The more I thought about it, the more excited I became.

Ever since El had planted it in my brain as a possibility, I had wanted to learn how to fly. It had just been so difficult to coordinate a time and a place to do it because even if El could get away with sneaking his gear out of the armory, he didn't have any of the training equipment that young trainees would work with to prepare their bodies to use it.

The closest I'd gotten and the only time El had managed to find time to slip away for even a few minutes from one of his patrols was my... goodness, it must have been my ninth or tenth birthday. I'd been with Reyes, who had been babysitting me for the day while he was confined to his office doing paperwork. At that age I was a very sweet girl, and an avid reader at that so I never got into too much trouble, and that's exactly what I had been doing when it all happened.

But all of a sudden, El had burst into the room with a wide grin and had scooped me up into my arms. I had no choice at that moment but to giggle and ask what he was doing, because it was not like him to run in like this during the day because he was supposed to be working, of course. He'd dashed out of the headquarters with me in his arms and all too soon, I'd been whisked away into the air!

It had started off simple. El would run several paces as fast as he could go then leap into the air and release a burst of gas, giving the illusion of us taking off. It had caused a funny sensation in my stomach and I'd laughed the whole time. And then he found a quiet spot on a street and hooked into two buildings, but before we could go any further one of the lieutenants had caught up to us and we were ordered to go back to the base.

It was a shame, and El had frowned like a kicked, sad puppy until I looked up at him, still smiling so widely because I'd never had such fun before and...

It was a good memory.

But I was getting ahead of myself. Besides the fact that I have always wanted to fly, I was very excited to bite back at the Military police. Aside from being a thorn in my side for my current work, they were the very reason I'd needed to turn to it in the first place. If Reyes hadn't seen me that day while I was doing the only thing that I could to make money, he wouldn't have kicked me out and I wouldn't have needed to turn completely to a life of crime.

So to have a way to get back at them at the same time...

"I don't know if I like that smile," Farlan said, effectively pulling me from my thoughts.

"Maybe you should," Levi said smoothly. "It looks like she's got a plan."

"She looks like a devil," Farlan said to him with a laugh. He then turned back to me. "Alright, spill it. What's going on in that mind of yours?"

"My father was a Military Policeman," I said, and the simple phrase alone seemed to catch the interest of both men. "I would spend my days in their base and sometimes, when I was a little older and got bored, they'd let me walk around. So I've got some knowledge of its ins and outs." A question occurred to me then, and so I looked at Farlan who was more likely to actually answer. "When you got your gear, how did you get it?"

"A delivery," Levi said, surprising me. "We'd gotten word that a few of their sets had gone to the surface for maintenance."

"And we'd also caught wind of when they were coming back," Farlan said proudly.

"So you've got a close contact," I mused. "They keep the details of their deliveries closely guarded. It's too important."

Farlan smiled and shared a look with Levi. "The reason you've been such a thorn in our side." He dropped down onto the loveseat adjacent to the couch, crossing his legs casually as Levi stood in the center of the room with his arms crossed.

"That man you almost drove to close his doors," Levi clarified.

"Lenny," I said with the intonation of a question.

Levi nodded. "The MP's tend to gather there at the end of the day. When they drink, they get sloppy."

"And very easy to get information out of."

One of my eyebrows arched upwards. "There's no way you two do it," I said. "They're after you several times a week. You're not foolish enough to show your faces to them, are you?"

"We're not," Farlan assured me.

"Lenny gets paid a pretty sum for his information," Levi said in explanation. I looked at each man in turn as they spoke, wondering just how long they'd been working together to be able to work so well in sync. It was impressive. "Him going out of business would mean the loss of one of our most valuable assets."

I couldn't help but smile. "You might want to tell him that his backroom isn't that secure, then." Levi sighed, finally giving in and crossing the room to sit on the other end of the couch from me. "Still," I said, leaning back against the cushions, "it's one thing to rob a delivery wagon, but another to rob them directly."

"But it sounds like you've got a plan," Levi said.

I nodded resolutely. "I do."

"It's up to you to plan," Levi went on to say, "but we'll follow your plan. Assuming it isn't shit."

I laughed. "Assuming you two are as skilled as Farlan has said you are, then it'll be fine."

"Walk us through it," Farlan said excitedly. "Come on, I'm getting excited now."

"The lady that delivers the gas by wagon," I said. "I've met her. And she looks just like me."

"Ooh," Farlan cooed. "Do you think we can recruit her, too?"

"Shush," I said, waving him off and continuing before I could lose my train of thought. "Maybe she can take a day off."

"What do you mean?"

