I'm back with another chapter! Thank you all so much for the response to the last one! Just letting you guys know that I plan on wrapping up this story in the next couple of chapters. I've enjoyed writing it and I think the ending that I have planned will be interesting to say the least. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! There's some nice Parental!RoyEd stuff in the beginning.
I still do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.
"Colonel!" Ed gasped upon hearing Mustang's words.
Vincent froze, a victorious smile spreading across his face.
"What was that, Colonel Mustang? I don't think I heard you correctly."
He could hear Mustang let out a frustrated sigh. He obviously didn't want to say it again, but he wanted to make sure that nothing else happened to Ed.
"I said I would cooperate," the Colonel repeated through clenched teeth.
Vincent closed his eyes and sighed in satisfaction as he heard the Colonel's words again. After everything he had tried to break Roy Mustang, he finally did it. The look of absolute disbelief on Ed's face only made him happier. He turned from the young alchemist and walked back over to Mustang.
"I knew you would eventually see things my way," he said with a smile that made Mustang's skin crawl. He looked back at Ed. "I think Edward is having a little trouble accepting your decision. I can't really blame him. I mean everything that he's suffered through is now for nothing. Had you just cooperated in the beginning, you could have spared him a lot of pain. I'm not an unreasonable man, so I will give you two an hour alone so you can explain yourself."
Mustang's eyes narrowed at the Drachman before him.
"Not unreasonable?" he growled in a low voice so Ed couldn't hear, "You raped my subordinate, and you dare to call yourself not unreasonable?"
Vincent's smile didn't waver.
"Do you not want me to give you any time alone with him?" he asked.
He smirked when Mustang said nothing. He took out a key and unlocked the Colonel from his restraints. He lowered Ed back down to the ground before leaving the two alchemists alone. As soon as Vincent and his two men were out of the room, he rushed to his subordinate's side. Since he could get a better look at Ed's face, he saw that his lips were slightly swollen and still bleeding from being sewn shut. Ed still had tears streaming down his face, and it took Mustang a moment to realize that he did as well.
"You promised me that you wouldn't cooperate, but that's not your fault. I'm so sorry, Mustang. If I wasn't so weak, I could have fought him off. You would have never agreed to cooperate with him. It's all my fault," Ed sobbed, unable to look at his superior.
The Colonel took his face in his hands, forcing their eyes to meet.
"You listen to me, Edward Elric," Mustang began, "I have had many regrets in my life, but two of my biggest regrets are not telling you and Al how I felt about the two of you and letting you get hurt as much as you have been. I should never have let Vincent go as far as he did, and I will never be able to apologize to you enough for that or ever forgive myself." He paused and leaned forward so that his forehead was touching Ed's. "I don't know what he told you and I don't know what you're feeling right now, but I don't want you to even think for a second that you are weak or that any of this is your fault, because it's not. You are the strongest soldier I know, and I am proud to call you my son."
There was a moment where neither of them spoke, and Ed was trying to compose himself.
"Do you really mean it?" Ed whispered.
"Yes. I am proud of you beyond words, Edward. You're so strong and brave. It is an absolute honor to call you my son."
He kissed Ed's forehead and pulled him into a hug, much like he had seen Hughes do with Elicia. He was half expecting to be shoved away, and had he tried to hug Ed at any point before now, he would have been. After a moment of hesitation, Ed wrapped his arms around Mustang as well as he could, returning the hug with tears still streaming down his face. However, these tears stemmed from something other than pain.
Mustang rested his chin on top of Ed's head. It was hard to believe that the stubborn Fullmetal Alchemist was actually hugging him, but he probably needed it desperately. He didn't even want to think about how long it would take for Ed to recover from this, but he was determined to be there for him every step of the way. The two remained in the embrace, unmoving until the door eventually opened.
"Time's up, Mustang. You need to come with us," Vincent said.
Neither alchemist had even realized that the hour had already passed. Mustang reluctantly pulled away from Ed, noticing the worried look in his eyes. He pressed his lips to Ed's forehead one more time.
"I'll think of something. Everything will be okay," he assured.
Ed nodded, having complete faith in his superior. Mustang finally got up and walked out of the prison. He looked back at Ed one last time as the door was shutting. Ed's bruised and battered body along with his blood-stained hair made for an extremely haunting image, but that would serve as his motivation. He honestly had no idea what he was going to do to get them out, but he would have to think of something. He had to for Edward's sake.
*break*
Hughes, Havoc, and Hawkeye kept their eyes open for the blood that would mark the entrance to the base. The three had opted not to tell General Raven about their conversation with Luka. He probably would have said that it was a trap and completely dismissed it. It could be, but this was the only lead that they had to find Mustang and Ed. However, they did tell Falman, Breda, and Fuery, who were further in the mine. As a part of Mustang's team, they had every right to know and they were actually trustworthy enough to keep quiet on the matter. Hughes checked his watch. It was only just after one, so they had a couple of hours until they needed to find the passageway. The trio would meet up with the others in an hour to see if they found anything.
