Chapter Three

Authors Note: This is mostly a Mustang chapter, so bear with me.

"It's twenty-five past now Alphonse." Mustang stood up from the couch and turned to the armor in the seat near him. "I don't know what Ed thinks he's doing, but this is a serious situation and I don't need any sort of insubordination right now." He ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. You're making a risky decision, Ed.

"He'll be here I know he--

There was a knock on the door and both of them stared at it.

"Come in." Mustang said. The knob turned and Lieutenant Hawkeye stuck her head in.

"It's time sir."

Mustang nodded and looked over at Al. "Well, I must join the others… and let's hope, for Fullmetal's sake, that our paths do not cross." He said this as he pulled on a new cotton glove and left the younger Elric alone in the room.

"Brother what are you doing…?"

Outside Colonel Mustang met with the others. There were four parties being dispatched from each headquarter, one in each direction. There were several State Alchemists in every party, but in Mustang's it was just him and Armstrong along with the usual Hawkeye, Havoc, Furey and Hughes. Falman and Breda were given the night off.

"Alright, we are to patrol the southern division of the city today. We have two breaks, one at midnight and the other at four. We are done with our shift at dawn, which is about six thirty." Mustang reminded the group as they set out. "And remember, we shoot to kill once the target is identified as a Chimera."

Heading South on Central Avenue, their long evening began. Each of them had a flashlight and they swept the streets, holes and alleyways. A hot wind blew the strands of Roy's hair. It's very dry tonight. Good for a fire. He thought,

trying to find the bright side to this unwelcomed assignment they had been appointed. If this is what I must do to become Fuehrer, than so be it.

They had walked for a half hour and everything seemed peaceful. Havoc stopped and looked down a long lane between a post office and some apartments. His light hit the brick dead end wall and the shadow of something shown against it, enlarging a four-legged figure.

"I think we've got something here." He called out. He closed in on the creature and saw that it was a dog cross lizard; the beast was licking some unidentifiable liquid off the ground. As Havoc came closer, the Chimera turned to face

him. It was three feet high and around five feet long. The creature hissed and leapt at Havoc. He shot at it twice before it neared him. One bullet skimmed a shoulder and the other directly in the abdomen. The Chimera slid in front

of Havoc, it let out a deep guttural growl and forced its way back up. By now Mustang was behind him and set the condemned creature ablaze.

"Well, there's the first tonight, but I'm counting that one as mine" Havoc said as they rejoined the others on the street.

"Wouldn't that be your first?" Mustang teased as they continued on patrol.

"Hey! It's not my fault you and Armstrong like to hog all fun."

"I think Breda has gotten more than you and he's not even here!" Mustang laughed.

"Will you two be quiet there are people trying to sleep around here." Hawkeye interrupted them.

"Yes, you're right…" Mustang said regaining his composure. He glanced back to see Maes trailing behind. He slowed enough for them to walk side by side. "What's eating you?"

Maes looked at his friend and sighed. "Tonight was my night to read a bed time story to Alicia and I feel terrible. She's probably crying her little eye's out right now "Where's Daddy? Why isn't he reading to me tonight?" Maes did his best impersonation of his daughter.

Roy rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers to stop the burning of their first catch. I'm sure that Chimera is nothing but ash now.

"So what about you?" Maes asked looking inquisitively at the Colonel.

"What are you talking about?" Mustang smiled trying to hid his feelings.

"Please Roy, I know you better than you think. I'm an investigator. And I can tell when my best friend is hiding something." Maes said patting Roy on the back and grinning. "Is it about a girl?"

"No… Maes it is not about a girl." Mustang looked at Hughes in the eyes. "It's Fullmetal."

"Ed?" Maes asked. "What, has he finally had it with your "height" jokes?"

"I wish it were something as trivial as that." Roy said. "I was given orders to keep him in his dorm after nine every night until we catch the person responsible for these Chimeras. Well, he took the command better than I thought… at least for him. Yet he didn't shown up by the time we left. And what's more, I think him and Alphonse have had a

fight. When he called to check on the younger, Al had apologized to Fullmetal for doubting him about something or other. If that's the case and you know how serious Fullmetal is about getting them back to normal, I believe he will do something as reckless as looking for Tucker or whoever, himself."

"He seems to be harder to control after every assignment." Maes said staring off at the stars. "He burdens himself with so much it's no wonder he hasn't grown." They both laughed.

"I just hope he--

"Your mine!" The two heard Armstrong shout and leap at some unseen figure. So the rest of the night was filled with chasing, shooting and fire. On their first break Mustang called Alphonse to see if Ed had returned. Still no sign of

him. And he decided against calling on their last break, he didn't want the younger to worry too much. Finally, dawn approached and they all set off to go home. Mustang walked Hawkeye to her place.

"Goodnight, Hawkeye." Roy said to his First Lieutenant.

"Good morning, sir." She smiled wearily and headed to her second story apartment.

"Right… morning." Roy looked up at the sky. It was very cloudy, dreary and dark.