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: Second from last chapter now… o.o (dives behind couch as rotten fruit and vegetables are thrown at her) I'm sorry! But it has to end soon! There is a reason for it I swear!!! (Rotten fruit and vegetables slowly stop coming at her) Trust me guys, there is a plan and reason but you'll have to wait and see… have faith in the author!!!

Besides, if you don't read on you'll never find out what happens next…

Ch9; Of Moles and Foxes…

They were ready. It'd taken an hour to get to Pei-Ling and rendezvous with Colonel Mustang and a further 45 minutes to go through the plans that Roy, Victor and Katrina had already mapped out before they'd arrived. After a few discussions and several surveillance reports they were finally ready to go in and bring back their missing comrade.

Alphonse frowned. If he had his way, he'd be in and out already with no one any wiser. But as confident as that sounded, he knew there were far too many variables to consider and he was just one boy against who knew how many enemies. That, and if these people could take down his brother… what hope did he have? He needed help with this and the only person he could trust his brother's life to was Colonel Mustang and his team.

He wasn't angry with them he realised; he was just angry at the whole situation, they were doing their best as the situation worsened to a point where nothing could go right. Or so he found out after he was briefed on the train ride to Pei-Ling.

"All teams report; Team 2, status." He'd never worked in a team like this before but he was assured he'd be alright just as long as he didn't leave Roy's side. There was no way to describe it either; the atmosphere was tense and foreboding but exciting at the same time. He could hear his own heart beating loudly in his ears while his chest struggled to remain calm.

"Team 2 in position, awaiting command." Riza's voice came through the ear piece loud and clear with a crisp response. Roy quickly moved on through the teams, confirming their status and positions before turning to his own team; Team 1.

"Everyone ready?" Alphonse gave a determined nod. He was more than ready to bring his brother back to where he's supposed to be.

"Ok Team 3 you have a go! Move out! Team 2 Wait for their signal, all teams are go!"

Finally, they were doing something…

Pain seemed to be his new best friend, and a clingy one at that. With no means of fighting back now or even dodging the attacks, he was forced into taking hit after mind blowing hit. His feet, although were hanging just above the filthy straw, were chained in place and secured to a ring in the floor leaving him no room to move.

"He's a stubborn one, I'll give him that." The fat USTO leader commented just as one goon hit a particularly vulnerable area that caused the blond to wince and gasp. "I can't see those pretty eyes changing anytime today…" The Derry guy grunted before agreeing.

"I suppose…" The man gave a sigh. "Dr Govan might become a rich man after this case. But I'm out of options here. If I continue, he'll die and although he's still worth something dead, he's worth a lot more alive and in one piece." He gave the boy a disgusted look before turning back to his friend.

"Well, if push comes to shove, I know a few sick bastards who'd love to play with his dead carcass. Creepy buggers but they'd pay… to them there's more satisfaction in a dead guy than the living." The fat man gave the boy a strange look, as though imagining him a little more dead and how the 'sick bastards' might see him. He cringed a little before smiling as an afterthought.

"Well I guess if I get no luck in the living department I might take you up on that off-"

KaBOOM!

For a few seconds, the entire world was a blur of smoke, wind and a high volume of noise before the deafening rumble subsided leaving in its wake confusion, panic and a few bruises.

Something had just exploded.

Edward could feel the shockwaves travelling up through the chains that secured his feet to the concrete floor. Vibrations seemed to travel all over his body, adding to the discomfort he was already feeling no thanks to the four goons piled on top of each other before him.

Another explosion, louder this time, sent dust and random shrapnel into the metal containment room along with a searing wall of heat, causing all but Edward to duck out of the way. It hurt like a bitch…

"What the bloody hell is going on! Who the fuck is blowing up my building!" The fat man was up and on his feet in seconds, his two goons following instantly leaving Derry and his two men to look around wildly. Then Derry's eyes met Edwards. The boy was smirking behind the gag. There was only one man that he knew who could blow up an entire building like that without severely hurting anyone.

"Don't think for a second that you're saved boy. He may have found you but I have a surprise for him…" He stood up slowly; weary of another explosion before walking drunkenly toward the boy, his hand in his pocket grappling for something inside. "But you won't get to see his grand finale…" He pulled out a syringe and gripped the boy's restraints for balance before plunging the needle deep into the tender muscle of his upper arm. He struggled but it was too late, the drug was in his system. His eyes fluttered, his muscles fell lax. "…Nighty Night pretty boy."

And darkness flooded his mind…

Alphonse ducked down behind the vehicle he'd spotted seconds before the second explosion hit its intended target. He cried out pitifully at the noise and heat. Everything was overwhelming him completely. It'd been easier when he was a tin man; he couldn't feel the strong shockwaves or the searing heat that came with every explosion, but now every tiny vibration found his over sensitive nerves and rattled them until he could take no more. He thought he'd be over this hypersensitiveness already but it seemed he was nowhere near ready for combat in this sense.

A third explosion shook the ground underneath him and he cried out in a blind panic as the car he was hiding behind rocked dangerously. He wasn't trained for this sort of thing! How the hell did his brother cope?!

And then all thoughts stopped.

