Authors Note:
Chapter 11 is finally here!
Narratively, I'd say that this story has hit it's midpoint. Pretty much everything from now on will be buildup to the climax of the story. Although I've outlined all the major plot points, I'm not exactly sure how many more chapters there will be. It really depends on how long the individual scenes are and how many I can naturally fit into a chapter.
Also, I don't know who needs to hear this, but please take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously. I am currently living in one of the worst affected areas in my country. Almost everything is closed down, supplies are running low, hospitals are being overburdened, and more and more people are getting sick. It sounds really basic, but please stay home and wash your hands frequently. Be mindful and stay safe everyone.
Reviews are always appreciated.
I own nothing.
They fell silent as Mustang finished his story.
Mustang ran his hand through his hair and let out a heavy sigh. He turned away from Reed and gazed into the mirror again, a hard look on his face.
Reed looked down, an uncomfortable feeling washing over him. He didn't know what to say. What even was there to say? He was supposed to kill Ed. Any words he said now would just be salt on the wound later.
So Reed said nothing, instead reaching forward to brush the bloody gauze into the trash can. He took a small rag, put some alcohol on it, and began wiping down the counter. Hopefully, housekeeping wouldn't get too curious.
As he worked, he found himself thinking over Mustang's story.
It certainly explained a lot. Ed had been injured, leaving him reckless and desperate to prove himself. Mustang had volunteered for this mission, putting himself on the line, because he cared for Ed and wanted to protect him.
Reed couldn't think of any superior, in either Drachma or Amestris, that would go that far for a subordinate.
"May I ask you something, Lieutenant?" Mustang asked.
Reed looked up. "Yes, what is it?"
"It's about the Parktown Incident," Mustang said, an unreadable expression on his face.
Reed sighed. "If you're worried about my ability to follow orders-"
"I'm not concerned about that."
"Sir?"
"What you did in Parktown," Mustang said. "It's true that it was unacceptable. You disobeyed orders. You openly questioned your superior's judgement. And afterwards, you failed to properly explain your actions."
Reed looked down at the floor, bracing himself for a lecture.
"But you saved lives," Mustang said. "You saved the lives of both your teammates and everyone else that terrorist group would've hurt."
Reed shook his head. It wasn't that simple.
"And yet I'm still facing the consequences of it," he said bitterly. "My superiors hate me now. They don't trust me. They think I'm reckless. And above all, they're terrified that I'll do it again."
"You got one thing right," Mustang said. "They are scared. Soldiers are supposed to follow orders no matter what. It's very frightening when they don't, even more so when what they do is so much better than what you could've done."
He shook his head. "It still wasn't right."
"No, it wasn't," Mustang said. "But it wasn't wrong either."
"So then what was it?" he asked.
"Neither, both, it really doesn't matter," Mustang said. "Honestly, the higher ups will forget about this as soon as the next person screws up, but you're the one that is going to have to continue to live with it. So the question is, can you? Can you truly accept what you've done?"
He looked down again.
"I don't know," he said.
"And that's okay," Mustang said. "What matters is that you know the question."
They fell into silence once more.
Mustang returned to staring at the mirror.
Reed cast a short glance at the door, wondering when Hawkeye and Ed were going to return.
It was obvious that Mustang knew what he was talking about. After all, this was the man who had incinerated an entire nation. By all means, what Mustang did was far worse than anything Reed had ever done.
And yet he took each step with stride, chin up, eyes forward, and never straying from the goal ahead of him. He rose quickly among the ranks, brave and ambitious.
He lived with his demons.
'Or so it seemed'
Looking at him now, gazing so brokenly into a mirror, Reed began to wonder what ghosts might be lurking behind the man's eyes. Did they keep him up at night? Whisper in his ears? Bang against the inside of his skull?
Such torture would drive a man mad.
And yet for some reason Mustang remained composed, compassionate, and maybe even a little noble. He repeatedly put himself on the line for his subordinates, even Edward, who hated him with a seething passion. He hadn't hesitated to go on this mission. In fact, he had charged head first into the forest at the first sign of danger. Hell, he stayed for hours in a hospital waiting room just so that Alphonse would feel a little less alone.
Despite what everyone said, Roy Mustang wasn't selfish or power hungry. Rather, it was the opposite. He ruled not for his own gain, but for the gain of everyone else around him.
