See first chapter for disclaimer.
Take It All Away
Chapter 10: Deception
"Well," Havoc sighed and pulled the wheelchair to a stop. "We're here."
Roy leaned his head back so he could see Havoc, his brow furrowing into a frown when he saw the younger man's obvious unease. "Did I miss something…?" He asked hesitantly.
Havoc met Roy's eyes and sighed audibly. Roy noticed for the first time just how tied Havoc looked. Dark circles were present under his hazel eyes, making him look much older and worn. Even the way Havoc moved suggested his exhaustion. His movements were slightly sluggish and clumsy, but he did a fairly good job of hiding it. Most people would not have noticed it. Roy Mustang was not most people.
"It's nothing, Roy-boy."
"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"
"It sure as hell would make my job a lot easier." Havoc replied dryly.
Havoc hesitated a moment before kneeling in front of Roy's wheelchair, his eyes fixing on Roy's automail limb involuntarily. A sadness filled the blonde's eyes, but it was gone as soon as it had come. With a deep breath, Havoc plunged into his explanation.
"Things around here aren't the same as they were in the Ishbal Rebellion, Roy. In fact, things have changed even more since Scar's attack. People are changing." Havoc paused to lock eyes with the General, the severity of his eyes taking Mustang by surprise. "People are showing their true colors."
"Just what are you implying?" Mustang demanded softly. The sudden change in the blonde was unsettling.
"What I'm saying, Roy," Havoc began, stressing Roy's name like one would when scolding a child. "Is that the board is being set." He finished vaguely. This did nothing to explain things to the General, and Roy got the impression that was exactly what Havoc intended.
Roy stared at the man knelt before him, trying to figure him out. At first glance, Havoc seemed like a carefree, boyish man that is a soldier in name only. At the start, that was exactly what Roy thought he was. But under closer observation there was more to him than there originally seemed. Where Havoc was once carefree and playful, now he could only be described as distant and calculating.
"I still don't-"
"Later, Roy-boy." Havoc cut in, silencing the other man with an unexpected smile. In the blink of an eye Havoc was back to the man Mustang had come to know. "Right now you just be on your best behavior for the Fuhrer."
Roy scowled at the blonde, the name finally registering. "Did I always allow my subordinates to call me by such degrading pet names?" He asked steadily, his amused eyes fixed on Havoc.
Havoc laughed at that. "Of course not." He replied good naturedly. "But you can't blame a guy for taking advantage of a situation, ne?"
"Hn." Roy replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. Despite the soldier's blatant disrespect, Roy found his presence oddly relaxing.
Roy's smile melted away as thoughts of another calming presence filled his mind. Where had Fullmetal gone? Roy was certain the blonde had stayed with him through the night, but when he'd awoken the blonde was gone. Roy could not suppress the wave of loneliness he'd initially felt upon this realization. Where could Ed be-
"Thinking about Ed?" Havoc questioned, his voice holding only the slightest hint of teasing. A triumphant grin split his face as Roy blushed in response.
"I was…" Roy began, fully intending to defend himself. He made the mistake of meeting the mischievous eyes of his companion and realized he'd been caught. He sighed in defeat and dropped his eyes to his lap, fighting the urge to blush back. He swallowed before daring to speak again. "Where…is he, anyways?"
Roy's nonchalant tone was not enough to detour Havoc. At least, not with all of the evidence that told of Roy's unease. Roy's posture was rigid with uncertainty and the blonde had caught the underlying hopefulness in Roy's words.
"He's on the other wing of the building, working." Havoc answered, taking pity on his long-time friend. "He'll be here to take you back to your room after you talk with the Fuhrer." Havoc bent at the waist slightly so he could meet Roy's eyes. "Don't worry," He added with a wink. "he didn't abandon you."
Roy's blush returned full force at being caught, but the man indignantly fought it down. "I don't give a damn if the boy comes or not." He huffed.
Nobody present was fooled, including the very person who spoke the words.
"Sure ya don't." Havoc replied, hints of sarcasm lacing it's way into his voice. He turned his eyes to the door and sobered instantly. "In any event," he began softly, his hazel eyes remaining fixed on the closed portal. "It would be best not to make the Fuhrer wait any longer."
Roy chose only to nod in response. "I guess I'll see you around then, Jean." He offered a reassuring grin before he wheeled his way to the door. The door was immediately opened by a dark blonde assistant who appeared to have been waiting on the other side of the door.
"See ya-" Havoc began, his words momentarily failing him as he recognized Roy's words. "..Roy."
R-2-F
Roy looked around the room uncertainly, his eyes taking in the foreign surroundings. The room was decorated sparsely, the walls covered only by their crisp white paint. There was an oak desk in the center of the room with two high-backed chairs situated directly in front of it. A single lamp on the desk cast light on the room, aided by a large bay window directly behind the desk.
"Ah, so he's finally arrived." A deep voice spoke from behind the desk.
Roy jerked upright, surprised he'd missed the other man's presence. But there he sat, directly behind the desk. Roy realized he must have somehow overlooked him during his brief inspection of the room. "Fuhrer Bradley, correct?"