"Lieutenant Colonel," Hawkeye said, getting his attention.
She motioned for him to come closer to her. Once he was, he noticed the blood on the side of the wall that spread over some rocks.
"We found it," she whispered.
She wanted nothing more than to move some of the rocks and go down the passageway guns ablazing, but she had to wait. She hated waiting, especially when it came to her Colonel, but she knew she couldn't blow the best chance at getting him and Ed back. Hughes looked relieved that they had at least found it. The two glanced at each other, thinking the same thing. Not only would they have to fight to get Mustang and Ed back, but they would have to help them fight whatever nightmares and demons they would be facing coming out of this. The threat of war breaking out between Drachma and Amestris didn't help matters at all. They both knew that the real battle had only just begun.
*break*.
"Sorry, Colonel, but this is just a safety precaution until I can be completely sure that you won't fight back," Vincent commented as he sat Mustang down in a chair and bound his hands behind it.
Honestly, that was probably smart of the Drachman. After everything that he did to Ed, he knew that he was going to be screwed if he didn't keep some form of leash on the Colonel. He had taken the Colonel to a room with nothing but a table and two chairs. He sat down across from Mustang, and Corin brought him a file. He opened it and began flipping through some of the pages.
"I'm going to start with asking just a few questions. Given what we've seen in Central, we already have an idea as to what the answers will be. All you're really doing is confirming our suspicions."
Mustang said nothing.
"All right," Vincent continued, not really expecting an answer, "Is it true that your Fuhrer rarely ever leaves Central?"
Mustang nodded. He was pretty sure everyone in Amestris knew that.
"Do you have any ideas as to what he's planning for Drachma?"
"No, Colonels don't have access to that kind of information."
"As I thought," Vincent commented as he looked more through the file, "Is it true that you're Fuhrer sent you and Edward here because two of our spies had been spotted near South City? Or did our captured spies spill any information that would lead him to send you to Kanon?"
Mustang's face, previously filled with no emotion, now expressed shock.
"I take it by the look on your face that you don't know what I'm talking about?" Vincent guessed.
Mustang shook his head.
"A few months ago, two of our spies were captured. We know that they've been interrogated, but we don't know if they've said anything or not. We are also aware that the investigations department got a call from South City about seeing two of our spies. They were executed for their carelessness. Although, I guess that worked out in our favor. A couple of days later, we got word that you and Edward were being sent to Kanon. I was wondering if our captured spies had given up crucial information, or if your Fuhrer was just curious about the sighting and sent you two to investigate. However, I see that you weren't even aware of any of that."
Mustang stared at the floor, several thoughts running through his head.
"Fuhrer Bradley knew?" he mumbled, not even realizing that he had spoken aloud.
"That he did, Colonel. It seems to make sense now that we were able to capture you and your subordinate so easily. You two couldn't have been prepared for something that you had no warning about."
Mustang felt rage coursing through his veins, however it wasn't all directed at Vincent this time. He knew that the government was corrupt, but this was a whole new low for Fuhrer Bradley. He sent him and Ed to Kanon with the knowledge that there were Drachman spies in the area. Everything that they had been through could have been prevented if they had been made aware of the threat. Vincent looked amused as he noticed Mustang was trembling with anger. He was about to ask his next question when he heard an explosion.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
He and Corin raced out of the room and toward the source of the explosion. Vincent's eyes widened when he saw smoke coming out from the storage room where he kept all of the drugs that Luka created. One of his men was lying unconscious in front of the room while there were several others that were desperately trying to put out the flames. Some of the guards immediately rushed down the hallway, abandoning their posts to assist wherever they were needed. Once most of the flames were put out, he stepped into the room to survey the damage. Next to everything in the room had been destroyed.
"I'm really sorry, sir, but this is all that we were able to salvage," one of his men said as he stepped forward.
The young man handed Vincent two vials and a few syringes. One of the vials was the drug that kept someone trapped in their worst nightmares until it wore off. The other was an extremely powerful sedative. It could keep someone unconscious for a couple of days. He would have to get Luka to replenish the entire stock that they had. The second he thought of the young medic, he realized his absence.
"Has anyone seen Luka?" Vincent asked.
No one said anything. Some shook their heads, and Vincent got a sinking feeling in his stomach. Luka was the one who caused the explosion. Just as he thought nothing could make the situation any worse, one of his guards came sprinting into the room.
"The Colonel's team and their reinforcements found one of our passageways. They're about to invade the base!" the guard gasped.
Vincent then realized Luka's intentions. He must have tipped off the Amestrians and caused the explosion so they could come get their alchemists back. He knew he had to make a decision, and he had to make one quick.
"Corin," he said, handing him the sedative and a syringe, "Give this to Edward and take him to the east end of the base. Boss told me that no matter what happens, we take the kid with us. I'll go handle the Colonel." He turned to the rest of his men. "You all know what to do. Cut off all forms of communication that they have. That should give us a head start."
