Dear reader,
If you haven't yet read Munich 1923 : Our Worlds Meet, you don't necessarily should, but I recommend it since this story will have a lot of references to it.
DC: I don't own anything. Fullmetal Alchemist, the characters, series and movie is originally written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa.
Warning (consider this a warning for the entire story in all): Yaoi, lemon, NC-17, angst, dark, violence, torture, you name it. Much later there will also be non-con.
Enjoy and please review!
Chapter 1: Prologue: Call from Lior
It was an abnormally warm spring day when the rumours of a slender and innocent-looking youth dressed in a red coat wandering around the corridors of Central Headquarters, reached the office of Colonel Roy Mustang.
More specifically, the rumour said that the military's one time armoured-suited mascot had returned as a more or less splitting image of the vanished Edward Elric.
1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye stuck her head inside the office between the double wooden doors. "He's here, sir."
"Let him in," he said. He was slightly surprised that the boy had managed to get this far, considering the fact that the Headquarters and the entire area around were heavier guarded than usual. He suspected his 1st Lieutenant to have something to do with it.
And suddenly he was there. He was no splitting image of his brother, but Roy Mustang could easily spot the family resemblance.
Alphonse Elric was scowling lightly of wariness, but seemed nervous and insecure compared to what his brother usually had been. Although, he had the same strong-minded resoluteness written in his immense and expressive bronze eyes. He was even wearing the same outfit. Black leather, white gloves and the screaming red coat with the emblem of Creation on its back. His hair was long and a shade darker than his brother's, bound in a ponytail.
Colonel Roy Mustang rose slowly from his chair, amused. "Alphonse Elric. What a delightful surprise. Come in."
The boy didn't smile. But his eyes stuck from the use of his name, and he took a couple of wary steps forwards.
"You know who I am, sir?" he asked politely.
"You were a suit of armour at the time," Mustang said casually. "But I've seen a picture of you from when you were younger, and you have a strong resemblance to your brother."
Alphonse looked straight at him, still a little cagey. "You knew my brother well?"
Roy nodded. "I do."
It was like a light lit in the boy's eyes, noting the way Roy Mustang had said I do, not I did. Al seemed immediately more relaxed. "I lost my memories, so I've asked everyone I know about him," he said silently, opening up to him. "Winry, Aunt Pinako, Sensei, Roze… And I almost thought I was the only one in the world who thought my brother is still alive."
Roy eyed him carefully with his one eye. Yes, it was hard to believe that he was alive. But somehow, he had always thought the older Elric-brother was too stubborn to die.
"So, what can I do for you, Alphonse?" he asked. "You probably know these times are grimly busy around here. It has to be an important matter since you would go against every warning of coming to Central, especially HQ, considering the recent attacks," he assumed.
Al looked determined at him. "I'm here to find out where he is. And I think they have something to do with it."
This didn't come as any huge surprise. Roy Mustang crossed his arms and let out a sigh. "It's a serious, not to mention a dangerous matter, Alphonse. This enemy is unfamiliar to us, and has cost us high damage, especially in Central. And why do you think they're connected to your brother?"
"I've heard of the flying machines," Alphonse said. "Although, I've never seen one before, I think they're from somewhere far away from here. And my brother… he might be at that place, unable to come back."
Roy Mustang gave the theory some thought. What Alphonse didn't know, was that the things had just shown up from a hole in the ground, underneath Central. No doubt alchemy was involved, but even he, the famous Flame Alchemist, didn't know how. However, the young Elric might be right.
"I see," he said.
"I just need some information," Al continued cautiously, taking one step at a time. "I'll pay you back."
Mustang's lip twitched into a small smile. "I'm sorry, Alphonse. You are a civilian, so I can't involve you into this. It's too dangerous."
Al's eyes flared. "Mustang," he opposed, taking some steps forward, and then he hurriedly added: "Sir… I can't just sit and watch this. I know there is a connection. You agree with me, right? If they know something about him, I want to find out."
"If the matter concerns your brother, I'll inform you as soon as the culprits are captured and taken care of," Mustang said steadfast.
"I can help," Al said. He wasn't put off that easily.
The Colonel sighed deep. This reminded him of the day over six years ago, when a twelve year old blond stood before him, resolute to find the Philosopher's stone.
Mustang lowered his voice. "I'm afraid Fuhrer President Hakuro already is aware of that you are here, and he knows who you are. It's a dangerous matter for you to participate in."
Al looked puzzled, giving him a slight anxious look.
Mustang continued. "If I was to involve you, the only way would be to sign you up to the state alchemist exam."
"I thought so," Al replied. "That's why I want to become a state alchemist."
So the boy had already made a decision. Mustang nodded, rubbing his forehead.
"But what did you mean; The Fuhrer President already knows I'm here?" Al asked, looking uneasy.
Mustang let out another silent sigh. Al was just an innocent child. And was he himself about to agree with Al about all this just because he missed his big brother? Or was it because he really believed Al was right and he himself wanted to prioritize finding some clues about Edward as well?
