Chapter 2
A cement wall sprung up between the mugger and his victims. Behind Ed the sound of a bullet hitting a garbage can rang through his ears and the magnitude of the situation lessoned. He'd almost been shot! Again! He heard crying and turned to see Amy leaning against the Alley wall. She had been surprised to say the least, that obviously scared her. The mugger from the other side of the wall could be heard yelling curses and most importantly "That's alchemy you motherfucker! People are going to hear about this, you won't be able to leave your room you fucking dwarf!" Edward chose to ignore this.
"Are you okay? He didn't get ya with the gun did he?" Ed asked completely lacking empathy. The mention of the gun only served to upset her further. To calm her down he held her in an embrace. This is also known as taking advantage of the situation. She still held the wallet in her hand. After a time Amy put the money back with shaking hands and pulled out a handkerchief. She blew her nose with no concern for being lady like (she sounded like a fog horn) and wiped her eyes on his coat.
"Better?" Ed asked.
"Ya. I'm not upset about the money you know. I would have given it to him." Her voice was shaky but still a great improvement from the uncontrollable mass of tears she was before.
"Guess you don't want to go to a movie huh?" Ed said, a long shot but he had to ask.
"No way, I'm going home." Amy stated turning to go. She stopped dead though when she was facing the barrier he'd created. "There's a- How did you do this?"
"It's alchemy." Ed admitted. "And I know it's illegal but look how useful it is! Look I can get rid of it no problem. He repeated the process and hit the wall, it collapsed back onto the cement and molded itself in, like it had never been.
"So I almost got shot and killed because your a witch!" Amy screamed.
"No! He was going to shoot, I saved you!" Ed said trying to justify himself. Amy who had had enough ran down the alley no doubt on her way home. That didn't go well Ed mused on his way to the grocery store. Maybe she would come to forgive him? She knew where he lived if she wanted to see him. Surely she would show up again, right?
It had been two weeks and no sign of Amy. To make things worse he might have to go to school in September, naught but a month away. If he could get a solid good paying job than he wouldn't have to, he was 16 and it was legal thank god. But what could he do? He had told his father about creating the money and he heard no arguments about it, it was only for a short while. They were actually planning to go apartment shopping later that day, sometime after lunch probably. In the end forging money was not employment. Maybe he could be a bodyguard? He knew how to defend himself, but then again who would want him? He was not intimidating at all.
He had made a resume for himself and was completely unimpressed with it. Job experience? None. Education? None. Place of residence? Well he had that, 53 Birch Street Canada. They'd moved soon after Ed came through the door. He didn't want to remember the place where he'd came through.
With his father out working Edward decided to hit the movies. Amy had shown him a place not to far his current apartment building. They had moved the day before to the new place, it was not as close to the down town, thus the food store was far away. The up side was that it was undeniably a large improvement. It was just nicer, it had running water and was wallpaper free.
He walked along the sidewalk careful to avoid a particularly large example of doggy excrement. He passed his dads restaurant and waved at the waiter. It was about 5:30, he was going to be early for the show. Going down the side walk lost in thought he accidentally shouldered someone, tripped on his own feet while muttering an apology and nearly bit the curb.
"Hey watch where your going shorty!" the man yelled. Shorty?
In a fit of rage Ed couldn't help but retaliate. "Did you say I was short and insignificant? Come here and say that you fat blimp, you poor excuse for a tall creature!" This needless to say incurred the wrath of the man who unfortunately had friends, three of them. He got a chance to evaluate his odds before they charged. They were all adults, over twenty years to the youngest and the man that insulted him so gravely was maybe thirty. They were dressed in uniform, were obviously of some importance. Police? Unlikely. Something government though, they sure as hell didn't work at Robins.
The closest two attacked unanimously, both ready to punch him, one aimed for his head. He ducked and dodged the other which was headed for his gut. He shot out and grabbed the mans arm, throwing him past behind him. The fat man who insulted him was just behind, he'd forgotten him. He took a punch to the jaw and stumbled back, tripped over one of them and landed on his ass. He heard a roar and knew he was about to get dog piled. He rolled right and landed on the street.
He sprang up and tackled one, running him into the buildings wall. He punched the man in the gut before he was lifted off his feet from behind. The man turned around, and egged his friend on "I got 'im Rodney, beat the snot outta him!" He wriggled and tried to escape to no avail. He pushed off the mans lower gut with his legs and collided with his attacked. They wrestled, he ended up underneath of course and took another blow to the face, surely soon to be followed up with another. Thinking only of survival he smacked his hands together and flattened them on the pavement. He made a solid cement tunnel appear over his face to take the hit and upon hearing the ear splitting scream touched it again to get rid of it. With a grunt he pushed the man off him only to find the two other attackers ready to reengage him.
Catching his breath he moved into fighting stance, his fists up. The first attacked with a yell, his fist drawn back. Ed jumped up and kicked him in the side, pushing him out of the way. He turned round and attacked again laying a punch to the guys gut. He had him, he laid another then kicked the man in the low blow zone. He doubled over in pain. Someone grabbed his coat from behind, with a quick twist the man was holding his jacket and Ed was free to lay a punch to the face, with his right hand. The guy was out cold. He turned gasping for air to the other two and was pleasantly surprised. They had backed away and even better, were not planning a battle strategy. He smiled and turned to continue his walk to the theatre only to find the fourth guy standing in his way, now how had he missed that?
