She was gone.
'Well, fuck.' Levi said, still as shockingly emotionless as usual.
'Get the commander!' Hange barked, down on their knees and desperately trying to pump air back into Isla's silent lungs.
Despite how tirelessly they pounded on the girl's chest, Isla's glassy grey eyes stared emptily up into Hange's face.
Levi hated seeing feeble attempts at resuscitation, he believed it was worse than the death itself. It was the cruel misplacement of hope he couldn't stand, a foolish light that humans naturally cling to in the face of the hard, razor-sharp dagger of reality. It was all he could do to not slap those cadets he had seen try on too many occasions.
'Stop.' He pulled Hange by their shoulders to a defeated crouch, feeling their whole body sink with grief underneath him.
'Get the commander.' They hissed once more, through teeth gritted in rage rather than sadness now.
The following half an hour was a whirlwind of urgent hushed-tones, whispered conspiracies, and emergency collectives of all squad leaders. Soon Moblit, Erwin, Mike, Levi and Hange were stood in intense discussion in the pit: each of them feeling the ominous presence of treason hanging over them like a cloud threatening to strike lightning.
'Do we inform the rest of the cadets?' Moblit asked seriously, rubbing his chin with his thumb.
'No!- The commander started with more conviction than he had intended, then corrected himself- 'No, that would only cause panic and mistrust, that is the opposite of what we need right now. They must not know that anything is amiss, that is vital.'
'The cadets aren't stupid, Commander. Your face doesn't exactly scream everything is fine.' Levi dared, raising his eyebrows slightly towards Erwin's strained face with his jaw set permanently on edge.
'Then we're going to need to act for all we're damn worth.' Erwin muttered in reply, still waiting for his mind to move into action and provide a solution.
'The first priority needs to be who the hell would do this, who are our suspects?' Moblit still rested his chin in his hand as he gazed to his feet in deep thought.
Each leader offered their own possibility, each becoming less probable as they went on.
'Bandits?'
'Another cadet?'
'Those religious wack-jobs?'
'........Titans?'
'Military police.' Mike spoke for the first time since the leaders had gathered, having broken away from the group and kneeling by Karl's corpse.
'What makes you so sure of that?' Levi queried, moving over to stand beside him.
'Look at the kill technique used, it's a typical throat slit from behind, probably with a left-handed Holder dagger.' Mike explained gruffly, guiding the captain's eyeline to the ugly incision along the man's neck.
'What's the relevance of that?' Moblit asked, also moving over with the commander beside him, Hange stayed put where they were.
'It's a military weapon, produced only through the government. Not just any old bandit could get their hands on one of these, it had to be an insider job.' Mike continued.
Hange still remained silent. Although Mike seemed to have a sixth sense for just about everything, they just couldn't believe that it was such a simple explanation. Surely someone involved with the military police would have better sense to not make themselves so easily traced?
Not to mention, they hadn't seen a single obvious footprint in the dirt ground of the cave. Also, the walls were too soft for ODM gear use to be possible, being made of just plain earth. And the ceiling of the cave wasn't even in sight, it seemed to go on up forever into the murky darkness.
Hange did try to make these suggestions to the commander, but he seemed to let them fly straight over his head and he ploughed on deeper into the MP conspiracy.
'It wouldn't take an idiot to guess where Annie's location was anyway, plus there has been mixed emotions in the MP about her incarceration.' The commander mused aloud.
'Many believe we should have just destroyed her while we had the chance, that keeping her alive is endangering humanity itself. As you know, the MP are notorious for trying to save their own skins.' The commander went on.
'So if it even was them, it's safe to say Leonheart is as good as dead?' Mike crossed his arms and sniffed heavily.
'Maybe so, but we can't rule out any other alternatives.' Moblit answered him.
'We're going to have to deal with this on our own, investigate any leads ourselves. Starting with the MP.' The commander nodded his head in finality.
'Moblit, Mike, get back up to HQ and make sure there's no mention of this.' He directed, and the two bowed their heads to him before exiting.
'Hange, Levi-' the commander turned to the two stood side by side.
'I am trusting the two of you to keep the cadets as unsuspecting as possible, and for now I need you both to survey the perimeter, see if you can spot any signs of forced entry. You'll need to use your theatrics, don't arouse any interest.' The commander said.
