"What?" Anna whispers, wide eyes flicking between mine rapidly. I swallow thickly, hating the fear in her face but knowing there is little I can do at the moment to assuage it. My instincts scream at me to get her out of here, and to do it now.

"I can't tell you right now, but we need to get out of here as soon as possible. Pack some clothes and meet us back here in three minutes. Go," I shove her lightly in the direction of her room. For a second she doesn't move, shoulders shaking and taking in my rigid stance, one I've never used with her before. Then she hastens to her room without another word.

Eddie steps up behind me and places a hand on my shoulder. I don't look at him. I bite my lip, suddenly realizing just how Edward must have felt when he got me out of the hospital. I'm sure I looked at him just like Anna did to me.

"Do you have anything else you want to grab before we leave?" he whispers.

I start to shake my head no, not really willing to look around the house for perhaps the last time, before I snap my head up. There is one thing, something irreplaceable. I slip past my friend and walk silently down the dark hall into the living room. Sparse as the rest of the house, it only contains a threadbare couch and a couple of shelves around a crumbling fireplace. Still, it is home, and everything in here is cared for with the utmost love. I shuffle to the shelf on the left of the fireplace and run my finger along the worn spines of the books there. My ma' loves to read historical fiction and the small shelf is packed with novels, but there is a specific volume I'm looking for. Not published, but handwritten and worn from being handled by rough, calloused hands.

My father's journal.

I ghost the tips of my fingers along the spines, knowing it is in here but unable to see well by the dim light. Still, I know it by touch and once my hand passes over the warm leather cover, I pry it from its place. Swiftly I pull the pack from my back and tuck the volume inside before donning it once more. I feel a little better, once I have that piece of him with me...

"Will we see her again?" A small voice sounds from behind me and Anna steps to my side. Her gaze is locked on the collection of pictures crammed onto the top of the fireplace. I look as well, and my chest tightens at the images of our small family at various ages.

I swallow hard with a flutter of trepidation as three photos in a row capture my eye; the first of the four of us, Anna and I so young and carefree, and ma' and dad smiling at us warmly. The second of Anna I and ma' two years after father's death, our smiles slightly dimmed, but still whole. And…

And the last of Anna and I, grinning at the camera with our arms around each other. Alone.

I shut my eyes tight and turn away. Please, please, please don't let that be an omen. A small hand brushes against my tightly clenched fist, and I startle, coming out of myself. Anna steps up close to me and coaxes my fingers open, slipping her hand into mine before looking up with gleaming eyes. I exhale sharply and pull her against me. "Of course," I whisper. "Of course we'll see her again. I promise."

Her breath shudders as she rests her forehead against my shoulder. "Right."

We stand that way for several minutes before she pulls away on her own. Anna squares her shoulders, burdened by a small backpack, and squeezes my hand comfortingly before leading us back to the hallway.

Edward is waiting there for us. He glances at our locked hands knowingly but doesn't comment on that or at the tears stains on Anna's face. Instead, he nods once and gestures towards the crawlway.

Anna looks at the small door with distaste. "Why don't we just go through the front entrance?"

"This complex may be being watched," he explains. "Also, we don't want to risk one of the residents seeing us." Anna's brows furrow in worry, but she nods in assent. Only Edward is no longer watching, but peeking out of the window and onto the street.

Anna crouches down and begins to go inside, but I hesitate, watching Edward. He's staring frozen out of the window, shoulders suddenly rigid with tension. A sliver of fear flutters in my stomach. Oh no. I know that look.

Edward blanches and jerks back from the window and against the wall, straining to see out of the window without catching the light on himself, and almost instantaneously I crouch down low and place a warning hand on Anna's back.

"Han, what–" she protests, but I silence her instantly with a sharp shake of my head, heart jumping into my throat.

"Eddie?" I whisper tensely.

He lifts a hand towards me and puts up three fingers, not taking his eyes off the street below. I shudder, hand tightening against my sister's shoulder. They've found us? But how?! Eddie's golden eyes widen and his mouth forms a soundless curse, lifting up two more fingers. He gestures sharply at us and I don't think twice, pushing Annalise in front of me as quickly as I can get her to move before crawling in after her. Edward follows quickly and shuts the door behind him.

"But, the door, they'll see it," Anna protests from in front of me, clearly having caught on to the situation as I had. I just shake my head and push her faster, a telltale flash of blue going off behind me. Anna's eyes widen, but she doesn't say anything more, and the three of us cram into my small room and straighten up.

"How much time do we have?" I breathe to Edward, doing my best to keep my voice steady for my sister's sake.

The alchemist shakes his head, peering out of my small window carefully. "Shit, they're in. I'd say less than a minute before they break into your apartment."

"Who are they? What do they want?" Anna clings tightly to my side, staring fearfully at Edward. I stay silent, wanting to know the same thing.

"They aren't wearing uniforms but they are definitely military. I can't be entirely certain whose orders it is they're following, but I recognize one of them." He looks at me. "He's one of the men who escorted you when you were taken by Krane."

I go cold, shivering as I remember Krane's frigid fingers ghosting across my skin. "How did they know, Eddie? How did they find us?"

"I don't think they did, at least not yet. I think they're here for Anna, or otherwise there wouldn't be a need for subterfuge."

My spine goes rigid and Anna gives a small yelp as my arm tightens around her. Suddenly I am fiercely grateful I persuaded the brothers to stop here first. A strong spike of fury boils my blood at the thought of that creep laying a hand on her.

A loud clunk sounds in the other room, and all of us instinctively crouch down as if about to be struck. More noises follow, but I can barely hear it over the pounding of my heart and Anna's quick breaths.

"What do we do? Do we stay and hope they don't find us or do we make a run for it?"

