This wasn't real. This was a nightmare. He held her limp body in his arms and pulled her into a protective embrace against his chest, as if it could help bring her back. Hot tears ran unbidden down his face. Riza, his Riza. They were so close. Her freedom was one day away.
He closed his eyes, sobbing quietly into her blood stained hair. What was the point of everything if this was the outcome? He didn't even hear the two young alchemists approach and didn't hear what they said until the older one had knelt down beside him.
"Colonel. What the hell happened?" Edward repeated. He looked at her superior officer, covered in what could only be Hawkeye's blood. The question felt stupid to ask but he felt it was the only thing he could say. Al stood quietly behind his brother, unsure of what to say or do. The Flame Alchemist took a moment for the question to make sense in his head but wasn't sure if he could actually bring voice to it. Speaking it out loud would somehow make it more real, and he wasn't sure if it was real.
The red light caught the attention of all three alchemists almost immediately. The light originated from the Lieutenants head wound. The three men looked on in awe as the wound crackled and healed itself before their eyes. Relief washed over Mustang and he wasted no time in scooping the body up into his arms. She was alive. This meant Lust was more than likely the dominant one at this time but she was alive. That's all that mattered.
"Where's Envy?" Mustang's senses were coming back to him. The two boys were also shaking off the dream like state they were in and coming back.
"The bastard took off. We thought he went after you." Ed and Al followed behind the Flame Alchemist, covering their trail.
The body in his arms remained limp but he could feel her breathing. He hoped she would remain in that state until they could secure her. If this worked it would be the first time he would ever be grateful to that bitch.
After about ten minutes of ducking through alleys and side streets, Roy led them to the back entrance of a small Automail shop. It had long been closed, the owner had been arrested and the land belonged to the military. This was to be the meeting place for Breda and him tomorrow. He would need to inform Fuery of the change of plans as soon as possible.
"Fullmetal, I need you to do something for me. Tie her up, bind her hands and watch her until I get back." He set the unconscious woman down against the wall and tossed some rope at the young boy. "Do whatever you must."
The young alchemist nodded in agreement, he knew the seriousness of the situation and wasted no time in tying the Lieutenant up. It felt wrong, so wrong. "Where are you going?" He asked as he bound her hands behind her back with alchemically created chain link. It may not completely stop her if Lust awoke but it would help to buy them time.
"I need to inform Fuery and insure our privacy here." Roy removed his blood stained jacket and tossed it to the ground beside him. His white dress shirt didn't look much better or his pants but he'd take care of that later.
Forty minutes passed before Riza woke up, the chains rattled as she pulled herself up straight. Her head throbbed. She remembered shooting herself in the head and she also vaguely remembered Lust taking her place at the same time. She must have intercepted the bullet and healed the wound. The homunculus was quiet right now. Perhaps from the shock she was repelled back. Either way she knew she was in control again, at least for me. Her second thought was that she was in a room and she was being watched. Her senses told her it wasn't Roy but she knew them. The room was dark and had what looked like pieces of Automail and half-finished works lying around. She tried to free her hands but found them to be bound tightly. Had Envy taken her back? They weren't underground. Her questions were answered when the sound of armor shifted in alarm when she tested the chain.
"Alphonse? Edward?" She spoke into the darkness cautiously and was relieved to hear the voice answer her back.
"Lieutenant?" The unsure voice of Al questioned. Edward stepped out from around a corner and stared down at her; his eyes searching hers for an answer as to who she was currently.
Riza visibly relaxed, the chains making complete sense now. She couldn't blame them for being cautious. "Yes, for now." She shifted her body slightly so it was more comfortable. The cold concrete was becoming a familiar feeling lately.
"I'm sorry I can't take them off Lieutenant." Edward looked guilty and had a hard time meeting her eyes as he explained.
Riza shook her head to put the boys mind at ease. "Nor would I ask you too. It's safer for everyone but don't let your guard down. This won't even slow her down."
Edward gave a meek nod and took up his previous spot beside his brother on a crate. He hated seeing her like this, he held the woman in such high regard and respect and to see her like this angered him. He could at least understand a bit of what the Colonel must be going through. "Say… can I ask you something?" The question was asked after a long moment of silence. Riza quirked an eyebrow but nodded her acceptance.
"Does… does it hurt?" The question served as a reminder that these were still children; children doing the work of adults.
Riza shook her head after a moment. "No… not in that way. It's hard to explain." Her fingers curled into a fist as she fought another mental wave from the homunculus.
Don't be so smug, you haven't won.
This is my body. My mind.
She could feel her strength waning. Staying in control was proving to be mentally taxing, if she continued she wouldn't have the strength left for whatever Mustang was planning.
"Edward… listen to me. If I don't live through his I need you to tell the Colonel something for me." As she spoke, her voice was level and resolute. She had been thinking of this for a long time now. Edward started to object but she gave him that stern look that always made the Colonel recoil. Now he knew why. "Tell him 'I'm sorry. I couldn't be at his side like I promised.'"
"If you die, you'll be disobeying a direct order." A dark haired man entered the room, dressed in civilian clothes now most likely to go unnoticed in the area. He carried a plastic bag that he set down beside the Elric brothers. From her spot on the floor she made out some shapes of fruit. His heart twisted at the sight of her bound form.
