Chapter 8: Oppose the policy
--
At the Central Military Hospital Edward sat quietly by Alfons' bed as they medicated him to ease down the pain. Alfons fell asleep not long after, and Edward was left alone to his own thoughts. He wondered how Central looked like now, having suffered from another attack. It could be hundreds or maybe thousands of dead.
Edward rested his head on his arms on the edge of the bed, sighing silently through his nose. Even if he was startled and still shaky considering the recent happening, the younger's deep, steady breathing somehow brought certain calmness over him. At least Alfons would be okay for now, despite of the balance. He had yet to find out if his little brother was alive, but he chose to believe that he was. Until someone could prove the opposite.
He had decided that he didn't want to tell Alfons about the rule concerning parallel persons. He had never intended to tell him in the first place, anyway. He didn't even know exactly how Alfons would react. What if he would wish his own death because of Al? Alfons always put other people before himself. Because of that, Alfons had for a long time lived thinking he would die young and gotten used to it, Edward thought darkly. He would never forget the look in his eyes that day Alfons got the news that his illness was gone, and that he would live. Alfons had gotten his life back then, even if it wasn't the same as before, he had gotten a new chance. Edward refused to take that away from him by telling him the truth. He wanted Alfons to live. And he wanted him to live happy.
Edward moved his hand to hold around the other teen's, lacing their fingers together. He had sworn to protect him. And he would.
But would it be any point continuing if he was unable to save Al in the end?
Edward closed his eyes. If he had to give up his own life for the sake of them both, so be it.
After a while, he fell exhaustedly asleep in his position by the bedside. The same dream that always haunted him showed up again as soon as he rested his eyes.
Everything was white, like the place where the Gate connected the two parallel worlds.
Alfons stood on one side of him, and his little brother Al on the other. But they were far away, and they were both in danger. They had started falling, as in slow motion. Beneath either of them was a huge, black Gate. Each Gate would swallow them if he didn't do anything.
Two Gates. Two worlds. Two Als.
Edward remained standing like frozen, unable to do anything. He could only save one of them, but he was incapable to do the choice. It was the two people he loved the most in the world. To choose between them was impossible.
Still, he was suddenly shutting his eyes tightly and run as fast as he could towards Al, refusing to turn around to see the look in Alfons' face. Black hands were stretching out of the darkness of the Gate and had started wrapping around Al's body.
Al stared at him, fear written in his large bronze eyes, and called out his name. "Nii-san!"
No! He reached for Al while he ran, stretching his arm as his brother started to dissolve.
"AAAL!" Edward yelled.
"Edward!" Alfons was shaking him, looking bewildered.
Edward looked up from his arms by the bedside, focusing his eyes on Alfons.
"You were dreaming again," Alfons said.
Edward was still hazed from the abrupt awakening. He didn't feel too good, tiredly drying off his damp forehead. "I'm sorry..." he managed. "Did I wake you?"
"Yes, so we're even," Alfons replied, smiling weakly. "What do you dream about, Edward? Every time, you wake up looking like that."
Edward shook his head. "Like what? I'm fine. I don't even remember." Lies.
Alfons gave him a look. "You yelled out your brother's name."
"I did? Uhm, sorry. Don't worry about it," Edward said, resting his head down on his arms again, pained by the way he forced himself to lie. "It's nothing." He convinced himself that he did the right judgement by lying, that things would only be worse if Alfons knew the truth.
"If you say so," Alfons said slowly.
"How are you feeling?" Edward asked.
"It's a pain to breathe, but despite that I'm fine," Alfons answered dryly, and Edward smiled. "What about the others?" he asked. "Are they okay?"
Edward nodded. "Mustang and Hawkeye and the others are good. But I don't know how Central looks right now. It could be fatal."
"I see."
Edward gave him a long, scolding look. "You were all by yourself during the attack. What the hell were you doing in the other warehouse alone?"
Sighing deep, Alfons closed his eyes, knowing that Edward wouldn't let the subject down before he explained himself. "When the alarm went off and Riza received a phone call from the headquarters saying that Central was under an attack, I went to move the fuel. It would have been ugly if it had been hit."
Edward stared startled at him. "I guess," he agreed. "Both warehouses gone, if not more."
Alfons nodded.
"You saved their lives," Edward said.
Alfons shrugged. "The barrel stands hidden behind one of the far west warehouses now. I put it there where there weren't people around."
Edward nodded. "Good. Don't tell anyone else where it is."
"Okay... why?"
Edward brushed him off, a thin smile revealing on his lips. "It could be useful later."
Feeling slightly alarmed and curious, Alfons asked. "Are you planning something?"
"Maybe."
"What?"
