Disclaimer: I do NOT own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters...I'm just playing with them.

Author's note:

Thanks to ZaKai for reading through this chapter and finding all my many mistakes.

(1) Oberführer Julius Schreck – A real officer in the SS army...chosen based solely on time frame...please see profile for further reading on this man and the SS.

Chapter 10

Roy melted into the shadows of the early evening, and watched, horrified, as the man he was supposed to contact being carted away by Nazi soldiers. Major Elric stumbled and winched in pain as the Soldier escorting him shoved the butt of his rifle into the blond's shoulder, knocking him off the curb and onto his knees when he didn't move fast enough. Roy expected the man to react in anger at his aggressor, but he didn't react at all.

Roy studied the prostrate from. He noticed that the blond's shirt was gone, along with the bindings. Evidence of his old injury was still prominently visible, but he looked dirty, dazed and beaten. As Roy's eyes traveled lower, he noticed the glint of metal on one of his legs, but couldn't make out what it was from this angle.

The younger brother stepped to the edge of the truck bed unmindful of the soldier's and guns, and started shouting and gesticulating with his cuffed hands, at the soldier, in German, what sounded like curses, before he was forcibly shoved back onto the bench with a thud and a rifle in his face. The younger brother glared daggers at the soldier; a worthy accomplishment for such a young, and innocent face.

What happened? It's been only a few hours, Roy wondered. Just what sort of trouble are these guys in?

He also recognized the man from earlier today, the 'sick fuck', and the giant man from last night. They were standing to the side with a few Italian soldiers around them, watching as the Major was pulled back onto his feet and into the back of the truck. At the nod of the 'sick fuck', the Italian soldiers and the giant boarded a lighter, white van and drove quickly away as soon as the blond was seated.

The German soldiers climbed up the back of the truck with their prisoners and Roy was surprised to note an SS officer make his way from the interior of the building, around the back of the truck and jump up into the passenger side of the cab. The truck rumbled to life and made its painful way out into the street, grinding a few gears before it drove away.

As the truck passed, Roy could see into the bed. The Major was sitting, dejectedly next to his brother. He seemed so lifeless. Roy had to watch them leave; he was in no position to follow, dressed as he was, in his uniform. He'd most likely get shot and killed, but he did note the license plates on both trucks and jot them down in his note book. Once they were out of sight, Roy crossed the street and entered the building. He would find what clues he could and report back to the Major General.

"Ed?" whispered Al as he peered at his brother, his face hidden beneath his bangs. He wasn't responding to him, not even to look at him. Al was worried, and mad! He was shaking with fury and had no where to direct it. The muzzle of a rifle poked his shoulder in silent warning to keep quite. Al glared at the offending solider and then turned his attention back to his brother, who still hadn't moved.

To do that for them, in order to keep them safe, Ed had offered himself up as a bargaining chip. Not only did he have to endure the bastard's touch, but it happened right in front of the people he cared the most about. Al itched to lash out at the soldiers guarding them. He could understand now, why Ed would freak out when they was younger, at anyone who threatened him. He felt the same over protectiveness now and he couldn't decide what he wanted to do more, envelope his brother in his arms or beat the living crap out of everyone here.

Al choked back the burning in his throat and swallowed with difficulty. The anger seemed to ebb and with it the dam on his emotions broke too. He drew in a shaky breath that hitched and caught at the back of his throat. How could he have ever thought badly about his brother. He may be hard to live with, but he only ever thought about everyone else when it really counted, never about himself. The fact that he'd doubted this, even for a little while, made Al's chest tighten up.

Al scanned the inside of the truck. Noa was mumbling into the top of Isabella's hair, and the child burrowed into her body. The soldiers were stoic and unmoving. Al checked on his brother, the only thing moving, was Ed's hair. It bobbed and danced with the motion of the truck; the sweat drying to create a messy tangle of strands. Al watched it move without really seeing it, and he let his eyes go unfocused.

Swallowing once more, Al leaned into Ed's body, wrapping his arm around Ed's left arm as best he could with the cuffs on, and lay his chin on Ed's shoulder. He breathed in Ed's scent, and choked as an unexpected sob broke free. Al burrowed his face into to the cool skin of his brother's shoulder as another sob worked its way out.

"Ed..." he whispered, barely audible.

