Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Dangerous Territory	By : Rhov Category: +. to F > Attack on Titan /Shingeki No Kyojin Views: 4228 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own “Shingeki no Kyojin” and do not make money from this fanfic.

Chapter List
- 56
- 57
- 58
Chapter 57
Stumbling Lieutenant

A few minutes later, apple tarts came out with a side of ice cream. Levi truly could not believe he was eating like this. It felt like a dream! Reality was never this nice.
He spooned some of the cold sweetness into his mouth, felt it melt in hints of vanilla and cinnamon from the apple tart, and his eyes closed in bliss.
It felt real. It tasted real.
Across the table, lit warmly by candlelight, Eren smiled as he watched Levi enjoying the food.
"Is it good?" he asked, giddy with happiness.
Levi swallowed down the ice cream, and a tiny, heartfelt smile rose to his lips. "It's good. Thank you," he whispered.
Eren squeezed his hand. "When I come to New York, it'll be your turn to treat me."
When he came to New York! Not if … when!
"I look forward to it," he muttered, already imagining how nice it would be to go out again.
The tart, the ice cream, the wine: all of it was too good to be true, and yet Levi only had to stretch his foot out and feel Eren there. More than once, he reached over, purely to touch him and remind himself, this was no dream.
Suddenly, Eren flinched and rubbed his head.
"Are you okay?" Levi asked immediately, setting down his ice cream spoon with a clatter.
"A little dizzy," he said, waving it off.
"Don't fall asleep at the dinner table."
Eren laughed awkwardly. "I think I'll hold off on the wine. You can have the rest." He picked up the bottle and poured another glass for Levi.
"Don't tell me you're getting drunk."
Eren smiled privately and shook his head. "Too emotional. I'm trying to hold it all in." His lips trembled again as his eyelids began to turn pink from tears he held back.
Levi reached his hand out, the pearl ring gleaming, and Eren reached forward, placing his warm hand over Levi's. They squeezed each other's hands, full of fears, hopes, and unspoken promises.
"I love you," Eren whispered under his breath.
Levi ached to hear those words again. He began to open his mouth, but just then a waiter brought another couple past them. He slammed his mouth closed and turned his face away to avoid the new diners from seeing him. Instead, he crushed Eren's hand. He should not speak too much in this restaurant, but hopefully he could get his feelings across without words.
Eren rubbed his head again and went back to his dessert. They finished the ice cream, and Levi brought his napkin up. He wiped his mouth while discreetly wiping a tear from his eye. Damn him, but he really was going to miss this crazy German brat!
Levi slowly finished off the last of the wine, not really wanting this night to end. He also sneaked the last miniature loaf of bread into his purse out of habit. Especially if he was leaving soon, he needed to squirrel away as much food as he could. Meals like this would not happen on the road.
He did not want to think about that too much. Not when Eren was playing with his feet under the table again, blushing so adorably. Levi wondered what he was thinking about, what made his cheeks flush brighter than usual, and his eyes staring like he was lost, glassy, swimming in a comfortably warm haze. Levi felt slightly embarrassed by how Eren gazed at him so lustfully, right here in public.
"Are you ready to go back?" Eren whispered.
Although a simple question, the carnal fire burning in his eyes made Levi shiver. He nodded, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. He still had so many uncertainties about being intimate with a man, yet gazing into those eyes, doubts turned to desires.
Eren waved Onyankopon over to the table. "Zahlen bitte!" Check please!
Onyankopon bowed. "If it pleases you, Chef Nicolo has said you may have a free cheese platter, compliments for the wine."
"That's kind, but the wine is finished and we're ready to pay."
"Chef Nicolo said he wanted to personally thank you. If you'll give me a few minutes…"
"Now," Eren said firmly. "I must get her home."
His black eyes glanced over at Levi. "Very well. I can take your money and get your coats."
Eren pulled out his wallet, paid, and Onyankopon hurried off toward the coat room. Eren and Levi both stood up and straightened their clothes. Eren tugged down his uniform, while Levi slung his purse up on his shoulder. Eren turned to go, but for a moment, he held onto his chair as he swayed.
Was the expensive wine that much stronger?
He balanced himself, then stiffened up and stood firmly. Levi had an eyebrow raised, but Eren did not want to worry him. He offered his arm to Levi.
