What was found
By the time Levi and his squad had finished being briefed on all the information the Erwin left out in the original meeting and found Grisha's lab it was empty of the mad man. The man had obviously left in a hurry, something spooked him. The logical thought was that the letter was in fact not a trap and someone wanted to get Grisha caught and brought up on the charges against humanity that he is faced with, charges that will most likely get him executed.
“Alright everyone lets do this right. Grisha Jeager, if this is in fact his lab, is a mad man and the things in that building are going to be a very dangerous living nightmare. Be smart, be careful, and watch each others backs. I do not want to lose anyone today and we have already lost enough people to this monster.” Levi threw back at his team as he check his raid gear one more time, nothing like having twisted belts enabling the ability to get to his holsters in a gun fight. He had been shot like that when he first joined the military. Finally Levi gave the signal the entire squad fanned out to creep towards the house, they acted as though the house itself was a dangerous animal and if not it contained a dangerous animal, which knowing Grisha Jeager it might just in fact be swarming with dangerous things. Luckily the team made quick work of the first empty floor of the obviously well lived in horror house. It wasn't until they reached the door to the basement and unleashed the over powering sent of blood , urine, and decay that the entire team understood what Levi had described liking in the Underground was like. Levi was not as phased by the smell as Petra and Eld whom had to step away and decide to keep watch on the first floor. Gunther and Oluo descended the stairs first while Levi gave commands to those he would not force the obvious horror on. Levi was glad Petra and Eld stayed upstairs because the basement/lab was worse than a slasher film. Grisha Jeager was a monster and if Levi did not believe that before he sure did now. The smell of blood was almost overpowering for Levi and if Levi had been a softer man what he saw in that open lab would be making him gag like Oluo who was trying to remain strong with his best Levi impersonation.
“Oluo is the area clear of hostiles?” Levi asked the unnaturally pale man.
“Yes sir.” The soldier’s voice was shaky.
“Alright then go upstairs and check with Perta. Eld and I will handle down here until Hanji gets here in a few hours. Oluo looked gratefully at his captain and escaped back up the stairs. Looking around Levi was completely disgusted; bodies ripped apart, some even seeming to be blown apart due to the tear patterns, dead animals and human animal hybrids, non human and non recognizable creatures tied up or locked in cages some close to death in one way or another, jars full of blood, organs, fetuses, and other things. On the work table near an operating table lay both medical and rudimentary tools, that should not be used on a living creature, covered in layers of old blood. A large cage, no fighting ring, lay at the far side of the basement where it was obvious creatures lost their lives in a fight to the death.
“This is hell on earth. Hanji may enjoy what they will learn and hopefully that bastard wasn't able to finish whatever he was trying to create.” Levi mumbled to himself.
“Sir please come over here.” Gunther called out in a load whisper. Levi walked towards the far corner where Gunther was crouched in front of an open cage. Understandably Gunther was covering a crumpled male who was obviously still young, most likely an experiment the poor kid, with a blanket. The kid was unconscious with a small smile on his face, Levi would have thought him dead if not for the small puffs of breath showing up in the freezing air.
“I only noticed him because he was calling your name almost like a prayer. He told me he was surprised you came yourself but he was happy someone came to them. He was going on about how thankful he was that we got his mother's letter and that we could understand what he added to it. I think we may have just found the son of Grisha and Carla Jeager, I think this is Eren Jeager and he sold out his own father. Not that I blame him he seems to have had a lot of experiments preformed on him. Once I told him you were here he looked so relieved and then finally passed out, he is bleeding a lot so Grisha must have had at him one more time before high tailing it out of here.”
“Holy shit we were tipped off by the jackass' own kid, that is something else.” Doubts swirled in Levi's head that he knew wouldn't be calmed until the kid woke up so Levi could question him and Hanji checked him out. “What immediate damage do you see on the kid?” Levi didn't want to uncover the body to see when the kid was finally getting some bit of warmth even if it was just a cheap blanket Gunther always carried around due to his lower than normal temperature.
