p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"((Hey guys! I know it's been so long since I updated my other story, and I'm sorry to say that I've lost all of my gusto for that one, so, unfortunately, it's going to be discontinued. I appreciate all the support and feedback my followers and non-followers gave me on that one./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"This one came up mainly because I was bored at work and because I hadn't really evaluated much on my OC's daughter. To keep the backstory short on Mia and her parents, I got this idea from my interaction with a Kimblee roleplayer on Tumblr and the many stories we wrote with my OC, Dante Houston. Their character development was so great, that it did escalate into canon for my OC instead of an AU. If you guys would like a few chapters of what happened between them before Mia was born, let me know, and I can do a side story for the two of them./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Other than that, I hope you guys will enjoy the first chapter of the new story! ^_^))/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"_/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"A large set of brilliant green eyes set itself on the presumed "Abandoned" warehouse. She sighed a little having to be bothered with this particular mission. She almost wished that the force would give her a mission that had a little bit more challenge to it. She was really getting tired of drug busts in Central. Couldn't the newer recruits just take over menial jobs like that?/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Then again, what she called "menial" was for normal people a great threat. She wanted more to her missions, like the ones that they used to have. Say what you want, but Amestris had become boring once the country reverted back to a democracy. One wouldn't think there was a difference between military police and a crime detective, but this girl in particular preferred the latter./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Popping her gum between her teeth, she walked toward the entrance and peeked in the dirty window. Sure enough, there were ten to fifteen men, mixing chemicals and wearing gas masks to keep the potent gas from suffocating or killing them. As far as she could see, toward the back of the warehouse, was an office with a dim light, presumably where the boss was./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"From her research, there was no stealthy way of entering the warehouse. There was one way in, and one way out. Clapping her hands together, she created a small hook on the aluminum wall of the building and hung up her coat. It was her favorite one. A steal at 50,000 Cens. There was no way she was going to risk it getting destroyed. Edward had always told her that she should concern herself with bigger things when he trained her, but bringing down a drug lord was just as important as fashion./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Shaking her wrists to reassure herself that her silver bracelets were still there, and spitting her gum onto the ground, she opened the creaky door and stepped inside. The smell of opium hit her nostrils and made her face contort slightly, while everyone in the room, including the men with guns who had been standing in the shadows, focused their attention on her while she waved her hand in front of her face./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanUgh, couldn't you have chosen a place with windows? No wonder you need high-grade gas masks", She remarked, shaking her head. Before she knew it, and without protest, she was surrounded, guns pointed at her from every direction as a buzzing alarm rang out. Still, she stood there, hands on her hips. "No need to get worked up, I don't have any weapons. I'm just here to see the big man, alright?"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanSearch her." One of the men said to another. The man stepped out of the circle and began patting her down. The girl smiled. "He wanted you to search me? You must be pretty good with your hands." She looked down and winked at the gunman. Even though she couldn't see his expression, she could feel him stop for a split second before he finished his "search". "All clear", he said in a deep voice./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWe'll take you to him, but make one wrong move and you'll find yourself full of holes." The guard in charge said. She wanted to make a comment on that, but decided that one innuendo was enough for this situation./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"The alarm shut off, and they walked her up the metal stairs to the office, one in front and one behind. The workers in the main part of the warehouse went back to work. Once at the office door, the main guard went into the room to talk with Mr. Drug Lord, and came back out moments later. "He said he'll see you, but he doesn't want us in there. But, our deal remains." He stepped out of the way, and the girl went in, noticing that he stuck around outside the door./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"A man sat at the desk at the back of the office. The man didn't look like the general idea of a drug lord. He had the demeanor of someone who graduated Central University as the class valedictorian and several honors. He had glasses on that slid down his nose, a focused brow, and a square jaw. He wore a navy blue, fine tailored three-piece suit, complete with a pocket watch chain hanging from the vest pocket, his jacket draped on a stand beside him. His skin color was only shades lighter than hers, and she was sure his arms were made from cannon metal and an insane amount of compressed air. And still, from seeing his profile, she was surprised that he wasn't married. Hell, if he wasn't a drug kingpin, she could even find herself melting into a puddle at his feet./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"He look up from his papers and smiled. "Ah, the fearless Mia Kimblee. The daughter of Dante Houston and the infamous Solf J. Kimblee. To what do I owe this pleasure?"/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia smiled and waved it off. "No pleasure here, only confrontation. And from my own introduction, I suppose I can deduce that you know me as much as I know about you, Mr. Henry."