He mentally shook his head.
Fuhrer President Hakuro's words had been clear: Sign him up. He'll be a good substitute. But he wanted to be sure Al knew what he was walking into first.
"Fuhrer Hakuro believes your brother is a deserter," Mustang said. "But fortunately, the higher-ups want to know the precise details of what happened with him before they make any condemns," he explained. "Although, if they decide to dig into it, they will eventually link his disappearance with your return."
Al froze. "So you know."
"Of course I know," Mustang said. "He worked under me for four years, looking for the Philosopher's stone. And I suppose he succeeded in the end."
Al got very wary after he had said that, looking like a trapped animal. He shifted uncomfortably. "Who else knows?"
"My unit," Roy Mustang said. "But your secret is safe with us."
Al let his gaze linger at him for a while before he decided to rely on his word. "Since you've been my brother's commanding officer for that long, I reckon that he trusts you."
"Enough to share his inner goals," Mustang replied before he had the time to think about how Al might react to that.
"I don't think the Philosopher's stone will get him back," Al said, supposing it was that he meant. "Sensei told me though of something else."
Mustang knew of the strong-minded Izumi Curtis. Her alchemy skills had been exceptional, even if she never volunteered for any state alchemist exam. "What was that?"
"A Gate," Al said. "I haven't found any information of it other than what she has told me. But I think it might have something to do with Nii-san's disappearance."
Mustang's dark eye narrowed slightly. The hole in the ground underneath Central... The description of a gate could actually fit. "A gate contra alchemy, something disappears contra other things turn up," he reasoned. "You might have a point."
"Sir," Al said. "I want to investigate it, so let me take the exam."
Mustang knew Edward wouldn't like his little brother to become a state alchemist, but he couldn't let Al do this on his own either. He knew the boy would do it anyway, with or without his help. "You'll take the exam," he said, and Al's eyes brightened up in excitement. "Although," he added, "what we have reason to worry about is that the higher-ups might put two and two together. I said your secret is safe with me and my unit, but if the State Military Council begins looking into it they might start asking uncomfortable questions about your return."
Al visibly swallowed. "I can't let them know that he used human transmutation again. He'll be executed."
Mustang turned to the window with a frown. "That's why we have to change your story to some extent."
Al looked questioningly at him as he stood by the office window in deep thoughts for a minute. Then he turned and stepped up to the young boy. "We'll have to pretend that you hid yourself in the suit of armour, afraid to show yourself to the world, traumatized after what happened to your mother. But now you've come back, resolute to face what you must."
Al looked slightly confused. "How is that supposed to—?"
"Easy," Roy replied. "Setting out rumours is nothing."
With an uncertain look, the young alchemist silently complied. "Thank you, sir," he said.
He reached out his hand, and Al took it slowly while a mild smile formed on his lips.
Al was clearly a nice piece of work. Well done, Fullmetal. I'll look after him for you while you're gone.
And before he could stop himself, he had pulled the boy into an embrace. Maybe he felt way too much for him already.
The boy's shoulders tensed and his big eyes widened. He made a slight attempt to pull away, before he slowly relaxed. "Colonel?"
Roy released him leisurely, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's nothing."
Alphonse looked up at him, eyes bright. "Colonel… do you love my brother?"
Roy froze, almost flinched. His good eye fixed upon the boy. Sharp kid… Undoubtedly Edward Elric's brother.
"Welcome back, Al," he said warmly.
Not even a week later, Alphonse's new background story was quite well-known around Central. And Alphonse had of course passed the state alchemist exam with great ease. Even Roy Mustang had been present at the last practical test, curious of what Al would do.
While the other alchemists transmuted large structures which didn't hold posture, worn themselves out or other blunders, the youngest went directly to an old suit of armour standing on the set of the elements they could use to impress the judges.
An old suit of armour...
Roy Mustang frowned, wondering why it was there. Was it something the Fuhrer President had set up? But then he forgot about his suspicions, because Alphonse simply clapped his hands to activate the small transmutation circles on each palm of his gloves and touched the front of the armour. The strong blue light sparkled as lightning around him.
Two small, glowing spheres of light appeared where the armours eyes would have been if it had been alive.
The armour started to move. No, it came to life. Then Al started to spare with the armour.
Roy looked amused at the performance, and how the other people around him gasped and gathered to know how he was doing it.
"I'm controlling this suit of armour, by sending a portion of my soul into it," Al said with a shrug. "Somehow my soul can easily leave me."
The judges were impressed. Alphonse had passed.
Back at the office the next day, Roy shoved him a state alchemist licence from the Fuhrer along with a silver watch across his desk.
"Congratulations," Mustang said. "You're now officially a dog of the military." It was only afterwards he realized that it was exactly what he had said to the older brother, the day he got his silver watch.
Al seemed startled, but endured it and examined his watch.
