Chapter 10: Found
Everything in this chapter was the plan from the beginning! It's a bit descriptive of Mangel's plans. He's not a very nice person.
I knew everything in this chapter before I even knew everything that would happen in chapter one. I just had to get us here.
I'm mean to Al [aka: everyone].
On this tape, tape A1, I have begun recording the experiment's verbal reactions to the experiment. This experiment is to examine the responses to isolation and sensory deprivation. Most subjects have a body. However, this subject does not, making him ideal as other variables have been eliminated before the start.
The physical variables concerning the body were eliminated via bonding the soul to a suit of iron by the older brother. Therefore, all variables concerning the sense of touch and taste were previously eliminated. For the same reasons, the sense of smell is also presumed absent. The subject has not answered questions concerning this sense. Sense of sight and hearing are fully intact. To remove the sense, sight, the subject has been placed in a sealed box. Sound has not been completely eliminated, as it may provide insight and draw out reactions for recording.
As the subject will not receive interaction with others until the conclusion of the first part of the experiment, this experiment concerns the effects of isolation and sensory deprivation save sound for the experimental subject.
As a sidebar, I will use taking this armor and the bonded soul to my advantage. I will conduct other experiments concerning loss and failure on the brother by making him believe his brother has been eliminated. Notes for the secondary experiment can be found starting on tape B1.
They had to pause the tape a few times before listening to it in its entirety. Mangele's description, which came after Al's desperate calls to his brother, was nothing short of horrifying for Edward. Mangele really was unstable to want to conduct such experiments.
"Dammit, this is why we need rules and regulation concerning experimentation, and honestly, this makes me feel like I'll never be able to read those ads for human testing on new drugs ever again."
Mustang rubbed his eyes for what felt like the umpteenth time since Edward was kidnapped.
Edward sat on the floor, unmoving. If he had his automail, he might have paced the room.
"We need to find Al now! From what I can tell, Mangele wasn't finished with the sense… sensory deprivation." Edward ground the words out like poison, "or the isolation! This... Al already lost so much! How can he take...! How could Mangele take more from him?"
Hawkeye stood in the room and directed the MPs as Edward and Mustang listened to the tape. Despite her divided attention, she understood the essential contents of the tape and knew how worried Edward was. Her eyes softened as she watched Mustang's expressions. Mustang always fought for those he cared about, and this tendency only grew after the war in Ishval. Mustang cared for his team, but somewhere along the way, Edward's place had shifted. No one knew this better than Hawkeye.
The MPs soon left with Mangele's body and processed the scene. As Mustang was leading the investigation, he was able to keep the tapes while delegating the rest. Edward, Hawkeye, and Mustang all knew the potential dangers of the information on the tapes concerning Alphonse's empty armor.
"We should go back to the office."
Edward's head jerked toward Mustang at his words.
"No! We need…"
Mustang cut Edward off, "No, we need to go to the office. We'll go through the tapes, and we'll go through the information from this house so we can find Al."
Mustang's gaze softened, "We'll find him, Ed."
"Sir," Hawkeye interrupted their conversation. "I directed the MPs to take all the information to the office and begin looking through the material to see if we can find any leads to Alphonse."
"Thank you, Lieutenant."
Hawkeye then quickly left to retrieve the car.
Mustang turned back to Edward, "We'll find something. We will, and it will help us find Al. So, you can have him back."
Edward's wide eyes met Mustang's steady gaze, and he finally nodded in agreement.
"Come on," Mustang held out a hand to Edward. "You don't have your automail, so do you need any help?"
Edward's face contorted as he considered rejecting the help. However, the memories of Mangele's threats, Mustang's assurances that Edward did not always have to be strong, and general weariness from being bound to a chair for days had him agreeing.
Mustang slipped an arm around Edward's back and under his arm to support him as Edward hopped out of the house and to the waiting car with Hawkeye in the driver seat.
Back at the office, they set to work going through the various documents found in Mangele's parent's home.
Mangele had moved to the old house after his home became the site of an investigation.
Again they began sifting through all the various receipts that Mangele had gathered. The worst part about the whole ordeal was that Mangele did not indicate that Al was alive until he himself was dying.
Had we known, we might have been able to come up with another plan. We could have tried to find out where he was! We could have asked, or Hawkeye could have made a non-lethal shot. We could have figured out something with the trigger to the bomb.
Mustang stared at the ream of papers in his hand. He knew with the danger posed to Edward that he had very few options.
