"So they plan to eat Eren?" Armin questioned.

"Yes, Eren remembered a conversation between Ymir and Bertholdt. Based on this we can speculate, Ymir used to be a mindless titan just like the others, until she consumed someone. Someone from Bertholdt and Reiner's group. We've never seen a titan turn back into a human by eating one before, that said Reiners comrades aren't humans, and there's a different set of humans that can turn into titans." The scientist explained.

"My thought is this, if a titan eats someone with that power then it'll turn back into a human, what's more is they'll attain any powers that human had." Hange continued.

"So that was why Reiner was throwing titans at Eren, he was hoping that someone else would eat him and take the power?" Kaya pondered.

"Precisely, he knew Eren had the power to take command of feral titans with his scream. If Eren's death would have meant that power was lost, he wouldn't have risked it. My point is, if the government has a titan of their own, they'll use it to eat Eren."

Mikasa stormed towards the door, clearly not wanting to waste any time in retrieving Eren. However the ghoul had too many questions to even bother to prevent Mikasa from leaving. How did Eren get his power? How are the government hiding a titan? So on, so on.

"Calm down. I know you want to get Eren back, but going on a rampage won't help help with that." Levi stated with his hand on Mikasa's shoulder. "Anyways, we're heading for Rod Reiss' estate. Prepare to leave at once."

The cadets scurried through the doors to gear up while Kaya stayed back with Levi, Hange and Moblit. Hange and Levi were having their own conversation, discussing the mission ahead where as Moblit slightly nudged Kaya and began to whisper.

"You okay?" He asked the thief.

At first, Kaya was shocked at his consideration but quickly replied. "Yeah, how about you? I doubt you've ever had to see anyone get tortured." She said, shifting the question towards him.

"Honestly, the whole situation makes me sick. We're scouts, we shouldn't have to be doing this at all." He answered and looked at Kaya who had an expressionless look on her face. "Have you ever seen anyone get tortured?"

The ghoul lowered her gaze and slowly nodded her head. "I'm not exactly proud of the things I did in the underground. I had to fight to survive, and I got caught up in some questionable groups along the way." Moblit stayed quiet, not wanting to pry any further, until Hange called for him and the two scouts said their goodbyes.

Kaya then silently followed the captain, both on their way to get ready to leave the premises. "So, do we have a plan?" The thief pressed.

"We make our way to Rod Reiss residence." He answered.

"Wow, that's pretty detailed." She said sarcastically. "Are we just going to mindlessly walk in? There's no doubt that Kenny and his team will be there."

"We don't have any other choice, we know near to nothing of our new enemy." The captain responded.

"No, but they seem to know everything about us. We need to take Rod Reiss alive, he knows about ghouls, titans, the walls, there's no limit to the things we could learn from him." She said with clenched fists.

.
.
.

After sneaking deeper into wall Rose, the squad got off the boat and listened to the chattering of civilians and soldiers around them. Every now and then, Kaya noticed a few people holding papers, since she was a notorious thief, she wall all too familiar with wanted posters.

"The scout regiment have murdered a civilian, some of them have escaped capture, these people are dangerous. If you spot any of people on these posters, report them immediately." A military police officer shouted above the chattering.

Sneakily, they wore hats and cloaks to try and limit being recognised and walked into a forest nearby.

"Captain, we got the supplies." Said Jean.

"The MPs were handing out these fliers." Armin handed a sheet to Levi and the ghoul looked over his shoulder and snickered.

"Ha! They made you look like a little kid." She laughed, receiving a glare from the captain that she completely ignored. The captains frustration only grew when Sasha and Connie had to cover their mouths to stop themselves from laughing. Angrily, Levi turned the page and Kaya's smile instantly faltered.

"You've got to be kidding me." She whined, Levi just smirked, knowing that Kaya and him were in the same situation. "How could they make such a drastic mistake? I mean, I didn't really mind when it was your poster, but mine, I'm definitely leaving some bad reviews for this artist." She said in defeat.

"They say they'll be hunting for us in the mountains tonight. They're also posting guards on all the vital roads, no one can get through them without a pass. So captain, what now?" Armin asked.

