The times you lived through, the people you shared those times with - nothing brings it all to life like an old mix tape. It does a better job of storing up memories than actual brain tissue can do. Every mix tape tells a story. Put them together, and they can add up to the story of a life.

"You're an idiot!"

Aiden cringed at Roy's tone and shifted in her wheelchair to find a more comfortable spot. It'd been days since the events at the Third Laboratory and the trio had been transferred to the hospital with identical wounds. Jean through his back and stomach and Roy and Aiden through their sides. At first she'd been restricted to bed rest, but her constant fidgeting annoyed one of the nurses enough to the point of letting her go down the hallway to Jean and Roy's room. Walking was off-limits, hence the wheelchair.

Riza had given them a complete rundown of what happened to her, Alphonse, and Barry. When she got to her reaction under the false news her superiors and teammate had died she admitted to breaking down. That set off Roy and he went on about how she shouldn't have believed the homunculus, much less given up.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Aiden sighed and shook her head, her dark locks swaying above her shoulders. "Take it easy on her Roy, she thought we died. You can't blame her for going off the rails of the crazy train for a moment."

"That's no excuse! You wouldn't have broken down."

She leveled him with a hard glare. "Don't compare me to my friends, Colonel. I know for a fact I will break down if any of you die." The words felt heavy coming from her mouth but they were the truth and they needed to be said.

Being compared to one another wasn't fair to either of the women. They were their own beings and everyone reacted differently under stress which was what helped make humans so diverse. In a controlled environment where she knew what would happen (like she was already in), Aiden knew she would panic and worry, but she wouldn't go so far as Riza did. However, in an unscripted place and confronted with the possibility of his death, she knew she'd freak. She'd scream and cry and destroy breakable objects because that was how much she cared.

Roy sighed and crossed his arms. "Still, a soldier needs to be able to keep it together under any kind of pressure." He looked away from the woman in the wheelchair and back to his subordinate. "You've gotta stay strong and don't you ever give up on living!" he ordered. "I need to know you can keep your cool no matter what happens."

"Sir."

"I'm gonna continue to rely on you to watch my back, don't let me down."

"You ought to think about taking your own advice, Colonel," Jean snarked from his bed. "Since you were the one who abandoned his post."

"Hey shut up Havoc!" Roy yelled.

"Calm down and don't hurt yourself!" Aiden shouted back. The two winced and held their injured sides.

"Please don't yell Colonel. It's hard on my injury."

"Is that all you have to say to the man who saved your life?"

"I'm grateful and all, but couldn't you have been a little more careful with the fire? Girls aren't going to like me with burn scars all over my stomach."

According to Roy, before he'd gone after Lust he cauterized their wounds so they wouldn't lose any more blood. It was a smart move. Although Jean could be a bit of a drama queen. Their burns were only centered around the wounds and the only reason Roy's burn was large was due to the fact that he couldn't see what he was aiming at. It didn't bother her so much as it bothered Jean. She was alive and she was thankful for it.

"You ungrateful snot!" the Colonel raged. "You got off rare and I'm medium-well! I'm much worse off than you are!"

"We're not talking about steaks here!"

The two stopped shouting and groaned as their wounds ached. You would think he would learn after the first yelling match, Aiden thought.

"And what the hell? Why are we even in the same room? At my rank I should have my own room!" And a hot nurse... An image of Aiden in a nurses costume made him inwardly smile. That wasn't bad. That wasn't bad, at all.

The woman in his thoughts rolled her eyes and shared an exasperated look with Riza. "And at my rank I shouldn't have to listen to two grown men fight like children yet here we are." It didn't grate on her nerves as much as she let show. The two were wonderful entertainment compared to her empty room and no entertainment aside from counting the number of birds that flew by.

"Please try to understand sir," Riza pleaded. "It's easier to guard the two of you in the same place."

Aiden suddenly felt a wave a déja vu wash over her. Two people stuck in bed while another watches over them in the same room for convenience. The last time that happened... She tilted her head in thought. It was a few months ago when Scar attacked Roy at the river and she intervened. Jean had been the one to look after them at the time.

"Which reminds me. Why haven't they tried to kill us yet?" No one had an answer to Roy's question. "This is the perfect time to finish us off. People die in hospitals all the time. They could make it look like an accident. So why haven't they come?"