The paper in his hand were the papers detailing how to build the explosive along with the trigger. They also detailed where the various components were acquired. Mustang hoped to find something that might indicate another place to hide, another warehouse, for example.
Mustang looked up. Edward was insistent on listening to the tapes. Mustang initially disagreed. Both Mustang and Hawkeye felt it might be too much for the young alchemist, but after a long rant and a convincing argument, they acquiesced.
Hawkeye sat by Edward as they began to listen to the tapes. Each tape-recorded Alphonse's reactions, punctuated by notes given by Mangele.
Edward braced himself for the beginning of tape A1, a pen tapping on a blank sheet of paper, in case he needed to scribble down some notes quickly. Alphonse's voice made his eyes tear. No one noticed, though, because Edward kept his eyes squeezed shut.
After the initial greeting, which Edward listened to for the second time, he could hear a small snitch, indicating the recording had stopped and started again.
Where am I? Mangele? Where did you take me? Why is it dark? You better not do anything to brother! He will come for me! Why did you lock me in this box? Where did you take me?
The sound of metal grating and a metal lock slipping into place punctuated the recording, and afterward, Alphonse was quiet, but only for a time.
Mangele? Are you still there? Mangele? Alphonse tsked. Brother is going to be so upset. I never guessed Mangele had all of this planned. He really better not hurt his brother.
Silence fell as Alphonse apparently sat in a box in the dark. The mere thought of Alphonse being left alone in such conditions, where he had no feeling, no sense of time, no light, nothing but dim noises that made their way into wherever he was, made Edward seethe.
"We know some things," Furey began after some time of silence.
"Yeah, like Mangele put him in a box," Breda huffed.
"And, there was the sound of a metal latch. So, maybe that was Mangele leaving the room where Alphonse is being kept." Havoc flicked the unlit cigarette in-between his fingers.
Edward ground his teeth but remained silent, listening intently.
With passing time on the tapes, it was obvious that Al grew more desperate. Over time and the course of many tapes, he eventually grew more and more quiet, as from they could assume his vantage point, and no one came.
Mangele's notes did not appear at regular intervals, and it seemed he would switch between two tapes until both were full. Due to the extended periods where Alphonse was quiet, the team found themselves listening to hours and hours of almost blank tape. Fairly quickly, Hawkeye divided the tapes up between the various team members, with the equally convincing argument to Edward that there were far too many hours of tapes to listen to on his own and quickly find his brother. The length of time, Mangele had Al, and the constant recordings only made the task more overwhelming.
Two days of listening to tapes were long and tedious.
Alphonse's voice punctuated a brief moment of silence.
I wonder how long it's been. I haven't even heard the door outside for a while. Why hasn't brother found…? No, I can't think like that! He will find me. I know he will!
Havoc paused the tape. He was immensely grateful he was listening to this tape, and Edward decided to trust the team. The others were developing similar feelings. Hearing Alphonse's reactions were by no means pleasant. He was desperate and growing less sure of himself with every tape.
Beside Havoc, Hawkeye tensed as Mangele's voice came over on the tape to which she was listening.
Our dear Alphonse has taken to talking to himself to pass the time. I expected such a development and it makes coming out here actually worth my time.
Hawkeye leaned forward, hoping to hear words that might indicate where Alphonse was being held, but Mangele merely cut out. The recording went back to the silence of Alphonse's prison, but by now, Alphonse was no longer calling out when he heard the metal doors clang shut.
Hawkeye paused her tape and leaned back. Her eyes met Havoc's, who had yet to restart his own tape. One look and both knew that it had been close, but they still had nothing.
Mustang watched the exchange between Havoc and Hawkeye. He now found himself in the position where he, too, could help listen to the tapes. As the rest of the team were still listening to tapes concerning Alphonse, the tapes with the letter A. Mustang picked up tape B1. Here there were only six different tapes, all with the letter B, and numbered one through six. Mustang inserted the first tape and began to listen.
On this tape, tape B1, I have begun recording observations of the experiment's presumed mental state and actions in accordance with the context of the experiment. This experiment is to test reactions concerning loss and a sense of failure after losing a loved one and someone you wished to protect.
As a sidebar, I already began my initial experiment with the armor and the bonded soul's reaction to sensory deprivation and isolation. These notes can be found starting on tape A1. The experimental subject from tapes A will be referred to as Experiment A, henceforth. The current experimental subject will be referred to as Experiment B, henceforth.