But ultimately, it was foolish to think that one man's actions could really have that much of an impact. Reality is that you could put all of your effort into something, work tirelessly until your head ached and your eyes bled, but it still wouldn't be enough. You will still fail. People will still die.
Judging by his demeanour, Mustang knew this. And yet, he did it anyway. It was so naive. Stupid even to think that such a naive philosophy might be the cure to this wretched world.
But it was nice to dream.
Reed rubbed his bracelet.
He was getting too close to this. Getting emotionally invested was only going to end in disaster. He couldn't afford anymore risks. He just had to follow his orders. There was no other option.
All that was left to do was pull the trigger.
Reed figured that he should feel dread for the agonizing future that lay before him. Or maybe even anger at himself for getting in this situation to begin with.
But he just felt empty.
It was like everything within him had been sucked out, leaving behind a hollow shell.
All he was left with was the simple realisation that his life, his horribly twisted life, had just gotten so much harder.
He found himself wondering how much easier his life would be if that bullet hadn't simply grazed Mustang's arm.
But instead found purchase in the vital organ a few inches to the left.
Ed slammed the door shut behind him, the loud bang echoing down the hallway.
And suddenly found himself alone.
At once, the blistering rage that had been flowing through his veins disappeared, leaving behind a gaping feeling in his chest.
Tears began to prick at his eyes, but Ed quickly brushed them away.
Focus. First things first, where was he going to go?
Perhaps he could find Meg?
No. It was still too dangerous to leave the inn.
Could he go to the common room? It would be easy to sulk there for a few hours. But Ed couldn't stand the thought of facing all those people. He didn't want to listen to their jokes and sneers and the mere thought of faking another smile made his stomach turn.
Perhaps he could hide in Reed's room?
Ed shook his head. That wouldn't work either. He had already hid there once before. Ed didn't want to impose on him again.
Maybe he could climb to the roof?
Ed scoffed at that idea. With his injuries, he'll probably end up falling off.
He wondered if that would be such a bad thing.
Maybe Hawkeye's room?
That actually wasn't a bad idea. The Lieutenant had never been the type to taunt him. At times, she was surprisingly supportive. She would definitely understand if he crashed her room.
Ed turned down the hall. The door to Hawkeye's room was locked. Scowling, Ed clapped his hands together. In the back of his mind he remembered that he wasn't supposed to be using alchemy, but at the moment he couldn't care less.
A flash of light and a simple alchemic reaction had the deadbolt retreating into the lock. Ed pushed the door open and kicked it shut behind him.
He found himself pacing back and forth across the wooden floor.
What was wrong with him?
What the hell was wrong with him?
The gaping feeling within him was stronger than ever. It was suffocating, pressing down on his lungs and knocking the air from his chest. Ed felt his throat constrict. He could barely breathe.
Gasping, he marched over to the window and threw it open.
The cool night air blew into his face. He took a deep breath, enjoying how the cold air stung his lungs. The air was so crisp here, so unlike the smog filled air of East City or Central. In fact, if he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend that he was back in Resembool.
Almost.
There was a knock on the door behind him.
"Edward," Hawkeye called.
Ed took a shaky breath and brushed the tears from his eyes.
"Ed," Hawkeye called again, slowly pushing the door open. "Are you alright?"
Ed opened his mouth.
He wanted to say that he was fine. That he just needed a moment to compose himself. That he was sorry for breaking into her room, but really once he was able to just get a grip, he'll be able to return to the meeting and they could pretend that this never happened.
But when he tried to speak, all that came out was a choked sob.
"I want-" he said. "I just want-"
He wanted his mom.
This time Ed could not stop the tears.
They cascaded down his face; his entire frame shaking as his knees buckled beneath him. Ed found himself kneeling on the floor, crying as the stars shone high above.
Without a word, Hawkeye approached him and pulled him into a tight embrace. Perhaps another time he would have protested, but right now he was too exhausted to care.
He leaned into her shoulder. The tears fell from his face, snot dripped down from his nose, and yet Hawkeye didn't say anything. She didn't mock him or complain how he was ruining her jacket; she simply held him.
If anything it made Ed cry even harder.
It was several minutes (although it felt much longer) before the tears finally began to slow down.
