Disclaimer: Don't own FMA. If I did, wow. The characters would actually have birthdates, certain days from the months and years! lol

Author's Note: This isa short chapter, forgive me. I've been busy. As usual. You know, I really only have time to write Wednesday through Sunday, and that isn't a lot of time, actually, to write something from almost scratch. But anyway, I'm trying hard to keep up for you guys. I have some news, which you can skip if you want. I just like sharing things. I dyed my hair black Tuesday (the 11th) morning! W00T! It's like...lose me in the dark black, or you would if I wasn't pale-ish. Sunday, the 9th, I got the Goo Goo Dolls Gutterflower CD. They are like, my most favorite band. Yay! And Friday, the 14th, I'm going toa Fall Out Boy concert! I've only really listened to and learned the words to their song "Sugar We're Goin' Down" and that's it. lol But anyway, I reveal a lot in this chapter, and we're getting into some action! Whoo! It's a two part, so forgive me.

Birthday notes:P.P.G.'s friend FMA Fan (both anonymously reviewed) asked me to write this as a birthday present for P.P.G. Well, it's a day early, but happy birthday, P.P.G.! Congratz. :P

Advertisements: Yes, yes, I put this up every chapter because I said I would. But you all should know the stories now, so I will just tell you the authors. Shiruba Neko, IsisoftheUnderground, and Asha3. If you like Lord of the Rings or Phantom of the Opera, go read Meluivan Indil's stories. She is the one who started the petition for getting our review reponse rights back! So I sincerely hope we get them back soon.

Okay, now we can go on. Oh, no song title, just an event in the chapter.

Chapter 11: Sucker Punched

It was about fifteen minutes after that world-shattering dance when Edward escaped to the restroom. He'd been too caught up in the moment to realize that the strange feelings he'd been experiencing now were bad. Very, very bad. He couldn't fall in love! Especially with the woman he was supposed to be keeping safe! Things just didn't work that way, no matter how some people may have thought.

Yes, it was true Edward had come to care for Winry. He hadn't been able to tell whether he cared for her as a sister or something more. He knew now, and he didn't like it. It was just against all the rules and ethics he'd set for himself. And not to mention all the jokes he'd hear from Mustang about it. Wasn't it enough that Edward was barely five-foot-three and no one let him forget that? No...falling in love wasn't allowed, not with anyone.

With a great sigh, Ed leaned his forehead against the cold wall. Who was he kidding? Certainly not himself. But maybe he could. Maybe he could make himself fall out of love, become cold and neutral. He could do that, couldn't he? Just be there to take care of her until things were settled, then be on his merry way to never seeing her again? Then everyone would be happy. Winry hadn't confessed any passionate feelings for him. Yet. He didn't know if it was true, but it seemed obvious to everyone that she liked him. Ed didn't believe it...no one could really love him. He was too dark and depressed with so many secrets. No one liked a closed-mouthed boyfriend. Girls wanted to know everything and anything about the guy they were dating. And that just didn't work. There were things in Ed's life that he just did not talk about it.

Like the accident.

He pushed away from the wall with a sigh and turned to face his trials for the night. Instead of his trials, Ed almost collided with a tall man. It was the guy he'd hid behind to overhear Lanie and Winry's conversation.

"Watch where you're walking, shorty," the man said and went on his way.

Edward seethed, but controlled the impulse to lash out on the man for calling him short. "Same to you, man," he said instead and left the bathroom, now in a mood. What a great attitude for a date. Then something struck him, almost quite literally. There was a certain scent about that man, something familiar that struck far into his past, the past he wanted to forget. He stood at the door, trying to figure out what the memory was. Then a toilet flushed and ruined his concentration, the few thoughts he'd had together scattering. Out of the corner of his eye, Ed saw the man come back out of a stall and smirk. Then the scenery changed to the dark club. He looked around for Winry and found her at the bar.

"Hey," he murmured and sat beside her. She looked a little shaken, as well. "What is it?"