"You idiot," Levi muttered, looking disapprovingly at Farlan. Then both sets of eyes focused on me, but I was looking only at Levi as he knew exactly what I was trying to say. And so I smiled.

"I've got an idea," I went on to say. "If it works we can steal an entire shipment of gas. Enough for months."

"You don't think..."

"I know that base inside and out," I said, looking at Farlan now. "And I know the delivery guy. He doesn't wake up from his nap to help her. So if we're quiet, we can steal more sets of gear too. The delivery area is right next to the armory and with her keys, we'd be able to get into both. Actually... we'll have access to everything."

"Everything?"

"What else are you thinking?" Levi asked.

"Medical supplies. Repair equipment for the gear. Uniforms, if we wanted them. Fresh food and water."

"Holy shit."

"And think about it," I said. "With that much gas, you wouldn't need to steal more for a while. Lay low for a while, they'll forget about you..."

"And then we come back and hit them harder than before," Farlan finished. "I like the way you think, Amaya. We should've had you join ages ago."

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Levi said. "It's got to work, first."

"If you've got something to write with and on, I can draw the layout of the building. Let's get planning, gentlemen."

—

The plan was flawless. While being succinct and effective and completely fool-proof, it also would show off everything that I was good at. If this wasn't enough to prove myself, I didn't know what would be. And so I was excited.

Of course, even when I went to work in which there was always the possibility of being caught either by the authorities or by the very people that I was robbing, I always got anxious butterflies in my stomach and a buzzing of adrenaline in my body. But this would be the most daring thing I'd ever attempted, and there were a great many things that could go wrong.

Though I was firm in what knowledge I had, it was dated. There were several things in my plan that were reliant on things that were out of our control, things that I had planned around based on how things had been months ago, since last I'd been living in the barracks unofficially.

It was nerve-wracking, to be sure. But perhaps having a plan go wrong and being able to work around it and convey leadership skills expertly would look even better for me. Hm. Well, that made me feel better... until I realized I'd never had to lead anyone other than myself before.

Working on my own, I'd... work on my own. It was exactly as it sounded. I had only ever been responsible for myself. If a plan went wrong, it was only consequential to me, and based only on my own actions. It was a terrifying prospect to think that what I had planned, what I had decided, and based on faulty, old information at that, could end up getting all three of us thrown in behind bars or worse, killed on the spot for breaking and entering into an official military base...

I didn't know how to lead. I didn't know if this plan really would go off without a hitch.

And yet even now these two men sitting on either side of me seemed to have so much faith that I could do it.

It was only a few minutes after we'd nailed down the plan as best we could that we'd had dinner, and with the income these two were bringing in they managed to afford - or perhaps just stole - some of the food available on the better half of town where the warehouses were, which was in turn where the wealthy merchants tended to be to move their wares.

It was as rich of a part of town as we could really have, and it was a side of town with lots of military presence and it had a close proximity to the main stairwell. But as it was, I didn't have much reason to go there very often and so I avoided it as best I could. Besides, I'd never had the funds to afford food that was actually fresh, and packaged meals in neat parcels and the like.

But our dinner tonight was delicious, at least compared to the meal I usually had. Farlan seemed to take the conversation over, but Levi seemed to be used to this and so I went along with it, adding comments and questions when I felt like it but rather contrary to what Farlan was doing, I minded my manners.

After the meal was done and the dishes were washed by me, dried (and inspected?) by Levi, and put away by Farlan, we all returned to the table and after a few quiet minutes of chatter, my nerves got the better of me and I excused myself quietly before pushing my chair away from the table and standing, returning to the table only to grab my cup of tea.

I stepped out of the house quietly into the night. I'd been right earlier today. It really must have been autumn up on the surface because the cave we lived in was starting to gradually chill. It was creeping in through the stairwells and though it wouldn't really get cold down here, for the cave captured so much heat that it wasn't really unless it snowed that it would get its coldest, it definitely got quite chilly.

It was the kind of chill that seeped into our bones, one that was extremely difficult to get rid of no matter how much you bundled up or how big the fire you built. It was awful.

I set the cup down on the wall just outside the house. There was a railing of old stone that went up only halfway, about up to my waist, making it a good height to lean my elbows against for a moment.

It was a quiet neighborhood. Many of the people walking by were heading home, as it was now the twilight. People were taking the calm nature of this time for safe passage home, or at least taking the time to go on a nice walk with a friend, comrade, or loved one while it was nice and cool.

And from a few streets away, I could hear the distant notes of So Ist es Immer. While it had always been a song I had recognized, I knew without a doubt that the man playing could only be Mason.

