Chapter 10

September 15th – October 27th

September 15th – Dubell's Department of Science, Central

Carrie dropped to the ground from the window as silently as a cat.

"Well?" Angel breathed.

"Earnest was right, he's definitely a Mangeli supporter." Carrie revealed a small file tucked under her shirt. "It's all here – he gave Mangeli supplies, and in return, Mangeli shared the results of his experiments with him."

Angel's smile was feral. "Well, I think it's time we paid a visit, don't you?"

She glanced back at the others – about half of the group had been chosen to accompany her on this 'mission'. Angel was still puzzled as to why they followed her, when she was clearly younger than all of them, save Earnest.

She nodded to Jason, who produced a piece of chalk and drew a transmutation circle on the wall of the building. He placed his hands on the circle, and the entire building warped. All doors and windows to the outside closed off, even gutters and air vents were blocked when the bricks warped and melded across them. But in front of the small group outside, Jason opened the wall like a door, giving them easy access.

Angel closed her eyes, concentrating on releasing the coiled web inside her, spreading it out to engulf the building...

Her eyes opened. "Done – anyone using alchemy will get an interesting surprise."

She'd activated her ability to nullify transmutations, and deliberately sent it out to permeate the building. Any alchemist inside would find their transmutations unable to work – no one would be able to use alchemy to escape.

Angel and her followers marched into the building like messengers of doom.

oooooooo

September 16th – Military Headquarters, Central

"And there was solid proof Dubell was involved with Mangeli?" Roy barked into the phone. "Yes, alright...beyond doubt, you say? Fine. What's he saying happened to his facility? No, wait, let me guess. A girl with wings, calling herself Angel, took over with about eight other people, marched Dubell and his people outside, proceeded to demolish the facility, then tied them up and dumped them outside a military office with the incriminating file pinned to the ropes?"

Roy listened for a moment more, then hung up.

"Again, sir?" Riza queried.

"Yes, again. Just like the other three Mangeli supporters arrested so far. Winry's certainly keeping herself busy."

"Well, if all she remembers is being held and tortured in a lab, it makes sense she'd try to strike out at the person who held her there."

"But that's just it," Roy said, shaking his head in disbelief. "The facilities themselves are what's destroyed, along with their research and equipment – enough to ensure they can never do this again, and no one can step up and fill their place. The people themselves aren't harmed unless they resist, and so far, none of them have been killed, no matter what they did or how much they resisted. They were restrained and left where justice could be carried out, with all incriminating evidence left with them. Don't you see? She left them to us, so the final step could be carried out within legal boundaries."

"What exactly are you saying, sir?"

"Whatever Winry has become, it isn't some revenge-crazed psychopath, or a terrified victim out of control and lashing out at those who hurt her. In fact, I'd say it was quite the opposite."

Roy's eyes dropped to his desk, looking at the file in front of him detailing the latest attack on Mangeli's supporters. "Looking at what she's done with a professional eye...if I were asked to give my opinion of what she was like...I'd say we were looking for a smart, altruistic, level-headed person who's main motives have little to do with herself and everything to do with others. It's almost like she knows she's the only one who can stop Mangeli, so she plans to do so 'for the good of others'. The attacks on his supporters tell me she's methodical – she plans to make sure no one can ever repeat his atrocities – and that she's a talented strategist. These attacks were planned and executed with precision accuracy."

"And what's more, she's got followers who are driven by loyalty and devotion rather than by material gains. She'll be a good leader, putting the needs of the collective group above her own individual desires. She'll lead with compassion and understanding rather than dominance or fear, and even though many of her followers may be older than her, they defer to her because they recognise that she's the better leader."

Roy gave a single, gusty sigh. "In short, she is a person I would not like to have as an enemy."

Riza's eyes were distant, and she was obviously thinking very hard. "Do you think anything of Winry is left in Angel?"

"Yes – without a doubt."

"Why 'without a doubt'? I would think there's every reason to doubt – many amnesia victims experience memory loss so complete, they become completely new people."

"I know, but honestly, Hawkeye, look at the evidence. All of 'Angel's' memories involve pain, fear and helplessness. You what kind of mentality that breeds."

Riza nodded. "Violent, antisocial, frustrated, angry..."

"And the list goes on. But from what we know, Angel displays little of these traits. These people wouldn't follow her if she did. Something of Winry has to be there, something prevented her from degenerating into a psychopath."

oooooooo

September 20th – Hidden Cellar, Central

Angel strolled along the rafters, about fifty feet above Earnest's and Jade's heads. Her wings spread out behind her like a trail of white silk, slightly opened to help her balance. She reached the middle of the wooden beam and bent over, placing both hands on the narrow surface and flipping into a handstand.

