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Chapter 16

Hawkeye's scolding and even the depressing sight of Falman and Breda's empty desks couldn't get to him this morning. He was love sick. He really had no other way to describe the feeling of invincibility he felt. It was a strange thing to realize suddenly that he'd found 'the one' as Hughes called it. He felt like as long as he had Ed all other problems were just milestones he could overcome. He'd get his soldiers back and stop whatever Harbring had cooking up. With new determination he began his paperwork with vigor, already forming plans.

However, his resolve was short lived. After only a few hours of work in the office there was a shout and crash as if something in the hall had been smashed. Roy yanked out his gloves and strode over to the door and opened it just as Ed kicked her way in. She shot a venomous glance at the two soldiers that had pursued her rampage.

"If I want to talk to my boyfriend, then I'm going to," she growled at them. "Now PISS OFF!" She swung back around and crossed the room, ignoring the shocked looks from Havoc, Fury, and Hawkeye. She grabbed Roy by the collar and hauled him into his inner office, kicking the door shut with her foot.

"Edna," Roy said, careful to use her full name in case anyone was listening. "What is the meaning of this? You can't just barge…" He stopped when Ed started scribbling something on a pad of paper at his desk.

"It's important Roy. I couldn't wait until you got off work," Ed said and held the paper up. Al in trouble. Need Military Car.

"Be that as it may a phone call should have sufficed," Roy said, writing underneath What happened?

Winry said he never made it home. Could be kidnapped. Next train to Risembol doesn't leave until tomorrow morning. Could be too late. Ed scrawled back hastily before adding, "I'm sorry."

"How about I meet you for lunch and we can discuss this more privately," Roy said and wrote back Meet me at my house in an hour.

"I'll see you then," Ed said and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. They had to be careful of how they acted in case any spies were listening. Ed coming here had been a risk, especially after announcing their involvement in front of two security officers. Roy was sure the rumor mill would be buzzing within the hour as to who the mystery woman calling herself Roy's girlfriend had been.

"We'll figure it out. I promise," Roy said to Ed.

Ed nodded, her sheer willpower coating her squared shoulders like armor as she exited the office. Sure enough a large crowd of military personal had gathered in the hallway to get a glimpse of the young lady walking out like she owned the place.

"I apologize for the intrusion," Roy said to the security officers that had chased Ed to the office. "I take full responsibility for her actions and assure you she will cause no more damage. Please escort her to the front gate."

"Yes sir," the men responded with quick salutes, flanking Ed.

As soon as they had left, the tittering of secretaries and the gossip of soldiers began to spread.

"No way…"

"Girlfriend? Did you hear that?"

"Was that even a girl? She was wearing leather pants."

"So Mustang's finally stopped fooling around."

Roy glared at the group of bystanders, earning a few embarrassed faces. After shutting out the rabble he called what was left of his crew into his office.

"Edna came to inform me that you'll all be joining us for lunch," Roy said. "We leave within the hour, and Havoc I need you to go fill the car."

"Sir…" Hawkeye began, but Roy waved her off. "Hawkeye I'd like you to head to the gun range before we go," Roy hinted. "And Fury I need you to get a few things for me." He slid the young man a list including train stops between Central and Risembol and any reported disturbances. "Dismissed."

Ed was sitting on Roy's front step, her leg constantly shaking in her haste to be gone. She was in her leather pants, black tank top, and large boots. She'd also put on her metal bracelet and thrown a couple pieces of chalk into her pockets.

How long had it been? Too long. Al could be hurt or worse and she was just sitting here. But she knew her brother. He hadn't gone down without a fight, and if she could just start retracing his route home she knew she'd find some clue. And when she finally found him, god help the morons who kidnapped him in the first place.

She jumped up when the car came to a halt in front of the house, but stopped when Hawkeye, Havoc, and Fury exited the car as well.

"Roy…" Ed started but he placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

"We have to explain everything to them first," Roy told her. "We were going to do this anyway, it might as well be now."

"But we have to go," Ed protested. "Right now!"

"They have a right to know, Ed!" Roy said. "Havoc and Fury need to understand. We don't know who took Alphonse and they could be putting their lives on the line."

"Wait a minute!" Havoc interjected. "Alphonse is missing?"

Roy opened the front door to his home and ushered everyone in. Dutifully they all came in, Ed last of all. She started pacing in front of the fire suddenly felt nervous. Roy was right of course. This charade had been going on too long.

She took a deep breath and faced Havoc and Fury.

"Edward Elric is not dead," Ed said and held out her hands as if that was all the explanation they needed.

"Huh?" Havoc said after a moment and tilted his head to the side. However, Fury's hand flew to his mouth as he let out a gasp of recognition. Havoc looked between Ed and Fury, still thoroughly confused.

"But how did you…is it permanent?" Fury wondered coming up and walking around Ed. "I mean how did you get your arm back?"

