Heya! I'm quite excited about this one. I've had the idea for ages but never got around to writing it down.
I also want to apologise in advance to those pf you with a certain favoutite character who I will most definitely kill off in later chapters.
Have fun reading!
Second Lieutenant Breda leaned back on his chair with a contented sigh. It was mid-afternoon on Friday and central command was quite and peaceful. The office had an aura of placidity, as the team revelled in the lack of criminal activity or more accurately, the consequential lack of work.
"Any plans for the weekend Havoc?"
The other Second Lieutenant looked up from the forms he was filling out at addressed Breda through a small quiff of blond hair.
"Oh you know me, I'm taking Sarah out tomorrow."
"The pretty brunette you met at the pub last week?" Fuery piped up from behind a mess of tangled wires, which were either the beginning or the remains of a military radio.
"Yeah.." Sighed Havoc dreamily. "She's the love of my life. I tell you gentlemen I have found my one true partner."
At this point a small slip of paper titled 'How long will they last?' with columns for money and guesses, was discretely slipped between the other occupants of the room along with a small wave of sniggering. It was no secret Havoc rarely had success with women, especially when the Colonel was in the vicinity.
First Lieutenant Hawkeye, who had been diligently working on the last few reports of the day took this opportunity to steer the conversation away from Havoc's love life, less another heated argument erupt between the team.
"What about you Breda, any plans?"
"Me? Probably not. It's been a while since the city was this peaceful. I think I'll just take the opportunity to have a lazy weekend. You know, sleep, eat. All the essentials there never seems to be time for when people are breaking the law"
"You're right Breda, let's all start a petition to get criminals to be more considerate of the military's health and well being, so that when we do catch them, arrest them and on occasion shoot them, we do so well rested and on a full stomach?" Havoc replied drily, earning more sniggers from Falman and Fuery.
"I'm just saying, while were chasing after cold blooded murders for hours on end, we never stop to eat! It wouldn't hurt the Colonel to give us a few more breaks would it?"
The aforementioned Colonel Mustang chose this moment to walk out of his inner office bleary-eyed and stifling a yawn.
"Heard my name. Well, title I guess. What's up?"
"Nothing chief," chuckled Falman. "Just Breda and his stomach."
"Breda's stomach said my name? Now that is impressive! I knew it did a good thunderstorm impression, but voices? It really has outdone itself."
Even Hawkeye fell about laughing and while Breda looked annoyed at their commanding officer, he couldn't help the corners of his lips twitch into a grin.
Suddenly, the door slammed open and a panic-stricken soldier burst in.
"Colonel Mustang Sir! Come quickly please, there's been an attack! It's a massacre Sir!"
"Calm down Private!" Mustang said as firmly as he could. Everyone had jumped of their seats and were looking at each other with varying degrees of alarm. "Where?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes' office Sir!"
"You mean inside central command?" demanded Hawkeye. Mustang had already paled at the mention of his friend. Darkly, he gave a quiet yet menacing order to the fearful Private.
"Show me."
The corridor was loud with warning shouts and heavy footfalls as members of the military ran back and forth to alert everyone in the building there had been a murder. The Private had warned them it was brutal but nothing could have prepared the team for the carnage decorating the walls of Maes Hughes' office. The bodies of his team littered the floor, each with a blank-eyed expression of horror. Several had their pistols in their outstretched hands but no bullet marks marred the walls, only the blood of the fallen soldiers.
Hawkeye took a moment to take in the scene then glanced to the Colonel. His eyes were rapidly searching the room and she could take an educated guess as to why. But much to their releif, none of the blood-stained uniforms had the markings of a Lieutenant Colonel.
Mustang allowed himself a quick breath of reprieve before standing up straight and addressing the Private.
"Where is Lieutenant Colonel Hughes?"
"I don't know Sir! I was informed little other than to fetch you and alert others someone has broken through central command's security."
"How?" interjected Havoc, "this place is as tight as a prison! There's no way anyone could break in."
