Disclaimer - I sank to my knees. I went see what I could scavenge fro its corpse. It had little - no rations, no weapons - why would it need them? The only things of use were its boots and its water bottle. Taking them, I started to walk away. If I could get a few miles away, then I'd be safe for a while. The forest was too big. I'd be safe here to plan. To plan and think on what it had said. For I knew of what it spoke. I know what I hear, in the night, in the light, wherever I go, always in the bag of my mind. Did it hear it to? Did it know the meaning? Those six words, heard eternal in my brain. I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

'We've finally done it, Blackhammer!' I cried! 'Operation Enduring Resistance is a success! Youw ere able to make a sandwich with two eye patches on!'

'Yes sir! This is an achievement I'm sure will never be matched!' Blackhammer replied.

'Now that we have it completed it, we just need to keep it safe.' I took out a briefcase. Taking off the eye patches from Blackhammer, I put them in the briefcase and closed. I then drew a complicated circle around the briefcase from my notes, and then activated the circle. I finally placed a padlock on the briefcase.

'Now listen up, Private.' I said, handing it to him. 'This briefcase has been locked with a padlock. It has no key, and the code is known only by me. After opening it, it requires a second code, possessed only by me again, to open. Should it be forced open, this will release a vial of sulphuric acid, destroying to package inside. To prevent alchemical interference, the material of the insides of the briefcase has been changed from that of the surface. Do you think that is sufficient to protect our precious secrets?'

'Em, sir, is that really all that necessary? I mean, it's just some eye patches.'

'Private Ronald Jacob Blackhammer –'

'Richard.'

'do you doubt the importance of the task we have been given?'

Blackhammer paused. 'Yes?' he said, saluting.

'Well, stop it!'

'Yes sir.' He went to pick up the briefcase. 'And my middles names not Jacob, either.'

'Oh yes, that's my sons name. Easy to them mix up.'

'I see sir.' Blackhammer walked to the door, then paused. 'Did you alter all the insides of the briefcase, sir?'

'Of course not! Do you take me for a fool! I left the package untouched!'

'What about the glass holding the acid, sir?'

I grabbed the briefcase. 'Just a moment!' I rushed into my office, and opened up the briefcase.

I then came back out, tipping out the wet contents. 'Well, that's a tad awkward.' I told him. 'Now I regret keeping your pay check in there.'

Fortunately, we still had the plans for the project, so I did not think it would be long before we had another eye patch prepared soon. However, there was soon a snag in the plan. I discovered this problem soon, when I met Corporal Brightsilver at lunch. 'So how's operation Enduring Resistance gone?' she asked me.

'It is going well! We'll soon be finished!' I informed her.

'Wait, you're not finished yet?' She said, surprised.

'No, I fear. You see, Blackhammer mucked up.'

'Always the way. Anyway, it's just I heard Larkoff told the Fuhrer that you had it done.'

'Wait, what!' I gasped. 'But how could she have told him?'

'Well, she works with General Phalanx now, and he meets regularly with the Fuhrer. She was probably at one of those meetings. I heard this from Sergeant Wallin – he's part of the Fuhrer's personal guards. He was saying he might drop in at some point in the near future. Though that was a day ago now.'

'But how could she know?'

'Didn't she investigate you a couple of days ago?'

'Right!' I stood up. 'If you'll excuse me, I need to go do – things.'

'Have fun, Major.'

'Thank you, Corporal.' I then ran as fast as I could towards my department.

It seemed that I didn't have a moment to spare. As I rounded the corner towards my office, I saw the Fuhrer walking behind me. I slammed into the department. 'Blackhammer, is the replacement still here?'

'Yes sir.' He held the eye patch up, still with a substantial hole in it. 'You ok sir?'

'Well, I fear you will have to stop that. I need to go finish it.' I picked it up. 'In the mean time, I need to delay the Fuhrer, let's say for about ten minutes while I finish this off.'

'Wait, what?' Blackhammer said, as I rushed into my office. 'Distract him? What? Why? How?'

'Come up with some amusing anecdote, of course, Blackhammer! I'm sure you have one! Do I need to do everything!' I slammed the door behind me, and locked it.

I put the eye patch down on my alchemy table. I knew that I would be unable to many of things one would normally have – no name tag, no Amestrian flag, maybe not even washing instructions! I had to focus on the priority – the size and the transparency.

I held up the eye patch to my eye, looking through the completed part. While partially obscured, I still make out quite a few details through it. It would was as good as the earlier ones. While I would have preferred to have done it all carefully by hand, I realised that time would not allow me that luxury. Instead, I could use the work that was already done as a base to complete the remainder of the patch using alchemy. It might be possible to do it this way, and complete it in time so not to disappoint the Fuhrer.

I pulled out my chalk, drawing alchemical symbols onto the circle. When I was sure it go as I wanted to, I placed it carefully down into the centre of the circle, with some black cloth with it. I placed my hands, and with a flash it was transmuted. Holding the eye patch to my eye, I could see I had out done myself – I could see well through the eye patch! A victory for the alchemical arts and last minute rushing!

I unlocked the door, to see the Fuhrer standing in the middle if the room. Blackhammer was talking to him. 'So when Sergeant Alimore found the bicycle in the toilet, I was sent here for a week. And I never left.'

'Fuhrer Bradley sir!' I said, saluting. 'Good to meet you sir!'

'Ah, you must be the Cloth Alchemist.' Fuhrer King Bradley said, smiling. 'I was just having a little chat with your associate.'

'You will be glad to hear, sir, that we have completed Operation Enduring Resistance, sir!' I told him.

'Ah, is that so? That's excellent, Major. Please give me a full report.'

I held out the eye patch. 'It should fit what you asked for, sir!'

The Fuhrer raised his one visible eyebrow, and took the eye patch. I held my breath in anticipation as he put it on. This could make or break my career! Who knows what the heights I could rise to if he likes it, or I could fall to if he hates it!

As the Fuhrer put it on, he burst out in a laugh. 'My, this in incredible! I can see almost as well with this on!' He took it off again. 'And it looks just like my normal eye patch. This is just what I needed, Major. You're department has done good work today.'

'Thank you, sir!' I saluted again. Blackhammer followed suit.

'Private, you said your sister worked in North City now?'

'Yes, sir!'

'Tell her to visit Arcwell sometime. It's an hour walk south, and the hot springs makes a change from the snow.' He opened the doors. 'Well, I won't keep you. If any guards come looking for me, tell them I went to visit my son at school.'

He left. As he did, the two of use gave a sigh of relief. 'Well, that seemed to go well, sir.' Blackhammer said.

'I think so! Good to see that we weren't foiled by Larkoff! Hah!'

'Wait, sorry sir? Why did you need that distraction, anyway?'

'The Fuhrer thought we had it finished, you see. So we had to get it done in time, or we would have been ashamed! Ashamed!'

'Couldn't we have just told him the –' Blackhammer paused –' Actually, never mind.'

So a successful day ends! I have again beaten Anna, and Operation Enduring Resistance is a success! These are things for my department to be proud of! But we must always be vigilant! So soon will it will necessary for me, Egbert Longwood, the Cloth Alchemist, to do his duty again!

What a twist! Did anyone get it? I was wondering, as I tried to leave a hint in the last disclaimer, but I wasn't sure if it was too hidden.

Anyway, Operation Enduring Resistance has concluded! Who knows what will occur next time? I sure don't! But stay tuned for when I actually figure what I'm doing!