I sighed. I probably could have met with him to tell him that at least for a few days as I got settled, I wouldn't be able to sing with him, but there was nothing to be done about it now. With my nerves running amok for tomorrow as they were, I didn't feel like going anywhere right now other than... to bed, I guess.

I didn't realize that I had closed my eyes until the door to the house opened and I nearly leapt out of my skin. But I managed to keep it together and I cleared my throat to shake away any lingering fright as I looked at who had joined me.

It was Levi. I nodded to him as he stepped around me to set his own cup of tea on the wall and came to stand at a polite distance away. "Hey," I said, only to get no verbal reply in response.

Well. This was awkward.

"Right," I said, stepping away and grabbing my cup to head back inside. I reached for the doorknob with my freehand only to find it... locked.

Well. Now it was even more awkward.

"Uh." I cleared my throat. Goddesses help me, I was a mess. "Levi?"

"The door locks whenever it's closed," he explained. "I suppose alongside not giving you enough warm bedding, Farlan also forgot to give you a key."

"I suppose," I said with an embarrassed laugh as I returned to where I'd been standing previously, holding the cup on the wall yet still held between both my hands. We stood quietly together and it seemed that Levi was keeping it together far more than I was.

But maybe that wasn't true. I'd always been told that eyes were the key to knowing how someone was feeling and if you knew a person well enough, a simple gaze into their eyes was enough to even tell you what they were thinking.

I didn't think it would work on Levi, but I was willing to try, if only to look for any kind of hint that he found this as awkward as I did.

When I gazed at him sidelong, it was just as he lifted his cup towards his lips and took a slow sip, as though to savor the taste. His eyes were closed, and he looked as content as a cat laying in a sunbeam, if I had to make a comparison. It was someone just enjoying the peace, quiet, and warmth, despite the chilliness just beyond that cup of tea, that metaphorical sunbeam.

His eyes opened and it must have been because he felt the weight of my gaze on his profile because his eyes slid to meet mine. I was no coward, so I did not look away, but it was assuredly a strange thing, to be doing this.

"Any particular reason you're staring at me?"

"I wasn't," I began to say, only to falter when one of his eyebrows arched upwards. Ok, yes, it was useless to lie because he'd seen it. He'd already caught me. "I was just trying to see if I could figure out how you were feeling."

At that, his interest peaked and so he turned to look at me directly and I matched him. And dare I say it... he looked a bit embarrassed. "The hell are you on about?"

"My father," I said, clarifying by adding, "the Military Policeman. He told me that a look into someone's eyes could tell you how they were feeling."

"I understand that," he told me. "But why do you care about how I'm feeling right now?"

"Because I..." I trailed off, shrugging sheepishly. "I know that you didn't want me to join. This... I was a surprise. Farlan didn't tell you. And I know that I've been a pain in your ass. I guess I want to know why you didn't just turn me in when you caught me doing it and... It's been a while since I've wanted to be around anyone and though I don't know you that well, I don't want to be dead weight or slow you down."

Something in his expression changed. Encouraged, I kept speaking, perhaps so that I might be able to decipher what that look meant.

"I lost the only family I had just a few months ago," I explained, "and I've been on my own since then. But I don't want to be alone anymore. And so being given this chance is a gift and I don't want to ruin it. If we're going to be working together, I want to be able to get to know you. I mean, Farlan made it hard not to get to know him because he was a pest but I know nearly nothing about you but I would like to. Is that strange?"

"Yes," he replied right away, and something about it - maybe the frankness, maybe the delivery - was funny to me and so I laughed. That brought something new to his expression, something odd, and it looked almost like he was flustered. And... It was cute.

"Why is it strange?"

"It just is," he huffed indignantly. I'd have laughed if not for the way he looked away and I figured I shouldn't fluster him further. For now, anyway.

"The point is," I said, "I'm really grateful that you didn't kick me out immediately. So... you know. Thank you. I mean it. I'll do my best for you two."

He nodded, and I took that to be his way of saying "you're welcome".

We were quiet for another moment, until he decided to speak.

"Your father," he said. "If he's a soldier, why are you here?"

"Oh," I responded, seeing where his confusion was coming from. "He wasn't my biological father. He adopted me when I was a child but we never quite got enough money for my citizenship."

"Is that what you're working for?"

"Yes," I answered. "After he and my brother died I gave up for a while but eventually I picked myself back up. But it's not just citizenship, I'd like to have enough to live somewhere that's not an alleyway when I get there." I glanced over at him. "What about you?"