Hawkeye placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Come on," she said. "Let's get off the floor."
Gently, she helped him to his feet. They both sat down on the bed.
"Now, what's on your mind, Edward?"
Ed was silent for a few moments, trying to collect his thoughts.
"I'm not getting any better," he said finally. "Every now and then I think I am, but then I just screw up again and... I'm just not getting better."
"The doctor talked extensively about the recovery process," Hawkeye said. "Has there been any signs of infection or unusual pain?"
"No," Ed admitted.
"Have there been any other complications?"
"No."
"Then is this really about your injury?"
Ed said nothing.
"Tell me," Hawkeye urged. "What is this about?"
Ed shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."
"That's understandable," Hawkeye said. "And if you really don't want to talk about it, I won't force you. But whatever you're going through right now, you can't keep ignoring it."
Ed fell silent again.
"I...I just..." Ed trailed off. "I hate being like this."
Ed thought Hawkeye was going to say something, but she remained silent waiting for him to continue.
"I hate being so weak. It feels like I can't do anything, like I'm not good enough." Ed ran his hand through his hair. "I'm probably not making any sense."
"No," Hawkeye said. "In fact, you're being very introspective and honest. That shows maturity more than anything else. But you have to realize that taking the time you need to properly heal isn't a sign of weakness."
Ed nodded. "Yeah I know that. That's the most terrifying thing, because reasonably I know what I should be doing. I know that it takes a long time to recover from surgery and that I should be taking it slow; but I just don't want to. Which is so stupid because it's irrational. And I know it's irrational, but I just can't change."
"And what exactly is stopping you from changing?"
"Well it's not like I can just stop putting myself in dangerous situations. The military will keep sending me on missions whether I'm ready for them or not. And when I saw Viera walking through the town, what was I supposed to do? Let a promising lead, one of our only leads, just walk away?"
"It's true that your role as a State Alchemist puts you in difficult circumstances, but that doesn't mean that change is impossible. There are ways to fulfil your orders without putting yourself in further danger."
"Like what?" Ed asked.
Hawkeye thought for a moment.
"In the situation with Viera, you could have followed her to the entrance of the forest, then gone for backup. Going into the forest alone only raises the risk of you getting caught. Furthermore, if you would have gone missing, we wouldn't have known where to look for you."
Ed looked down.
"Of course, what you did wasn't wrong. You'll just have to learn to know your limits and act accordingly," Hawkeye said. "It's going to be hard and it's not something you'll be able to teach yourself overnight, but slowly you'll get better at it."
"And what if I mess up again?"
"So what if you do? What matters is that you tried. The fact is if you continue to do nothing, then nothing is going to change. Rewriting your behavior is extremely difficult, but if you give it a try, little by little, over time you'll get better at it. Slowly you'll grow more confident in your actions. This isn't going to be easy and you might fail again. But you have to do it, you have to learn to take care of yourself. Even if that means that you're weak," she paused. "Even if that means that you have to take care of yourself first and Al second."
Ed shook his head.
No. Al came first. Al always came first.
"I can't do that," he said.
"No, you don't want to do that. But you have to realize that what you're doing isn't sustainable. It's true that you have a lot of responsibilities, but that doesn't mean that you have to bear it all by yourself," Hawkeye smiled. "And don't forget, you're part of a team now. You can trust us."
Ed stared at her.
"Even Mustang?"
Hawkeye smiled again. "Yes, the Colonel can be annoying at times, but he does have your best interests in mind."
Ed took a moment to think.
More than anyone else, he hated being like this. Hated that he was being weak and irrational. Hated that he couldn't get himself - didn't want himself - to change. Hated that time after time, mistake after mistake, this vice stuck with him.
But Hawkeye was right, this wasn't sustainable. If this kept going on he was only going to get more and more hurt, until finally there was nothing left to break.
Ed shuddered. He didn't want that.
Even though he thoroughly believed that it was worthless and no good would come out of it, that he was too set in his ways to ever change. He figured he might as well try. After all, what did he have to lose?
And in the end, wasn't he tired?
Ed took a deep breath.
"So what now?"
"Now," Hawkeye said, straightening her back. "We have to finish the meeting."
Ed nodded. Right, the mission, he had almost forgotten about that.