"The Fuhrer President was impressed by your performance," Roy said. "He decided your state alchemist name to be the Soul Sphere Alchemist." He paused. "Alphonse…"
Al looked up at him, eyes hardening and aware of his tone. "Did the Fuhrer expect me to do something with the armour?"
The kid seemed to keep surprise him with his bright understanding. Another thing he seemed to have gotten from his brother. Always seemed to be oblivious to his surroundings, but the truth was that he wasn't.
"I don't know," Mustang admitted. "But if he suspects something, it seems likely that he put it there on purpose."
"He wouldn't have any proof," Al defied. "He's not even an alchemist."
"That is true. But no reason to be careless if he has his doubts about your background."
Alphonse clenched his watch and looked down with a solid stare.
Roy would've thought that someone who was trapped in a suit of armour for four years would find it difficult to show feelings, being completely unable to do so inside a body of metal. But it was rather the opposite. Alphonse Elric had learned to show his feelings without using his face; with the lack of other ways to show his emotions he had been an expert to show them through physical gesticulations. Even if he didn't remember his life as a soul in the armour, he had it in him by making his expressions double.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to continue searching for my brother now," Al propositioned.
"I don't mind," Roy responded. "What are you thinking you'll research in the matter?"
"The Gate," Alphonse replied.
The next couple of days, Roy didn't see much of the young Elric at all. He reported in now and then what he had found out, but it was never anything mind-blowing.
He travelled around Amestris, at libraries, talking with people he and his brother had met during the four years they had been searching for the Philosopher's stone, and other alchemists.
Then all of a sudden, there was a new attack. But this time, it happened in Lior.
The Fuhrer President immediately summoned Colonel Roy Mustang to a haste meeting with all the other superior officers.
"All units on my right hand side of the table will go assist Lior immediately," Fuhrer Hakuro announced. "Capture the enemy, but kill if you have to. The rest stays here in case we have another attack at Central."
Roy guessed he had a trip out in the desert to make.
Colonel Roy Mustang had gathered his unit in his office, informing them of the recent attack in Lior. "We're ordered out on the field to assist Brigadier General Kiehle," he said, standing in front of Riza Hawkeye, Jean Havoc, Heymans Breda, Kain Fuery and Vato Falman.
They saluted, everyone were in.
His phone called and he answered it slightly hassled. "Colonel Roy Mustang's office."
"This is Alphonse Elric, sir."
"Alphonse!" he exclaimed. Just in time. He was relieved to get assured that the boy was safe. "What is your location?"
It was silent for some seconds. "I'm in Lior, sir."
He felt his heart skip a beating. When had he moved there? Why hadn't he been informed? "Are you hurt?" he asked fast.
"No, I'm fine," Al said. "I—"
"I order you to return to Central immediately," he said with a stern voice, cutting Al off.
"That would be difficult, sir," the young alchemist replied. "The railway is destroyed and… it's quite chaotic."
"Regardless, get yourself out of there at once!" Mustang ordered, getting an odd feeling of being a father telling his child to get home before dark.
Al noticed his tone. "Sir, I'm stuck out here," he said bluntly. "But I'll be careful, and if I get the chance I can spy on them. If they have some secret location somewhere, I know how I can lead us—"
"No." Mustang clenched the phone so hard that his knuckles whitened underneath his gloves. What the hell was the boy thinking? "Don't go anywhere near an enemy line. It's too dangerous. They have powerful weapons beyond our knowledge."
It got silent in the other end.
"Where exactly are you?" Mustang asked.
"At the military base outside the city," Alphonse replied.
Mustang felt a slight relief. At least not in the middle of the ruins. "Stay there. Don't even think about going outside. We'll be there in a couple of hours. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Alphonse said monotonously.
Roy Mustang hung up and glanced at his unit. They sent him some odd looks in return.
"I somehow felt you had a son for some seconds. Have I missed anything?" Havoc said, his brows lifted and grinning idiotically.
Mustang ignored him "To the cars," he ordered. "We have a long drive to make since the railway is ruined."
His unit got going, marching out the door. 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye lingered to walk by his side. "He'll be fine," she said softly.
"He's thirteen years old," Mustang opposed. "He has never seen war, and I want to keep it that way, regardless if he's a state alchemist."
"Well, as a state alchemist he has equal duties as other state alchemists - just like his brother had. You never hid the fact of sending him out on the field if you had to," she pointed out.
"I'd never send a twelve year old boy out to war, Hawkeye," he said. "Other higher-ups might, but…" his words lingered in the air.
"You care about the Elrics," she finished his sentence with a soft smile. Nothing would ever get passed her while being his most trusted subordinate.
When they finally arrived at the base, the sight that met them weren't the most encouraging. Several soldiers had returned with horrible wounds, missing limbs, blooded bodies and eyes full of dread.
Mustang had seen scenes like these before, and he knew he would see things like this many times in the future, along the path towards his ambition.
The wounded were stationed underneath tents without walls, the space being too small to have everyone inside the base.