Experiment A and Experiment B are directly related, as Experiment A is the removed factor to test loss of a loved one for Experiment B. Experiment B responded by initiating a search for Experiment A. This continued for three days before Experiment B initiated contact with his superior and colleagues. I will continue to monitor Experiment B's reactions.
There were a pause and a clicking sound that indicated the recorder was shut off. However, not a moment later, the recorder started again, and Mustang could hear Mangele continue.
Experiment B came to my house today. At first, I was surprised, but also delighted he came to me. However, the subject only asked questions about his brother and did not seem to suspect me in the least. Experiment B came with another officer. This officer seems to watch over the subject but is not the experiment's superior. He refers to Experiment B as Chief.
I was additionally interested that the subject did not find the pendent I left in the park for him. I know Experiment B saw the pendent when walking me home as the elderly Mr. Mangele. It seems the experiment is distressed and not sleeping well. I will continue to monitor the reactions of the experimental subject further.
The tape stopped again and continued with the day Mustang and Edward arrived at Mangele's home. He expressed joy that Edward had found the pendant and mentioned his preparations for them once they came. Mangele also showed a morbid interest in Mustang.
Experiment B seems to rebel against his commanding officer. However, it is plain from their interactions; they hold some form of trust and or respect for one another. The CO also demonstrated protective qualities toward Experiment B. The CO may prove to be useful in the future toward furthering the experiment and further testing Experiment B's reactions to stress and loss.
Mustang continued to listen. Mangele's comments on the night at the warehouse were the hardest to listen to, and if he had any say in the matter, Edward would never hear them. The man had been positively delighted that Edward and Mustang showed up alone so he could best enact the plan, and his descriptions of Edward's reaction to presuming Al was gone was sickening.
Experiment B showed initial shock and denial to the point of losing focus of his surroundings. The experiment briefly made a comeback to save his life, but his CO had to kill both chimeras.
Furthermore, the CO, in his own right, will prove to be interesting. However, his full effect on Experiment B is yet to be seen.
The recordings became more frequent and more in-depth as time progressed. Three days of listening to tapes that detailed Edward's movement and presumed emotional state made Mustang realize even more how extensive Mangele's his planning had been. While detailing the two weeks while they searched, Mangele sounded as if he was becoming nothing short of obsessed with Edward's growing anger.
The subject moved very quickly to the stage 'Anger.' The stage 'Denial' seems to have lasted for one night. I am interested to see when and if the experiment will move beyond 'Anger' and what might trigger the progression.
It took another day, but Mustang eventually came to the time period where they were in Resit. The others were almost done with the tapes concerning Al. By this time Mustang hoped to keep the tapes concerning Edward from him even more so now. Mustang realized that Mangele's refusal to use their names, helped him distance himself from the subjects, and for Mustang, it helped clear up his capability to be so detached while still being so obsessed with the brother's and himself.
The tapes concerning Alphonse were mostly dead air as they recorded Alphonse himself. The rest of the team looked dull, but once in a while, they would perk-up and indicate they found a section of tape where Mangele was speaking. At those times, they would crowd around the recorder to see if anyone heard anything and to have a break from the monotony of the recordings they themselves were listening to themselves.
Edward was growing more anxious as time passed. His brother was out there, and now, even Mangele was not there to make the few noises he did when he went to change the tapes. At first, Alphonse would sense that someone was there. It was after a new tape was inserted that Alphonse would react, and at first, these were the times he would call out to see who was there, but he would soon grow silent. As the tape numbers grew larger, more and more of the tape was merely blank. Tape A20 had been completely silent in terms of Alphonse and only contained brief notes by Mangele about the silence.
As the group listened to the current tape, they could not help but feel hopelessness set in.
What? Is someone there? Brother? Mangele?
The tape fell silent and then clicked back on.
As I have reviewed the tape, it appears Experiment A is growing quieter. It is reacting less to the few noises outside, and its reactions and calls for someone have lessened even when I come to change the tape. However, this is the first time in a while that Experiment A has called my name.
It may be becoming desperate for some form of contact. We will need to see what happens on Tape 22, which is in the tape I just inserted into the recorder. This tape, Tape 23, still has some space left, but I will soon be beginning Tape 24.
After the brief exchange, each went back to their own set of tapes and further silence, punctuated by short and dry comments by Mangele.
On Edward's tapes and the tape concerning Resit, Mangele expressed his desire to use Mustang, his joy that Mustang and Edward had followed him to the city, and then his rage that Mustang was shot.
