Ed opens the door to the records department and was taken back. This place was huge. He'd never needed to come to this part of headquarters, all his previous investigations were at the libraries. At least three storeys of bookcases overflowing with files and folders, no wall was left uncovered. He didn't know where to start. Luckily there was a reception desk in the center of room, which looked like Roy's desk on a good day. Hidden behind it all was the one woman how could help him.
"Hello? Sheska?"
A spectacled head popped up from the mounds of paper. "Ed? Edward Elric? You're back!"
"I've been back for a few weeks, just thrown straight into an assignment before I barely got a foot in the door."
"Oh, when Central collapsed."
"Yeah, Did you manage to retrieve all the files?" Looking to the stacks upon stacks of paper.
"Oh yes, we've only just manage to get everything in the right place again. Forgive my intrusion Edward, but it's not everyday a state alchemist drops by, is there something you need?"
"Yeah. Can you point me in the direction of the profiles of all military personnel."
"Of course I can, you are a Major General, you have clearance. It's on the second floor. You just go up those stairs, turn right and follow the corridor down and the stairs to the second floor shall be at the end. Then you need to walk over to those bookcases right there." Pointing to the ones above in clear view.
"And what about the files for the missing personnel be it absent without leave, deceased."
"The deceased are in alphabetical order among the military profiles. AWOL soldiers are secured in a locked cupboard, but your pocket watch will unlock it, you just need to push the crest into the engraving."
"Thanks Sheska." He began to follow the the directions the spectacled woman gave him. It would have been a great help if she could have assisted him, but it was an undercover assignment, secrecy needed to be adhered.
Arriving at his destination he pulled out the piece of paper will all the names for the requires files. Recovering the files of Geoffrey Barrett, Scott James and Henry Tafford - the original targets. He did try for Nicholas Berry and Ferren Dewry, but as he, Roy and Naython expected, they were aliases. Next the deceased of Henry Wheelan and Derek Hachmar. Before finding Naython Guilford's file. The blonde did catch sight of the file for one Roy Mustang, as tempting as it was he decided to leave it alone. All focus on finding information on the ringleader, not your own lover. With one last collection of files to acquire he pulled out his pocket watch, which Roy had only given back to him in the car park, and placed the military crest into the appropriate indentation. There was a quiet murmur of gears turning before the cupboard clicked, indicating that the unlock was successful. He opened the door to see files upon files of missing or AWOL soldiers, luckily for Ed they were all dated, unluckily the file he needed was the biggest of them all, starting from 1800 till the present. He wasn't going to let it phase him though. Taking the file he closed the cupboard shut, which locked itself and released his pocket watch.
It was going to be a long day. The blonde helped himself to a glass of Roy's scotch before taking a seat at his desk, on his chair. Sure the man was a higher rank, but he wouldn't mind as he rested his feet on the mahogany desk top, grabbing the first file and began to read.
xXx
His meeting with Grumman took a lot longer than he anticipated. it was mid afternoon by the time Mustang arrived back at his office. Ed had already gone through a large quantity of the documents he brought back from the records room, but there were still so much to do. But before the General could settle down to help the blonde there was an urgent knock at the door.
"Yes?"
The door opened. "Apologies for interrupting General Mustang, Major General Elric." The man saluted his two superior officers. "There is a prisoner by the name of Matlock in the holding cells demanding to see you."
It had only been a few hours since they put Guilford in the holding cells so if there was a demand it would have to have been serious. The two men didn't hesitate in going to see the false captive escorted by the messenger soon to be handed over to the jail guard.
The man saluted. "I am sorry sirs, I don't know where this man came from. There are two others further down, all I've been instructed by the Fuhrer is to not let them out, but if this one needs to see you I was to grant the request."
Mustang nodded and the guard unlocked the door. They looked in to see Guilford was visibly shaken by whatever had happened during the few hours of leaving him. His body curled down to his knees as his hands wrapped behind his head. Someone who was so calm and collected throughout the whole Drachma mission was now a nervous mess. No doubt seeing Guy, your friend and closest ally, killed right before your eyes wouldn't exactly have helped him.
The two state alchemists ushered each other in before the guard locked the cell and returned to his post, unwillingly to leave such high ranked officers on their own regardless state alchemist or not, but Ed had managed to talk him round.
