A.N. Apologies for the delayed update! This one's the longest chapter so far and I'm very excited about it! Things really pick up from here, so please stay tuned :) See you next week and enjoy!
Chicago, Illinois, USA. 2034.
Edward woke on Saturday morning comfortable in the plush bedding of the Double Regent Hotel, but not well rested. His nightmares were back. This is exactly why he didn't do long cons.
He rubbed his eyes in an attempt to smooth out the sandpaper feeling under his lids. He needed to get up and meet with Kimblee before he left. And he needed to do it sooner rather than later as he was not going to have this room for another night and still needed to pack. Summoning all his energy, he threw back the feathered down duvet and shuffled his way into a steaming hot shower.
Forty-five minutes later, Ed closed the door to his hotel room, luggage in hand. The monotonous journey down to the lobby was followed by an uneventful check-out at reception. As he thanked the woman behind the desk, he was suddenly struck by a sinking, blood-curdling feeling from the pit of his stomach down to his toes. He turned around shakily, guard up, only to see Kimblee casually strolling out of the elevators, easily wheeling his luggage behind him, the picture of a successful international businessman. 'If only they knew' He thought.
Ed caught the gaze of his employer and nodded his acknowledgement as he headed over, quickly falling into stride next to him.
"Good morning, Edward. I hope you are feeling as rejuvenated as I am this morning." Kimblee said as they made their way to the lobby's exit. "Any updates since yesterday?"
"I was able to talk with two of her advisors, both of which are fully on board."
"Fantastic! And I didn't think this morning could get any better." The wind whipped their hair and overcoats around as they stepped through the revolving doors. At the curb, a bellboy hailed a cab. "I have faith that you won't let me down, Edward. Things are looking good so far. Let's keep it that way."
"Of course." Edward had a sickening feeling that he might not be able to back up his words, but didn't have time to think too much about it when a taxi pulled up to their position. Kimblee gave his luggage to the driver and climbed into the backseat.
"Have a safe flight back." Added Edward.
"Thank you. Keep me updated."
And like that, he was gone.
Edward made his way back into the lobby, taking a seat on one of the ugly-chic blue and green lounge chairs. He dug around in his pockets for the business card he had deposited there yesterday until his fingers closed around its smooth surface. He quickly dialed the number and after counting five rings, heard the voice of Winry tell her caller to leave it at the beep.
He cleared his throat. "Uh, hi, Winry. This is Ed Elr—, er, Jones calling for that hotel recommendation you mentioned yesterday. Please give me a call back at your earliest convenience. Thank you."
He quickly hung up before he could stumble further.
BANG BANG BANG! Ed's last three bullets made contact with the printed silhouette of a man. He pressed the button on the wall that made the paper target fly towards the shooter, so that he could examine his results. Three holes peppered the center of the skull, all within a few inches of each other. Ed tore down the poster, balling it up and tossing it into the can at his feet.
"No need to remind yourself of the fact that you could easily take a man's life."
Ed looked up to the serene face of a middle aged woman with reddish-brown eyes. "Yeah."
"Where'd you learn to shoot?" She asked.
"My dad taught me."
Riza looked at the young man as he cleaned up his station. He seemed lost, going through the motions, so that he complied with the list of rules on the wall. One's past will do that to a man.
"Listen, I know a great place for coffee that's around the corner from here. And you look like you need to take your mind off some things. Wanna join me?"
The man's lost eyes found hers, and he nodded.
They sat down on tall leather backed stools at the bar that ran along the length of the window, shedding their jackets and letting the warm rich tastes and smells of their coffees reinvigorate their souls.
"My name's Riza, by the way." She said, turning to her companion.
"Edward." They shook hands.
"So Edward. What brings you out on a miserable day like today?"
'Looking for you' He thought. "I'm visiting Chicago on business, and decided I should probably do something with my Saturday while I'm here."
"I see." Riza looked out, a remorseful expression on her face. "When one's time is precious, circumstances become extenuated."
"Yeah, something like that." Ed watched pigeons pick at crumbs on the street and took another sip.
"So, what kind of business do you do?" Ed's attention snapped back to her.
"I'm in manufacturing. I represent a Chinese factory company."
"Ah." She smiled knowingly. "So do you consider yourself part of the problem or the solution?"
Ed smirked. "I don't stop long enough to ask."
Riza laughed, lightheaded and easy.
'What am I doing?' He mentally chastised himself. 'I can't afford any slip ups!'
Ed observed her clear, calm eyes. She had shown him kindness today and didn't deserve to be caught in the middle of this. But he knew what he needed to do. When she left momentarily to visit the restroom, Ed stealthily retrieved her house keys from her purse. He wouldn't get much sleep this night, either.
Roy Mustang unlocked the second door to his apartment building and stepped into the small lobby, locking the door back behind him. He sorted through his keys for the littlest one, which he used to open his compact metal mailbox.