Together, they strolled through the restaurant. Eren looked proud to walk past all these Nazi officers, some of them glancing over with a smile at seeing young love in blossom, yet not a single one of them guessing just who the beauty on his arm really was.
Eren leaned over and whispered, "Danke, dass ich dich ausführen durfte." Thank you for letting me take you out.
Levi glanced over, wondering what crazy, romantic things Eren was saying this time. The young man looked flushed, his smile relaxed, and his eyes…
Wait, something was wrong with his eyes.
Eren suddenly stumbled to the side and held his head. Levi caught him, looking instantly worried. Eren shook out his head and blinked hard.
"Sorry. My head still hurts. Maybe the wine is hitting me."
He took a few more steps, but he swayed hard to the side. Levi cursed at Eren's unsteadiness. He was not stable enough in high heels to walk in them and hold up Eren at the same time.
Onyankopon immediately rushed back with their coats draped over his arm. "Sir! Are you okay?"
Eren felt heat under his collar. "Maybe … a rest first." He began to go limp.
Onyankopon grabbed Eren before he collapsed. "Sir!"
Levi quickly scanned around the restaurant. People were glancing over and whispering. Where was Floch? Levi knew he went inside to eat, but he did not see the man anywhere. Could he have already left back to the car?
He leaned in close to Onyankopon and whispered, "Surveille-le un instant. Je vais chercher de l'aide." Watch him for a moment. I'll get help.
The waiter nodded. Levi grabbed the blue coat and yanked it on as he ran out of the restaurant as fast as he could in his heels.
Outside, the rain was a cold torrent, blinding him and drenching the wig. He looked around at the dark streets, frantically searching for the car. He finally saw it parked down the street.
He splashed through puddles on the sidewalk, cursing the darkness and the rain. Suddenly, his heels hit a puddle with slippery wet leaves hidden on the bottom. Levi cried out in shock as his right ankle went sharply to the side, and he slammed into the brick wall of a building he was passing.
He screamed! Fire shot up his ankle and throughout his leg. His foot was completely bent to the side. He held onto the bricks, struggling to keep upright as he tried to straighten his foot.
It hurt! Acidic pain brought tears to his eyes. He hissed and bit back more screams.
Fuck! Not my ankle! Not now!
Levi was shivering from the pain, but his jaw tightened with determination. He needed to continue! However, at the first step, he fell again.
This was worse than a slight sprain. Was his ankle actually broken?
Fuck!
A man walking down the street came over and took hold of his arm. "Vous allez bien, mademoiselle?" Are you okay, miss?
However, as he reached out to help Levi straighten up, the man began to grope the padded bra. Levi's fist shot out, hitting the man under the chin and nearly flipping him backward. He crashed to the sidewalk into a muddy puddle.
"Vieillard lubrique!" Lecherous old man!
Levi continued forward through the rain, limping hard now, biting back more screams, but determined.
He'll protect you now, but you must protect him.
He needed to get Eren help!
He saw Floch in the car playing a card game by himself in the light of his military torch. Levi pounded on the window, making Floch jump and drop both his cards and his light.
Floch was astonished to see "Louise" standing there, drenched and without an umbrella. "Wo ist Herr Oberleutnant? Was ist die Angelegenheit?" Where is the Lieutenant? What is the matter? Floch watched as the small blond kept silently waving. "Geht's hier um Eren? Geht's ihm gut?" Is this about Eren? Is he all right?
Levi had no idea what Floch was saying or how to tell him that Eren was stumbling around, possibly drunk. He waved frantically for Floch to come and began to limp back toward the restaurant, turning around and waving at him to follow. Floch finally understood and rushed out. He brought his umbrella and held it over both him and Levi.
"Ist Ihr Knöchel verstaucht?" Is your ankle sprained? Floch was worried when he received no response. "Warum antworten Sie nicht?" Why aren't you answering?
Despite the silence, he realized something was really wrong by the way the person beside him hurried forward despite grimacing in pain.
Then Floch saw a man splayed out on the sidewalk. He slowed down, eying the man suspiciously—had he passed out drunk? When the man slowly raised up, he saw Levi sneering at him and a German soldier following behind. He scrambled to his feet and began to run away screaming in fear.
Floch smiled smugly. Obviously, the man must have been scared of him! Then he realized "Louise" had not slowed down, and he rushed to catch up, again making sure the umbrella was over them both.
Inside the restaurant, they saw both Nicolo and Onyankopon had gotten Eren onto their shoulders, half-dragging him over to a side room.