"We need to hurry and find Eren." Mikasa demanded.

"Calm down already, remember what happened last time you were this reckless." Kaya countered, still recalling when her and the captain got injured.

"How am I supposed to calm down when Eren's about to get eaten?" The ravenette yelled.

"He'll be fine, he's going by wagon, that gives us 1 day before they reach the estate. We need to use every second to come up with a plan." Levi stated, making Mikasa relax a little.

"Levi, I hear footsteps." The ghoul interrupted and Sasha began to nod her head in agreement. "I'd say about 2 of them, heading this way."

"Get to the river, we'll use Armin as bate while we launch a surprise attack." The captain instructed as the scouts got to their feet and followed him towards the river. Kaya and Levi used their gear to get them up into the trees and took it upon themselves to capture the mps.

"Don't move, turn around slowly." A military police soldier said as he and his comrade pointed guns at Armin's head. "You must be a scout, not a sound, don't say a word. Now listen and do exactly as instructed." He continued.

However, he was quickly cut off when both Levi and Kaya leaped from the tree's and put their swords around the soldiers necks, keeping there guns aimed away from Armin. "That's the way, now hand your guns to the one in the front." Levi ordered, to which they quickly complied.

"Don't say a word, right." Armin added, mocking the mps and causing Kaya to smirk.

The two MPs then had their ODM gear and jackets removed in order for the scouts to attempt to use them as disguises. "Now then, you're Stohess district military police. Private Marlowe Freudenburg and private Hitch Dreyse, we'll need to dispose of you." Levi circled the two.

Hitch immediately gasped and lifted her head. "Because of what you did, Stohess was a graveyard, over a hundred people were killed." She yelled, receiving a confused look from both Levi and Kaya. "You bastards, I bet you all think you're some kind of heroes of justice, but you're not. You dropped dozens of innocent families straight into hell on that mission of yours."

"Yeah, we did." He responded.

"I'd like to say we had no other choice, but truth is, I don't know anymore." Kaya frowned.

"There were other choices! You, you're from the southern cadet core right, so you trained with Annie Leonhardt? We're you friends of hers?" Hitch asked, the squad all shared a quick glance and allowed the girl to continue. "No, she wouldn't have made friends there either, way to gloomy and unapproachable for that. She was just afraid of people, like a scared little kid. Now I'll never get the chance to learn anything about her. She's officially listed as missing, you know why? It's because one of your titans turned her into an ugly red stain on the street!" The mp screamed.

Kaya just looked at her with wide eyes and sighed as she recalled her last encounter with Leonhardt. "Actually, no, it's because the titan we captured was Annie Leonhardt herself. God dammit, it makes me sick, no body knows a thing about this world, not us or anyone else. Except for the bastards at the centre of it all." Said Levi.

Both Marlowe no Hitch frowned, they didn't know about Annie, they didn't know they were defending the one who caused most the destruction. "We're letting you go, but we need to give ourselves a head start on you." He informed the mps.

"Annie." Hitch whispered.

"Captain Levi, please, let me join in your cause. I believe that the military police are in the wrong here. If there's any way that I can fight this worlds injustice, then that's what I want to do." The boy with a bowl cut shouted.

"Face it, there's always going to be injustice, that's just how war works. There's no way of telling which side is in the wrong until you know all the facts. However right now, all we can do is hope that we make the right choices." Kaya explained.

"Then it is my choice to be on your side, I swear I won't let you down." Marlowe continued.

"We have no way of telling if you have enough resolve to make an enemy of the state. Let's go, take them deeper into the woods and tie them up Sasha." Levi commanded.

Jean caught up with the two older scouts and decided on a different approach. "Hey captain, will ya let me do it instead?"

"Knock yourself out." Levi said with slight hesitation.

"And Jean, be careful." Kaya warned, she could already sense his plan to test them from the beginning and Levi likely could too.

Kaya listened in on Jean's conversation as she followed the captain and tried to form a plan. "The captain might be a big softie but I'm not." She heard Jean say in the distance, causing her so slightly laugh.

