non-auther's note; my name is GreenEggsAndSam a.k.a. Winter Sharn
I'm jade's friend and it is totally my fault that this chapter is so late getting posted
Jade is in france right now and asked me to post thisI haven't because I've been at my uncle's house and then my aunt's house and then my grandmother's because of this dance camp I'm going to. 8:30- 5:00! so I'm very sorry about the late post and jade's gonna kill me when she gets back but… well, here's the chapter
Disclaimer: if either of us owned FMA we wouldn't be writing fanfiction, duh!
jade; and mustang would already be the..
winter; no no NO! first off, ed would be taller!
jade; so he'd finally reach 5 ft like you?
winter; I'm NOT short!
jade; (turns to readers) yes she is
winter; NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
jade and Winter; you decide. is Winter short?
winter; and is Jade a SPAZZ?
jade; What? I am not!
A/N: I don't know if I said this before, but 'Rhade' is pronounced 'Rah-DAY'... it's an Andromeda thing. :) And Wrazien is NOT a self insert, and NOT a Mary-Sue!
I am aware that chopsticks would most likely be used, but I can't work the damn things (I've tried... not a pretty sight), so I think I can get away with a little Americanization, here! (Can one even USE chopsticks on ice cream?) Also, if any of my readers use the metric system and don't know how big a pint is... I can't help you; math is my worst subject! Sorry! I'm pretty sure it's smaller than a liter, if that helps... SORRY FOR MY AMERICANISM!
One more thing, then I'll shut up. I'll be leaving for Europe with the People to People Student Ambassadors program, and I'll be gone for about three weeks, so please don't get angry if I don't update... I severely doubt they'll set aside time for me to type up my fanfiction, so if you all could just be patient with me! Thanks!
"Idiots!" Maes stood, slamming his palms against his desk.
The Elric brothers looked down, not willing to meet his eyes, accusing behind the thin glasses.
"Thanks to you, Riza almost had her cover blown, he," Maes pointed to the Fedora-man, "was seen aiding a State Alchemist, who much will that damage his street reputation? What are we going to do now, Elrics? The Organization is going to think I sent you, and what are you going to do if they come after my daughter?"
Silence.
"Elysia's life is on the line, dammit! For once you need to think of someone besides your own damn selves!"
"Sir-" Alphonse started meekly.
"No. I don't want to hear it." Maes sat and put his head in his hands. "Out. All of you, get out."
Fedora-man saluted and left, Edward and Alphonse filing out silently behind him.
Maes sat there for a moment, then picked up the phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. "Gracia? It's me."
"What is it?"
"You remember what we talked about? Pack your things, and get Elysia going."
"Where are we going?"
"I'll have Investigations set up a safehouse; Roy will drive you there."
"What happened?"
"We had an... incident," Maes told his wife, choosing his words carefully. "I'm just worried about your safety."
"Alright, Maes. What should I tell Elysia?"
"Say you're going a trip or something, okay? Honey, I have to go now. Promise me you'll get ready as soon as possible."
"We will. I love you, Maes."
"I love you to, Gracia."
The next call was to Mustang. "Roy, I need a favor..."
-xXx-
Riza sat alone in her quarters, cross-legged on her thin cot, practicing calming breathing techniques. She hated his assignment, hated it with every fiber of her being. This constant fear of discovery, always checking her words before she spoke was enough to make her want to grab her pistol and just shoot every damn member of this bloody Organization.
Before she had joined, she had assumed that there were some good people who were forced to crime by circumstance and didn't really want this life.
She was wrong.
Everyone here was a cold-blooded killer. Apparently her test to get in was only the last part in a process that determined who got in and who didn't. Fedora-man had evidently smoothed that over for her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a hesitant knock at the door. Riza opened her eyes and exhaled. "Come," she said coolly, slipping into the personality she had fashioned for Lisa Rhade.
Johnny slowly opened the door. "Umm, Mae'var wants to see you," he said meekly. He was clutching his arm where she had shot him before- apparently he was nervous.
"Johnny, why are you a part of the Organization?" Maybe everyone isn't a killer.
"I murdered my parents and younger sister, then escaped from prison," he grinned. "Could never go back to honest work after that."
Riza re-evaluated her opinion of the young man. "I see."
"Why are you here?" Johnny asked boldly.
She fixed him with her most penetrating stare until he cringed and looked down. "I get paid well for death," she raised one eyebrow at his discomfort. "You were saying something about Mae'var?"
-xXx-
Mae'var was standing, examining a painting one of his men had stolen from an art museum with his back to the door when he heard it open. "Thank you, Johnny," he said without turning. "You may go." He heard the door swing shut, then turned. "Ah, Lisa, thank you for coming."
