Angel With A Shotgun [Levi Ackerman x OC] / Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin

Code LIV: The Second Endeavor

The trembling in Eren's hands wouldn't stop as he stared at the unconscious agents in the clinic. They both wore oxygen masks and they were hooked up to many different machines that monitored their conditions. It'd only been hours since the two had fallen unconscious; thanks to Vinicio, they were able to quickly treat them and ensure there were no prolonged injuries.

A hand on his shoulder made him jump, and he turned to find Mikasa standing behind him. She looked at him with her large, deep eyes, but they were hard to read. She squeezed his shoulder firmly, following his gaze to the bedridden two.

"Come on," she urged. "We have to go debrief. Hanji wants all of us in the data room."

Eren nodded slowly and tore his eyes away, following Mikasa to the data room. The rest of the team was already there when they arrived, surrounding the conference table in the center of the room. Everyone shared troubled expressions; it seemed that no one had really swallowed what had occurred just hours earlier.

"How are their conditions, Vinicio?" Hanji suddenly asked, breaking the tension.

He looked almost relieved when she spoke. "They're doing fine. Levi definitely needs some rest, and I replenished some of his electrolytes. I'm currently giving him some B-complex vitamins and minerals as well. Other than that, when he wakes, he should be perfectly okay to resume testing and training."

Hanji nodded satisfactorily. "And our darling Archangel, Xora?"

All eyes bore into Vinicio. He looked around nervously. "She... she's okay. Some of the muscles in her shoulders are strained and a few tendons look like they're in a little bit of trouble. I think she needs to take it easy and let them repair before she dives into more heavy-duty work. She'll need a little more time to rest as well. Other than that—shockingly, she's okay. Her bones look perfectly fine."

A sigh of relief seemed to simultaneously escape from the mouths of the agents—including Hanji.

"Excellent!" Hanji cheered with a clap of her hands. "Then as soon as the two have rested up, we shall resume testing. I've decided that to alleviate the load on both individuals, we shall try dual enhancing. We won't be able to practice with one-hundred percent of their potential, but hopefully this will relieve some of the stress on their brains."

"Objection!" came a sharp voice. Everyone's eyes turned to Jean, who had slammed his fist on the table upon his outburst. For a moment he looked astonished at his own actions, but then he pursed his lips.

"Oh?" Esfir piped up, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "What is it you have to say, Jean?"

Taking a moment to collect himself and his thoughts, Jean looked helpless for a lone moment. But he squeezed his fist tighter and continued, shifting nervously on his feet. "This is—this is absolutely ridiculous. We should cease this experiment immediately. Can't—can't you all see how much strain was put on both Captain Levi and Xora? First with the crowns malfunctioning or whatever and electrocuting them—and now, the experiment is practically taking everything out of them. They could've died back there! Xora could've been crushed by the car, or could've torn her own arms out of their sockets! And she could've displaced her spine!

"Not to mention, it seems like it won't be long until the strain on Levi's brain will become a severe hazard to his health. Can't you see that their lives are in danger? I think we're all aware that if we lose not just one, but both of them, the Empire is seriously screwed. We need them! They're essentials if we plan to somehow, someday, take out the Titans. If we continue the experiments, we're gonna lose them... and we really, really can't afford that. I'm gonna be honest: we'll be crushed without them. And I can't afford to lose anyone! Or to die! We can't afford to lose anyone!"