I'm so sorry for not updating earlier. Here's the next chapter!

Enjoy.

Chapter 8: It's no longer you Kingdom!

The Survey Corps returned to the safety of the Wall with mixed emotions. The true purpose of the expedition was achieved and Commander Erwin couldn't be any happier with the outcome. He had successfully captured not one but two titan shifters amongst their ranks and one of those shifters was directly responsible for the fall of Wall Maria 5 years ago. This proved two things for the Commander: firstly, the importance of reaching Shiganshina become great since their enemy went to great lengths to stop them. Secondly, the thought of the Colossal Titan being one of the infiltrators was made abundantly clear since the Colossal Titan and the Armoured Titan worked together to break down Wall Maria.

Both Annie and Reiner were sedated during the trip back to the wall but when they awoke, the Survey Corps had already restrained them in the dungeons and the Commander was quick to interrogate. The need for answers was dire and the Corporal Levi wasn't standing on ceremony, as every unanswered question or act of defiance was meant with physical castigation and judging from Annie's bruises and broken ribs as well as Reiner's broken nose and busted lip, the two titan shifters were very defiant. It was as though the fact that they were chained to chairs in an eerie dungeon under the HQ of the Survey Corps didn't bother them.

After hours upon hours of torture and interrogation proved to bear no fruit, in a last ditch attempt, the Commander ordered Armin, Eren, Ymir and Mikasa to try get some much needed answers. The walk down to the dungeons was daunting and silent as the betrayal of two of their most closet friends and comrades hit home but none more so than Eren, who still couldn't wrap his head around Annie's actions. When the group of four reached the door leading into the room where the two titan shifters were held, they released the breath of air that they didn't know they held as Armin opened the door.

The tension was thick and heavy. Nobody said a single word for what felt like hours but they didn't need to say anything. They knew that they were here to get answers but the fact that the two infiltrators were so close to them; they just couldn't bring themselves to do what was needed. Annie could only hang her head in shame as Eren's anger and hurt filled eyes bore into her skull. Reiner on the other hand was glaring at Armin with so much repugnance that the young prince hid behind Mikasa. He couldn't get over the 180 degree turn Reiner's attitude had taken since he always viewed the bulky blonde as a brother but right now, it seemed as though the chains that were binding him to the chair were preventing the shifter from killing Armin.

"Eren…" Annie all but whispered. She could already tell from his clenched jaw and tense shoulders that Eren had reached his boiling point.

"SHUT YOUR MOTHERFUCKING MOUTH!" Eren yelled as he slammed his fist into the wall. Annie recoiled in fear more than shock since she had been expecting him to lash out at her but the fire that burned in his emerald eyes was burning with wrath.

"E-Eren… hear h-her out. Maybe she h-has something u-useful to say." Armin stuttered at his best friend whilst he was still standing behind Mikasa. He didn't know what he feared more right now, Annie and Reiner or Eren.

"Don't you dare try defend me! Targaryen SCUM!" Annie retorted as her signature death glare settled on Armin but all that managed to achieve was a swift kick to her jaw compliments of Mikasa Ackerman herself. The sound of bone breaking was sickeningly absolute.

"W-Wait M-Mikasa… if she knows my s-surname than that means that she comes from my Kingdom."

"It's NOT YOUR KINGDOM ANYMORE!" Reiner yelled at Armin, pulling at his restraints with all his might but only managed to draw blood at his wrists. "It's bad enough that your worthless family had no respect for the hierarchy and marrying off a true blooded royal with a filthy commoner but for you to steal the Grid was downright deceitful. You deserve nothing but death." This caused everyone to stare at the blonde with wide eyes, including Annie but it seemed that she was shocked for an entirely different reason.

"Reiner shut up!" Annie hissed but was promptly restricted of air when Eren grabbed her throat.

"What is he talking about!?" Eren said sternly, steeling his eyes as he bore into Annie's azure orbs. All Annie did was spit in his face. Eren was about to punch her but the sound of the door being flung open interrupted him. Standing at the frame was none other than Kenny Ackerman with Commander Erwin and Corporal Levi behind him and all three men looked mortified. Without missing a beat Kenny ran up to Armin and knelt in front of him.

"Sir! I bring grim news from Wall Sina. It would appear that the Military Police had a spy amongst the ranks of the Survey Corps." This caused all the teens in the room to gasp. "The Military Police are now aware of your existence." Kenny said solemnly, never removing his gaze from the Prince.

"Is the spy Bertolt?" Eren asked the eldest of the Ackerman family. It was then that all eyes fell on Eren, since it was odd for him to make a keen observation. "What? It makes sense though. Bertolt was never seen without Reiner or Annie…" Everyone one could only nod save for Annie and Reiner who just shook their heads in disagreement, ready to defend their partner in crime.

"That is correct Eren Yeager." Kenny said as he rose to his feet. Annie and Reiner's eyes were as wide as dinner plates following Kenny's revelation.

"Impossible!" Reiner yelled at Kenny. "Bertolt would NEVER sell us out!" Annie could only nod with agreement. Annie, Reiner and Bertolt were on the same team. They were tasked by their kingdom to perform the same mission.

"Yes! There is no way Bertolt would allow the Grid to fall into the hands of this wretched Kingdom." Annie said venomously but quickly ducked her head down in regret as she had said too much. Armin didn't waste time as he turned his attention to Kenny.

"What's 'The Grid'?" Armin seemed to have lost his earlier misgivings about interrogating his friends as his confidence was back in full swing.

"The Grid is-" Kenny didn't even get to finish his sentence when a loud boom erupted from upstairs. The group quickly ran up the stairs to see what was happening that they didn't even bother shutting the door.

When they got upstairs, they saw their fellow comrades running towards the front door. They then saw that there was a large group of Survey Corps members bundled at the door. Not one to stand on ceremony, Corporal Levi pushed through all of them making a path for the group to get through but when they got to the front, all they saw was a large cluster of Military Police officers with guns pointed at them.

"What's the meaning of this?" Commander Erwin demanded at his counterpart, Commander Nile.

"We hereby arrest Armin Targaryen, Ymir Targaryen, Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, Kenny Ackerman and Lance Corporal Levi Ackerman for plotting treason and suspicion of infiltrating the walls to kill the King." This made all the other members of the Corps to stare at the group of 6 in shock. "The punishment is death." Commander Nile concluded. Members of squad 104 then saw the familiar face of Bertolt appear alongside the Commander of the Military Police. Of all the people to act rash, it was truly unbelievable that Mikasa was the first to throw hurtful words at sweaty soldier.

"You fucking traitor! How could-" Mikasa was stopped when a bullet punctured through her left lung and out her back. Everyone grew silent as they watched Mikasa's body fall helplessly to the ground with a loud thud. Commander Nile and most of the Police turned their shell-shocked faces to a Police officer in the front row, holding the rifle with trembling hands and a scared look on his face as if he had made a grave mistake.

He had.

It was then that Armin released hell upon Earth.

End

Chapter 9: The power of the Grid.