Hello everyone! Thanks for all of your reviews for last chapter and I am now extremly happy to say that we have broken the 150+ review mark! XD
Okay I'm just going to say sorry in advance for people who were expecting some serious action to hapen this chapter. Sorry! I also thought that this chapter would cover more ground than it did but it's becuase I remembered something that will be very important much later in the story, and I had to put into this chapter, so that it would make sense. Again, sorry. I hope you still love this chapter.
Edward sat on a window sill in his U.S. History class Wednesday morning, completely annoyed with the situation he was stuck in. Due to Grumman's inability to say no to a class full of summer-bound student's, they had given up all forms of structure and were now in the middle of what appeared to be a recess at an elementary school.
The loud screaming and hysterics of the other teens was not his true source of annoyance, even though they were sincerely aggravating. No, what the true cause of Ed's annoyance was that fact that here he was, doing absolutely nothing when he could be out doing something productive. All of his friends had reminded him time and time again that one of his major flaws was that he could not stop and smell the preverbal flowers. Yes Ed understood this and always tried to fix that problem of his but at a time like this? How the Hell was he supposed to be able to sit in a damned classroom for seven hours a day for three more days? How was he supposed to except that he had to sit put until Friday, when he was free to do as he pleased? No he couldn't. He would go completely bonkers by then. He was sure of it.
"Hey Ed," Roy said as he sat down next to him.
"Hey," Ed said in a knee-jerk response.
"You should just relax Ed," Roy said, as if he could read what was going through Ed's head at that exact moment.
"How the Hell am I supposed to freaking relax, Mustang?"
"I don't know Elric. Maybe you could start by pulling that sick out of your ass."
"Oh tactful as always," Ed hissed, in no mood at all to deal with Roy.
"But seriously you have to relax or else you're gonna end up in a hospital due to stress. And then what are you gonna do when you're stuck in a hospital?"
"I'll probably jump out a window," Ed muttered as he twisted his neck slightly so that he was able to stare out the open window.
"Well then I'd make sure you were placed on one of the top floors of the hospital!"
"Yeah, you would," Ed grumbled before he brought his focus back to the clock that was hung at the back of the class room.
Damn…fifteen more minutes to go.
Roy stared at his friend for another moment before he sighed, got off of the window sill, and began to walk away when he turned around and said, "You know you're just going to have to wait. There aren't any time machines available from what I hear."
Ed stared at the back of his ebony head for a while as he talked from one kid to another, always the King of Popularity.
"Ass…"
Ring…Ring…Ring…
"Hello?"
It was Thursday night.
Everything was packed. Everything was ready. Dominic had brought over the busted-down van to Winry's yesterday after school. Everyone had told their families of their trip ahead of time and, though they did not inform them on the true nature of the trip, everyone had been given permission to go. They were to leave at eight o'clock the next evening. Edward had checked, double, and triple check to make sure that there was not a quicker route there, he only stopped after Sammy had admonished him for being on the computer for much too long.
Edward now stood in his kitchen. He had been craving something to eat for some time now, but after Sammy had pushed him from the computer, he decided to give in to the gurgling grumbles of his stomach and search for something to eat. Just as he had placed dehydrated noodles and their bowl of water into the microwave, the telephone in the kitchen began to ring.
"Hello?" Ed repeated when no one on the other line answered. "Anyone there?"
"…uh…"
"Hello?" Ed asked, feeling a vein twitch in annoyance for the lack of response in the person.
"Is this E-Edward?"
"Yes?"
The voice on the other line was deep and manly but also extremely nervous sounding. Ed had no idea as to who it was, but apparently, the other person knew who he was, and it unnerved him slightly. He didn't know many adults that weren't related to school or his friend's parents.
"Who is this? And who do you need to talk to?"
"That's…that's not important right now. I would like to talk to you but…" The man on the other line seemed to be talking more to himself than actually talking to Ed. "Anyways, what I wanted to do was ask if I could talk to a Mister Kimblee, if he's there."
"Uh, yeah, he's here. I'll go get him."
Ed set the phone down on the table next to where the phone sat before he ran down the hall to where Kimblee sat in his room. After taking a deep breath, Ed knocked on the door.
"What?!" Kimblee hollered from inside his room.
"Someone's on the phone for you."
"Who is it?" Kimblee asked, suddenly sounding more curious and almost worried.
"Don't know. He wouldn't say."
"Fine, fine."
Edward waited until he heard Kimblee pick up the phone that he kept in his own room before he went back to hang up the phone in the kitchen. As Ed moved closer to the receiver, snippets of the conversation floated up to his ears.
"…he is not yours!" yelled the other man.
"Yes he is! I have him fair and square." Kimblee spat into the phone.
With curiosity brewing in his stomach, Ed quickly glanced over his shoulder before he picked up the receiver, careful to cover up the mouth piece with his hand, and held it up to his ear to listen.
"…Why you, of all people, would even want to look after kids are far beyond me Zolf."
Zolf? Ed thought. If he was on first name bases with Kimblee, then he must be pretty close to him, whoever this guy is.
"I don't. But I have to admit, it's a cherry gig here. I don't have to do one bit of work and the government pays me plenty. If you're strapped for cash, you should try it out. Little orphans are popping up everywhere."