I plan to use Subject CO to determine Experiment B's reactions to loss further. The plan is simple. I will capture Experiment B and use him as bait for Subject CO. Once Subject CO enters the home, I will ensure to inject him with a non-lethal dose and leave. Experiment B will be under the impression that a lethal dose has been administered and will watch Subject CO as Subject CO endures the injection. Since it is a non-lethal dose, I expect both to escape yet again.
I will then, later, re-capture Experiment B and finally kill Subject CO. I am curious as to how Experiment B will react to the loss of Subject CO.
The tape clicked off and then started again, and Mustang heard the beginnings of madness in Mangele's voice.
The fool has ruined my plans! This fool, a mercenary, has shot Subject CO! Although the outcome is similar as Experiment B had to watch as Subject CO almost died. This does not work in with MY plans.
These events ruin my plans, and I cannot now do the same. I can still capture Experiment B and kill Subject CO with the injection. I will now ensure that it will take some time for Subject CO to expire, which will provide decent data.
Mustang stopped the tape, his stomach rolling with nausea.
Mangele was planning to kill me as further punishment to Ed since before Resit?!
Mustang rubbed his face.
"What's wrong, Mustang?"
Edward's voice was unexpected, and Mustang almost jumped.
"Nothing, Edward. Have you found any leads to Alphonse?"
"No."
Mustang merely nodded and returned to listening to his own tape. Another hour passed, and Mangele continued his observations. These observations followed Mustang's recovery. However, at what Mustang could only assume was about half-way through his recovery period at home, a few days before Mangele captured Edward, which he had yet to mention beyond his discussion of his plans during Resit, Mangele mentioned Al.
I wonder what Experiment B would think if he knew Experiment A was in the storage lockers by the Central Train Station, which he passes with every mission.
I, however, do not plan on informing Experiment B until after Subject CO is expired and then only after adequately monitoring his reactions. I hope to see some recovery first… I may even still expire Experiment A as there is little left to record…
Mustang sat in shock. When Mangele gave away Alphonse's location, he could only sit there for a moment and let the monologue continue. In all of the tapes concerning Al, he never once mentioned where Al was, but when talking about Edward's reaction, he had finally mentioned the location.
Dammit! It does make sense. He monitored Al's reactions and Al's reactions alone in Al's tapes, but he was mentioning Edward's reactions to Al's disappearance in Edward's tapes. Of course, the potential for him to mention Al's actual location would be higher on the B tapes.
Finally, the last thing Mangele said registered. Mustang quickly rewound the tape.
I hope to see some recovery first… I may even still expire Experiment A as there is little left to record of its reactions. I mention this on tape A25. However, due to Experiment A's lack of further responses, even when I purposefully make noise, I may only find further use for Experiment A via continuing Experiment B's treatment.
If Experiment B, were to know Subject CO is dead and then find Experiment A to be alive, how might that change Experiment B's reactions to previous stimulus? I still need to decide if Experiment A should be allowed to return, even if only to return for a time and then expire, or whether I should just expire Experiment A and continue to observe Experiment B. It may be interesting to see how Experiment B reacts to regaining Experiment A only to lose it again.
Experiment B is quite intriguing…
Mustang could not continue. He quickly stopped and removed the tape, slipping it into his pocket. He knew where Al was, and Edward did not ever have to hear what Mangele had planned for all of them and his various ideas for continued experiments.
Mustang turned to the others. He saw that Edward was about to insert tape A25.
"Edward!"
Edward turned to look at Mustang with a weary and almost defeated look.
"There is no need to listen to that tape."
Edward's eyes widened slightly. The question was evident across his face, as was the hope. Mustang smiled.
"I know where Mangele is keeping Alphonse."
In his excitement, Edward forgot that his automail was still damaged and unattached. He vaulted upwards and was only saved from falling face-first to the floor by Hawkeye, who was sitting next to him. Although they had attached a temporary leg, Edward did not want the arm and was still off-balance.
Mustang hurried over, and Edward gripped his sleeves.
"Where? Is he alright? How…?"
Mustang interrupted, "I'm not sure how he is, so it's best to be prepared, but he's in the storage lockers by Central Train Station."
Edward stared at Mustang in shock.
"So, close?"
Mustang nodded.
"Let's go!"
When they arrived, they were able to find the locker by the dates the lockers were rented. Mangele had used a pseudo-name name and had rented the locker late at night. The night clerk was not pleased to be woken up when the day clerk called, but they had their locker. Al was placed in the locker one day after going missing.