"Colonel, by keeping me alive you risk all of your lives. If anyone dies because of me…" She growled something incoherent and tried to jerk her hand free to no avail. "Please don't like her kill anyone…" Her body shook and jerked in sharp spasms as her mind was ravaged by the homunculus. Edward leapt from his perch and readied himself for what may come.
During Mustangs leave he had managed to contact Fuery with the newest altercation and demanded Breda and the Alchemist get here on the quickest most direct route. The undercover travel was compromised. Time was something they no longer had on their side.
"Those chains are made from alchemically altered titanium. We should at least be safe from her spears… I hope."
Roy regarded the boy with some doubt. He had seen her in action several times; he wouldn't put much past her. "Can you expand upon that? That rope wouldn't even hold the Lieutenant if she actually tried to get free."
"I do like our little bondage game. If you had more time I would have suggested we play with that in our next encounter." The blonde woman smirked up at him and winked, her eyes carried a murderous glint. The ropes binding her legs and feet snapped apart as if it was little more than dried twigs. Her hands were still bound for a moment but it was apparent she was trying to free them.
Edward clapped his hands, using the automail parts from the store he created further chain links that wrapped around the Lieuetenant's body and merged with the concrete. Without missing a beat Mustang snapped his fingers, using his pin point flame alchemy he melted the chain which encased her from the hands down, any damage that her body would receive would be healed by the homunculus. All they had to do was contain her until their trump card arrived.
"You're still so heartless Mustang." She gave a mock pout as she fought her tomb. "You know this won't hold me for long. When I get out I'm going to rip that cold unbeating heart from your chest."
The Flame Alchemist knelt down beside her, making sure to keep some distance between them. "You will leave her body, one way or another. If you don't, I swear Ill burn you to dust, just like the first time. If she dies, there is no reason for you to exist." His tone was murderous and he meant every word he said.
The night dragged on slowly. It was a constant game of reinforcing her bonds and keeping her quiet. She had resorted to vehement screams of angry on multiple occasions. With the constant fear of being discovered by another of the Homunculus and having their plan ruined they had no option but to gag her. It was shortly after midnight before there was a soft rapping on the back door. Roy answered it, letting the three men inside. Breda had Fuery in tow and behind them was an older man who they had never officially met. He introduced himself only as the Blood-charge Alchemist.
"Show me this woman." His voice was course and to the point. It had taken much convincing and with the cost of my favors from both Mustangs and Grummens contacts. Mustang led them into the back storage room where the Elric brothers were watching over a woman bound and gagged. She gave another try for freedom at the appearance of the new faces. Lust recognized most of the as Mustangs faithful dogs. The Blood-charge alchemist approached her and placed his hand on her head with no hesitation. "This is quite the set up to contain one woman Colonel."
"If it were not necessary it wouldn't have been done." The room was quiet save for the two men conversing and the animalistic noises coming from the smaller blonde woman. "Can you help her?" Fuery and Breda were both speechless, to see their comrade in this state was hard.
The Blood-charge Alchemist regarded him seriously before turning his attention to her. "I can try. Separating the two won't be a problem. The question becomes merely which entity is stronger and which will claim the body when it's over. Are you prepared for either outcome?"
"My Lieutenant is strong. She'll win."
"Very well. Clear these crates out of the way. I'll need space." The older alchemist set to work creating transmutation circles while the rest cleared the room as they were instructed. The set up seemed to frighten the woman bound, much like a cornered beast in the wild. "Colonel, I'll ask that you and everyone else clear the room as well. This could take a while." The first circle he drew seemed to hold the body of the Lieutenant still. Her body for the most part stopped moving but she still struggled against the alchemy.
Curse you! I won't be beaten by an old man! MUSTANG!
Lusts voice screeched through Riza's head.
This plan of his was risky Riza thought. This would prove to be the final fight, the fight to win her body back from Lust. Would it work? She trusted the Colonel with her very being. Now it would be put to the test.
The circle she was in glowed bright all around her, the alchemical bonds Roy and Ed had placed her in broke, releasing her body but she was still held firm by the older alchemist. All sound within the circle seemed muffled and distant, Riza screamed as pain shot through her body. It felt as if she were literally being torn apart limb from limb- repeatedly. Her blood felt as if it were on fire. For what seemed like an eternity her and Lust were melded as one, they each felt every painful burst, every searing blow.
Riza tried focusing her mind not on the pain but on what the pain was for. The main goal was ahead of her. Her time wasn't over. She was strong; she lived through multiple levels of hell. The war, the lives she took, and the lives she saved. This wasn't the end. Not for her. Roy believed in her. Everyone in the room believed in her and risked their lives for her.
She didn't know how long it had been her body was wracked with jolt after stabbing jolt. The screaming curses uttered from Lust seemed to grow fainter and less frequent. Her mind was a blur to any real rational thought but during the brief moments between the pain she could almost swear her mind was becoming more her own. The baleful presence of the Homunculus seemed to diminish.
It would appear I can't win against the determination of that man…
Her voice seemed distant and tired.
What makes him such a formidable man I wonder? I wish I knew. I despise you humans… just know this…