Isabella clung to Noa's body. She was too scared to cry and she didn't like the way that man had touched Eddie so that he didn't move now. She really wanted to crawl into his lap and kiss his cheek, but with all the scary men around them she was too afraid to move and she was missing her doll terribly. Noa tightened her arm around her and she burrowed deeper into the embrace.

Roy stopped outside the apartment that the man at the front desk said belonged to the Elrics, and surveyed what used to be the front door. He carefully trod across the splintered wood and entered the now empty apartment. He made his way down the hallway, past the open ended galley kitchen towards the living room.

Pausing in the archway Roy scanned the room for signs of a struggle, but could detect nothing out of place. He entered the room, turning his head from side to side. He found some bullet holes in the upper part of the wall, with shell casings littering the floor by the far archway. Moving around the couch, he bent down and examined the casings. They were cool to the touch, so Roy reasoned they had been fired some time ago.

Dropping the casing on the floor, Roy stood and moved towards the bedrooms. He found the girls bedroom first. It was covered with frilly things, dresses, powders, and vials of perfume. He found no personal items of note, nor any documents. Leaving that room for the next, Roy began again. This room was clean and the bed made. He looked through the drawers, the closest, and the empty suitcase and still he found no clues to help him. Although, he did find a leather pouch full of tools, all looking like they were well taken care of.

The last and messiest room, was his only hope to find anything to work with. As soon as he entered this room, Roy could tell that it belonged to the Major. It smelled like him everywhere. He inhaled deeply the smell of sleep and aftershave. Slowly, he walked through the small room, stepping over clothes and messy bedsheets that had been tossed on the floor. He wondered if the room had been ransacked or if it was normally like this.

Bending down near the dresser, Roy moved a pair of pants aside, exposing a note book he'd seen poking out. Picking it up, he took it back with him to the bed and sat down to study the book. Flipping the pages, Roy read the interviews Edward had transcribed about people and trucks moving from small town to small town. Parts of which were underlined, some points he could understand but others, Roy didn't know what the relevance could be. Turning the book over, Roy started at the beginning, going through each page.

Many entries seemed to be in code, as he read the pages, Roy didn't think that the exacting measurements of a magnolia flower would hold much interest for a military man. Then Roy came to the drawings. He held the book close to his face as he looked around the many circles and the writing inside them. Mentally shrugging, Roy flipped to the next page. At the top he saw an entry not written in code that caught his eye. It was dated a few months ago.

February 8, 1925. Last night I had BAD dream. Roy was hooked, he knew that he shouldn't read his superior's journal, but if it helped him find out where he was taken, then he was sure the man wouldn't mind. At least that's what he told himself before he continued to read.

One of the worst yet. I thought after I got Al's body back it'd all go away, but it's starting to look like I'm really, truly fucked up. Al had to wake me again. I feel bad that he has to share in my neuroses and suffer lack of sleep along with me. He offered to stay but I kicked him out, I wanted to write this down. So here it is...my fucked up mind.

We're in the room again, trying to bring Mom back, it seems to be going well then IT happens. The reaction rebounds and Al dissolves in front of me and he's taken inside the gate. For me, my leg, the pain, I felt it again as I slept (probably due to the foul weather outside). When I tried to transmute Al's soul, the dream shifted and I was sitting amongst all the people who died around me. Hughes, Nina, Dr. Marcoh, Greed, Scar, Mom, Dad, Heiderich ...and Al. Their cold, decaying hands were pulling me down towards them. Then there was blood all around me. I freaked out like normal, and started to yell and shout.

It was then that Al woke me. I had clocked him on the chin with my auto-mail before he pinned me and was able to wake me.

I just re-read what I wrote and somehow it doesn't seem that bad now...

The entry ended there. Roy sat there staring at the page and the hastily written words. Finally snapping the book closed, he stood and tucked it into his jacket pocket. Taking another sweep around the room, Roy could find nothing else. Having found nothing more of note, Roy walked back towards the apartment door. Just before he crossed the threshold, he realized that there were no girl clothes in the Major's room. He face slowly split in two as the large grin appeared there. Maybe they weren't going out.

Mr. Maxton strode into the sitting room. He paused in the middle of the room and tried to pierce the gloom, looking for his missing mistress. Convinced that she wasn't here, he pivoted on his heel and strode back towards the hallway.

"I'm here," a voice issued from the darkness.