"I'll tell you later," Edward reassured. "I'm expected at work tomorrow. The Brigadier General almost held me back from going to the hospital with you because he wanted me to work." Alfons scowled by this as Edward continued. "The plane will be ready tomorrow. There's not much left, only to connect the propeller and the rest of the wings, and some smaller details."
"I want to come too," Alfons said, but Edward shook his head.
"You're still quite beaten up," he said. "You stay here and get better, and I'll visit you after work."
Too tired to start arguing, Alfons took that as a sign that Edward probably had a point. It still hurt some places, and he didn't want to be in the way. "Okay."
Edward nodded. "Good." With a small sigh, he rested his head against his arms again, obliviously exposing his neck as he laid his head on the side.
Alfons frowned and locked his hand around Edward's shoulder, pulling him closer.
Edward looked questioningly at him.
"Your neck," Alfons said. "What's that mark?"
Edward scowled. "What mark?"
Alfons pointed. "There. It looks like..." He fell silent, scowling while he lightly let his tomb caress over the bruise.
Edward stood up and went for a mirror on the wall. He noticed the reddish mark on his neck, cursing underneath his breath. "That bastard..."
Mustang had lied to him... He had said nothing had happened...
Alfons wasn't sure what to believe. To judge from the look of horror in Edward's face, the mark was exactly what it looked like.
Alfons looked startled at him, his head spinning. Where would Edward get a love bite from? He wouldn't cheat on him, right?
Edward turned to him again, covering his mark with his left hand. "I don't know why he..." he trailed off and went silent. His voice was noticeably wound up and he scowled down at the floor, utterly ashamed of himself.
"Who?" Alfons asked agitated.
"Mustang..." Edward replied and looked up just in the right time to see Alfons' eyes widened of hurt and disbelief.
"I can't remember exactly what happened," Edward added, looking down again. "But I didn't—"
"You don't remember?" Alfons repeated, not sure what to think.
"We drank some scotch," Edward admitted. "The night before the attack. I was upset. I'm sorry..." By the look in Alfons' face, he couldn't help going into a defensive mode. "Look! You don't think I would do anything like that, do you?"
Alfons' thoughts were circling fiercely, brining a throbbing ache to the surface of his mind, but his next words slipped out of him before he even could think them properly through. "You did a lot of things I didn't think you would do to me last night, Edward," he said.
Edward looked hurt. But ashamed as well. He looked away. "I'm sorry."
Alfons looked away as well. Before he met Edward, before he had come to his world, he had had someone else that he loved.
"It used to be you and Mustang, right?" he asked slowly.
Edward's silence confirmed it.
It was kind of hard to believe. They were so different from each other. Not to mention the age difference. But still, Alfons should have known. Edward had always showed his trust and loyalty to Colonel Roy Mustang, even in Munich. And even to his parallel person.
Edward slowly moved his gaze from the floor to Alfons, deciding that he would put everything about the subject on the table, knowing that if Alfons found out later, it would only make things worse.
"When we first came back to Central," he started and paused shortly, looking for the right way to put it. "After our first meeting in his office, he wanted to talk to me privately."
Alfons nodded, remembering.
"He asked me if it was possible for him and me to still be together."
"And what did you tell him, Edward?" Alfons asked silently.
"I said no." Edward looked him straight in the eyes. "He understood. He said he wanted to protect us. But he just wanted one thing from me. One last kiss. And then he kissed me," Edward admitted.
Alfons looked bewildered at him. "He kissed you?" It was quite bewildering, but was it really worth getting distressed over? A 'borrowed' kiss wasn't such a big deal, right? Edward hadn't really been directly cheating. He wished he could convince himself just by that...
"I kissed him back," Edward said honestly. "I... I didn't stop it." This didn't mean that he still wanted to be with Mustang. If only Alfons could understand that.
Alfons got utterly shocked. Edward didn't even mind it and just kissed him back? He couldn't believe that Edward had done something like that behind his back. Then again. He knew Edward wouldn't have meant to cheat on him. Even if he didn't always do the right type of judgement out of a situation, he probably just wanted to grant one wish from Mustang, right? Though Alfons was shocked to hear that Mustang really had requested something like that. Wouldn't that only make it harder to forget?
Alfons sighed deep, gazing at Edward's pained eyes, who had moved over to the bed to sit beside him and Alfons felt a flesh hand close around his wrist.
"It was never my intention to hurt you," he said. "I just didn't think."
"You just paid him back, right?" Alfons said slowly.
Edward nodded slowly. "Yeah... And about last night. I don't know what happened. I wasn't myself at all."
"I know," Alfons said. He had already forgiven Edward for attacking him at the dorms like that. But of course, he was still curious about what happened at Mustang's. "So... you said you don't remember what happened last night," he said slowly. This was surely a bizarre situation.