"I don't want other children! I want-!"
"Well too damn bad! Because this is what you get! This is what you and that whore get for running away together!"
"Don't you ever dare call my wife a whore!"
"Oh I will and do much, much more than that!"
"It doesn't matter because she's gone now." Ed noticed that the man's voice began to quiver at the end of the sentence.
"Well it's what she dissevered!"
"What she dissevered!? Maybe. Maybe in your twisted-up little mind that makes sense but what truly does not make sense is why you would have to endanger to lives of two innocent children! You could have killed them! You practically did to one of them!"
"Oh he's just fine you little push-over. And as far as I know, your other brat is fine and happy so don't throw another hissy-fit or I swear I'll-."
"You'll what? You'll ruin my life even more? You'll go and kill them? I swear if you even try to lay a single finger on either one of their heads-."
"Too late on that one pops. As I'm sure you know. You're the one that sent that agent over here weren't you? You almost sent all these kids lose!"
"Yes and then they'd finally be able to put their problems behind them and live a good life! Something, because of you, Edwards been denied!"
Me? Ed thought. Why does this man know me? Why does he know Kimblee? And why does he sound as if he cares about me?
"Don't you dare start harping about that brat to me again. Fuck, since I know that you're just going to scream and whine at me until I give up custody on him-."
CLICK!
Kimblee had ended the call. Ed let the phone back onto its mount as quietly as possible before forgetting about his food and running outside onto the back porch.
…he is not yours!…I don't want other children! I want my-!…You're the one that sent that agent over here weren't you?... Something, because of you, Edwards been denied! …
This man, whoever he was, knew him. He knew that Kimblee was mistreating and even abusing him and the other children here. From what Edward was able to gather, this man was not a friend or ally or Kimblee; he sounded to caring to ever be like Kimblee.
"He sent that agent…" Edward muttered to himself.
Two years ago an agent from Child Services had arrived and, after a small investigation, finned Kimblee for some small misdemeanors and left. For a few days, Ed had believed that he would be leaving Kimblee's Hell hole, only to be crushed when the man turned him back into Kimblee's clutches.
…he is not yours!… I want my-!
Ed let the mans voice ring in his ears for a few more moments before he got up from where he sat and walked back into the kitchen to eat.
"Do you have everything you need Eddy?" Sammy asked as she stared at all of the bags that sat near the front door.
It was Friday night. Winry would be appearing in front of Ed's house in a matter of minutes to load up his luggage before leaving for the trip. Ed was sure he had everything but there was always that uncertain feeling in his stomach that made him believe that he had forgotten something important.
"Yes. But what I'm more worried about are you guys. Are you sure you're all going to be okay?" Ed asked for what felt the tenth time today.
"Yes, yes. We've been over this. Me, Kyle, and Terry are all staying over at various friends' houses until you come back," Sammy said as he stared intently at Ed. "And if you are going to be longer than what we discussed and if we can't find a place to stay at, we'll all stay at the local motel down the block. Don't worry. We'll all be fine."
"I know but…just promise me that if Kimblee does anything to you guys-anything-you'll go straight to the police. I don't care what it is, but if I'm not here to be his personal punching bag, I don't want any of you to be a replacement."
"I know Eddy. Just relax and have fun," Sammy said with a small smile on her face. "Have fun for all of us and call once you've found him."
"I will," Ed said with a smile in return.
"Good."
Sammy got on her tip-toes and Ed bent down slightly so that the pre-teen could land a small, sisterly kiss on Ed's cheek. Sammy called the other kids out to come and say goodbye and good luck to Ed.
"I promise I'll call you guys everyday."
"You don't have to call us everyday," Terry said with a small tone of disgust in his voice that came along with the thought that he was much too grown up to be babied like this from someone who was only three years older than himself.
"But you can if you feel the need," Sammy said in a loud voice before giving Terry a look.
"Alright," Kyle proclaimed with a large smile. "Hugs!"
"Okay you little bugger," Ed said before he encased the smallest in a back-breaking hug that made Kyle giggle.
Honk, Honk!
Ed looked out the screen door to see a large red van with a blond girl in the drivers' seat, waving at him.
"Bye guys."
"Bye Ed!"
"Bye Eddy!"
"Don't be afraid to call me."
"Stop worrying about us."
"Make sure you take care of each other."
"We will."
"Bye!"
"Go!
Ed threw his bags into the back of Winry's van, which was already loaded up with coolers along with other bags of her own before Ed climbed into the passengers' seat.
"'Sup," Ed asked with an excited smile.
"Nothing," Winry answered as she began to drive down the street. "Are you ready to sit in a car for over twenty hours?"
"You bet."
Ooooh. Who is this mistery caller? I'll give a prize to the first person to guess it right! :D I'll reward the winner with anything: stories dedicated to them, special secret spoilers on this story if they want, whatever.
And sorry but since my Spring Break will be over tomorrow and my school's musical is getting really close, I will probably not be updating very quickly until after the 17th. :(
So, I promise next chapter will have some more action but I can also promise that next chapter will probbly not hold Ed and Al's reuinion. But, if you reders want me to get there, please send me more reviews. :P
-FSK