We made it to where Hanji's group was and saw a wall of vines boxing in what seemed to be like people, but they were no longer fighting anyone. When we walked up to them I almost got punched by Hanji who was crying hysterically "Why can't you just leave us alone. Haven't you taken enough from us?" she yelled. That was until she blinked a few times and realized it was us.

"Levi, sorry," she said, wiping her tears and lowering her fist. Her eyes shifted over to Mikasa and she shook her head.

"I've failed. I held them off as long as I could, but when Erwin's group portalled to us and told us that they had already made it past us I just couldn't do it anymore. I'm so sorry I didn't mean to let you down," she cried while holding Mikasa's arm.

"You didn't let me down," Mikasa said calmly, pulling Hanji into a hug. "You did your best and that's all we can do. You held off what you could and that's all that matters."

"But because of my stubbornness, he's dead. He died because I didn't stop even after they were down there." She said pointing to a dead body that I recognized. That was Santos. There was an abundance of flowers around and over his body. It seems Hanji was really guilty about his death.

Her grief, her guilt they were so overwhelming. I knew now wasn't the time to panic and I needed to calm her down. I pushed some calming emotions her way and she stopped crying. I could tell she just felt numb now. I wish I could help more than this, but I can't.

"Thanks," she said, turning her head to me. I needed that." Her thoughts were much clearer now and I wish they weren't. I could see all the people who had died and how they died floating through her head. There's no way. Pixis? Shadis? How can they be gone? How can all these people be gone?

"Levi, what's wrong?" I felt Eren's hand grab my shoulder. Is there even a point to all of this? What do we do now? We didn't plan for this? Did we already lose? How are we supposed to continue the mission when the main people leading it are all dead?

I felt a hand hit the back of my head. It wasn't too hard but just enough to snap me out of it, "stop that, we aren't down for the count just yet," Quinn's voice was quiet as she leaned in my ear. "We still have fight left in us, and I think they are the ones losing at the moment. How many of their own civilians did they just turn against them?" Her voice was calming and it started to ground my scattered thoughts. "Look around at how many civilians are with us right now, they are putting their trust in us, not them."

"Well, what are we supposed to do? We still don't have any plans. Our only plans were to take over the building and hold it down until we were heard. Now, what are we supposed to do?"

"We get everyone we can out and we try again," Quinn said, "we might not even have to try again, the damage could already be done. They might have done most of the work for us by turning all of their own citizens against them."

Quinn was right. I have to think critically about this. They just burned all their bridges. They just lost the last of their good relations with the people. We might have that going for us, but even if that isn't the case then I still have to keep fighting. I can't give up now. I can't let the others down.

"This is your last chance to surrender," We heard a loud voice echo around us. "If you don't, there will be consequences."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Eren whispered to me.

"What more could you possibly take from us?' You've already stripped away all of our freedom, our rights, and you've killed so many of our friends and our family? What the fuck more do you think you can take from us?" Hanji screamed out. She's well over her limit. I just walked over and put my hand on her shoulder trying to help her calm back down. There were so many emotions coming off of her, but right now her rage is what I felt the most.

"Well if you don't care about the people you've lost already then what's one more?" the man's voice echoed and we all froze waiting for them to explain what the fuck they were talking about. I was looking around for where they were speaking through. Did they have the troops that came through here put speakers around? What else did they set up? Could it be another trap? I was about to tell everyone that we should move when the voice spoke again.

"Your spy will suffer for your defiance."

"Spy?" Molbit? No, it can't be he's safe back at home base.

I watched as a projection flicked to life on the side of a half blow-up building. It was hard to see the projection since it was still daylight. I tried to follow where the light was coming from to find the projector but my eyes were forced back to the screen when I realized what I was seeing.

"Mom?" I croaked out. "That's not possible, she was safe." It's a trick, but how would they even know about her?"

"That's right, we raided your little hideout and found your spy. A traitor to the nation. If you surrender she will remain unharmed and will pay for her crimes in a fair manner. If you continue to defy us we will kill her." They have mom. They really have her. Where is Molbit? Did they already kill him?

I couldn't think. I couldn't speak. I just felt my whole body freeze up. My chest was tight and I could barely breathe. Look at the surroundings. Where do they have her? It looks familiar. I would know that wall anywhere, that's the wall I built with Petra to keep everything hidden. They are back at home base. I have to get Erwin to take us back. I have to save her.

"If you even dare move we will shoot her. What is your answer?" The voice went silent for a moment.

Not enough time. We have to go now. If I can get to Hitch I can have her make an illusion that we are still here while some of us slip away, but I would have to get over to her, and right now she's one of the farthest people from me. I tried to make eye contact with them but their eyes were glued to the screen. I have to get their attention and fast.

I heard a commotion and turned my eyes back towards the screen. Mom managed to pull the gag out of her mouth. "Don't do it. Keep fi-" they covered her mouth. She's talking to me. I know she is. She knows I will stop at nothing to keep her safe. She's telling me to let her die. I can't do that. I can't let her die. I'll find a way to save her, I'll find a way to-."

"Last chance, your answer?"

I have to surrender. I would rather let the mission fail than lose her. "We-" My mouth was covered. Who is behind me? I can't see anything. It's not Eren, he's next to me looking at me. Who put their hand over my mouth. I have to shove them off of me. I can't even tell everyone's thoughts are too strong. I can't tell who is behind me. I was about to force them off with my power when I felt everything around me start to fade to black. Why are my eyes closing?

"Alright have it your way," I heard before a gunshot went off. I saw mom's body drop before my eyes closed fully. I couldn't even scream. I was so tired. I almost fully lost consciousness when I felt the hands leave me. I was on the floor?

"Levi?" Eren's voice rang in my ears. "Levi wake up."

I opened my eyes and was hoping this was all just a dream. Please tell me I'll open my eyes and be back in home base. I opened my eyes and sure enough behind Eren, there was the blue sky. It wasn't a dream.

"Who did that?" I asked sitting up. Fuck the mission. Fuck everything I'm going to murder whoever just did that.

I felt hands wrap around me. They weren't Eren's. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she was crying. "I know how you feel right now and if you still want me dead after this mission I understand and I won't fight back, but we need you."

I pushed her arms off of me and turned to look Rico in the eyes. She sounded so sincere and I could feel all her guilt. My anger was replaced with pain. I can't even blame her for what she did. I can't say that if the roles were reversed and it was Nanaba instead of mom that I would have done the same to Rico.

I couldn't bring myself to speak to tell her I don't blame her. I felt like if I opened my mouth I wouldn't be able to control what came out. Whether I just break down and start sobbing, or if I start cursing her out. Neither will help. I just stayed silent and nodded trying to blink away my tears. My throat felt so tight and it stung with the sobs I was holding back. My eyes were so blurry and no matter how many times I tried to blink them away or rub the tears out of my eyes it never went away.

I tried to pull my head back to what's happening right now directly in front of me, but I just couldn't. My head was so foggy. When I finally managed to snap myself back to the present I remembered what I was thinking just before they distracted me. I wanted to tell everyone to leave. We aren't safe here. If they had time to set up the speakers and projectors they had time to set up other stuff.

"We need to get out of here," I told everyone, getting back to my feet.

"He's right, we need to leave, there is a 90 percent probability of another-." Zahra didn't even get to finish her sentence before another explosion rang out. The floor under my feet was gone and I had no time to react as I was thrown backwards once again.