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanPlease, call me Jason." He smiled, and gestured to a chair in front of his desk. "Please, sit. Are you thirsty? Would you like something to drink?"./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia sat down at the desk and shrugged. "I usually like to save the drinking until after I've taken down a drug ring. But, if you have a spare shot of whiskey around, I couldn't decline it."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason smiled, chuckling slightly. "Of course. Marie?"/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"A brown haired woman, looking a little too overdressed for a warehouse in a tight black dress and sparkling rhinestone heels, came around the corner from the back room. She tilted her head to the side with a look of contempt for a moment before turning her attention to Jason. "Yes?" She said in a cool voice, looking at him with question in her eyes. Mia knew that look well. It was "Who is this girl, why is she here, and why is she prettier than me?" The young alchemist almost wanted to tell her that no, I'm not here to take your job, and no, I have no plans to date this guy, but she kept it to herself and let the jealousy ooze from Marie's probably perfectly pedicured toes./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanA shot of whiskey for our guest." He said, now smiling again at Mia. Marie said nothing, and went back to the room she was in for a few moments before bringing back a glass a third full of whiskey. She handed it to Mia without looking at her and flounced back to her little room./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia crossed her legs and swirled the whiskey around in the glass, watching the amber liquid ripple around the crystal clear glass. It was a little thicker than normal; either they added honey, or there was knock-out drugs in it. Mia would find out later./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"She looked up to find Jason gazing at her with his intense blue eyes. Mia smiled, and set the glass on the desk. "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's talk." She said, leaning back in her chair, arms crossed./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mr. Henry's smile faded, putting on the face of a businessman, and folded his fingers together. This was his "Important Matters" face, Mia noted./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Taking a big breath, Mia pressed her gaze at him. "There's only two ways that this little meeting is going to end," she started. "Either you turn yourself in, or I take you back to the precinct myself. This new drug thing has gone on long enough. Before we come to that decision, I have a few questions for you."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason nodded. "Of course. Ask whatever questions you need."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia narrowed her eyes at him. This was coming along fairly easy, too easy for her taste. Normally, it was fight first, then question second. But he was being eerily cooperative. For now, anyways./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWhy would an esteemed businessman like yourself dip your hands into drug production?" She asked. "And don't bother lying. I can sense changes in your chi." /span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"He chuckled again, throwing his hands in the air. "Why do you think I told you to ask what you want? Everyone knows your 'lie detector' abilities are one of your well-known skills." Then, the chuckling stopped, and he put his "Important-Matters" face back on./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanAs you know, my business focuses on weaponry and war implements. However, since the fighting with Aerugo and Creta have stopped, my sales have been declining, and soon my company will be on the verge of bankruptcy. The only way to keep things running is to continue production, but without customers, we can't sell. The price for the resources are going up, and if I try to sell anything at a lower price than it is now, everything I've worked for will crumble./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"So, I had to ask myself: What is it that countries and its people want? Of course, I could have gone for a more simple trade, like producing farm equipment or even construction. But there is plenty of competition in those areas, ones that I am not too familiar with myself."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanBut you're familiar with producing opium?" Mia asked, raising an eyebrow./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason shrugged. "I had a complicated past. I was a different man before I graduated Central University." He paused. "Tell me, if you had a large debt, and no way of paying it back, wouldn't you do anything to pay that debt back?"/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanAre you asking me in regards of funding for your company?" She questioned./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanNo, something more simple than that. Student loans, in particular." He said. "Of course, going to college so that you can start a business with the right education isn't free. It costs money. A lot of it. So, I had to do something to make money for my classes…"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanNone of the jobs in the city could pay me nearly enough for school. After months of working in a coffee shop downtown, I couldn't even pay off one of the five courses I had. That was, until, a coworker of mine suggested a new way of making money. Something that he himself had been doing for a little extra change in his pocket. Drug dealing. And now, in this case, it's not exactly loans I'm paying off. I'm gathering more money for the cost of production."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason sighed. "This isn't exactly something I'm proud of, but I intend to do anything to keep my company afloat."./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWhy didn't you talk to the resource companies? Make a deal with them." Mia asked, still keeping her focus on his chi./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanThey wouldn't work with me," Jason asked. "Business is a mess of deals and negotiations. If you're not willing to do either of those, you'll find yourself getting nowhere. So, with my pride crumbling, I had to cross the border to find a partner who would give me what I needed."