The door opened and everyone's attention focused on the trio walking into the room. Aiden grinned and waved at the Elric brothers and Kain. Only Alphonse and Kain returned the greeting, Edward's focus having been set on Roy.

Kain saluted as he walked in, "Sorry to disturb you, sir." He handed Aiden a grilled cheese he picked up.

"You're my hero Kain," she whispered with wide eyes. Needless to say, hospital food wasn't the best.

Alphonse laughed at her reaction and turned to the rest of the room. "We came for a visit."

Riza looked the two of them up and down. "Are you sure it's okay to be walking around in the open? What if they attack you?"

Edward shrugged and pointed upwards to what everyone else assumed was the roof of the building. "Nah, it's okay. We have someone who can sense a homunculus' aura."

With her mouth being full of bread and cheese, Aiden couldn't ask what they were talking about, though she had a very good idea. Roy covered her silence when he asked what it was and how it worked. The brothers didn't have an answer for him because they weren't quite sure either.

"Anyway," Kain said, "I brought what you asked for Lieutenant."

She took the map from his hands and nodded in thanks and he was sent from the room to guard. No one was to be let in or out unless they had the say-so. Riza laid out what could then be seen as a map on Roy's bed.

"What'cha got there?" He tilted his head in curiosity.

"I counted the number of steps I took to get to the basement under the Third Laboratory and I was able to calculate the approximate location of that doorway. It's not exact since the hallway curved, but I was able to deduce a radius with the lab at the center." She pointed at the lab on the map.

Aiden nodded as she followed along and wheeled herself closer to get a better look at the map. Riza was a very intelligent woman and only a fool would question it. Yet her smart thinking was surprising when every male in the room stared at her in silence.

"Nice going!" Roy praised.

"Thank you sir."

Then Ed gasped and pointed to an area on the edge. "That's Central Command."

"What's more, it's the Presidential Estate," Al finished. "Right above where we found the homunculi."

"That's alarming," Aiden said.

"Which means there's a very real possibility the Fuhrer is connected to them," Roy added.

"But that doesn't make sense. In Dublith, the Fuhrer led the squad that annihilated the homunculi. Major Armstrong was with them too. Why would he kill Greed and his group if he's connected to them?" Al questioned.

Ed frowned. "It's strange he killed them anyway. Why would he slaughter them before interrogating them?"

Because he didn't want Greed or any of his lackeys passing on information that could ruin Father's plan. That was basically it. Had Greed kept his head down and not kidnapped Alphonse then she was sure he would've lived to see the Promised Day. Of course, that would've screwed up the timeline so she wouldn't have helped. And anyway, she had other obligations to deal with.

"It's strange alright. Damn inscrutable." Roy looked up from the map. "One thing's for sure, the enemy's infiltrated high up the command. So extreme caution is necessary at all times." He turned to the boys. "And Fullmetal, watch yourself." Edward was once again startled at the Colonel's concern for his safety but he nodded nonetheless.

A knock sounded at the door and Armstrong and Breda walked in. They would've arrived earlier except they'd been delayed. Aiden hadn't seen them since she sent Katy off with them and Ed to Xerxes. Sending her subordinate through the heat was her way of getting revenge after Katy'd jumped from the office window.

"Hey Major," she greeted. "What's up?"

Armstrong waved his own greeting. "Major Katy Erwin has decided to return from wherever she came." Aiden frowned and nodded in acceptance. One of her friends, possibly the weirdest one yet, was gone forever. And that was that. "She also asked me to pass along a message for her. She said, 'E.T. had to phone home'."

The thought that the phrase had any special meaning went out the door as Aiden smiled and started cracking up. She wiped away a stray tear and looked up at the room of questioning faces. "S-She would say that," she chuckled. "Thanks for that Major."

Breda looked over to Jean, "She had a message for you too. 'You still look like a horse'." Jean shot an accusing glare at Aiden as she unsuccessfully tried to cover her snort. Since she knew where the woman had come from, her mannerisms and jokes made much more sense than just coincidences.

Another knock came from the door and the nurse Aiden had a fun time annoying peeked her head in. "Excuse me, miss Wilson? It's time to change your bandages and then we can discharge you."

