Chapter 2

Mustang and Alphonse chatted together as they walked. The two had grown much closer since Fullmetal's disappearance and being paired together on patrol had only strengthened their friendly relationship. They had long since left Mustang's car, since most of their assigned district had streets to narrow for cars, and were meant only for pedestrians.

"What time is it?" Al asked curiously. Mustang checked his watch.

"Just hit 1 am," he replied. Al nodded, and together they turned a corner into a new street.

"Did you hear that?" Mustang suddenly whipped his head around to gaze thoughtfully down the street, though he couldn't actually see anything through the menacing darkness.

Al looked too, a blank look in his eyes. "I didn't hear anything…"

Mustang made a split second decision, saying, "You wait here Al, I'll go check it out."

"Okay, sir," he replied, watching the older man move stealthily down the street until he turned another corner.

As Mustang turned the corner, he felt himself freeze up in shock, abruptly confronted with a sight he never thought he would see in his entire life. A girl lay limp of the ground, blood streaming endlessly from two small, round wounds in her neck, while a young teenager stood over her. He too was covered in blood, though it was hard to tell from his black outfit. A trickle of the crimson liquid ran from the boy's mouth, and some more blood stained his golden hair.

"Ed… ward?" Mustang choked out the word. That single word which meant so much more to numerous people around the world, people who Fullmetal had saved or helped. And now…

Hearing the strange man speak, the teen turned and regarded the stranger. Tilting his head in thought, the boy echoed, "Edward?" Mustang stared into heart wrenchingly familiar golden eyes.

"Then, do you know?" the teen asked him, far too casually for the situation.

Mustang blinked, "What do you mean?"

Suddenly, the boy was right in front of him, moving faster than humanly possible. "Do you know me?"

Mustang inhaled slowly, attempting to calm down. "Of course I know you, Edward."

The blood-soaked teen's eyes lit up. "You know me? You're the first who does."

"You… you don't remember?" Mustang realized, looking down into Edward's face. Taking in the blank, soulless eyes, the furrowed eyebrows, the blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth, and the hint of Edward's mouth being somewhat fuller than it should rightfully be.

"What's wrong, Edward? What happened to you… what's wrong with you?" Mustang asked, yearning for any kind of answer from Ed. The teen looked around behind him, and then suddenly took off, running past Mustang and vanishing from sight. Mustang gasped as Edward passed him, sure that he was about to die. Normally he would fight, but not only could he not hurt Ed- err, Fullmetal, but he was also paralyzed, unable to move. But Fullmetal didn't kill him, simply running off into the night. When Mustang finally roused himself from his frozen state moments later, he got one more shock for the night. The body of the girl was gone… and Fullmetal hadn't taken it.

"I can't believe you didn't call me! I was just around the corner; I could've come and talked to Brother! But no, you scared him off!" Al yelled, exasperated. Al almost never got mad, but when he did, he was absolutely furious. And right now, Colonel Mustang was the target of his infuriation. Said Colonel was currently hiding behind Lieutenant Hawkeye, to the amusement of the rest of the team.

"I'm sorry, Al, I really am! I was in shock, and I wasn't thinking properly!" Mustang tried to defend himself. Al glowered at him, and the team abruptly noticed the family resemblance between him and his brother.

"Stop fighting, you two. At least we have good news as well as bad news," Hawkeye gently but firmly pushed the Colonel off her and pushed Al off the Colonel.

"Yeah," Winry agreed, "Good news is we finally found Ed!" Her eyes glowed tiredly but happily in the sunrise.

"Bad news is, he's killing people," Breda replied bluntly, cutting her happiness short. Havoc smacked his occasionally heartless colleague over the head.

"What are we going to do about this, sir?" Fuery questioned Mustang. His superior glanced over and replied, "I'm not going to report this just yet." Everyone's mouths dropped, and they stared at him in surprise.

"Look," Mustang began, "I was the only one who saw Fullmetal tonight. I was the only one who was there and I'm the best judge of what happened. That girl could've been dead, or she could have only been unconscious. She could've even been awake but paralyzed like me; I didn't get the chance to check. When Fullmetal left, she still looked human, not dry and withered or anything." The entire team was silent.

"Then after Fullmetal left, the girl was taken. Someone else had taken her, which means that Fullmetal isn't our only suspect, or even our strongest one. That someone else has to interfere with the body in order to wither it like that, so they are probably our killer. I do not want the entire nation thinking that Fullmetal's killing and defiling these people, especially since we have no evidence he killed that girl! She could've easily been alive! So no-one reports this until we have our facts straight, is that clear?" Mustang ordered.

"Sir, yes sir!" the team hollered back at him. Mustang nodded his approval.

"There's one more thing, Colonel…" Havoc said. Mustang gestured for him to continue.

"Well, Ed wasn't there when the body was withered, but you said he was there when the body was drained of blood… when the girl had two bite wounds in her neck… and you also mentioned, he had blood trickling from his mouth…" Havoc looked uneasy.

"What are you suggesting, Havoc?" Hawkeye asked coolly.

"Well, don't you think that's odd? Weird? Disturbing, to say the least!" Havoc insisted.

"I agree with Havoc," Al chimed in, to everyone's surprise. "That's very weird, especially for Brother."

"Al…" Winry looked concerned.

"Well, it's late… or early, rather. Let's all go home and get some rest," Falman suggested. Breda looked kind of smug; he had said that Edward was a part of the murders and he was right. His expression was very disturbing. Everyone murmured agreement to Falman, giving Breda a wide berth when passing him, leaving him lost in his slightly evil moment.

"I expect everyone to report at work at 12:30 sharp," Hawkeye reminded them. The military officers all groaned.

"Colonel Mustang! How are you this fine day?" a voice boomed behind him. Mustang didn't even have to turn around.

"Rather tired, actually. And you, Major Armstrong?" the Colonel glanced up to the overly muscled and bulky state alchemist now walking beside him through the Military Headquarters.

"I am always energized and capable, no matter of a lack of sleep! It is a trait passed down through the Armstrong family for generations!" Armstrong posed heroically, and Mustang sighed.

"Actually, I thought I would let you know that another body has been found and taken level 5 of this fine Headquarters building!" Armstrong boomed. The Colonel's head snapped up and he stopped walking.

"Another body? It wasn't a girl, was it?" Mustang interrogated his colleague.

"In fact, it was a girl! You have incredible perception levels, Colonel Mustang! Rather like myself, as amazing levels of perception have been passed down through the Armstrong family for generations!" Armstrong didn't just pose this time; he ripped off his shirt and flexed. Mustang sweatdropped.

"Was it in the same condition as the other bodies?" Mustang asked.

Armstrong nodded. "Indeed, Colonel. It was discovered at about 10am this morning by a couple showing dedicated fitness levels by jogging! Like me, dedicated fitness and strength have been passed down-"

Mustang quickly interrupted, "Where was it found?"

"Why, it was located in Southern Central, near the Harthing Bridge!" Armstrong responded.

"Excuse me, Major, but something urgent just came up," Mustang excused himself hurriedly.

"Of course! Have a good day, Colonel Mustang!" Armstrong beamed and saluted, turning into a nearby corridor, leaving Mustang alone in the hallway.

Mustang brought his hand to his chin, deep in thought. The body was found deep in southern Central, whereas Fullmetal had been in Northern Central where he and Al had been patrolling. This was solid evidence that Fullmetal hadn't been the one to defile that girl and dump her body- he wasn't even in the right part of town! Mustang quickly strode off to find Hawkeye.