Broken Hearts, Severed Limbs (Levi x OC x Erwin)

|10| The Commander's Plan

It took more than a few hours for Hange to stop crying. No matter how much Nathalie held her and tried to reason with her that they could capture other titans in the future, Hange did not stop shouting and sobbing as they watched the bodies and the bones of their test subjects being vaporised. Nathalie let go of Hange and let Moblit take over her. She just turned and looked at the crime scheme and she wondered. Who in the world would have done this? And why?

She knew there were lots of people who hated titans, but keeping them tied down and nailed on the floor, and inflicting them pain should be something that quenched that hatred. It was a soldier's work for sure. The Garrison soldiers let her know that they had found discarded ODMs.

"Nat," She heard a familiar voice coming from behind and she turned around to see Levi. "The Commander's gathering us,"

She nodded and followed him. He wasn't wrong. Commander Erwin had gathered all Section Commanders -except maybe Hange who was a crying mess at the moment- Lieutenants and Captains of the Scouts.

Erwin had a serious expression on his face as he made sure they strayed away from the crowd and he crossed his hands against his chest. "It is with no doubt that there are traitors amongst us,"

Nathalie gritted her teeth. He was right. Why else kill titans? It wasn't pure hatred, it was something else. They were starting to figure out things with those test subjects. Things that someone didn't want them to figure out. She looked around at the others. It seemed that they were all on the same page.

"How will we find out which Regiment to look at?" Nathalie asked.

"They're not from a Regiment. Not yet, at least. Tonight, on the cadets' graduation, I will lure them out," Erwin said.

"And what's gonna be the bait?" Levi asked.

Erwin smirked. "Intel. Nathalie, I need you with me tonight. Levi, you keep an eye on Eren,"

Both nodded. "Yes, sir,"

"Lieutenant Nathalie, a word, please. The rest of you are dismissed," Erwin said and Nathalie raised an eyebrow.

What was so important that he needed to tell her alone? Levi shot Erwin a glare as he watched both Nathalie and Erwin walk further away just the two of them. He could tell it was none of his business whatever Nathalie did with whoever, but the bastard either had some dangerous mission for her or something else in mind that he was sure he wouldn't like. Levi didn't give a fuck about creating a scheme. He was going to stick around and watch.

"What is it, Commander?" Nathalie asked looking up at Commander Erwin. He always seemed to be taller than everyone.

"Tonight, new people will be joining the Scouts and tomorrow their training starts. I need someone intelligent enough to get close to the cadets. I will assign you and Section Commander Ness their training. You'll brief them on anything they'll need to know about titans. If you find anybody suspicious, report to me immediately," Erwin said and Nathalie nodded.

"Yes, sir, but may I ask a question?" Nathalie asked and Erwin nodded. "What makes you think it's the cadets?"

Erwin sighed. "Nothing. It could be anyone, that's why I can't entrust the actual plan of the upcoming Expedition to everyone, but..." His hand reached for his pocket and he took out a letter "...Hange's working on something big. She will brief you on the matter, and I'll trust you'll help her. This..." he handed her the letter "...this is the actual plan. You may tell Levi, but no one else, not even your squad members, is that clear, Lieutenant?"

Nathalie didn't like this. The graduates were going to be joining them in this, and he was going to keep everybody in the dark. They were going to get themselves slaughtered unless Erwin's plan was just too brilliant that he had considered keeping the rookies safe somehow. She didn't doubt the brilliance of whatever plan it was that he'd written on that letter, and she knew the Commander was doing the right thing not trusting anybody. Even the ones who have been with them for years.