Some of my favorite scenes are starting to come up now. The one in the next chapter I wrote to an hour of listening to the same orchestral music over and over again. Now it's stuck in my head, at least it's a good piece, beautiful violins. I'm not even done with this fic yet, not even close to it despite how much I've written. Yet I was still finding myself thinking yesterday on what sort of fic I'll be writing after this. One of my readers voted for my doing an AU school fic. So if anyone has suggestions let me know, else I'll eventually come up with or decide on something on my on.


Chapter Four

Central

Roy Mustang was ready and waiting when the chief magistrate stormed into his office. He had his walls up around him, the imperious and arrogant mask already in place on his face, and black eyes empty of any signs that would lead anyone to suspect he was withholding information. The news of Edward's escape had spread like wildfire to dry timber among the military personnel.

"Have you sent out search parties yet?" The chief magistrate asked heatedly as he stalked in. The door banged closed behind him.

"I was working on assembling the lists when you decided to drop by. What can I do for you, Levien?" Roy asked, clearly putting up a wall of formality between them. He was not about to let anyone sweep in here in a fury and get worked up. It was annoying, and besides, he'd done nothing wrong.

Levien drew himself up to full height, "you can tell me how Fullmetal managed to escape out of a military prison without so much as a sensor going off."

"He's a State Alchemist-"

"Not anymore."

Roy glared at the interruption. "Title or not, he's still an alchemist. And he's brilliant, one of the most talented in his field. It's no small wonder to me that he managed to break out under your noses. Didn't you make sure his hands were separated?"

"He was chained to the wall." Levien admitted.

"Oh, chained to a wall, like he hasn't broken out of something like that before." Roy rolled his eyes, "on one of his first missions, he was caught and chained to a wall. He broke out easily at his own leisure."

"It would have helped if you had shared those files!" Levien barked in irritation.

Roy's eyes narrowed, "they're classified. Need to know basis, and you shouldn't have needed to know that you needed more than some chains and some guards with their backs turned to contain Fullmetal. We're talking about an alchemist who has power to rival my own. He won't be caged easily."

"With you as his superior officer, I am shocked that he'd so defiantly escape. If he is as good as you claim, and still only a Major, then it makes me wonder why you didn't promote him. After so many years, he never moved up in rank. Tell me, did you know he was a loose cannon, and failed to take appropriate actions?"

It happened in a flash of fire and a pained, surprised shriek.

Roy was on his feet and around his desk in a flash of movement, a shine of steel flashing out and ending at the magistrate's throat. Roy's black eyes bore down into the flustered man lying on his back now. "My personal team is my concern. Edward is no longer among it. What he did is unexpected, and justice will be done. However, if you do not remember your place, Levien…" Roy saw Levien's pale green eyes dart to the sword hovering above him steadily. "Ah, yes, this once belonged to the late Fuhrer Bradley. I keep it here in my office with me, for when people like you believe they can overstep their bounds. I would rather not set my office on fire. You stick to court trials, and let me take care of military matters. Do we understand one another, Levien?"

Levien glared up at him, but fear flickered in his eyes. "Yes."

"Yes?" Roy repeated, and lowered the tip of the sword to the man's throat so the cold steel rested against the exposed skin.

"I understand, Fuhrer Mustang." He elaborated with an angry, but fearful shiver.

"Then get out of my office." Roy ordered abruptly, but did not move the sword.

Levien was forced to crawl sideways, and scampered from the office, slamming the door behind him.

Mustang watched him go, before eyeing the sword in his hand ruefully. Little mementos sure came in handy. And if that fool Levien even for one moment thought that Roy didn't know how to use that sword, he'd sure learn his mistake soon enough if he came back here overstepping bounds again. Walking back to his desk, he sat down, and put the weapon away as the door opened.

"Chief Magistrate Levien just ran out of here looking pissed and white as a sheet." Hawkeye said as she entered.

"Good." Roy smirked, "he shouldn't bother us again. Though I might have made him hate me. Not that I care."

"What did you do to him?" She asked, dumping another few files on his desk.

Roy smiled innocently, "just put him back in his place. He was questioning things that ought naught be questioned. I'd suggest you have one of the boys keep an eye on him. Someone who'll be discreet."

"I'll arrange that." She agreed.

"I don't want things to get out of control. Well, as much as can be helped." He said and turned to the files.

Riza looked at the list on Roy's desk, the list for the search teams to be sent out to track down Edward. "Shall I send out the teams, sir?"