The man was clearly of more importance than the other three. He was clean shaven, a good bit older and was commanding his friends to stand down. His dark hair was flecked with grey from old age or frustration, hard to say. He couldn't have been much older than fourty or so. He had a receding hairline and unlike his friends, was in relatively good shape. Not a muscular warehouse mind you but not a good rolly polly either. His clothes were smart, more of a suit than a uniform. He was brought out of observation as the man spoke again, "Rodney, Stockman, take Bob back and get him some ice. I have a proposition for Mister...?"
"Elric sir. And I'm really in a bit of a hurry, that guys going to need more than ice though." Ed made to move past the guy but was rudely cut off. Not wanting to fight again (it was quite difficult enough the first time thank you) he settled for simply throwing on his impatient face. The man waved his friends off, Ed turned to see them carting their wounded friend between them back down the street. It looked very awkward.
"Mr. Elric. I must say, I was impressed with that show. Those men are trained to fight, and your only what thirteen?" Ed's anger rose slightly at the miscalculation, he was sixteen! "Since your in such a hurry I'll get right to the point, I want you to work with my group. We hear about upcoming threats to the government and try to prevent them, sometimes our men go in to attack terrorists. We do the things everyone else is afraid to do, a kind of branch in the government." Under Ed's questioning gaze he went on "it's legal, the government supports our actions. I'll pay you very well of course, these are hard times after all." The man added, regarding his very sad clothes. True, but extremely rude.
"Not interested, besides I think the three of them will help you just fine. Now really, I'm going to be late if I stay here." Ed shoved past more intent on going home than to a movie. His jaw throbbed painfully and so did his back, his gut and for some reason his right foot.
"Work for me or I will tell the authorities about your witchcraft." The man threatened. That stopped Ed in his tracks who turned around his face grave.
"That's, no one will believe you, everyone knows that alchemists are the old geezers. Come on, can't you find someone else?" Ed appeared to be quite calm but inside he was panicking. They would believe, at least when they saw the house, littered with chalk and cleaned pentacles. Even more incriminating research notes and his diary, who knows what his father had. He couldn't work with this guy, the man could any time through him to the authorities.
I will pay you $50.00 an hour, more if you go into a real dangerous place sometime."Ed's eyes widened at the sum, that was a lot, he knew minimum wage was only like five dollars an hour or so, he'd make more than his dad. The man came in close and said, his voice low "I'm particularly interested in your alchemy thing, it's not common and I'm sure it will come in handy. Look at it this way, if your not protected by someone like me, it's just a matter of time until your caught throwing it around like you do." The man had a point. Ed couldn't help it, he could always quit if he had to. He was sure the man would remain silent under a death threat. Plus, this way he wouldn't have to go to school!
He nodded his head and offered his hand for a shake. The man took it and with a bright smile on his face said "I am Adam Thatcher. I work in the military, if you would follow me to my office we can fill out your contract." Under Edward's suspicious gaze he added "It's only about payment, freedom to quit if you want and the right to days off. You can read it of you like." Ed remained suspicious despite Mr. Thatcher's reassurance.
The office was not far and they arrived shortly. He filled it all out having read the fine print. The other people in the place were all looking at him curiously, perhaps visitors didn't drop by much? One person in the back of the office spoke up, probably voicing everyone else's thoughts too. "Who is that kid Thatch? This is a private facility, we don't just invite people in."
"This is your newest co worker Edward Elric. I think we'll put him on the field, so he'll be working right under you Berkley." Berkley was much younger than Mr. Thatcher, only a few years above himself. His dark hair was hidden beneath a black cap, drawing eyes to his face. He had blue eyes and kept squinting, likely because of the light. Sadly enough however, the guy was tall, over six foot any way. Stupid tall people. "Since you'll be working together, why don't you show him around for me? I expect you on time for work tomorrow Mr. Elric."
Berkley stared after his boss, not believing what had just happened to him. They were a top notch crew, no slacking or funny business. Well, that was the goal anyway. And his new boss just walks in a within days brings in a kiddy? What was he playing, they'd send in the child to guilt the terrorist into submission? This was a joke, it had to be. A few of his coworkers laughed at his misfortune, thats right, he had to show the brat around the place. Turning to his assignment he asked, his voice dragging "Where do you want to go?"
"Ya know I'd rather go home, thanks for the tour, this room is very nice. Er, guess I'll see ya tomorrow." The child answered. That wouldn't do, it wasn't a game for kids, why was he here? Even he didn't take the job seriously but what they did was dangerous, this was sick and wrong. Before he could find a way to politely voice his opinion the kid was past the desk and out the door.
Back home Mr. Elric was busy cleaning. There was no one to do it for him, his son Edward seemed to actually like living in a disorganized mess. And yes, there is such thing as an organized mess. In Ed's room you couldn't find anything. In the kitchen however you at least always knew where the food was, lost in the fridge. And so, the mess that was his sons room was currently occupying his time. If his son wouldn't clean it, he'd do it. Ed would simply have to get half and half again next week.
It was when he'd finished with the clothes and moved to the desk and lifted the lid that he found something organized. Papers lay stacked in their own corners in the drawer and writing utensils scattered on the floor of the immediate area. He wasn't going to bother touching them, until a few words caught his eye. Sacrifice and transmute stuck out pretty well. He checked to make sure that Ed wasn't back yet and lifted out the papers.
It was research he soon learned. To change oneself to an animal to fool the gate keepers and get back home. So Ed was still hoping to return. There were also a few notes involving Al, the boy probably wondered if his brother had got his body back. Mr. Elric didn't wonder, he knew. The boy had to, it would be too cruel for him not too. But this information was quality, he could use it. A complex pentacle would open the way to the gate, the disguise could potentially help someone survive the trip. They might not take his life. It was nothing short of genius. Yes, he could use this.