"Yeah... I'm really sorry, Alfons. I shouldn't have drunk—"
"It's not the drinking part I'm most concerned about, Edward," Alfons said harshly, afraid of suggesting the next part of his suspicions. "You still got that mark from him... Do you think he would... you know, take advantage?" He really didn't want to think such thing about Mustang. He had trusted him as well, and the Colonel had never shown himself to be anything else but a good man.
Edward frowned at him. "What the hell? No, of course not. He's not like that."
"Then why did he do it?" Alfons asked.
"Hell I know!" Edward replied, his voice slightly irritated. Still the thought nagged his mind. What if Mustang was still feeling something for him? "He wouldn't do anything I wouldn't agree to," he said.
"So you agreed to it then?" Alfons replied dryly.
"No, of course not!" But deep down Edward was unsure. He hadn't resisted when Mustang kissed him in the office. And last night he had been drunk. What if he had given the impression that he wanted it without knowing? He didn't even want to know the answer to that.
"Please, Alfons," Edward said. "I've told you that I'm sorry. Can we just forget about it? You know who I..." He stopped, awkwardly looking for words to fill in.
"Who you what, Edward?" Alfons asked on purpose. It was mean, but Edward deserved it.
Edward stepped closer to him, lowering his voice. "I love you, Alfons," he said.
Alfons' face softened. Edward never said those words out loud. When he first did, he really meant it, Alfons knew that.
Just a couple of hours ago he had been helpless on the ground, staring horrified up at Edward's back, and Edward had prevented a huge part of a wall from falling over him. Even though Edward never said those words, he did always show him that he loved him in all possible other ways. When he first said them, the words seemed to mean so much more than they usually would.
"It's all right," Alfons said evenly. "But you should cover that mark. People might start asking questions."
Edward nodded, a small sheepish smile revealing on his face.
It had started to get late, and soon Edward was hushed out by one of the nurses. Alfons didn't like the nurse much just because she had something to do with a hospital. But he guessed it wasn't quite fair, because she was always smiling and didn't ask too many questions.
"Are you in pain, Alfons?" she asked concerned, as Alfons suddenly cringed sharply on the bed.
"Yes," he breathed. He couldn't even figure out where exactly the pain was coming from.
"I can give you painkillers, but it will take some time before they have an effect."
"That's fine," Alfons said fast. He just needed something. Make it disappear.
She handed him a dose and he swallowed fast.
"Try to get some sleep now," she said, tucking the blanket carefully around him.
"Thank you," he said in a low voice. Was it coming from his foot?
The nurse left the room, and as fast as she did he sat up and pulled his left leg towards himself. He yanked off his sock and twisted his foot to look underneath it. What he saw made him frown.
What the hell was this?
Underneath his left foot he had a mark. It looked like it was burned into the skin. An oval form with a circle in the middle. It looked awfully familiar. An eye.
Why did he have something like this on his foot? He had no idea when he had possibly gotten this.
Then he suddenly remembered what he had seen while he had been knocked unconscious during the attack. A Gate. And it had had this eye carved onto it.
"Shit," Alfons breathed.
--
The next morning at 6.30 am, Edward stretched his flesh arm to the side of the bed to drape it over a smooth chest and snuggle into the warm skin of the person beside him. "Morning Alfons," he muttered drowsily.
Scowling when his hand didn't find anyone there, he pushed himself up and moseyed.
It took some time before he noticed that he was all alone in the dorm room. He stared over at the empty bed across the room, sighing deeply.
Right. Alfons was still at the hospital. He had ordered him to stay there, after all.
It was quite lonely without Alfons around. But hopefully he'd be good to leave the hospital later the same day.
Edward just realized, ever since they went to the University in Transylvania together, they had rarely been very far away from each other. It kind of reminded him of the times he was never parted from his brother, despite considering that as a quite different type of relationship.
In the beginning, right after he had met Alfons, they had rarely talked about any other things than school, books, mathematical theories or philosophy. And most of all, rockets. But despite that, they had enjoyed each other's company, gone out drinking and listened to each other's problems.
Edward had never wanted to commit himself to people in the other world. Even if it was only after they moved together in Munich, things had gotten deeper, Alfons had become his best friend from the start, without that he had even noticed it.
"Hi, I've seen you from my class," a voice said smiling, reaching him a greeting hand.
Edward jumped up from his book and looked straight into a pair of very blue, but strangely familiar large eyes. Edward stared startled at him, before he looked around to find a possible escaping route. But the University Library was almost empty, and of course he had stuffed himself in an inner corner of the room. It was strange this guy even found him between all the shelves.
"Edward, right?" the taller blond asked, still smiling.
"Yeah..." he exhaled. He hadn't even noticed that he had been holding his breath. Slowly, he reached his prosthetic hand back, accepting the greeting.
"Wow, your hand is kind of stiff."
