Envy leads them through the underground passageway to an off-putting elevator. Al and Ed enter, but Iris's hesitation gets her pushed into it by the transformed military officer.
"Paws off," she mutters but says loud enough for them to hear. They just snarl at her.
"So you're saying these tunnels lead straight to Central Command?"
"Indeed, smartass."
Ed frowns in anger but doesn't let it get to him.
The elevator creaks to a stop, the doors opening and revealing a secluded hall in what is truly Central Command.
"All of you are disgusting. Clean off all your filth, and meet me back here."
They can't disagree, Iris especially. She feels caked in grime, and can't remember the last time she had gotten an actual shower.
"I'll go up to the other department," she says to the boys, "you can shower down here."
"Sounds good."
Iris walks past them and up the stairs, then out of sight. She realizes she's never actually showered here; she's always had her brother's house to do things such as this.
She disposes of this thought as she enters the restroom, undresses, and steps into the shower.
Washing the muck off of her body proves to be a task, but a welcome one. All these heroics have taken a toll on her mind, soul, and body. The water on her skin has never felt more inviting. She relishes in it for apparently too long, for someone kicks the restroom door to get through. Iris jumps in fright, turning off the water. The door acting as the only thing preserving her privacy is not tall enough to cover her chest, so she quickly turns her body around and looks back to see who has intruded. It seems to be a female officer, but Iris knows better. The enormous presence she feels in front of her is enough, even though when they speak it couldn't be more obvious.
"Hurry the hell up, we're all waiting for you! I don't understand why girls take so long..."
"I'm coming, okay?! Now get out, get out, get out!" She points towards the door. Envy, disgusted by human anatomy, obeys and closes the door. Heaving a sigh, she dries herself off with a towel and changes into clothes from her luggage. A simple grey t-shirt coupled with her dark denim jacket goes over her scarred torso. It may not hurt anymore, but she still winces. Tight black fabric goes on her legs, then finally she puts her signature shin length boots. Looking at herself in the mirror she almost smiles.
'All this wear and tear, and I still look damn good,' she thinks cockily. Fixing her unfamiliar hairstyle to one side, she exits, the three all waiting for her.
Envy wastes no time. "Finally. This way." They follow them down a flight of stairs and into a secluded room. They all stop.
"Well runts, go in."
Iris already knows there's a homunculus behind the door, but surprisingly and a bit alarming, she senses that her foster brother is also inside. Without a doubt, it's Roy. She's known him long enough to sense him in an instant.
They open the door and she sees that she's right. His face is as troubled as ever, and he can barely look at the children he's in charge of, Iris especially, in more ways than one. She notices this, but can't comment; Bradley intimidates her too much. She subconsciously reaches up to grab her hair.
They all sit, Iris to Roy's left immediately, Ed and Al following next to her.
"Hello my subordinates," he greets then adds, "Alphonse."
"What are we doing here?" Iris asks, looking more towards Mustang than Bradley to find some sort of protection or ease. She found none.
"Would you like to tell them, or I, Flame Alchemist?"
Roy just grits his teeth.
"We know you're a homunculus if that's what you called us here to say." Ed's bravery is never suppressed, Iris notes, but it has already caused them so much trouble. She grinds her heel into his flesh right foot. He grimaces at her, and she gives him a look of caution.
The Fuhrer almost chuckles.
"This is no laughing matter. Sir," she adds at the end, cynicism laced in her words.
"We're prepared to resign, the both of us. We won't be your pawns!" Edward had never discussed this between the two of them so him speaking for her as well threw her off, but she couldn't show this surprise in front of Bradley. So instead, she just clenched her teeth and nodded, no matter how stupid Ed and herself throwing away years of service sounded.
With his statement out in the open, he throws his bloody pocket watch onto the desk before them all. Mustang watches in surprise. Iris can't do the same. She removes it from belt loop but holds it in her lap, contemplating.
The homunculus full-on laughs now, and Iris can't believe how he has an entire country convinced, so blissfully unaware. She felt a fool for once believing in his ruse.
"You wouldn't want to do that, kids."
"And why is that? You're the leader of our country, but you're... crooked." Even though Al's tinny voice restricts him, the fear is still apparent.
"Resigning means I'll have no control over you. As much as I abhor to say it, we need you. Besides, don't you care about your loved ones? Hm?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What was the name of that sweet girl I saw visiting you at the hospital recently? Rockbell, wasn't it?"
Fear strikes the core of them all.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Ed gets up, pointing at him with an automail finger. He just smirks and throws the alchemist's watch back at him.
"Anyone else wish to challenge authority?"
Everyone bows their head except Mustang, who looks conflicted but says nothing.
"We are done squabbling, You all are free to leave." The four get up in unison, but suddenly the Fuhrer stands as well and draws his sword. Al quickly gets in front of Ed and Iris, and the sword stabs nothing but the soft side of his armor.
"What was that for?"
"Just a precaution."