"What's so funny?" Levi questioned.

"Oh nothing, just heard Jean call you a big softie." She joked, and watched the captain scowl at her. "Yeah, I think he may have got your height confused though." She added and watched as Levi began to glare at her. "Right, big softie?"

"Do you want to go MIA?" Levi threatened, to which the ghoul raised her hands in her defence and shook her head.

"Oh shit, Jean just fell." Kaya changed the subject and listened more intently. "No, it's all ok, everything is working out." She sighed in relief and the captain looked at her as if to say 'seriously?'

Jean shortly came back to the group with Marlowe and Hitch and the two MPs guided them to a checkpoint. "Far as I know, this is the least manned checkpoint in the region." Marlowe explained.

"Good, we'll sort things out from here. Get back to your squad before they're suspicious." The captain instructed the soldiers. "Marlowe, Hitch, we're grateful."

Both the officers saluted. "sir." They said in unison.

"All right, this time we're picking the fight." Levi told the squad, Kaya smirked with determination as he explained their plan to take over the checkpoint.

She was steering a wagon with Sasha, Jean and Connie behind her, the ghoul had decided it would be best that if the soldiers did have guns, they would shoot at her first. The three scouts behind her all yelled when they broke down a gate and began to wreck the checkpoint. Once their ride was damaged, the four jumped out of the wagon and attacked the soldiers, easily defeating them while Levi grabbed the leader and loosely followed behind.

"He's with the interior police, I've got questions for him. Let's move." He ordered. Kaya glanced down at the mp and took note of the fear plastered on his face before she followed the rest of the group into the woods.

Night fall came sooner than expected and made most of the squad even more anxious to get Eren back unharmed. The teenagers watched as Levi and Kaya pinned the officer to a tree and began their interrogation. "Where'd they take Eren and Krista?" Levi asked after he kicked the man a few times.

"You bastards, you think you're so brave, that post was manned by recruits, they barely even knew how to wipe their own asses. No ones gonna think you're heroes for beating them down." The mp spat, causing Kaya to roll her eyes. She couldn't give a damn if they were recruits or not, she just wanted to get Eren and Historia back.

"Yeah the guilts tearing me apart." Levi stated, quickly striking his foot into the mans mouth. "But what really gets at me is this mouth of yours, I suggest that you start talking while you're still able to use it. Now where are Eren and Krista?" He asked again.

The man gasped for air as soon as the shoe was removed before glaring at Levi. "You can't win, all that's left for you now is to find some filthy corner to hide in, covered in mud and dirt. If you don't turn yourself in, then every last scout we captured will be executed, starting with the guiltiest of all. Erwin Smith!" He yelled.

The teens looked at one another and Kaya walked over to them while Levi lashed out onto the mp. "We're not gonna let that happen. Erwin has a plan, he always does, we just need to have faith." The ghoul reassured.

"But how will the scouts ever come back from this?" Armin asked with a worried look.

"Can't say, but I'm not giving up any time soon." The thief replied.

"Kenny Ackerman doesn't like to make his business known." The mp yelled on the verge of tears.

"Ackerman? I know Kenny, that his last name?" The captain questioned.

"You didn't know?" Kaya interrupted, causing most the squad to look at her confused. "The Ackerman clan have been persecuted for years, it's no wonder he kept it a secret in the past." She elaborated.

"He never was one for sharing information, not important stuff anyway. But I bet you have a rough idea, let's try to remember." The captain approached the mp once again.

"No stop!" He panicked and gripped the tree, hoping that someone would save him.

"You still have plenty of bones left to break." Levi gripped the mans arm.

"Dammit, are you insane?" He insulted.

"Maybe."

"Somebody's coming towards us." Sasha informed the squad as she got ready to fire an arrow.

The whole squad ducked behind the trees to try and stay hidden from possible enemies until Kaya heard the familiar voices of Moblit and Hange. "It's ok it just Hange and Moblit." She quickly said, leading everyone to lower their weapons.