Roy gaped and pointed at her. "Why is she getting out earlier than me?"

The nurse looked and smiled sweetly as she answered. "Her wounds weren't as serious as yours and she listened to the doctor's orders when he said to stay in bed and rest rather than getting up and constantly straining herself."

Aiden grinned at the jab to Roy's impatience and waved as she was rolled out of the room. "I'll make sure to visit you men in your cell."

"You're such a child."

"You love me though!"

The door closed as the two women left, a certain Colonel stared at the door in shock. A muffled laugh sounded from his right. "Shut up Havoc."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it."

Edward looked away from the door and back at his commanding officer. He and Al had talked about it and they'd agreed to tell him. "Colonel," he began. "There's something else we need to bring up with you."

The boy looked uncomfortable and he frowned. What news could bother Edward of all people? The kid had a knack for spitting things out and saying what he wanted with little to no repercussions. "Out with it Fullmetal."

"A while ago Al and I saw an ouroboros tattoo on Aiden's wrist," he admitted. The military figures in the room stilled. Ed grimaced and rubbed the back of his head in uncertainty. "After the Fifth Laboratory, we thought she was part of the group that was responsible. Major Armstrong knows this. And then after Greed said he wasn't with the rest of the homunculi we gave Aiden a chance she didn't know she had. But we kept an eye on her all the same."

Al nodded and took over. "After we figured out that the military was involved we were told how quickly she'd ascended through the ranks."

"Her ascension through the ranks? Why would that matter?" Jean questioned. "She's only ever been promoted four times in her career."

"Four times?" Al repeated. "But going from Sergeant to Lieutenant Colonel is seven ranks."

"Well yeah, but she was admitted into the military under Sergeant rather than Private during the Ishvalan War of Extermination. After the war ended she was promoted to First Lieutenant. A lot of people were surprised but I think it's because of her extensive time in her own countries military coupled with how well she did by herself without a squad aside from Fuery."

"Huh? Fuery served with her?"

Riza shook her head. "He served under her. He was her subordinate for a time. After the war ended she transferred him to us."

"So four ranks in seven years," Edward thought aloud, frowning. "That's still a little weird."

Once more Riza disagreed. Maes Hughes had been promoted a lot in his career as well, and he didn't have a boost to start off with. "It's not as uncommon as you would think. And Aiden has completed a number of harsh assignments that got her to where she is, a lot of them here in Central and throughout Amestris."

Roy focused on the boys as his thoughts receded. "Where were you going with this Edward? Why are you telling us your past doubts?"

"We thought she had something to do with it until you mentioned that Lust called her a 'surprise sacrifice', meaning she isn't with the homunculi." Ed shrugged and looked away. "We figured you'd want to know."

Outside the room, Aiden's hand was over her mouth as she was wheeled down the hall. "Oh crap, I can't believe I actually said that," she moaned despairingly. Her face was beet red. She looked over her shoulder to the nurse. "Please kill me."

The woman laughed and shook her head in the negative. "Complicated relationship?" she guessed.

They entered Aiden's hospital room and she stood up and sat on the bed while the nurse pushed the wheelchair to a corner. "Very."

The nurse smiled and nodded. From there they continued on and she helped her patient change the bandage. Aiden could do it herself but the nurse insisted on doing it while instructing how to do it at home. She felt the need to remind the woman that she's a military officer and they covered this in basic training. The damn woman only stared her down until Aiden was silent.

She was sent home in the clothes she came in, though they were washed, with spare bandages and pain meds to be taken once a day. The climb up several flights of stairs wasn't easy but it cost her only a few more minutes than normal. When she finally closed the front door of her apartment, she sighed in relief and tossed the keys onto her coffee table only for them to thump against something and land on the ground with a clatter. Aiden raised an eyebrow and turned on the light.

Sitting on her coffee table was a large box. She frowned and walked closer as she noticed a note attached to the top.

Found your so-called 'favor'. I don't know what this thing is, but if it's what I think it is, then you better start practicing. Let's not start an internal investigation, shall we? Also, it's frickin bats. I love Halloween.
- E

Aiden snorted and shook her head. "Katy Erwin you mouthy little shit." She gave the box a once over, a contemplative look on her face. Her alchemist was right, she'd need practice.