"Citizenship," he affirmed. He glanced briefly at me, then looked away coyly. "I hadn't thought about the living situation."

"I've got quite a bit saved up," I told him. "Don't worry, when we all secure citizenship I'll let you sleep on my couch until you get your own place."

"What makes you think you'll have enough for a couch?"

"That's a fair point," I said with a laugh. "I was being generous."

"And what about Farlan?"

"Floor," I said immediately. "That man is a damn pest."

"No shit."

"Alright," I said, feeling ore comfortable around him now, "part of getting to know you better means asking stupid questions."

"No it doesn't."

"It does," I pressed insistently. It was Caden's technique. On his first day with us he'd gathered us in the living room to just ask us question after question. And it had worked, because we had gotten to know him and conversations naturally bloomed from there. "Ok, ready?"

"No."

"What's your favorite color?"

"I don't have one."

Derailed immediately. Wonderful.

"What's your favorite food?"

"I don't have one."

Strange, but alright.

"When is your birthday?"

"I don't have one."

"Don't be stupid," I said. "Everyone has a birthday. You were born, weren't you?"

"I don't know when it is."

"There's the answer, then. Ok, next."

"You're not done yet?"

"When we reach the surface, what do you want to see first?"

"Meaning?"

"When we reach the surface," I said again, "specifically, what's the first thing you'd want to look at? The sun, some flowers, maybe horses?"

"What a stupid question to ask."

"Humor me."

"Why should I?"

"Because I can be just as annoying as Farlan," I said teasingly. "You don't need to answer. I just know that things like friendships won't happen from nothing. So unless you've got something better to talk about..."

Silence, for a moment, and then quietly: "Rain."

"What was that?"

"Rain," he said, louder now and with more conviction, as though he made his mind up about it.

"Why rain?"

"...I don't know. Sorry."

Well, I certainly hadn't been expecting him to apologize.

"That's fine," I said. "It's alright not to know the reason why you want something."

Yet he still looked bewildered. He looked like he was thinking hard to figure it out and for the life of me I couldn't reason why that might be.

"Rain," I repeated, redirecting my gaze upwards.

Where I should have seen sky I only saw dirt and rock and stalag... whichever the ones hanging from the ceiling were. Flecks of minerals and exposed past infrastructure where the government had wanted to put in better lighting from the ceiling reflected the lights coming from below, what little firelight could reach.

I thought of it for a moment, rain: the form of precipitation that cultivated crops and reinvigorated fields, yet could cause flooding; something that in so many stories became a symbol of sadness or incoming heartbreak or turmoil, and in some romantic tales, dramaticized the moment of reconciliation between broken, lost lovers.

I supposed in some sense it made sense that Levi didn't know why he wanted to see rain. Neither of us had seen it before, we knew it only from stories and people from the surface talking about it. From what I had gleaned of him so far, he was always so sure of himself, so the honesty had just surprised me. It was odd for him to admit he wanted something without having a clear reason for it.

"I think I'd like to see it too," I finally finished. "I've heard it's beautiful."

"Your turn."

"Hm?"

"Same question, but your answer."

"The stars," I said right away. To see constellations shift and shine and burn so far away was an enticing thought.

"Why?"

"Turning my own question on me, I see," I said with a roll of my eyes. I adjusted slightly to lean more comfortably against the wall while shifting to look at him directly. "Stars are always there. Whether you see them or not, no matter the weather, they're always there. And I heard this story once that somewhere among the stars, our loved ones are watching. I don't know how true it is but something about my family watching is motivation enough to do right by them. I don't know."

Levi seemed to consider that, for a moment.

"Is being a thief what your father wanted?"

"What he wanted," I said slowly, the words coming to mind without any thought, "was for me to reach the surface." I stifled a laugh and looked down at the cup of tea still in my hands. "Actually, we'd been considering the possibility of me becoming a soldier to skip buying citizenship."

"And die on the front lines in the jaws of a titan?"

I scoffed in a haughty sort of way. "Bold of you to assume I'd settle for the Survey Corps. No, I'd graduate at the very top of the class and join the MP's."

He got the humor in it; the MP's were corrupt, there was no way I'd consider joining them now, and he seemed to understand that, even if he didn't understand the circumstances leading to it or the context of it all. It was a story for another time, I suppose.

But for now... Levi chuckled.

Wait.

He chuckled.

It was a low sound, and he shook his head as though to clear it away. "Cocky, aren't you?"

"It's warranted," I said in a sickly-sweet, sing-song voice.

"We'll see," he responded, pushing away from the wall. "Tomorrow. You should get some rest."

