Deception

<<<Chp 11

Twelfth Segment: Gunpowder


Levi


    I just realized something-- [Y/N] took my fucking leather jacket. That thing was my lifeline and my only chance of survival from not getting hypothermia. She was probably just finishing class right now, half awake but still paying attention to the lecture.

    Where was I?

    I was in the rural parts of a nearby neighborhood that took me about twenty minutes to get here by walking-- screw my salary and my electrical bill for not being able to get a car. Even better, I'm leaning against a stop sign across the street of Bertholdt Fubar's house waiting for this so-called Survey Corps member come ten minutes late.

    It took a lot for me not to laugh when I got here. I thought a titan would live in a more evil environment than twenty minutes away from the nearest civilization, heck, even Annie did a better job with an abandoned building.

    What is this guy going to fight me with?

    Twenty bucks on gardening tools.

    I heard an engine roar from down the street, and saw a motorcycle approach me. It pulled over, and I saw a feminine figure flip off the seat with skinny jeans and a skin tight jacket. A familiar blood red scarf was tied around her neck and flapped behind her in the late-night breeze.

    She took off her helmet and I almost tripped and fell on the street.

    The Survey Corps member that was ten minutes late and supposed to tag along with me today was none other than Mikasa Ackerman, another student in my freshman logic class. Does this generation seem adventurous this time around?

    Mikasa seemed surprised to see me too, in fact, she was the one who tripped and had to pick herself up. "Sir? Why are you here?"

    "Why do you think?" I snapped, "You're late."

    "You? In the Survey Corps?" Her expression was one of disbelief.

    "Yeah," I pulled out a pistol from the back of my pocket and loaded it. "Now, get your shit together and let's scout."

    I walked across the street, and Mikasa placed her motorcycle helmet on the handlebar of her bike and chased after me. I crouched down next to the wall of the house and she mimicked me.

    "This is how it's going down," I explained. "You're not needed, so stay back. I want to have less casualties. There is a chance that there may be more than one person in this house. If that is the case, you better use this gun."

    I handed her my pistol, and she gripped the handle. "What will you use?"

    "Anything in reach," I replied, "Whatever you do, don't lose sight of me and don't die."

   Mikasa nodded and followed me around the back of the house, but I paused just before I turned the corner to enter the backyard.

   "I remember the times we lived in the city."

   I froze at the sound of the masculine voice.

   I'm fine," Annie whispered. "Everything is coming together, we should be able to capture him soon, Bert."

    Her comrade, Bert, replied back with concern, "You don't seem fine."

    Their voices didn't sound the same.

    I raised two fingers at Mikasa, trying to indicate that there was more than one presence. She acknowledge me by arming her pistol.

    I recognized Fubar's voice, "Yeah, those were some good times."

    My phone vibrated in my back pocket and I cursed silently, fully knowing who it was. My earpiece suddenly clicked on by itself.

    "Wow, Le-vi, we didn't talk in awhile."

    "Now is not the time to be hacking into my phone and saying sadistic shit," I angrily whispered.

    Mikasa looked at me weirdly, but all I did was mouth her the word 'Anarchy' and she understood.

    "Aw, you shouldn't be saying things like that to your best friend. Especially, when lives are on the line."

    "Shut up!" I yelled a little to loudly.

    "What was that, Bert?"

    "I don't know, Reiner. Nobody should be in the area at this time. Let me check it out."

    I armed myself with a dagger and took a deep breath.

    Footsteps came towards our location.

    "Goodbye, Levi Rivaille. It seems you are not immune to the virus."

    "It's been awfully quiet lately. After that...expedition, I would have assumed they would have came for me already."

    "Do you..." He started. "...regret anything?"

    "I don't kno--"

    It all clicked.

    "You mean the comrades who died helplessly against the titans," Annie chuckled, "Levi, get this thought through your thick skull. Those 'comrades' who are supposedly on your side, could be us. Titans are like a plague, we fit in everywhere without anyone noticing and choose to kill when we are hungry-- like a virus."

    I clicked my tongue, "For every virus, there is an antidote."

    "And for every antidote, a virus can become immune to it."

    I gave her a dark glare, that caused her to frown. She started speaking again, "Now here's the real question: Are you immune to the virus, Levi Rivaille?"