“Well besides an obvious beating and malnutrition I would say I saw a lot of needle marks and scars and the weird thing is that the kid has what looks like a dog's tail, ear's and canine teeth. Whatever Grisha was doing worked on the kid because they look natural and the coloring matches his hair color. “ Gunther spoke looking down at the kid once more with sympathy. Something about Gunther looking at the boy made Levi agitated, almost like he was a wild animal and this was his territory and Levi hadn't felt that way since protecting Izzy and Farlan in the Underground.
“Alright then I am going to take the kid upstairs, there has to be a bed somewhere, and have Petra clean up what wounds she can until Hanji gets here. See if there are any others down here we can help that are like him. If they are too dangerous or too far gone leave them where they are for now. Don't touch anything else, we will wait for the reco team and Hanji to deal with the other shit down here.” Gunther nodded and didn't question his Captain's odd behavior, Levi Ackerman did not willingly carry anyone or get dirty and he was offering to do both the care for the boy. Levi also made no indication of noticing his own behavioral change. He just quietly knelt onto the disgusting floor to pick up the lanky and frighteningly light male. Holding the boy to his chest Levi noticed a light dusting of freckles and the obvious dog's ears that had masked themselves into his unruly hair. If this was in fact Eren Jeager the kid had to be in his late teens early twenties. He had been around 10 years old when he went missing 10 years ago. The poor kid was skeletal feeling from under the blanket, no way an almost full grown and very tall male should be feeling. Levi held a hope that the kid lived through this nightmare, him and the others down here that Grisha may have had hidden away. Levi also hoped that this kid and any others would not share the views of Titan, with as much as they have gone through he did not want anyone to just accept that kind of hate and pain. And if this was in fact Grisha Jeager's son then the ideas may have been forced into him until he submitted, that was the law of the Underground and Levi knew it well having been forced into the killer's life under his Uncle Kenny. Once Levi got to the ground level he called for Pertra to get the first aid kit and set up the bedroom. While waiting he had Oluo stand guard and Eld gather food and water. Levi could breathe a little better knowing they had secured the house and would be long gone with everything before Grisha could return with back up.
“Captain the bed is ready so is the kit, that being said Squad Leader Hanji has called to ask progress.”
“Alright I am going to lay him down, I want you to patch him up the best you can. If he wakes up keep him calm and try to get him to eat a little something and try to drink. I am going to call Hanji and when he wakes up I want to talk to him. Baby him all you want until I can question him.”
“Is he in trouble, are you going to interrogate him?”
“Not really so don't worry mama bear. He was calling my name when we came in and he might be the missing Eren Jeager. He claims to be the one to sell out Grisha and even if that is a lie he might have insight on what was going on here.” Levi moved past the red headed woman with a stern look of a mother. Being that she was the squad mommy it made sense. It was not the fact she was the only woman in the squad but more so her instinct to mother everything and everyone with a pulse. As gently and quickly as possible Levi walked to the room Petra had motioned to. Laying the boy down on the bed brought just how small he was to light. Petra came in right behind and got to work tending the wounds that already seemed to be healing. At least the boy would get some warmth with all the blankets on the bed. He would have to find clothes for the youth before they brought him back to the base that was for sure.
“You know Captain if he were healthy he would be very pretty, probably as beautiful as his mother.”
“Petra stop. First he is probably a child and most certainly a brat. Second he looks like he isn't going to make it through the night. And three I don't need anyone in my life anymore. You people are close enough thank you very much. Stop trying to hook me up with every pretty boy you see.”
“Of course you need someone in your life Captain, hell even Hanji has their pets and they are asexual and aromantic. Everyone needs someone. You deserve your own piece of happiness that doesn't have to deal with your OCD cleaning habits.”
“Tch you have gotten mouthy over the years woman.”
“Of course or I wouldn't be able to handle you or the rest of the squad. Now I will watch over him and let you know when he wakes up, go call Hanji.” Petra smirked as Levi walked out of the room rolling his eyes.