"One moment," Hawkeye said, rising to her feet. She walked over to the bathroom and ran a cloth under the tap.
"Here," she said, holding it out to him.
"Thank you," Ed said, taking it in his hands.
The cool cloth felt soothing on his skin. He wiped it over his face and took a deep breath, composing himself as best he could. Once finished, he glanced at the mirror and brushed his hair back into place. His eyes were still a little red, but otherwise he looked fine.
Ed straightened his back. He could do this.
"Are you ready?" Hawkeye asked.
Ed turned to face her. "Let's go."
Reed looked up as Hawkeye and Ed entered the room.
He took a moment to study Ed's face. His eyes were a little red, as if he had been crying. But he wore an expression of determination, like he was ready for anything the world threw at him.
Reed looked away.
"Alright then," Mustang said as the others got settled. "As much as I would love to call it a night, we need to focus on the mission at hand. The most important matter seems to be finding out who exactly Viera is and what is in that forest."
"I agree," Hawkeye said. "Those seem to be our most promising leads so far. Viera could be an important member of the White Wolves and whatever is in that forest might be a clue to their plan."
"There was something else," Mustang said. "Earlier today one of the construction workers heard a gunshot. We should probably figure out what that was about."
"Gunshot?" Reed asked. Viera hadn't mentioned anything about that.
Ed suddenly looked very uncomfortable.
"Well," he said, scratching his neck. "You know when I mentioned that Meg and I came across Viera. Well she actually broke up a fight between us and a group of thugs."
Mustang stared at him. "And you just forgot to mention this."
"Colonel," Hawkeye said, giving him a stern look. She turned back to Ed. "Care to explain what exactly happened, Edward?"
"Alright," Ed said. "After the meeting with the vandals, Meg and I were walking through town. She said she wanted to visit the edge of the forest to collect flowers for a bouquet. But before we got there, a group of thugs suddenly approached and surrounded us. They told me to leave, because they only had business with Meg. However I wasn't going to leave Meg alone, so I refused." Ed paused. "Then they attacked. But before anything could get too nasty this woman, Viera, shows up. She fired off a shot to get everyone's attention, then she started reprimanding the group for attacking us before telling Meg and I to leave."
"What did she look like?" Hawkeye asked.
Ed thought back.
"She was young, maybe mid 20s to early 30s, relatively slim, medium height, with wavy dark brown hair," he sighed. "That's all I can remember."
Hawkeye cast a look at Mustang. He shook his head, unable to recall anything else noteworthy.
"And how about the thugs?" Reed asked.
"There were eleven of them," Ed said. "I don't remember them all, but the leader was tall, middle aged, a bit muscular, short black hair, and had a beard."
"Have you ever seen them before?" Mustang asked.
"No," Ed said. "But there was something about them."
"Like what?"
"Well I don't know what exactly. I just have a really uneasy feeling, like I'm missing something important. Though I'm certain I've never seen them before." Ed shook his head. "Well whoever they were, they seemed to obey Viera, albeit reluctantly."
"So she definitely has some sort of authority," Hawkeye said.
"Or at least relative to the thugs," Reed said. "But what I'm wondering is why Meg wanted to go into the forest in the first place."
"It's probably related to why Viera was in the forest too. Maybe Meg was meeting her?" Hawkeye asked.
"But then why bring me along?" Ed asked.
"Maybe she was looking for something," Reed suggested.
"Either way, there is something in that forest," Mustang said. "Hawkeye, you and I will check it out tomorrow."
"Sir, perhaps Lieutenant Reed would be a better choice," Hawkeye said.
Mustang smiled, mischievousness glinting in his eyes. "Why? Scared of a few trees?"
"I wasn't referring to myself," Hawkeye said.
Mustang's smile vanished.
"It's just a graze."
"Still an injury," Hawkeye said.
"Doesn't mean I can't go," Mustang said, crossing his arms. "Besides, I know where the trail is."
"I'm sure we can find it," Hawkeye countered.
"Sir, I have to agree with Lieutenant Hawkeye," Reed said. "Your wound, although minor, would impede your movements. Furthermore, they may have seen your face and might very well come after you. I would much rather they attack here in town where there are witnesses, then in the forest where there is no help at all."
"He has a point," Ed said.
Mustang scowled deeply.