He leans against the window frame and peers out. "We need to leave, I don't know if that hidden door will stymie them for long, especially if they have an alchemist. Hold on, I can see Al!"

Edward lifts his hand and snaps once, a tiny blue spark lighting the room briefly before extinguishing. We wait in the tense silence for Alphonse to signal back. We can hear voices now, pitched in anger. Anna's breath quickens even more and I fear she may hyperventilate if we don't get somewhere safe soon.

And then he's up, gesturing me forward, and I know exactly what to do this time. I turn to Anna and look into her eyes with as much conviction as I can. "Anna, listen to me. We are going to jump. I need you to do exactly as Edward tells you." Her mouth is opened into a small frightened 'o' but she nods and I give her shoulder a proud squeeze. Anna always was the more brave of us two. I exchange one hard look with Edward who nods back before I look down. Sure enough, Al's down there, hands up and waiting.

It is a testimony to how very much adrenaline is in my blood–and how insane my life has become as of late–that I only hesitate for a split second before jumping out of a window for the second time this night. Anna's startled gasp is the last thing I hear before the rush of the wind and the fear drown out all else.

One more mind staggering drop later, I feel my feet impact Al's waiting hands and he lowers me down, catching me with his other arm when I stumble. But I'm up in an instant, barely able to breathe past the lump of terror in my throat and the pounding of pain in my body, staring at the window where my precious little sister now sits, Edward whispering into her ear much as he did for me the first time. And I know it has to be done, but every protective instinct in my body is going off at once at the sight of her face, pale as death in the moonlight. I lift my arm like Alphonse next to me, as if to promise to catch her as well, even knowing that I can't. Still, that seems like last reassurance she needs, because then she's falling, eyes tightly shut and long hair whipping around her face.

But there is nothing to fear. Alphonse catches her expertly and deposites her gently into my waiting embrace. She trembles as I hold her tightly, before she forcefully pulls back, looking me up and down as if to check me for injuries.

We get no moment to rest, though, as a shout behind us startles me badly. Alphonse whips around, shielding us both. "Not good," he says loudly, all pretense of stealth blown. At the same moment, a loud crash is heard from the window above us, and Edward's curses intertwine with the voices of several others. "Run!"

I barely get a glimpse of several men dressed entirely in black past Alphonse's large frame before a glimmer of a rifle has me grabbing Annalise by the hand and bolting for the alley behind us. She clutches onto me just as tightly until I'm sure my fingers will break, but that miniscule pain is nothing compared to the desperate throb of my entire body at the continued abuse, barely held back by the adrenaline rush.

But it doesn't matter. I have to get my little sister out of here right now.

Blue light flashes blindingly behind us and my shout is in tandem with Anna's as we stumble through the dark. I take us through the dark alleys, as familiar to me as the back of my hand from the many days and nights spent navigating them avoiding the local military police and lowlifes of this side of town. That knowledge serves me well as more shouting lets us know there are bluecoats in pursuit, not all of them occupied by the Elrics. Blue flashes of light continue to shine behind us, along with a significant amount of noise. The sound of gunfire has Anna letting out a hoarse shout and stumbling. I pause and lift her up frantically, but a shout from the alley in front of us has me freezing in fright. They haven't seen us yet, but It's only a matter of seconds and I just don't know what to do!

No, no this doesn't make sense! All of these men for one girl? No, they have to be after me! Maybe if I hide Anna and draw them away–

Anna jerks me into a side alley as the men get closer. "Don't you even think about it," she growls in a strangled voice as she takes the lead, clearly having understood my hesitation. My eyes widen in surprise as she begins guiding us through the narrow streets as if she knows them. Or maybe not, I think as she seemingly leads us to a street I know is a dead end. Men shout to each other behind us and my back prickles as if anticipating a rain of gunfire.

"Anna, wait," I gasp, "That's a dead end!" I try to tug her back, but she pulls me forcefully. I'm so surprised, I can't overpower her as she leads us down a narrow street to a solid brick wall with a tightly closed steel door at the end. She pulls us down and shoves me behind a dumpster, looking frantically at the alley we came from. One man runs past, then another, and once he is clear, Anna lurches to the door and fumbles with something by the handle, much to my bewilderment. With a strangled sound of victory she tugs on a string and then darts back to my side. I try to ask, but she slaps a hand across my mouth.

Several tense moments pass, my absolute trust in my suddenly crazy sibling the only reason I allow this, before the door cracks open, dim light illuminating the alley. Anna grabs me and drags me to the door, flinging it open and throwing us inside before firmly shutting it behind us. She leans her head against the cold metal, breaths coming in frantic gasps as she calms herself.

But I'm not watching her. I'm frozen stiff, a couple of things coming to my attention in rapid succession, my throbbing head not quite able to comprehend just what it is I am seeing.

The room I find myself in is dimly lit, mood lighting barely illuminating the area but seeming bright in comparison to the dark street we came from. Boxes line the walls on one side and the other seems to be used as some sort of break room, the end of which tapers of into a dark hallway with several doors leading out of sight. A large round table sat in the center of the room, and it is most certainly occupied.

Several women dressed in...well, dressed is a strong word. They are more like barely clothed in outfits that would and do make me blush crimson, more skin than not showing through. Their faces are unfriendly and startled, drinks half lifted to heavily painted lips and cards folded down onto the table. It appears we've interrupted a game. Music jangles merrily from the stairs leading to the second floor, efficiently drowning out the mayhem that must still be going on from outside. My mouth drops open in utter shock because I'm fairly certain that…

My fifteen year old sister has just walked us into a brothel.

But that's the least of my worries, because at our abrupt entrance, one of them jumps to her feet and puts the barrel of a gun right between my eyes.

_–_–_

AN: Oh my. Hope you guys are as excited for the next chapter as I am. Thanks for your support!