Mr. Maxton stopped mid-stride and turned towards the lady's voice. "Milady...it is done as you wished."

"And they're unharmed?"

"Mostly. The Seniore got there before Oberführer Schreck (1), so the elder one was slightly...abused." Mr. Maxton scanned the darkness again, trying to pin point exactly where Lady Rose was sitting.

"As long as the other one is fine, I could care less about the oldest. I asked the Seniore to be there early so that Edward could be punished. Seems like he jumped at the chance." Even hidden by the darkness Mr. Maxton knew that Lady Rose's feral grin was currently stretching across her face.

"Shouldn't we be off?" Mr. Maxton asked, changing the subject.

"We'll wait for my husband. He should be back soon from my little errand."

"Very well, I'll await you by the car." Mr. Maxton spun around, striding out the way he came. When milady gets like this, he always found it hard to be around her. She could be even more manic that him, which was very frightening.

"I know it's late, but I've got to talk to the major general, it's an emergency!" Roy hissed as quietly as he could, despite the growing frustration of being denied again and again as he tried to reason with the Second Lieutenant that was guarding the door to the major general's room.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I was left strict orders not to disturb him," the lieutenant hissed back, his eyes front.

"Then you can tell him for me, when he wakes up tomorrow, that the man I was supposed to recruit has been kidnapped and will most likely be dead tomorrow and see how you fare," he spat at the lieutenant. Roy didn't like to play hard ball, but the man was too involved with 'staying true to the orders I've been given' to know that some times you had to break them.

The lieutenant blanched, making the green uniform he was wearing look sickly against his skin. Roy quirked an eyebrow at him, wondering what he would decide.

"Fine! Wait here," the lieutenant hissed back, before turning around and knocking politely before entering the darkened room.

Roy nervously paced up and down the hall beside the door, impatient to relay the news. A few minutes later, the major general emerged from the room with the lieutenant behind him, wearing his bath robe. He did not look impressed.

Roy snapped to attention, saluting the man before him. "I'm sorry to disturb your evening, major general, but we got a problem."

"This better be good, captain," the major general growled, as he marched down the hall, nodding at the captain to follow.

"Sir, as I was approaching the residence of Major Elric, it seems that someone else got there before me." Roy started just like he'd rehearsed on his way over. The major general stopped and looked down his nose at his subordinate. "He was taken, along with his brother, a woman and child by the Germans."

"What else have you found out?"

"The only thing I could locate..." Roy hesitated to tell him about the journal for some reason, but in the end it may prove invaluable to locating them. "Was this, I've gathered the major was working on locating and destroying some sort of bomb thats years ahead of its time. It could be that the Germans found out about this and captured them."

"Anything else," the man growled, the anger evident on his face.

"I saw an SS officer as well as a ranking Italian officer leaving the scene together and I got their license plate of the truck."

"Good, I'll be ordering an infiltration and retrieval mission. I want you to resume your post." The major general turned back towards his room.

"Ah! But sir, I want to be included in this mission. I've already made contact with the major earlier today, I--"

"You failed to mention this in the briefing." The major general growled, overriding what ever the captain had to say.

"Yes sir."

"Explain yourself," the major general demanded.

"Sir, I was unsure how you would react, sir!" Roy said as he snapped to attention.

"Hand over what you got so far and wait in the briefing room, I'll tell you my decision later." Roy gave him the note book and piece of paper he used to write down the plate numbers.

"Sir." Roy saluted the retreating back of the major general.

"Oh, there you are Thomas; I was starting to think you got lost." Lady Rose crossed the room, her calf length dress swishing counter point to her clicking shoes, and enveloped her husband in her arms. "Mr. Maxton already told me, good work." Pulling back, she reached up and kissed him on the lips.

"Thank you, dear. Are we heading out now?"

"Yes, we were just waiting on you." They broke apart and walked back towards the front door. Lady Rose reached down and grabbed her shawl from the bench by the door as they passed. Thomas threw open the door and walked down the steps towards the waiting car and Mr. Maxton, his wife a few steps behind.

"Oh, and make sure that the child you hired to play with the Elrics' girl is compensated for her time," Lady Rose reminded her husband as they approached the car.

"Yes, it's all taken care of." He smiled at his wife, who beamed back at him. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he led her to the left side of the vehicle.

