Behind Closed Doors
Summary: Children have been disappearing all over Central City for the past few months. When Roy is put on the case, his worst nightmare becomes a reality he'd rather not live... especially when Edward disappears. (Parental Relationship)
Warnings: Torture, pain, possibly gruesome descriptions and lots of angst… and slight possibility of Male x Male implications…
Authors Note: Well, Ed's in trouble, Al's in tears, Roy's stuck down memory lane and the enemy are getting away with our favourite Alchemist scot free… is this fic twisted or what?
Yeah, yeah ok it's not the fic that's twisted it the author… but hey, that's why ya love me!
(Crickets chirp)
o.o' … heh, heh…
(Rapid change of subject!)
On with the fic!
Ch8; Of Regrets and New Vows
The office was quiet; a heavy sting hanging in the air as the tension around grew thick and consuming. It wasn't their fault right? What could they have done? They stuck to the plan that Colonel Mustang had set up. It was flawless… but Edward was gone.
It didn't make sense! It shouldn't have happened! Where did it go wrong?! How did they get away?!
Three pairs of eyes nervously found Riza's miserable form hanging over her desk looking as guilty as she felt. It was her fault and everyone knew it but no one was going to point it out. She knew she was to blame and nothing more needed to be said. She made the decision and underestimated the situation and now Edward was missing because of her…
"… 'Sorry' only means you've made a mistake!"
"You really think the Boss'll be alright?" The question had been asked before but back then, they were only a few meters away from their wayward friend and it hadn't seemed so ominous and final. They also had Colonel Mustang there to reassure them that everything would be ok. But now it seemed the finality of the situation was weighing heavy.
Nobody answered the question. Nobody could.
Ring, Ring… The sudden shrill bell of the old Crosley CR-93 Sultan (see end of chapter) shattered the heavy silence and startled everyone out of their respective reveries. Riza's phone seemed to vibrate on the table top causing her to start and stare at it as though it would bite her if she touched it.
Ring, Ring… Shakily, with red rimmed eyes, she reached out. She took a breath to try and calm herself down. She wasn't normally this emotional at work, but then she wasn't usually the one who screwed up and lost a good friend to a blind move of compassion for the enemy who had him. Who knew what they were doing to him now…
Ring, Ri- "Central City State Military, Investigations dept, Lt. Hawkeye speaking…" Her voice was as professional as ever but her face was wrinkled with worry.
"Riza, I need you and the boys in Pei-Ling right away, I've got a lead." Colonel Mustang's voice was sharp and clipped. But it still didn't stop the sudden hope that rose inside her. Riza sobered her feelings instantly.
"That's great Sir! We'll be there in a few hours." She replied curtly and optimistically. She was sick of waiting anyway. Waiting was always the hardest part of a missing person's case… that and the not knowing.
"Good… " There was a pause… "Um… has Al… has anyone…" Riza knew what he was asking and was reluctant to relive the incident again. She took a deep breath to fight off the despair.
"Alphonse found out at the station, Sir. He… didn't take it too well." It was too late, the images came unbidden.
"Where is he?" His voice was barely a whisper. He didn't trust himself just yet to say anything any louder, trying to so desperately to keep his emotions in check. It was a lost battle to begin with.
"Al…" Riza tried as she stepped forward but Alphonse flipped and crumbled to the floor in a heap of sobs.
"Where Is He?!"
"Damn…" Roy's voice brought her back to the land of the living with a thud. "Ok find him. If these guys are good they'll target him next, I want him where I can see him. This is going to be big." Her heart skipped a beat. Find him? Would she be able to? Would he want to see her? She closed her eyes and inwardly screamed at herself; get a grip Riza, your Commanding Officer just gave you an order!
"Yes Sir!" She replied after much delay. It didn't go unnoticed.
"Don't worry Riza, it wasn't your fault. We'll find him." And she was reminded again why she was in love with the guy. Colonel Roy Mustang always knew what was being thought and how to approach the situation.
"Yes Sir." She replied more quietly this time.
"I'm at General Victor Heston's place, Pei-Ling City. Rendezvous at 2000 hrs." She gave a nod but he'd hung up already. The office went quiet again.
Slowly, she put the receiver back on its hook and gave a heart shuddering sigh. All eyes were shamelessly on her as they impatiently, but silently, waited for the news that she was steeling herself to say.
A lifetime seemed to pass by… before;
"We have a lead."
Crack!
The sickening sound echoed loudly in the metal chamber, all who were present winced and looked away. A snarl formed on the USTO Leader's features. He had to admit it; the kid was good.
He stared hard at the wall where his fist had made contact; a dent had moulded itself around his fat fist. He hadn't expected the kid to jump out of the way and dodge his attack let alone have the initiative to then use his forward momentum to kick out and push him to the back of the metal cell.
"I see what you mean Derry, is he worth the price you've set or will the prospective buyers think him too much of a nuisance and not worth the buy?" he asked as he pulled his fist free. He turned and addressed Derry, completely ignoring the blond teen. "You could sell tickets instead or even hits. One punch for 150,000, a kick for 170,000… though if he pulls a stunt like that I can see your insurance bills tripling…" The fat man frowned at that.
"Hmmm… at first I was thinking the same thing, but then I have just recently sold 200 labourers…" Derry saw the kid's eyes widen as the boy let his mouth gape behind the gag. He smirked before continuing. "And made a small fortune that I feel I can part with, especially when the estimated figure for his hide is unthinkable." Golden eyes met furiously with black beads, the promise of pain and suffering did not go unnoticed by both parties. "And to be honest I want his ugly mug out of my hair as soon as possible, he's cost me enough already."
"What do you plan to do?" The large man asked as he turned to scowl at the boy, a cold calculating look in his eyes.