Not to mention the heat. Mustang wished he could remove his jacket, but a uniform was a uniform.
He looked for Alphonse, but couldn't see him anywhere with anyone of the wounded. He would've guessed the boy would've run out to help treating them, but maybe he had kept his word and stayed inside after all.
He led the way inside, meeting Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Light and Brigadier General Carl Rheo Kiehle. He saluted. "What's our status?"
"31 civilians and 4 soldiers dead, over 200 wounded," Lieutenant Colonel Light said grimly, returning the salute. "The bomb was released from above the city from a flying machine. It seemed like they aimed at a random place at the city."
"Did they land?" he asked, feeling frustrated. Who were these people?
"I don't know. Not around here at least. The thing disappeared after it circled around the sky for some minutes."
Roy Mustang frowned. "It seems to me like they're testing us or giving us some kind of warning. As they're saying look what we can do."
"Don't get all over yourself, Colonel," Brigadier General Kiehle warned, almost mockingly. "Maybe you, as the legendary Flame Alchemist, have an explanation of what those things flying in the sky are?"
"I don't," Mustang said, trying to keep his irritation off his voice. "But I will find out and make my own to defeat them if I have to."
"Arrogant words from a Colonel," the Brigadier General said.
Roy Mustang kept himself in his rightful place. How much he despised that man, he outranked him and was one of Fuhrer Hakuro's favourites.
"No matter how troublesome it is, sir," Lieutenant Colonel Light shot in, "we have to head out and report the damage."
Mustang nodded. He had always liked Anthony Light from back at the academy. "But first," he said. "Where is Major Elric?"
"Is that little brat yours?" the Brigadier General asked. "He was such a bother that I had to teach him a small lesson. I locked him inside my office."
Roy felt something stir within him. He didn't know exactly what, but only the thought of Brigadier General Kiehle looked at Alphonse made him furious. "Major Elric is under my command. What made you lock him in your office for?" he asked, with every possible mean keeping his voice calm.
"You should thank me, Colonel. He was set upon running out to enemy lines and get himself killed," the Brigadier simply said. "If I hadn't locked him up he probably would've ran away long before you got here. Feel free to go fetch him, if you can handle him. He's a stubborn kid."
Roy Mustang went past him, silently clenching his fists. The Brigadier was already getting to his nerves. He unlocked the door to the office, and felt a slight relief of seeing the kid sitting, although looking quite bored, on the couch in the office. He looked up from the book he was reading, his eyes lit up at the sight of him.
"Sir, I'm glad you're here." He got up and hurried towards him. "I wasn't even allowed to help the wounded."
"That was probably for the best," Mustang said strictly, hiding the worry he had just felt. "What were you thinking, coming out here on your own?"
"I came here yesterday, sir," Al said indignantly. "Who would know they would target Lior? I visited Roze and her child. Luckily they're fine."
"Fine," Roy said. The boy was right, after all. "But in the future, let me know on beforehand which city you go to. Especially now, no one can feel safe."
Al nodded obediently. "Yes sir…"
Mustang felt relieved. But he didn't scold too much, did he? He wanted to know what Kiehle had said to him too, but he never got the chance. Suddenly, the ground started shaking and he was almost thrown off his feet. His shoulder hit the wall and he caught Alphonse before he fell the same way.
It felt like a powerful earthquake. Until they heard a thundering sound.
He cursed under his breath. Another attack. The thundering stopped, but he could still feel Al's light trembling. "Are you all right?" he asked.
Al nodded. "But that was another bomb…"
"And it hit close to the base," Roy said, straightening up. "No matter what, stay close to me and don't leave my sight." He started walking fast to find his unit and the other superior officers.
Alphonse followed right behind his heels. "Sir, listen. I know a way I can spy on them, even find out where their hideout is."
"If you try anything stupid to show yourself off, Alphonse Elric, I'll lock you up in a real cell until this is over," Mustang threatened.
"But, sir, I—"
"Don't 'But sir' me," he cut off. "Regardless of your rank you're still a child." He continued firmly down the hall and Alphonse followed, now quietly.
Al didn't even have memories of the time being in a suit of armour, Mustang thought darkly. If he had, things would have been different. A lot of things had happened during those four years. Death, tragedy… And Al might have been less just an innocent child if he had remembered that he had experienced those things.
He had never thought of Al as just a teenager at the time he had been a soul in the armour. Mustang had to admit to himself, he regretted that. Even in the armour Al had been a child. He cared about the boy, and wanted to protect him and his innocence from things he shouldn't be involved in.
They reached outside, and found Lieutenant Colonel Light and Brigadier General Kiehle.
"What was hit?" he asked fast.
"They aimed randomly out in the desert, but dangerously near the base," Lieutenant Colonel Light informed. "No one was hurt, but… another warning?"
"Seems like it," Mustang replied. "Which direction did the flying machine go?"
"Behind the smoke from the bomb. Impossible to say."