"I saw your friend...that woman from the diner," Winry said, shivering. "Something about her..."

Edward swore and pursed his lips. "Okay, so they did come here," he said to himself aloud.

"What?"

He looked at the woman beside him and sighed. "Whatever happens, Winry, I want you to stay out of sight, okay? Did Quintus see you? Did she say anything?" Ed slipped off the barstool. As his feet touched the ground, he remembered something.

That scent...it had been around Primus, as well. But it was impossible. Maybe just a coincidence in cologne? Who else would be on this scheme? Everyone and his uncle? Edward growled and mentally checked himself for weapons. He had a small gun at his ankle, and a standard issue pistol in his coat, and that was about it. And his coat was up at the front. Just lucky.

"Edward?" Winry touched his shoulder softly.

He looked at her seriously. "I have a lot of leads on your case; tonight was supposed to be when Quintus and Primus met for something," he told her. "I don't see Primus, but he could be virtually anywhere. So I want you to find Lanie and go back to Secundus' restaurant." Even in the man was in on it, he would probably be too busy to notice anything out of the ordinary. "I'll take care of everything else, all right?"

"Edward, what are you--"

"Just go; I'll explain it all later!" he said loudly and pulled her off the barstool. He dragged her with him to the door and caught Lanie just before she left. Edward quickly explained what he wanted them to do and shoved them out the door. Then he turned to the bouncer. There was an X-shaped scar on his face over his eyes and the bridge of his nose. "Oi, how many people would you say are here?" he asked.

The bouncer looked at him sternly for a minute until Ed flashed his badge. "Maybe a hundred or more," the tall, beefy man said. "Why?"

"I need to get at least half of these people out in the next ten minutes. Can you do that?" The diminuitive man looked around for any view of the two individuals he was searching for. Where had Winry seen Quintus? He should have asked her where. He was about to reach for his cell phone to call Lanie when he spotted the woman sitting in a booth in the far corner. Ed turned his attention back to the bouncer, somewhat satisfied. "Could you get as many people as you can out of here without it seeming too suspicious?"

"Why do you need these people out?" the very, very tall man asked, leering down at Ed.

Edward ignored the fact that someone was looking down at him from a very tall height, with what looked like either very brown or red eyes in the dark club. But he pulled his badge out again and let the man inspect it. "My case right now is to keep a very important person safe, and I have a lead on that case. Two people in on it were supposed to meet here tonight," he explained quietly. Then that man who had called him short in the bathroom caught the corner of Ed's attention, standing off to his side. There was just something about him that didn't seem right...

"And you want me to get some people out of here because?" the bouncer asked, handing the badge back with a strange look that Ed didn't really like.

Edward quickly pocketed the black leather and grabbed his coat, seeing that things weren't going well. "I don't want people to get hurt in case something happens," he said, quickly becoming cross. And it wasn't just that he was short, either. People questioning his judgement usually upset him.

"Something happens?" The bouncer sneered at Ed.

"Yes! Something that you probably wouldn't want to happen while you're here!" he nearly shouted. A couple people looked at him, but Ed ignored it. "Now please, I will need your cooporation or I'll do it myself - with backup."

The man smirked now. "Do it your way. Police or not," he grumbled and continued looking out around the room.

Edward bit his lip in frustration and reached for his cell phone. Reluctantly, he dialed the number for Roy Mustang. The line rang for about a minute until he heard a very frustrated, curt, "What is it?"

" 'Bout time. I need backup over here," he spat quickly into phone.

"Where are you, and why?" Mustang sounded bored.

Ed gave the name of the nightclub. "Hughes called me today with a lead about my case; even though I only see one person I need, I have a bad feeling about someone else. Will you just get some people over here?"

"Why?"

1, 2, 3... Edward counted in his head. "Because the bouncer is not being any help at all and I just can't up and say 'Police, everyone get out,' because I'll lose my lead!"