"Fine," he said. "In the meanwhile, Ed, I want you to focus on Meg. Try to figure out what she might be up to. I want everyone else to keep an eye out for Viera and the thugs. Our next report to Heinsworth is in a few days. We'll meet again before then. Dismissed."
Hawkeye flashed Reed a grateful look as they exited the room.
Reed pretended not to notice. He wanted to search the forest simply because it allowed him to control the team's findings. Mustang's personal safety was the last thing on his mind.
At the moment, he was much more worried about Viera. Both Mustang and Ed had seen her. They already knew that she had some authority in the White Wolves. If they found out she was one of the leaders-
He shook his head. It wouldn't come to that. He wouldn't let it come to that.
'But just how far would you go to protect her?'
Reed rubbed his bracelet.
Reed was laying down on his bed.
He was relaxed, eyes drooping, the lull of sleep mere seconds away. He had left the window open, allowing a cool breeze to wharf in. Meanwhile, the faint sounds of nightlife were drifting in through the window and seeping in from under the floorboards. Reed could hear the chattering voices, the clank of glasses, and the soft squeak of chairs.
He focused on the sounds, determined to not fall asleep.
Only once the chatter had died down did he pull himself from the comfort of his bed and leave his room. There were still a few lingering construction workers in the common room, but they didn't even raise their heads when he passed.
'You're just going for a walk. If anyone asks, you're just going for a walk'
Things seemed to be slowing down at the Shrunken Tavern as well. Two men were drunkenly singing along with an old radio; the off key notes of a melancholy love song reverberating through the room. The bartender was flirting with a young woman wearing a gaudy dress. Viera was seated at the bar, a glass of golden liquid in her hand.
Reed sat down next to her.
Viera flashed him a grin and held up a bottle of liquor.
"So," she said. "Should I pour you a glass or send assassins to your inn?"
"Well, I could certainly use a drink," Reed said. "But I'm afraid you're going to have to hold off on the assassinations."
Viera flashed him a smile. She reached forward for an empty glass, tipping the golden liquid into it.
"So I'm guessing they didn't see us?" she asked, sliding the glass to him.
Reed took a sip, relishing in the way the alcohol burned in his throat.
"Well to be exact, they didn't see me. But if you'll remember Ed was already following you," he said.
Viera stayed silent, waiting for his explanation.
"Ed said that today he was hanging out with Meg. For some reason or another, she wanted to go to the edge of the forest. But before they got there, a group of thugs approached and attacked them. However," he flashed her a look. "Some mysterious woman came to their rescue. Afterwards, he happened to see you again and decided to follow you into the forest."
Viera nodded. "Most of the Wolves know how to behave themselves, but that damned fool gets ahead of himself sometimes. I honestly would have shot him and all his friends long ago, but his skills are invaluable."
Reed nodded, knowing fully well who she was referring to.
He continued. "Luckily, neither Ed nor Mustang saw me in the forest. They just know that you had backup."
"How did Mustang get into the forest anyway?"
"Apparently Meg told him," Reed said.
"Really?" Viera asked. "I'm surprised she took such a risk. People are already out for her blood."
Reed nodded. "But that's not all, she knew Ed's real name."
"How did she find that out?"
"Don't know," Reed said.
"Well, we'll certainly have to watch her. She's starting to know too much," Viera said.
"Viera," Reed said. "If Meg becomes a problem. What would you do?"
Viera gave him a look. "What do you mean?"
Reed looked down.
"If you had to kill her, would you do it?"
'Would you kill a child for the sake of the mission?'
Viera stared at him. "What does this have to do with anything?"
"Just answer the question," he said, taking another sip.
Viera took a deep breath. "I guess it would really depend on what she did and what happened as a result of her actions. Why?"
Reed shook his head. "Just wondering."
They sat in silence for a few moments.
Viera took another sip from her glass. "So anyway what's the intel team planning now?"
"Well, they're keeping an eye out for the mysterious group who attacked Ed and Meg," he said with a smirk.
Viera rolled her eyes.
"That damned fool," she said.
"Well don't shoot them yet, you said you need them," Reed said.
"Unfortunately," she said. "Anything else?"
"Tomorrow Hawkeye and I are going to search the forest," he said.