"What happened to him?" asked Floch. He rushed forward and pushed Onyankopon out of the way so he could slip Eren's arm around his neck. "Sorry about this. I'll take him from here."
"No, it's fine," said Nicolo. "I was going to let him rest in my office. There's a couch there."
"That is very nice of you," Floch said, snatching away Eren's coat from Onyankopon, "but it's best if he rests at home. His wife can look after him."
"Wife?" Nicolo looked over to Levi. "Oh, I see. Well, his wife is free to stay with him here. I can get her something to drink while we wait for him to sober up."
"Again, very nice of you," Floch said, persistently dragging Eren toward the exit, "but I think it's best to let him sleep it off. Just how much did you drink, sir?" he asked, but Eren was too dizzy to answer. "Please open the door for us."
"Oh, yes, of course. Onyankopon! Ouvre la porte. Vite!" Open the door. Hurry!
The Black man looked at Nicolo with a furrowed brow, then shrugged and went forward to open the door wide for them. Levi held his umbrella while Floch held his own, and between them they dragged Eren along into the night.
Nicolo followed behind them with an umbrella, trying to cover them as well. "I feel so awful, especially after you bought such fine wine. Please allow me to send a basket of bread for tomorrow morning. It's the least I can do, after your generous patronage. Where shall I send it?"
Floch told him which hotel they were staying at while Levi pushed Eren into the car, getting in with him.
While Floch kept talking to the fretting restaurant owner, Levi whispered, "Are you okay?"
"That was good wine," Eren slurred slowly with a goofy smile on his face.
"Seriously, there's no way you're this drunk after just two glasses. Did you taste anything weird?"
"Your dick," he said, and Eren burst into wild laughs.
Levi rolled his eyes. "You better not say anything that stupid in German. You'll get us both killed. Just pass out like a good little drunk."
Eren slumped over onto Levi's shoulder. "You gonna let me suck it again?"
"Not when you're like this."
"Aww. I want it." He opened his mouth and sloppily flopped his face onto Levi's lap, ready to devour anything. "Om nom nom…"
Levi yanked him back up by the hair and pushed him against the passenger door. "Bloody hell, man! Seriously, don't—" He cut off sharply as the driver's door opened and Floch took his seat, putting the soaked umbrellas beside him.
Floch turned around to face the backseat and asked, "Wie geht's ihm?" How is he?
Levi felt panicked. He had no idea what Floch was asking.
"Was hat er gegessen?" What did he eat?
Levi's eyes were huge in fear. He had a feeling something was really wrong with Eren, but how could he explain it to this soldier when they did not even speak the same language? Levi heard a moan, and Eren began to slump over. He turned back around to grab him and hold him up.
Floch reached back and grabbed Levi's arm. "Ernsthaft, haben Sie irgendeine Idee, was ihm passiert ist?" Seriously, do you have any idea what happened to him? However, he felt the taut muscles in Levi's arm. The drenched wig was tilting to the side, and as the makeup smeared down, he saw the face clearer. Floch's mouth slowly dropped. "Sie sind nicht Louise." You're not Louise.
Eren's hand shot out, crushed Floch's wrist, and yanked his hand away. His eyes looked feverish as he snarled, "Fass mein Freund verdammt nochmal nie wieder an." Don't fucking touch my boyfriend again.
Floch turned his shocked face over to Eren. "Was ist hier los, Herr Oberleutnant?" What's going on here, First Lieutenant?
Just as fast as he had reacted—a mere protective instinct—Eren lost his grip and crumbled backward. "Wir sind auf einer streng geheimen Mission. Bitte, vertrau mir." We're on a top secret mission. Please, trust me. Eren's head collapsed to the side, smashing up against the rainy window. His breaths were becoming labored and slow. "Bitte vertrau mir, Floch. Beschütze ihn. Bitte…" Please trust me, Floch. Protect him. Please.
Floch looked back over to Levi, and this time his eyes narrowed, actually looking closely, beyond the wig and makeup. "Sie sind doch der Jude." You're that Jew. He pursed his lips, looking upset and betrayed. Then he glanced back over at Eren, and his face went cold with determination. Slowly, he asked Levi, "Vous parlez français, oui?" You speak French, yes?
Well, at least he knew a little bit of his language. Levi silently nodded.
"Quel est le problème avec lui? Qu'est-ce qu'il a mangé?" What's wrong with him? What did he eat?
