Disclaimer: I Do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or claim rights to it.
Chapter 3: Prologue to freedom
The sun was bright with a few clouds in the sky. Alphonse couldn't help but feel horrible out here while the kids and teenagers - people around his age - had to be in that lab. 'This mission ', Alphonse thought 'is tiring '. Davis was right when he said he could have been in there, it was a very real possibility. Alphonse would have been part of the second batch of kids brought to the Facility. When being transported in the truck, the vehicle was intervened by the military.
That night a truck had driven away from the military warehouse, holding enough TNT to destroy the city - so they say. Imagine their surprise to find twelve-year-old kids instead. The Private how discovered them was shot in the head, shot were then being fired between the military and the transporters. It was scary; no one knew what was happening. They all huddled together, naked since their clothes were taken away before arriving to the lab. At they time, they didn't know where they were going.
The door suddenly swung close and the truck was being driven away again. Yet the turns were sharp and careless, and they were moving fast.
Sudden stop, truck doors opening and closing shut, a curse towards…Alchemists. That was the word Alphonse heard, and he could feel a hope stir. Some of the others heard it too. That hope was ripped away from them, and ripped through them. The drivers had come to the back of the truck, opened the doors, and started to eradicate evidence - them. There's was screaming, blast of a gun so close by, 'we tried running out or away.' Alphonse was near the back - they would get to him last. 'Save us!'
As quickly as it started it ended. Not from the burst of a gun, but with flames. There was an uneasy silence. A man came to the doors, and Alphonse could see him because didn't look - didn't want to open his eyes. Everyone was crying, he was too. The sound of cars came closed in. The military came, though everything was already over.
Alphonse could feel a blanket wrap around his body, encasing him with warmth and blood. The others blood was on him, and he wished he could have done something. An idealistic thought for a twelve-year-old. Outside of the transport truck, the night shone with light. The headlights blinded him but he kept his eyes open. The others were being shuffled into vehicles.
Alphonse was the last to be taken away, mostly because he and some others were trying to calm the frantic ones as they wait for more vehicles to take them away. Some of them had hissed, and fought, and clawed at the soldiers - no trust.
That's when Alphonse had noticed.
This one man, (a mole) in his blue uniform drawing an array on the ground, looking intensely at all of them. Alphonse recognized the look in the man's eyes. He had just seen it not too long ago. An intent to kill. The closest one to the man was one of Alphonse friend, and in truth she was like a sister. Alphonse wanted to save her, at least.
"Winry!" It was a desperate cry. If that didn't catch people's attention, then the alchemist throwing a grenade their way did - using artillery since he was discovered before completing the array. Everyone was running away. So it's even harder to miss when someone runs towards danger. This man, they same man that saved them didn't even look military in his civilian clothes - that was Alphonse first sight of Roy Mustang. Even more, the first time he saw alchemy at work in a battle. The power was immense. Like before it was a burst of flame, and now he could see the flames rise and travel across. The grenade exploded in mid-air, adding to the already present fire.
' All it took was a snap of fingers.' Alphonse was in total awe. He could see the man clearly now, tinged in the radiance of red and orange. Dark hair and determined eyes that seemed to reflect the light, Alphonse could see his arm stretch out in front of him, the gloves he wore with an array.
The flame still burned when Roy was shot. Alphonse stiffened. Turning he could see the mole, running from under the fire gun drawn. The trigger was pulled down and again Roy was hit. Alphonse grabs onto the first thing he could find. He didn't even realize the weight of the rock in his hand when he threw it. He could feel the projectile leave his finger and watched it soar through the air.
The projectile hit the gun off course, the third bullet missing its intended target. Mustang didn't waste a second to once again snap his fingers. The cloth creates one spark and it was enough for Roy Mustang. The force of the fire blew the man away. He hit the side of the truck door, knocked unconscious.
Roy collapsed to the ground, his teeth grinding at the pain in his side and shoulder. The Medics were on him instantly, 'when had they come?' Alphonse could feel a grip on him quickly pulling him away from the scene. The mole was being detained, Roy had a stretcher beside him, and Alphonse watched this all from the inside of a car.
It would be four days later that he'd see Roy Mustang again.