"That shouldn't be a problem. We cleared out the forest a few days ago," she said. "I mean I still have to move all the explosives, but the camp and everything else has been taken care of. There shouldn't be anyone in it."
"The intel team is also trying to find out more about you," he said.
"Is that so?" she smiled.
"Viera, promise me that you'll be careful," Reed said.
Viera scoffed. "When am I never careful?"
"I mean it," Reed said. "You're the intel team's most promising lead. There's no telling..." He took a breath. "We got lucky today, incredibly lucky. Things could've ended up so much worse."
Viera nodded.
"I know," she said. "I'll make sure to take the proper precautions. The last thing I need is to be arrested before I even get started."
Reed nodded and took another sip of his drink.
"Thanks by the way," Viera said.
"For what?"
"Everything. I mean this probably isn't easy for you. It's hard to pretend to be someone you're not, to keep secrets… to shoot at someone. So I just want to say that I really appreciate all you're doing for us."
He smiled.
"You're my friend. I'll do anything for you."
Reed scanned the tree line.
Nothing.
He let out a sigh and picked up his pace. Ahead of him, Lieutenant Hawkeye was carefully leading them up the trail.
Reed was a bit ashamed to admit that he hadn't given the Lieutenant much thought. He had been so occupied with Ed, Amber, and the White Wolves, that he had overlooked her entirely.
Back in East City, he had heard many stories about her. Little snippets of gossip passed here and there over long shifts and bland cafeteria meals. Reed hadn't really paid attention to them. Such rumors lacked any credibility. Furthermore, his superiors weren't interested in such trivial things. They wanted him to spy on the Generals, produce layouts of Eastern Command, and decode top secret messages. They couldn't care less about mere adjutants.
So after two years in East City, Reed had practically stopped listening. In his mind, Lieutenant Hawkeye was an extension of Colonel Mustang himself. The Colonel's loyal shadow; always present, but hardly noteworthy.
But watching her now: back straight, gun in hand, eyes carefully scanning the tree line for threats; he could see how wrong he was. And though he'll never admit it, Reed couldn't help but feel a growing respect towards the officer in front of him.
As they progressed deeper into the forest, he slowly began to remember the rumours about her. About how she was a mere cadet during the Ishvalan war, but still managed to have a higher kill count than the most experienced of snipers.
He recalled their one exchange from the beginning of the mission. How she had covertly given him weapons and warned him to look after Ed and the Colonel. Back then, her words made little to no sense, but now Reed was starting to understand her warning.
'What else might she know?'
"Lieutenant, may I ask you a question?" Reed found himself saying.
At once Hawkeye turned and gave him a warning look, eyes wavering to the tree line before looking back again.
Reed understood her caution. She was probably worried that they'll alert nearby Wolves of their presence. Of course there were no Wolves here at all, Viera made sure of it, but Hawkeye had no way to know that.
Reed thought for a moment. He had to be careful with this.
"I don't think anyone is going to overhear us," he said.
"That doesn't mean we can be careless," Hawkeye said. "And a little caution never hurt anyone."
"But if we actually came across someone," Reed said. "What are we going to tell them? We're creeping through the forest with our guns raised. It's pretty clear why we're here."
"So what do you suggest?"
"We're undercover, so we should look the part. Let's put away our guns and start stomping around like the inexperienced construction workers we are. If we come across anyone, we'll say we're on a hike or something. They shouldn't think twice about it."
Hawkeye gave him a cryptic look. For a moment Reed was afraid that she'd say no, but then she slipped her gun into her belt and continued up the trail.
"Was that your question?" she asked.
"No," Reed said, putting his gun away too. "I was just thinking about when we were leaving East City and you told me to keep an eye out for Ed and Colonel Mustang. What exactly did you mean by that?"
Hawkeye was silent for a moment.
"How much do you know?" she asked.
"The Colonel told me about Ed's hospitalisation last night," Reed said.
Hawkeye nodded. "Well since then the Colonel's judgement has become clouded, especially in situations concerning Edward. Meanwhile Edward has become even more impulsive. Both of them are failing to see things objectively and taking unnecessary risks," Hawkeye paused. "But in the end, I can't blame them. Ed is clearly not ready for another mission, physically or mentally, but the military sent him anyway. The Colonel has a right to be angry and overly cautious. And though it's easy to forget, Ed's still a child. He has every right to be confused and hurt." She shook her head. "Children shouldn't have to experience this kind of pain."