Everyone bows their head except Mustang, who swallows harshly and squares up.
"Tell me," he starts, voice shaking in the slightest. "Are you the one who murdered Maes Hughes?"
"'Twas not me, Colonel."
He slams his hand on the table and leans in toward Bradley.
"Who then?"
"I didn't kill him, so it's not my place to say."
Iris could sense the anger brewing inside her brother, and while she felt that same resentment and grief, she grabbed onto him.
"He's not worth it, Roy. Let's go. I'm sick of hearing this shit." They all start to walk out, but Iris, being the military dog she is, gets pulled back into the office by being called her title. The three boys give her a warning look, and she just nods. She tries to ignore the pleading-forgiveness type look in the colonel's eyes that he has for some reason.
"See-All, wait one minute before you leave."
The door shuts behind her, and he motions for her to sit. She complies.
"What a beautiful haircut you have now, young lady."
"Cut the crap, Bradley. What do you want?"
"Not accepting flattery is such a distasteful trait in women," he remarks, tsking. "Beside the matter, though. I'd like you to look at this."
He slides a document towards her across the table. "Child Protective Services" reads at the top in big red letters. She reads the bolded print out loud, more to herself than Bradley.
"Iris King shall be removed from Chris Mustang's care as an adoptive mother. King will be extracted from Roy Mustang's residency on account of child neglect and no documentational evidence of adoption. Therefore, Iris King is once a candidate for a foster home to have a possibility to be adopted in the future."
King Bradley's signature is penned at the bottom. She flips to the other page, struck by horror.
This heading reads "Adoption Form Year 1915." All of her information is inscribed on this single sheet of paper; her age, date of birth, eye color, sex, affiliations, everything, even her State Alchemist title and code. Her eyes scan down the page to see a nightmare. She's no longer put under the care of Roy… She now is adopted by none other than the Bradley's themselves. King Bradley's signature is at the bottom once again, now coupled with Mrs. Bradley's.
Iris puts the paper down. "You can't do this," she whispers.
"I am the dictator of this country. I am bound by nothing. You are now my daughter."
She stands up, furious eyes staring down at the homunculus. "They don't know, do they? Your son, your wife, they don't know! They don't know what kind of monster you really are. Just wait - I step foot in that house and they'll know. They'll know everything."
He chuckles wholeheartedly; he is not fazed at this attempt at blackmail. Iris scoffs in disbelief, then turns to exit. As she is about to shut the door, he calls, "Dinner is at 7, don't be late. Someone will find you."
In the hallway, it is just Mustang. She immediately embraces him, feeling tears swell quickly.
"This can't be happening. You're my brother," she sobs. Roy grabs her shoulders tightly.
"Listen, kid. This isn't permanent. I'm sure Madame Christmas will have proof of your adoption case. I'll make a trip to see her soon. And even if she doesn't have the papers, we'll figure something out. We always do."
Iris nods and eventually lets go of his jacket. It's left wrinkled from her grasp.
"Even so," he adds, "Hawkeye will look after you. She's been assigned as Bradley's assistant now. You'll keep each other safe." He suddenly realizes something. "Wait! The lieutenant! Iris, I have to go, she's waiting for me to get back."
The young alchemist has a gut feeling she may not see Roy for quite some time, so she quickly hugs him once more and kisses his cheek.
"Edward and Alphonse are phoning someone. I suggest you find them. You three aren't a bad team." She nods, then lets him go to his subordinate.
"Please don't let this be the last time I see you," she whispers, but with no one to hear her.
Sighing, she walks out of the command center and sees her friends at a phone booth. She shivers almost out of instinct. Phone booths will never be the same. Nonetheless, she walks up to them just as Edward is saying goodbye to who she assumes is Winry.
"She's safe," he confirms, "We just have to make sure she stays that way."
"A little ignorant of you," a voice calls. "Thinking you can save everyone." Greed seems to appear out of nowhere, now leaning against the door of the booth. It's Ling's body, Iris knows this, but hearing a different voice and seeing a malicious set of eyes come through hasn't quite settled with her yet. What she's more afraid of is how Lan Fan will react.
"Ling!" Ed yells.
"Not Ling," he corrects.
"It might just be Ling going through an emo phase," Iris suggests, trying to lighten the mood. The homunculus glares at her.
"I'm not him! But he wouldn't stop annoying the shit out of me until I found you." He pulls out a bandage with a note a foreign language scrawled in blood on it. "He wanted me to give it to you so you could give it to some girl," he explains carelessly, but suddenly his tone is angry. "Lan Fan!" he roars, but in Ling's regular voice.
"What a bastard." The now-regular voice of Greed returns as quickly as it left. "Thinks he can overpower me."
The three alchemists exchange a questioning look.
"Give me that." Iris yanks the cloth out of his hands. "I'll make sure Lan Fan gets the message."
"She should still be with Dr. Knox," Al pipes up. "Plus, we have another patient to see what he can do with."
"Let's go, then."
