Deception

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA. If I did, well I might be rich. /

A/N: Well, here's chapter 2! Woohoo. Thanks for all of your reviews, I'm so excited that people actually like this! As for the whole 'She doesn't HAVE to,' thing, trust me, Riza won't let you guys down! But, you'll have to see what really happens. And that was kind of a typo in the first one. I meant to say 'move on,' instead of just move. My bad! Anyway, before you get too bored with my rants, here it is! Hope you like it.

Chapter 2: New Alchemist, New Enemy

The rumors flew fast through Central like gossip in a small town. A new state alchemist was around. Supposedly he was young and handsome as well as having great abilities.

"I'll just have to see this for myself," Roy was in his office, slacking off as he spoke with Jean Havoc.

Smoke billowed around the subordinant's face where he sat across from Roy.

"Yeah, he seems to be a really good alchemist. Great even!" he sighed. "Even a ladies' man..." he wasn't please with this information and it showed. Noting the glare from Mustang, he quickly caught himself.

"But, not near as good as you, Colonel!" Havoc laughed nervously while scratching the back of his head.

Mustang didn't reply, but simply stood and took to staring out of the window. A distant look spread over his face while he looked out at nothing in particular.

"I wa-," Roy was cut off moments later as the door swung open, revealing Riza holding several folders in one arm. She looked just as she had the last time they had spoken with her hair always up, and always wearing pants. A smirk flashed on Roy's lips as he thought about the mini skirt rule he was one day going to establish.

"Hello Colonel," she too saw his expression once it turned back to the glare, but she didn't act the same way as Havoc, whom she gave a small wave to.

"I assume the rumors are ture then," her own expression was set like stone, but there was a mischevious look in her burgandy eyes.

When Roy said nothing, Havoc replied, "Yeah, I guess." With the Colonel's foul mood and Riza's arrival, he took his leave with a salute to the pair.

Setting the new folders on Roy's desk, Riza began the day's briefing.

"It might please you to know that Edward and Alphonse have finally reported in. They're still around Resembol, but they're fine." Some of yesterday's thoughts still ran through her mind. She wondered what Roy had really done last night. Even though she wanted to let go, it was proving difficult, especially since she had to seem him just about everday. Not to mention the fact that she had vowed to protect him.

No reply came. Roy was still standing at the window, so Riza took her seat and began working again. There wasn't much to do that day, that they knew of, but Roy still continued to evade the growing stack of papers on his desk.

"Hawkeye," he turned from the window and set his piercing gaze on her. His irises were almost black from that distance and seemed to blend with his pupils. "I want to meet this new alchemist. Get him in here as soon as you can." It was what he was going to instruct Havoc to do, but that was no longer a choice.

"Yes, sir." Riza gave him a nod, only glancing up at the tall man. "Wait, Colonel, where are you going?" A confused look creased her face as Mustang left the room, not bothering to answer her.

Insufferable man, she thought. How do you expect to move up if you're never even working? And how will you even meet the newest alchemist if you're out gallavanting around? The questions were only to herself as her eyes lingered on the closing door.

About an hour after leaving his office, Roy was entering again to an unfamiliar sound. Laughter. Not just any laughter, but a woman's laughter. Yeah, women around the military laughed occassionaly--just not Hawkeye. Standing agape in the doorway, Roy looked at Riza who was indeed the one so full of joy as she stood with someone else. The new alchemist.

Still standing there, quite ignored, Roy took in the appearance of this newcomer. The young man was just about as tall as Mustang with defined features and a toned physique showing through the navy uniform. Emerald eyes peered out, only looking at Riza, beneath a bit of sandy hair that was pulled into a pony tail at his neck. The ends of his hair didn't go far, so it wasn't enough for Roy to actually pick at.

But why is she laughing? He wondered, blinking several times before slamming the door shut. Both Riza and the man snapped to look in his direction, wearing shocked faces of their own.

"Oh, hello sir! You instructed me to bring him here," Riza was the first to speak up, giving a salute to Roy. Straightening beside her, the stranger saluted as well.

"Yes, thank you, Hawkeye." Beady, narrow eyes rested on the long-haired man. "I'm Roy Mustang, as you've probably heard," his ego was itching to show through and tell this guy what he was really up against.

"Ah, of course I have. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mustang. I'm Alexander Downing," his hand outstretched to Roy, who simply pushed it aside as he went behind his desk.

"Downing," he mused aloud in a rather deep voice, one that Riza only heard him use when trying to woo a woman. "Yes. I assume it'll be exciting to work with a new state alchemist, hm?"