Reed fell silent, thinking over her words.
Hawkeye continued. "All this means is that we both have to be cautious and take extra steps to protect both Ed and Mustang. It's hard and I know that it's asking a lot, but it's really all we can do. This situation was inevitable. The military was going to send Ed on this mission no matter what."
"Because of his run in with the White Wolves," he said.
"Yes," she said. "Again I'm really sorry you were brought into this. But for what it's worth, I think you are an excellent soldier. And you seem to have a natural talent for investigative work."
"Yeah," he said, suddenly feeling very awkward. "I guess I do."
"Have you ever considered transferring to the Investigative Unit?" Hawkeye asked.
He blinked.
"I never really thought about it," he said. "I guess I had just grown comfortable under General Hayes' command."
"May I speak freely," she asked.
"Go ahead."
"In my opinion, your skills are being wasted under a man like that," she said. "If you really start to apply yourself, you have the potential to do so much good."
'Potential to do a lot of damage too'
Hawkeye continued. "One of the Colonel's close friends is in charge of the Investigations Office in Central. After this mission is over, I'm sure he'll be happy to put in a recommendation."
Reed didn't know what to say. He knew if his superiors ever heard about this, they would jump at the chance. The potential to have a Drachman spy in the heart of Central. It was too good to be true. And deep down, hadn't he been waiting for something like this? The opportunity to do more than watch from the sidelines. To promote real change. To become more than the broken and wretched soul he was.
But it just felt wrong.
It felt like he was cheating them. These soldiers had expressed immense kindness and generosity to him yet here he was, planning to kill one of their own.
"I'm sorry," he said. "But I just don't think it's for me."
"Think about it for a little while," Hawkeye said.
Reed shook his head, desperate to change the subject. "So anyway-"
Hawkeye suddenly held up her hand, silencing him.
Reed took a few steps forward. They had arrived at the camp.
The last time he had been here, the clearing had been a bustling base. There had been rows of tents, multiple fire pits, and piles of crates. Over 100 people had called this place home. Living off of canned food, scavenged berries, and a relentless devotion to promote change.
Now all that was left was a grass field.
Viera wasn't kidding when she said they'd cleared it out.
Hawkeye glanced at Reed and they both drew their weapons. They walked the perimeter of the clearing, scanning the area for threats, but there was no one in sight. They both returned their guns to their belts.
"Well, someone was here," she said, looking down at the charred remains of a fire pit.
"Think it might've been a camp of some sort?" Reed asked.
"Possibly," Hawkeye said. "Look around for trash. It might give us hints to who was here."
They both began scanning the grass, looking for anything of note.
The White Wolves had been here for a long time. Reed knew that at least some litter must've been left behind. In the end they found an old lighter, a few bottle caps, a piece of twine, and a few broken shards of pottery. Reed had also found a lone bullet shell which he had immediately buried in the dirt.
Afterwards, they gathered in the middle of the clearing.
"Well there was definitely a base here of some sort," Hawkeye said, pointing to the bottle caps and shards of pottery.
Reed read the logo on the caps.
"Beer," he said. "It's a pretty common brand. Probably wouldn't be worth tracing."
Hawkeye let out a deep sigh and looked over the clearing. "This place is large and secluded. It could've supported at least a hundred people." She shook her head. "But if they already had an established base of operations. Why abandon it? And where would they all go?"
"Whatever the reason, they probably went into Ukon," Reed said. "I mean it's the only nearby town. Heinsworth is too far away."
'Unless of course, you take a car down one of the forest's backroads'
'But you probably shouldn't mention that'
"If they're amassing that many members into town then they're probably planning something big," she said. "And we still have no idea what."
"What happens if we can't find out?" Reed asked.
"People could die," Hawkeye said. "Just look at the state of the train station. The White Wolves clearly mean business," she sighed. "Hopefully between Meg and Viera, we'll be able to figure out what they're up to and stop them before it's too late."
Author's Note:
Fun Fact:
Reed was 15 when his dad died. He was 16 when he joined the military and was 18 when he was first chosen for covert operations. At 20 years old, he left Drachma for Operation Dagger. He spent three years as the White Wolves contact and then another two years in East City, making him 25.