So she grabbed a spare bag and packed for a few days. The note was burned and the ashes were rinsed down the sink. Before she left with the bag and box she scribbled down a note for anyone coming in to find her. Then Aiden headed back downstairs and to the parking lot out back. She had her own car but she preferred walking over riding. On rainy days she either drove or grabbed an umbrella. That time she stole someone else's car was to make sure no one saw her own and traced it back to her.

Maes was, understandably, pissed off when she showed up. She went to the Third Laboratory - which she wasn't supposed to do - and was injured to the point of hospitalization. It didn't matter if it was for a few days. At some point Aiden grabbed him and set him on the couch with a drink to calm him down.

"It's fine," she assured, "I'm okay."

"You could've ended up like Jean."

"But I didn't. Off-topic, the package came in."

He raised an eyebrow at the change in subject but left it at that. "You never did tell me what it was." Aiden grinned and opened the top of the box. One look at the helmet made him glance up at the woman. "You're crazy," he deadpanned.

She opened her mouth to retaliate then closed it and shrugged. Her solutions to problems did sometimes create their own problems and this was the craziest one yet. "You want to help me get ready for the next step of our plan?"

"Where did you get one of these anyway?"

"You remember that incident in Table City? One of the Milosians owed me, she seemed surprised I didn't ask for something else. She didn't question it though."

For two days they figured out how to work the Milosian gear. They were ever thankful for the small booklet of information included by Aiden's Milosian contact. On the third day, Aiden made her way back to Central in the early morning when darkness could help her sneak around. From there all she had to do was wait around until Edward started his mission of becoming one of the most well-known alchemists in Central to draw out Scar and then the homunculi. Or perhaps she'd see Ling and Lan Fan running around the rooftops, but that wasn't likely.

Until then she had to wait at the top of the tallest building she could find, which happened to be the observatory. She could've climbed to the top of the train station but the observatory was closer and she had no intention of scaring civilians. Suddenly Katy's note came back to her and Aiden had to pause. 'It's frickin bats. I love Halloween.'

Aiden drew up her mental calendar and realized that the day was the 31st of October, Halloween. She was dressed up as a bat on Halloween in a country that didn't celebrate it. A snort left her and she shook her head in amusement. Only Erwin could make a reference like that without knowing when Aiden would use the suit. Or perhaps Katy did know, she mused.

When clouds of smoke started popping up around Sector Eight she knew her number had come up. Aiden broke out into a run and grimaced at the height before she jumped off the building. The second she was in the air she pressed a button on the straps around her and she shot up in the air, a pair of bat wings allowing her to glide through the air.

The gear was technology from the Milosians, more specifically the Black Bats. They were a terrorist organisation dedicated to restoring Milos to its former glory. Milos was once a town of Creta, exiled and then taken in by Amestris and renamed Table City. But not before their town was destroyed and the Milosians moved to the bottom of a dirty trench. Aiden had helped a few of their members along while ago and the leader of the Bats wanted to repay her so she didn't owe anything to an Amestrian military dog. Her words, not Aiden's.

The bat suit was basically just a black suit, although it came off as dark purple, with a glider harnessed around the person and a helmet to hide their identity. There were hooks that she could shoot at buildings and reel in to gain momentum and another to carry a passenger. It was easy enough to understand and use, but a few days of practice in a forest could only get her so far.

A black and yellow figure darting down the alleys caught her eye and she messily made her way to follow them. Close behind them followed Gluttony. She grimaced. Aiden had spent an hour rolling around in sagebrush to get rid of as much of her scent as she could, much to the amusement of Maes. Hopefully, her little trick would hide her. Suddenly the homunculus veered off course and went in the direction of Scar.

The second he was out of sight she swooped down in front of Ling and Lan Fan. Ling skidded to a stop and raised his sword. In turn Aiden flipped up her helmets mask.

"It's just me!" she said quickly before one of the two attacked her.

"You're that soldier who helped Maria Ross escape. Wilson, was it?" His voice had a hint of caution to it and the woman nodded.

"Yes. I'm here to help, now follow me." Ling hesitated and she groaned. "We don't have time for this! Bradley will catch up now let's go!"