    With a flick of my wrist, Mikasa rushed past me and pointed a gun at the approaching target. "Bertholdt Fubar," I turned around the corner. "You are under arrest for treason, communicating with terrorists, and suspected involvement in a homicide case. Now stand down, I am authorized to kill you."

    There were two men with surprised faces. Bertholdt was taller than I expected, and had sweat dripping down from his forehead. The other was blonde, which was named Reiner before, and had sat up from the outside table on the wooden deck.

    Suddenly, Reiner picked up the gun from the table and aimed it at me. "We knew you guys were coming sooner or later."

    I lost that bet before-- guns, not gardening tools.

    "Regardless," I said, "The result will be the same."

    "Oh really?" A feminine voice chuckled behind me. I heard another gun get cocked and aimed towards the back of my head.

    The girl next to me nodded with agreement, "I'm Ymir." She offered me her hand, but I let it stay there for a moment. "You're supposed to shake it."

    I did just that, but before I could say my name, the assistant in the front said it for me. "Levi Rivaille?"

    It was the girl from the waiting room, Ymir.

    Her too?

    I cursed.

    I spun around and knocked the gun out of her hand, sending it flying in the air. I caught it and managed to crouch beneath the deck while Reiner took the first shot.

    Mikasa pulled the trigger of her pistol a few times, trying to hit the blonde man. I heard a pot shatter into pieces and the sound of bullets hitting the metal outdoor table.

    I heard Reiner empty his magazine, and I quickly flipped over the railing deck. While managing to balance on the base of the wood, I took aim at him whiling he was reloading his gun.

    Before I could, a large brute tackled me off the edge and onto the paneled deck. My gun was thrown into a rose bush, gone forever for the time being. I stood up and gripped my dagger in my dominant hand, waiting for Bertholdt to charge at me. He examined me for a bit, probably judging me due to my lack of height.

    If this wasn't a serious situation, I would of cursed out at him.

    He lunged at me and went for a backhand with his left, and I immediately ducked out of the way. I spun around and kicked his back, causing him to stumble. I lashed out with my dagger, cutting his forearm as he turned around to face me.

    In Bertholdt's eyes, all I could see was nervousness and not fear. Even though he had blood dripping down his arm, he still didn't seem scared.

    She started speaking again, "Now here's the real question: Are you immune to the virus, Levi Rivaille?"

    "Fubar," I said as he caught his breath, "Don't you want to know how Leonhardt is doing?"

    His eyes widened, "...Annie's alive?"

    "Don't listen to him!" Reiner shouted, trying to fend off Mikasa's attacks.

    "Yeah, she's where she belongs. Don't you want to see her again?"

    "He's lying!" His friend yelled again.

    Bertholdt listened to Reiner, and I cursed as he started running towards me.

    I knew I couldn't dodge this.

    Everything felt like it was in slow motion. His heavy footsteps coming towards me and the sound of gunshots in the air.

    The air.

    It smelled like gunpowder. The smell of death, the smell of violence, the smell of blood. It seeped through the air, all molecules being poisoned by its presence. Was I going to be poisoned too?

    No, I wasn't.

    I threw the dagger in my hand, and it landed right in Bertholdt's abdomen. He slowed down slightly, but still ran into me. I flew back into the window of the house, glass shattering as it broke. Blood splattered onto me and glass pierced into my back as I slammed against the couch in the living room.

    The only thing I heard was Reiner yelling, "Hey! My insurance doesn't cover that!"

    I shook my head, trying to shake the darkness from clouding my vision. I couldn't see Bertholdt anymore, but I saw Ymir. She ran at me with incredible speed, and I flipped over the couch.

    She chuckled darkly, "You're losing, Levi."

    "You really think so?" I kicked the couch over and it hit her shins, causing Ymir to hiss in pain.

    I ran into the kitchen and pulled three chef knives from the knife block, and threw all of them at her. Ymir cursed and took cover behind the fallen couch. The knives wedged themselves between the drywall with a loud smack.

    I saw Mikasa rush into the house, armed with her pistol. She took of few shots at Ymir, but had to refill her magazine. All of the bullets hit the thick fabric of the couch, causing no damage to the suspected titan.

    Taking another knife with me, I flipped the coffee table on its side, using it as cover.

    "Sir, put the knife down."

    A loud click was heard.

    "Please. Let's not make this harder than it needs to be," Mikasa's voice was dangerous, laced with poison.



Chp 13>>>