Chapter 7: Two Ships In The Night Plus Some Tugboats

Ed and Al did not attend the ball that evening. The two were looking deeper into the bit of intell they had on Sila. They thought it would be wise to start searching her apartment to find more evidence for what they had shared with Colonel Mustang.

Al was searching the closet and said over his shoulder "Brother, I don't think Sila is going to have anything top secret in her room."

"I don't know, Al" said Ed as he looked under the bed. "She's worked with Archer here in this very room! That's what Havoc reported. There's got to be something here!"

The two brothers froze as they heard the lock on the door jiggling open. "Quick! Brother hide!" Al pushed himself into the closet and Ed rolled under the bed.

Ed was about to clap his hands together to transmute his way out, but stopped when he saw Sila and her large gown rustle in the door. 'I can't get out using alchemy! The light from the transmutation will draw her attention! Crap! Al and I are stuck here until she falls asleep!'

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Sila looked at her small apartment and sighed. 'Empty and lonely. Maybe I should have invited Roy in for tea. Oh well, I've got plenty of chores to do tomorrow. I'd better get to sleep.' Sila looked in her mirror and pulled out a pin letting a single curl fall loose. She then heard a knock at her door. 'Who's here at this time of night?'

Sila's dress rustled as she made her way to the door. She looked through peep hole and saw Archer.

She opened the door and wordlessly allowed him. He took a few paces in the door and stood quietly looking at the room. He had been there before so she wasn't sure what he was looking at. Sila rustled her way to his side to ask him if he wanted some tea and wondered what this random visit was about.

She didn't get the chance. He grabbed her waist and pulled her close. She let out a breathless gasp. She was about to complain when one of his fingers landed gently on her lips.

Sila was stunned by the intimate gesture and was completely bamboozled by what he did next. His hand around her waist loosened, caressed her arm and rested back on her waist driving chills down her spine. Though she was wide eyed and slack jawed, Archer had a very serious face and his eyes were boring deeply into hers. He pulled her tighter up against him and then leaned in and tenderly kissed her lips. Sila was so confused, but her heart knew what she wanted.

She accepted his bold move by wrapping her slender arms around his neck. His kiss became deeper and he held her tighter. Sila didn't know where this was going, but she wanted him to take the lead.

Roy walked back to his car with his hands in his dress blues pockets. 'Why didn't she invite me in? What was that all about? Does she have confidential files strewn about? I thought Hawkeye said Sila might help us. We don't need anymore info about his investigation after what Full Metal found, but Sila could give us credibility and maybe some more personal dirt on Archer.'

Roy got to his car. The young officer driver opened the door for him and the Colonel sat down inside. As the car drove off he shook his head and began to laugh thinking about what one of his spies had stumbled upon while following Archer.

Ed and Al were stuck. Al in the closet, Ed under the bed: Sila's bed.

They entered her apartment to find any trace of dirt they could on Archer. They knew Sila was at the ball with Mustang and assumed she was going to be out all evening long. Unfortunately for them Sila returned earlier than they expected and they were unable to sneak out of her one room studio. Ed dove under her bed and Al did his best to hide in her closet. Al was worried as the closet door was not solid. The door was made of slanted slats which he could see through. Then things go worse; Sila got a visitor.

Ed could see his boots, but not his face. Al watched in nauseating horror as Archer kissed Sila. 'Oh my gosh! There are so many things wrong with this I don't know where to start!...' As horrified as Al was he couldn't stop watching. It was like a train wreck – as awful as it was he just couldn't stop looking. This purely physical act stirred the air and Al could not help but feel a bit jealous. Having his soul trapped in armor prevented him from doing anything like that, but it did not stop the longing in his heart for such a connection.

Ed heard the sound of a buckle hitting the ground and a jacket of an officer pile on top of it. Ed looked again at the boots and sneered as he heard the couples kissing become more intense. His face screwed up in frustration thinking about where he was. 'Dammit. This better not go any further! I'm under the bed!'

Al saw Sila wrap her arms around Archer's neck. He pulled his body away as she continued to reach out to him. He was not abandoning her, but pulling down his suspenders. Her hands dropped to his waist and pulled his shirt out from his pants.

Ed's eyes bugged and he put his hand over his mouth to prevent any noises of his disgust from popping out as he watched more clothing fall to the ground.

Al covered his eyes when he saw Archer start to pull up the ruffles of Sila's dress. They continued to kiss passionately, but Archer had to interrupt their lip lock as he tried to figure out how to get Sila's complicated dress open.

She pushed back and laughed then turned around and asked him to unlace her. He reached out and caressed her back then undid the satin ribbon that was holding her bodice closed.

Al peeked from between his pinky and ring finger and was shocked at the sight of so much of Captain Wellbrick's flesh then quickly hid his eyes again.

The dress loosened and slacked off her body. She held onto it in the front feeling a bit vulnerable at exposing herself to him. He reassured her by taking hold of her again and kissing her neck. They then made themselves comfortable on the bed.

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The bed creaked over Ed's head and he did his best to bottle up his anger and frustration at not being able to get out of the situation. 'A damn transmutation now would definitely interrupt them, and it would get me and Al in trouble. We are trespassing!'

The rest of the night seemed to drag on and on for the trapped brothers. The rhythmic creaking of the bed was almost as horrible to Ed as the noises the couple was making.