"H-he visited me last night." The mutter just about audible.
"Who did?"
"The ringleader!" He yelled out and immediatly stood to his feet, causing the generals to quickly jump back, and began to pace around the cell.
"Did you get a good look at him?" Mustang followed the man with his eyes as Ed stood between the two. He may be their ally, but anyone could turn in an instant and right now he was Roy's bodyguard.
Naython shook his head. "It's was pitch black. You think I can see in the dark?!"
"What happened?" Roy remained calm unlike the Amestrian prisoner who couldn't decide whether to sit down, stand up or continue to pace around the small cell.
"He congratulated me, Berry and Dewry on our failure and looked forward to seeing us lined up opposite the firing squad." He turned to Roy only for Ed to hold back the man from touching his superior. "You need to get me out of here! Out of this country! If you don't then I'm a dead man for sure. I've helped you, now you help me!"
"Calm down, we'll get him. You won't have to run anywhere. Did he talk to the others?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know that!? I'm stuck in here!" Ed pushed the hysteric man back onto the old rickety bed the other side of the cell.
"Do you remember his voice?" Ed spoke in a calm, quiet and collective manner.
"Course I remember his voice!" Clearly Guilford didn't get the subtle hint to calm down in his behaviour.
"If we get recordings of all the officers in central can you identify it?" The man nodded. "Leave it with us, you'll be out of here by tomorrow evening."
Much to the dismay of Guilford that he'd have to be in the cell for at least twenty four hours longer he stayed seated, curling himself back into a ball as Ed and Roy left the cell. Roy walked on ahead, as Ed observed the false prisoner, as much as he wanted to give his team the day off they were now desperately needed to aid the generals in finally putting this investigation to rest.
xXx
Back in the offices everyone, bar from the injured Havoc, had gathered on the couches.
"I assure you went this investigation is finished you will get time off."
"Don't sweat it sir, we want this to end just as quickly as you do." Breda brushed off his General's apology as he reached over for a file. "You sure we can get this person outed by tomorrow Ed?"
"If we can get Guilford to ID the voice then it's as good as done, but there is still a small chance that it isn't him."
"That is true, but I have every confidence that your theory is spot on. We already have enough evidence to uncover the traitor, we just need to find out the identities of Berry and Dewry."
Sheska and Fuery cautiously walked through the door carrying a substantial amount of paper work. "Everything is finally here, just like you asked for Edward." Carefully placing the piles to the floor.
The blonde gave a relaxed smile "Thanks Sheska." Relieving her from the offices to head back to the records department.
Roy wasn't more pleased to know that the paperwork wasn't to add to the pile that was hidden away in the corner. "Care to explain?"
"Well we know that Dewry and Berry aren't alchemists neither the original Tafford and Barrett were State Alchemists. This is the entirety of soldiers in academy, working for and still in the military ranks dating back fifty years. We just need to find the link between them and our suspects."
"And where are you going?" He stopped the blonde in his tracks as he reached for the door handle.
"There are over two hundred personnel in this building. I need those recordings for tomorrow." He gave Roy a cheeky wink before heading out the offices.
It was going to be a long day as the General grabbed the top sheet of paper. He really didn't want to be investigating another officer under the title of treason again, especially someone he knew. He looked over to Riza full well knowing that regardless of the outcome the safety of the country was top priority.
This was supposed to have stopped over six months ago. Yes he knew Amestris would constantly have enemies throughout the lands of Drachma, Creta and Aerugo. But people from Amestris itself? This wasn't the Homunculus brainwashing the greedy and desperate to play their little games, these were real people wanting to harm others because of something they didn't believe in. This country was changing, after the rule of King Bradley, for the better.
It took the entire day, but they had found what they were looking for. All that remained would be the results of the voice recordings.
Tomorrow would be the conclusion and this mission would finally be put to rest.
xXx
"Congratulations Edward!"
"Congratulations! Send my love to your brother"
"Another one? Did you ever tell your brother to slow down?"
"Fullmetal is this another one of your schemes for more time off?"
"At this rate you are going to be broke when Christmas comes around.."
"I'm sure Alphonse and Winry are delighted..ecstatic!"
"Have they not heard of contraception or is this intentional?"
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"Jean failing again? Why am I not surprised?"