Her wings fanned out on either side of her, quivering slightly as Angel held her position.

Then abruptly, she relaxed, flipping back upright in a swirl of feathers.

"Feel like coming down now?" Jade called teasingly.

Angel grinned, and simply stepped off the beam into open space. She fell feet first, her wings opening to catch the air and glide her gently to the floor.

"I had a dream last night," she murmured when she was level with them. "I was sitting at a table, with an old woman and a dog."

Jade's eyes lit up. "Any specific details?"

"Yeah, the woman was short – and I mean really short! And the dog had a leg made of metal. Except it moved and walked and everything – just like a normal limb!"

"That sounds like automail," Earnest piped up.

"Automail?"

"Yeah, it's a sort of mechanical limb that connects to nerves and everything. My Mum was an automail mechanic, before she...died..."

"Automail..." Jade grew thoughtful. "Automail...a branch of mechanics...requiring precision work...Angel, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Depends," Angel grinned, "Do I want to be thinking what you're thinking?"

"I'm thinking we may have found your job."

"You mean you think I worked with automail?"

"It would explain a lot. The way your arms are extremely strong, but your fingers still very delicate. It would also explain your vocabulary."

"My vocabulary?"

"You use rather technical terms sometimes, and I've noticed they often have something to do with either mechanic or medicine – that is, doctor terms. Which makes sense, considering that automail mechanics need extensive medical training. But there's one thing that doesn't make sense..."

"Well? Don't keep me in suspense!"

"Your age. From the way your muscles have developed, you were obviously working full-time, but it takes most mechanics years to get that far. Most are in their late twenties at the very youngest! But if you're a day over twenty-one, I'll eat my hat!"

"You don't have a hat."

"It's a figure of speech."

Angel grinned. "So...either I've aged really well, or I was a genius, is that what your saying?"

"Bingo."

Angel grinned. "I think I like the idea of being a genius better."

She threw an arm around Earnest, trying to pull the quiet boy into the conversation. "Now, Earnest, have you had lunch yet? I'm absolutely starving, so let's grab something to eat, okay?"

With a wave of her hand to Jade, Angel and Earnest disappeared into the crowd of people around the strange bonfire. But disappeared was perhaps too strong a word – wherever she went, Angel's wings were always all-too visible.

Angel and Earnest ate in companionable silence, Angel pondering on why Earnest always seemed so nigglingly familiar. Something about his appearance, the right arm and left leg that were so different from the rest of his body...she could swear she remembered someone with something like that...

oooooooo

October 15th – Military Headquarters, Central

"And there's absolutely no information about where they are?" Ed repeated, still unable to believe it.

Roy shook his head. "Wherever they're hiding, they're doing a good job of it. So far, no one knows where Angel could possibly be hiding – it's as though she simply appears out of thin air to dismantle a Mangeli supporter, and then vanishes again."

Ed slumped in his chair.

"But we do have some interesting information. We've obtained information about two Mangeli supporters that are currently living and working in Central-"

"So why don't you just go and arrest them!" Ed bellowed, enraged.

Two people were wandering around Central who had supported Mangeli – who had enabled and encouraged Winry's torture. The very idea sent seething hatred through Ed's veins.

"We aren't going after them...we'll wait for her to do it."

"You mean...a trap?" Al ventured.

"Not quite," Roy shook his head. "We don't want to take her into custody – if we'd even be capable of catching her in the first place. We want to...well, confront her, for lack of a better word. Just get the measure of her, figure out where she stands..."

He smirked at the Elric brothers. "Are you two up for a few days of some covert surveillance?"

oooooooo

October 27th – Medical Research Facility, Central

Ed yawned, trying to keep it quiet. But it was difficult not to fling his arms to the sky and shout in frustration. Twelve nights. For twelve long nights, the four of them – he, Al, Roy and Riza – had been monitoring this place, stuck on the roof of a nearby building, hoping that this would be the first of the two to be struck.

And so far, no luck.

"Do you see that?" Riza hissed suddenly.

"What?" Roy muttered, jerking out of a light doze. "See what?"

Riza pointed mutely.

And they saw it. A small group of people were gathering around the back of the building. A man seemed to be drawing on it with chalk, drawing what looked like...a transmutation circle?

"Alchemy!" Al whispered.

But before they could react, a flash of white caught their collective attention. Ed choked.

She stepped out from behind the corner of the building, her pale colouring contrasting starkly with the dark night. Two huge white wings grew from her back.

It was Winry, there could be no doubt about it. Blonde hair waving in the slight breeze, limbs tensed, eyes darting from side to side. She was alert, wary, scanning for any possible threats to herself or her people.

"We need to get down there," Ed hissed, but then his breath froze in his lungs.

Winry had looked up, and their eyes had locked.