So this is something daft that I came up with (how most of my ANs start) I wanted to do something with stage magic and ended up with a procedural cop drama... as you do. Any hope you enjoy it :)
"This," Olivier said as she clicked on the opening picture of the slide show, "is the criminal mastermind known as 'Father'." On the large screen that dominated most of the briefing room was a man in his early to mid fifties, with a mane of well kept but thinning ash blond hair, in a business suit. Winry made a mental note to commit that face to memory as, just from the picture, he seemed as if he would be good at keeping himself hidden.
"Father has been linked to an underground crime ring in Drachma, has links to the Xersian and Xingese Mafia and is reportedly behind a spate of petty crimes in Creta," Olivier continued as she flicked through more photographs of the same man in various different locations with a number of groups of people. "We have no proof of any of these links as most of Father's criminal activities are undertaken by his seven cronies."
Olivier clicked through a series of photographs depicting the different members of Father's group; a slender woman with long wavy dark hair, a man in his late twenties with a fur lines waistcoat and sunglasses, a thick-set giant of a man with scraggly hair and a vacant expression, an obese man who looked ready to devour everything in sight, an imposing man who was probably ex-army with an eyepatch and a thick black moustache, and a child who looked sweet and innocent but Winry suspected he was anything but, The last picture was a silhouette with a question-mark over the top.
"We have no idea who the final member of Father's group is," Olivier explained. "It is rumoured that he is a master of disguise and will probably try to infiltrate our organisation so security checks must be undergone. I want constant vigilance and will not tolerate anything less." Highly unlikely that security will screw up after that, Winry thought. Olivier Armstrong was a terrifying woman.
"Director Armstrong," Denny asked, raising his hand a few seats in front of Winry. Olivier raised an eyebrow at him as if to question why he was even breathing let alone wasting it by talking. Denny wilted under her glare but continued regardless. "If none of this can be proved then why are we going after this guy in the first place? I mean who's even to say it's him at the head of it all at all?"
"Because," Olivier said after a long suffering sigh, "we had an agent of our own infiltrate his organisation. Unfortunately Agent Hughes was discovered and killed in action but he did manage too get a message to us of Father's next plan, in which he intends to bring down Amestris's National Bank."
There was a murmur that rippled through the briefing room. An economic lull after a change in leadership already had tensions running high, a bank crash would probably lead to a complete full scale rebellion. The lights clicked back on and Olivier turned off the projector.
"Agent Winry Rockbell will be taking the lead out on the field on this case," Olivier declared, "along with Agent Riza Hawkeye heading our internal investigations. All queries much go through them. You are all dismissed."
There was a clattering of notebooks and chairs as everyone scrambled to be the first to the coffee machine before it stopped churning out actual coffee and starting giving everyone brown sludge. Winry was in less of a hurry. She expected Olivier would have something more for her and she was right.
"Agent Rockbell," Olivier said, standing and waiting in the doorway for her, "a word before you go please."
"Director Armstrong," she said catching up to Olivier and matching her pace as she strode down the corridor to her office.
"Before Hughes was killed he was able to disclose that Father runs most of his criminal activity from a theatre in Central," Olivier told her.
"Did we get a name of the theatre?" Winry asked.
"The Dwarf In The Flask," Olivier said, handing Winry a photograph from the stake of papers she was carrying. "Ironic as the place seats two to three thousand and is lit up light a holiday tree."
"Not exactly what you'd call inconspicuous," Winry said looking at the huge building in the photograph.
"No," Olivier said. "Now since Hughes was discovered Father is going to be suspicious of anyone and everyone new he comes into contact with so you're going to have to be on the alert and sharp."
"Yes Director," Winry said, her voice wavering slightly. Olivier stopped in the middle of the corridor and turned to face her, narrowing her eyes.
"Are you sure you can handle this Agent Rockbell?" she asked. Winry blanched.
"Yes," she replied.
"I made you lead in the filed because I thought that you would be up to the task," Olivier said.
"I am," Winry said hurriedly, feeling her chance to lead a case suddenly slipping away.