Levi was honestly shocked. Although his accent was thick and his pronunciation was way off, he could understand Floch. "Je ne sais pas." I don't know. "We had some wine and food. He didn't drink too much, not enough to be drunk."
Floch's face turned serious. "Poison?"
That was Levi's biggest fear right now. Either accidental from bad food, or … could this all have been Yelena's work all along, a way to poison Eren? He looked down at his own hands, checking for tremors, dizziness, or any signs of being drugged.
"I tasted nothing weird. Whatever it is, I'm not affected. He said he had a headache earlier. He was flushed, but I thought…" He thought Eren was merely thinking dirty thoughts. Maybe he was, but now Levi worried, just how long had this been affecting Eren, and he hid the symptoms. He felt Eren's forehead. "He's sweating, but I don't feel a fever." He felt his neck. "His pulse is slow." He picked up his hands and checked the color of the nails. They were pink, which meant oxygen was still getting to the extremities. "That's good."
"Hospital, or hotel?"
Levi knew he should probably send Eren straight to the hospital, but if he did… a Wehrmacht officer being poisoned was definitely something the Gestapo would investigate. His room would be searched. Levi's clothes and Tanakh were there; he realized he had not even hidden them away. Although Floch might be able to rush him back to the hotel, what if the police arrived first? Eren could survive being poisoned only to be arrested for aiding a Jew.
"Let him rest in his own room, but get a doctor. With any luck, it's just bad food and he'll have the shits all night. If it's worse…" He scowled at the probability. He did not even want to think about that!
Floch turned back around and started up the car. "Let me know if he gets worse."
As they drove down the street, Levi glared at Floch. "Are you going to report me?" If this was going to be a problem, he would rather slit this man's throat now and let Eren be angry at him later.
Floch shook his head. "I trust Oberleutnant Jäger. He said this was a … how do you say it … a top secret mission."
Levi raised an eyebrow. "Did he, now?"
"Eh? Oh, you don't speak German," Floch realized slowly, turning down another street and continuing through the rain. "Yes, he said that this was top secret and asked me to protect you."
Levi looked over to Eren, who had passed out with his face smashed against the window. Top secret mission? Asking Floch to protect him? Really! He could lie so easily even to his most trusted men. It was a little bit frightening.
"Do the other officers know the truth about who you are?"
Levi shook his head. "They all think I'm Louise."
"Is she involved in this?"
"No!" he snapped. He did not want that woman to get into trouble because of him. "She's just an innocent girl whom Eren helped."
"I see. But … well, he did marry her, right? Was that at least real?"
Levi's eyes dropped to the pearl ring on his hand, then over to the gold wedding band on Eren's hand. "They are legally husband and wife." It hurt to say that.
"But he doesn't love her," Floch realized, his voice sinking in disappointment. "I had a feeling when he left that farm so coldly, but then I was hoping … but that was you with him." He glanced in the rear view mirror at the man in a blond wig feeling Eren's head with touches that were just a little too intimate. His face drew up in a scowl. "Are you and Oberleutnant Jäger…" His words cut off with a snap of his lips as they slammed down into a pout.
Levi turned sharply to Floch, and his eyes narrowed. "Are we what?"
Floch looked like he really wanted to ask for details, but he struggled to tame back that curiosity. "Like I said, I trust Eren Jäger. I don't know why he's doing this, and I don't need to know. So long as your mission helps Germany to win, that's all that matters."
Levi wanted to sneer at the idea. Him, help the Nazis to win? Like hell! Then again, his survival and Eren's safety depended on Floch remaining perfectly loyal.
"As for everything else…" Floch's brow furrowed deeply, thinking about getting condoms with Eren, listening to the two of them making out in the backseat, all these intimate outings to cafés and shopping, and even a romantic dinner. There was no way all of that was purely for a mission. Despite a disapproving frown, Floch said decisively, "It's none of my business. No matter what he does or … or who he does it with, I trust him. He is my commanding officer. I would march into Hell following him."
Levi was truly stunned by the degree of Floch's loyalty. To believe Eren's lies without question, to accept his sexuality despite personal disagreement, to follow his lead even when he had no idea where Eren was headed, and to obey his orders with fanatic determination: truly, Floch's loyalty was borderline worship.
"Eren picked a good man to be his adjutant."
Floch beamed with pride, and Levi figured that praise should be enough to guarantee his obedience.