They finally had the locker, and Mustang quickly helped Edward hobble to it. Once the locker was open, and they found a crate inside.
Mustang leveraged the crowbar under the lid of the crate, tearing up the nails that held it in place. Once the lid was off, Mustang helped Edward stand to look inside.
Inside sat a perfectly intact set of armor, and two soulful glowing red eyes met Edward's as the helmet shifted to look upward.
"Big brother…"
"A…" Edward choked, "A-Al!"
Edward felt tears streaming down his face.
"Big Brother…" Al's voice wobbled, just as emotional and tearful.
Edward took a shuddering breath and then lunged for Al, his one arm outstretched to grab onto the armor, and his stomach hit the side of the crate. Edward managed to wrap his arm around Al's head.
"Al… Al... Al… Al…" Edward was sobbing.
He's back. He's okay. He's home.
"Big Brother!"
He found me.
Edward's family was whole again, and Mustang placed a hand on Edward's back. As the warmth of that hand spread through Edward, he knew his family was not just whole, but a bit bigger now too.
Before they left for Resembool, so Edward could have his automail fixed, Mustang was sure to corner Edward for a moment and talk.
"Ed, you have to be strong for your bother."
Mustang paused, "I know that. You have to be the older brother to give him courage and strength, but he also gives you courage and strength. You both take care of each other. However, you both don't have to be strong all the time. You don't have to be the solid ground upon which the two of you stand. You have a responsibility toward your brother, but that's not all.
"No matter what happens, Edward Elric, I will always be there for you. You can lean on me. I will not abandon you, Ed, if you still want me to remain as we have for the past weeks. I swear to you. You can rely on me, even now. Nothing has to change if you don't want it to. My door will always be open to you and your brother. That bedroom is yours if you want it."
Glassy eyes stared back at Roy.
"Let me be strong, Ed when you cannot."
Mustang felt a stinging sensation, but through willpower, kept the tears at bay, while silent tears fell down young cheeks that had long forgotten the feel of tears of relief and joy.
Epilogue
The mistakes we make may lead us down dark paths and they may be things we can never hope to atone for, no matter how hard we try.
That is why there is something called grace.
It does not change the pain, but it allows for the chains to be unwound, giving us the freedom to move forward instead of being bound to the past.
The giving of grace does the same, breaking the cycle where hatred only begets more hatred, whether directed at someone else or oneself. It ends with you.
Sometimes it takes coming to the end of oneself to find that grace, and to find those who will stay with us through thick and thin, to show us precisely what that grace can mean.
The horizon cut a clear line at about eye level. Rolling hills disappearing over it, and a single cloud could be seen punctuating that line as it breached the horizon.
The rest of the sky was a clear deep royal blue that faded to a near white where the sun hung in the sky. He could feel the heat zing across the top layer of skin. It almost stung. This was a hot, dry mid-summers day in Resembool.
He and Al had arrived two days ago, and true to form, Winry had nearly killed him with a wrench upon the sight of her automail.
He'd paid for it. He had almost no idea why she always got so angry when it broke. It wasn't like it was his fault. He and Al were trying to get their bodies back. Things were going to happen.
They were going to leave tomorrow and head back to Dubith while dropping Winry off back in Rush Valley for her internship along the way. Edward would have to leave Dubith soon after for his State Alchemist Evaluation, but he had no problem leaving Alphonse with the Curtis's.
Edward sighed and smiled. He did not exactly like sitting in one place, but this place was peaceful. He turned his gaze to fall upon the charred ruins of a house and dead tree.
His eyes took on a fierce, determined light. Then he turned away. He walked past the cemetery he visited earlier and back to the Rockbell's.
His home was there, but there was one more place he could call home now, a small apartment in Central where he would always be welcome.
THE END
Now Edward can go see the Curtis' and run off for his exam, Al can be kidnapped by Greed, and the story can progress forward. How do you think these event would change the storyline? That is up to you to decide.
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I should start posting my next story soon. It's not even halfway done, and I don't know if I'll start posting before it's done. It's a quite bit longer, and it takes place when Ed is 13 instead. Yes, another parental. I just about die of happiness with every Parental Roy story I can get my hands on.
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Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story. It is my first fanfiction and my first completed story. So, I am excited. I have yet to ask for reviews, so, now that we have come to the end…
What did you like? Dislike?
What do you think was done well, and what do you think could have been done better?
[Or any such comment as you desire]
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Thank you again for reading, and happy wandering, because, even if we wander, it does not mean we are lost.