Chapter Four

They parted ways, the wolf hurrying down the road. The sisters, however, scattered to either side of the path, chasing butterflies and picking flowers for their mother.

- from the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood"

"But why would Lieutenant Colonel Farland disobey orders like that and kill the hostages?" Trisha asked, looking small and scared.

Nina shivered and pulled her red coat closer about her body. They had left the sewers hours ago, but the chill from those dark tunnels still hadn't worn off yet. They had changed clothes and showered the stink away, but it was as though the black shadows had clung to them all like burs, following them to Headquarters to hover over them like a stormcloud in their office. Nina couldn't help wondering when the cold rain would begin to fall. She looked around at the others seated around the table, and at Mustang, who paced restlessly from the map of Amestris to the coat rack and back again, his boots squeaking against the floor when he turned.

"Do you think…maybe she's a traitor for the Sect or something?" Dirk proposed, setting white mugs of tea in front of everyone. For once, he had gone to get it himself.

"No," Fuse suddenly spoke up. He had been very quiet ever since they had left the sewers, closing himself up in his own little world. Now he ran his pen through his fingers incessantly, looking nervous and excited at the same time. "That doesn't make sense. If she was in the Sect, why would she kill her fellows?"

"That's true," Dirk admitted, sighing and staring glumly into the dark liquid before him.

Bones placidly sipped his tea, his pinky slightly extended, then set it back down gingerly, as if afraid his large hands would shatter the cup if he squeezed too tightly. He folded his hands calmly before him, then looked directly at Mustang and said, "The Wolf Brigade."

Mustang stopped his pacing, brown eyes wide.

"What?" Nina asked in confusion, not understanding why Fuse and Dirk both inhaled sharply at those words. "What's the Wolf Brigade?"

"Haven't you heard the rumors?" Dirk asked in a hoarse whisper. "They say it's a top-secret organization within the military itself…and no one knows its motives or intentions – or even who the members are! – except for those in the Wolf Brigade and whoever commands them. Members could be dispersed all throughout the military, in every division! Why...there could be one in this very room.…"

Nina sneezed, breaking the ominous air in the room. She grinned apologetically; Trisha handed her a handkerchief, rolling her eyes.

Mustang smiled briefly, then turned to face all of them at once. "A little melodramatic perhaps, Dirk. It's never been confirmed that the Wolf Brigade even exists."

"But if it did?" Nina asked, a shiver running down her spine.

Mustang dropped into his chair at the head of the table, running a hand through his jet-black hair. "I'm not sure," he sighed.

"It all makes sense!" Dirk said earnestly, leaning forward. "Farland's in the Wolf Brigade; it's the only thing that can explain why an upstanding officer like her would disobey such clear orders like that. She had other orders, from whoever commands the Wolf Brigade!"

Nina nodded; that seemed logical to her. "But why would they want to kill those Sect people?"

"Maybe…." Trisha spoke for the first time in a long while. "Maybe because they didn't want the military to interrogate them. They didn't want them to find out any more about the Sect."

"I thought we'd already decided they weren't traitors for the Sect," Fuse snapped, his pen spinning faster and faster in his hands.

Trisha shook her head, her blue eyes wide. "They're not with the Sect. They want this conflict to go on, to-"

"To undermine the military," Nina breathed, catching on to what her sister was saying. "They killed those Sect people because they knew the Sect would retaliate, and then the military would be forced to continue fighting, and then people would start saying the military couldn't end the conflict, and..." Nina had to stop for breath; her heart was pounding as she looked around at the men, who all stared at her with wide eyes.

Mustang's face was white and stiff. He sat frozen in his seat for several moments, then stood up so abruptly his chair fell over backward with a crash. "We need to take this to the Fuhrer," he said in a deceptively calm voice. "Immediately. I don't know if you're right, Nina, but his very life could be in danger."

Nina and Trisha almost had to trot to keep up with the men who marched forward as fast as they could without breaking into a run. Panic ate at Nina's stomach. Would the government crumble from within? Would the Fuhrer be able to save it, or was this something not even he could stop? Surely, he would be able to do something. He had, after all, saved this country from despotism and destruction before. He had risen above the chaos after King Bradley died, and he had held the military – the entire country – together in one of its darkest times. Surely, he could protect it this time as well? But maybe we're too late, she realized. Maybe there's nothing anyone can do to stop this. And what would they do then? They would have civil war on their hands. The whole country could fall apart, and hundreds might be killed. That might be exaggerating it a bit, but we have to stop this before it goes too far. She desperately scratched her itching nose.

Then Nina remembered something her father had once said about the Fuhrer: The annoying thing about Roy Mustang is that you always end up trusting him, no matter what. And somehow, he always manages to see you through. Nina decided she had to trust her father's testimony. What other hope did they have?

