Nice to know some of you seem to be enjoying this tale. This chapter cuts between military and Elric, unless they are together, and that will happen throughout the story as well as finding out what is happeneing to Winry. I may have to change the rating soon, depending on how evil I'm feeling. FMA isn't mine...ever.
He scratched the back of his head and yawned again. If Winry had to be on a train this long she would no doubt be in the worst mood possible. He would have been at any rate but a train delay was very rare. He would get it in the neck for expecting her to come back. But even after not facing them for quite a while he was prepared to face her temper tantrums. They would usually end in a smile and her storming off laughing.
It had been two years however and she may have changed. It had not questioned about her for fear he would find out news he would prefer not to know. Selfish as it was he had hoped home would remain as it always had while it was away. That included Winry and her temper within it. Al was the same as was everything in Rizembol. Having Rose around was a little strange but she had promised she would be leaving soon. She had been keeping Pinako company but now Winry was coming home there would no longer be any need. Ed believed this was wrong as Winry would no doubt want to go back to Rush Valley the minute she had seen him.
The stationmaster approached with a sheet of paper in his hand. His age showed as his body shook even as he stood still. His face showed neither highs nor lows and he had been the same for as long as Ed could remember. He had agreed to pick up Winry alone as the old man depressed Al and Jack was playing up taking all of Roses attention.
'We've had a call. The train from Central had to stop. There has been some trouble on board,' sighed the stationmaster.
'Trouble. What a technical fault or something like that?' Ed asked.
'No it's been attacked. The military were on the train and they are on the way to see your Aunt Pinako,'
'Why?' he demanded, standing up 'Why are they coming to see Aunt Pinako?'
It was the not knowing that was affecting them the most. Winry was supposed to be home by now but as it was she was stuck on a train somewhere. They knew military personal were going to turn up to explain what had happened but they had no idea when. Edward had been shooed from the train station a few hours ago after causing upheaval by demanding to know what had happened. He had been on a train that had been attacked and knew it could be very dangerous. They could be holding everyone hostage but that wouldn't explain why the military personnel were freed. All he could assume was that they had to comb the train so it had to remain stationary.
Pinako calmly smoked her pipe and waited for the military to turn up on her door to explain what happened. They were probably visiting everyone who was expecting someone who hadn't shown up yet. They would probably bring Winry and the others with them to save a journey. Once their panic had subsided they were dreading her temper again. Rose had retreated upstairs both in fear of Winry but also because this was a moment she was not part of.
Finally they could see a car coming toward the house at a top speed. Edward opened the door and stood to show he was there and expecting some news. He was also in sight of Winry if she too was within the vehicle. He stuck out his chest so she knew he was waiting to get an earful.
The car stopped and two men in uniform got out. So no Winry, which would mean the men, were going to tell them when she would come home. Why this couldn't have been done on the train was beyond him but they no doubt had their reasons. The military were an odd bunch when they wanted to be.
'Edward Elric?' one of the men called as they walked up the path.
'Yes, that's me. This is the Rockbell residence. I understand you have some news about our missing friend.'
Ed loved to sound like an adult and one with authority. But when the men didn't smile he felt something in the pit of his stomach drop. Something had happened to her after all.
'May we speak to Pinako Rockbell please Mr Elric?'
Nobody wakes up to think something terrible will happen to them that day. Even after all they had been through the Elric brothers still didn't. Edward had felt relief like no other when he had finally got home now only to face this. Winry had been taken and they had no clue as to whom. Witnesses had seen her talking to an elderly woman but nothing after they had been blocked in. That was at least some form of a clue. Whoever had taken Winry were an alchemist and a good one at that. The military promised to try and find the old woman Winry had been seen talking to but she too had vanished. They knew her last moments were fearful for many people on the train heard her screaming. The very thought of what might have happened to her tore through them all and Pinako was close to tears. Al stared out the window full of melancholy while Ed was angry. If he hadn't wanted her to come home so soon she would still be safe. He should have gone to her rather then demand she uproot to come to him.
'Brother, don't blame yourself,' Al sighed, 'Winry wanted to come home to see us. Nothing would have stopped her.'
