Hi everyone! I'm really excited to start working on this new story!

Since I have no clue when I'll be getting the first chapter out, I'm going to post this as a sort of teaser. Don't worry though, I hope to have a full chapter up by no later than August. It all depends on things in my personal life, but at the moment that's the plan. If it changes I'll post an update on my profile for all to see.

I'll also be posting drawings and the occasional concept art on my Reddit for this story, so check that out if you want more information! Currently I have one character reference up, but I hope to have more references for different characters posted eventually.

So I hope everyone enjoys the new story, I've literally had this idea for years but never knew how to properly execute it until now. It'll be fun, though it'll be a long project for sure.

Thank you to everyone for the favorites, follows, and reviews on my other stories, it means the world to me that people enjoy the content I put out. So I hope to see you all in the next chapter!

:3


Prologue

"Scientists are loud. Sammy can't sleep. Wish they'd be quiet." Sammy slowly raised his head from his front paws, awoken by the sounds of talking that echoed throughout the basement. There was always noise in the basement. Sammy had long gotten used to the whimpers and cries of his fellow chimeras. While it still broke his heart to hear his friends in such distress, there was nothing he could do to put an end to their suffering.

The only light that illuminated the basement came from the large circular skylight in the roof high above. A thin sliver of moonlight bathed the dark concrete room in pale white. It gleamed off of the thick metal bars of the cages that lined the circular room, casting long shadows across the ground, reminding Sammy of trees in a sparse forest.

"So, does everyone know their part in the plan?" Sammy's slightly bent ears perked up at the sudden deep voice of the lead scientist. He had learned long ago that the man was a terrifying force to recon with. Nothing good ever came out of the Master's presence.

"Yes sir. We've been tailing both targets for a few weeks now. We should be able to do this without too much trouble." Another scientist spoke, his nasally voice echoing through the adjacent room and into the basement.

"The one called Fullmetal will be easy to catch. He doesn't stay too close to the military base." A female voice sounded from behind the slightly cracked door, a soft and melodic sound that chilled Sammy to the core. Such a voice should never have belonged to one so evil. "The Flame Alchemist would have been harder to capture, but we have inside information that he'll be meeting up with the boy and his brother towards the outskirts of the city."

"How are we to safely contain them both?" A new voice joined in, tense with worry. "Both of them are highly skilled alchemists, even members of their own military fear their power!"

"We have our ways," The lead scientist let out a booming laugh, making Sammy want to cover his ears. "We tested out new collars that can detect alchemy before it is used. The shock from them is so strong that it killed one chimera we tested it on and had the second knocked out for the rest of the day."

While the other scientists murmured among themselves, Sammy closed his eyes as painful memories played back in his mind. "They mean Number Twenty-One and Number Twenty-Two…Poor Twenty-One…"

Twenty-One was a sweet older chimera, always there with a story that brought some hope and light into the dark and dreary space. She had been like a grandmother to the pack, and they all still grieved for her. Twenty-Two had never been the same since his mate had died, even now he could hear the elderly chimera let out a small whine in his sleep. Not only was he grieving, but he was still suffering ill effects and nightmares from that same experiment that had stolen away his beloved mate.

"That's great and all," Sammy was brought back to the present as the same hesitant voice from earlier spoke up. This was the newest scientist in the group, a young man that seemed to have fallen in with the wrong crowd. He was quiet and mainly worked on keeping the chimeras watered and fed, Sammy thought that the other scientists had little patience for someone who actually cared for their experiments. "But what about the brother? Are we planning on capturing him too?"

"No," The female voice answered sternly. "He has no connection to the military. He knows nothing and is no threat, or use, to us."

"The team in Central knows that as well, they'll be moving out in two days to capture the ones we need." The nasally voiced scientist said in excitement. Sammy remembered that scientist as the one who loved to do gruesome and horrible tests on Sammy's fellow pack members. The man loved to cause pain to anything he touched, he'd even tortured a few of the other chimeras badly enough that they had nearly died, all for his own amusement.

"Yes, and with those two gone we can't be found out." The lead scientist sounded pleased, his voice sounding low and dangerous. "They have the most knowledge as to our location. With them here with us there's no way the military will be able to catch us. Those two will also make for some interesting experiments…Especially the young one with the automail limbs."

While to the other scientist joined in on their optimistic talk of horrid tests, Sammy let out a quiet whimper and buried himself deeper into his thin blankets. While he should have been happy that the scientists would be focusing on their new play things- instead of him and his pack- he hated the thought of the newest additions. Sammy hated the thought of more pain and suffering spreading further into this already agonizing existence, especially if it involved a young life.

"Sammy hopes those two can hide from the scientists and their men. Scientists are bad and mean. No one deserves the pain they cause." Sammy closed his eyes as he sent his silent prayer out into the cold and stagnant air of the basement. He hoped that any higher power would be able to hear him through the concrete building, but he highly doubted there was anything out there to hear it.