"I think a few sessions with Dr Govan ought to put him in his place." At this the scowl turned into a manic evil grin. The kid wouldn't know what hit him…
Winry watched silently as the younger Elric strode around the room packing and muttering to himself in a fashion that seemed to suit his brother rather than the calm boy she'd eternally committed herself to. Alphonse was in agony. She could see it.
Edward had been the only stable thing in his life ever since before their father left. He was there after their mother died, he was there after their failed transmutation, and he was there after the burning of their own home and all throughout their travels together. He was, for all intents and purposes, his rock. Winry remembered he'd been bad when Edward had disappeared through the gate a few years ago, but then he hadn't remembered much about their travels together and by the time he did regain his memories Edward was back in Amestris fighting off the evil invaders from the other world. It wasn't as bad then…
But just knowing that someone you love was in the hands of a serial kidnapper… knowing they were at the enemy's mercy…
Tears began to fall once again and she slid down the door frame she was leaning against. She had complete faith that they'd find him but the thought of what they were doing to him…she sobbed a little harder. As expected, Alphonse noticed and stopped packing to kneel down next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and eventually crying with her.
Their rock was gone and now they were just drifting along…
Knock, Knock! Both heads shot up and eyed the door warily. Silence filled the room with its ominous presence. Alphonse sat rigid and glared at the door, knowing who was behind it, with no intentions of opening it.
Knock, Knock! Winry sighed and sniffled as she wiped at her eyes before standing to answer the door. Alphonse gripped her hand as she made to move away; the message pleading her to leave it. She looked down at him but he had closed his eyes trying to squeeze away the remaining tears that were lingering. She squeezed back telling him it would be ok…
"We'll find him Al…" She assured him, "But we can't do this alone." She waited with bated breath as the boy sat silent for a good few seconds. He was confused and lonely and it hurt to have to trust the people who'd lost his brother to begin with, but… to be honest, there was no one else he'd entrust his brother's case to than those of Colonel Mustang's team.
He gave a shuddering sigh before releasing Winry's hand…
"I know…"
Roy turned to the aging man as he put the phone back onto its hook.
"They'll be here by eight o'clock, before that I want to stake out the place, get a feel for where I'll be and what I'm working with. Do you have any blueprints of the place?" The old man gave a smile, glad to have found someone who could finally help end this case.
"Stake outs I can arrange, I still have my informants Colonel, but blueprints? I do have some but they're a bit dated I'm afraid." He gave a thoughtful pause before addressing the colonel again. "I can go one better though…" he paused again, making sure he had the younger man's attention. "I have an informant who can get you inside and guide you to where you'll want to be…a very good spy and also a good fighter too, you won't have to worry about protecting anyone." The Colonel gave a frown.
"Can you trust him?" He asked, not happy with having to rely on a stranger for guidance and information on such a high risk – high loss mission. Too many things could go wrong. Too many people could get hurt or disappear for good. He didn't want to take any unnecessary risks if he could help it.
The old General gave a confident nod. "He's a she, Colonel and I trust her like I would my own daughter…" The old General smiled with a secretive twinkle in his eye and Roy found himself smiling also. "Come, I'd like you to meet her, she's in the conservatory." Roy obligingly followed, a thoughtful frown wrinkling his brow as he strode after the old man.
"Katrina dear, I have someone who's interested in your services." The old man led him to another room that housed hundreds of strange plants and foliage. Roy didn't want to know what some of the plants were for considering their ominous appearances, nothing good he could guess. His gaze lingered on a rather spiky looking purple stump before cringing at his thoughts and turning away.
"Colonel, I'd like you to meet Katrina, the spy I was telling you about and… my lovely daughter." Roy's gaze found hers. His breath all but stopped in his throat as his heart sped up to speeds unimaginable; though this didn't show on the outside. Being the coy womanizer that he was, he instantly turned on the charm and gave a winsome smile before locking her eyes with his. She smiled back flirtatiously before extending her hand to greet him. He took it gently and gave a gentlemanly bow before speaking.
"A pleasure Miss Katrina." A pink flush found her cheeks as she smiled back at him courteously before replying.
"And to you Colonel. How do you like my sanctuary?" She asked removing her hand from his. She swung her body, gesturing at the room they were standing in; her mid-length blond hair followed her body's movements in the low plait that it had been braided into…and Roy froze. A flash of gold found his gaze and a smug smirk grinned at him from somewhere in the depths of his mind. Before he could react, an image of Edward replaced the vision of beauty before him…
His thoughts came to a sudden halt; Edward…
"Katrina, Colonel Mustang here needs your help." The old man had seen the sudden pain in the man's eyes and moved to intercept the questions that could have followed. "One of his subordinates has been captured by the enemy. We have reason to believe that he now resides somewhere within the USTO HQ." he gave his daughter a stern look. "He has come seeking a guide and an extra fighter."
The young woman stared back before turning her bright blue gaze to the Colonel who was still deep in his own mind somewhere. She scrutinised him a little longer, taking advantage of the fact that his mind was elsewhere for now. She could read him like a book…
He blamed himself for what happened, and he felt he owed the missing comrade in someway… or was he trying to protect someone else aswell? She couldn't tell but she knew one thing… he was in pain. And not the physical type either; it was more like that of a heart wound, one that keeps stabbing at him from inside causing him to feel guilt, loneliness and sorrow in the worst possible ways.
She made her decision. She'd help this man.
"When do we leave?" She asked succinctly. Both Father and Daughter turned to the young Colonel waiting for his response. Cold dark eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Tonight."
(End of chapter) Crosley CR-93 Sultan – an old style phone. Image search on MSN for a picture of what this looks like.