"Did I really have a choice?" the blonde retorted, with just barely enough fire in her voice to sound disrespectful.
He raised a hand as if to strike her for her insubordination, then smiled when she didn't flinch away. "You been asking around, I know you know of that incompetent man in Military Investigations. He must not have taken the hint, sending in the Fullmetal Alchemist like he did."
"The hint?" Lisa asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He was poking his nose where it didn't belong, trying to shut us down. You know of this, correct? We sent him a... warning, as it were. Obviously he ignored it, so his daughter must be an example."
"What if the Fullmetal Alchemist was working independently, without knowledge of the repercussions?"
"That's a strange question, Lisa," Mae'var looked at her askance. "Everyone knows of his obsession with the Philosopher's Stone; he wouldn't have come here unless he was ordered to."
"Of course," Lisa nodded.
"I want you to do something for me."
She crossed her arms. "Oh?"
"The daughter- Elysia- and the man's wife, Gracia, are being moved to a safehouse by the Military. I must congratulate Hughes- he does know how to protect his family. The only person who knows the location of this safehouse is a friend of Hughes'. Perhaps you've heard of him; Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist? We intercepted a telephone call to him from Hughes earlier today- he knows the location, and we need this information.
"I want you to get the location from him. I don't care how you do it: you're a woman, you'll find a way, I'm sure."
Lisa flipped her hair back. "The Flame Colonel? I think I can handle him."
"Good. Do this for me, and once I move up in status for the capture of the daughter, I'd put in a recommendation to X... for your immediate promotion to my status."
"That would be appreciated," she gave him a cool smile.
Mae'var waved a hand and turned around to study the painting. "Go. Once you have the information, report in immediately."
Lisa bowed slightly, and left.
What an odd person you are, Lisa Rhade, he thought. Well, if you pull through, I shall reap the rewards.
-xXx-
Riza left, inwardly raging. Damn you, Colonel! You couldn't have stayed in Eastern like a good boy, could you? Let me guess: you're making Havoc do your work, and he's making Breda do it, and Breda's making Fuery do it... great job, sir.
Not far from Mae'var's door, she heard something drop to the ground behind her. She twisted around, hand in her jacket ready to draw her pistol.
"Easy, Rhade," said the man who had just dropped from above. It was the man she had had the conversation with directly after her test- the small, soft-spoken one.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
"Do you really want to stay as Mae'var's lapdog?" he asked, taking her arm and guiding her down a dimly lit corridor.
"Aren't you one of his 'lapdogs'?"
"No. The name's Jade, and I work directly for X. Turns out that X believes Mae'var is no longer necessary... you get the information from the Colonel, and I'll take you straight to the boss."
"Really?" Riza tapped her foot impatiently. "And what's the catch?"
"There is no catch."
"There's always a catch," she looked down at the smaller man.
"Well, you'll owe me one," Jade said with an almost invisible smile. "But let's just say I have no love for Mae'var."
She nodded and returned the smile. "I'll see what I can do for you."
Jade walked away further down the corridor, disappearing into the shadows; Riza turned and began walking back the way she had come.
Now I have options, Riza thought. Option one: stick with the demon I know, Mae'var. Option two: betray Mae'var and work with Jade.
Jade offers a route to X. My mission is to determine X's identity, but will that be enough? Someone like Mae'var could take over the Organization and make it twice as ruthless. No, somehow we must destroy the entire system, obliterate it so completely that criminals can never band together in large city-wide groups again.
She shook her head as she came to the door to her quarters. Impossible. There will always be crime. But the Organization... their days are numbered.
-xXx-
"Second Lieutenant Samantha Wrazien, reporting for duty," she snapped a crisp salute.
Samantha Wrazien was slight, with short-trimmed brown hair in accordance to Military regulation. She was about Fuery's height.
"At ease, Lieutenant," Jean said, leaning back in the chair, careful not to tip it to far in fear of another spectacular fall. "This is Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda, and Master Sergeant Kain Fuery," he indicated each with the pen in his hand. "I'm Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc. When he returns from leave, you'll be under the command of Colonel Roy Mustang, but for now, I'm in charge.
"Now, we are going to have to ask you some questions," Jean continued in all seriousness. "Just to make sure."
"Umm, sure of what, sir?" Samantha looked confused.
"First question. Who did you piss off to get sent to this middle-of-nowhere post in Eastern?" Heymans asked, crossing his arms and looking at her suspiciously.
"No one, sir."
"Hmm. And what are your views on paperwork?" Jean asked, spitting out the word. "Tell us honestly now, Lieutenant."
"I hate it with the burning fury of a thousand suns... sir!" she added quickly.
