Hey sorry it's been ages but I have some news :/ I'm now gonna be away for two weeks so the story wont be updated until I get back but hopefully once I get back the uploads will become more regular and often so please keep reading and reviewing :)

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA

Riza smiled gently as she set the glass of apple juice before the young woman. She looked up slowly and removed her mask, setting it with great care on the table top before herself.

"So Ran Fan," Riza said slowly as she sat down opposite her. "Tell me, what is it you do for Master Ling?"

"I'm his bodyguard," She replied, sipping the drink she had just been given thoughtfully.

"So protector then," Riza smiled widely and set down her own drink, resting her chin on the back of her hand.

"To put it one way, yes" She smiled too and drank some more. "And what about you then? What is it you do for Mr Mustang?" Ran Fan asked softly.

"You could say I'm his protector too," She smiled and swirled the contents of her glass around in thought. The two women sat in silence for a while, the only sound Hayate's gentle breathing from the corner of the room and the distant rumble as a train or car would pass by below. "So what brings you to Amestris?" Riza asked politely, draining the rest of her drink.

Ran Fan looked up, having long ago finished her own beverage, and chuckled quietly. Riza had to admit the young woman was very pretty without the mask and had it not been for the fact she had spoken back in the alley she would not have known the person in the uniform was in fact female.

"My master hopes to find the secret to immortality," Ran Fan said quietly. Riza's eyes widened slightly though not from shock or horror. Ran Fan raised an eyebrow inquiringly but Riza merely waved her hand, pushing any further questions aside.

"I see," Riza smiled softly and let out a small chuckle, brushing a small hand through her long hair. "Well Ran Fan, you know of Al and Edward do you not?"

"Yes Master Ling knows them,"

"They may be able to help you," Riza smiled softly and tilted her head to the side. "But for now what do you say we move you into the guest room until further notice?"

"I'd like that," Ran Fan whispered.

"Come on then," Riza chuckled and stood up, walking off down the long corridor.

"What do you mean you lost them?" A large man hissed as he looked down at a considerably young male.

"I'm so sorry," The young man whimpered, covering his head as a large hand swung down to connect with his face. The contact never came and the young man hesitantly opened his eyes to see what had happened.

"There's no point in hitting the brat! Just let Jacob think about what he's done and he knows the consequences if he messes up again!" A female voice hissed. Jacob saw she had grabbed the burly man's fist to stop the punch. "What happened kid?"

"I'd been following them for ages like you told me but he's got these amazing gloves and she…." He paused and looked down. "She's got amazing firearm skills,"

"So? We've dealt with them too!" The fat man snarled.

"No, they didn't have either of those things when you dealt with them! So I couldn't attack them like you'd asked, they'd rip me apart with ease, he's so well known it's unbelievable like you know,"

"He's not superhuman brat! He's just a man!" The woman growled, advancing towards him dangerously.

"But she's almost always with him, I saw a man the other day try to land a blow on him and she had him under her control in seconds. I just can't get near him I tell you! You know yourself she's always at his side!"

"Well we're going to have to do something; the homunculi won't give us the pay they promised if we don't get the job done,"

"Why don't the homunculi help us?" Jacob pointed out in what he thought was a helpful way.

"And let them get all the reward? I don't think so dipshit!" The man sighed and collapsed back into a chair, rubbing his temples. "We need to get more people in on this, go get your little crew or something Jacob, tell them the pay will be handsome but the work challenging. Think you can do that at least?" He asked viciously, making the boy want to whimper aloud but he didn't. The woman walked over to him and sat on the arm of the chair.

Jacob stared at them, his eyes burning with hatred. It had been half a year ago his house had been burned to cinders and when Bella and Craig had found him on the corner of a street he had thought they'd been kind people but now he knew they were the exact opposite.

They were grovelling low lives who got others to do their jobs and even if they were forced to do it themselves the effort would be half assed and rubbish. That's why they'd been so chuffed to have found a strong young man who could do some work for them.

Their day had really come when a homunculus called Envy appeared on their dirty doorstep, a huge mischievous grin on his face. The explanation had been brief and simple as Envy probably guessed these were the only two things the two adults could have dealt with without their heads exploding from over use.

He hated them. When Envy left the task had, of course, been put in his hands and ever since he had been following the two victims from the shadows. He'd even disguised himself as a waiter at a restaurant to try and get information.

Craig and Bella had even tried themselves for once, dressing up as a couple and heading off to a pub where they knew the group of people would be attending that evening. Craig, disguising himself as a man called Nick, had even tried to start a fight with the man but a blonde woman had stopped him. Bella, panicked, had pulled Craig away too.

He could hear the two adults whispering in hushed tones not far away, their voices for plotting and malicious.

One thing was for certain that woman was a problem and he knew for sure that they had to do anything to get rid of her.

Thought I'd leave it on a cliffy just so you're having to think :D See ya in two weeks!

If you have a moment drop a review :D

-Amie