(AU!Eren x Agent!Reader) Decode (Chapter 5)

Decode (Chapter Five)
AU!Eren x Agent!Reader

“So what kinds of tests did you go over on Eren?”

Erwin asked, as Petra and ___(name)___ collected the dishes and utensils from the large wooden table and brought them to the sink. Levi sipped his coffee as Hanji took out her clipboard with some notes on the paper.

“We had him do the several tests two ways—one, with him looking at the notes that ___(name)___ took and two, with the raw document itself. We put one of our neroscan headsets on him to measure the electric activity in the neurons of the brain, and also tested his blood pressure.”

Hanji took a sip of her water and cleared her throat.

“When he observed the symbols ___(name)___ copied from the Magna Carta by running his finger over it, he had no reactions, and his blood pressure and EEG recording was normal. However, when he did the same with the raw material, and his reactions were strange. Blood pressure was stable, however the EEG recording showed something else. We asked him if he was able to decode something, but he seemed to have only 'felt that something was out of place' and that 'the air seemed to thin'. After several tests, though, it was obvious that he reacted only to the raw piece of material.”

Hanji continued, explaining the other tests, including the ones where they had him trace over the symbols and all sorts of things, but with little help of decoding it. Petra and ___(name)___ finished cleaning the dishes and joined the rest at the table, while Erwin took the papers from Hanji and observed them.

“You know,” Petra begins, “maybe we should check again by focusing one of the five senses.”

“We've tried touch and sight... smell, well, he's been exposed to the Magna Carta and if it were smell, he should be able to decode it by now...”

“Taste is another, but that's disgusting. We're not gonna let the brat lick the fucking document.”

“I'm not going with that either...” Eren said, agreeing.

“Leaves us with hearing, then,” Erwin said, standing up from his seat.

___(name)___ sniffed as she just shrugged, not understanding much of this expert talk. Eren glanced over at her but she just shrugged again as everyone followed Eren. He closed his eyes and placed his two hands on the paper and twisted his head, his right ear facing the Magna Carta. The air was thinning and something felt out of place. He then inched his way towards the document, and soon, he heard voices. It sounded like British English, and when he heard it, he opened his eyes and pounced away from the document.

“I... I heard voices...”

Everybody in the room seemed surprised, but Erwin kept a calm face. He placed a hand on Eren's shoulder, and nodded, as though saying, “it's alright, you can continue.”

Eren leaned his ear on the document again and he heard the clear voice of an old man, and also, the scratching of a pen.

“I, Simon Langton, will grant freedom to the Church of England. The Church shall be freed from royal interferences, and no conflict will arise in the election of bishops. The Archbishop of Canterbury will absolve King John, and his efforts will not die in vain. The King will sign the Magna Carta, and then, shall England be free.”

And some numbers and letters appeared in his head, just before he opened his eyes. It read, “1213, Simon Langton”, then he fully opened his eyes as he stood back up straight. Everyone waited to hear him speak.

“I think I managed to decode it... I can't remember it, but an old man spoke while he spoke what might have been on the paper.”

“Do it again, and repeat what he says,” Hanji says, directing everyone to their places. “Erwin and ___(name)___, open up any useful resources about the Magna Carta. Levi and Petra, collect data on his blood pressure and EEG readings. And Eren, when we're ready, do it again.”

“Okay, got it.”

As they began to set up their places, Eren was surprised at his ability to hear this voice, and wondered if he wasn't just making this up. Hanji gave the signal and she took a recording of his voice, and took handwritten notes as well. As he finished repeating the words the man said, Erwin and ___(name)___ began to shout from the other end of the room on their computers.

“Simon Langton was the brother of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton. Stephen Langton wrote the Magna Cata.”

“King John quarreled with Pope Innocent III about who should  be archbishop of Canterbury, and the Pope wanted Stephen to be the archbishop. The King swore he should not come to England.”

“Blood pressure: Stystolic, 126 millimeters of mercury. Diastolic, 83 millimeters of mercury. Prehypertension. Heart rate, 118. Abnormal.”

“Waveforms vary, from a 7 to 10 hertz rhythm. Diffuse theta is prominent—exceeds delta.”

Eren watched as everyone waited for their right time to present data as everyone else took note on their own note pad. He was surprised how coordinated they all were, and Hanji grinned, as Eren looked at her and the rest in awe.

“This is how we do things here.”

---

“Alright, everybody, clockwise, we'll spit out whatever we've got to say.”

“He has the brain activity of a 2 to 5 year old at most times. The average brain activity of a 4 year old is usually twice as active as adults. Yet when he finishes listening to the codes, his brain activity is normal.” Levi said, flipping through his notes.

“Eren's blood pressure was in the category of prehypertension—the likelihood of developing high blood pressures. Heart rate is obviously above average.” Petra says, sighing in relief as she put down her pen to take down the last of her notes.

“The Magna Carta was written in 1215, yet this is mostly likely written in 1213, if we were to theorize it. He had not only a bad relationship with England as a whole, but especially the Barons, who took up arms against King John.” Erwin says, closing all the tabs on his computer before looking over at ___(name)___, passing it off to her.

“To summarize, Simon was elected Archbishop of York, but then quashed,  then became Archdeacon of Canterbury till his death, and served his brother who was Archbishop of Canterbury.” ___(name)___ said scratching her head.

“Well then, guys, we've finally found out how to decode this thing!”

“But Hanji,” ___(name)___ whined. “He only responds to the raw material... I've already visited, like, 20 places in the world that you guessed would have the symbols.”

“And you only found 6 with the symbols. It was worth it, ___(name)___. You just gotta go back there.” Hanji said, patting her back.

“More importantly, why would this have been written by the brother of the one who wrote the Magna Carta? Would it be that Simon wrote the document?” Erwin asked.

“We've still got a lot to learn, but we just have to piece it all together.”

___(name)___ sighed and sunk deeper into her chair. Just then, her phone rang and she picked it up, while making a “shhh” sound to the others who kept babbling. Their activity was a secret to their friends and family, so they usually kept quiet when there were phone calls. Especially ones from Erwin's phone. Erwin's boss is strict and accordingly to the rule book, so Erwin doesn't want him to suspect he's out having fun or something.

“Hey, what's up, Max? ...Oh, yeah, I'm going there as soon as possible, just... Mhm... Don't worry... 'Kay, bye!”

She cut the line and stood up, looking for bike keys on the table.

“Going somewhere?” Petra asked.

“Yeah, I promised a friend of mine to be at his place sometime this afternoon.”

“Today? Aw, c'mon, ___(name)___, we need you!”

“I don't have the brains like you all do, Hanji. I just read off some stuff on the internet. Anybody with a brain can do that.”

“Speaking of which, isn't Max that gay guy you met some years ago at a bar? He does tattoos, right?” Levi asked, narrowing his eyes in curiosity and suspicion.

“Yeah, he's the one. He said I was the only one he could consult, you know, about a recent breakup. I postponed our little date 3 days already, so... I really can't miss this one.”

___(name)___ waved goodbye and everybody settled in, trying to organize their notes. Levi crossed his arms and sighed, knitting his brows.

“You know,” he announces, making the room silent. “I know she's lying. It's the certain pauses and words she uses that makes her sound like she's lying.”

“It's probably nothing. Relax, ol' cousin, she's a responsible young lady.”

Hanji said, while Levi rolled his eyes.