Edward pulled his hand back fast and went back to his book. "None of your business." No one knew about his artificial limbs, and that suited him better.
The other shrugged. "Do you mind if I sit here?"
"... Sure."
He sat down by the table opposite of him, bringing up his homework. Edward mentally snorted; he had finished the homework in class while listening. But he guessed he didn't mind the guy being there, as long as he didn't talk too much.
It was almost... painful.
"What made you start studying rocketry?" he asked, looking up from his homework.
Edward shrugged, wanting to keep things on a superficial level. "It seemed like... the most logical thing to do."
"I think so too," the other agreed. "I like the book you're reading," he commented. "Albert Einstein says: Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. That's what I want to do. Try out the new and bring the dignity back to my home country."
Edward snorted again. "He sounds fishy. He says that energy and mass are corresponding. If the gravity of the Universe is equivalent to acceleration, and if those motions affect measurements of time and space, I wouldn't be here."He bit his own tongue. He wasn't supposed to talk about himself.
"What do you mean?" the other asked curiously.
"Just forget it," Edward said. "What's your name?" he hurriedly asked.
"Oh, sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Alfons Heiderich."
Edward smiled softly. He should've figured. "Alfons, huh."
"I used to live in Germany," Alfons said. "Munich."
"Haven't been there," Edward said.
"Where do you come from?"
"Uhm… London, I guess." Beside Transylvania, that was the only place he had ever been.
Alfons smiled. "You don't sound British."
Edward shrugged again. "I read some German books, and it just came down quite ok." He tried not to brag. How could he explain that he could talk several languages fleetingly at an age of seventeen?
Alfons raised his brows at him. "Not bad. Even I think our grammar is depressing sometimes."
Edward couldn't help snort out a short laugh. Alfons went back to his homework, writing swiftly.
Edward almost couldn't get over how much like this Al would've been at this age. Alfons Heiderich had the same features, the same calmness over him and the same smile. Just by looking at him Edward could figure out that this was a tolerant and caring person. And even if he didn't have exactly the same eye colour, Edward couldn't fail to admit to himself that Alfons' clear blue eyes were beautifully and literally shining. Like stars.
He didn't know how long time it had been, before Alfons looked up, with a questioning smile on his face.
"You're staring," he said.
Edward blinked, and golden eyes quickly shot down to his book again. "No, I'm not... Sorry." His could feel his cheeks heat up. Shit. He probably thought he was some freak already.
Alfons laughed. "Do I look like someone you know?"
Edward didn't reply, ignoring him completely. He forced himself to concentrate on the book. Sometimes when he concentrated hard enough, he could shut out everything else.
Alfons pushed his paper towards him. "Could you have a look? Should I elaborate further or jump to the conclusion?"
Edward lowered his book again, watching the paper. He wondered slightly how a different mind would solve the problems. He picked up the paper without a word, reading it carefully.
Alfons had partly the same resolution as he had. Edward was sure there were plenty of conclusions out there of how to create their own primitive rocket model, but Alfons' was just a different version of his own. He was impressed.
"Jump to the conclusion. And you have some grammar mistakes," he noted.
"I'm dyslectic," Alfons said.
Edward used his quill, changing the errors as neatly as he could with his left hand. Then he reached the paper back to Alfons. "I like your theory. It works well."
"Thank you," Alfons said gratefully and smiling. "I'm going out with some people later. Want to come?"
Edward shrunk, picking up his book again. "I don't really—" He didn't really go out much...
"It'll be fun," Alfons added, sounding hopeful.
Edward looked at him. Which he probably shouldn't have done. Those expressive eyes were something he just couldn't decline, reminding him much of how Al looked whenever he asked him anything.
"Okay then," he gave in.
And he ended up having fun… For the first time for very long.
Drinking had never interested him much, but doing it with Alfons made somehow sense. And after a couple of hours, they had turned away from everyone else and Edward was eagerly telling Alfons exciting stories about another world far away from this Earth.
And he made Alfons laugh, and he realized he liked to hear Alfons laugh.
Edward smiled, drifting his mind back to the present world. Alfons probably thought that he never thought back at those old times, but the truth was that he did. Despite that his mind had been set upon getting home to his own world during those two years, he had never gotten through with surviving in the parallel society without the only commitment he had chosen to do.
With a stretch Edward stood up from bed, rubbing his eyes and went to the bathroom. Stepping into the shower, he turned on the hot water and let it downpour his long, loose hair and back. He closed his eyes and stood there for some minutes, letting the water wash away all traces of drowsiness and exhaustion he had felt lately. Even though he refused to admit it.
He didn't feel that he had any right to be tired as long as his little brother was being held prisoner somewhere. Edward had never even dared thinking of what they were doing to him. Whatever it was, they were going to pay...