They carried on down the alley until they came upon a manhole that led into the sewers. Ling set Lan Fan on the ground and helped Aiden move the manhole cover. They'd almost had it fully off when the Xingese girl started screaming. The two dropped the cover on the ground and rushed over to her when they noticed she was cutting her arm off.

"Lan Fan what are you doing?" Ling yelled, yanking her hand away.

Aiden knelt down to take a look at the wound and she shook her head. "She's cut too deep, you need to finish it."

He looked horrified at the thought. "What?"

"We can get her a doctor to stabilize her but she'd lose her arm anyway! Ling! Use your sword!"

Lan Fan whimpered and nodded. "My Lord we are out of time."

Ling looked crushed and Aiden felt her heart go out to him. The teen had no idea what he was getting into when he started his journey. Then he nodded and she looked at the girl. She grabbed a piece of cloth from the bag around her shoulder and instructed her to bite down on it. Ling swung the sword and Lan Fans cries were muffled by the cloth.

"Ling, give me your jacket," Aiden ordered. He did so without further prompting and she tied it around the open wound. The girl was only half-conscious. Aiden jumped down into the sewers and Lan Fan was lowered to her. "Meet us at the corner of Third and Maple, Lieutenant Hawkeye will take you. Take Lan Fan's arm and tie it to a dog to lead Bradley off our trail. Then help Edward and Alphonse with Gluttony, I assume you can track them?"

He looked nervous but nodded. "Yes."

She nodded in response and carried the girl further into the sewer systems, hearing Ling move the manhole back in its place. They took twists and turns and suddenly she was glad she and Maes had spent a week memorizing the layout, otherwise she'd be horribly lost. The girl in her arms had to be shaken awake twice and she mumbled words.

"Thank you for helping the young Lord," she'd wheezed. "How can I repay you?"

"Save your breath and try not to pass out on me," Aiden answered as she jumped over a dead rat. "There's a good way." Lan Fan smiled and nodded.

When they arrived at their destination she set Lan Fan on the ground and climbed up the ladder to move the covering. Luckily she'd already loosened it that morning when she'd been on her way to the observatory. Aiden climbed back down the ladder and shook Lan Fan to further wake her up.

"I can't carry you up. You go and I'll follow in case you fall."

She nodded and went up the ladder slowly, Aiden close behind. When they were out she returned the covering and they waited behind a dumpster out of sight for the Lieutenant and Ling. It'd do no good for someone to see them and report it. Brakes squealed on tires and Ling's voice rang out.

"Lan Fan!" he called.

Aiden immediately shot up and carried the girl to the car. Riza raised an eyebrow at her appearance but didn't question it. They had no time for questions anyway. She sat up front with Lan Fan in her lap and the car took off.

"She's lost about a litre of blood by my guess, maybe a litre and a half if her state of confusion is anything to go by," she announced.

From then on no words were spoken as Riza got them out of Central and to the house in the woods Aiden knew they were headed to. When they arrived she carried Lan Fan into the house and set her up on a bed on the second floor while Ling brought in Gluttony. With her and Riza's combined knowledge of wounds, they were able to keep Lan Fan as close to stable as possible without the help of a doctor, but according to Riza, Roy was on his way with the Elrics and doctor Nox.

Night had fallen by the time they arrived and Nox was rushed inside to look at Lan Fan. "You let her wander around the sewers with her arm cut off? Don't blame me if she gets lockjaw," he grouched.

Aiden sighed. "For the second time, we did what we could with what we had. You should be amazed she doesn't already have an infection."

She got no reply and left the room to join Edward, Alphonse, and Ling. Lan Fan's muffled screams as Nox worked bothered her. Any kind of pained yell always struck a chord within her if it came from any baby, child, or teen. Children were her weakness. One of them anyway.

"When I went in search of immortality I knew I'd have to be ready to make certain sacrifices," Ling said. He clenched his fist as Lan Fan let out another scream. "But I... I wasn't ready for this. Lan Fan was though. She made the decision that I was too weak to make."

As the girls screams died down Aiden stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "No one's ever really ready to make the sacrifice play," she said. "And no one can ever determine what it will be. We just have to face it head-on and keep moving forward as best we can. That's what us humans do the best."