'That won't be difficult, any communication between Hange and I is a theatrical farce.' Levi muttered, and Hange blinked innocently at him as the joke went over their head.
The commander frowned but said nothing. He never really fully understood Hange and Levi's relationship, due to Levi's persistent cold attitude. Hange always seemed to be able to skirt around his jabs in their own lighthearted way. But all that mattered to him was that the two worked well together, which they did. He could trust them to keep each other in check.
Hange followed Levi silently as they made their way back up to the surface, their mind focused elsewhere. More specifically, focused on the likelihood that the military police were in fact not responsible for the disappearance. Who's to say Annie didn't do it herself? Hange thought to themselves, staring down at their boots as they moved automatically down the echoing halls.
They played images of every scenario out in their mind: Annie emerging from her crystal like how a caterpillar would chew itself out of its chrysalis. Annie then removing a dagger from her pocket and taking down each guard swiftly, due to her superior hand-to-hand combat skills Hange herself had seen displayed during cadet training.
'Heads up, dimwit-' Levi's voice brought them out of their mind, to warn them all too late of the brick wall they were about to walk into.
Because Hange always walked with an energetic stride, they hit the wall with a painful crunch from their speed. They felt a trickle from down their left nostril as their nose went numb, and when they reached up with their hand, it came away with streaks of blood.
'Don't touch it, hold your head back.' Levi lectured, as he fumbled in his pockets for any old cleaning rags he could sacrifice.
But he could only find his usual hankie, the one which he carried religiously as if it were a holy charm. He looked at it, then back to Hange as the blood steadily poured from their nose as they tipped their head back. They caught his eye and saw his dilemma.
'Don't worry, I'll use my sleeve.' They said thickly, scrunching it up in their first as they prepared to staunch it with their uniform.
But before their hand reached her face Hange felt Levi's hand wrap around their wrist, pulling it back down.
'It's just a hankie, use it-' He said with some hesitation, holding it out to them.
Hange smiled gratefully from him and took it, touched that the clean-freak would offer up his favourite, meticulously-folded handkerchief.
Levi winced as they smeared their nose with the pristine cotton, but then sighed as they clumsily wiped the blood around their face rather than removing it.
'You're useless- here.' Levi snatched the handkerchief from them and leaned closer towards them to gently dab around Hange's nose and mouth.
Hange used the few moments he was so close to them to observe his face. They noticed the way he ever-so-slightly stuck the very tip of his tongue out over his lip as he concentrated on clearing their face. They watched as his graceful, black arched eyebrows furrowed to scan for stray droplets, knotting down over the pale grey eyes that would sometimes send a shiver down their spine when he gazed at them in the intense way he had.
He then stood back, cleared his throat, and looked at his hankie with slight revulsion.
'Keep it.' He murmured, letting Hange claim it again in their long fingers with the nibbled nails, it was a habit he noticed they had.
'Thanks, capp'n.' Hange grinned again.
They walked along the outer corridors before reaching the courtyard, the sun was just setting, flittering and the light cast being dappled as it sunk behind the trees. Cadets were littering the grounds, the day's events leaving them free to wander aimlessly about.
It seemed a whole week since the mission, not just half a day. It appeared that once one emergency was over, another began, it was leaving everyone with serious anxious dispositions.
'Shall we start on the west side?' Hange asked, itching at the blood that was beginning to dry.
Levi nodded and they began their surveillance. Cadets looked at them, but Hange just smiled back at them as if the two polar opposites had decided to go for a pleasant evening stroll together.
Hange stood by to keep an eye out for any curious cadets while Levi poked around in the undergrowth surrounding the castle walls for any possible entry points. They noted cadets Ymir and Krista walking together, and smiled softly to themselves. Those two were a match made in heaven if ever Hange had seen one, the way they seemed to complete each other was precious to see.
Hange watched how Ymir gazed longingly at Krista's face as the young blonde let the evening sun warm her beautiful face. Even from the distance they were, Hange could feel the love radiating from them as Ymir looked at her companion as if she was truly a living angel.
After confirming there were no access points on that wall, Levi straightened up and regarded Hange as they stared off in the distance at something.
Hange had the attention span of a butterfly at the best of times, something or other always followed by their nose. But it was endearing to him, especially when that dreamy expression they had spread across their face. Their lips would always part slightly, their eyebrows raised a little so the small wrinkle in their forehead would appear, and their umber coloured eyes would become distanced by a mysterious mist.