"So should you," I said. "Listen, I... Thank you again. For letting me stay."

He made to pass me but halted when his hand was on the doorknob. "That plan of yours is good. We'll see if it works."

"It will."

Something in his expression shifted and once more... I didn't know what it meant. But then a smirk curled on his lips and I couldn't help but grin in response. He stepped away from the door, reaching into his pocket for a key. Wordlessly, it was tossed my way and I caught it with ease, looking to him for an answer.

He gestured with one arm towards the door and I got the hint. I took his place and unlocked the door, letting it swing open to let us both in. I pocketed the key, said a goodnight to Levi and another to Farlan who was still looking over the map I had drawn, riddled with notes and things of that nature, in preparation for tomorrow.

And then I went to bed. It would do me well to get plenty of rest before this incredible heist that loomed just beyond the horizon.

—

The first phase of the plan was centered on preparation. After a restful night, we were all awake and alert early. We wasted no time in idle chatter as we sipped one, and only one, cup of tea to invigorate our systems while we nibbled on our breakfasts.

All was silent.

But while our mouths were not running, our minds were going over the plan over and over again. There were a lot of what-ifs, and a lot of contingency plans for each and every possible scenario. Because as I had told them, much of my plan was centered on things that very well could have changed since I last visited. But because they couldn't change the building, I could very well work with that, and so I made sure I had what I needed.

The first thing we did upon leaving - the two men in their gear, and me as I normally left the house - was walk as a unit across the city to a different neighborhood. "Remember," I said quietly, with the men on either side of me. "They can't get horses down here so the delivery wagon is a pull-cart. There won't be too many boxes but they'll be heavy."

"No problem for guys like us," Farlan said.

"Of course," I continued, ignoring Farlan's comment, "if asked, you two will just have to say that you're taking over for the usual two that get contracted to do this work. If need be, I'll vouch for you."

"Will they believe you? No matter how similar you look, your voice isn't the same as hers, is it?"

I adopted a hoarse sort of tone as I spoke next. "I'll just pretend to be sick. No one will know the difference."

"Fair enough," Farlan said. "But if we're the ones unloading it, will we even need to fill the boxes with rubbish? We can leave the boxes empty to make it easier."

"It might not be you," I told him. "Sometimes, other soldiers have to unload shipments as punishment. I'm not risking getting caught right away over something stupid like that. But we'll have to be quick to switch them. They expect the shipment to be in during a certain window of time so we can't waste too much time."

I glanced over my shoulder at Levi, then the other way to look at Farlan. "We're not looking to kill anyone, today," I said. "It'll be quick, in and out and just knocking everyone out will give us enough time to do what we need to."

"Got it," Farlan affirmed. "A day with no bloodshed. I like it."

"It's unnecessary," I said with a shrug. "If the plan works the way I want it to... we might not even bump into anyone while inside."

"So we're clear," Levi said, "if a pig is coming at us with the intent to kill, I respond in kind. Plan or no plan."

"I understand," I said, and that was all I needed to say. I looked back at him, our eyes meeting. I hoped I looked as sure as I felt in this plan, despite what few lingering doubts I had about it. "Hopefully it won't come to that."

Through the neighborhoods we passed, keeping our eyes and ears peeled for the sound of gear. It wouldn't do us well to get caught before the plan could even begin. Luckily, our path did not cross with any patrolling soldiers and I took that as a sign that perhaps everything would go to plan, today.

The walk was uneventful and eventually we found ourselves in a narrow alleyway that opened up along the road that led to the largest, most expensive stairwell in the underground. Consequently, it was also the one where the MP's received their deliveries. They sent our orders regularly for new equipment and to send ruined sets of belts and gear to the surface for repairs. They also, of course, were given food and medicine regularly.

And all orders were monitored, counted, and confirmed by that woman there. She looked very much like I did, all the way to the same hair texture and color and even skin tone. For a woman who regularly frequented both the surface and the underground, she had the complexion that I did, and I had never been directly in the sun's glow. We had the same nose, and even our eye color matched.

It was strange. We could have been siblings, really, that's how closely we resembled each other. But as far as I knew, I had been an only child and it would be a damn horrible thing if my parents had granted one child with surface citizenship and not the other, and so I left it up to fate blessing me once more.

The woman was several years older than I was. She'd joined the MP's when I was a teenager but now we were both adults and right now, she was my target. I watched as she directed the two contracted men as they loaded several boxes - full of gas canisters, based on the size and apparent weight of the boxes, just as I had thought - onto the pull-cart.