"Maxton." Asherton nodded in greeting, the man nodded back, stoic as ever. He only really responded to his wife. "Let's get going, it's a long drive and they have a head start." He held the back door open and helped his wife into the car, closing the door he walked over to the other side and got in. Mr. Maxton got in the driver's seat and started the car. They drove through the wrought iron gate at the edge of their property, heading towards the city limit.

No one noticed the black vehicle pull out of the neighbor's driveway, the headlights piercing the darkness as it turned on to the street to follow them.

The truck came to an abrupt stop in front of a large chain link fence, causing Ed and Al to sway with the inertia, the movement waking Al from his light doze on his brother's shoulder. Al opened his eyes and looked out the back of the truck into vast desert sand as far as he could see. Disentangling himself from his brother, Al peered under his brother's bangs. Ed's eyes were almost closed and even if Al waved his hand in front of his face, he didn't even blink.

The soldiers sharing the back of the truck with them, started to jump down to the ground and walk around to the front of the vehicle. Noa was forcibly escorted out the back with Isabella in her arms. She awkwardly dropped the short distance to the ground.

Someone grabbed a hold of Ed's arm while Al's attention was on Noa, and dragged him along the seat, letting him fall to the ground in a heap. The soldier in question, laughed uproariously. Al whipped around at the noise, to see his brother lying on the ground, creating small dust clouds with each breath from under his bangs. Growling in the back of his throat, Al launched himself at the soldier.

"Alphonse! NO!" Noa screeched at him, but it was too late, he was already in the air. She let Isabella down on to the ground and covered her face in horror. Alphonse...Alphonse...Alphonse...Alphonse...her mind chanted. Noa's vision wavered as tears threatened to spill down her face.

Al caught the man unawares, full on in the chest sending them both tumbling into the compacted sand landing in a heap, with Al lying on the soldiers chest. Using his knees as leverage, Al pushed on the soldier's chest and sat back on his heels. The dark haired man was looking up at him, dazed and unfocused, not yet processing what had just happened. Clasping his hands together, Al raised them high over his head, aiming for the man's jaw. He paid no heed to the scuffling behind him, nor the increased noise.

He was just about to deal a lethal blow to the man when one flesh arm and one metal, slipped over his head and pull him back towards his older brother's chest.

"Don't. I'm okay," Ed gruffly mumbled into Al's ear.

"Ed..." Al whispered as he looked up at his brother, twisting his neck to do so. He let his hands fall back into his lap.

"Sorry I made you worry." Ed's voice sounded harsh and unused to Al, and he looked tired as he blinked slowly at him.

"You! What do you think your doing!" The soldier Al had knocked over had recovered, shouting at him in German while getting to his feet. More soldiers came round the side of the truck to investigate the scuffle. The man reached down and grabbed a hold of Al's shirt. He raised his other hand in retaliation and swung with all his might at Al's chin. Al closed his eyes in anticipation of the blow.

"AARRRGHHH!" Al's eyes snapped open to see the soldier dance away clutching his hand to his chest in agony. Ed's right hand was covering his face, protecting him from the blow. As Ed lowered his hand Al could see several soldiers had leveled their guns at them.

"That's enough," the SS officer stated softly, but there was no doubt that these men scrambled to obey, as he too rounded the back of the truck to bring his men in line. "On your feet."

Slipping his hands over Al's head, Ed pushed Al off his lap and stood stiffly. Al also pushed his way to his feet. They stood side by side, waiting to be told where to go next. The soldiers moved behind them and herded them towards the front of the truck.

Noa was shaking, she couldn't handle this. What started out as a grand adventure, like the mystery novels she read, was quickly turning into one of Edward's bad dreams. Reaching down, she gripped Isabella's hand in both of hers pulling the child tight against her thigh. As Edward passed her, he looked over at her. His eyes were blank and dull, the brilliant spark of life that usually resided in those golden eyes, had died. Noa couldn't help the gasp that slipped though her lips.

"Move it!" Noa was shoved from behind; she stumbled and fell in behind Alphonse. She dragged Isabella along with her. Alphonse turned back, waiting for her to catch up. As she came along side of him, he squeezed her upper arm and left his hand there for support, it made her heart swell with affection for him.

Al smiled weakly back at her softened expression. At least he'd been able to reach someone.