The section commander and their squad mate handed Levi a letter and all the scouts looked over his shoulder to read its contents. "And there you have it, the cue was successful. Premiere Zackery now has full control of the capital and government, for the time being at least, nobles seem to be staying in line." Hange explained.

"Okay but what about the incident with mr Reeves?" Armin asked.

"We got a public confession out of one of the interior police. Reeves son Flagle really pulled through for us." Answered the scientist. "It's all written right there, the abuse of power, the bogus charges against the scouts and that king Fritz is a puppet and a fraud. It's clear that we only acted in self defence. In short, we're no longer criminals."

The squad all looked at one another before having a short celebration and jumping in the air, Kaya smiled as she saw how happy her squad were. "Looks like Erwin's gamble paid off." Levi said to Hange.

"That it did, but it wasn't just Erwin who gambled. Many people had to make a lot of hard choices for this to work." They said.

"Where as my choices got three of your people killed, I'm sorry." Levi frowned. "Here's the thing, the interiors might have lost but not all of them know it, they still have Eren and Historia too, we need to find them quickly."

"Right, I think I know where they might be, let's go there and put an end to this fight." Hange added.

"What are we waiting for? We've been hiding long enough, it's time to show everyone that the scouts are still here." Kaya said with determination.

With in no time, the scouts were on their way to Reiss estate and Kaya rode with the two higher ups and Mikasa. "Hange, you said you could explain where they are?" Mikasa pressed.

"Oh yeah, guess I should explain how." They said, raising a book. "Erwin gave me this scout report from and investigation on lord Reiss' land. It details a certain incident that occurred 5 years ago on Reiss estate."

"5 years?" Armin asked.

"That's right, it was the day wall Maria was breached. I'll summarise the most important parts from the beginning, so. As far as regional lords went, lord Reiss was fair and well respected by the people. He had 5 children, the most well known of them was his eldest, Frida, a down to earth girl who even the peasants adored. But five years ago, on that night, disaster struck. With the fall of wall Maria having plunged the world into chaos, bandits raided and set fire to the only chapel around. Unfortunately for them, the entire Reiss family had gathered there to pray, and so the entire family was massacred by bandits that night. Only Rod Reiss managed to escape with his life. To top it all off, this incident occurred just a few days before Historia's mother was killed by the interior police. So we know that in the immediate wake of losing his family, Rod Reiss sought out Historia and something tells me that it wasn't out of a new found parental affection."

"Well she is of royal blood, or do you think that bloodline has some other secrets?" Levi questioned.

"They know way more than we give them credit for." Kaya included, Hange tilted their head asking her to continue. "10 years ago, my parents were told to go to that chapel, neither of them returned." She looked at Levi who seemed to show more understanding than the others.

"Hm, what also stood out to me was that large parts of the structure was missing, the chapel was made of stone so it would have taken a lot of effort to reduce it to ruins. Also, lord Reiss was the only witness, no one confirmed his story. Then lord Reiss rebuilt the chapel with his personal force almost immediately. What was his rush? When you think about it, the story could only make sense if it involved a titan attack. It may turn out that I'm jumping to conclusions, but it's suspicious enough to form an investigation and it's the only lead we have." Hange continued. "How does your parents death tie into this?" The scientist asked.

The ghoul once again made eye contact with Levi before she lowered her head and held her face in her hands. "It's that thing I keep planning to tell you about, only there never seems an appropriate time to bring it up." The thief stated.

"How about now? I'm listening." Hange beckoned.

"Too many people." Kaya bluntly replied.

"I see. Before the night is over, Reiss' land will be crawling with soldiers and fortunately, we can't expect him to wait that long. We have to get there as soon as possible, before Eren ends up in someone's stomach." Hange finished.

Kaya finally lifted her head and sighed, she hadn't felt this vulnerable in a while, sharing her secret always made her a little on edge. However, that wouldn't stop her from saving Eren and making Rod Reiss pay for whatever he did to her parents. They weren't particularly the strongest ghouls and that was ultimately their downfall, but Kaya was strong. She'd trained her whole life and her healing was on point, the ghoul was fully prepared for what was to come next.