We could, theoretically, skip all this trouble and just sneak into the base for me to steal gear. This was a simple gas delivery and nothing else, but it wasn't what I had set out to do, not what Levi had wanted me to do. This entire part was simply for their benefit. If the rest of the plan failed, at least they'd have enough gas to last a long, long time, and it wouldn't have been a complete waste of time for them.

If any part of the plan was to go off without a hitch, I needed it to be this part. But unfortunately, finishing this phase couldn't happen until the rest of the plan was done and would bank on us being able to get it all home without being caught.

"Wait until they finish loading it," I reminded them quietly. "It's too heavily guarded and monitored here. We'll tail them for a few blocks before starting."

"Right."

"Got it."

It didn't take the men long to load the cart, nor for the woman to bark her orders out and instruct them to follow her. Each man grabbed a handle and started to pull, the wagon's wooden wheels creaking with the sudden movement and protesting against the heavy weight set atop it.

Just as I said we would, we tailed them, ducking through alleyways. For how early it was, there was not much activity this morning, and it wouldn't pick up for a while. The city wasn't quite awake yet. What that meant for us was that we had no crowds to blend into, but also no one to get in our way.

And so we took to the alleys, side streets, and Levi took to tailing from the rooftops. And soon, I figured they'd made enough distance from the stairwell because we couldn't see it anymore, and so I gave the two men a signal - a simple hand gesture - which told them that it was time to move.

We hurried to get into more advantageous positions. The street was completely empty. There was only the sound of the wheels creaking and the two contracted men speaking quietly amongst themselves, and nothing more.

Levi and Farlan got into position. So did I.

And then, the plan began. I moved first, and because the two men were situated above me now on rooftops ready to swoop down and take care of the contracted men, they moved as I did. Just as the woman had passed me by, I ran out into the street, worrying not about the two men and focusing only on her. As a trained MP, she had carefully trained senses and intuition and... who am I kidding? No, she didn't. She was as lazy and useless as they all were, their training be damned.

Just as I got behind her and looped an arm around her neck, bracing that arm with my other hand and applying pressure just so, my partners dove down as though choreographed, kicking the contractors in the heads, gravity and momentum doing most of the work for them..

Well.

There was no time to waste idling by making witty remarks - or, wait. Apparently there was.

"Don't get ahead of yourselves there," Farlan said as he hefted up the man he'd taken care of. There was a self-assured smile on his face and it was clear he was trying very hard to contain his laughter. "Heh. Get it? Cause we kicked them in the head?"

"That's awful," I said with a groan as I started dragging the woman away, back into the alley-way I'd sprung out from.

"Don't get cocky already," Levi advised as the man he'd knocked out was lifted and tossed over his shoulder as though as light as a feather. Goodness. He was strong, wasn't he?

We stowed the three unconscious figures in the alley-way for now. While I hadn't been expecting Farlan and Levi to do... that to knock the contractors out, I couldn't say that it didn't work, because it had. And beautifully, at that.

But this was only the start. There was still a lot of work to be done.

For now, Farlan and Levi went back to the street to take up position at the cart while setting their gear boxes down to run along their thighs and set their cloaks around themselves to cover it all. I patted the woman down as they did, taking not only the documentation detailing what was in this order, but what was tucked just underneath it, too: ledgers signed by her hand on the next few deliveries.

Today's was gas. Tomorrow, they would get a fresh shipment of gauze and bandages alongside a few newly-repaired sets of gear. On the following day, alongside a batch of new recruits, they were receiving a little bit of everything to account for an upcoming expansion project.

Great. More MP's. Just what we needed.

Tucking that documentation away, I reached back for the woman but hesitated. She was wearing gear. We could skip the entire rest of the plan and be successful here. But no... we could steal more. To that end, I called the men back over and they got to work undoing the straps and belts and gear because I had no idea what the hell went where or how to take it off and soon, that gear was set in the cart too.

Finally, I reached back towards the woman and stole the keyring from her pant's belt loop, attaching it to my own instead. Thankfully, for the sake of remaining inconspicuous, the woman did not wear her uniform while running these deliveries, so I was fine staying in what clothes I was in.

...

Though I did like her sweater, so I took it.

I stepped out of the alley as I shoved my second arm through the sleeve of my new sweater with the cloak I was wearing draped over my other arm. When the sweater was on, I set the cloak back around my shoulders, needing it only for the hood it provided. I set it about my head then set the pace for the cart.

We continued to move, deviating from the delivery's usual route only to stop along an alley notorious for being full of trash. Quickly, for the city was starting to wake up now, Farlan and Levi hid the gas canisters atop the roof of one of the buildings adjacent to the alley - covering them all with clutter already up there, should a policeman zip by and notice them - while filled the boxes back up with rubbish, and lots of it.

