Monster without a Name (Levi x Reader)

Chapter 3: The Detective

"Remind me of what we're doing here?" Levi grumbled as he returned the glares that the passing MP's gave the two of you.

"We're stuck," you stated simply. "So I figured it couldn't hurt to talk to this Captain Kogami that Commander Dawk mentioned."

You arrived at the captain's office and knocked. A cold voice from inside bid you to enter, so you opened the door and walked in, with Levi right behind you.

"Captain Kogami," you began, "I'm –"

"I know who you are, Vice Commander," he stated from where he sat behind a desk.

"Oh," you said, a bit taken aback. "Um, how did you –"

"Word travels fast," he replied simply. "So, is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes," you stated, trying to keep the surprise from your face. "Commander Dawk said that we should come to you if we need anything –"

"And you have questions about his case," Kogami muttered.

A part of you was starting to get very ticked off that he wouldn't even let you finish a sentence. However, you tried to remain calm. You needed his help right now. "Yes," you confirmed.

Kogami motioned toward the pair of chairs across from him. As you and Levi sat down, you took the opportunity to observe as much as you could about the MP captain. His cold, emotionless expression revealed absolutely nothing. His gaze was piercing, and you couldn't help but feel intimidated by it. His build and posture suggested that he was someone you wouldn't want to mess with. All of that, plus his sharp voice and general rudeness, made you realize something with a start.

He reminded you of Levi.

You cleared your throat before speaking. "We don't believe that Commander Dawk killed that man and left his body on the training grounds. However, there was absolutely no evidence to suggest who actually committed the crime. So we were wondering...do you know of anyone who is skilled enough to do all of this without leaving a trace?"

"Specimen," Kogami replied instantly.

You blinked, not understanding. Was that supposed to be a person? "Er, Specimen?" you asked.

"A cold case from about five years ago," Kogami clarified. "It was big, but even with all the manpower that the MP's threw into it, the murderer was never identified. Since then, four cases have popped up that seemed to be the handiwork of the Specimen killer, though the methods and victims were completely different. They were all unsolvable, with not a single clue left behind – just like your current case."

You glanced at Levi, who discreetly shook his head. He had never heard about the Specimen case, or its culprit. Although, given Kogami's timeline, it sounded like the murders began after Levi left the criminal underworld.

"You said that the cases were all different," you told Kogami. "But you seem pretty convinced that they were all committed by the same person."

"I've been following his appearances – or lack thereof – for a while," Kogami explained. "I've seen every one of the crime scenes that the Specimen killer had a hand in. It's not something I can put into words, but they all had the same feel to them. I'm sure that they were engineered by the same mastermind."

Maybe it was the fact that Kogami reminded you of Levi, but you were inclined to trust his instincts. "So how do we find Specimen?"

"Assuming that you can," Kogami said flatly. "A lot of investigators have tried over the years. Not one of them even came close."

"Including you?" Levi grumbled.

The resulting staring contest was one for the ages.

You shivered involuntarily. "Um, you guys..."

"There are no leads on Specimen," Kogami stated. "But your victim's name was Jac Mardlin. He was a bouncer at Club Spade in the Underground City. I doubt you'll be able to trace him to Specimen, but it's the only lead you've got."

"W-wait, how did you...?" you sputtered.

"I've been working on this all morning," he muttered coolly. "Anything else?"

You thought for a moment. Although Kogami tried to appear disinterested, his bitterness revealed just how invested he was in this case. And since he was familiar with Specimen, you figured... "Why don't you come with us? We could use your help."

The barest hint of surprise entered his stoic expression. After a moment, he replied, "Well, you are technically my superior. I suppose I don't have a choice."

You smiled. "Great. Get whatever you need. We'll wait for you outside."

------------------------------------------

Standing next to Levi on the street, you murmured, "You don't have to go down there, you know. Kogami and I can handle it."

"Tch," he scoffed. "I'll be fine."

Your brow furrowed. "Are you sure?" you asked delicately. "I mean, I know it was...really awful..."

"Exactly," Levi stated. "Which is why I can't let you go down there alone. And I'm not about to entrust your life to Kogami or anyone else."

You sighed before replying gently, "I can take care of myself, you know."

Levi's expression softened almost imperceptibly. "I know," he murmured. "But anything can happen down there. So I'm going, and I'm not letting you out of my sight."

You resisted the urge to reach out and touch him, hug him, hold his hand. You were in public, and both of you had to appear strong. So instead, you gazed into his eyes, and you hoped he felt the solidarity and love that you were trying to convey.