Sort of important note The Fuhrer's first name is never given so I named Luther I feel like it fits him and another note I did my best but I feel like he may be a little OOC but please note that in this story he isn't a homunculus so I feel like if he wasn't one he'd act a little different but thats just me
Oh and I also like to thank and anonymous reviewer for giving me that tip on how to catch typos and spelling errors you know who you are so thanks bud^^ There may still be a typo or spelling error some where in there but I'll keep trying to catch those things to make reading this more enjoyable for you guys out there anyway now that this long note is done enjoy this chapter
Chapter 9
Maes tensed when a small group of slaves approached him. It appeared they had made a decision on what to do with him. Hughes just hoped they weren't as violent as most made them out to be.
"We're letting you go." One of them said Hughes breathed a sigh of relief.
"But, only because we want you to send the Fuhrer a message. Oh and don't worry about them." The slave pointed to the still knocked out soldiers and the caged handlers.
"By the time you give the Fuhrer the message, and get a team here to take us out we'll be long gone, and you'll be free to get your buds."
"What's the message?" The slave glared at Maes as if he were the Fuhrer himself.
"Tell him the tables are about to turn."
Riza would be shaking in her boots if she had any. With Roy gone all sense of safety went away. She felt like a cornered animal. Archer defiantly had the appearance of a predator about to pounce on its prey. Even though Riza read Roy's message of promising to come back. It didn't help her in the least even if he returned. There might not be a Riza for him to return for. With her hands burned as they are it was going to be difficult if not impossible to work. Plus without Mustang if she got injured any further he wasn't around to patch her up enough to keep going. To Riza if she wasn't killed right now by Archer, Hakuro, and the Fuhrer she is as good as dead in a few days anyway.
The Fuhrer's phone ringing broke the momentary silence after Mustang left the room.
"Hello...what!" Both Hakuro and Archer jumped at the Fuhrer's outburst.
"All right...I see prepare a team to charge all factories that are involved, and any places where the conditions are unknown find out. What? They're all empty how did this happen?" The Fuhrer slammed the phone down before getting up walking to the front of his desk.
"What is going on Fuhrer sir?" Hakuro asked in confusion.
"Apparently, some slave took control of a factory." Both Hakuro and Archer looked to the Fuhrer in confusion and shock. Neither saw that as a major threat, but the Fuhrer's anger told them other wise.
"Sir,-"
"Thats not all General, when a team was sent to handle the situation. The entire factory was abandoned except for the handlers working there. On top of that several other factories and other slave facilities have been found where all the slaves have escaped." The Fuhrer had a scowl on his face clearly holding back the rage he felt over the slaves.
"How is that possible? Where would they all go?" Hakuro was baffled while Archer had a look one might have when they are excited about things to come.
"I don't know." The Fuhrer looked down to a still bowing Riza. Walking up to her Riza thought her heart might jump out of her chest. Riza kept her head down for fear if she look up something terrible will happen.
"Slave," The Fuhrer's voice was cold unfeeling it didn't seem like he was angry though. The way he spoke was like a viper waiting to strike. He seemed cold and emotionless now, but one could feel the angry waiting to come out.
"Do you know what they are up too?" Trying to keep clam Riza answered him.
"No, sir I do not." Riza never truly believed in God after all she has been through, but she prayed the Fuhrer wouldn't react similar to how Archer did.
The Fuhrer's boot came down on Riza's hand not putting to much pressure on it. Enough though to bring Riza great pain.
"You better not be lying, because if I find out you are." Digging his boot into Riza's hand she tried desperately not to cry out in pain.
"Do you understand?" The Fuhrer kept his boot where it was but he relieved some of the pressure on it.
"Yes sir if I knew something I'd tell you sir." The Fuhrer regarded her similar to how one regards trash.
"Luther! Stop hurting the poor girl!" A familiar voice cried out. The Fuhrer's wife Mrs. Bradley had entered the room. With an appalled look at the treatment of Riza.
"Hello dear sorry I didn't come to you I had business to attend first." The Fuhrer removed his boot from Riza's hand ignoring what she just said the ruler of the country embraced his wife all the rage and anger he showed perviously was absent.
"You can't keep treating these people like this." The tone from her voice told the others present that the two have had this conversation before.
"Dear they are just slaves-"
"They're people!" The Fuhrer shot a glare to Archer and Hakuro signaling them to leave. He didn't even bother having Riza leave he didn't consider her a person anyway.
"Even if I 'freed' them what are they going to do. They'd be a drain on the country they'll all uneducated, untrained, and unskilled." The way he said freed was just barley a sarcastic remark.
"If you gave them a chance they could become something, and I heard what you said was happening. You have a full scale resistance building. If you just-"
"I am not going to free them." Even though Mrs. Bradley was going against her husband one could see the concern in her eyes. If the slaves succeeded in a revolt the first person they are going to go after is the Fuhrer. Mrs. Bradley not only wanted to free the slaves so they would be happy with their freedom, but she wanted to protect her husband from their wraith.
The Fuhrer looked to his wife then to Riza who was still bowed on the ground to afraid to move. He sighed.
"I'll compromise with you." He turned to Riza."Slave!" The Fuhrer stopped in mid shout when a glare from his wife met him.