Edward had coped. He'd been through hell and back to get Alphonse back in his body. He'd literally sacrificed hand and limb to right the wrong that had almost cost them both. He'd done so much for the pathetic little boy who had crawled under the first rock he saw at the sign of danger…

A frown found his brow. 'If Nii-san can do it, so can I…' Shakily, he stood and pushed his fear down into the deep recesses of his mind. 'Nii-san is counting on me…' He closed his eyes briefly in order to block out his surroundings and calm himself down. He took a few deep breaths and opened his eyes; determination fuelled his will power and he turned and ran straight through the burning flames and into a rather plush looking corridor. He looked back into the warehouse where he'd lost Roy minutes before the first explosion and wondered if he was doing the right thing. Roy would be pissed at him for running off but in all fairness it was Roy who'd caused the first explosion and it was the return fire that had exploded the oil tanker sat next to them.

He'd understand. Now all he had to do was figure out where his brother was being held before the enemy decided he wasn't worth keeping alive. His eyes narrowed at that thought. If anyone dared to touch his brother like that, they weren't going to live long enough to regret it.

And that was a promise.

Ratatatatatatatatat… ratatatatat…

Roy ducked behind the large wooden crates as the tirade of bullets flew at him from the other end of the warehouse. Gods it was never ending! He waited endlessly for an opening then took the first sign of silence to counterattack and gain him some level footing.

Flick, step, snap… BOOM! His targets went down in a blazing glory while the others had reloaded and were taking aim once more.

Ratatatatatatat… Ratatatatatatat… Ratatatatatatatatat. He dived behind the wooden crates again barely avoiding a scratch from a well aimed shot.

He growled. That's it! He was banning the use of machine guns all over Amestris! The sound alone is enough to drive one crazy.

Ratatatatatatatat…BOOM!

He ducked quickly as shreds of shrapnel whizzed past his ears. A petrified scream found his ears but he could do little to help as more bullets rained down on him…

Ratatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatat…

"Hawkeye, I'm pinned, I need back up now! Ah!" A bullet managed to clip his shoulder and he slid down to the floor in pain. Quickly tearing off part of his shirt he tied a quick bandage to stop the bleeding before trying to get a look of the warehouse again.

Three of his men were down, two more were returning fire, Victor was unconscious beside him and Alphonse had disappeared off his radar completely. Damn that boy! He's just as bad as his brother!

Ratatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatatat…

"Team three are on their way, they're down one though Sir!" He just barely heard her voice before shouts and screams echoed loudly from the other end followed by short rapid bursts of the semi-automatics his men were equipped with. Several seconds later silence followed then a voice came through the radio.

"Team three reporting for relief Sir, all targets down, you can come out now." Roy breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out from his cover.

"I need a medic over here, I've got three down, one out and two injured." Team three met him half way. Instantly their medic went to work while Roy rearranged their assignments. "I need a team of five with me. Good shots, fast legwork, who can you give me?" The captain of team three gave a sharp nod.

"Brett, Charlie and Don are the best I have along with your two they should be enough." He replied briskly. Roy nodded before issuing further orders.

"Right, I need this exit kept clear and I need a shelter set up for any injured who make it back here. Keep your medic on standby, he's all we have until team five and four get back here. I'm going on ahead." Roy gave the man a stern look that warned him not to fail or they'd all fail.

"Hai Sir!" the captain responded and moved off as Roy moved toward a side opening.

"Oh and captain!" he called, walking backwards as he spoke. The captain turned as he listened. "There's a 16yr old boy gone MIA. Keep an eye out for him."

"Aye sir!"

"Major, I need an opening and I need it now!" Riza yelled whilst firing off four rounds from her precious battle ready semi-automatic. They were being forced back heavily but Riza was not about to retreat just yet; she had one more ace up her sleeve and he was big, strong and slightly bald with a rather emotional personality despite his appearance. Major Alex Louis Armstrong stood a towering 8ft above her with a set expression. Now was not a time to be emotional, now he was deadly serious.

With a quick flick of his wrists he pounded his fists into the ground sending powerful shockwaves through the floor and destroying the foundations on the other side where the enemy was firing. A few squeals of surprise and pain later and the firing stopped. Riza breathed a sigh… She hoped the relief team had managed to help the Colonel. She shivered. It'd been a long time since she'd heard that much strain in the Colonel's voice and if she never heard it again it'd be too soon.

"You have your opening Lieutenant." Riza nodded her thanks to the big guy and quickly gave orders to move on. She may be lower ranking than those in her team but Roy had named her Team Leader. So it was up to her to lead the team to victory without loss of life.

The door she'd been watching was now clear. Instantly she took off giving signals to her team to follow and head for the intended doorway. Carefully and cautiously they entered the room behind it. Riza's eyes narrowed; inside were two loose ends.

The red head turned and frowned, recognising Riza almost instantly. Lavender stood and placed herself between the blonde and her Mistress as though protecting her from the intruders.

"My, my… Lavender you're getting lax. You didn't hit her hard enough." Red eyes playfully narrowed at the scowl Riza sent her. Said blonde raised her semi-automatic up to the red head's eye level and cocked the pin. Red eyes widened slightly but she remained calm.

"Gomen Kaa-San." The purple eyed girl replied.

Riza quickly signalled to the Strong Arm Alchemist a series of commands before speaking. Major Armstrong straightened discreetly, looking as though he were just shifting weight from one foot to another.

"You are under arrest. Please come quietly, I'd rather not take a dead body back with me for questioning." Red eyes narrowed suspiciously almost daring the blonde to try it. She had no doubt that the woman was bluffing because nobody shoots at her!

"You wouldn't."

BANG!

A single bullet whizzed past, mere millimetres from the red head's ear, and lodged itself deep into the dark red wall behind her. Red eyes widened in shock and fear.

"Wouldn't I?" Riza replied with a smug smirk.