His fists were clenching so hard that his nails dug into the skin of his palm. "Al," he whispered. "I'll find you soon. Just hold on."
After a long and soothing shower, he got dressed quickly and headed out while putting his hair up in a ponytail. He had only ten minutes before he was supposed to be at the warehouse.
However, as soon as he got out, he got himself a slight surprise. Someone had been waiting for him.
A military car stood parked outside, and the driver stepped out as soon as he came out the entrance, opening the door to the backseat.
"Your escort, Major Elric," the driver said.
Edward scowled. He hadn't asked for any escort, but he guessed he couldn't say no. He was late, anyway. However, he could never be too careful. He stopped by the open door and looked at the uniformed driver. "Who sent you?" he asked suspiciously.
"I did," someone from the backseat said.
Edward snorted as he recognized the voice, and leaned to look at the person in the backseat. Brigadier General Kiehle.
"Why?" Edward asked.
Brigadier General Kiehle looked at his watch. "Get in and I'll tell you." He beamed at Edward. "You only have seven minutes anyway. You'll be late for work."
Edward gave in and got himself into the car, slumping carelessly down into the seat. The driver closed the door after him and went for the driver's seat.
Edward rested his elbow on the car window as they drove, gazing warily at the Brigadier General. "You seem to be in a happy mood today, sir," he noted. What was it now? Edward wondered. Whenever the Brigadier General was in a happy mood, it meant bad news for Mustang.
Some kind of sick game.
"Oh really?" the Brigadier General played along. "Well, that might be true. I have some news for you, Edward."
Edward scowled, not really trying to seem positively interested.
"Because of Colonel Roy Mustang's recent violent mistakes," he cleared his throat, "the Fuhrer decided to transfer Alfons Heiderich and yourself to my command."
Edward lost his mask. "What?!"
"Which means," Carl R. Kiehle continued, "I'm your superior officer now, and I expect you to follow my orders at any time." He reached Edward a sheet of paper.
Edward grabbed it and let his golden orbs dance over the sheet and the Fuhrer's seal and signature at the bottom, feeling like he was sinking deeper into the car seat. "This must be a mistake," he said in a low voice. "We still work with Hawkeye and Havoc and the others. They're still under his command. Why were we transferred?"
The Brigadier General laughed heartedly. "Because you two are the ones who know how to fly the flying machine. And since I'm the one in charge of the Azure-project now, we decided that it was the most logical thing to do."
Edward didn't reply. Something of a lump of fury bubbled in his chest.
"But you mustn't worry, Edward," the Brigadier General said. "It's only temporarily, and I promise to take care of you." He smiled. "Both of you."
Edward calmed slightly down. Temporarily. Temporarily was a good word. But still, he didn't like it.
"Remember," the Brigadier General said. "My orders are absolute. At any time."
Some minutes later they arrived at the warehouse, and Edward met the others inside by the almost finished machine inside the transmutation circle.
Edward turned to see that the Brigadier General went for the office next to the working area, not within the range of hearing him.
"Hawkeye," he said, and she nodded.
"Edward-kun, I'm sorry," Riza said. "There was nothing the Colonel could do about the transfer."
"It's a crappy situation," Havoc muttered. "He wasn't happy for it."
Edward gave them a slight smile. "I thought so. But it's only temporarily, right?"
Hawkeye nodded again. "To have a binding transfer, you yourself must sign a contract."
"There's no way I'll ever do that," Edward muttered. "I'm not even planning to stay in this military for much longer."
Hawkeye smiled at him. "No. When we've retrieved your brother, you should go and have a fresh start and do what you've always wanted to do."
Edward was glad she understood. Hawkeye did always understand. "I've never really thought about it much," he said. "I've never had any other goals than retrieve my brother's body and get back home."
"Then you have the chance to start thinking about it now," she said.
Edward nodded. Maybe Alfons' idea really was a good start. They could find a place of their own somewhere, and they could bring Al if he wanted to.
He shook his head. First thing's first. He looked determinedly at the plane. "Havoc, Breda, help me with the propeller."
"Yes boss," Havoc said and saluted, his cigarette carefully replaced with a toothpick. Alfons had made a clear note not to smoke around Azure, and it was the first time Edward could remember that the 2nd Lieutenant had listened to someone's instructions towards his smoking.
"You're getting close to finish it," Hawkeye said.
Edward nodded. "It will be finished today."
A while later, the propeller and the wings were put properly into place, and Edward sat on top of the plane's nose by a small, open hatch, connecting some wires in different colours. He wasn't an expert on the electronic area, but finishing was much easier than starting. He had watched Alfons in action before as well, so he felt quite well taught.
Closing the hatch, he dried off his forehead and stood up. "It should work now," he said. "The only thing I miss is the fuel."
Havoc nodded up at him. "Coming right up, boss!"