"It's sort of a long story," Ed said. "Basically I had to get Alphonse's body back. And when I did I got my arm back and was changed into a girl."

"Wait," Havoc's eyes suddenly got huge. "You mean… BOSS!?" Then he pointed at Roy. "You're dating the boss?!"

Roy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ed's a woman whom you flirted with, and the only thing you're freaking out about is the fact we're dating." Havoc paled considerably at Roy's mention of his previous advances on Ed.

"Don't worry about it Havoc," Ed said with a shrug. "Now. I need your guys help. Alphonse is missing. He came to visit last week and left on the train yesterday morning. He should have gotten home in the evening, but Winry said he never showed up."

"And the reason she didn't try to contact you last night was because…" Hawkeye inquired.

Roy and Ed glanced at each other. "Um…she did," Ed said. "But I wasn't home."

"Fury," Roy interjected, pointedly ignoring the disapproving look from Hawkeye, "What have you got from the train stops I asked you to investigate."

Fury fumbled a minute before pulling out the pages he'd collected. "There are ten stops between Risembol and Central. Most of them are small towns. There were two disturbances. One in Westhaven there was a drunken brawl at the local pub, and in Little Creek there was a break in at the town market."

"Neither of those," Roy said as he tried to think. "We're looking for strange happenings. Large holes and earth shafts suddenly appearing. Signs of alchemical struggle."

Fury flipped through his notes. "In Ethico a farmer reported some damaged crops," he said. "And his farm is a quarter of a mile from the train station."

"We'll start there," Ed said, too impatient to be standing here a moment more. "I'll know Al's alchemy the moment I see it."

"Alright then," Roy declared. "If there are no more questions, let's head out."

Alphonse awoke to find his face pressed against hard concrete and his hands in stocks. He winced and reached back to feel the cut on his head.

The thugs who had jumped him at the train station hadn't stood a chance. Alphonse had thrown up a shield and after maneuvering around them had managed to entangle them both in the metal fencing that ran parallel to the track. However, that had only been a distraction. Just as Alphonse had started to stand, the trace of alchemy still on his fingertips, the homunculus had come out and kicked him right in the head. He'd stumbled, and received another kick in the ribs.

"No pipsqueak brother to save you huh!?" Envy had taunted. "And now you're flesh and bone. Perfect for KICKING!"

Al had managed to roll away and make a run for it, using his alchemy to throw up barriers behind him as he cut into the trees near the station. Then suddenly something black had sliced through the darkness and he drop to his knees, sliding to avoid Lust's blade-like finger. Gluttony was right behind her, the creature mad with hunger and running like a dog on all fours.

In his conscious state, Al tried to make sense of the last few seconds. He was running, dodging Lust's fingers when one had finally nicked his shoulder inflicted a deep flesh wound that had him jumping to the side and throwing up a wall of earth to hurtle at her. And just as he'd turned around he'd been tackled and his head hit something hard.

He reached up to inspect his shoulder and found it bandaged. His head too was covered, but the bump still throbbed painfully. Next he checked his ribs, rolling back his shirt to find his stomach a multicolor of black and blue. Luckily nothing seemed to be broken.

After taking stock on his current state, he began inspecting his prison. It was small. Four windowless cement walls with a pallet on the floor next to a bucket. The door had a small slit in the bottom and a barred window up top. He peered through to see another door similar to his own.

"Hello," he called out. No answer. "HELLO! Is there anybody there!? What's going on?" He coughed. The yelling hurt his already bruised stomach.

"Alphonse?" a voice called back. There was a hearty laugh. "Ho boy am I glad to hear you. Falman! It's Alphonse."

"Breda?" Alphonse wondered. "What the hell are you two doing here."

"We got transferred," the man said bitterly. "Loaded us and a half dozen ex-state alchemists onto a train, but an hour into the trip the entire car filled with gas and knocked us out cold. Next thing, we're waking up here."

"Can you get us out?" Falman said, his face suddenly appearing in the cell adjacent from Al's.

Al tried to touch his fingers together but the stocks held them to far apart. He looked around for something to write with, even feeling in his pocket for some spare bit of chalk. Maybe he could cut his finger and draw in blood. He tried to move his hands to swing them around to the front of his body, but one good tug found the stocks were chained to his belt.

"Sorry," Alphonse said. "They got me tied up pretty good in here. But Winry will know I'm missing soon and she'll get ahold of Ed."

"Your cousin? What's she gonna do?" Breda wondered.

Alphonse faltered. They could be in mortal danger, but then they could be watched too. He wasn't sure how much he should divulge about Ed's secret. "She's dating Colonel Mustang," he said, hoping that that answer would suffice. "She can contact him."

"You think…" But Falman's reply was cut off at the sound of a door being opened. The three huddled back into their respective cells.

"We got five alchemists, two spares, and the boy," someone said and there was a cackle of glee.

"Ooo. Perfect perfect." A little man with overtly small glasses appeared in his window to give him a crazed smile.