Only when the canisters of gas were secure, and the boxes set to about the same weight as they were before and their lids secured, did we start moving again. The first part of my plan was successful. All we'd have to do was come back to retrieve the gas later and bring it home, which was easy enough.

This... heist, I guess I could call it, was only just beginning. Now came the hard part. But I was ready. Farlan and Levi were ready. I could practically see the plan crystal clear in my mind, playing out perfectly. There was nothing left to do but to just do it.

So that's what we did.

—

We went right to the Military Policeman base, but not the front door. No, we went around to the back where the deliveries were always done. It was a quiet side of the building, but because it was where the armory was located, we had to be sure that when we did what we needed to in the large storage room, that we were quiet.

Just as I thought he would be, the soldier stationed at the delivery door was sitting on a stool but was slumped back against the wall. I smiled. He was fast asleep. The sound of his snoring reached us before we could even make out the details on his face and even so we slowed as we approached, doing so with caution.

I went ahead and reached for the keyring now hooked to my belt as I ignored the soldier completely and reached the door. I unlocked the double doors and pulled them open with a low groan of rusted metal and old wood.

I peeked inside, seeing an empty hallway lined with doors to either side, doors that I knew were storage rooms for different things but immediately to the left was a large, open room. It was really where they dumped everything to be sorted through later, or grabbed when they needed it.

"Here we are," I said quietly, stepping out of the way to let the doors swing open and let the cart go through first. "To the left."

Apparently, six words were enough to wake the guard up. I remained in the doorway as Levi and Farlan pulled the cart inside and as I heard the man groan and yawn and I glanced at him as he stretched his arms above his head.

When his eyes fluttered open, they immediately clued into somebody passing through the doors and he looked at me. I smiled politely at him, then looked away. The less I had to show my face, the less of a chance there was of him finding a difference between myself and the usual woman.

That had been a mistake.

"Clove," he said to me, "come on baby, where's my hello kiss?"

Fuck.

My mind started to race as I willed myself not to panic. Think. Think. I don't want to kiss him. What reason might a woman have to not want to kiss her lover? There were plenty, surely. Men certainly gave them more than a few.

The cart passed inside without incident, and the seconds dragged on. It was clear the man was growing impatient. Levi stalled for a moment, glancing over his shoulder at me. I met his eyes, wondering if he might have some sort of idea to get out of this without kissing this man. He must have seen the hesitation in my eyes, the way I very much needed help right now.

"He's a frequent guest at Lenny's bar," Levi said quietly, the words meant only for my ears to catch, and though I wanted to smile or otherwise react or show my shock on my face, I didn't, for the man was still staring at me, waiting for my answer.

"Get going," I said to Levi, adopting an authoritative tone for my voice.

"Well, where is it?" The question came from the man again, pestering me for that kiss.

"You were at Lenny's again," I said, not daring to look at him.

"Oh, come on," the man said. "It was the boss-man's birthday. All the guys went. I couldn't just... not show up!"

"No kiss," I said firmly, getting an exaggerated sigh from him.

"New hires?"

"Yes," I answered, pointedly watching Levi and Farlan push the cart into the room I gestured for them to. "Just for the day."

"You sound stressed, babe," the man said, and I nearly scowled at the sound of him calling me that. But I held it together and I could see Levi take a step back out of the storage room. Some part of my mind wondered if it was possibly to check on me. "Meet me at our spot in an hour and I can make you feel better."

Ugh.

"I'll think about it."

And with that I pushed away from the doorway and finally joined the two men inside. They were assuredly on guard, yet were searching the shelves for things they could pocket. I shook my head to remove the lingering discomfort at even thinking about what that man had been saying.

"Quite the actress," Farlan noted, tucking something away into his pocket.

"Thank you," I said, not expecting the compliment.

"Disgusting pig," Levi said, still sneering towards the door.

"You're telling me," I said, looking around at the shelves and shelves full of all kinds of shit.

"Why don't we just leave now?" Farlan asked. "We got gear for you and enough gas to last a year. Isn't that enough?"

"I'd prefer a different set," I said. "And I've got a bit to settle with the soldiers here."

"These are trained soldiers, Amaya," Farlan said. "I don't care what kind of score you've got to settle, you're insane if you push our luck being here."

"My luck," I corrected. "The set we stole can be extra or taken apart for scraps or even sold. My father was a soldier here but they were awful to him and I'm not letting this chance for revenge go." I crossed the room to reach a sturdy wooden door, one leading into the armory. I found the right key, fit it in the lock, and stepped inside quietly. It was empty, and that was good.