Edward stood up and balanced towards the cockpit and sat down in the front seat. Their plane had two seats, one behind the other with room for maximum one person each seat. But it was a start.
Havoc and Falman added fuel into the tank behind him and they gave a clear signal.
"Okay," Edward said to himself. "Let's try starting her up."
He started the engine. It made a growling noise, thereafter a loud but steady humming. Edward felt his heart beat hard in excitement. He couldn't wait to fly this thing. Too bad Alfons wasn't here with him to share the moment. Not that he could really fly it yet anyway. It was too risky to do it here, so close to the city and in front of everyone, and possibly right in front of Thule Society if they were snooping around. And if civilians of Central saw this thing, it would probably cause panic.
So he was intending to test the engine only. So far, so good. The engine sounded like it should. But then, a voice suddenly shouted, struggling to be heard above the engine noise.
"Stop! What are you doing?! Stop immediately!"
Edward frowned as he noticed the Brigadier General come fast, fluxing his arms in front of him.
He groaned. What the hell was wrong now? He was supposed to test this thing, wasn't he?
Unwillingly he stopped the engine and stood up from his seat. He gave the Brigadier General a questioning stare.
Kiehle stopped by the foot of the plane, panting slightly. "Is it finished?"
Edward nodded slowly. "After testing, it will be."
"Splendid," the Brigadier said pleased. "Now, come down from there immediately." His soldiers were gathering behind him.
Edward scowled down at the scene. "Why?"
The Brigadier General sent him a strict glare of authority. "Don't question me, Major. Come down at once. Didn't I make myself clear earlier this morning?"
With his brows still furrowed, Edward obliged, jumping lightly down on the ground. Immediately, he was grabbed by force and shoved further away from the plane by the soldiers. "What the hell are you doing?" he protested.
Some other soldiers started setting up at banner around the airplane, to not have people getting close to it.
Edward pulled himself out of the soldier's grip, stepping up to the Brigadier General. "Answer me, sir," he said in a low voice.
Kiehle looked down at him. "For now your job on this plane is finished, Major. Tomorrow your job will be to teach some of my men how to pilot it."
Edward felt his chest bobbling with anger again. "And what if I don't?"
The Brigadier General frowned at him. "You will. If you won't, I will charge you for disobeying your commanding officer's orders."
Edward wanted to answer, but bit his own tongue. No matter what, he refused to accept this.
"The plane needs to be tested, and I want some of my men to do it," the Brigadier General said.
"Your men?" Edward repeated. "They don't even have—"
"Major Elric," the Brigadier interrupted. "If you choose to disobey me, you must face the consequences. Tomorrow we will escort the plane to a safer place where there are no possible spies around, to run the tests," Kiehle informed.
"Where?" Edward asked.
"You'll find out tomorrow. But I have decided, as the man in charge of the Azure-project, that you will not have anything to do with piloting, apart from teaching."
"Your men can't pilot it," Edward opposed in a low voice.
"And why is that, Major?"
"There's only one plane and I'm not any instructor," Edward said sternly. "For someone lacking experience like they do, they need a lot of training and time. We don't have time."
The Brigadier General sneered. "I'll take the time we need."
Edward scowled heatedly at him. The Brigadier ignored it and turned to one of his soldiers. "Has anyone contacted the Fuhrer President like I ordered?"
"Yes, sir," a man in the front replied.
The Brigadier nodded and turned to Hawkeye and the rest of the team, standing some feet away. "As for you, you're dismissed. For today your work is finished. Great job, everyone!" He smiled widely at them.
Hawkeye and the others saluted and went obediently towards the door. Riza Hawkeye turned slightly and met Edward's angry gold eyes. She didn't like this, but there was nothing they could do.
Edward's fists clenched, seeing Riza turn away from him and continued walking out. They did only what they were told. There would be no help from that corner this time. No one had the power to protest as long as this man was in charge.
He turned to the Brigadier General again.
The superior officer noticed and looked nonchalantly down at him. "You're still here, Major?"
Edward gave him a solid stare. "My brother is alive out there somewhere. If you intend to attack Thule, you might kill him."
The Brigadier General snorted and rubbed his forehead. "You poor boy." He rested his arm across Edward's shoulders, making the teen flinch.
"You must face the fact that your brother is no more," Kiehle whispered. "Good luck with that, Edward. I'm very sorry." He took his arm away and turned. "I could've chosen to have you arrested already, but I won't because I'm nice." He turned to a couple of his men. "Escort Major Elric outside, please."
Edward trembled in anger, but before he could argue against the Brigadier General, his arms were held firmly back by two soldiers who started pulling him towards the door.