Before she had realized where they were, Lieutenant Colonel Mustang pushed open the heavy oak doors to the entryway of the Fuhrer's personal office and strode in quickly without waiting to be admitted. Nina barely had time to gape at the lush furnishings, the thick red carpeting, the enormous silk banners, when a middle-aged woman strode quickly towards them. This woman's smooth golden hair cascading over her shoulders, only just beginning to grey, did nothing to soften her sharp, precise features. Her blue uniform was immaculate, pressed and starched till there wasn't even the hint of a wrinkle, and the golden stars on her shoulders announced that she was a General. Then Nina saw the woman's chestnut-brown eyes, and remembered her father's descriptions. This was General Liza Mustang, the Fuhrer's wife and Maes Mustang's mother.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mustang!" the General barked in a precise yet melodious voice as she stopped directly in front of them, barring their way. "What is the meaning of this? The Fuhrer is at this moment drafting a very important letter to-"

"I must see the Fuhrer at once!" Lieutenant Colonel Mustang cried, his voice just as sharp as his mother's. "This is an emergency!"

He made to step around her towards the closed door ahead, but the General put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Maes."

Somehow, this made him stop at once, meeting her stern gaze and quickly looking away. "Mother…" he said softly, "his life could be in danger."

Her eyes narrowed. "What is this danger?"

Lieutenant Colonel Mustang's frown was stubborn as he said, "It should be for his ears alone."

"His ears are my ears, Maes. You of all people should know that." General Mustang looked into his eyes, so much like hers, and after a moment she sighed. "Very well, go in and speak to him; I can see that you won't be deterred. But leave your subordinates out here; they-"

"No. They're as much a part of this as I am."

"But, Maes…."

"They're coming with me," the Lieutenant Colonel said firmly, pushing past his mother. As Nina followed, she glanced over at General Mustang and saw a deeply concerned expression on her face.

The Lieutenant Colonel pushed open the door without knocking, and a voice said from the desk within, "Liza, how do you spell…. Oh."

Nina caught her breath as she filed in behind her commanding officer; for one thing, this office was even more magnificent than the last one; for another, she had never been so close to the Fuhrer before, not even in the State Alchemist Exam. She was struck again by the strong resemblance between father and son; Fuhrer Roy Mustang slowly got to his feet, facing his son over the polished desk, and it almost looked as though they were mirror images of each other, except for the lines aging the Fuhrer's face. His dark eyes slid over each of his son's subordinates, resting last of all upon Nina. Then he blinked and looked back at Lieutenant Colonel Mustang. "What's the meaning of this, Maes?"

"Father," the Lieutenant Colonel said, stepping forward and getting straight to the point, "I fear your life may be in danger."

The Fuhrer smirked. "My life happens to be in danger most days of the week, as you very well know. It's why I married my bodyguard."

"That's not what I mean." The Lieutenant Colonel seemed to be growing more anxious with every minute. "This is about the Wolf Brigade. We think they're trying to-"

"You know about the Brigade?" the Fuhrer asked sharply, whipping his gaze across all five of his son's subordinates again.

"I told you it existed!" Dirk hissed, apparently unable to keep his triumph in.

"Yes, we know about it," Lieutenant Colonel Mustang said urgently. "And we're here to warn you that there's a high chance they're trying to destroy the military!"

The Fuhrer tipped back his head and laughed; this was such an unexpected action that Lieutenant Colonel Mustang's jaw dropped, and he stared in consternation at his father. "The Wolf Brigade isn't trying to destroy the military!" the Fuhrer said with a chuckle. "Their commander is General Gladstone; a finer or more loyal man you'll never find. Treachery isn't even in his vocabulary." Seeing their disbelieving expressions, he explained, "The Wolf Brigade was designed to keep the anti-government groups in check without having to resort to declaring war on our own country. Yes," he said in answer to Trisha's gasp, his face growing grave once more. "It really was that bad. Things have gotten better, but the Sect still poses an immense threat. The Wolf Brigade is more influential than most realize; every member is highly trained, the best of the best, and in a way they are the ones who really keep the Sect from destroying the entire city. So you see, Maes? The Wolf Brigade isn't our enemy; it is our greatest weapon."

For a moment, Lieutenant Colonel Mustang looked about to protest, but then he hung his head and said, "Yes, sir."

"Very well then." The Fuhrer hesitated, and then his voice softened by a margin. "I tell you this because you are my son, and I trust you, but I would implore all of you to say nothing of this to anyone else. The reason the Wolf Brigade works is because it is secret." The Fuhrer saluted them, and everyone immediately snapped to attention.

Nina couldn't help but think that the Lieutenant Colonel looked rather disappointed that their theory had been disproved. As they returned to his office, she thought she heard him muttering something about 'trusting' and 'doesn't realize.' She wasn't sure how she felt about all this; she couldn't help suspecting General Gladstone a little, but she was relieved that the military seemed likely to remain intact for a little while longer, at least.

Then Dirk muttered, "Gladstone's pulling the wool over the Fuhrer's eyes," and Nina's mind was thrown into confusion and fear again.