A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on july 16th, 2021 @ 2:41pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙻𝚅𝙴,
𝓜𝙴𝚁𝙲𝚈, 𝚁𝙰𝙸𝙳 𝙾𝙽 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝙷𝙴𝚂𝚂 𝙳𝙸𝚂𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙲𝚃, 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃 𝙾𝙽𝙴.

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MARCUS WAS IN HIS OFFICE, looking out of the window, thinking about things. "Section Commander Marcus!" One of his squad members exclaimed, saluting.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"The Survey Corps will be making their way here soon. It's required for all the higher ups to be present."

"I see. Their mission failed, huh?" Marcus hummed as he followed his squad member out of his office.

"Pardon me, Section Commander. But don't you have a friend in the Survey Corps?"

"Yes. He's a higher up as well." Marcus responded.

Marcus had to admit, he was shocked when Annie Leonhart was the only one who showed up to join the Military Police. It had seemed that the rest of his younger brother's class had joined the Survey Corps, from what he heard. This was including Julian's younger brother, Jean.

"What do you know? I guess Jean took after his older brother." Marcus thought.

He looked over and saw one of the officers beating up a rookie. Marcus sighed in frustration before walking over and grabbing the gun before he could land another hit.

"Yikes! It's Section Commander Marcus!"

"Beating up a newbie I see? Is this what you bastards do when you're supposed to be working?" Marcus narrowed his eyes at him.

"He was disrespecting a superior officer!"

"And you're talking back to your higher up." Marcus looked over and saw that civilians were watching. "I'll make sure he gets a proper punishment. Get going. Or do you want me to cause an even bigger scene?"

The officer looked towards the rookie. "You got lucky this time, rookie!" He exclaimed before walking off with his friend.

Marcus looked over before helping the rookie up. "T-Thanks, Section Commander." The rookie thanked him.

"It's no problem. I'll let you off easy. Just make sure it doesn't happen again." Marcus said. "What's your name?"

"Marlowe Freudenberg, sir."

"Nice to meet you, Marlowe. I'm Marcus Bolt." Marcus introduced himself. "Get back to doing your assigned work."

"Yes, sir!"

Marcus walked forward with his squad member following behind him. He noticed Annie giving him a look of guilt as he passed her. As if she was apologizing in some way.

"I wonder what that's about." Marcus thinks to himself.

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《 𝖲𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖱𝖠𝖫 𝖣𝖠𝖸𝖲 𝖤𝖠𝖱𝖫𝖨𝖤𝖱 》

"They're late..." Levi stated. "Erwin and his men are keeping us waiting. The MP escorts will come here before they do. He's probably constipated and having a rough day."

Julian had his arms crossed, keeping silent. Eren sat their awkwardly, drumming his fingers on the wood as he had nothing else to do.

"You're talking a lot today, Captain." Eren pointed out.

"Don't be stupid. I always talk a lot." Levi informed. He suddenly set his tea cup down as he winced in pain. This got Julian out of his thoughts.

"Levi, you shouldn't put pressure on your leg." Julian informed.

"It's fine." Levi reassured him as he tched. Julian gave him a look that he was unconvinced but decided to leave it alone.

"I'm sorry. Back then, if I hadn't made the wrong choice... This never would've happened." Eren said, still blaming himself for the death of Levi's squad and Ida.

"I told you... No one ever knows how things will turn out." Levi told him.

"I don't blame you either, Eren. You're starting to sound like Lyon. He won't stop blaming himself." Julian sighed at the mention of his second-in-command.

The door then opened as Eren stood up. "Sorry to keep you waiting." Erwin said.

"Not at all, sir."

Julian raised an eyebrow. He wasn't shocked to see Armin and Mikasa, but he was shocked to see Jean.

"Huh? Jean?!" Julian questioned, wondering why his younger brother was there.

"You guys! U-Um..." Eren trailed off.

"We have identified a person of interest who may be the Female Titan." Erwin began as Eren's eyes widened with shock. "This time, we won't let her escape."