Ling looked up and smiled weakly at the Lieutenant Colonel. "I never did thank you for helping us."

She shrugged. "Lan Fan already did and I told her she could make it up to me by surviving."

"Still though. Thank you."

Aiden nodded and carried on down the hallway and then down to the first floor. Roy was leaning up against the front door frame. He was frowning with his arms crossed over his chest and the look in his eyes let her know that he was thinking deeply. She walked forward and followed his lead by leaning against the wall.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"The Elrics told me something interesting the other day," he answered. "I'm just going over it again."

Those brothers... She inwardly sighed and took a wild guess at what they may have told him. It wasn't hard to figure out. But his reaction, or lack thereof, made her nervous. "Sounds like you've thought about it a lot."

"I have."

"And what's your conclusion?"

He glanced at her. She was staring at the ground and her posture was slouched, almost submissive. Was she waiting for him to yell at her? "I think the reason you didn't tell me, or any of us, about the tattoo was because you couldn't disprove any accusations."

Aiden startled and stared up at him in shock. How'd he figure it out? Her confusion must have been evident because he sighed.

"You're a foreigner with not much of a past to speak of. Any accusation toward you would come from us and we'd be the only people who could say anything. Outside of us, you have no friends, no offense. I feel a little offended you didn't say anything, but I understand why."

Not much of a past to speak of? More like a past she didn't speak of. She felt slightly hurt by the no other friends comment but he spoke the truth. She really didn't have any friends aside from them. He was also correct that any accusation couldn't be debunked.

"I also know that homunculi can't perform alchemy," he added.

She blinked once. That tidbit of information could've saved her so much time and energy. Aiden cracked a grin and shook her head. "Well damn, now I feel foolish."

Roy returned the grin. "You're not foolish, you just don't think ahead."

Oh Roy, if only you knew.

She stopped leaning on the wall and walked over to the bag sitting next to the glider and helmet. "Well turn around or go somewhere else."

"Why?"

She pulled out a t-shirt and jeans. "I need out of these blood-soaked clothes. Now turn around or leave." Before he had the chance to reply she started unbuttoning the top of the suit.

On any other day she wouldn't have done such a thing, but the past week had worn her down and she was beyond caring. The top came off first and she wiped away any remnants of blood with the black top before putting on the shirt. She'd only just removed the bottoms and leaned down to grab her jeans when she heard a choked gasp and turned around to find Roy facing the wall.

Did he just... Aiden shook her head and pulled on the jeans followed by the boots from the bat suit. She didn't have room for a spare pair and it didn't matter when they fit and looked good. Next came the holster for her gun which she strapped to her side. One gun went there while the other was in the waistband of her pants. She tossed the clothing next to the bag and grinned.

"It's just funny," Aiden mused.

Roy slowly glanced over at her and then faced her when he saw she was fully clothed. "What is?"

"Back in my country, we celebrate a holiday every year on October 31st."

"Really? What's it about?"

"It's considered a spooky holiday. Little kids dress up as monsters and go door to door ringing bells to get candy. They have a whole chant to sing when they go to a house. Some houses decorate their lawns with ghosts and scarecrows. I once dressed up as a pirate for the neighborhood and went around giving away chocolate coins."

It'd been the first year Jessica was with them and they'd decided to coordinate their costumes. She'd gone as Jack Sparrow while Jessica dressed up as Elizabeth. They'd both agreed to make Tristan into Will Turner. Parents cooed at Tristan while she and Jessica received high fives from teenagers. Just for show Aiden carried around an empty Root Beer bottle and constantly asked strangers why the rum was gone. Each time they asked a teenager they pointed at Jess and said it was her fault. They got an extra coin for responding with a reference.

"That's strange, but it sounds fun."

His words shook her from her memories and she shrugged. "Different countries, different cultures. Halloween used to be a lot more sinister though."

"Oh?"

She opened her mouth to respond but doctor Nox's voice called down and said that Lan Fan could be seen. "I'll tell you another time." Aiden grabbed the bag on the floor and walked up the steps.

The group crowded in the room and they waited for Lan Fan to wake up. Just as she opened her eyes Roy asked Riza to keep watch outside. She nodded and left the room.