Levi started when Hange suddenly turned abruptly, catching him being fixated on them. Levi quickly averted his eyes and pretended to notice something on the ground, look at it, then abandon it.
'Looking at my ass, Levi dear?' They smirked.
'You wish.' He grumbled, still not looking at them as they stood bathed in the golden light.
'You wish.' Hange retorted, not one of their better comebacks, they thought.
Levi shook his head and didn't bother to cultivate the seeds of argument Hange was spreading.
'Come on, we're losing daylight.' He swallowed and stalked away to the next outskirting walls.
'Captains!' A strong voice called them to a halt.
Erwin paced towards them with his ever-serious expression spread across his face.
'I'd like to talk to you both inside, please.' He requested, and headed in the direction of the castle's west folly.
The captains tried to appear casual as they marched quickly after the commander, struggling to keep up. Erwin had a ridiculously fast gait whenever he had something on his mind, leaving the rest of the squad leaders having to jog after his towering form.
He beckoned them all into the nearest meeting room, closing and then locking the double wooden doors after them. The windowless room, what used to be the parlour maid's quarters when the castle was home to past aristocracy, was illuminated only by multiple candle holders along the ancient stone walls. The only furniture within was the large oak table, at which Mike and Moblit and Nanaba were already stationed at.
Levi slumped down in the nearest chair, sprawling his arms around the backs of the adjacent ones, chin held high like he didn't have a care in the world. Hange dumped themselves down beside Moblit, leaning their elbows on the table and resting their chin on their crossed palms.
Once Erwin had secured the room, he turned to face the waiting leaders dramatically. He liked to let his voice hang in the air before he announced anything of importance.
'Evening, squad leaders. I've got some news regarding our suspicion of the military police.' He began, skimming his eyes over each of their waiting faces.
'As you know I've been having ongoing correspondence with the government of Wall Sina for a while now, trying to reason with them. Well, I think this might actually have given us an opportunity for...investigation.' He said.
'To try and regain some peace, the diplomats have tried to organise some form of military gathering- a ball if you will, including all regiments.' The leaders perked up their interest.
'Although I had distaste for the idea at first, now I think it'll provide us with ample opportunity to affirm their involvement with Leonheart's disappearance.' The commander went on, and Levi grew restless waiting for him to get to the point.
'What I am suggesting is that we attend this function, and do our own detective work covertly. Specifically, captain Levi, Hange and myself.' Erwin confirmed.
'We're going to a ball?!' Hange clasped their hands in delight, eyes bright with the idea of elegant music and decadent party appetisers.
'Oh, joy of all joys.' Levi groaned.
'Technically yes, but please keep in mind, Squad Leader Hange, it is not for lesiure, we have a serious objective at hand.' Erwin reminded them.
Erwin could have almost laughed comparing Hange and Levi's reactions. Hange's with eyebrows skewed up and eyes sparkling with bedazzlement, mouth open in a wonky smile. His with eyebrows sunk lower than they ever had been before and eyes profusely disinterested, mouth pressed together in a grim line.
It was agreed that Erwin, Levi and Hange would attend the regiments ball under the guise of wanting to establish reconciliation with the Sina government. The plan was while Erwin used his veteran charisma to charm the diplomats and politicians, Hange and Levi would explore the building to find any trace of Annie.
The commander dismissed the party, and Hange skipped ahead of Levi as they made their way back to their rooms for the night.
'Just imagine it, the orchestra, the crystal glasses overflowing with wine, the glorious ornate dance floor-' Hange went on in frenzied excitement, Levi silently disparaging them.
'I am imagining it. Sounds like hell.' He grumbled.
'I bet you'll end up enjoying it, party-pooper.' Hange chuckled.
'Hmph.' Is what Levi simply grunted in reply as they reached the squad leaders' dorm wing.
Hange bid a cheerful goodnight to him before turning in the direction of their room, and was interrupted as Levi paused to call back to them.
'Oh, by the way, Hange. The commander asked me specially to tell you: you're only allowed to go if you have a bath. Goodnight.' He smirked triumphantly as Hange's face fell into an expression of shock and disgust at the mention of a bath.
As he closed his bedroom door, he heard Hange holler from behind the wooden barrier: 'You'll get me in a bath once you've strapped me in a straightjacket!'
Famous last words. Levi smiled to himself before blowing out his light.