"So," Floch asked hesitantly, "have you been involved in this since the beginning? Hauptmann Woermann treated you quite badly in the last town. Did he know, or were you picked for this mission later?"
Levi's eyes narrowed. Did Floch seriously believe that whole thing about a top secret mission? Might as well play into it. "Let's just say, your captain knows nothing. Eren and I began to work together before we arrived in Metz. That's why I was the only survivor."
Floch whispered, "They really killed all the rest, huh? Why you?"
"If I told you, I would have to kill you."
Floch nodded, accepting the secrecy. "Forgive me for being curious. I won't ask for details. I wouldn't want to be the reason Oberleutnant Jäger fails in his mission."
"Good. As far as you or anyone else knows, Eren killed me right after you arrived in Metz."
"That's what he told me," Floch mumbled, frowning again that Eren had lied. "Is there anyone in Metz Eren can turn to, anyone who knows your secret."
Levi hesitated. "Those who need to know, know."
"What about the Gestapo? If this is a top secret mission, surely they know about it." He paused and his eyes widened as they gazed in the rear view mirror at Levi. "Or is it above even them?"
"They don't know, and they can't know what Eren is doing, or that I'm alive."
Floch's mouth dropped as he looked at the reflection of Eren passed out against the window. "What did he get involved in?"
Levi muttered, "Something way over his head."
"This is for Germany, right?" he asked, starting to sound panicked.
Levi held back his sneer of contempt. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you're French, and a Jew." He paused and whispered, "Are you a Jew?"
Levi said in a frigid tone, "I cannot reveal that information."
"Just who are you?" Floch cried out.
"I cannot reveal that information."
He cringed and whispered, "Are you working for the French Resistance?"
"They can all fuck each other!" he sneered. If Yelena did this to Eren, he would make her pay! "Don't worry. I'm not working for the Resistance or any Allies. Eren is completely loyal to Germany. He would never betray his country."
Floch sighed out a tense laugh. "That's a relief."
"I cannot reveal what our mission is. You'll have to trust him."
"Oh, I do! I do!" he insisted. "I will help him in any way I can, all for the glory of Germany and Hitler."
Levi again only barely held back contempt, although it twisted in his heart. Seriously, Floch sounded like he enjoyed thinking his commanding officer was some bad-ass spy now. "Eren trusts you. Don't let him down."
"Never! I will keep his secret," Floch said with firm determination. Then he frowned and glanced back. "Do you think, whoever your enemies are, they did this to Eren?"
Levi focused back on Eren, who had passed out awkwardly against the car door and was breathing slowly. "I don't know. Those who know I'm here aren't my enemies, unless this is an enemy I've not counted on." He squeezed Eren's hand. "I'm hoping it's just bad food, but I've lived this long by always expecting the worst. In my line of work, that tends to be the most accurate assumption."
"Your line of work?"
Levi had not even realized that he slipped back into his old mentality, thinking and speaking the way he had back when he was a spy. His line of work! Maybe he never fully left that line of work; he was merely forced into an early retirement from the Deuxième Bureau. The covert operator in him was still there, still trained, and still deadly.
He shot Floch a threatening glare. "Another word, and not even rats will find your body. No more questions!"
Floch focused on the road and sped up, splashing through puddles as the rain pelted down on the roof of the car. He asked nothing else, determined to help Eren in whatever way he could.
Levi sank in private relief that Floch was actually going to obey him. He caressed Eren's face and wiped some rain water off his brow. "You're not going to be taken out like this, takhshet," he whispered. "Not on my watch!"
* * *
They reached the hotel, and Floch parked as close to the main door as he could. They both grabbed Eren under the arms to drag him inside. He opened wavering eyes and moaned, partly conscious although his legs no longer worked. He had gone completely limp, only mumbling random words.
In the foyer, Holger saw them and ran forward. "What happened?"
"Too much wine," Floch answered. "Do you know anyone who can help us get him upstairs?"
Holger turned around to the group he had been standing with. "Wim! Carry Jäger."
The stoic, broad man came forward and easily hoisted Eren up over his shoulders. Eren giggled as his head fell down and his cap came off.
"Ich bin ein Kartoffelsack." I'm a potato sack.
Wim mumbled, "Not the first time I've had to carry a drunk soldier home like this."
Levi picked up Eren's fallen cap and held it to his chest. Floch came up and patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. He whispered in French, "Let's get you back to the room."