"The operation will be in two days. It will take place in Stohess District, on our way to the capital. This is our first and last chance. Once we past that point, Eren will be remanded to the capital. Our pursuit of those who seek to destroy the walls will become fraught with difficulty. Ultimately, humanity stands to go extinct. We will stake everything on this plan." Erwin explained as everyone was seated at the table. Eren just nodded in reply.

"Here it is. When we pass through Stohess, Eren will act as a decoy, and lead the target into this underground tunnel. If we can get her to the lowest level, given the tunnel's size and structural integrity, even if the target transforms, we can immobilize her. But if she transforms before then... Eren, we'll need your help." Erwin continued.

"Yes, sir." Eren said. "As for the target... Are we sure she is in Stohess?"

"You remember Marcus Bolt from your trial, right?" Julian spoke up as Eren just nodded. "I received word from him that our target is a member of the Military Police."

"The Military Police?"

"It was Armin who arrived at that conclusion. He believes the target also killed the two captured Titans." Erwin said. "She may have been a former trainee from the 104th, the same as you."

"W-Wait a second... The 104th?" Eren questioned.

"The name of the girl we believe to be the person of interest is... Annie Leonhart."

"Annie's the Female Titan?" Eren asked. "Why? Why do you think that, Armin?"

"From the start, the Female Titan knew what you looked like. And she reacted to your nickname, "suicidal bastard," which only the 104th trainees would know. And the biggest reason is that I believe Annie killed the rest subjects, Sawney and Bean." Armin replied.

"How can you tell?" Eren questioned.

"Only someone very skilled could have done it. And they'd have used their own Maneuver Gear, which they're accustomed to." Armin responded.

"Yeah, wasn't that why they inspected our Maneuver Gear? But they didn't find anything on Annie..." Eren pointed out.

"That's because Annie brought Marco's Maneuver Gear to the inspection." Julian answered. He could see Jean, who was sitting right next to him, tense up at the mention of Marco. "That's why she managed to avoid getting caught."

"Huh? What are you talking about? What does Marco have to do with this?" Eren asked, looking over to Jean.

"I don't know." Armin admitted.

"I know Marcus wants to find out what happened to his brother who mysteriously died according to Jean. I may be thinking way too much into this. Annie could have stumbled upon his corpse and took it off." Julian thought.

"Are you sure it was his?" Eren asked.

"Yes, I know what I—" Armin began.

"Hey, kid." Levi interrupted. "We get it. Do you have any other evidence?"

"No, I don't." Armin answered truthfully.

"I think Annie's face resembles the Female Titan's." Mikasa put in.

Julian suddenly remembered something. "Didn't she also rank 4th in the top ten of your class? I remember Jean mentioned something like that." He added.

"Huh?" Eren said as he stood up. "What are you talking about? That isn't evidence—"

"So, you have no proof, but you'll do it anyway." Levi interrupted once more.

"You have no proof? What? Then why do it? What if it isn't her?" Eren asked.

"Then we'll know she's innocent. That's all." Mikasa answered bluntly.

"And then I'll feel bad for Annie. However, if we don't do something, you'll end up being sacrificed to the people in the capital!" Armin informed.

Eren looked away. "You're crazy to think Annie's a Titan." He said.

"Eren, now that you know we suspect her, isn't it ringing any bells?" Mikasa asked. "You fought the Female Titan. Didn't anything remind you of Annie's distinctive combat style?" She added as Eren widened his eyes as if he remembered something.

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《 𝖯𝖱𝖤𝖲𝖤𝖭𝖳 𝖳𝖨𝖬𝖤 》

"What happened?" Nile asked himself before looking up. "Escort team, we don't need you here! Go see what's happening!"

"Roger!" Marlowe answered as he took off with Hitch and another cadet right behind him.

"Something's off..." Nile muttered. "That explosion I heard..."

"Nile..."

Nile turned around to find Erwin with Julian and Levi right behind him.

"Deploy all of your troops. We should assume a Titan has appeared." Erwin informed.

"Wh-What?! This is Wall Sina... There's no way a Titan could be here!" Nile denied.

Julian turned around to find Jean stepping out of the carriage with his cloak on his arm.

"Wait! Don't move, Yeager!"