"I'll make a deal with you slave. Stand up and turn around first." Riza did as told she didn't look at the Fuhrer Mrs. Bradley smiled kindly at her though. The Fuhrer for a moment ignored Riza and went grabbing a small pile of papers that Riza recognized as the one Archer had earlier. The papers he claimed that if destroyed would set her free. The leader of the country skimmed through a few pages before bringing his gaze back to Riza.
"According to these you're worth about eight thousand dollars." Riza tried not to flinch at her life having a price on it.
"I'll let you free if you find a way to pay back every cent you're worth. You're free for good. If you accept take your birth certificate and get out hell of my mansion. If you don't get your ass back to your quarters." With that the Fuhrer sat down what Riza assumed was her birth certificate and he left. Leaving her and Mrs. Bradley alone.
Mrs. Bradley observed the frozen woman who had an expression of shocked and fear. Smiling at her she took the certificate from the table and placed it in her hand. She was surprised her husband even did this normally he'd brush off any attempts she had to talk about the slaves.
"You should probably go dear." Mrs. Bradley tried to break the younger woman from her shocked state.
"I...I don't know if I can do that. I wouldn't even know where to get money." The Fuhrer's wife smiled softly at the soon to be former slave. The woman was clearly confused.
"You'll be fine. You're smart all you have to do is find a job and work off the debt." The older woman lead Riza out of the room bringing her to what appeared to be a bedroom. While Mrs. Bradley sorted through a closet Riza stood confused.
"I can't help you to much but I can at least help you start off." Mrs. Bradley handed Riza some cloths along with that she gave Riza a small rolled up amount of money.
"Now get going before my husband changes his mind." Riza nodded even though she was unsure she knew she couldn't stay. If she did she'd die from mistreatment before Mustang even got a chance to come back.
"Oh and dear next time I see you I expect you to have that debt payed and you be a free woman." Mrs. Bradley smiled as Riza exited. Riza returned it with a true smile of happiness.
Roy walked through Central headquarters. He was heading to his temporary office having refused vacation time. There was no way he could relax knowing Riza was alone again fending for herself. So he had refused his well earned vacation time.
"ROY!" Roy froze turning to the sound of his best friend. He smiled at his friend rushing towards him. The only good thing about leaving the mansion was that it would be easy for him and Maes to cortinate their plan. Maes' plan was rather simple it consisted of starting a campaign against slavery. First by getting as many higher up people on their side. Thanks to Mrs. Bradley Roy figured that wouldn't be to hard. Then getting the word out to the public about how the neighboring countries were planing to cut ties with slave bearing countries. That would cause many people who rely on imported goods to join their cause. Then thanks to Roy himself who he felt like he managed to befriend or at least earned the confidence of some of the slaves. They planned to have them speak out against the horrors they had endured showing the public how terrible slavery is.
"Roy! Roy!" Roy shook his head having spaced out.
"What is it Hughes?"
"Well don't say your glad to see me or anything. You would think you didn't miss me while you in Xing." Maes put on a mock hurt face Roy just smirked.
"I missed you a lot hows Gracia doing?" Even though most would avoid getting Maes to talk about his family Roy found it refreshing. Maes was completely devoted to his family the joy that came off him was contagious if you could handle the frequency of it.
"Oh! She's great and so is Elicia!" Pulling out a photo which was promptly shoved in Roy's face.
"Look! We went to the beach look how adorable my little Elicia is!" Roy smiled as his friend cradled his photos as if they were the people in them.
"Now all we have to do is get you a wife so Elicia can have a play mate!" Roy glared when it came to matters of one's love life Maes believed everyone should have a wife or husband along with a child.
"Hughes we're are not getting into my love life." Roy could barley hear Maes mutter 'or lack of it'.
"Fine but only because I have major news for you. We may have to rework out plans." Roy raised an eyebrow as Maes began explaining the situation along with what happened to him at the factory.
Unknown location
A small village's worth of slaves all mumbled and talked as one stood up in front of them. Standing on a wooden box to seen by the entire group.
"Everyone! Attention!" The group quieted down looking to the slave standing in front of them.
"Okay! I know you are unsure about what we're doing, but its no outs now everyone! Fuhrer Bradley has wronged us tortured us made us work for nothing! Its time we return the favor! The oh so great Fuhrer thinks we're nothing are we!" The group shouted no the rage and anger they held for Bradley clear.
"Its time Amestris learns we are NOT its work horse! I'm going to tell you all something the number of slaves Amestris owns is higher than the number of military personnel they have. I don't know about you, but a fully armed force that out numbers them the odds are pretty heavily in our favor. The Fuhrer says we're untrained unskilled and the public believes it! I think they need to be reminded who builds everything! We build their houses, their weapons, even their ammo we build it! Half of us here here can put a gun together with their eyes closed! If thats untrained I don't know what skilled it!"
The slave's words were stirring up the others. All the fears were fading away being replaced with the need to fight. All the slaves burned with the will to take their vengeance on the Fuhrer and his supporters. Just as Mrs. Bradley predicted a bomb was going off, and the nation's leader refused to pay it any mind.
Small note about the the amount of money Riza has to pay I know the dollar is not the currency that Amestris uses I just don't know how much money Amestris money would be worth so i didn't use it so I wouldn't make Riza worth to much or to little money that make sense if it bothers you I am sorry
Sort of shorter than normal chapter but this chapter is sort building up to stuff to come the next chapter is going to be mostly Riza since she's on her own now and has to pay of that lengthy debt so see you people then reviews are loved as always^^