"Wait!" Levi grabbed Floch's shoulder. He glanced around the foyer, but there were too many soldiers standing around. He waved Floch to lean in, and then he whispered into his ear. "With those men helping, this causes a problem. There are items key to our mission in Eren's room that they cannot see."
Floch's eyes widened. "Did I mess up by asking them?"
Yes, definitely, but then again, it was doubtful he and Floch could have gotten Eren up the stairs on their own without attracting even more attention. "In missions like this, we don't worry if a decision was good or bad. We make it, and we deal with the repercussions. My ankle is injured, they'll reach the room before me, so I need you to get Eren's key out of his left pocket and rush ahead of them. There is a bag in the far corner beside the window. Hide it."
"Where?"
"I don't know! In the closet or shove it under the bed. Also, make sure the bathroom door is closed. There are suspicious items in there. Don't let them enter that room."
Floch nodded firmly. "Got it!"
He rushed to Wim and Holger, telling them he would get the room opened up. Levi watched as Floch dug the key out of Eren's pocket and sprinted up the stairs.
Levi glanced back at the entryway doors.
He could turn around right now!
He could leave and be safe.
Live, no matter the price.
There was no real reason for him to be there. If anything, it was a danger to Eren if he stayed and got discovered. He could leave this in the hands of Floch.
If he went up those stairs, with his ankle as it was, he would not easily be able to get back down. Eren was not in a condition to help him if it came to a fight. He would be damning himself to whatever fate awaited them.
He looked at the hotel doors, then down to the officer's cap in his hands with its swastika and eagle, and finally up to the staircase. His knuckles tightened around the brim of the cap, wanting to rip it in half as a battle of survival versus love waged in his mind.
Escape, leave Eren sick and vulnerable, but he would survive.
Stay, care for Eren and protect him, but he might get caught.
Live, no matter the price.
But this time, that price might be Eren's life.
"Fuck it all," he sneered to himself, and he limped forward to follow them up the stairs.
Holger and Wim were already one floor above him. Levi's ankle severely burned, and the four flights of stairs were an excruciating torture. He flinched, gritted his teeth, but he could not curse or make any sort of sound, lest someone hear the masculinity in his voice. Slowly, one step at a time, he made his way up.
He reached the third landing when Floch jogged back down to him. "Vous voilà." Here you are.
Levi whispered tersely, "Is it hidden?"
Floch nodded and leaned into Levi's ear. "The bag is under the bed. I saw clothes in the bathroom and hid them, then shut the door. I also saw a French book. I'm assuming that's yours, so I hid that under the bed too." He cringed and whispered in worry, "This is dangerous."
"Life is dangerous. The sooner you learn that, the sooner you start to actually live."
"Are you really going to stay with him? It won't be safe."
"What did I just say?" Levi snapped. "I considered leaving, but … I have to stay near him," he whispered, forcing his legs to go onward.
"For the mission?"
Levi said nothing, hopping up another step on his good leg.
Floch took Levi's arm. "Please, let me help you. I can even carry you up."
"You will do no such thing!" he snapped. "Make sure Eren is safe."
"Holger is calling a doctor, and Wim is getting him out of his uniform. Eren asked me to protect you, so at least for now, I will care for you in his place."
Levi scowled, but the pain in his ankle really was severe. "Fine! But you're not carrying me."
He held onto Floch's arm, limping up step by step as he kept his weight off his swelling ankle. They made their way up, and Levi could not help but heavily rely on Floch holding onto him. Every step in those heels burned. Floch slowly led him to the room. Other officers had come out to check on the commotion. Levi kept his face down, dreading that someone might question who he was. Floch was loyal, but was he clever enough to lie?
Luckily, he made it into the room, and Floch shoved the other officers back. Levi stepped in and glanced around, making sure nothing else suspicious was lying around. Luckily, Floch had cleaned up any evidence with proficiency.
Wim had laid Eren out on the bed, now wearing his trousers and undershirt with the tunic tossed over a chair. Levi stepped forward, gazing in anguish. Now in better lighting, he could see that Eren was ghastly pale. If not for the slow rise and fall of his chest, Levi would have taken him for dead.
His heart seized up. He dropped the officer's cap onto the nightstand and grasped Eren's limp hand.
How did this happen? What was going to happen to both of them now?
Wim walked up to Levi. "Sind Sie seine Frau? Ich habe einen Arzt angerufen. Er wird jeden Moment hier sein."
