The day was breathlessly chilly on a cloudy afternoon, something in the way that the air twisted and writhed should have cautioned them, but how could they have possibly known?
"Are you sure Edward? This...er...looks a bit wrong to me." Alphonse peered sheepishly up toward the gaudy and obscene building before them, combing his hair with slender fingers a mock sigh of hopelessness escaping his lips.
" 'Course I'm sure..." ,Ed murmured distractedly, his piercing amber eyes marking over and over the slip of paper rendering their exact directions, given to them by a certain 'flame' general. "Roy's handwriting is crappy...but I'd like to think he does his job some what satisfactory, which includes administering viable instructions!". A throbbing vein appeared boldly atop Ed's eyebrow giving testimony to his increasingly sour mood.
"I mean the general he-he couldn't be pulling a fast one on us right? Not while he's on duty...".
Ed glared at his brother dourly his thin lips pursed in annoyance,"I'm not going to answer that...anyway if this is correct, it says that we're supposed to meet our perp here at-the Boobs & Booze-er strip club..."
Al adopted an incredulous visage at these words,"T-this can't be happening...maybe this is a joke?" he stuttered hastily, issuing a nervous chuckle.
Edward closed his eyes patiently, pounding a rhythm-less beat into the asphalt underneath his buckled boots,"Regardless if it is a sick joke of the colon-woops I mean generals, we still have an obligation to confirm that it...oh damn!"
"W-whats wrong!" Alphonse nearly squealed.
"Says here that we were supposed to meet up with them about a half hour ago!"
"Shit".
"No time to freak out Al, take a few breaths, we can do this. It's just our job you know...business as usual."
A cold lump dropped and buried itself some where in the regions of Edward's belly; if he didn't even believe his own words, then how on earth could he expect his brother to? His sibling nodded his head looking resolute if not a bit clammy. Ed offered a comforting hand intending to still, his apprehensive brother, "You don't have to come if you don't want to...I don't like putting you in these kinds of situations."
"No Ed. I'm not leaving you, ok." Alphonse said sternly, all doubts or fears he had been emitting earlier vanishing in the blink of an eye.
He stood up straighter, smoothing the folds in his handsome brown trench coat a mischievous grin forming on the canopy of his mouth. His eyes blazed youthful and familiar.
Ed couldn't resist grinning himself a little as well.
" 'K les' go. Follow my lead". And with a mutual nod of understanding they were off.
Contrary to the establishments sleazy title, the interior of the building actually appeared to be quite luxurious and even arguably elegant, well as elegant as a strip joint could be. The lighting was made sparsely and in dull multicolored glow, adding to the area the surreal effect of being under a setting sun; in the corner to the far left a DJ was busy pumping catchy beats through his turn table.
Before the duo could view anymore, however, two huge bouncers barred their way.
"Name and age." the bigger one croaked.
"Er I'm Edward Elric and this is my brother Alphonse, we were supposed to be meeting some people here earlier but we're late and I think they might have left..."
"Ah the Elric Brothers, our bosses have been expecting you. You're late."
"Y-yeah we know." Ed mumbled lamely.
"Anyway you guys are V.I.P. its the private lounge for you. Sallie baby c'mere, show these gentlemen their seats will you?"
Sallie who had been busy clearing away an empty table turned smoothly on red and highly polished heels, her eyes immediately locking onto the some what shaky brothers, lipsticked lips peeling back into a welcoming smile before her slimy glob of a tongue rolled suggestively over them, sending biting chills downs Edwards back.
"Surely you don't mean these fine, fine gentlemen Sam," she purred softly, slinking her way toward them, a feline who had cornered her elusive prey,"It's a rare treasure when a little lady like m'self gets to escort handsome young men like you two".
The bouncers guffawed stupidly.
"K that's enough Sal, your scari'n them. Don't wanna leave the bosses waiting n'more go ahead and showem' their seats".