At the man's affirmative nod Roy cast around, desperately trying to recall Havoc's earlier words.
(Flashback)
"Why would the Fuhrer want to see me?" Roy asked, hesitant to interrupt the tense silence between the other occupants of the room, but needing affirmation.
Both blondes present turned to Roy, equal amounts of surprise on their faces. They apparently had forgotten his presence once again. They exchanged looks for the umpteenth time that day before Havoc spoke.
"The truth, Roy-boy, is that we're trying to figure that our ourselves."
"Is that why you're so uneasy?" Roy asked, getting straight to the point. His eyes darkened noticeably. "Has Bradley done something?"
If Havoc was surprised he did a good job of hiding it. "Not exactly, but he's focused on something other than military affairs." Havoc's eyes narrowed. "My men are being sent to the far corners of Amestris with no explanation! Many of them have returned wounded, more have been determined dead."
"Jean-" Hawkeye began, lightly putting her hand on his shoulder. When the blonde man still refused to look at her she moved around to face him. Havoc recognized her effort to comfort him and gave a small smile of thanks. Unlike all of the previous smiles Roy had witnessed between the pair, this smile head some deep understanding between the two Roy could never hope to understand.
"I just want to know why my men are being put in danger." Havoc whispered. His voice was so soft that had Roy not been so near, he wasn't sure he would have heard it at all. "And even more so," Havoc continued, his tone turning icy. "I want to know exactly what that danger is."
(End Flashback)
"Fuhrer…Bradley, correct?"
The man that sat behind the desk chuckled softly, the sound deep and bone chilling. Roy felt a small shudder go down his spine in response to the dark laugh. While the Fuhrer appeared completely hospitable, something about him made Roy's instincts go on high alert.
"Right you are, son." Bradley rose from his seat, giving Roy his first full glimpse of him. The first thing Roy noticed was his height. The man towered above Roy, who still sat in his wheelchair. Roy guessed that even if he was to stand up he would still be a good one to two feet shorter than Bradley. Roy took notice of the man's strong build and guessed the Fuhrer to be able to hold his own in a fight. If the patch that covered the Fuhrer's right eye was any indication, the Fuhrer had been in a fair share of fights in his time.
"Ah yes, now that's the Mustang I know so well." Bradley observed, his voice cutting through Mustang's musings like a knife. Bradley's smile widened when his comment was met with a blank look from the General. "Distant and calculating."
Roy arched an elegant eyebrow in reply. He chose to say as little as possible around this man. His gut was telling him that Bradley could not be trusted, and if Roy knew anything it was to go with his gut instincts.
A tense silence fell between the men, each silently weighing the other. Time seemed to stretch endlessly, each passing second indicated by the methodical ticking of a clock on the desk. A knock on the door broke the tension. Bradley's assistant, who had stood forgotten in the back of the room, moved wordlessly to open the door.
"Sorry, sir!" Chimed an all too familiar voice. Roy spun in his chair, his eyes lighting up upon seeing the visitor. "Am I intruding?"
"Not at all." Bradley replied, his eyes flicking to the newcomer for only a second before resettling expectantly on Mustang.
"Hughes!" Roy greeted enthusiastically, spinning his wheelchair around to face his old friend. Roy seemed to forget the Fuhrer's presence as his focus turned to Hughes. A large grin split his face, giving the normally stoic man a boyish appearance. "Where've you been?"
Hughes smiled in reply. "I've been watching Elysia. Gracia had to go run some errands, so I got to stay home with Elysia for a whole hour longer than usual!" From the way Hughes had said it, one might thing that he'd been given the world. "We played with dolls and she even did my hair for me! I must say, I think Elysia will make a fabulous hairdresser one day! She's just so talented!" Hughes paused to wink at Roy. "She gets that from me."
"Wait… you mean you and Gracia actually tied the knot?" Roy laughed, realization dawning on him. He reached up and pulled Hughes into a playful headlock. "You even convinced her to carry your kid? Man did you get lucky!"
Hughes joined in his laughter, struggling half heartedly to free himself or Roy's grasp. "I sure did, Roy." His tone turned mischievous. "You should take notes." He added with a poke to Roy's ribs for good measure.
Roy rolled his eyes and released his hold on his friend. "Nice to know some things haven't changed." He stated dryly. "Mainly your IQ."
Hughes was about to make a comeback when Bradley spoke up. "Now that you two are reacquainted, maybe we could turn our attention to more pressing matters."
Roy's brow furrowed. "Such as?"
He was surprised when it was not the Fuhrer who answered his inquiry, but Hughes.
All signs of playfulness left Hughes as his eyes turned serious. "We need to send more men to Drachma. The previous company that was dispatched in the area has gone missing." Hughes looked meaningfully at the Fuhrer, the look lost on Roy.
Bradley slammed his hands on the desk and clenched his eyes shut tightly. He absentmindedly brought a hand up to rub gently over the patch that covered his right eye, but his eyes remained firmly shut.
Roy's frown deepened. What Hughes had said was obviously linked to the events Havoc had spoken of earlier. Havoc had failed to mention where it was his men were going, but Mustang suddenly understood the man's unease. His men were being sent to Drachma, a hostile country that had no tolerance for the military. But what could possibly be so important to the State that they felt it necessary to send their man into such dangerous grounds..?