Levi stared up at the bullish man. What the hell was going on?
Floch walked over and translated, "Il a téléphoné à un médecin. Il sera là à tout moment." He telephoned a doctor. He'll be here any moment.
Levi nodded. "Excusez-moi," he said, aiming his voice high. He rushed into the bathroom to make sure everything was hidden away, and to finally relieve nature after holding it half the day.
Wim waited until the door had shut before looking over to Floch. "I thought Eren's wife spoke German."
Floch's throat tensed up in a moment of panic. "Uh … w-well, she does, but … but she's in a fluster right now. It's hard to understand another language when you're worried over your husband."
"How did this happen?"
"They were dining at Nicolo's. I was in the car when she came racing out to get me. Eren was still conscious, but he couldn't stand upright. I thought he was just drunk."
"That's not alcohol," Wim said darkly. "I've seen poison before."
Floch grimaced as his fears seemed to be coming true. "How? You don't think that Nicolo…"
"No. We've eaten there so many times, if he wanted to kill an officer … I mean, for one, he has majors eating there. Why target a lieutenant?" Wim glared at the bathroom door. "I hate to say it, but she's suspicious."
"Louise? No!" Floch insisted. "They just got married. She's … She's pregnant with his child."
"Maybe that's why," Wim said darkly. "I heard vomiting this morning. Maybe she doesn't want to be pregnant. Maybe she never wanted to be married in the first place. She was a prostitute, after all. How much can we really trust her?"
Floch firmly shook his head. "They just had a romantic day together. They're wildly in love. Hell, I thought they were going to have sex in the backseat of the car."
"That proves nothing."
"No! It's definitely not her."
"Was anyone else near them?"
"I don't know. I ate there as well, but I was sitting in a different part of the restaurant."
"That means, only her."
"No!" Floch pursed his lips, but he pulled Wim aside a little. "I shouldn't say anything, but Eren is involved in something top secret. Louise is helping him. They may have enemies we don't know about."
"Then why not poison her?"
"She's a pregnant woman. It takes a truly heartless devil to harm someone like that."
Wim's brow pulled down. "You say she's helping him with a mission?"
Floch nodded and whispered, "Top secret. I can't say more."
"Do you vouch for her?"
"With my life!"
"Then take her somewhere. I don't want her near Eren."
"Why not?" Floch shouted in protest.
Wim glanced to the bathroom again and lowered his voice. "If he was targeted by an enemy, she may be next. At the worst, if he dies, she shouldn't be here to see that. Death by poison can be very disturbing to witness."
Floch grimaced in distress and looked back over to Eren. However, he said solemnly, "I'll find a place for her to stay."
Just then, Ian Dietrich marched to the doorway and peered in. "I heard Jäger is sick."
"Likely poison," said Wim.
Floch shoved them both out the door. "Talk about it outside. We should let him rest until the doctor comes."
Wim and Holger left the room to talk to Ian and Gunther. Floch slowly shut the door, then as soon as the voices were blocked, he rapped on the bathroom room.
"Jew!" he whispered in French. "You need to get out of here, now!"
Levi stepped out drying his hands. "What is it?"
"You're under suspicion."
"What? Why?" he hissed.
"They think it was you who poisoned Eren."
Levi's mouth dropped, and he looked back to the bed. "I would never—"
"I know. I need to get you out of here, but if you need to stay near Eren, there's one option." He pointed up to the hatch in the ceiling.
"The attic? But won't it be suspicious when I just vanish."
"Everyone is in chaos. I'll say you left and they just didn't see you. Hurry, before they come back."
Levi limped to the hatch, and Floch pulled the chair up under it. Floch had to jump to push the hatch up. Then he helped to lift Levi up, since he could not climb onto the chair with his ankle swelling up.
Just as Levi reached the attic, his leg slipped. Floch lost hold of him, and the exposed shin scraped hard on the edge of the hatch. Levi bit back a scream of pain as his skin ripped apart, and right away he felt hot liquid dripping.
"Mein Gott! You're bleeding!"
"No shit," Levi grumbled. He managed to scramble all the way up and set his leg out on the attic floor. He hissed as he looked down and saw that the wood had sliced a gash the length of his finger into his leg. "Fuck! Grab my bag and the clothes in the bathroom."