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanDrachma?" Mia asked, leaning forward. This could be more than just a drug ring…/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason shook his head. "Xing."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia blinked a moment, waiting to feel his chi stagnate but it didn't. So it was true. But how? She knew Ling herself, he would never allow such a thing in his country./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanDoes the Emperor of Xing know about this business deal?" Mia asked, her excitement rising. This was more than just a drug bust now, and Mia was honored to say that this was her case./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanMaybe. I don't know. I'm not sure what kind of relationships he has with the companies in his dynasty. However, between me and the other company, we agreed to keep this as quiet as possible."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWhy?" Mia asked demandingly./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanI'm surprised the daughter of the most intelligent man I've heard of asked that question. Think about it for a moment, Miss Kimblee." Jason said, standing and putting his hands in his pockets. He crossed the room and looked out of the window down to the production floor. "One country has drugs floating about in it that originated from another allied country. One calls it illegal, the other continues to smuggle it in. What do you think could come of it?"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia thought for a moment. She supposed that it could start a war between the countries, but that didn't really fall into the hands of the government would it? People would still continue to obtain it someway, somehow, regardless if it's illegal in both countries. Then, one side would vy for more, the other either wouldn't produce enough or be willing to trade any more than they already have./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanYou mean...a drug war?" Mia said slowly, eyes widening. "But why would you care about that? It doesn't concern you."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanOr does it?" Jason said, turning around and smiling at Mia. "I agreed to the terms but I didn't write that down on paper."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanSo, you're backstabbing the person who is helping you with your company's finances?" Mia furrowed her eyebrows./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanNo, I'm doing what any businessman would do in this situation. Before I give you any further information, why do you think I would set up this operation so openly?" He asked with general curiosity on what her answer would be./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia shook her head. She didn't understand what he meant./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanThis warehouse is obviously going to be a suspect area for something secret or sinister. I could have picked a different location, out in the rural areas of Central, or even in a different area of Amestris altogether. But instead I decided to stay right under your nose…"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia stared at him for a moment before she understood. Realization washed over her face as she un-crossed her legs and stood slowly. "You...you want the press to find out. You want them to know I'm taking you to jail. So they can publish your story when we question you…"/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason smiled. "I can see that you're putting two-and-two together."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWith this story public, you know that General Mustang will have to contact Emperor Ling about this. He'll assume that the Emperor is lying and...it'll start a war between the countries…"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanAnd my company will get back off the ground. You're an intelligent woman, Miss Kimblee." He was still smiling, hands behind his back now./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"With this information, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she still take him into custody and do her best to keep the press out of it? Or maybe she should, without worrying about the press and warn General Mustang about the issue so that the war wouldn't start? Would he believe her if she told him? For all she knew, he had reporters outside the warehouse right now…/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanYou're willing to start a war...for your company?" Mia said angrily. "How could you do that? We just got finished fighting a war against homunculi and Father twenty years ago, and you would throw us right back into violence so quickly?"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason shook his head disappointedly. "People like you wouldn't understand. When you're the CEO of a major company, you'll do anything it takes to keep it afloat. By ANY means necessary."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia's hands were shaking at the thought. She had no choice but to leave without Jason Henry, lest she allow his plan to take off quicker than she would like. Maybe she would need to consult her father for his opinion on the matter./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanI need to go.." She said, starting for the door./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanOf course. But wait a moment, Miss Kimblee…" Jason said, walking back to his desk to pick up the glass of whiskey. "Aren't you going to finish your drink?"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanAfter the talk we had, I've leaned more to the possibility that you've had Marie drug that for me." Mia grumbled./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"He laughed. "My apologies if I have betrayed your trust." He tipped the glass up and drained the contents of it in one gulp. Mia narrowed her eyes and moved toward the door. As her hand touched the doorknob, Jason said, "I know you're going to consult with General Mustang about what we've discussed here, but just know that you can't delay the inevitable. I have other options concerning my plans at my disposal. Remember that, Mia Kimblee."