"She's awake," Al gasped.

Ed leaned forward. "Anything we can do?" he asked.

Aiden looked at Nox. "I've got a painkiller but there's a twenty percent chance she'll end up high as a kite." She'd never felt the need to tell Maes that.

He looked up, "What's it made of?"

"Opiorphin."

As a doctor, he knew exactly what it was and he stared at her. Aiden laughed nervously. "You're kidding."

"What's Opiorphin?" Al asked.

She looked away from the doctor and down at Lan Fan. "It's a painkiller."

"But where does it -"

"Okay let's not get into specifics," Aiden said, steamrolling over his question. "Are you okay Lan Fan?"

The girl glanced at her and then Edward as she smiled. "I'm useless without my arm, I'm going to need a replacement."

Ed glanced at his automail and grinned. "You know, I could introduce you to a great engineer." Lan Fan smiled and nodded. She was grateful to have come across such nice people.

Aiden smiled and handed over the injection needle to Nox in case he needed it. He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment further on it. She followed Roy out into the hall as he conversed with Ling.

"It was no problem," he said. "Thank you for helping us with the Ross incident. And also, for bringing this thing in." Roy turned around and lifted the lantern to light up the tied up Gluttony squirming on the floor.

Edward, Alphonse, and the doctor joined them in the doorway to stare at the homunculus. "Hey, what is this thing here?" Nox asked.

"That's Gluttony," Ling answered. "He's a homunculus." Nox looked over at him with a grimace. Aiden was surprised he knew what Ling was talking about.

"He and his friends appear to have connections among some of the military senior staff," Roy continued.

Ling looked away from the fat blob. "Just some you say? It goes far deeper than that."

Roy turned to Ling with an expression of confusion. "Huh?"

"Your Fuhrer, King Bradley? I believe it's possible he's a homunculus too." If anyone had been drinking something they either would have choked or spit it out. "I saw his eye, the one under the patch, it had an ouroboros tattoo. He and Gluttony came after us and they were working together. Just ask Wilson, she saw it."

Under the questioning eyes Aiden nodded in confirmation. "I've had my suspicions for a while, and he did work with Gluttony to track them down."

"No way," Ed said.

"Our ruler, a homunculus?" Al asked.

"Although," the Xingese prince continued, "Bradley doesn't have the same sort of inhuman presence that you get from Gluttony. At his core he still feels like a regular person."

"Another thing," Al added. "If the Fuhrer is a homunculus, how can he possibly have a son? It said in that book that the homunculi have no reproductive capabilities."

Nox frowned and shook his head. "No. The Fuhrer's son, Selim, is adopted. There's no direct blood relation between him and his father."

Aiden shivered at the mention of the hidden homunculus. Child-looking or no, it was creepy how well Pride perfected the act of innocent kid. Especially when she knew how sadistic he really was; eating his own brother. Roy scoffed drawing their attention.

"Whether he's a monster or human, either way these new developments will make it easier to remove him from his seat of power." He looked at Gluttony. "First we get information out of this one and I'll take his stone. He may be useful in treating my man."

She shook her head. "That didn't work out so well last time." Roy frowned at the memory of he and Aiden being skewered by Lust. She nodded her head in the boys' direction. "Let them have Gluttony, they've been trying to get their bodies back for years."

"Wait a second!" Ling shouted. "Lan Fan lost her arm to get him! He's our capture so we should take him back to Xing."

The fight began to escalate as those who thought they had a claim over the homunculus voiced their opinions. The only female of the group sighed and blocked out their words, wishing she was outside with Riza who could no doubt hear them.

"I'm too old for this kind of thing," Nox said. "Good luck Mustang. I'm going home."

Aiden almost said goodbye when his words hit her. She looked at Gluttony's furious form and gulped. "Oh crap." The males stopped fighting at her words and glanced at the homunculus in time to watch him continue to expand.

"Roy Mustang!" Gluttony bellowed, his stomach opening up to reveal teeth and an eye.

Damn Mustang. Did you really sneak a peek or did you just swallow wrong? Hehe.

I just couldn't wait to post this chapter, I was impatient. Don't worry! I'll still update on the first as always. Your thoughts on this chapter, my ever so faithful readers?