Floch rushed around and gathered all of Levi's stuff, handing them up one at a time: the French books, his bag, the clothes, his flat cap, and his black trench coat. Levi took them and tossed them to the side in the attic.
"I'll look for bandages."
"No time!" Levi hissed, and he slammed the hatch down.
Not even five seconds later, he heard a door open, and Floch addressed someone as "Herr Doktor." Levi stayed where he was, blood dripping down his leg and pooling on the wooden floor, breathing quietly while shaking from the pain. He did not dare to even crawl over to the bedding, not when he knew there were officers in the room below.
Minutes passed listening to the Germans talk, while his leg slowly grew hot from the cut. He wanted to groan, realizing he would likely end up with an infection. As he waited, he went through everything that happened, thinking through every part of that night.
If this was poison, when had it been sneaked in? Not the wine; he drank some of that. Inside the cup, maybe? Was it in the food? He should have tasted some of Eren's food, although if he had, maybe he would be poisoned now too. Or was it a slow release, and it was not the dinner, but the lunch at the tea shop? Was that kind woman serving them tea actually part of some enemy group?
As a former spy, Levi knew that the poison could have been administered in an even sneakier way. Not in food, but in an unseen attack. He once knew a British spy who used poisoned needles hidden inside a pen.
There was no telling how this may have happened.
He waited for what felt like hours, and finally he heard some of the men leaving. He waited, but he did not dare open the hatch to peek out.
Sitting there was pointless. With his shoes off and moving as slowly as possible, Levi crept over to the window. There, he could inspect the wound better. It was a jagged cut, sure to leave yet another scar on his body. He took the dust cloth to wipe up what he could. It was not sanitary, but then again, he had nothing to wash out the cut. Then he tore a strip off the cloth and used that to wrap around the wound. Hopefully, Eren still had some disinfectant on him, but it had to wait until morning.
He then checked the ankle, and he whispered a curse. Purplish-red bruising had spread across the swollen ankle. The skin was hot to the touch and heat throbbed through his whole foot.
Now how was he supposed to leave Metz? Hobble his way out?
"Yiddisher mazel," he whispered. Bad luck. Fucking bad luck!
He got out of the dress and pulled on his normal clothes, jacket, and his wool cap since it was getting cold. He looked at his bag. Leaving this in Eren's room had been sloppy. They both had gotten so accustomed to living together, they were forgetting just how dangerous this was, how easily someone could search the room and find evidence of a Jew living there.
Levi pulled out his knife, the one he took off Sasha's body. He gazed at the blade in the rainy moonlight, and memories of that woman's heroics played through his mind.
To die fighting for a cause! To die saving others!
Hers was a hero's death.
He also took the folding knife Eren had loaned him out of the purse and shoved it into his pocket. He hid the bag behind the wall of boxes. For now, he kept his shoes off since his ankle was so swollen. He placed his men's shoes by the bedding next to the bag. He hid the heels, wig, dress, and blue coat inside a crate.
Then Levi sat by the window and stared out into the darkness. Rain pattered heavily above him like a horse stampede. His bleeding leg stung, his ankle was searing hot, but the pain in his heart was far worse than any physical injury.
His head crashed down into his arms. He had been beside Eren that whole day, yet someone had managed to poison him. He could not do a damn thing about it, and now he had even placed Louise under suspicion.
The day had been so wonderful up until now. Everything was perfect. Romantic. He had not felt so happy in such a long, long time!
Why was it that every time he felt truly happy, something horrible happened?
He raised his eyes to the dark rafters. "Lord, whatever angel you've sent to protect me this whole time, I surrender that shielding, if only you'll send that angel to save him. Please God," he whispered, and a tear slipped down his cheek. "Please, don't take him away from me."
# # #
# #
#
Y'all thought they were going to have a sexy night, didn'cha?
poisoned needles hidden inside a pen – Although this is straight out of James Bond's Moonraker, it was an actual weapon used by the SIS during World War II, although the needles were never actually poisoned. The spy would bluff, telling an enemy the poison would kill them in seconds, either as a threat so they could escape a tricky situation, or so a victim hit with a needle would spill their secrets in desperation to get a promised antidote before the "poison" killed them. However, the British did create a pencil that fired a .35-mm bullet, and a "tobacco pipe pistol," and a real poison pen was recently confiscated off a North Korean spy. James Bond was not that far off.
Have a good Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Poppy Day, or Veterans Day, depending on where you live.
- 56
- 57
- 58
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Dangerous Territory