don't think about him right now. I wonder if he read the letter? Would he have sent someone by now with a response? No, Levi is an upfront person. There's no doubt in my mind that he would converse matters with me in person.

"Lux, how are you this afternoon?" Chief Zackley's gruff voice disrupts my thoughts, but I gladly welcome the distraction. There are more important matters at hand.

"I'm good, Chief." I salute him briefly and he dismisses me.

"That's good news. How are you liking the new position? I hear someone made sure you took some much needed rest recently?" There's a mischievous lilt to his words as he opens his office for me and Bran. I crossover into the office but Bran stays back, just like previously discussed.

Zackley furrows his brows. "Are you not coming in, boy?"

"No sir." He shakes his head and salutes in respect. "Commander Lux has asked me to respect her privacy at this time. I'm simply here to accompany her back to the carriage later."

Zackley nods and closes the door. He watched it for a moment in silence, and turns to to me with a finger pressed to his lips. After a minute or two, he directs me to sit at the small coffee table in the far corner of the room. He sits down shortly after me and clears his throat. In a quieter voice than he normally uses, he asks:

"What's the deal with that one?"

I inhale a shaky breath, and try to relax my shoulders. "I'm not sure who to trust at this moment. After Perry's death and my visit to his wife I've learned a few things, things that I need answers about." I fix a hard a gaze on him. "Answers that only you could have."

A mischievous light twinkles behind his older eyes and he chuckles. "You were always a spunky little thing. There's not much I can legally do for you but..." his voice trails off and he leans forward a bit, "I owe Erwin a favor or two. Technically since you're under his watch and care right now I can make an exception. I expect in the future you'll return this sentiment?"

I nod. "Yes sir."

"Alright then. What's the situation here?"

"Who are The Hounds?"

Zackley pales for a moment, his twinkling eyes turning stoney and unresponsive. He stands up and walks over to a bookshelf behind the small seated area. "They were a gang some time ago. Worked for the military police, but they always say to never trust a stray dog. Started selling their services to underground folks, but the church as well."

He pulls out a book, something old and tattered with the spine almost in shreds. There's papers falling out of it and some of them are sticking out at awkward angles. Zackley sits back down and passes the book over to me.