The large chain link and barbwire gate was opened as they approached and they were led into a moderately sized compound with a few out buildings and a largish shed like structure sitting in the middle of it all. The place was heavily policed with guards, some even have vicious looking German Shepherd's on tight, short leashes that barked and yipped at the new comers.

The SS officer walked confidentiality towards the shed structure, the rest of his men following behind, ushering the captives along with them. The German officer stopped along side the garage like door and flipped open a small gray box. He reached inside and pulled out a receiver and placed it to his ear. After a few minutes of mumbled conversation he replaced the receiver, and just stood there.

Al checked on his brother. He was standing off to the side slightly away from him and Noa, staring out into the sand with a vacant look in his eyes. It seemed that he was back to being lifeless again. Al squeezed Noa's arm, as she looked into his eyes, he sighed and nodded over at his brother. Her eyes flickered over to him and then back to Al. She shuffled a little bit closer to Al's body. They both knew that for now Ed would have to wait.

"Mr. Maxton, how much time is needed before the ceremony will be ready?" Lady Rose asked the back of his head.

"Even if I rush I'll still need several days."

"Well hurry up, I want to take that boy home and I can't have him until the gate is open." Lady Rose watched the buildings pass from the car window. "That Schreck is being unreasonable. 'I have to wait until the gate is open', that might not even happen. I should be able to take him now." Lady Rose argued with Mr. Maxton.

"I'm sorry Milady; I will talk with Oberführer Schreck again."

"Make sure that you do," she ordered, her voice full of unvoiced consequences if she didn't get her way. "The more I think about it, the more I think it shouldn't matter." Lady Rose crossed her legs and sat further back into the seat.

They were just about out of the city now, the buildings were being replaced with sand dunes. They still had a ways to go before they reached the compound. Then she would be able to see her new toy. That thought alone brought her mood back up enough that she could speak civilly with her husband, who up until now had been quietly observing their exchange.

"So, Thomas, tell me how your deal is going?" Lady Rose was all smiles now, schooling her body and face to portray nothing.

"It's going quite well, quite well indeed. In a few days we exchange the money and then the blueprints are all ours. The Americans won't know what hit them, as they face their own tanks and planes coming from the enemy."

"Good." Lady Rose smiled vilely.

Roy paced nervously up and down the briefing room. He was wasting time here. He could be out looking for the Major and his family rather then being here, waiting to see IF he could participate in the rescue mission. First he was going to destroy the surveillance mission by interacting with Major Elric and now he wanted to abandon that mission and take up another.

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like he was trying to destroy his career. Roy paced a little faster as his thoughts raced. He kept seeing the despondent look on the Major's, or Edward's face, as he was placed in the truck. He rolled the name around in his head, liking the way it sounded.

Edward... Edward... Edward...who are you? How come you seem to know me? Folding his arms across his chest, he stopped his pacing in front of the window and gazed down into the small parade grounds surrounding the headquarters building. The detachment of soldiers assigned to backup his case was stationed here.

It had been five hours since he'd seen the Major and his family taken away in that truck. Maybe he should have told the major general more about the Seniore and how he was targeting the major, and he should have tried harder to convey the urgency of the new situation. Now it came down to how bad the American government wanted Edward to work for them.

The door opened behind him, Roy turned around to see the lieutenant from earlier.

"Sir, the major general will see you in briefing room four."

"Thank you, lieutenant." Roy followed the man out in to the hallway. He nodded as he passed, heading for the room in question. He made sure that his manner and bearing was not hurried or erratic as he strode towards the briefing room.

Standing outside the meeting room, he took a moment to compose himself before knocking and admitting himself. The major general was seated at the head of the table with two other men.

"Captain, after reviewing the journal you found and based on the information, you will be reassigned to the infiltration team led by Colonel Jack Tompkins."

"Thank you sir!" Roy saluted the major general as he stood and left Roy with his new commanding officer.

The colonel turned to the other man. "Jones, take the info we got and have the intelligence department see what they can make of it. Rush job."

"Right boss." The man touched his forehead in a poor imitation of a salute and sauntered out of the room, grinning at Roy as he passed. Roy stood ram rod straight awaiting any orders the colonel might have for him.

"Just so's you know I don't stand on formalities and such, so relax." Roy stood at ease and the colonel sighed. "Well that's just about what'd I expect. So, anyway, I don't need you until the morning, 0400 hours. We meet in the parade grounds. Don't be late."

