The maniac's sister

Chapter 3

.
.
.

"Well, don't forget that you owe me an explanation." Hange demanded.

"Hm. I've been working on a new prototype for the ODM gear, it's faster more compact and has guns. The MPs have stolen my plans before, but I didn't know it was them until it was too late, but now, I need to find them. Every equation I've committed hours of my life to, is in those journals. Luckily I hide my three most recent ones, so they're at a disadvantage. Anyways, I think they're the ones who stole my journals." She quickly explained.

"A new ODM gear?" Hange wondered. "How is that possible?"

"It's simple actually. Especially after you've been wearing the same type for almost a century, it leaves lots of room for improvement. That said, I'm wearing the prototype now, but I can't show it in public so let's head somewhere more private. Who knows, I might even help you bring down the corrupt government. That's your plan, is it not?" Rebekah suggested, she knew Hange, and they wouldn't turn down an offer to learn more.

"How'd you know? You haven't been spying on me, have you?" The younger Zoe guessed.

"I can't think of anything else more pointless." Beka retorted. "The governments been corrupt since day one, I'm surprised it took you so long to catch on. These days, the military police might as well be mercenaries." She paused. "But that's beside the point. What do you say, why don't we form another deal?" The scientist tilted her head in anticipation.

"We've formed deals before, I'm not falling for it again." Hange shut down almost instantly, but the slight hesitation gave Beka the impression she had a chance of convincing them.

"Cmon Hange, we haven't seen each other in years, I'm a changed woman." She encouraged. "Plus, I'm a genius." She bragged.

Hange thought for a moment, they needed someone to monitor Eren's abilities, with only two soldiers with the right qualifications, it was difficult enough. Not to mention the fact that Beka was right, she was a genius and the fact she wasn't afraid to admit it only backed up her narcissism. This fact was a crucial determinator, Beka would be an amazing ally, or a wicked enemy. The scouts had to choose wisely.

"Fine, but I want you to answer a question first. About the titan shifter." The section commander ordered.

"Eren Yeager?" She guessed, displaying her knowledge of the other shifters.

"Yeah." Hange nodded. "He has a hardening ability, I know he does, but he just can't use it. I've tried experiment over experiment, I've got nothing." They explained. "How do you suppose we do it?"

Beka knew she was in. Hange used the term we, which could've easily been a slip up but judging the circumstances, they don't make many slip ups. "Lock and key theory." The woman suggested. "You can pick a lock, you can bust it open, but nothing is more efficient than a key. Let's imagine that Eren's ability is locked in a cage, we know it's there, but in order to get its freedom, it needs a key. Meaning something has to kickstart his ability, and we have to find it."

"But what do you think could possibly do that?" Moblit asked.

"It could be anything, doesn't even have to be material. For example, a life or death situation, connecting with his titan, or something stupid." The scientist added, and it seemed she had a valid theory. "A catalyst."

"A catalyst?" Hange repeated. "You really think it'll work?"

"Who knows, everything's impossible until somebody does it." She answered.

"Okay, so what's your proposal?" Hange questioned. "And are you still terrified of horses, because we need to ride to our destination?"

"I'm not terrified of horses, I'm just not overly fond." Beka replied, taking Hange's hand and pulling herself into the back of their horse. "My proposal is, you help me find my journals and you can read them, imagine how much they could help the scouts, new weapons, new gear, new understandings. It's a goldmine."

"That won't cut it." Hange rejected. "I want you working with the scouts, until we've made undeniable progress." They added.

"You're crazy." Rebekah denied. "You're still mad at me for leaving, so you're trying to torture me by forcing me to live your dream." She theorised.

"That's not it, you can leave when you want, but can you at least give the scouts a chance?" They pleaded.

"I'll consider it." Beka gripped onto Hange's jacket, it was true, she despised horses. Mainly because of the trust she was supposed to place on an animal, something that could easily lose control or even cause some serious damage to her.

.
.
.

Within no time, they'd arrived at a small cottage, seeing a brunette standing guard with a bow and arrow in hand. The base was sectioned in the middle of no where, a loophole through humanities survivors, yet it seemed like the place for an elderly couple to rest. Definitely, not somewhere she'd associate with the scouts.

"Section commander Hange's here." The brunette yelled, to which Hange sent her a sharp nod of gratitude.

"Come on, it's better to introduce you now, rather than later." They lead the way into the cottage.

"Maybe you should lead with Pastor Nicks death? In the grand scheme of things, I'm the least of their worries." Beka suggested.

"True, but Levi isn't exactly going to welcome you with open arms. They're all going to be cautious, maybe even hostile." They countered and pushed through the door with both hands, causing a ray of eyes to lock onto both the Zoe's. "I have some news, but before that, I'd like to introduce my sister, Rebekah. She's a scientist, and apparently, wants to help us out on what I'm about to explain next." Hange quickly said.

"You have a sister?" Eren asked the section commander who smiled and nodded.

"Does she study the same science as you, about titans?" A blonde boy, Armin added to the array of questions. Suddenly, Beka felt annoyed, she was being acknowledged, yet they weren't directly addressing her, something that struck a nerve.

"This isn't show and tell, if you have any questions then just ask me. However, I suggest you wait until you hear the important news, yeah?" Beka spoke up and forced Hange into the second explanation, Pastor Nicks death.

"Right." Hange agreed. "I'm sorry, pastor Nick, he was murdered. Today in the Trost district barracks." They said, causing gasps to erupt from the cadets who knew Pastor Nick. "I figured the church would want pastor nick dead when they learned he was cooperating with the scouts, that's why I hid his identity and had him stay in the barracks. I never imagined they would use soldiers to kill him. This was my fault, I should have been more careful." The scientist apologised with their head hung low.

"They tortured him, just to know what he'd passed on to us?" Armin questioned.

"Most likely, but these are the interior MPs we're dealing with so you can bet there's something deeper at work here. Now how many nails was the good pastor missing?" The captain asked, Rebekah had to admit that he was smart, but it didn't come with general knowledge, facts like that came with experience.

"I assume all of them. He didn't talk, I heard his screams, they stopped suddenly, no sounds of relief or a break until his final breath. Presumably, I'd say he didn't talk. That's right, if he did, then the MPs would manipulate the ease of pain and force him to talk, making him desperate to feel the short break of agony." Rebekah theorised, soon realising that all eyes were on her, perhaps the explanation she'd given was too gory or realistic. "I'll let you continue now." She spoke.

"People who talk, talk after one. I can't say I thought much of Pastor Nick until now. Im impressed, whatever his faults he stuck by his beliefs till the end. Which means, they have no idea we know about the Reiss family. But the government is up to something and we've got a target on our backs." Levi informed the squads. "So, who the hell are you?" He turned to Beka.

"Dr Rebekah Zoe. I trust my sibling will share the terms of our agreement." She answered.