"Right this way sirs," she coed seductively standing between them, before grabbing both gently by the wrists leading them toward the heart of the vicinity. Although being greatly unsettled by this whole event, Ed could not could not keep his eyes from averting.
The meduim-sized blond was wearing a skin tight brazier of see-through mesh, colorless pasty's covering the center of each of her round breasts at a feeble attempt to remain somewhat respectful. Though it was entrancing the way her firm posterior rolled so perfectly beneath the fabrics of her "tiny mini skirt" it was not the crude females attire that drew the young alchemists attention this moment.
Glistening faintly with the cheap lotion she had probably applied minutes before, were twin dark circles tattooed masterfully within the welcoming fathoms of both her inner thighs.
Ed's mind was sent reeling. Transmutation circles...what the hell?
He wanted desperately to indicate what he had seen to Al, but due to their close proximity to the watchful vixen he decided to reserve this questionable action. A beautiful over hang of scarlet curtains differentiated the perimeters of the regulars lounge and the V.I.P's, guiding them smoothly through the silky barrier Sallie took a sharp left, steering them deeper into an ominously darkened section.
Both brothers took cautious notice of the lack of customers sitting at any of the vacant tables surrounding this back quarters area. They exchanged wary glances, each knowing exactly what the other was thinking.
"Almost there," the hostess chimed "You two are lucky, most men never make it this far."
Most men?...What the hell is that supposed to mean? This lady was really starting to annoy Ed, with her lack of clothes and and her knack for being as vague as a sheet of paper with only a dark stain down its middle. Nothing too suspicious, but it made you wonder if there were more to it...
Finally the awkward trio halted at a back room door guarded by two wicked looking men posted on each side, fully automatic machine guns hanging loosely in their relaxed grips.
"Oh man, Sallie my favorite visitor, how you doing babe,?" the tallest of the two men spoke up, a sly grin twisting his savage features "We still on for Saturday, riiiight? You do owe me a...wait a sec--whos the luggage?" the man trailed off suddenly, dark soulless pupils narrowing in on the siblings.
"Slow down Zack, these are the last two people you'd want to go pointing your lasers at," Sallie spoke up tartly, in a matter-of-fact tone "If you even singe so much as a strand of hair off there pretty little heads--you already know how the 'Patriots' will reward you for it."
The muscle backed off, lowering his weapon instantaneously "Sal, you don' mean these here guys...do you? T-they don' look a day over twenny..."
"Well i am 'twenny' and Al is 18, though i don't see how our age has any relevance in this." Ed could see his brother hastily suppressing a chuckle, form out the corner of his left eye.
"Forgive me sirs," Zack said in a voice barely above a whisper "Mr. Alphonse, Mr. Edward if you would please enter, our bosses have been patiently awaiting your arrival."Both men quickly gave the brothers quick and inconspicuous once-overs before stepping aside to allow entry.
With the shrill squeaking of a rusty door, a dozen or so chairs filled with masked men, turned to greet them into the spacious confines of the hide out room.
"Ah the Elric brothers, so gracious of you to join us. Please, have a seat."The voice belonged to a lone figure fixed squarely within the huddle of heavily clothed gathering.
Ed slipped haphazardly into his chair, watching his brother also fumble into the seat beside him. He let out a reverberant sigh; they were showing obvious sighns of discomfort and nervousness, niether were a desirable trait when you were attemting to consort with devious devils such as these.
Edward decided to turn the tides.
"I'd like to make this real quick and clean, so I won't beat around the bush", He stood up, reaching into his coat pocket, gaze not missing the 12 pairs of eyes recline reproacfully in their seats, clearly taken aback by his bold actions, "I have a letter here directly from Brigadier General Roy Mustang, stating that you clarify your demands in exchange for the 9 year old girl."
Feeling more confident in himself, he calmly slid the official statement across the table before slowly resuming his seat.
The leader emanated a chilling laugh and Ed reclined involuntarily in his seat. He could only hope the outstanding and greatly intimadating reputation of Roy's and the powerful rank of general would be enough toget him and Al through this...