"Sir." Roy saluted and the man waved him off. Pivoting on his heal Roy made his way to his temporary bunk, it was late and he had to get some sleep if he could.

Ed felt it before he heard it. The deep vibration was coming up through the sand; Ed looked at his feet and saw the grains of sand dancing and shifting across each other. The sound grew with each moment that passed. Dimly, he was aware of the worried murmuring from his brother and Isabella but they didn't penetrate the fog surrounding his thoughts.

Looking out past the chain link fence, Ed tried to see the dunes through the electrically illuminated compound. He hadn't really wanted Al to touch him on the ride over, but it was too much effort to push him away. He just didn't want to be touched right now, but he was much too tired to do anything about it. His brother's own emotional outpouring washed over him and past him, without touching him at all.

The cold night wind gusted the vibrating sand into the air and into the eyes of everyone present. Ed slowly brought his flesh hand up and calmly wiped the grit from them, the chain on his manacles rattling with the movement.

The large swinging door on the shed creaked open; the airborne dust hungrily entering the pristine space to claim it as its own. Before the door was fully open the SS officer had ducked down and entered the brightly lit space.

At the insistent prodding from the soldier behind him, Ed moved towards the opening as well. His body was beginning to tell him that it had had enough fighting and excitement for one day. He shuffled his feet, lifting more sand into the air, before he stepped into the building as well.

"Ah, Edward! I'm so glad we meet again. Our last meeting ended rather abruptly, eh?" Ed blinked at the man addressing him and then looked away. "What's wrong with him?" the man inquired of Oberführer Schreck.

"The Seniore."

"Oh, dear." Dr. Marcoh stepped closer, and peered at the young man. He was covered with grime and was shirtless. The broken ribs were still healing by the looks of his chest, plus he looked like he had been in a fight. Small bruises covered his left arm and right leg. Glancing over at the rest of the group Dr. Marcoh noticed marks on the other boy too.

"Is he already here?" Schreck asked the doctor.

"Yes, he got here about half an hour ago," the doctor answered absently. He ran a finger down the artificial arm before him. Now he would be able to get a better look at this marvelous machine.

"Take us down, Doctor," Schreck ordered. Startled out of his musings Marcoh rushed to obey; it wouldn't do to have Schreck on his bad side. Walking over to the console in the back of the room, he flipped the lever from its UP position, pulling it towards the DOWN position. The floor shuddered and then dropped an inch before the massive servos kicked in and regulated the descent.

"Please stay away from the edge, it's a long drop," Marcoh informed the prisoners as Noa and Isabella gasped their surprise. The woman and child shuffled towards the middle.

Ed stared blankly at the wall as it dropped away changing into massive cross beams that guided the elevator's descent into the earth. The ride was quiet but for the engines straining against gravity.

Dr. Marcoh studied Edward's blank profile. Well I don't think that this is a bad thing, he reasoned. If he stays docile then I'll be able to study him easier. "Well I suppose you're all wondering what this place is. This facility was constructed by the English several years ago but it was abandoned when they began to pull out of Egypt. We were luckily enough to find it more or less intact and have made it fit our purpose."

"Which is what?" Al asked, desperate for information about what might happen to them or why they were here. Except for the Seniore, Al couldn't figure out what they would want them for.

"Why to take over the world," the SS officer answered for the doctor. Al pressed his lips, not sure if he was being told the truth or not.

"Who are you, anyway?" Al turned towards the officer, who was smirking at him.

"I'm Oberführer Julius Schreck, the administrator of this facility. A thankless job, but one the Führer has entrusted to me." The man puffed out his chest proudly as if Al would congratulate him.

"Don't make me laugh," Ed said snidely. He blinked and focused on the officer. The man stiffened at Ed's unexpected comment. "That man, your Führer," Ed spat the last word with all the anger and venom he could muster. "Is an asshole."

"Why you--" Schreck flicked a finger at the closest soldier.

The soldier stepped in front of Ed, raising his rifle butt to strike. Ed met his eyes calmly, unnerving the man for a moment. The soldier screwed up his face and brought the rifle butt down hard into his stomach. Ed dropped to the floor, wheezing, but the same look reminded on his face, unaltered by that fact that he now had trouble breathing.