The weight of two people lowered the mattress and pushed the spring coils lower down to the ground. At one point during the night Ed's long blond hair got caught in a spring and he bit his mechanical hand in order not to scream as the spring pulled at his hair. He untied it after a minute, and sighed with relief at not getting caught.

Eventually the couple finished and fell asleep. Archer crept out early in the morning while Sila slept soundly. Ed and Al both decided to risk it and run for it while Sila was still asleep.

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Ed and Al conferenced with Mustang on Monday. After they explained what they found in Sila's files the Colonel said "I sense that there's something else you want to report"

Ed and Al looked at each other sheepishly. Ed finally said "Well Al, it was you who actually saw it."

"BROTHER!" exclaimed Al. "I didn't mean to, I mean, you know, like that. I just, well…Plus, I'm underage!"

Ed grew impatient and snapped "SO AM I!"

The Colonel lost his patience as well, slammed his fist on the desk, then screamed "Someone better tell me what happened…NOW!"

The brothers jumped surprised at Colonels deep interest. Al timidly whispered "They were, well…"

"They? Who else was there?" asked the Colonel impatiently

Ed said "Archer" and he crossed his arms and legs.

'After the ball? She danced with me all night and then spent time with Archer?' Roy thought about the smile she gave him when she was unlocking her door. 'Was Archer already there when she returned? I wonder if his date knew or what he did with her.' "So he was there waiting when she got home?"

"No, he arrived after." Said Al.

"By how much?" asked an offended Mustang.

"uuuu…a few minutes I guess…?" said Al.

Roy leaned back 'I must have just missed him.' He decided to brush his jealousy aside and get to the heart of the matter. He leaned forward on his elbows, waved his hand in the air and said "Whatever. What did they talk about?" Ed and Al shot each other nervous glances. Mustang noticed and persisted "What?" he asked irritated. "Don't you remember? Or did you forget?"

Ed was looking everywhere except at the Colonel and said "Uh, well, nothing."

The Colonel frowned "What do you mean, nothing? Even chitchat has importance in intelligence, Ed."

"No, no chat, nothing! They said nothing!" exclaimed Ed waving his arms around, too embarrassed to explain the details.

The Colonel found this hard to believe. He looked at Al who nodded his head in agreement. Mustang said "They must have known you were there and communicated in an alternate way. Scour Captain Wellbrick's apartment for scraps of paper for any trace of their conversation."

Al rose a pointed finger towards Roy and said "Actually…I…I really don't think they knew we were there."

The Colonel was getting frustrated with the brother's discretion. Roy lost his patience completely "Just come out and say it!" he yelled.

Ed's shoulders tensed up and his brow furrowed. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth in annoyance and frustration that he would have to communicate this news to Mustang "They didn't do any speaking. Some grunting and moaning, but no actual words." Ed hoped that his would get his point across.

Mustang sat back in his chair and tried to find something to say. He shut his mouth when he realized it was agape. The Flame Alchemist raised a pointed finger as Al had done, but found no question to ask. 'Is he implying Archer and Sila…no…she couldn't…with him? No.' "No…"

The brothers grimly looked at one another. Ed tried to gently explain what he saw from under the bed. Al thought it best to not say everything he saw. The Colonel looked like he'd been shot. He quickly recouped and stonily said "Well Al, since you were in the closet, you must have seen the entire thing."

"I covered my eyes, but unfortunately, sir, I got an eye-full." Al's voice echoed in his metal body as he said "I guess this puts a wrench in your plans for Archer."

"Well, this isn't all bad. At least now we have a case against Archer and two eye witnesses. Before it was all speculation."

Ed narrowed his eyes and snarled at the Colonel "What do you mean by that? This has nothing to do with what Archer has been up to, Colonel!"

The Colonel said with all seriousness "It's illegal to engage in personal activities with your subordinates. Captain Wellbrick has been working with Archer for a few months now. Who knows how long this has been going on."

Ed's anger with the Colonel burst out in an angry tirade "JUST BECAUSE HE BEAT YOU TO THE PUNCH COLONEL DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO HURT CAPTAIN WELLBRICK!"

"What they're doing Ed, is illegal" said Roy plainly.

"YOU TOOK HER TO THE DAMN BALL? HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER?"

"She accompanied me to a pubic…I mean public function!" defended Roy. "Nothing inappropriate happened."

Ed didn't think it was a strong enough argument and he continued to yell. Ed would have flown over the desk if Al wasn't holding him back. "YOU'RE JUST JEALOUS THAT ANOTHER MAN IS CAPABLE OF CHARMING A WOMAN AWAY FROM YOU! ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SUSPECT THAT MAN OF--"

Lieutenant Hawkeye entered the room and cut off Ed before he said too much "MAJOR! May I remind you that what you are screaming at the top of your lungs is top secret?"

Ed relaxed and Al dropped him to the ground. "Fine" he said with a huff and straightening his jacket. "But I thought we were after Archer!"

"We are. Once we have something concrete we can make our move" said the Lieutenant. "You are dismissed" she said with finality.

Ed mumbled the entire way out of the office and Al chased after him again pleading for him to keep a cool head. Once the door shut behind the Elrich brothers the Colonel explained to his first Lieutenant what the boys had seen.

Riza's embarrassment was written across her face but quickly hidden. "Sir, I suggest you take this one slowly. This completely contradicts what we previously thought about Archer."

The Colonel turned his chair halfway to the window behind him and he said "I know. What does that intel that Havoc brought us really mean?"