"Are you willing to disobey orders from the top if your commanding officer countermands them?" Heymans asked.
"That would depend on the orders, sir."
"Do you like dogs?" Kain looked at her forlornly.
"Of course, sir! Who doesn't!"
"Me," Haymans responded quietly, sulking.
Jean nodded to Samantha. "Lieutenant, if you could wait outside for a moment?"
Samantha saluted and left to stand outside the office door, closing it behind her.
"She's hot," was the first thing Havoc said.
Breda sighed. "I think she'll do, regardless of her appearance."
"All in favor?" It's not as if they really had a choice, but it made them feel like they were more in control.
"Aye," Heymans and Kain said, Fuery shaking his head at the ridiculousness.
"Lieutenant Wrazien?" Kain let her back in.
"We've decided unanimously to allow you into our circle. This is a very exclusive group of officers-"
Kain covered his eyes with his hand, shaking his head at Jean's continued arrogance. "Should we get to work, sir?" he requested, knowing that Havoc could go on all day.
Jean pouted like a small child being told that he couldn't go play outside. "Alright, Fuery. Dismissed. Wrazien, you'll use that desk," he pointed to the desk that had been Hawkeye's, feeling a slight pang like he was betraying a friend by giving her Riza's desk.
-xXx-
Riza sat on a park bench staring straight ahead with her hands on her lap, having given her report to the Fedora-man. "And therefore, I will need time alone with Mustang. I need a false location-"
"No."
"Excuse me?" she looked at him incredulously.
"They'll send someone to check out the location before you get anywhere close to X."
"Well, I can't give them the real location..." Riza trailed off at the look on the man's face.
Fedora-man said nothing.
"You want me to give them Elysia!"
"We've analyzed their previous actions, they've never killed children before. We're expecting a kidnapping, a ransom demand, and her safe release."
"We? You mean Hughes knows about this?"
"No. He doesn't. In this business, sometimes it's better that the brass be kept in the dark," he answered bluntly. "Hughes would never go along with this plan-"
"I don't blame him!"
"If she were in danger of being killed than we would act differently-"
"What about Gracia?" she demanded desperately.
There was a small pause. "Stay out in the open. I'll contact you with somewhere to meet Mustang." Fedora-man got up and left, hands in his pants pockets.
Riza wanted to cry in frustration. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she couldn't let them fall. The Organization was watching. Every movement had to be measured so no questions would be asked.
-xXx-
"Edward, sir?" Maria Ross asked. She and Denny were walking with the Elric brothers to the quarters the two had been given within HQ. "If I may ask... why happened to you?"
"Yeah, you have a lot of bruises," Denny added, pointing out the obvious as usual.
Edward shook his head. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."
"With respect, it doesn't look like nothing," Maria reached out to touch a dark bruise on his left shoulder.
"Ow!" he knocked her hand away. "I told you, it's nothing."
She sighed and exchanged a glance with Bloch.
Alphonse caught the look. "What?" he asked.
"You can trust us to help you whenever we're able," Maria said softly. "You two don't have to do everything on your own."
There was silence, broken only by the sound of Al's clanking footsteps and the sharp clicking of the State-issued boots against the floor.
"They wanted to know who sent me," Edward said finally. "Apparently they didn't believe that I was investigating on my own, and well... they were a little forceful in the asking," he added with a small laugh, rubbing his shoulder.
"You should rest," Maria said kindly when they stopped outside the door to the room the brothers shared.
Ed stifled a yawn. "But we have work to-"
"It can wait until morning," she cut him off. "Really, Edward, Alphonse- rest. You look like you need it." On impulse, she stepped forward and gave Ed an awkward hug, then turned to Al and did the same. Flushing slightly, she saluted and began walking down the hall the way they had come.
"What was that about?" Edward asked, getting only a shrug from Denny in response before he closed the door.
Denny was left standing alone. "Lieutenant Ross!" he called, jogging after her.
She stopped and turned. "What is it, Bloch?"
"I would have thought you'd want to stand guard outside Fullmetal's quarters after what happened today," he said, catching up with her.
Maria smiled and shook her head. "They're in a Military building, our presence won't do much. Besides... I have somewhere to be."
"Date?"
She blushed. "Yes."
"Oh." Denny sounded crestfallen. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Apparently not seeing his discomfort, Maria grinned. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bloch."
"Yeah. I guess," his shoulders slumped.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. I'm going to get something to eat in the mess hall," Denny said abruptly. He walked away and offered a half-hearted wave over his shoulder. "See you tomorrow, Lieutenant."
Maria looked after him thoughtfully, then headed toward the dorms to change her clothes.