"I hope so, sir. Man. . . the real Flame Alchemist, right here! I never thought I'd get to see the day," a cheesy grin spread over Alexander's face as he put on the act with a gleam shining in his emerald eyes.

Riza was already sitting at her desk, letting the men converse about normal things, trying to out-do the other in turns. Typical male behavior, she sighed inwardly.

"Well, maybe I'll give you an autograph," the same gleam in Mustang's own eyes accompanied with a wink. "Have they given you a title yet?"

"Nah, they're trying to decide still." Alexander rubbed at the back of his neck, smiling broadly again. Roy noticed that sometimes he looked so young and innocent.

Roy remembered his battle with Edward not long after they had met. They both got to show their skills off as well as destroying the entire concrete ring, which was put together alchemists in time.

"Maybe we can have a little spar sometime. See eachother's skills?" Roy sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest in a protective manner.

"That'd be great! Tell me the time and I'll be there," he nodded a few times before the door opened again. Everyone looked this time to see a nervous-looking Hughes entering.

"H-hey, Roy," he slipped in, quietly shutting the door behind himself. "The, uh, Fuhrer wants to meet with you for a second."

Roy's face dropped as Hughes played it off by waving to Riza and Alexander. "What for?" Roy was glaring again, this time in suspicion.

"No one tells me anything, you know that!"

"That's because you can't keep your mouth shut." Roy sighed, looking over to Hawkeye. "I guess I have to go see King Bradley," his tone was full of sarcasm.

Nodding to each of the three in turn, Roy slipped on his gloves and exited the room, dreading the meeting to come. Seeing the Fuhrer was never a good thing.

A folder sat open in Roy's hands where he sat across from the Fuhrer, going over the papers he was recently given. Bradley had his usual cheery grin on, waiting for a reply and possibly some insight as to what was going on.

"So, a new alchemist murderer. I guess people really dislike us," Roy's brows knitted together as he glanced over the information. There had already been several killings in the East, and they seemed to make a trail toward Central.

"Ha ha, Mustang, I assume you'll get on this case right away, won't you?"

"O-of course, sir." Roy saluted and took that as a departing statement. Taking the folder with him, he slipped out and began walking through the halls, thinking over the situations he had heard about. Every alchemist that had been killed was found with their insides full of water. No one knew how it got there, but it had to be by someone. So many incidents couldn't just be coincidence. Now the only question was who was doing it and how.

Back in Roy's office, he consulted Riza and Hughes after sending Alexander away. No way was he going to let the new guy in on something like this. Sighing, he slumped back into his chair and ran a hand through his raven locks.

"There's a new alchemist murderer. Somehow filling their insides with water and drowning them," he explained in a weary voice. Of course he worried about their lives, but it would just be such a hassle. So much extra paper work along with the investigation, more or less babysitting Ed and Al. What a nightmare.

"What?" Riza asked, speaking up finally. She hadn't really spoken since the Colonel had entered when she was with Alexander.

"Aw, man," Hughes plopped into a chair as if the information itself was weighing him down.

"What are you going to do?" Riza inquired of the Colonel, dropping her work.

"We have to investigate and get to the bottom of it, I suppose. There's still a good site that we can drive out to and check out. Guess this is going to have to wait!" He shoved the papers on his desk all over to one side in a sloppy pile. That at least was something good.

"Right. . . shall we go, then?" Riza was already standing with a set of keys in her hand. It was customary of her to drive him around even though he was perfectly capable of doing it himself.

"Yes. Wait here, Hughes. See what you can find out about this Alex guy," Roy gave him a meaningful look and followed Riza out to the military car they always used. Hughes though, was completely lost as to what he was supposed to actually do.

"Suppose I'll just show him my Elysia!" He grinned, rushing out to find the man, gripping a picture frame in his hand. At least this guy hadn't seen the pictures and heard all of the stories multiple times.

Hawkeye grimaced at the explanations given by some of the other military personnel. "How could they fill the lungs with water?" Talking to no one in particular, she bent over the most recent victim. It was even closer to Central than they thought. This murderer actually had a plan and possibly a goal and target; just leaving the breadcrumbs to the real purpose.

They still had no explanations, only theories. Between this and Alex, I think the next few days are going to actually be amusing, Roy thought, watching Riza pick at the scene, finding nothing to help them.

A/N: Well, there! I hope it's not too short. . . and I promise things will be getting juicier as time goes on. Just keep reviewing and giving me insight and I'll keep updating. x3

-Amicus LaFae