He turned and ran back to the room Mustang was in. The Colonel raised an eyebrow at him as he entered the room again, as if he knew that something was going wrong with his original plan. Vincent spoke the moment he caught his breath.
"It looks like your team found our base, Colonel."
Mustang's eyes widened and a look of newfound hope spread across his face.
"It seems as if our time together is coming to an end for the time being, but don't worry. This definitely will not be the last time you see me. We will come back for you when the time is right," he continued as he got the syringe ready, "I know you're particularly familiar with this drug. I honestly don't know how long it will be in effect before it wears off. Knowing that your military is on our tail, you would be fighting us the minute it wore off, and we can't exactly afford to get caught. Besides, leaving you for your team to find will be just the distraction we need to make our escape."
Before Mustang could say anything else, Vincent tilted his head to the side and plunged the syringe into his neck. Mustang immediately felt the effects of the drug and his eyes were drooping shut. Much like the first time that he had encountered Vincent, the Drachman leaned in and whispered into his ear as consciousness began drifting away.
"Your broken subordinate belongs to us now. He'll be our human weapon by the next time you see him."
*break*
Luka sighed as he settled down in his seat on the train. He had managed to escape the base without being seen. Creating the explosion hadn't been easy. He had to make sure that it caused enough damage to destroy those awful drugs that he had been forced to experiment with and create as well as bring enough attention to the center of the base to distract the guards, but they were still in a mine. Had it been too big, it could have sent the mine caving in. Despite the difficulty, he was successful.
He also had a head start on the rest of the Drachmans, which was something that he desperately needed. He looked out the window as the train began its journey. He had managed to make contact with his sisters, telling them to escape and meet up with him in Creta. Once he was reunited with them, they would figure out where to go. Drachma wouldn't be safe for them ever again. They would never be able to return home. As many spies as there were in the country, Amestris probably wouldn't be safe for them either. Although, he was reconsidering the offer from Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. If their safety could be guaranteed, Amestris might not be out of the question.
Part of him knew that the war between Drachma and Amestris would be inevitable. He didn't want to be a part of it, but sometimes not participating was worse. Above all things, he was a medic. He was meant to help heal people. If the Amestrian military would allow him to tend to soldiers harmed in the field, he would be fulfilling what he would consider to be his purpose in life. That was the one part of being in the Drachman military that he had been looking forward to, but that opportunity had practically been ripped away from him. He pondered the thought of joining the Amestrians. Every government is corrupt in its own way, but if there were people in it as great as Colonel Mustang, Edward, and the rest of their team, he and his sisters might have a place to go after all.
*break*
"Search every room!" General Raven ordered.
Adrenaline surged through Mustang's team as they infiltrated the base. Hughes, Hawkeye, and Havoc were relieved that Luka had stayed true to his word. So far, they had only run into a couple of guards in the passageway which were shot immediately. On the Amestrian side, there were no casualties. Once they had actually reached the base, they hadn't come into contact with any Drachmans. Luka was right. They had been prepared to flee instead of fight.
Mustang's team desperately searched the rooms for their missing comrades, but they hadn't found anything so far. They were beginning to wonder if the Drachmans had managed to escape with them, but they had to hold on to hope and keep looking. It was a huge base, so Ed and Mustang could be anywhere. Hughes found a room with the door partway open. He was almost hesitant to enter. He pushed open the door with his foot and almost vomited at what he saw. Strange markings covered the wall and there were two sets of manacles in the middle of the room. One of the sets was in a puddle of blood. Knowing that the blood had come from Ed made him physically sick, but he couldn't stop looking. After searching a couple more rooms and finding nothing, he was about to give up hope and pray that the others had found them. He kicked open the door to the last room in the hallway he had been ordered to search and was greeted with the sight of his best friend bound to a chair.
"Roy!" he yelled, drawing the attention of the rest of the team.
Hughes rushed in and took Mustang's face in his hands, trying to get some sort of response from him. The rest of the team followed him in just seconds later.
"Colonel!" Hawkeye gasped as she moved to untie him.
"His pulse is steady, but he's unconscious," Hughes updated.
Havoc nodded and turned to the rest of the team.
"Breda, Falman, Fuery, come with me. We still have to find Ed."
With that, the four ran out of the room to search for their youngest comrade. General Raven appeared just outside of the room.
"We need to get him out of here and to a hospital. The rest of the soldiers will search for Major Elric."
Hawkeye and Hughes nodded. Raven and Hughes each slung one of Mustang's arms around their shoulders so they could carry him out of the base, Hawkeye following close behind so she could help them if necessary. After what seemed to be an eternity, they made it out of the mine. They were stopped when the four other members of Mustang's team walked solemnly out of the mine as well as South City's reinforcements.
"Did you find Major Elric?" Raven asked, not liking the looks on their faces.
Havoc shook his head.
"No. We searched every inch of that base and all of the passageways we could find. Ed's gone."
And there's chapter ten! I hope you guys found it to be interesting and somewhat suspenseful. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this story! You guys are truly the best! Anyways, I hope to be updating again soon!