In Between The Ends

Chapter Sixteen

   Captain Levi's response was nearly the same as Arya's had been.

"You're telling me that you and your administration used your leverage over this doctor to force her into performing unwanted surgery as a BRIBE to make me want to assist you in a rescue? I fear for the stability of Marly, then, if that kind of idiotic thinking is running its government."

Levi was staring daggers at President Wohl, who sat on the opposite side of his desk regarding him with a look of both confusion and anger.

"Now, Captain Ackerman, I can understand that you may feel a bit blindsided by this whole thing, but please have some sense! You're acting as though you were given an extra limb! We were in the process of treating you for the injuries you sustained at the Marlyean Extremist camp, and we thought there was no better time than that to offer you this gift."

"Oh, so you've labelled it a gift instead of a bribe now. That must help you sleep better." Levi snapped. "Whether or not what you've authorized proves to work or not, you expressly went against my desires without consent. If that's your idea of a "gift", you are sorely mistaken."

The members of the Paradis rescue mission had held their tongues during President Wohl's description of events and plan of action regarding Historia's capture, but now Armin stepped forward.

"Captain, your well within your rights to be upset over this, but we can't undo it. It's done. All we can do now is figure out the best way to go about rescuing Historia, her family, and her people. You are the only one left who has any memory of the terrain north of Wall Maria; information that we need if we want this mission to be successful." Jean and Connie looked at each other. Armin was using what Jean called his "bossy voice", the one he saved for rallying the troops or issuing a command. Armin had never used this type of voice with Captain Levi, which was evident by the frown now sitting on Levi's face, but he continued.

"As the President has said, you don't have to agree to come with us. No one in this company has been commanded or forced to be here. We didn't argue when Arya said no, and we are not arguing now. Nevertheless, your decision to either give us the information you have or not will determine if we live or die on this rescue attempt, plain and simple. I'm tired of beating around the bush, are you going to help us or not?"

Levi was quiet as Armin finished his speech, but after a moment he gave him a wry kind of smile. Long ago he made a choice: a choice between Armin's life and Commander Erwin's. For years he believed he made the wrong one, until their last stand against the Rumbling. Here was the boy who dreamt of the sea, standing tall and sure of himself. Dedicated. He was becoming more like Erwin every day in both looks and in determination for a better world.

Levi began to nod. "I guess that is the long and short of it, isn't it? Another mission, another rescue. Your heart is as dedicated to the cause as it was years ago, Mr. Arlert. I want to be clear that I in no way plan to drop the subject of my...condition and the acts taken against me. However, considering the current circumstances I would be no better than a winey child if I refused. I will give you the information that you need, and nothing more."

With that, he grabbed onto the edges of his chair's wheels and pushed himself from the room.

And so, the plan was set. In five weeks from the moment Levi Ackerman agreed to help them, they would travel to the air base in Kardif on the northern point of Marly. From there, they would fly east until they reached the mountains of Paradis, sailing over them and landing just short of the open plains. Using the information gathered from the captain, they would then make their way South to the outer edges of Wall Maria. The steps after that were vague as they had no way to know where Historia was being held. They would require a great deal of help from Mikasa on that front, though how she was expected to get anywhere close enough to gather intel was still a mystery.