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"Mia said nothing and walked out the door, down the stairs and out of the warehouse. By the time Jason Henry had crossed to the window looking down onto the street, Mia had already broken into a run./span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"This one came up mainly because I was bored at work and because I hadn't really evaluated much on my OC's daughter. To keep the backstory short on Mia and her parents, I got this idea from my interaction with a Kimblee roleplayer on Tumblr and the many stories we wrote with my OC, Dante Houston. Their character development was so great, that it did escalate into canon for my OC instead of an AU. If you guys would like a few chapters of what happened between them before Mia was born, let me know, and I can do a side story for the two of them./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Other than that, I hope you guys will enjoy the first chapter of the new story! ^_^))/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"_/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"A large set of brilliant green eyes set itself on the presumed "Abandoned" warehouse. She sighed a little having to be bothered with this particular mission. She almost wished that the force would give her a mission that had a little bit more challenge to it. She was really getting tired of drug busts in Central. Couldn't the newer recruits just take over menial jobs like that?/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Then again, what she called "menial" was for normal people a great threat. She wanted more to her missions, like the ones that they used to have. Say what you want, but Amestris had become boring once the country reverted back to a democracy. One wouldn't think there was a difference between military police and a crime detective, but this girl in particular preferred the latter./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Popping her gum between her teeth, she walked toward the entrance and peeked in the dirty window. Sure enough, there were ten to fifteen men, mixing chemicals and wearing gas masks to keep the potent gas from suffocating or killing them. As far as she could see, toward the back of the warehouse, was an office with a dim light, presumably where the boss was./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"From her research, there was no stealthy way of entering the warehouse. There was one way in, and one way out. Clapping her hands together, she created a small hook on the aluminum wall of the building and hung up her coat. It was her favorite one. A steal at 50,000 Cens. There was no way she was going to risk it getting destroyed. Edward had always told her that she should concern herself with bigger things when he trained her, but bringing down a drug lord was just as important as fashion./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Shaking her wrists to reassure herself that her silver bracelets were still there, and spitting her gum onto the ground, she opened the creaky door and stepped inside. The smell of opium hit her nostrils and made her face contort slightly, while everyone in the room, including the men with guns who had been standing in the shadows, focused their attention on her while she waved her hand in front of her face./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanUgh, couldn't you have chosen a place with windows? No wonder you need high-grade gas masks", She remarked, shaking her head. Before she knew it, and without protest, she was surrounded, guns pointed at her from every direction as a buzzing alarm rang out. Still, she stood there, hands on her hips. "No need to get worked up, I don't have any weapons. I'm just here to see the big man, alright?"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanSearch her." One of the men said to another. The man stepped out of the circle and began patting her down. The girl smiled. "He wanted you to search me? You must be pretty good with your hands." She looked down and winked at the gunman. Even though she couldn't see his expression, she could feel him stop for a split second before he finished his "search". "All clear", he said in a deep voice./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWe'll take you to him, but make one wrong move and you'll find yourself full of holes." The guard in charge said. She wanted to make a comment on that, but decided that one innuendo was enough for this situation./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"The alarm shut off, and they walked her up the metal stairs to the office, one in front and one behind. The workers in the main part of the warehouse went back to work. Once at the office door, the main guard went into the room to talk with Mr. Drug Lord, and came back out moments later. "He said he'll see you, but he doesn't want us in there. But, our deal remains." He stepped out of the way, and the girl went in, noticing that he stuck around outside the door./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"A man sat at the desk at the back of the office. The man didn't look like the general idea of a drug lord. He had the demeanor of someone who graduated Central University as the class valedictorian and several honors. He had glasses on that slid down his nose, a focused brow, and a square jaw. He wore a navy blue, fine tailored three-piece suit, complete with a pocket watch chain hanging from the vest pocket, his jacket draped on a stand beside him. His skin color was only shades lighter than hers, and she was sure his arms were made from cannon metal and an insane amount of compressed air. And still, from seeing his profile, she was surprised that he wasn't married. Hell, if he wasn't a drug kingpin, she could even find herself melting into a puddle at his feet./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"He look up from his papers and smiled. "Ah, the fearless Mia Kimblee. The daughter of Dante Houston and the infamous Solf J. Kimblee. To what do I owe this pleasure?"/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia smiled and waved it off. "No pleasure here, only confrontation. And from my own introduction, I suppose I can deduce that you know me as much as I know about you, Mr. Henry."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanPlease, call me Jason." He smiled, and gestured to a chair in front of his desk. "Please, sit. Are you thirsty? Would you like something to drink?"./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia sat down at the desk and shrugged. "I usually like to save the drinking until after I've taken down a drug ring. But, if you have a spare shot of whiskey around, I couldn't decline it."