'Was it so hard for us to go to Rush Valley?' he demanded.
'I wanted you to stay here and I wanted Winry home,' Pinako snapped and Edward fell silent. One of his greatest weaknesses was to see those he cared about in pain and the look on Aunt Pinako's face was one he had never witnessed before. The last time she had seemed so down was when her son and his wife were killed. When Winry lost her parents at the hand of the military. That was water under the bridge now as the military would play a big part in finding her. They would find out why she had been taken and what they wanted in exchange. One key piece of evidence was a newspaper found at the scene opened on a page about him. What was key is that it mentioned Winry as so very important to him. If someone wanted to get at him it would be easy to take Winry. Well if they wanted to upset Edward Elric they had succeeded. Nothing would stop him finding Winry and bringing her home safely. Home just wasn't home without her.
'What we need to figure out is why Winry was taken before we can build a profile of the kidnapper.'
'Sir, we can easily narrow down the group we are looking for.'
'We can narrow them down even more if we know what they are looking for.'
'They are clearly trying to get at Edward Elric now they know he's back.'
'What exactly can he offer First Lieutenant?'
'The knowledge to venture to another world or create the Philosophers stone.'
'He hasn't discussed either of those things since he came back.'
'Exactly sir!'
Roy Mustang growled at Riza Hawkeye while she managed to retain a straight face. This sort of bickering between them had been going on for years, even while their positions changed. For a while Riza had in fact been higher in rank than Roy, but for some reason she could not stop seeing him as her supervisor. Still, when they bickered she generally won due to her skill at foreseeing problems. Roy wasn't always the 'look before you leap' type, especially in times of panic. When the news had come in that Winry Rockbell had been kidnapped he immediately set into action. Anything to do with Fullmetal had always been left to him to sort out. Now it wasn't responsibility, it was a favour.
'I'm afraid to say I agree with the First Lieutenant. The train only had so many people on, one of them had to be an alchemist. Not only that, they had to have a desire to meet Edward, otherwise they wouldn't have taken Winry.'
Roy Mustang turned to the other subordinate. A valued soldier and a friend, Jean Havoc was often caught in the middle of these fight. He usually sided with Hawkeye and earned himself the evil eye from Mustang.
Papers were everywhere with witness accounts and written descriptions of the scene. Sadly very little of it looked like it would help them in their investigation. They needed to find the old lady who had been talking to Winry before the incident as she might have some idea of what happened. Many alchemists had tried to speak to Edward and got nothing out of him but none seemed capable of kidnap. As far as witnesses could tell no-one famous had been on the train let alone an alchemist. They had nothing to go on and none of them had volunteered to phone the Elric house and tell them. It may have been reduced to drawing short straws. That was until Farmen came in to inform them the Elric brothers were in fact on their way to Central right now.
'Perhaps we need to wait. The kidnapper will surely be in contact with their demands soon enough,' Farmen suggested.
'That won't be enough for Fullmetal. Remember the last time Miss Rockbell was kidnapped,' Mustang sighed.
'Barry the chopper,' Havoc whispered.
'That time she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. This was a selected attack,' Hawkeye added, but Mustang had a point. Wherever she was Winry must be expecting nothing but death. Thanks to knowing the Elric brothers she had been at risk before. The biggest problem was they knew that and would be blaming this solely on themselves.
Edward didn't like being on a train considering what had happened. Sadly it was still the quickest way to get around in this world. In the other world they had machines that could fly freely and technology beyond what had ever reached his world. Still the other world did not have alchemy like they did which was an invaluable source of energy. He did not like to recall however exactly how they obtained the enemy to perform alchemy.
'Brother, it will be alright,' Al comforted, 'Winry will be safe I know it.'
Edward nodded at his ever-optimistic brother. Somehow Al was right about these things even if he didn't seem it at the time. His youth and innocence hadn't changed in all he had experienced. It was refreshing to say the least and Ed appreciated seeing a smile. Although he couldn't agree with Al vocally he knew his brother understood.