These bastards were some tricky ones, he mentally noted. They intentionally dropped a bomb and ran away into hiding during the chaos, leaving confusion. It was low and cowardly.
Mustang felt the anger clutching around his heart. Then he remembered that Alphonse stood right next to him, and he glanced down at him.
Al had his large bronze eyes fixed upon the remaining smoke a couple of kilometres away out in the desert.
Somehow the sight of Al made him keep his cool.
"I want people out there, experts on bombs, whatever we have, and report all you can possibly find out about that crater," he said. "Whatever information, it might tell us more of what kind of destructive power we're up against."
Lieutenant Colonel Light nodded. "I agree."
Brigadier General Kiehle sighed. "Such waste of time. Rather go to the city and take a look for yourself. Then you might get the idea."
Mustang's eyes flared. "My idea is to prepare proper defences, Brigadier General, not just sit and wait by my desk for another bomb to drop."
"If you can build a wall to keep something like that out, go ahead and try," the other countered.
Mustang turned to Lieutenant Colonel Light, who looked nervous that the two of them might start using more than words against each other soon. "Do you still draw, Lieutenant Colonel?" he asked, remembering his friend had been quite good at it during the time at the academy.
Lieutenant Colonel Light was slightly taken aback by the question. "Yes."
"Draw a sketch of what you can remember of the flying machine. I want to build one."
Everyone looked at him in awe. Even the Brigadier General shut his mouth this time, to his satisfaction.
"I'll try my best, sir," Lieutenant Colonel Light said and bowed.
Roy smiled. "You don't have to bow to me."
Lieutenant Colonel Light grinned at him. "I've always admired you."
"Do we have time for this?" Brigadier General Kiehle abruptly shot in.
Mustang turned to his team that stood lined up at the sideline. "I want Breda, Fuery and Falman to join up with someone from Lieutenant Colonel Light's unit and check out the crater."
They nodded and saluted. "Yes, sir!"
Lieutenant Colonel Light gathered three from his unit to join them. Mustang chose Falman to be in charge, and then they headed out in two cars.
"I'll start working with the sketch immediately," Lieutenant Colonel Light said. "But I have to say, I don't have a clue how it would work in practice."
"We'll figure that out later," Mustang replied. Then he froze at the sight of Brigadier General Kiehle.
He was talking with Alphonse some metres away, and he was unable to catch what their conversation was about. Al was scowling slightly up at the man, and Kiehle looked quite pleased with himself while his mouth was moving. It looked like Al asked him a question, and Kiehle shook his head and continued talking.
He didn't want to be paranoid and overprotective, but he caught unmistakably a glimpse of something else in the older man's eyes.
Desire.
Mustang's eye narrowed. He couldn't be sure. But he didn't know very much about the man, other than that Kiehle despised him as much as he despised Kiehle. And who knows how many superior officers who were jealous of him by having the young, talented alchemist under his command. Just like with Edward.
Then the man touched Alphonse's shoulder, and he couldn't take it any longer. He moved fast towards them, stopping right beside the two. "Al," he said.
Al had stepped back, away from the touch and Kiehle retrieved his hand. Almost too quickly.
"I need you to help Lieutenant Colonel Light with details of the flying machine's description," he said sternly.
"Yes, sir," the boy replied obediently and walked away after Light.
Mustang turned to Kiehle, the anger flustering inside his chest. "What are you doing?" he asked, lowering his voice.
"What's that, Mustang?" Kiehle replied. "I'm not allowed to give the boy some advice?"
"No, sir, you may not."
The Brigadier General sniggered. "You're quite protective of him. Or shall I rather say, obsessive?"
Mustang ignored the tone. "It's none of your business, Brigadier General. Alphonse is my subordinate and under my care, not yours. I decide what kind of advice he should listen to. Is that understood?" The words had come out before he could stop himself, but he didn't find himself directly regretting them either. Impoliteness towards a higher ranked officer or not, he wouldn't stand and watch as he tried to make decisions concerning Alphonse behind his back. But he added carefully: "With all due respect."
"I'll make sure the Fuhrer President knows what he tried to do and any other future moves against the military's orders then," the Brigadier General sneered. "You should keep a sharp eye on him, or he might turn you into being just a Corporal again instead of helping you moving up."
That said, Kiehle left him alone.
Roy Mustang silently fumed, but he didn't hide the fact that he had retired to be Corporal for two years after the incident with the previous Fuhrer. The things he had to hide about it were partly the reason why.
Yes, he had suffered from trauma with his eye patch as proof. He had even stopped using alchemy for two years as Corporal up north, wanting to serve his country his own way. A different way.
That was the known reason.
The unknown one was about something completely different, which had equally nagged his mind. And the reason was a certain young, blond alchemist who he missed with all his heart.
When Edward disappeared and everyone thought he was dead, he couldn't get himself to quite believe it. And someday he would find a way to pull him back from wherever the hell he had gone. In the meantime he had moved up north to wait. To think. To get a break from everything.