"That's nothing new Ed. Jean is always bound to fail."
"Congratulations in never noticing your failings Havoc, better wear some protective gear next time!"
"She landed him in hospital? Ouch. That's some tough love I guess."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"Failure is not an option, but I know you will succeed."
"Fullmetal, you failing a mission is like Havoc successfully getting a girlfriend."
"I have every confidence that the conclusion will come swiftly."
"Failure? I never know that was in your Dictionary Ed."
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Roy looked over to his subordinate, who was slouched against the arm rest of the couch as his recordings were played. He had to say he was impressed as to how he got these reactions. Be it the false news ( Or so he hoped ) of his brother and Winry having yet another baby, Jean's love life or even a more serious note of failing an assignment. He was well known throughout Central Headquarters, even if he didn't remember the names or faces of the soldiers he didn't let it show so no one would have been suspicious.
Across from the way Guilford hands linked together resting in front of his mouth. His eyes were closed in concentration, trying to pick up the voice that he had heard in the night. Him and Ed just waited as patiently as they could as the tape was played over and over again. Four voices remained of the two hundred plus all sounded rather similar, but each was distinctive.
It didn't take much longer to make his decision.
"This one."
Ed looked down to the list of names for the name of whom the voice belonged "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Positive, one hundred percent, this is the ring leader."
Ed showed the name of who Guilford had chosen to Roy. The man immediatly rose from his seat and opened his office door to address his subordinates.
"Hawkeye, Falman and Fuery can you get Berry and Dewry from their cells. Breda, it's been confirmed, can you escort the person I mentioned here please?"
He closed the door and calmly walked over to his desk, taking a seat and sat in silence. The traitor has now been one hundred percent verified.
"What now?"
"Now we wait, but for reasons to keep you safe you still need to look like a prisoner." The man nodded as Ed cuffed the man's wrists behind his back. "When this part is over we'll get you out of here. It is a shame though, you'd be a valuable asset to the team."
"I've done enough undercover work to last a life time, retirement is for the best."
Ed got up and walked over to Mustang, who was carefully going through the files as to make sure that nothing important for this reveal was left out. The blonde knew he already read through them several times this morning alone. He placed a comforting hand discreetly onto the older man's back.
"You ready?" He muttered.
His love nodded as a knock on the door initialised the start of the reveal. Falman and Hawkeye bring in the man by the alias of Nicholas Berry. If glares could kill everyone in that room would have been dead instantly as he took his seat on the couch opposite the now crestfallen looking Guilford. It did make a change that 'Berry' wasn't yelling out every curse word under the sun like he did in Drachma, the silence in the room was surprisingly blissful, until the next knock sounded. All heads turned to see 'Dewry' enter with Fuery closely behind and placing the prisoner on the opposite side of the couch from Guilford, himself taking the center seat, separating him and Guilford. Roy carefully watched the newest arrival, noticing how he couldn't stop twitching and fidgeting in his seat, the nervousness very clearly showing.
The general sat back in his seat with the file of the ringleader in his lap, tracing the calligraphy with his fingertip, before looking up to Ed. The blonde had changed position, now leaning against his desk with his back to the others and watching Roy's every moment.
After a while the final knock sounded. All eyes turned to the door as the handle was pushed down and the wooden panel opened. It was like slow motion as Heymans walked in first, holding the door as the traitor stepped through. The man paused and looked at the occupants in the room, was he expecting a salute? Good luck getting that any time now. All he got were confused looks from the captives and brief glances from Roy's unit. Reluctantly Breda placed a chair at the edge of the coffee table facing the desk as The Strong Arm Alchemist Alex Armstrong closed the door behind him and remained standing guard. If anyone tried to escape they would quite easily fail. The traitor took his seat, Roy could feel the anger burning up inside him.
The room was set, everyone was here, and now the time to conclude their undercover investigation had begun..
Firstly guys I'm sorry it's taken nearly a month for this to come out. Real life just took everything out of me and then when I turned to this I had zero motivation. I planned to get the build up and reveal out asap, and then realised that a lot of things I was putting in the final chapter contradicted everything else in the story. *sigh* So I'm having to re read my own story to get the facts right.
So one more chapter to go! Who is the mysterious traitor? I'm curious as to who you guys think..