He kept going over in his head if there was anyone who would like to hurt him and use Winry as bait. Although many people had harassed him about what he knew they were all nothing but curious. Anybody who was a threat or who had been were dead. Unless there was someone who he had made an enemy of a not known. Of course there was the possibility this had nothing to do with him and it was an attack on Winry. But what could Winry have that somebody would kidnap her for? She was willing to make automail for anybody who needed it so that couldn't be it. Nobody would be dissatisfied with her work so it was not a revenge attack. He just couldn't fathom a reason for anybody to kidnap Winry. For them to know alchemy so well meant they wanted knowledge. Edward wasn't rich and neither was Al. They had no connections in the military anymore. They had nothing but the secrets they kept. He once again cursed the media for it was it that had ultimately put Winry in danger. How much had they harassed the ones he loved while he was away?
'Brother, we are nearly there.'
'Yes Al. So we are.'
When he strode into the room Riza almost smiled at the determination of his face. That stubborn resolve he had kept throughout his military career. When he was twelve it was cute, when he was sixteen it was arrogance. Now he was nineteen it served to show the adult he had formed into. The years had changed him in many ways but he was still Fullmetal to those in the military.
'Show me what you know,' Edward yelled as he came face to face with Roy.
'Your hellos are always to overblown Fullmetal,' Roy replied without batting an eyelid. He had become accustomed to Ed's temper even though he hadn't faced it in a while.
'This is no time for pleasantries,' Edward continued to yell. So the arguing carried on.
Behind them Alphonse was engaged in conversation with Hawkeye. First off he had apologised for his brothers behaviour and now he was asking about the evidence.
'We found her cases. We decided it would be best for you to open them but I suggest you hurry. They may contain a clue as to who took her.'
'Where are they?' Edward demanded, clearly listening on their conversation. Hawkeye lead them to the two cases. The first held her clothes and the odd tool. Nothing out of the ordinary as far as they could see. The second was far more difficult to prize open, as it had been locked with alchemy. Apparently Winry had picked up something along they way and it made Al smile. Edward however was struggling and in the end gave in. Turning to Al he let his brother undo the alchemy but Ed was the one to open the lid.
He couldn't say he was exactly expecting what they found but it did not surprise him. An automail arm and leg that Winry had clearly but a lot of effort into. They were the best he had ever seen and they may have finally found something to work with.
'Somebody wanted these limbs! Its her best work if it is hers and somebody must have wanted them,' he said with an excited speed to his voice.
But the others did not look so hopeful.
'Brother, they would have taken the automail and not Winry,' Al sighed and despaired as his brother slammed the lid shut. He stormed out of the room and out into the open air to try and clear his head. Al followed but kept his mouth shut in case he upset his brother further.
'We have to find who these limbs are for. It isn't much to go on but it's all we have at the moment. What I said in there was stupid…'
'No brother, it wasn't stupid at all. Automail has to be made for the person its intended for. Perhaps they took Winry to demand she make them such good limbs.'
Edward smiled and ruffled Al's hair. What would he do without his brother around him? It was something he had experienced and didn't want to again.
'Right. We find the person they are for and question them. It may give us a clue even if it is small.'
'That won't help.'
Edward turned with a scowl toward Mustang who had joined them. 'Pray tell exactly why not?'
Mustang smiled as he knew it would enrage Edward further. He ran a hand casually through his hair before saying, 'Those limbs are clearly for you Fullmetal. Why else would she be carrying this with her on a train home?'
What she noticed first was how dreadfully cold she was. Her eyes hadn't quite found there way into opening so she could only feel what was around her. Her hands were bound but she was on a soft surface. She was cold she finally realised, because she was stripped down to her underwear. This snapped her eyes open to take in her surroundings.
She was in fact lying on a huge bed in a rather luxurious looking room. She could see no sign of her clothes but there appeared to be nobody around. Although she was frightfully scared she trued to recall exactly what had happened. When she did, she wished she hadn't.
Panic began to set in. She flew over to the door only to find of course that it was locked. She ran to the window to try and get some clue as to where she was. She was on a high floor in what seemed rather a grand building. She was surrounded by nothing but woodland for miles all round. She screamed in frustration before the door burst open.