"Let that be a lesson to you. The Führer is a god. I won't have you speak ill of him again." Schreck turned away from the gasping form on the floor, dismissing him from his mind. Al broke away from Noa, letting go of her arm. "If he moves another step, shoot his leg." Al froze as several soldiers lower their guns at him.

The engines whined and grated against the gears, slowing the platform as it approached the bottom. Ed got back to his feet and shuffled off the platform with everyone else, into a vast cavern, lit dimly with light bulbs scattered around the thirty foot ceiling. Scaffolding and support beams were scattered around the cave as workers scurried about their work.

The soldiers led Ed and the others away down a chiseled corridor taking so many twists and turns that Ed was soon disorientated. They eventually stopped in front of a heavy metal door and they were ushered inside. A guard on duty there stood upon their entry with a heavy ring of keys in hand. He strode over to three cell doors, opening each one with a different key and stood aside.

Noa and Isabella were put into one of the rock cells together, while Ed and Al each went into their own. After the doors clanged shut and it grew quiet, Ed finally moved from the middle of the cell towards the back of the small room. He sunk down to his butt, wedging himself into the cold, stone corner. Drawing his knees to his chest, Ed buried his face into his arms.

He still hurt, DOWN there. He shifted his weight to ease the pressure.

"Ed?" Al's muffled voice called to him from the next cell over. "Talk to me Ed. Please."

"No talking!" the guard ordered.

No, I don't feel like it, Ed answered in his mind while he stayed silent. Not right now. The remembered sensation of those hands on his body flooded his mind. His brow furrowed as he tried to force them away. The minutes dragged by, each one bringing with it another remembered grope or intrusion into his body, till Ed felt like he was going insane.

The door to the cells opened and closed with a clang, brining with it a welcome distraction from the downward spiral his thoughts were taking.

"Edwwwaaardddd," that voice sing songed. Ed's whole body tensed up. "I know how much you're missing me right now, so I thought that I should come keep you company. You'd like that wouldn't you Edward?" The Seniore pressed his face into the small bared opening in the door, searching the darkness on the other side for the man.

"Bastard! Why don't you PISS OFF and leave my brother alone!" Al yelled at him through the door, taking a page from Ed's vast book of swear words.

"Soldier! Are you just going to sit there or are you going to silence your prisoner?"

"Sir!" The man jumped to his feet keys in hand and grabbing his baton, he opened Al's cell. Ed could hear the scuffling and grunts from the other cell, but still he wouldn't move. Finally it grew quiet, the door closed and the soldier was talking with the Seniore. Ed couldn't make out the muffled conversation.

"Sorry about that, love, now we won't have anymore interruptions. Your brother is also promised to someone, did you know that?" The Seniore waited for a response. When he didn't get any he suddenly had the desire to touch the blond again, Schreck be damned. "Soldier, I want you to open this cell and lock it behind me."

The sweat began instantaneously, all over Ed's body. He burrowed his head deeper in his arms, knowing it was pointless to hide, but trying to do it anyway. Ed could hear the key being inserted into the lock on the door. He was starting to panic. Ed pushed his way up the wall, digging his shoulders into the rough stone.

The outer prison door slammed open, making the guard squeak in surprise and drop the key ring to the floor. Ed could hear booted feet clicking on the concrete floor. The Seniore was pushed away from the small window and the SS officer peaked in.

Turning towards the Seniore, Schreck frowned at him. "You were told to leave him alone until AFTER the ceremony. Disobey again, and you won't get him at all. Now go back to your quarters until you're needed."

Ed heard the feet recede and all grew quiet again as the door was closed. Several minutes passed, before Ed slipped back down the wall, staring at the door. His heart thudded in his chest, painfully and he began to shake with unused adrenaline.

"Alphonse?" Noa called from the far cell, her voice faint and wobbly. "Alphonse! Are you okay? What happened?"

The silence lasted a few more seconds before Ed could hear his brother's faint reply.

"I'm okay, Noa, just a little bloody. Did you hear that guy mention a ceremony? Ed? What could he mean?"

"I said NO TALKING!" The guard banged his baton on the metal door to his brother's cell in warning. When all grew quiet, the guard scraped the chair he was sitting in away from the wall and sat down, ready for his nap.

Heaving a sigh, Ed's eyelids closed. He buried his head in his arms once more, hoping sleep would come quickly. He'd rather have a nightmare then be here right now.

-- To be continued –