Among the usual bills and junk mail, he picked up a folded over nine by twelve manilla envelope. It was heavier than your average letter, and he could feel something rigid inside. It was unmarked except for his name. No address, no return address and no stamps. Which meant that in order for this letter to be in his mailbox, the sender had to go through both doors of his building, and open the lock on his mailbox to place it inside. The only people in the world who had that exact combination of keys was his landlord and Riza Hawkeye.
He smiled to himself as he made his way up the dusty staircase to his second floor unit, carefully running his thumb under the flap to retrieve it's contents. His hand reached inside to grab a thin tablet. It had a typed note taped to its front, which Mustang unfolded first. It read:
Roy Mustang,
Next week, Dr. Winry Rockbell will call a meeting with Rockbell Industries' board members. In it, she will discuss a recent business proposal. It is imperative that you advise her to accept the proposal.
On the tablet, you will find any and all motivation you might need to advise Dr. Rockbell favorably.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
Mustang turned his attention to the tablet. Upon unlocking it, a video began to play. It appeared to be grainy, black and white security footage of what looked like a living room. Five seconds later, the feed switched to show a high angle of a bedroom.
'Wait a minute. I know those sheets…' Thought Mustang.
Five seconds later, the feed switched again to the kitchen, where Riza was cooking herself dinner.
"NO!" Mustang whipped out his cell phone and called her, watching in horror as the Riza in the video picked up her cell and answered.
"Hi, Roy."
"Riza. Get out of your apartment."
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Come to my place. I'll tell you when you get here. You need to stay with me for a few days."
"Okay, I'll be right over."
Mustang breathed a sigh of relief as he watched her in live time quickly pack a small suitcase and exit.
'Crisis averted' He thought, gathering himself and his belongings. He retrieved his keys from his pocket and let himself into the apartment. He dropped them in the bowl by the door and hung his coat in the closet, walking past the small foyer into a moderately sized kitchen.
As he flipped on the lights, a sense of eerie stillness came over him. "Shit he's got my keys!"
Roy inserted a plastic key card into the hotel room door, waited for the green light, then turned the handle and held it open for Riza to walk through ahead of him.
"Check it." He called. Riza nodded and did a systematic check of the room to ensure they were alone.
"Clear." She said a minute later. "What's this all about, Roy?"
Roy held up a finger, indicating her to wait a minute while he checked the room after her, this time looking for bugs or cameras.
"Okay, we're alone." He answered. "Today, I found this in my mailbox." He handed over the envelope and tablet so that she could inspect it. When she saw the video feed of her apartment, she gasped.
"Roy, he's got my keys. And yours. And my business's. And my key card to the office. I keep them all on my keychain." She told him, guilt and fear making her eyes water.
Roy stepped closer, removing the threatening tablet from her hands and embracing her. "It's okay. We're safe here."
Not a second later, a knock resounded through the tense room.
"I'll be right back." Roy made his way to the door, opening it to reveal a bellboy.
"I believe you dropped these, sir." He said, and handed over a keychain with three sets of keys and a plastic key card that read Rockbell Industries.
Roy snatched the keys out of his hand and grabbed the boy's collar. "Where did you find these?!"
"In the lobby, I swear!" His eyes were wide and unseeing.
"I don't believe you." Roy pressed. "Where exactly?"
"They were on the concierge desk! I saw you both check in and recognized the woman's face from the ID card on the ring! Please sir! You have to believe me!"
Roy dropped his hold on the boy and huffed. "Alright. Get out." The boy practically ran away screaming.
Roy walked back over to Riza, handing back her keys. "He knows we're here."
For the third time that day, Edward exited the Double Regent Hotel, and pressed a twenty dollar bill into the hand of the bellboy who held the door open for him. He made the short walk to his rental car, unlocked it and sat in the driver's seat. He ignited the engine and put it in gear. Before he could drive off, the shrill ring of his cell interrupted him.
"Hello?"
"Edward?" It was a woman's voice.
"Yeah. Who's this?"
"Oh sorry! It's Winry. I hope it's not too late to be calling, I just got your voicemail. I turn off my phone when I'm in the lab, and sometimes the hours just pass me by. But did you find a place to stay?"
Edward didn't know what to say. He hadn't looked, but knew he could easily find some hole-in-the-wall motel to spend the night. He decided to go with a version of the truth.
"Actually I just walked out of the Double Regent. They were all booked."
"Oh no! That's the one I was going to recommend!"
"That's okay. I actually stayed there last night. Had to check out this morning when my boss left."
"It's a great hotel, right?"
"Yeah, but maybe their lobby furniture needs to be updated."
Winry laughed. "That's hilarious! Is it still that ugly blue and green pattern?"
Ed smiled. "Yeah." There was a pause on the other end and Ed could hear her clinking and clanking around with what he assumed to be some piece of machinery.
"Well, you could always spend the night at the office—"
"No, I wouldn't want to do that." Ed answered too quickly.
"Don't be silly! We have a lounge with pull out couches. I've spent the night way too many times here. And the best part is that tomorrow is Sunday so you can sleep in."
"Well,—"
"Just come by real quick. I'm about done finishing things up here. And if you're at the Double Regent, then you're close. See you in five, okay?"
Ed let a out a breath through his nostrils. "Alright."