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason smiled, chuckling slightly. "Of course. Marie?"/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"A brown haired woman, looking a little too overdressed for a warehouse in a tight black dress and sparkling rhinestone heels, came around the corner from the back room. She tilted her head to the side with a look of contempt for a moment before turning her attention to Jason. "Yes?" She said in a cool voice, looking at him with question in her eyes. Mia knew that look well. It was "Who is this girl, why is she here, and why is she prettier than me?" The young alchemist almost wanted to tell her that no, I'm not here to take your job, and no, I have no plans to date this guy, but she kept it to herself and let the jealousy ooze from Marie's probably perfectly pedicured toes./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanA shot of whiskey for our guest." He said, now smiling again at Mia. Marie said nothing, and went back to the room she was in for a few moments before bringing back a glass a third full of whiskey. She handed it to Mia without looking at her and flounced back to her little room./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia crossed her legs and swirled the whiskey around in the glass, watching the amber liquid ripple around the crystal clear glass. It was a little thicker than normal; either they added honey, or there was knock-out drugs in it. Mia would find out later./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"She looked up to find Jason gazing at her with his intense blue eyes. Mia smiled, and set the glass on the desk. "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's talk." She said, leaning back in her chair, arms crossed./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mr. Henry's smile faded, putting on the face of a businessman, and folded his fingers together. This was his "Important Matters" face, Mia noted./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Taking a big breath, Mia pressed her gaze at him. "There's only two ways that this little meeting is going to end," she started. "Either you turn yourself in, or I take you back to the precinct myself. This new drug thing has gone on long enough. Before we come to that decision, I have a few questions for you."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason nodded. "Of course. Ask whatever questions you need."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia narrowed her eyes at him. This was coming along fairly easy, too easy for her taste. Normally, it was fight first, then question second. But he was being eerily cooperative. For now, anyways./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWhy would an esteemed businessman like yourself dip your hands into drug production?" She asked. "And don't bother lying. I can sense changes in your chi." /span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"He chuckled again, throwing his hands in the air. "Why do you think I told you to ask what you want? Everyone knows your 'lie detector' abilities are one of your well-known skills." Then, the chuckling stopped, and he put his "Important-Matters" face back on./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanAs you know, my business focuses on weaponry and war implements. However, since the fighting with Aerugo and Creta have stopped, my sales have been declining, and soon my company will be on the verge of bankruptcy. The only way to keep things running is to continue production, but without customers, we can't sell. The price for the resources are going up, and if I try to sell anything at a lower price than it is now, everything I've worked for will crumble./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"So, I had to ask myself: What is it that countries and its people want? Of course, I could have gone for a more simple trade, like producing farm equipment or even construction. But there is plenty of competition in those areas, ones that I am not too familiar with myself."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanBut you're familiar with producing opium?" Mia asked, raising an eyebrow./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason shrugged. "I had a complicated past. I was a different man before I graduated Central University." He paused. "Tell me, if you had a large debt, and no way of paying it back, wouldn't you do anything to pay that debt back?"/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanAre you asking me in regards of funding for your company?" She questioned./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanNo, something more simple than that. Student loans, in particular." He said. "Of course, going to college so that you can start a business with the right education isn't free. It costs money. A lot of it. So, I had to do something to make money for my classes…"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanNone of the jobs in the city could pay me nearly enough for school. After months of working in a coffee shop downtown, I couldn't even pay off one of the five courses I had. That was, until, a coworker of mine suggested a new way of making money. Something that he himself had been doing for a little extra change in his pocket. Drug dealing. And now, in this case, it's not exactly loans I'm paying off. I'm gathering more money for the cost of production."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason sighed. "This isn't exactly something I'm proud of, but I intend to do anything to keep my company afloat."./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWhy didn't you talk to the resource companies? Make a deal with them." Mia asked, still keeping her focus on his chi./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanThey wouldn't work with me," Jason asked. "Business is a mess of deals and negotiations. If you're not willing to do either of those, you'll find yourself getting nowhere. So, with my pride crumbling, I had to cross the border to find a partner who would give me what I needed."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanDrachma?" Mia asked, leaning forward. This could be more than just a drug ring…/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason shook his head. "Xing."