And then the time came that he was needed back in Central again, having received a direct offer from the Fuhrer President of his old position back.
The information had been minimal. Odd, flying vehicles were attacking Central City with destructive bombs. Civilians had been killed and wounded. Several parts of the city were destroyed.
And he had decided it was time to go back.
He had seen the flying machines as he had come to Central, but they had disappeared almost the second after. He had been in charge of reporting the damage of the city and the numbers of dead. It hadn't been few. As the days had gone by after the attacks, the numbers had still kept increasing. He was afraid that the same thing was happening in Lior right now. More attacks could come, or the enemy would change target to another city.
Who were they? Where did they come from? And what were their intentions? Question after question were eating at his mind. He knew only one thing.
They had to be stopped.
1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye and 2nd Lieutenant Jean Havoc stepped up to him as the Brigadier General left.
"Sir, something about that man is bothering you," Hawkeye asserted. As said before, nothing was ever coming passed her.
"Let me know when I can punch him," Havoc added, the cigarette smouldering from the corner of his mouth.
Mustang tried not to smile, but failed. He crossed his arms and sighed. "He seems to be working against me, but I won't let it disturb my senses of reason."
"Is Alphonse-kun okay?" Riza asked, sounding slightly worried.
"Yes, he's fine."
"What should we do?" Havoc asked.
"Help out with medical treatment of the men who needs it until Falman and the others return," Mustang replied. "There are way too few medics here."
Hawkeye and Havoc nodded, and went for the tents with the wounded soldiers.
Mustang went back to the base building and found Lieutenant Colonel Light and Alphonse by a table with papers before them in Light's office. He lingered some seconds by the door.
Alphonse pointed at the drawing in front of Light and talked eagerly about something. Lieutenant Colonel Light looked thoughtful and nodded.
Roy smiled before he knocked on the frame, and the two of them looked up.
"Colonel," Light greeted. "We're doing some progress."
Mustang went to the table to have a look at their work. The drawing was nicely done, even when incomplete.
"It has a good resemblance to the flying machine I've seen," he acknowledged.
"Alphonse has some good descriptions as well which is helping me," Lieutenant Colonel Light said. "The kid is good with details."
The small alchemist beamed, but his eyes had a serious look in them. "I'm worried about Roze and the others," he said. "Shouldn't they evacuate or—?"
"They'll be fine," Mustang assured. "They've been told to move underground till we know it's safe."
Al nodded. "That's good."
"So, how's it going out there now?" Lieutenant Colonel Light asked.
"I'm expecting Falman and the others to return soon," Mustang replied. "Aside from that, there are many men who need to be at a hospital, not out here in the desert."
Lieutenant Colonel Light nodded. "It's been sent a message to the other bases around Amestris to aid us with necessary transportation. East Headquarters is the closest and they're already driving the first load of wounded."
Colonel Mustang nodded. That was probably the best that could be done for now.
Suddenly Al flinched and turned for the window. "Sir…"
He frowned. He heard it too. A deep, mechanic sound from far away outside. But it was getting louder, as in closer.
Then his 1st Lieutenant showed up, breathlessly, at the door. "Sir, they're coming back," she said. "There's a machine in the sky. It looks like the same one that attacked Central."
Light and Alphonse were abruptly off their seats and were running out, following Mustang who was already striding down the hall. He stopped abruptly at the top of the stairs by the main entrance, holding out an arm in front of Alphonse as he caught up to him, to prevent him from moving any further.
As Hawkeye had said. There was a flying machine. Or rather a powerful killing-machine, coming towards them as a predatory hawk in the sky.
"Get to your positions!" Roy Mustang shouted firmly out. "Shoot it down!"
The soldiers obliged, forming two rows where the front row sat down on one knee and the second row remained standing. Their rifles pointed up in the air, towards the flying machine.
Brigadier General Kiehle stood at the right side of them. "Aim!" He ordered. "Fire!"
The soldiers fired all at once. Mustang felt Alphonse moved closer to him, holding himself for his ears. He laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, but kept his one eye at the flying machine like it was glued.
The flying machine bucked its wings to the left and made a quick turn. It circled away for some seconds, before heading back right towards them from a different direction.
"And here it comes again," Mustang muttered, and shouted out: "RELOAD THE GUNS!"
"Fire the next!" The Brigadier General shot out right after.
The soldiers followed the orders efficiently, aiming up at the still deadly machine. They fired again, this time while it was right above their heads. And without seeming hurt from the muskets, something suddenly was falling from it. Like the machine had dropped something.
Mustang's dark eyes narrowed before they grew wide. "BOMB!" he yelled.
Not much time. He grabbed Alphonse and moved fast away from the building. The building was their target. A building meant people. They weren't here just for show. They were here to kill.
And the most important thing was to survive.
The others followed his example and ran heading for the desert to keep distance from the base. The bomb hit the left side of the building, blowing half of it to pieces.