"Did they find anything?" Bradley grit out finally, his eyes sliding open to reveal an angry onyx eye. Roy vaguely noticed that the man's hands shook, more out of anger than of grief.
Hughes straightened, standing taller and raising his chin. His stance reminded Roy of a man preparing himself for an onslaught. "No sir," Hughes replied stiffly. "None."
"Dammit!" Bradley swore softly, sending the papers that had rested on his desk flying. A single dark eye turned to Hughes. "That's the last straw, Hughes. I want a dozen men on a train to Drachma by nightfall." The Fuhrer paused to gather himself, straightening in an attempt to regain his dignity. His voice was much steadier as he continued. "And I want you to join them."
Hughes seemed enraged by this idea. He slammed his hands on the oak desk and brought his face inches from Bradley's. "We had a deal." He hissed softly. Bradley only smiled in reply. It was the same cold smile that Roy had witnessed earlier. "You swore you would leave me out of this if I helped you with-" Hughes suddenly halted, seeming to remember Roy's presence for the first time since he had begun his report. He leaned closer to Bradley and lowered his voice.
Roy could no longer make out the other men's conversation, despite how hard he tried to do so. He could clearly tell that their conversation was not meant for him to hear. This, however, only served to increase his curiosity.
As Roy watched Hughes seemed to become more and more flustered while Bradley remained cold and impassive. Their words would occasionally grow to a harsh whisper for a split second, but then they'd quickly turn soft again. The bits of the conversation Roy managed to catch did nothing to help him understand the situation.
Suddenly Hughes shoved away from the desk, his eyes blazing in a hate Roy did not know him capable of. The action placed a sparse foot between the arguing men, but suddenly Roy felt that even that was too close. If the tension that made the air seem so thick was any indication, Roy's theory may very well prove itself true.
"I won't forget this." Hughes declared icily before spinning on his heel and leaving the room without so much as a goodbye.
Roy turned his eyes back to the Fuhrer to find a small smirk forming. Bradely's eyes turned suddenly to Roy. The look was gone before Roy could be certain he'd seen it in the first place.
"I apologize for that untimely…interruption, General Mustang." Bradley glanced at the clock on the wall. When his gaze returned to Roy he wore the chilling smile Roy had begun to associate with the Fuhrer. "I fear we've run out of time. I have urgent business to attend to."
Roy nodded and raised his right arm in a salute. Even with amnesia, Roy still knew when to show respect to his superiors. "Not a problem, sir."
Bradley's smile widened slightly. "You're a good man, General. I respect that." Bradley reseated himself at his desk in a silent dismissal.
"Good day, General." Roy replied before wheeling his chair to the door. Bradley's assistant was waiting by the door and opened it as Roy neared.
"Good to see you well, General." She said softly. Roy nodded to her before exiting the room.
As promised, Edward was waiting for him just outside the door. Roy felt a grin creep it's way onto his face as he watched the blonde pace. Apparently his arrival had gone unnoticed by the scattered man. "Did I keep you waiting long?" He inquired innocently, waiting until Ed's back was turned to him to speak. As expected, Ed spun around guiltily before he realized who had addressed him.
"What took you so long?" Ed snapped as he closed the distance between them. Roy did not miss the way his gold eyes scanned his form and he caught the soft sigh of relief admitted from the blonde when he finished his inspection.
"Hughes came in." Roy felt a small smile of remembrance form. "I can't believe he's still in central. I always figured he'd quit after Ishbal and settle down with Gracia."
Roy was so caught up in his memories of his long time friend that he missed how Ed's entire frame became rigid. He missed how golden eyes widened in something akin to shock. He didn't catch the sharp intake of breath that the blonde emitted. But the one thing he did notice was how Ed's hands tightened around his own, though when Ed had taken his hands was beyond Roy.
"Hughes was there?" Ed repeated, his voice soft and steady. Roy vaguely noted that Ed's voice sounded the same as it had the day in the medical wing when the blonde explained Roy's amnesia. He was too caught up in gold eyes to notice Hawkeye, who was suppose to be out of town on military affairs, leaning against the wall, barely visible around the corner.
Roy nodded, wondering why this surprised the blonde so much. He chose not to address the issue and wait for Ed to tell him instead. His patience was shortly rewarded.
"Roy…that's not possible."
Roy frowned at that, overlooking the use of his given name. "Why ever not?" He demanded, his temper growing with his confusion.
"Roy," Ed began carefully, looking straight into Roy's eyes. "Hughes is dead."
R-2-F
Author's Note: Wow, I finally finished it! This is my longest chapter of TIA yet, so I think two weeks isn't that bad. Especially since it's twice as long as my normal chapters…
As you can see, the plot is starting to thicken. (About time, I know!) The story is about to take a bit darker of a turn.
Oh my God, I've made it to Chapter 10! (insert fan girl scream) I seriously would like to thank all of you who have reviewed. You guys are my motivation. I would never have made it this far if it wasn't for you. Thank you!