"Yes, and one more thing, Major Elric," Brigadier General Kiehle said, turning around at him again. "Your hearing is tomorrow as well, so you'll have quite a busy day." His lips formed into a smile. "If you for some reason choose to not show up tomorrow, then I will make sure you'll face the necessary consequences."
Edward struggled slightly against the two soldiers, but there wasn't much use. He gave up and sighed, his teeth gritting. "I'll stay at my kennel until then, I guess," he said dryly.
Kiehle offered him a sly grin of victory which did everything but ease Edward's anger. As he was shoved outside, the door went shut almost immediately after, leaving him standing alone in the wide open front yard and glare at the door.
For a couple of minutes, Edward was just standing there stiffly, trying to calm down his anger. Now they weren't allowed to even touch their own plane. All the Brigadier General wanted was to have the whole invention for himself. Edward was feeling terribly used. And like he was going to sit obediently and wait for it to happen again and again. How much time would he have to build other airplanes before it was too late to save Al?
Time was something he didn't have in this matter.
Edward snorted to himself. Then he suddenly heard the sound of a car engine and gasped as a military car was approaching the area, right towards the warehouse with Azure. He moved fast behind the left side corner of the warehouse, a small plan forming in his mind as he did so.
The Brigadier General liked to play. It was time to do something against the authorities. That's how he liked playing in the old days, and why shouldn't it still be. The policy of this country was far from perfect anyway. He would not let himself be run down that easily. And knowing he would have had Mustang's support, only made it seem more right.
He stopped by the window to the office and peeked inside, seeing that the office were empty. With a clap, he touched the wall and made a small door in the wooden wall. He opened it carefully and crawled inside. He wasn't actually sure what he was thinking he would achieve, but he wouldn't just go home and mope.
Once inside he undid the transmutation, making the wall normal again. As he carefully stood up, he could spot the Brigadier General through the windows pointing towards Azure's working lot. Brigadier Kiehle was cheerily welcoming the Fuhrer into the warehouse and gesturing proudly towards the airplane. Edward was careful not to be spotted by any of the soldiers outside the office.
But suddenly the Brigadier General gestured towards the office while talking, and the Fuhrer nodded.
Edward gulped. They were coming to talk privately.
He ducked fast underneath the desk, and tucked his arms and feet close to his body, making himself as small as possible. (He irritably gritted his teeth just by the thought of seeming small on purpose.)
The door opened and he stopped breathing, hearing the Brigadier General's cheery voice. "... as we take a cup of coffee?"
"Sounds good, Brigadier General," Fuhrer Hakuro said, smiling.
"So what do you think, sir?" Kiehle asked as he closed the door. "Seems like a remarkable machine, does it not?"
"Yes, indeed. Although, I myself would not dared be the first one to fly it."
Both of the men laughed.
"No, of course not. It would be too risky," the Brigadier General said. He poured some coffee in two cups and handed one to the Fuhrer. "I don't know about you, sir, but I don't think alchemy can be trusted in all possible ways."
"Perhaps not, Brigadier General."
Edward frowned, mentally fuming.
"Luckily I have some brave men who wishes to take the risk for the greater good," Kiehle assured as he went to the desk and stood behind it.
Edward possibly shrunk even more. If he was caught in here with these two men, with the Fuhrer, he'd be dead.
"That's admirable," the Fuhrer said.
"Sit down if you like, Fuhrer Hakuro."
"Yes, thank you, Carl." The Fuhrer sat down on the couch before the desk, taking a sip of his coffee before he put the cup on the table.
"Major Elric wants to test it for himself," Brigadier General Kiehle said and sat down by the desk, nearly kicking Edward in the leg. Edward stiffened, not daring to take a breath.
"But I had to let him down," Kiehle continued unaware. "We can't afford to lose him in an accident."
"Indeed. He's doing an important job," Fuhrer Hakuro agreed. "I suppose he accepted the transfer?"
"So and so."
The Fuhrer laughed quietly. "I had some convincing to do with Colonel Mustang as well. But the alternative in his case would be worse than losing a couple of subordinates for a couple of months."
"I suppose so," the Brigadier General answered. "Colonel Mustang has still something to learn."
"Well." Hakuro laughed again. "Everyone does make mistakes sometimes, Brigadier General, and you weren't seriously hurt in the matter."
"No, fortunately for Colonel Mustang."
"And for Major Elric as well," the Fuhrer added. "I sure hope not he intended to desert the military two years ago. That would be highly regrettable."
"Indeed."
"But over to the recent matter again," the Fuhrer said. "Where you claimed to know that the youngest Elric-brother has fallen, is that so?"
"I'm afraid so, sir."
Edward clamped his teeth together of hearing that, and then he was afraid that they had heard him. But they just continued their conversation.
"It's been two weeks, Fuhrer."
"That is regrettable. A good kid. We'll have an official funeral for him when the Thule organization is stopped."