The memories just served to say how lucky Alphonse was that time. Remembers all this as he enters the café, more determined to stop the experiments once the leader of that organization was found. The place was painted in a creamy brown, all the chairs and table made of red wood. The smell of caffeine and pastries wafts in the airs. A few flowers of pale colours dot around the place.
Taking a seat in the middle of the café, Alphonse read the menu. This place seemed to also serve as a restaurant. Of course he wasn't here to enjoy himself. The commander was coming to hear a report, something about 'Alpha': the one who was organizing these secret labs, faux orphanages and adoptive parents. This investigation was ongoing, this being the third year. All the personnel at the labs thought he was eighteen. In truth he was fifteen. Of course he wasn't the only one. Some of the others that night were also like him, adopted by the state and working on various missions - all with the same purpose.
It was unfortunate to learn there wasn't only one lab. This case really wouldn't have so many people, but the facts of moles within the military had risen question. What were these people doing? And for three years they still didn't have that answer. Of course the government couldn't turn their head from this, besides the illegal human testing (nonetheless being children), evidence of the drugs and chemical that they tested were definitely questionable.
Intelligence enhancements, muscle enhancement, stamina, ways to control them, enhancement of all their senses, strengthen the bones, the list went on and some might still be unknown. The most troubling experiments were on regeneration and increasing alchemic power. The labs were having a hard time with those.
Regeneration was a repeated failure, so they used animals instead. Increasing the alchemic power, no one touched that project. The idea was there - Alphonse had read the files - but to safely conduct and the danger of significant side effects were a problem. They figured the only way to do this was through the mix of alchemy and chemistry. In other words, the problem was alchemy. They did have alchemist there, but even they weren't willing to touch the project - too many unpredictable possibilities.
"What can I get for you?" Alphonse looked up to see a cheery girl, smiling, with pen to pad waiting for his order. Seeing people outside of the labs always reminds him of why he tires himself on these missions.
"A Maple Danish and a regular black coffee." It really didn't matter. He wasn't really here for pastries and coffee.
"Same here." Roy seats himself down into the chair across from Alphonse. The man had a way of slipping in through doors without you noticing. Roy puts on a façade for the waitress, "Work keeping you busy?"
Alphonse smiles at the questions double intent. As they wait for the girl to leave and retrieve their orders, Alphonse sorts the information he has gathered in his head for the past weeks. "It's been good. There was a close call with one of my coworkers though. Everything's fine though."
"A problem?" Alphonse could see the seriousness under Roy's mask of pleasant concern. They still held the façade, waiting for their orders - then no interruptions would (or at least should) occur.
"They're a bit suspicious of my motives." Alphonse says the words with a casual grace, as the coffee and pastries are set in front of them.
"Is that all?" the waitress asks kindly.
"That's fine, thank you." Roy threw a smile for good measure - always the flirt. Alphonse could clearly see the girl walk away blushing.
No one in the café would have thought that Alphonse and Roy's meeting is far from being informal. Their attire was casual - nothing suspicious in a blue cotton shirt and tan pants. The black jeans and green shirt that Alphonse is wearing wouldn't be overly threatening either.
"Nothing serious then?" Now they were at business, façade partially drops.
"Shouldn't be, I'll be careful though." Alphonse bites into the pastry, signaling the end of conversation.
"Any progress?" There came a slight tinge of hope from Roy.
"None." This question that's always asked was whether there was a hint (some sliver of a clue) as to who was Alpha. Alpha, the name given by their division for simplicity in reports and other items.
Roy sighs, the same answer still taxing to his mind. "Nothing has change with the guards schedules?"
Alphonse frowns at the question. 'Why would he ask that?' He hopes for Roy to give him an answer before slowly saying: "No." His frown deepens as an absurd thought zips through his mind. 'They couldn't possibly'.
Roy nods. "They want you ready to move at twenty-hundred hours", as the waitress walks away Roy adds, "The assault is being assembled as we speak."
"But what about…"
Roy cuts Alphonse off. "Are there any characters of suspicion within the labs?"