-xXx-
You waited too long, you idiot, Denny thought morosely. You should have asked her long before this, and now someone's gone and snatched her away. He gave a great, gloomy sigh and jabbed a fork into his noodles, but he wasn't hungry.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting there without taking a single bite. The mess hall had emptied out of any other personnel when he heard a female voice arguing at the counter. "Do you have any ice cream? Chocolate, please. No, I don't want the little cup! Just give me the damn pint, would you? Are you stupid- would I have asked for it if I didn't want it? Thanks."
Denny looked up curiously, wondering who gets a pint of ice cream from the Military cafeteria to see Maria Ross take the last seat at the table in the corner and pry open a container of ice cream. She jabbed her spoon into it in much the same way Denny had attacked his noodles earlier and listlessly took a bite.
He looked down at his dinner. Deciding he was never going to eat it, he got up to throw it away. The garbage can was near where Maria was sitting, and he stopped there on his way out. "Lieutenant?" he asked tentatively.
"Go away, Sergeant," she said roughly. "Just leave me alone."
"But-"
"Please, Bloch!" Maria looked up at him pleadingly. She was wearing a low-cut, dark red camisole with a cream-colored jacket and matching skirt. "I just want to be alone," she added quietly, looking down into her ice cream.
"Okay," Denny said softly, putting his hand gently on her shoulder. "You know where I'll be if you want someone to talk to." He offered her a small smile and left the cafeteria, and Maria.
Stupid! he mentally berated himself as he pulled off his Military jacket, revealing a tight black t-shirt and laying on his bed in his quarters in the barracks. You should have stayed with her! With that thought in mind, he stood and walked to the door. Yanking it open, he found himself face-to-face with Maria Ross, whose hand was raised to knock.
"Um," she said, looking down.
"Come in," he said, surprised that she had taken him up on his offer.
Maria looked around hesitantly as she stepped inside. "I'm sorry, but you said-"
"I meant what I said. If you want to talk, I'll listen."
She smiled sadly at him. "Thanks, Denny. You're a good friend."
"Here, sit down," he hurriedly shoved dirty clothes off the bed to clear a space, sitting down next to her.
"You're sure you want to listen to me?" Maria was twisting the material of her skirt without looking at him.
Denny nodded, and she sighed. "My boyfriend- a civilian, you wouldn't know him- and I have been dating for eight months to the day. We had a... serious relationship."
"How serious?"
"Serious," she admitted, not meeting his eyes and smoothing her skirt, and Denny didn't have to ask to know that she'd slept with him. She took a breath and continued.
"Tonight was supposed to be special. I hadn't seen him for almost two weeks- we've been so busy here, what with the Elrics and all- so Erik made reservations at a fancy restaurant. I waited at the table for nearly an hour."
"That bastard stood you up?" Denny demanded, furious with this Erik who obviously didn't appreciate her.
Maria waved a hand to silence him. "No. He was there... just not with me. Erik was with some hot blonde who looked like she was just out of high school," she said bitterly, angrily twisting the fabric again. "When he saw me storm out, he came after me and caught up with me on the bridge over the stream in the park.
"I asked how long he had been cheating on me. He said since we had... you know." Her voice broke and she stared down at her hands, clasped together in her lap and trembling. "He said... he said..." she pressed her palms against her eyes in a vain effort to stem the tears leaking through her fingers. "That he'd gotten what he wanted from me, and I... wasn't good enough," she whispered.
Denny tentatively wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She flinched away, then buried her face in his chest, sobbing. He was rather at a loss as what to do... he had never seen her like this before. Lieutenant Maria Ross was always the strong one compared to him. He stroked her hair gently and kissed the top of her head.
"I'll kill him, Maria" he swore darkly. "I'll kill anyone who hurts you."
Her shoulders shook from crying, and she didn't answer. Eventually she fell asleep on his shoulder. Denny slowly lowered her to the bed and laid next to her, holding her tight in his arms, vowing to protect her. He brushed her hair away from one of her ears and whispered; "I love you, Maria."
He fell asleep there in his clothes, not wanting to change for fear of waking her.
End Part Seven
A/N: I tried to keep everyone as in-character as possible during this... like I said before, I'll be away for three weeks, so apologies for no updates... which is why this part is so freakin' LONG (13 typed pages, which isn't much for most people, but it is for me...) I hope you liked it, and see you all in three weeks! Please review!
Jade Rhade
And that's it for what I would like you to upload, so yeah. Thanks again!
3 Taisa Jade Rhade
hey hey hey
plz feel free to mention me (Winter Sharn) in your review whether it's to yell at me or pity me since Jade will have the yelling covered!
lol I love reading reviews because I'm weird and have no life lol
Winter Sharn