Mustang was silent for time enough that Edward checked his phone to see if the man had hung up on him. "How many people do you want?" There was reluctance in the man's voice, but Edward felt grateful, deep down within him.

"I don't care. You're the boss; as many as you can spare," he said then went silent. He wished for silence so Mustang would think Edward had hung up and mutter something before putting the receiver down. But, the club was the background and it was rather loud so find out any secrets was not in his favor at the moment.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks," Edward said. He didn't let it be known that he was feeling a certain debt to Mustang, though. He started to pull the phone away from his ear but the man's voice stopped him.

"Oh, and Edward?" There was that tone, the one Ed hated with a passion that was unholy.

He was hesitant to answer, but knew he had to. "What?"

"If you find your people, be sure to speak up so they can hear you." Short guy jokes. Had to love them. Not!

"Shut up and get some people over here," Ed snapped and hung up. The urge to jump up and down was very high and it took a lot to resist it. But, he did and decided to loiter over around close to Quintus. He wouldn't talk to her or be seen, he would just be close so he could intervene, should something happen. And Edward sincerely hoped that nothing would happen.

He waited for a few minutes. And then he waited for a few more minutes. Finally his cell phone rang and caused him to jump nearly five feet in the air. He reached for the device in his pocket and looked at the number. "Great," he muttered. Then he his the 'talk' button and brought the phone to his ear. "Hi, Izumi," he said as brightly as he could manage at the moment.

"What's that noise?" she asked immediately. The woman never missed anything.

"I'm in a club, waiting for someone. What is it?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't ask anymore into his location.

There was a pause, and that made Edward very nervous. Silence on Izumi's behalf was never a good thing. "Those two people you're after," she said, "I found something out about their names."

"What's that?" Maybe he could spare her some time if she was going to help.

"They're both Latin names. The butler, Primus...his name means 'first,' and your friend Quintus, her name means 'fifth.' " She paused again. "I haven't come up with anything more than that, but I have a few thoughts. It could be a code."

It was starting to come together to Edward, finally. "And I can guess two others. Thanks, Izumi." Those two others were Secundus and Quintus' friend, Quartarius. Then something caught his attention. "Hey, I have to go. My friend is here," he said and hung up.

Edward shook his head at the said friend that had just entered the club. Edward had hoped that Mustang would send some of the less conspicuous people, but it wasn't so. The man that walked in was almost twice Edward's size and looked a little silly with a single blonde curl on the top of his shining head. The man's light blue eyes scanned the room and finally focused on Edward. The man slowly made his way across the room slowly and stood a decent distance away.

"I was hoping that Mustang would send someone like Havoc. He fits in the nightlife well," Ed grumbled.

Armstrong looked down at Edward. "Where are the people you are looking for?" he asked.

When Ed returned the man's gaze, he felt truly intimidated by the man's size alone. But he would never admit that. He knew that Armstrong had a tough exterior, but was rather tender when it came to his emotion. And that was why he could never admit being intimidated. The man would break out into his fit of tears and marvel at how manly it was to admit something like that.

Manly or not, Edward kept his emotions to himself and for good reason. "Quintus, the woman, is at that table a few booths down. I don't know where Primus is," he said quietly. "I haven't seen him."

"Yes, you have, shorty," a voice said from behind Edward.

Edward instinctively turned around and immediately had a fist come in contact with his jaw. Low blow, he thought and waited to come in hard contact with something; the floor, angry people, anything. Instead, he felt someone grab his arm and yank him back upright. Ed looked to see who had caught him and gaped.

"Secundus," he said. He hadn't expected that. He'd expected the man to be in on it. But maybe he was. Then the sudden reality that he had just been sucker punched set in, along with the pain. And the blood. He dragged his sleeve across his lip and winced at the stinging there. Great.

Then he looked at the man who had punched him. It was that guy from earlier, the one he'd hid behind and seen in the bathroom. And currently, the strange, rather rude man was looking at Secundus with fury. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

Secundus shrugged. "I heard there was going to be trouble," he said nonchalantly. "Thought I would come check it out."

