Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

TWENTY-THREE

'We hold our rage in our blood. It is a parasite that slithers into your bones, eats the marrow, and ignites your blood. Rage is in everything. It is not invading or foreign, it is us, and we are it.'

-An extract from the book 'Evolutions' written by philosopher Adette Briggs.

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TWENTY-THREE

Wall Maria, South Region, Trost

Lorelai walked out of the interrogation room. It was now clear to her that she would get nothing else out of Elske.

With an irritated huff, she plopped into a chair and sent Elske an angry glare through the glass, even though she could not see it. That entire discussion had been nothing but a complete and utter waste of time.

Lorelai had really thought she had had Elske on the brink of confession, but the girl was still deluding herself with thoughts of Briggs and revenge. How childish, she thought. She was trying to rescue her people from certain death, and this kid was playing avenger. Ridiculous.

"I take it 'bad cop' didn't succeed?" taunted Levi.

"Whatever," Lorelai scowled. "It was worth a shot."

He gazed back into the interrogation room. Elske, more exhausted than ever, was crying softly. She still thought Iva was in the other room being tortured, poor kid.

Levi didn't want to admit that Lorelai had a point about him relating to her, but as usual, she was correct. He had empathy for her. She was just another of the misguided unfortunates he had seen in the Underground.

Levi had been just like her once— a stranger on the surface, hellbent on murder for one reason or another. Erwin had saved him from that. Could he do the same for her?

He turned back to Lorelai. "I thought you had her for a second."

"Yeah, me too. By Larken, what I wouldn't give to throttle that girl."

"I doubt Lady Larken endorses the murder of children."

She chuckled. "What a pity. Anyway, it's your turn now."

He sighed. "I thought you were drunk last night." She had indeed downed rather a few glasses of the wine offered at the inn.

She smirked. "If we Havasians can do anything, we can hold our booze. Now, I hope you're not planning on backing out of our deal-"

Lorelai was cut short by a soldier bursting into the room. She carried a letter, and it appeared to be urgent business. Lorelai recognised the unique wax seal immediately.

"Larken help me," she groaned. "Look, Levi."

He raised his eyebrows at the seal before patting her on the shoulder. "Good luck."

"I'll need it."

The seal depicted the iconic wings of freedom, and the letter was undoubtedly from Commander Erwin with more than a few things to say about her recent dealings in Trost.

Reluctantly, Lorelai opened it.

'Dr Bervik

I'm not quite sure what would possess you to withhold the information that you had, on your person, a heat-activated titan bullet. Still, I'm willing to overlook that as I understand your precarious situation.