Roy pulled the list to the forefront, and gazed down at it. He'd purposefully put alchemists and militia in each team that would not know Edward, and who Ed wouldn't know either. He didn't want to pit acquaintances or friends against one another. He also didn't want to lose anyone of great value. "Wait until the lunch hour." He said, handing the list over. "Give Ed some more breathing space for now."

Hawkeye looked over the list quickly. "You set this up very nicely. But you do realize if any of them manage to track him down, that they will probably not return."

"I know. Or I know they'll come back dragging themselves along." Roy nodded, "Edward won't be taking them lightly."

She nodded and pocketed the list, "how's your arm?"

Roy glanced over to where she'd shot him a few days ago. "Ed took care of it, I'm fine now."

The answer seemed to satisfy her, for she excused herself from the office.

Now Hawkeye walked over to Falman, Breda, Havoc, and Fuery. All of them knew what was going on, and all of them knew that they weren't to act as if they were on Ed's side. For all of their protection, they had to remain neutral by all appearances. They were the only ones though, the only ones besides Alphonse now, who knew Edward was innocent. That and perhaps those few alchemists Ed had befriended over the years. She realized only those who knew Ed would believe his innocence right now.

"Falman, I need you to keep tabs on the magistrates, specifically Levien. Be discreet, don't be seen. You can handle that, right?" Hawkeye said as she sat down.

"I'm already on it." He said, and got up to leave without a word of question. He rather knew why he was being assigned this task.

"Do you need me to do anything?" Havoc asked.

She shook her head. "You three just stay silent, keep going on as if nothing's happened. But keep your eyes and ears open." She looked out towards the window bitterly, "I know Mustang's ready for this to become much more than just what it appears to be. We need to be as well."

"Is it because it's Ed we're talking about?" Fuery asked.

"Partly."

All of them tried to keep up a normal appearance throughout the morning, and all eyes in the office followed Riza as she left to go fetch those who would be serving on the search parties to hunt down Edward. Even from in his office, Roy knew she'd gone. "Good luck, Edward." He whispered, before turning back to his work.

Hawkeye one by one found the men, and once she'd located the last one, met all assembled teams out in the courtyard. "Your assignment," she began to bark out as she paced back and forth in front of the four teams of six people each, hands clasped behind her in an air of regality, "is to apprehend the Fullmetal Alchemist. He is to be brought back alive to stand trial for crimes committed to the State." Even as she said the words, she felt ill. But she had no other choice. "It should be noted that although there are six of you in each team, and one of him, that you should act with caution." She stopped her pacing to face them now, still standing at attention. "Are there any questions?"

"No, ma'am!" Was the collective cry.

Hawkeye nodded curtly, once. "Then deploy at once, this is a matter of utmost urgency."

As the teams hurried off to pick up their supplies once more, and report to their assigned vehicles, Riza marched back inside the building.

Roy Mustang watched the teams pull out of the gates with a cold gaze. His fingers itched to snap, and melt those tires. He restrained himself. As hard as it was right now, he had to have faith that Edward wouldn't even run into them. Besides, he had to not appear to care.

The dark clouds that began to roll in only affirmed the heavy mood that rested on several hearts in the military buildings.

Town of Shymolin, Eastern Amestris

Edward awoke at last, with a stretch that shook his entire body. Feeling much like a sated cat, he sat up and grabbed his pocket watch from his jacket to check the time. "I slept almost an entire day?" He was amazed, he must have needed it. He just hoped he hadn't worried anyone in the process.

He looked around the room he'd become so familiar with. It had once belonged to Maria, Jared's sister. She'd died only days before Edward had first come here, once Edward had gained Gregory's trust, he'd been allowed to sleep here. It was still decorated with what few things Maria had been given by her father. Dark drapes hung over the windows, blocking the light. The lamp shade was a frilly pink, and the mirror was decorated with engravings of unicorns and fairies. The bed was small for him, but he was grateful of anyplace to sleep.

Getting out of the bed Edward shook the wrinkles from his clothes and made sure his radio was still with him. He would be doomed if he lost his only connection back to Central. He couldn't exactly risk going back there to tell Riza he'd lost the radio already. He'd have to find a way to secure it in his jacket.

Walking over to the mirror he finger combed his hair into a resemblance of tameness, and then braided it tightly and bound it back once more. Stepping out of the room he encountered Jared, Michelle, and Harold. The latter two were some of Jared's friends.

"He is here!" Michelle shrieked, and launched herself at Edward delightedly.

"Told you!" Jared said proudly.