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia blinked a moment, waiting to feel his chi stagnate but it didn't. So it was true. But how? She knew Ling herself, he would never allow such a thing in his country./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanDoes the Emperor of Xing know about this business deal?" Mia asked, her excitement rising. This was more than just a drug bust now, and Mia was honored to say that this was her case./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanMaybe. I don't know. I'm not sure what kind of relationships he has with the companies in his dynasty. However, between me and the other company, we agreed to keep this as quiet as possible."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWhy?" Mia asked demandingly./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanI'm surprised the daughter of the most intelligent man I've heard of asked that question. Think about it for a moment, Miss Kimblee." Jason said, standing and putting his hands in his pockets. He crossed the room and looked out of the window down to the production floor. "One country has drugs floating about in it that originated from another allied country. One calls it illegal, the other continues to smuggle it in. What do you think could come of it?"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia thought for a moment. She supposed that it could start a war between the countries, but that didn't really fall into the hands of the government would it? People would still continue to obtain it someway, somehow, regardless if it's illegal in both countries. Then, one side would vy for more, the other either wouldn't produce enough or be willing to trade any more than they already have./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanYou mean...a drug war?" Mia said slowly, eyes widening. "But why would you care about that? It doesn't concern you."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanOr does it?" Jason said, turning around and smiling at Mia. "I agreed to the terms but I didn't write that down on paper."/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanSo, you're backstabbing the person who is helping you with your company's finances?" Mia furrowed her eyebrows./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanNo, I'm doing what any businessman would do in this situation. Before I give you any further information, why do you think I would set up this operation so openly?" He asked with general curiosity on what her answer would be./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia shook her head. She didn't understand what he meant./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanThis warehouse is obviously going to be a suspect area for something secret or sinister. I could have picked a different location, out in the rural areas of Central, or even in a different area of Amestris altogether. But instead I decided to stay right under your nose…"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia stared at him for a moment before she understood. Realization washed over her face as she un-crossed her legs and stood slowly. "You...you want the press to find out. You want them to know I'm taking you to jail. So they can publish your story when we question you…"/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason smiled. "I can see that you're putting two-and-two together."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanWith this story public, you know that General Mustang will have to contact Emperor Ling about this. He'll assume that the Emperor is lying and...it'll start a war between the countries…"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanAnd my company will get back off the ground. You're an intelligent woman, Miss Kimblee." He was still smiling, hands behind his back now./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"With this information, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she still take him into custody and do her best to keep the press out of it? Or maybe she should, without worrying about the press and warn General Mustang about the issue so that the war wouldn't start? Would he believe her if she told him? For all she knew, he had reporters outside the warehouse right now…/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanYou're willing to start a war...for your company?" Mia said angrily. "How could you do that? We just got finished fighting a war against homunculi and Father twenty years ago, and you would throw us right back into violence so quickly?"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Jason shook his head disappointedly. "People like you wouldn't understand. When you're the CEO of a major company, you'll do anything it takes to keep it afloat. By ANY means necessary."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"Mia's hands were shaking at the thought. She had no choice but to leave without Jason Henry, lest she allow his plan to take off quicker than she would like. Maybe she would need to consult her father for his opinion on the matter./span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanI need to go.." She said, starting for the door./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanOf course. But wait a moment, Miss Kimblee…" Jason said, walking back to his desk to pick up the glass of whiskey. "Aren't you going to finish your drink?"/span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="background: transparent;""span style="font-size: 10pt;"spanspanAfter the talk we had, I've leaned more to the possibility that you've had Marie drug that for me." Mia grumbled./span/span/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"span style="background: transparent;"He laughed. "My apologies if I have betrayed your trust." He tipped the glass up and drained the contents of it in one gulp. Mia narrowed her eyes and moved toward the door. As her hand touched the doorknob, Jason said, "I know you're going to consult with General Mustang about what we've discussed here, but just know that you can't delay the inevitable. I have other options concerning my plans at my disposal. Remember that, Mia Kimblee."/span/span/span/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-variant: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; text-decoration: none;"spanspan style="font-size: 10pt;"Mia said nothing and walked out the door, down the stairs and out of the warehouse. By the time Jason Henry had crossed to the window looking down onto the street, Mia had already broken into a run./span/span/p