"What do you mean?" Alphonse couldn't believe they would stop searching for Alpha, but if…
"To get to the point, it seems you may not be the only one of your… profession there." Roy bites into the Danish and sips his coffee, waiting for Alphonse to process the information. It only came to light recently that there were other groups interested in the experiments. It proves to be more of a problem for the government and military. Everyone on or associated with this case is still left in the dark, and it was never good to move forward blindly without some foresight.
It aggravates Roy, that the government didn't try to dismantle all the laboratory facilities. He wasn't naïve. They want the technology too. War is still a possibility within Amestris. If there were a way to stop any type of confrontation quick and easy, they'd use it.
"I can't think of any directly matching suspicions. Does this have anything to do with the event at the 7th lab?" Though Alphonse tries to make the question casual, the seriousness couldn't be taken away. He didn't even realize his voice became louder.
"Lower your voice Alphonse. People tend to pay attention when speaking above normal volume." Amazing, the man could speak and drink coffee simultaneously, or so it seems.
"To answer your question, we're unsure, but there's evidence to suggest the 7th was infiltrated by a different group."
"So we don't know if it's a rebel faction, or someone just trying to make some profit of these inventions. And either way, they're not on our side." Alphonse dishes out the fact he concludes from Roy's simple sentence.
Roy nods his head in response, smirking. The factor of time was against them now. It was now a competition; both competitors had different goals that collided with each other in some way or form. "Everything would be easier if we knew who these people are."
"Which these other people or Alpha?" Roy made another sigh; he didn't need to answer that. Both were going to be (maybe are) trouble. The next question Alphonse decides to ask was out of curiosity. "What are your speculations?"
"This persons has resources. To bring forth these massive labs, and put expenditures in keeping all these orphanages for 'recruiting' purposes, equipment, and personnel - that even get paid - the money is coming from somewhere. They could be getting the monetary resources illegally, but it could be legal also - just harder. I'm sure you've thought of these things already."
Al gives a slight nod, drinking the coffee. There's not point in pretending he hadn't. "If the resources are legal, than it must be in an area of large profit. Am I correct?"
"Yes. Currently I have requested the other commanders to have a look into this." Roy drinks the last drop of the coffee, "Twenty-hundred hours, don't forget. You're expected to secure the left wing of the north east."
'Edward's in that wing.' Alphonse gives a mocking salute; any civilian would have thought it as a joke. With a bite and a gulp, Alphonse is paying at the counter and out of the café. He needs to prepare for the assault. There were hours left before the actual take-over the 2nd lab, but hours sometimes became minutes.
It was still a strange move, doing this assault makes it know to Alpha of government presence. More so, this case being conducted under division 2 might cause Alpha to go into hiding. 'Won't be likely.' Alphonse sometimes felt that this person knew. Laughed at them as they scrounge around their labs.
In total there were 4 divisions in the government's security structured for the country: the military.
Division 1 are just normal soldiers - volunteers. Unless called into action they stood post as guards or they branch out into the other divisions.
Division 2 is the division Alphonse and Roy is both in. They couldn't consider themselves military unless times of war. When war occurs, they were instantly drafted in. They dealt with conflicts that the government took interest in, like example this case. Alphonse heard of other cases involving serial killers, illegal use of alchemy, and a few times Division 2 was dispatch to stop gang fights - mostly because alchemy was involved.
Communications were Division 3. As the name implies, this division dealt with communications and anything relating. Mostly everything is relied through this Division, except for the few emergency calls that bypass this division through a direct line. During the wars in the past, they were messengers: carrying information dropped off by moles that placed within the enemy or from generals to general to government officials. Another of their task was the preservation (fixing, in other words) and advancement of technology of communication.
Intelligence, or division 4, is self-explanatory. Another exception for division 3's communication lines. Alphonse was pretty sure Roy got most of his information of government happenings from Maes Hughes. The man is one of the best, not that'd you see from first glance. It's Maes best advantage. He had a natural skill for the task.
'8:00PM is when the assault begins. So I have to be ready at left wing of the north east building at least 10 minutes before.' In the left wing of the building is the weak point of the entire lab. Power lines and communication lines could easily be cut, giving the advantage to the assault team. Everything would have to be cut at exactly 8:00PM.
This is the end for the 2nd lab. A prologue to freedom for the test subjects. Freedom if they can allow it to be.