Edward quickly picked his coat up and took a few cautious steps back. Couldn't let his gun get too far away now, could he? He cast a glance at Armstrong and saw that the man was poised for action. And Ed had a feeling action was just what they were going to get. He listened carefully while Secundus and the other man exchanged some hate-laced words for a while. Then Edward saw an opening. He reached his hand into his inner jacket pocket slowly until his fingers bumped the gun handle. Very carefully and trying not to be obtrusive and conspicuous, he wrapped his fingers around the handle. He was inwardly grateful to Secundus for keeping the strange man occupied.

Ed didn't know what he would do, really, until it had happened already. He knew it wasn't very smart, but he drew his gun. He saw Armstrong visibly flinch, but reach for his gun as well. Ed scowled, cursing his stupidity. Why had he even pulled it out of his pocket? He could have just stood there and then had some weird conversation, mentally, with Armstrong. But no, he had to be the hero/idiot and draw his gun under no provacation. But anyway, he pointed the gun at the man he had yet to find out about. "I want everyone out," he shouted, "everyone except you--" then he moved the gun towards Secundus "--you--" and then pointed it at the just now noticed Quintus "--and you. You three have to stay. We have a bone to pick." When people just stood there, staring at him stupidly, Ed looked at Armstrong. "I know I started this, but could ya help maybe?"

Armstrong made a few noises at him then nodded. One step forward had people shuffling towards the door. They were murmuring amongst themselves, spreading rumors already. Some said to call the police--which Ed answered that he was the police--and others just thought it a weird night with too much booze. Edward motioned at Quintus, who was still seated in her booth and looking rather innocent and shocked. "You, stand up." If things got hairy, he could plead off of self-defense, right? The tall man had sucker punched him first.

"I don't see why--"

"Shut up. You do see why, Quintus, now stand over here by Mr..."

The tall man refused to give out his name, only staring at Edward like he'd lost him mind. Maybe Ed should know who he was. As he watched Quintus saunter over to where the other two men were, he went through the vault in his mind of the people he knew and had worked with or for in the past. None fit the dark haired man before him. Slowly, the man's face began to change to a smirk, then into a sneer. His pale skin stood out in the room, in great contrast to the so-black-it-was-almost-green hair he had. There was just something about this guy that Ed didn't like, something so...familiar. It was making him wonder if he was losing his mind.

Armstrong returned and looked displeased with Edward. The shorter blond man didn't care at the moment. He just cared about getting out of the building alive. Then he would worry about other things. Such as what to do with his blasted emotions.

No, no time to think about that! He shoved thoughts of her to the back of his mind. The last thing he needed was a distraction. And that was another reason to add to why he couldn't be in love; it was an unwanted distraction.

"What now, Edward?" Armstrong asked.

Good question. "Give me a second," Ed replied. "Well first, Secundus, what are you doing here?" He lowered the gun and looked at his friend. Or was Secundus a friend?

"Like I told Envy, I heard there was going to be trouble. I thought I would come--"

"Hold on," Edward interrupted. "Did you just say 'Envy?' " An incredulous, you-have-just-gotten-on-my-psycho-list look made its way onto his face. "Who is Envy?"

The tall man held up his hand. "Better known to you as Primus, though, shorty." Then something that would have made someone with a weaker constitution lose it happened... The tall man was slowly engulfed in a bright light, starting from his feet and going up. When the light disappeared, there stood the old man that served for Winry's butler. "You aren't that bright, you know."

Ed stood in shock. Had the man just changed his freaking shape! That was just messed up, he thought. It was not humanly possible for someone to change their shape. He hazarded a look at Armstrong to see the man had probably the same expression as Edward.

This was just turning into a very, very strange night. He looked back at Secundus to see the man looking unimpressed. In the back of Edward's mind, he wondered just who was keeping an eye on Winry...

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Dun, dun, dun...to be continued! Don't forget to review, my darlings. . Peace. Lurve. Reviews.