Riza Hawkeye frowned when she heard the telephone ring vibrate through the dark office. The Eastern Headquarters was just about to close up for the night, but First Lieutenant Hawkeye and Colonel Mustang had both been delayed from departing to their respected homes for over a half hour. Roy Mustang had been errant with his current paper work and Riza was not about to let him off the hook even if his transfer was only days away.
As the First Lieutenant paused in tidying up her desk she heard a groan from the corner office and the lifting click of the telephone being removed from its cradle. She smiled when her hands brushed against a small photograph of Colonel Mustang, Lieutenant Hughes, and herself, all standing happily together at last years military banquet. "Things were easier back then, I think." Riza whispered as she lifted the photograph and placed it in her desk drawer. Her happy musings were interrupted when Roy Mustang gave an angered cry then quickly slammed the phone down only to pick it up and dial less than two seconds later.
"A group of… yes… hurry… Central… yes, I know this isn't… just do it! A man's…." Riza flinched when she heard a string of angry words coming from Mustang's office. For a moment everything was silent, and Riza could just envision Mustang's angry face as the tension in the office intensified like fuel to a already raging flame.
"Just GO!" Was the last thing she heard before the vibration of the phone hitting it's cradle was heard all throughout the Headquarters. It was accompanied by heavy breathing and Riza had to stop herself from running into the office to ask what was happening. Instead she clenched the side of her desk and resigned herself to wait until Roy Mustang decided to tell her.
A full five minutes passed before a calmer Roy Mustang walked out of his office and stepped up to stand beside the First Lieutenant. His voice was the thing that scared her.
"Riza. I think its time you booked me that train to Central. No objections." He said as his eyes remained staring straight forward.
Riza quickly went to the telephone and called the train station.
"Two tickets from Eastern to Central, please. The Eastern Headquarters will cover all the cost incurred. Yes, tomorrow at eight, thank you." She said quietly.
Riza Hawkeye's mind felt like it was floating through a icy haze in which she could not escape.
His voice, it was trembling.