Edward smiled down at one of the few members of his female fan club that he actually liked. Michelle reminded him a lot of Elysia. "Hello Michelle, Harold. Have you both been well?"

"Yeah." Harold smiled at him shyly and offered out his hand.

Edward grinned and gave him the high-five the younger boy wanted. He'd never been a social person, and not exactly one for lots of children, but these ones had grown on him. How could they not have? He'd been so close to all of them, and their parents. And they adored him, just like their parents. If he couldn't escape them, might as well tolerate and learn to enjoy them.

"My mommy wants to see you!" Michelle said, jerking on Ed's hand insistently. "Please! She said it was important."

Edward managed to keep from flushing. Yes, Michelle's mother… how could he forget? She was one of the women who would have offered herself up as his bride should he demand women. Yet he knew he'd not be able to escape visiting with anyone now that the townspeople knew he was back. "All right, but let me eat some food first. I'm starved."

"You've slept so long." Jared said, following with his friends as they trailed the alchemist to the kitchen.

"We thought you were dead." Harold pitched in.

Ed shuddered, "let's not say such things." He suggested to them and found himself an apple in the icebox. "Tell me what you three have been up to while I was gone." He said, and sat himself down with the children, feeling very much like a godfather.

And talk they did, until Edward had finished eating and drinking. Then it was off to visit with the townspeople, under the cover of transmuting his red jacket again into what Hawkeye considered his serial killer jacket. A month ago if he'd turned up in a serial killer style jacket, these people would have shot him dead on the spot. Now they didn't pay it any notice and welcomed him with open arms, the marriage proposals he'd expected, and food and drink.

He took them up on everything but the marriage proposals.

"I'm sure that General Edward has someone back at Central." A shop owner named Ralford smiled at Ed's continuous refusals.

Edward didn't know who'd started it, but now everyone was calling him General Edward. Or General Elric. It was somewhat funny in a way. These people promoting him themselves when he'd practically just denied the military in a very blatant manner. He'd given up trying to get them to stop calling him a general. In truth, he was glad they hadn't started back up with the Saint this-or-that.

"Oh, who is she?" Asked Julia, the loyal wife of Fred who ran the inn.

Edward shook his head with a sad smile. "They don't know I have feelings for them. Or if they do, they've never made any mention of it."

"They? Specifics! You have a harem? You naughty boy!" Julia chastised with a wicked grin.

Edward blushed, "not a harem. Just, it's rather complicated." He shook his head and got up from his seat at the inn table. "I need to be leaving now for a bit, excuse me."

With that, Edward quickly moved himself out of the line of fire regarding his love life.

Two days passed for Edward out there in the remote countryside.

He knew though that his peace might not last forever out here, and he was getting edgy.

"Stop worrying about it, general." Gregory said from where he sat milking one of his cows.

The two of them were in the barn at dawn, working already. Work was keeping Edward from fretting until he heard from Hawkeye. He needed some more information from her before he could move himself.

Edward glanced towards the countryside. "You know I can't help it, something like this. I just hope they're leaving Al alone."

"Your brother?"

"Yes."

"Take it day by day. Think of it like any other mission, if it makes you feel better." Gregory offered.

Ed laughed at that, "some sort of perverse mission. Good thing you were never in the military, they'd be making you come up with all sorts of weird variations to the state exam."

"Listen, sir," Gregory smiled over at him from under the cow's belly, "you can only do what you can do for right now. Until then, stay in sanctuary. You're safer here than anywhere else right now. We're not about to throw you out. You saved our lives."

Ed smiled, he couldn't help it. "Thanks, but you know, things like that sound more majestic when you're not saying them with a cow udder in your face."

That drew laughs from them both, but Edward looked towards the countryside again. Unable to shake the feeling inside him. It would not last long, the peace here for him. He knew his gut feelings much too well, and would be foolish to ignore them now with false hopes that things might stay quiet. But just how much longer he had, he knew not.

He'd leave by tomorrow morning, before dawn.

That much he did know. He couldn't stay any longer if he was starting to feel shadows growing in the edge of his nerves. He wasn't worried for himself, but for these people. He knew they'd protect him, but he did not want to endanger them.

Tomorrow he'd tell Gregory he was leaving, and then head for the east. It was dangerous, and confusing terrain, but he felt certain he could navigate it and throw off any pursuits for a while longer. By disguising his appearance back into a serial killer image, he would easily blend in with the questionable small towns that were out there near the ocean border.

Yes, he felt it was time that he made for a different location. He doubted anyone had recognized him with his disguise, but sometimes the military got lucky. He needed to move forward again.