At this point Edward wanted to spring up from his hiding place and crush their faces. They were just sitting there; talking so lightly about his little brother and assuming that he were dead. Without a moment of lament.
"But over to something else, if I may. You know of our recent achievements, Carl. Luckily for us, the last attack gave us something valuable."
Edward scowled, listening carefully at this. They had gained something from the last attack at Central? What?
"Indeed, Fuhrer."
"So where do you suppose we go from here?" Fuhrer Hakuro asked.
"I think we should act as soon as we can," Kiehle said resolutely. "It will be a surprise attack we'll win if we use all forces we got."
Edward's eyes widened. He could hardly believe his own ears. First he thought he had heard wrong, but he hadn't.
"We could do it already tomorrow morning," Brigadier Kiehle said. "The only obstacle is Major Elric's hearing tomorrow."
"Yes, that is true. Maybe we should postpone it," Fuhrer Hakuro mused.
Kiehle nodded. "It might not be such a bad idea. I can have him instruct some of my men. We don't even have to use the finished flying machine yet, as long as we know where they are. We have only one, and using it will be a waste as it possibly will be shot down."
"Yes that is true," Fuhrer Hakuro said. "I think you're right, Carl. I've thought that we should surprise-attack them as soon as possible. I'm planning to discuss it with the Council at the meeting tonight."
Edward had started shaking. He didn't care about the fact that they were postponing his hearing in order for him to keep working for that bastard, but the fact that they knew.
They knew Thule Society's location!
They knew where his brother could be right now. And even worse. They were planning an attack.
"It's the right thing to do, sir," Kiehle said. "We shouldn't just sit and wait for another attack or for them to change their location."
"Indeed."
"Do you have it with you, sir?"
Fuhrer Hakuro nodded and Edward heard him taking out a paper from his uniform jacket and unfold it on the table. Brigadier General Kiehle stood up from the desk, and Edward took some deep breaths as the man finally went towards the table.
"This marked area is the supposed location we could track," the Fuhrer informed.
They were looking at a map. It was almost too good to be true. A map leading straight to his brother! Edward gritted his teeth. He had to see that map, no matter what.
"I see, sir."
"I should get going now," the Fuhrer said. "The map should be kept at a safe place while I'm at the meeting."
"I can lock it up in my desk drawer, sir," the Brigadier General suggested.
"That would be good, yes, Brigadier General."
Edward snorted inaudibly with a small grin. He heard Kiehle folded the map together and went to the desk again, opening a drawer to his left and locked it with a key.
"You may keep the key, sir," Kiehle said, handing the key to Fuhrer Hakuro.
"Thank you, my friend. Now I should get going. I will contact you after the meeting."
"Yes, Fuhrer President. Oh. One more thing."
"Yes, Brigadier General?"
"The Elric boy wouldn't like to hear that we're heading after Thule Society."
"Why is that?"
"He thinks his brother is there."
The Fuhrer mused. "What are you suggesting to tell him then?"
Kiehle sighed. "As I said, I will put him to instruct two of my men to pilot the flying machine. It will keep him occupied. He will know nothing about the attack until afterwards. He could mean trouble if he knew."
"I see, that would probably be for the best. Good, Brigadier General."
They saluted, and left the office.
After they had left, Edward stood up slowly, stretching his legs.
"Heh," he muttered. "Things will not go the way you plan."
--
"Alfons."
He looked a little pale, but Edward hoped he was okay. They had no time to be in the hospital.
Alfons slowly opened his eyes from the light sleep in the hospital bed, turning his head to the side. He looked up at Edward, immediately judging by the look in his face that something was terribly wrong.
"Edward," he said in a low voice.
"Are you good to go?" the older asked.
"I think so... but what's wrong?"
Edward looked determined, holding a sheet of paper up for him to see. "I know where my brother is."
Alfons' eyes widened, taking the map to look closer at a marked area. "How did you get this?"
"In a place where I wasn't supposed to be," Edward replied. "I transmuted a copy. We don't have much time. They're planning an attack at Thule first thing in the morning."
Alfons frowned. He didn't quite like the thought of this.
"We need to get there first." Edward looked determinedly at him. "Are you with me?"
"You are planning to go there behind the military's back?" Alfons asked, feeling the colour disappearing from his own face. How many years in jail would that cost?
"Of course I am," Edward said intently. "They've transferred us, Alfons. We're under that bastard Kiehle's command now, and all he cares about is the plane. He doesn't give a rat's ass about Al."
Alfons scowled, understanding the situation. It wasn't important to keep their military positions, after all. The important thing was to save Edward's brother.
"Of course I'm with you," he said resolutely. He gazed down at the map again. It looked pretty far away. "So how in the worlds are we going to get there?"
Edward smirked. "Easy. We'll steal Azure."