"I'm done with this disguise!" Jean exclaimed, taking off the wig as the officer's eyes widened. "Never call me by that name again, moron!"

"Commander, I'm going, too." Jean informed.

"Get your equipment from Squad 4." Erwin said.

"Roger!" Jean said, putting on his cloak.

"It's good to see that someone has the balls to go, but don't forget to do your damndest to stay alive." Levi told him.

"Yes, sir."

"Levi is right. You better not die on me you little shit." Julian added.

"Eh? Even in critical times, you're still cruel to me, Nii-san!"

"It's a brother's job."

Jean took off as Nile looked at him then looked back. "Erwin, what is this?" He asked.

"Commander, here!"

The soldier presented his ODM gear. "Good work." Erwin said as he equipped his gear.

"Section Commander!"

Lyon flew down and gave Julian his ODM gear as well. "Thanks, Ly." Julian thanked him as he equipped his gear while Lyon nodded and took off.

"Hey, Erwin!"

"Anyone who can move, follow me! We'll rendezvous with the capture teams." Erwin ordered.

"Erwin, wait." Nile said, holding up a gun and pointed it at him. The rest of the Military Police followed.

"What you're doing is clearly treason against the crown!"

"Nile, I'm starting to wonder if your brains don't even live up to that sorry excuse of a beard." Levi stated bluntly.

"Seems to me that you don't even have a clue what's going on." Julian added.

"Remove your equipment, Erwin!" Nile ordered.

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Jean was running through the crowd of people as he spotted the Military Police on the rooftops doing nothing. "Damn those slackers! I could've been one of them. Now I understand why Nii-san hates them so much." He thought.

"What the hell happened? Damn it!"

Once Jean got his gear, he flew down to where Armin was.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Jean asked.

"Jean! Eren's trapped!" Armin replied.

Jean was in shock. "The plan was for him to become a Titan!" He exclaimed.

"He couldn't... I think the fact that it's Annie is stopping him." Armin stated.

"Annie?"

"Anyway, we have to save him!" Armin informed as he begins moving a rock. "Jean, help me!"

"He couldn't transform?" Jean irked at this. "Eren, what the hell is wrong with you?! Didn't I once tell you that I'm counting on you? We have to entrust the world, humanity, and our lives to you, and this is how you repay us?"

"Marco... Marco... Damn it!"

Something crashes into a building as the debris comes flying towards them as they moved out of the way.

"Eren..."

"It's no use... We have to do something about her first!" Jean said taking out his blade.

Jean and Mikasa were flying around Annie. While Annie was distracted, Jean tried to cut her nape but she quickly crystallized her hand.

"Armin, this way!" Jean shouted.

"Roger!" Armin called back as he used his gear to fly up.

Annie began chasing Jean and Armin. They flew by to where the other Scouts were waiting as Hange released the trap. Annie reached out her hand as the three barely dodged her.

She tried to move but it was no use as she fell to the ground. She was then covered with a net.

"Okay!" Hange began, as they were spinning their wire. "I thought there'd be no need for a plan C, but nope... That's Commander Erwin for you, I guess." They added before they caught their wire.

"Now, then..." Hange said, stepping off the rooftop and using their gear to land on the ground. "Be a good girl. Stay put."

They pointed their blade right in her eye. "Here, you're too far in to get Titans to devour you like before. But don't worry... I'll be the one to devour you instead. I'll devour all the information that we can drag out of you." Hange said.

Annie used her foot to knock the capture machines down. "She broke free?" Mikasa questioned.

"We needed more traps!" Hange stated as Annie began running away. "Don't let her escape! Follow her!"

Jean and Armin used their gear to head towards her. The Scouts were following her as they moved out of the way so they wouldn't get hit by the debris.

Mikasa then fell to the ground as Armin called out her name.

There was a sudden flash of lightning which made Nile turn around.

"Now what?"

The lightning soon disappeared as Eren's Titan form came into sight. He sent a punch to Annie who crashed into a building.

"Eren!" Armin yelled.

Eren's Titan roared before heading towards Annie once more.

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2308 words.