"I need you to be one hundred percent certain about this," Olivier said. "If you're not, I can switch you with Hawkeye."
"I can do this," Winry said firmly.
"Good," Olivier smiled and continued down the corridor, her long blonde hair swishing behind her, Winry at her heels. "Now to infiltrate Father's organisation we will need to get someone up on that stage."
"Doable," Winry said. "Any information on what kind of bill they take?"
"Another rumour has it that Father is a huge fan of stage magic," Olivier said.
"Right..." Winry said trying not to sound too sceptical. "Do we know any willing to try and sneak us into Father's inner circle?"
"No," Olivier said. Of course they didn't, that would be far too easy! "Most stage magicians in Amestris operate under the supervision of the Führer's Magicians Association and guess who owns that."
"Father?"
"Got it in one," Olivier said. "Every single stage magician in Amerstris is in some way owned by Father... save five."
"Five magicians?"
"They call themselves 'The Brotherhood Of Travelling Alchemists'," Olivier said. "They operate outside of the FMA, never stay in one place for very long and I have it on good authority that Father has been trying to get them all in one place for years."
"So I find these guys, get them on side and get to Father that way?" Winry asked. That sounded much simpler than it was going to be.
"Basically," Olivier replied. "I know where three of them are currently staying, the other two is anyone's guess."
"So who are they and how do I identify them?" Winry asked as they reached the door of Olivier's office. Olivier ushered Winry inside and handed her a file once the door was closed. Winry opened it and the first thing she saw was a photograph of a good looking man in his late thirties with dark hair and a killer smile.
"That is Roy Mustang," Olivier said. "Currently operating in Central City. He's a notorious flirt and, when he's not using his skills to get into girl's knickers, he specialises in card tricks and pyrotechnic magic."
"Hot head, got it," Winry said as she flipped to the next picture, this one of a woman with long dark dreadlocks.
"Izumi Curtis," Olivier said. "She's an escape artist so pinning her down is going to be difficult especially if she doesn't want to help."
"Okay," Winry said making a mental note to bring an extra pair of handcuffs with her when going to talk to Izumi, "and where is she?"
"Currently in Dubleth," Olivier said. "From what I can tell she is set up with a local butcher so if you find Sig, you'll find Izumi."
"Great," Winry said flipping to the next photograph. This one was of a man who looked startlingly like Father, except his hair was more gold than straw and he wore glasses.
"That is Van Hoenheim," Olivier said. "I know, I had to do a double take when I first saw the photo but he's not related to Father, they just have similar heritage."
"And what kind of magic does he do?" Winry asked.
"Mentalism," Olivier replied. "Mind magic," she added in response to Winry's unvoiced question.
"Great."
"He'll try to get inside your head so keep your guard up," Olivier told her. "If you managed to recruit any of them try to make it him; it will be much easier to have him on side than not."
"Sure thing." Winry said turning to the last photograph. This one was of two men, both around her age – mid to late twenties – with long matching ponytails of the same flaxen blond, one mere inches taller than the other but it was so small a difference it was hardly noticeable.
"Those are the Elric Brothers," Olivier said. "Edward and Alphonse, I have no idea which is which and some people are under the impression that it's just the same person and he's very good at what he does."
"Which is?"
"They're illusionists," Olivier replied, "and we have no idea where they are. Last seen in Resembool although they high tailed it out of there as soon as Hoenheim rolled into town. No one has seen them since."
"And how will I know I have the right people when I find them?" Winry asked.
"This, Olivier said taking a piece of paper out of the bottom of the file and placing it on top of the photographs, "is a drawing of the tattoo each one of The Brotherhood has." It was an ornate drawing of a snake entwined around a cross with a crown above it and, what looked like, wings either side of that. "You find that tattoo you've got the right person."
"Okay," Winry nodded. Find the tattoo, find the magician... simple...
"So you think you can handle this?" Olivier asked. Winry looked up at her and nodded, determination blazing in her eyes.
"You can count on it," she said.
