Awakened

Chapter 29

"Here are the reports for Pixis," Hange handed to him, walking into his quarters well into the night after finishing necessary paperwork. Erwin was at his desk, looking over what seemed to be a large and crumpled map.

Erwin grabbed the reports and nodded in thanks. "Is this all?"

"There are some extra forms in there about possible knockout toxins that could have been used on the villagers." Hang explained. "I wanted to make sure we covered all ground in this report so no questions but ours are asked."

"Good," Erwin said approvingly. He looked down again, and gazed at the large parchment paper in great interest. "Have you tasked the Scouts with their missions as soon as we get in the walls?"

"Eren and Armin are award of what Squad they are traveling with, and what area they are searching. If I may ask, how come you are not with those boys yourself? I thought you wanted to see Commander Pixis."

"I do, but I have another mission that requires my attention at the moment." Erwin looked up. "Speaking of, I need you to look at a letter. You are the only one besides the Scouts who are accompanying me who can know of what is to transpire tomorrow."

"What is it?" Hange asked, as Erwin passed her a very worn and dirty paper.

"It has to deal with my mission, and your knowledge of this will serve as a sort of insurance should something go wrong."

Hange raised a brow in question at the letter, but when Erwin said nothing, she opened it and began to read.

R13B01 21V06

That was all the letter had written. Hange frowned.

"What is this?" They asked, confused. "This looks like gibberish."

"All the cities within the walls are based off of grid layouts," Erwin began to explain. "And they run on coordinates."

"The coordinate system hasn't been used in decades. Its old and outdated," Hange countered. "Why do you have a letter with coordinates?"

Erwin decided to answer her question with another. "Do you remember how we had a mole in our Regiment, who turned out to be Annie? Well, I learned my lesson after she posed as a spy in the Regiment. I made a precaution just in case I was betrayed by either Special Ops Squads."

Hange was at first confused, but then realization dawned on them. Hange's eyes widened. "You put a double agent in their Squads."

Erwin nodded. He pointed at the letter Hange held. "And those are the coordinates to Mikasa's location."

"How do we even know this information isn't a ruse?"

At that, a small and cruel smile revealed itself on Erwin. In that moment, Hange couldn't tell the difference between her Commander and the foul people within the walls. "Because if they do, then their family will be forced into the military, no matter the age. They'll completely bypass the Training corps."

"You'll be sending children and elderly to their death," Hange surmised. She didn't know much of the background of each of the members of Mikasa's Squad, but she did know at least one of them had siblings, young ones at that. She couldn't imagine anyone below fifteen fighting against giant monsters and living.

"I am getting results," Erwin stood up. "And if you aren't willing to make the hard choices then no results will be gained."

"So, what? What happens when we get to the walls? Are we to forgo going to Pixis about the Garrison Regiment matter? All to chase Mikasa?"

"No," Erwin shook his head. "As I had you do, I am to go with a small Squad to retrieve them, and finish this problem once and for all. You and the others are to go to Pixis."

"You aren't taking any of the Elites with you."

"And?"

"And?" Hange asked back rhetorically. She threw the paper down at the desk. "Mikasa is worth a hundred soldiers. Maybe even more. Double agent or no double agent, the reality is that her whole Squad are also Elite soldiers, and they bested more than a dozen of ours the last time we tried to subdue them. And now you want to go with Soldiers whom you know have absolutely no chance against Mikasa and her Squad?"

Frustration bubbled within Hange. They knew Mikasa was a pressing issue for Erwin, but in all honesty Hange did not see the importance. Mikasa's betrayal does not come anywhere close to importance of an entire village that was knocked out while Titans made their way inside the walls, which led to the entire Scout Regiment Keep being completely obliterated.

"There is a reason I am doing what I'm doing," Erwin put his hands on his desk and leaned forward. "And you would do well to stay out of it. I am only keeping you in this one bit of information because it may be helpful in the near future should something go wrong. However, that does not mean you get to voice your opinion on the matter."

"Erwin-"

"You are dismissed," Erwin snapped, with a wave of his hand. "Tomorrow we arrive. Tomorrow, everything will play out as I ordered, and if you have opinions that do not match mine then make sure to keep them locked."

Erwin turned and walked to the window. He held his hands behind his back, and made no motion to speak again. 

Hange wanted to argue more. There were other grave matters that needed his attention. Erwin was a master strategist, and this chase for Mikasa didn't seem anything more than a vendetta. Hange didn't argue more though, and instead they backed down. They were going in a circle, and now Hange was starting to see a darkness begin to grow within the Regiment. And it sported from her once dear friend in front of her.

Hange left his quarters without another word.

As soon as they closed the door, they sighed heavily.

What has happened to you, Hange thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next chapter is literally like a paragraph away from being finished sooooo update soon

see you soon loveliess

Edit: next chapter is finished so update will be within the week!!!