Chapter seven: The call
"Hey, Al! C'mere!" Edward beckoned Alphonse to the couch beside it.
"Yes, brother?" Alphonse asked, his metal joints creaking as he sat down.
"Well listen, Colonel Mustang says that you can't help me with military issues…"
"WHAT!" Alphonse sprang up. "He can't do that! You mean I can't help research the Philosopher's stone?"
"No, no, siddown and let me finish." Edward smiled. "You can't help me with military tasks anymore. So, if they assign me to a murder case, then you can't help. But if I want to research the Philosopher's stone, you can help with that. My partner is really cool, pretty too. She caught a thief today, a thief and murder combo. Her sister! Her life is really interesting… I'd tell you more, but I need her permission."
"Permission for what?"
Both of the brothers looked up. Coniniaue was sitting on the coffee table cross-legged, blinking.
"GAH! Coniniaue! How the Hell did you get in…?" Edward growled.
Coniniaue pointed. "The window."
"But… But…" Alphonse ran over to the window and checked the lock. Yes, it was locked. "We locked the window!"
"I'm a thief. I have to know how to open windows." Coniniaue said. "Edward, you can tell him. He's your brother, after all."
"Thanks." And so, Edward explained Coniniaue to Alphonse.
Alphonse looked at Coniniaue. "Miss Coniniaue, that is AMAZING!"
"Miss? Hah. I'm Coniniaue, don't know any 'Miss' Coniniaue." She laughed.
There was a knock on the door. Edward answered it. "What do you want?"
"Edward, sir, there is a call for you in the lobby." The porter said.
"Thank you, I'll be down shortly." He closed the door. "Coniniaue, stay here. If you come down with me then people will think we like each other."
"…Ew. Um, no. I'll wait."
"Hello?" Edward said. At least he was polite on the phone. "Who is this?"
"Yeehehehehe! Hello Edward!"
Edward froze and his pupils shrank. "Who is this? Dominique? Hello!"
"Bodies go splat! Splat, splat, splat! Yours will too! Splat! When I get revenge! Revenge, revenge, revenge! Yeehehehehe!"
The line went dead. Edward just stood there, the phone to his ear, his pupils shrunk to the size of blueberries.
"Brother? Who was that?"
"A murderer."