In Between The Ends

Chapter Five

     "This isn't right." Connie said for the hundredth time, pacing back and forth in the same spot he had been for the last half hour.

The six of them were waiting anxiously in their sparsely furnished quarters on the east side of the complex. Half a dozen beds were pushed against the far wall under a minuscule window, and a table with 3 chairs were thrown in near the door as if in afterthought. Pieck was sitting on the closest bed to the window while the rest of them stood in a tight circle in the center of the room.

Sweat was building up along Jean's hairline. "It doesn't make any sense." He said, looking around restlessly. "If they weren't ready to make any decisions, why keep us here? This was supposed to be and introductory meeting to discuss the IDEA of an alliance, not a full-blown trial for one."

Armin was staring blankly at the floor, mind swirling. "As desperately as I wanted our first contact to go well, this was much too easy. They were too agreeable. And why stretch out our stay here? There's no way any of them would want to keep us in their city for longer than absolutely necessary. Something is going on here, and I don't think it's a good something."

Reiner was listening intently through the door leading back out into the hall. "The door is locked, but there are only two guards outside. Those are pretty good odds versus the six of us."

"Escaping this hell hole is only going to work if Historia's informants have moved our cart to the lower west end of the building. That's the easiest spot to get outside, and furthest from patrols." Annie reminded him while she flicked the small blade in and out of the ring on her left index finger.

"The cart is still there and our gear is gone." Pieck said flatly.

All eyes darted to her. She was standing on one of the beds and peering out the small window that must have overlooked the courtyard.

"What?" Reiner hissed. He ran from the door over to the window and pulled himself up to look.

"Shit. Our cart is pushed up against the edge of the inner wall in the complete opposite direction! What that fuck are they doing?!" Dropping back down onto the floor, he growled angrily. "They should have moved it hours ago."

The room was deadly quiet as they all came to the same horrific conclusion.

"We've been compromised, haven't we?" Whispered Connie, his face damp with sweat. They turned to their Commander, hoping he would disagree.

"It seems as though we have." Armin said softly. He squeezed his eyes shut as the reality sank in.

This is how far the Jaegerist will go to continue fueling the fire. He thought dismally. I knew the chances of this happening, and I still lead my entire team into a deathtrap. Even knowing their mission had been a just one, the sharp claws of guilt racked at his heart. They had to try, and now that they've failed, trying seemed even more important.

"We knew the odds." He said, meeting all the eyes in turn. "We knew the dangers we might face here. Well, now that danger is here. We can either sit in this room waiting to die or go out fighting the good fight. If I know every one of you as well as I think I do, I know which option you would all prefer."

Armin's eyes glowed in the dim light of the room. Jean straightened his back, and Reiner nodded.

"Fighting the good fight, huh." Connie's face had broken out into an enormous grin. Fear still coated his skin with moisture and his hands still shook, but he knew his resolve was sound. His thoughts were filled with his mother's face. He would fight this until the end for her, and for everyone else in this god-forsaken world.

The company stood tall, alight with understanding. If this was the end, then they would go down together.

"Wait, listen." Annie whispered suddenly, head turning towards the door in alarm. Outside their room that was their gallows, they could hear a rattling sound coming towards them from somewhere to their right. A voice called out: someone was speaking to the guards stationed in the hallway. The voice was honey-smooth and melodic, low and sweet. The guards seemed to answer the person who owned it, but whatever they said didn't seem to agree with them.