I looked around and in my distant memories, I could remember being in here so long ago, with El of course. I went to his old bench. The armory here was little more than a few worktables littered with parts and gear. I could remember El bringing me here once, showing me the different parts of the gear. I couldn't have been older than fifteen at the time.

No, I remember now: they hadn't wanted me to be here when I was younger than that, so on my fifteenth birthday - because he had to work that day - he had brought me here. Goodness, he had always done all that he could to make such trivial things so special. My birthday shouldn't have been a priority over work, not when he was working so hard to secure citizenship for me. But he had.

His station had a new nametag pinned to it, and everything that had been his had been cleared away long ago. It made sense, and yet it was strange to see that it had happened. It was something that I just hadn't thought about when he had died. But these soldiers move on. This base had moved on. There was hardly a trace of him here left, despite the countless hours he had spent here.

I went to Reyes' station. Because they were close, Reyes had swapped stations with someone so he would be next to El despite the fact that they very rarely went on patrol together. As usual, he was set for office duty. No need for gear then, right? That's how I made sense of it in my head, anyway, and so I packed the gear up neatly and Farlan was there to take it from my arms. "Thank you," I said.

"Why this one?" Farlan asked. "Past lover?"

"Absolutely not," I said, fighting back a laugh. "No, it's a story for another time. Now get going."

"I don't like this," Farlan said immediately, the playful tone from his past tease gone completely from his voice. "I don't want to leave if you're still here. What if you get caught?"

"I won't," I said surely, as surely as I could possibly sound. "I know this building better than the soldiers do."

"Even if it's been forever since you've been here?"

"They can't change the foundation and they don't have the time or money to move walls," I said. "I spent my youth running around finding new ways to hide from whoever was watching me."

"But-"

"Hush," I said, cutting him off immediately, because I had heard something. It was faint, but... No, it was growing louder. A group of rowdy soldiers were causing a ruckus on their way here, more than likely. This was the only place they would go down on this end of the building. "We're about to have company. Get out of here, both of you. Now."

Levi was way ahead of me, but Farlan still needed some convincing. I started to usher him out of the room rather roughly, and though he started to walk of his own accord, it wasn't because he wanted to, but all the same we passed through the doorway and into the large storage room once more.

Another sound found my ears, then. Snoring. The guard was asleep again. "Leave the way we came in," I told them quietly, peeking out of the room to glance down the hallway. The soldiers hadn't turned down this hall yet but they would soon, if the racket they were making was any indication of that.

"How are you getting out?" Levi asked.

"Don't know yet," I said. "I'll figure it out. There are some things I want to grab from the other side of the base and-"

"The other side? Amaya, just come with us. You've already proven yourself, right?"

"That's fine and all," I said quickly, all too aware of the fact that we were running out of time, "but it's still not enough for me. I'm not leaving yet."

"Amaya..."

It'd been a long time since anyone had been so concerned about me. To hear it in Farlan's voice, to see it in the slight, uncertain pinch in Levi's brow...

"I'll be fine."

"I don't like this," Farlan said. "Levi, you can't just let this happen!"

"It's not for me to decide," Levi said firmly. "Amaya made her decision." He looked at me. "We're counting on you to come back."

"Hey, wait..."

I nodded at Levi, smiling a little, before turning to Farlan. "You leave now, no one will chase you. The more you stall, the closer those soldiers get..." I shook my head. "Don't get caught because of me. Go." He opened his mouth to protest more. "We're running out of time. Just trust me, Farlan."

Farlan looked hopelessly between myself and Levi, as though trying to figure out what he should decide based on our facial expressions alone. I hoped mine assured him that I would be fine, because somehow I felt that I would be. Maybe it had something to do with the sureness in Levi's gaze, the fact that someone so skilled would so readily have faith that I could do this.

"Is there nothing we can help with?"

"Your escape," Levi piped up, giving me an idea.

"Yeah, actually," I said. "My escape. When I'm ready, I'll head to the courtyard in the center of the building. It's open to the air, so if one of you could just pick me up..."

Levi nodded. "I'll do it." And then his face grew stern. "But I'm not waiting forever. I'll double back after getting this out of here. If you're not there when I get back, I'm leaving. In the meantime, Farlan can start bringing everything home."

"Understood. That's more than enough time for me. Now get going."

And they did, just in time, leaving me on my own.

But I wouldn't let them - or myself - down. I wouldn't allow it.

To that end, I braced myself for what was to come.