Chapter 5
Out of one frying pan and into another
(April's view) I awoke and was sitting on the floor propped up against a wall. My head hurt miserably. I groaned and tried to raise my arm and I came to instant attention. My arms were tied with really thick rope, in several places. They were tied just under my shoulders and around the wrists, so tight I couldn't move them from my sides. My legs were tied as well around the ankles, and above my knee. I could barely move at all. I looked around there was a large wooden crate beside me that I couldn't see around, and the door must have been on that side of the room because I didn't see one in my view. I blinked hard trying to stop my headache.
"Awake at last." Someone said. I looked up and sitting on the crate was one of the greed's.
"About time, feels like I've been waiting forever." For a second I stared at him still groggy from sleep before the situation really settled in my mind.
"What happened?" I asked fighting off my headache. Then I remembered. "I told you, you were on our side." With a grin, He covered his hand with his shield and hit my head, glaring. "Ouch, give it a rest." A chibi bump appeared on my head. "I was just pointing out the facts."
"Facts, hm?" he asked, "have you seen yourself?" then I remembered I was tied up. "Would someone on your side hold you prisoner?"
"Jerk," I muttered then I realized it. "Where's Breeze and Amanda!" I looked around desperately throwing my weight around to sit up straighter.
"Yea we couldn't get them you're the only one who escaped."
"WHAT!" I screamed, "I'm going to go back I have to save them!" he laughed and I looked up to glare at him. "What's so funny?" I growled "Did you look in the mirror?" I chuckled to myself and he hit me on the head again. I gritted my teeth and glared at him as a second chibi bump appeared.
He said, "Stupid, they're right here." He gestured to the other side of the crate. I threw my weight forward and crawled around the crate to see Amanda and Breeze tied up and asleep, but safe. I didn't see any physical damage at least. I leaned back against the wall my legs pulled awkwardly to the side so I could sit. I also realized a second door in the room, one leading out the back.
"After we got out of there I brought you three here and I've been waiting for any of you to wake up, congratulations you recovered from unconsciousness first." I sent him a slight glare and the two of us entered a silence, until I glanced around again.
"Greed."
"What?"
"I'm awake, you can untie me now?"
"And why would I do that?" I let out a frustrated growl and thought 'great out of one frying pan and into another'.
"Ag." I heard someone say, followed by the sound of feet shuffling. My head shot up like a bullet and I saw Amanda and Breeze groan and wake up. "Where are we?" Breeze said still half asleep. The realization that she was tied up hit her and she let out a gasp. She looked around and saw Greed and I watching them. I looked happy they had woken up. Greed….he looked indifferent, which we both knew he was.
"What's going on?" Amanda asked we all ignored her. I tried to slip my hand out of the rope but it was too tight. Even I didn't understand Greed's motive for this. Greed stood up from the crate as the door opened it was Marta. I felt so wow every time I saw someone cool from the animes the feeling of being in an anime will never get old. Greed said.
"You will watch them now right?" Marta nodded.
"And you two are doing this because?"
"Because you three are annoying little brats who we need to keep an eye on. Now shut up" greed said sharply, and walked from the room. Marta took her seat on top of the crate so she could see all of us.
"Why is he so upset?" Amanda asked.
"Don't take it serenely," Marta said, "He can be nice sometimes, when he wants to be; after all he saved me and the other chimeras from torture and experiments. I'm sure he probably saved you for some selfish reason or another, but it's better than being held captive by them."
I had to admit she had a point, but then again we weren't bound so tight I had trouble moving, but I guess if they had known we could use alchemy it would have been a lot worse. I relaxed leaning back against the wall thinking how I would get out of this.
"HEY!" there was a gunfire and a loud thump following. My eyes shot open and I gasped everyone in the room had froze except Marta who was peeking out the door she jumped back as a worried greed ran inside with the other chimeras. He said,
"It's the military and they have guns. Although they can't hurt me, you all need to get out and go. Greed is holding them off." I smiled slyly that's what he gets for tying us up. Now I get to go with mustang, Ed, and Hawkeye. I was about to go through a whole list of people happily when he said. "I'm pretty sure I saw King Bradley if anyone wants to stay." There went that plan. He hardened his hand into a talon and cut our ropes. Breeze Amanda and I instantly began rubbing our skin where the ropes had dug in and almost cut some circulation off. We all began running out the back door and into a system of hallways. It was like a maze. I kept glancing around; I had a feeling about this place about what's happening. Eventually Breeze and I had slowed to a stop.
"Hey Breeze, don't you recognize this place? It seems familiar." She nodded and said.
"It looks like the place where-" but she didn't finish, there was the boom of a gun and Greed and Marta shouted to us Move it or lose it. They didn't need to tell us that, the gunfire had sent us running. After a while we reached outdoors and Breeze Amanda and I took in large gulps of the remarkably fresh air and we realized it had been extremely stuffy in there. More gunshots sounded.
"They're getting closer" Marta said. I looked around, it was dark and we were hidden in the darkness but I could make out the shapes of normal military officers on the other side of the building. And was that…. I recognized that blond haired red patch any day of the week. I waved Breeze and Amanda over I saw Breeze's eyes flare when she saw it and Amanda stared in confusion. I made a mental note to tell her about the anime as soon as we were safe. I walked really close to Breeze and whispered.
"Want to make a run for it? I'm pretty sure that with the military so close even greed won't chase us too hard." She nodded silently I grabbed Amanda's hand and squeezed it two times. She looked up at me and I nodded.
"NOW!" I shouted and Breeze Amanda and I took off running toward the men in uniforms.
"Get back here!" Greed shouted as he made a grab for me. Breeze and Amanda dashed ahead but Greed managed to grab me by the back collar of my shirt and lifted me off the ground.
"April!" Breeze stopped in her tracks and turned to me yelling my name.
"Get going!" I commanded. I began kicking and struggling against the hand holding me. He slammed his hand covered with the shield on my head sending a strong pain through my skull that seemed to travel through my body. Then he pulled back his fist and hit me in my side with extreme force. He dropped me and I fell to the ground the mix of the attacks knocked the breath out of me and it still surprised me that compared to an anime character in a fight I was just like a little kid. I turned to look at every one my whole body was now sore and moving was a pain.
"That'll teach ya brat." Greed said I got to my feet staggering when I was finally able to get my balance I said,
"Sorry, but I guess I'm learning impaired." I clenched my teeth and ran at him I jumped and delivered a two footed flying kick on his chest that he didn't cover with the shield. I was able to deliver the attack with such force that he stumbled back and I managed to land on my feet, but my back was still bruised and refused to let me move it again. I stayed there with my back arched unable to move. I couldn't remember his name at the moment but the alligator chimera hit hit me and sent me rolling to the ground, I landed on my back unable to move. Greed moved toward me to attack me again but just as he reached me Breeze charged him and shoved him away from me as hard as she could.
"YOU FOOL RUN!" I yelled to her. Greed lunged for her trying to grab her. But Breeze jumped back out of reach. She realized none of us were going to win against a homunculus if we waited out the whole fight and she glanced at me before she ran, grabbing Amanda by the arm and fleeing taking refuge in the crowd of soldiers.