"Clearly we're dealing with someone very skilled then." Mustang stated solemnly. "Rest assured Private, we will find whoever is responsible. First, however, we need to find Hughes. Hawkeye! With me. The rest of you, stay here and help with the investigation."
There was a chorus of 'Yes Sir!' as he swept out of the office, no longer able to bear the sight of men he had worked with covered in blood.
The corridors of command had quietened a little, as most of the officers were securing the exterior of the building. The pair strode purposefully down the polished hall, yet they both looked extremely shaken. Finally Mustang spoke up.
"That room, it was..."
Hawkeye nodded in understanding. Hughes' office... It reminded them both of the carnage in Ishval.
"Sir, who do you think could have done this? Havoc was right – security is supposed to be impenetrable."
"I don't know Lieutenant, but we shouldn't rule out the possibility this is the work of someone on the inside. For now, we stick close to each other. Only trust those we know."
Hawkeye nodded in confirmation. If someone in the military was responsible, they couldn't afford to share their knowledge with the wrong person.
While they were deep in thought, the sound military boots rounded the corner. It didn't take much time for them to recognise the black hair and square glasses.
"Hughes! Thank Fuhrer you're alright."
"My team... Where are they? I heard they were.. No, they can't be... Where is my team?!" He demanded, on the verge of hysteria.
Mustang and Hawkeye glanced at each other nervously.
"Thery're dead Maes." Mustang volunteered, no attempt at tact. He needed to know the truth, to know what was at stake.
Hughes merely sank to floor, staring unblinkingly at his friend as the reality sunk in.
"Wilson... Cooper... Stanford... They're all...?"
"I'm sorry." Mustang offered. There was not much else to be said.
It was a few days until the massacre had been cleaned up and the dead had been registered. Six of Maes Hughes' men had been slaughtered excluding Maria Ross and Denny Brosh who were conducting an inspection to the south of town.
Each member of both teams, including Mustang and Hughes themselves, were extensively questioned on what they had seen. Hughes had been in a private meeting at the time of the incident and was allowed some time off to grieve along with Ross and Brosh. Over the weekend the building was secured and no sign of incriminating camera footage was found.
Mustang slammed the report on his desk with enough violent intent to kill.
"There is a dammed security camera right outside each office so how the hell have we not caught them yet?!"
"It's only been a weekend sir. Besides, most of the forces have been focused on installing more security measures less it happen again." Hawkeye reasoned in attempt to calm the raging Colonel.
"I don't care about the security measures, I want answers! We should be investigating the credibility of everyone in this building, collecting alibis, checking gun usage! Anything!"
"Sir, you know the higher-ups are refusing to admit that it could have been someone in the military. We need to stay collected and find this person ourselves. You know we do."
Havoc, Breda and Fuery sat outside in the main office listening to them in solemn silence. Falman cautiously knocked on the door to give the Colonel yet another report on the deaths of Hughes' team.
"Well?" Mustang demanded as soon as the sombre Warrant Officer layed the paper on the desk. Falman cleared his throat nervously.
"It's not looking good sir," he began, "they were all stabbed with a 1 inch blade through the abdomen and left to bleed out. But that isn't the mystery. All of their guns were empty but no shots were fired."
"You mean somehow, the killer muffled them so they couldn't be heard?" Hawkeye asked, her eyes narrow with confusion.
"No. I mean they really weren't fired. They were all emptied before the attack even began." Falman glanced over to the Colonel, gauging his reaction.
Instead of the furious outburst they were expecting, Mustang merely looked at the report thoughtfully.
"Sir?" Hawkeye prompted.
"I need to talk to Hughes. I might have an idea. You two tell the others to ask around – see if anyone else had their guns emptied on Friday. Hawkeye, go see Ross and Brosh, find out if any member of the military had a grudge against Hughes and his team. Falman, find the private who brought us the the scene. I want to know who told him to and why."
"There's one more thing sir," Falman interjected, "no one heard any gunshots - or screams."
Mustang merely paused at this, then continued out of the office, slamming the door behind himself.
Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of undying loyalty (later you will realise the pun in the name but for now, no spoilers).
Please review because I will read it and it will make me very happy.