Roy dragged Alphonse down in the sand and covered him with his body as burning pieces of wood and solid pieces of concrete were falling down all around them. He abruptly snapped his tomb and index finger towards the falling objects. With help of the ignited fabric of his glove, the array on his hand started to glow and alchemic energy was flowing through his arm, making the deadly falling objects explode in fire in the air and perished above them to prevent them from hitting someone.
After some seconds he lowered his arm as the smoke around the area started to fade and dissolve in thin air. Soon he could catch a glimpse of his surroundings.
It was a mess. Half of the building was gone, and some of the tents were burning. Wounded soldiers struggled their way away from the targeted building.
Mustang looked down to check upon Alphonse. The boy lay on his stomach underneath him, covering his head with his arms, shaking lightly.
"Alphonse," he said firmly. "Are you all right?"
"Yes sir," the tiny reply was. "Are you?"
"Yes," he said and stood up. And he turned slowly around to look for what he had dreaded. How many men were still standing?
Looking around, he felt a slight relief that the most of the soldiers had only suffered the same as him, being knocked of their feet by the strong air pressure from the bomb.
Then he froze. A new, deep and loud mechanic sound could be heard from the sky. But this one was different. It was bigger. He turned around slowly, looking towards the horizon of the desert.
"It's the big one," Al said in a low voice.
"Big one?" Roy repeated slowly.
Yes, this was a much bigger machine. It was like a huge flying vessel, and it was getting closer. "Alphonse, stay close to me, no matter what," he said firmly as he pulled the boy back onto his feet.
The newly appeared flying machine seemed to be the main ship. His 1st Lieutenant was suddenly there beside him, pointing her gun at the huge vessel and fired every bullet she had, which woke him up a little from his still dazed mind after the blast.
This vessel was the terrorist organization's shell, and he had to do anything to break it. He turned sharply towards the remaining standing soldiers, wondering slightly if the Brigadier General was alive still and why he hadn't ordered another fire.
"Sir," Hawkeye said. "We need to hit it with something better."
Agreeing to that, Mustang turned around, hoping to see someone still able to fire. "RELOAD! CHANGE TARGET!" he yelled, and the soldiers who could still stand and hold a rifle took their positions. One of them was Lieutenant Colonel Light. He aimed and gave Mustang a nod.
Roy nodded back and looked towards the vessel again. It was close enough, in range.
"FIRE!" he commanded.
The soldiers obliged, sounds of firing looming in his eardrums. They must have hit. Didn't they? At least some of them?
But the thing didn't seem to have noticed. Bullets were hardly like insects on the car window on a thing like that. His fists were clenching. Maybe he could try blast the thing to hell with his alchemy. No. It would be too dangerous. It would hit everyone. So he could just stand and watch in awe and dread or both. Until Al poked his arm and pointed in another direction. "Look!"
Mustang twisted his head. The first, smaller flying machine had made another turn, and was coming back. But something was not right. It was hit. It was slightly losing height and smoke welled out from its side. He couldn't help but feeling a slight victory, just from that. These things weren't invincible after all.
The flying machine that was hit made an abrupt turn and lost height quickly.
"It's going to land," Lieutenant Colonel Light said in awe to his right.
He was right. The flying machine flew right passed their heads again, aiming towards the open desert.
The huge vessel was still getting closer, and soon it would pass their heads as well. Mustang cursed underneath his breath and grabbed a hold of Al. "Come with me." Then he turned. "Everyone, get away from the base!" It would target the base again for sure. He started moving, and right in front of their eyes, the first flying machine was now making contact to the ground, barely a couple of hundred metres away.
Alphonse noticed it too, bronze eyes wide. "Will they come out of it?" he asked.
The Colonel glanced down on the smaller boy, who almost had to run to keep up with him.
"I don't know. It hasn't been quite their style up till now," he muttered.
"BOMB!" someone yelled, and Mustang whipped around, scanning the sky. A black dot was falling fast towards the ground, close to the east end of the base.
"Down!" he yelled, and pushed Alphonse over. Then the boy clapped and touched the sanded ground, but Roy didn't have time to stop and be puzzled. He was buried deep as he heard the heavy blast, and he shut his one eye, clutching after Al's red coat. This couldn't be happening. He swore, if something was to happen to Al, what was he supposed to tell Edward when he got back?
Now the world seemed silent, and he tried to move. But he was pressed down into the sand, buried by it. He coughed and got sand down his throat as he took a heavy breath. Damn it.
Then he felt someone move right by him, and another series of alchemic sparkles lit up the world. And then the sand was flowing away like water washing him up on a beach.
He twisted his head to the side, staring at Alphonse, breathing beside him, and he understood that it was Alphonse's alchemy that had buried them in the first place.
"Why did you do that?" he asked, before his mind could figure it out by itself.
"To protect you," Al replied, rolling to his side and pushed himself up. He spat out some sand. "I think it worked."
Roy rubbed his eye with a dirty, gloved hand and shook his head. "Thank you. It did." It had been effective, using the sand as a shield. The boy was a prodigy indeed. Just like his brother.
He stood up and reached a hand out for Alphonse to help him stand. The second hit had been a hard one, he thought. The damage could be fatal now.
"Mustang!" Alphonse shrieked.
He turned abruptly to him, feeling very alarmed.
Alphonse was pointing at a body laying some metres behind them. Roy felt his heart skip a beating.
He ran fast towards his colleague and friend, with Alphonse following right behind him.
"Anthony!" He knelt by the man and shoved ruin parts and sand away from his upper body. The sparkles in his eyes were gone. Face already motionless.
No.
He pressed two fingers at his neck, closing his eyes. Nothing. Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Light was dead. In his hand was a half-burned piece of the flying machine-sketch. Roy picked it up, clenching his fist around the piece of paper. Then he breathed in deep.
He said nothing. Showed nothing. Just closed the man's eyes with his hand.
Rest in peace.
Alphonse stood beside him, tears welling up in his large bronze eyes, gloved fists clenching hard. Before he had chance to turn to him and say anything, Al was running.
Towards the enemy.
"Alphonse! Get back here!" he shouted angrily. He stood up fast.
But the boy kept running. Right towards the flying machine on the ground.
He was about to run after him when the huge, black flying machine flew passed right above him once again. Another bomb hit the ground, at the east side of the base, and he was mercilessly knocked off his feet. He groaned, suddenly breathing sand into his nose. His eyelid drooped and shut closed as his head span and everything turned dark.
The first thing he noted when he came to was a cold hand resting on his forehead. He slowly opened his eye and stared up at his 1st Lieutenant.
"You'll be all right, sir," she said.
He groaned from the pain in his head, abruptly remembering what had happened. "Where is Alphonse?" he managed.
She looked alarmed at him. He swore her eyes even widened. "I… I don't know, sir."
He cursed and sat up, looking around. Dizziness almost caught completely hold of him by the abrupt move. He focused his eyes again and discovered that he had already been brought to one of the tents. The fire had been put out. The sky was silent.
For how long had he been out?
"They're gone, sir," she said. "They left some time after the bomb that knocked you out."
"What's our status?" he asked, slightly afraid to know.
"Thirty-one soldiers dead, sir," she replied. "And forty-seven wounded, including yourself."
"I'm fine," he said. "Anyone missing?"
"Not officially, but apparently one is missing," she said. "I haven't seen Alphonse-kun since before the last bomb hit."
This was bad. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and lay pressure on his foot. He winced.
"Your leg, sir," Riza warned. "You shouldn't overdo it."
Then he noticed the blood on his leg and he pulled the leg of his pants up to see. It seemed like something had dug into his leg from the blast. The piece had been removed and stitches had been added to close the open wound.
"Did you sew me?" Roy asked dumbfounded.
"Yes, now rest down again so I can add bandages to protect the stitches," she said strictly.
He lay down again, knowing better than arguing against her.
"He ran away towards the flying machine before I could stop him," he said through gritted teeth.
Riza hesitated. "The one that landed is gone too."
Roy's fists were clenching and opening. "I want someone to go out and look for him now."
Riza nodded, looking worried and turned to Havoc, Breda, Fuery and Falman; everyone had returned safely from the desert. "Go towards the place where the flying machine landed. Alphonse Elric is missing. He was last seen running towards it," she informed.
Havoc glanced at Mustang, looking troubled. "I'll turn every grain of sand." He left with Breda, Fuery and Falman, heading out in the desert.
"If they find him, they'll probably return with a body-bag," Brigadier General Kiehle said, showing up behind Riza.
She turned and stepped to the side, knowing better than answer. If she did, it would probably end with her shooting his head off.
"He was only a child, Mustang," he continued. "I should've known it was too much of a responsibility for you."
"He is missing, not dead!" Mustang fumed, dark eyes flaring dangerously.
"And I see you got yourself wounded," Brigadier General Kiehle continued, ignoring his words completely. "You better leave this place and head back for Central, Colonel. I have no need for weak men at the field."
And as Havoc and the others returned, he had to admit defeated that neither of them had found any traces of the young alchemist.
Mustang nodded. "Havoc, you pick five people you trust to linger with you here. Your mission is to find whatever information you can about Alphonse Elric's whereabouts. He could have been taken by them or continued out in the desert alone. Whatever the answer is, I want him brought back to Central as soon as possible."
Havoc saluted. "Yes, sir."
After returning to Central HQ his paperwork had doubled, as the only thing he was able to do with a hurting leg.
It was one week after the incident when another strange event happened in Lior.
Riza Hawkeye came hurriedly into his office, looking strangely alarmed. "Sir, I just received some unexpected news," she informed almost with bated breath. "I got a phone call from former Major Armstrong in Lior. He said Edward Elric showed up in a flying machine."
Roy Mustang just stared at her. "What…?"
"Edward Elric, sir," she repeated. "He is back."