Author's Note:
Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading my story so far. It means a lot that people are interested!
This is my first story, so bear with my as I am still getting a handle on how to write good, and how to portray these characters correctly.
I also know these chapters have been fairly short, but I am working on making them longer.
So thank you once again for reading, I appreciate it whether you comment or not, and please enjoy this new chapter!
"What do you mean he's gone colonel?! Who took him?!" Ed screeched. His lips curled into a ferocious snarl, eyebrows knit into a vicious scowl. The anger clearly visible upon his young face.
"Ed. I don't know." he stopped, letting out a frustrated sigh. Rubbing his temple with his forefingers. "All I saw was an alchemist. And several other men with guns accompanied him. I'm sorry I can't tell you more." The expression on his face showed true regret.
"DAAAAMN IT!" Ed growled. He threw Mustang back down onto the floor and immediately ran towards the gaping whole in the wall. "ALPHONSE! ALPHONSE!" he screamed helplessly into the depths of the shadowy night. He sprinted around the perimeter of the house aimlessly, looking for any evidence that might point him in the direction of his brother's kidnappers. "Damn it! Those bastards must have left some trace of which way they went!" His golden eyes searched the surrounding area frantically, hoping he missed something. He was quickly losing hope when he spotted what appeared to be tire tracks a little ways down the dusty road that led to Winry and Pinako's home.
He didn't give it a second thought and began to run towards the dark indents in the dirt road. But his efforts were suddenly foiled when he felt strong arms wrap around his torso.
"LET GO OF ME!" Ed snarled.
"Fullmetal," Roy began, "just what do you think you're doing?" he asked Ed. Almost murmuring the words into his ear.
"Let me go Mustang! I've got to find Al!" Ed hollered almost pleadingly.
"Edward I can't let you go. As your commanding officer I order you to stay here with us until we figure out what our next move will be." Roy ordered.
If Ed hadn't been struggling to break free as much, he might have noticed the sorrowful tone that took hold of Mustang's voice for a split second. Ed had always known Mustang to be a cold person. Always concealing his true emotions behind cleverly built masks.
"I've got to find Al! He isn't strong enough yet! He's still recovering from the gate! " Ed spat as he continued to writhe and struggle in Mustang's grip.
"Edward..." he began softly, "I can't let you go. Not alone. You're still recovering too. Please. Just wait. We'll figure out a plan." his voice pleading to the young man.
"I've got to-" he stifled back a sob, "find Al. I've got to...I-I can't abandon him..." tears began to quietly stream their way down his face.
Mustang's grip around him slowly loosened, and turned into a gentler embrace. "Ed. We'll get your brother back. I swear it to you."
Ed eyes were concealed by his blonde bangs, as he gave a slow nod, indicating it was okay to let go of him. Roy's grip released Ed and he sat on his knees with his head hung low. He stared downwards through blurry vision as the water from his eyes splattered and fell to the dry earth. After a moment, he composed himself and wiped the tears from his eyes. And one quick sniffle later he was back on his feet with his normal facial expression in place. "So what's the plan colonel? How are we gonna get Al back?"
"Well, to be honest, we don't know much about who took him," he sighed heavily, "and unfortunately I didn't get a very good look at the alchemist either," he rubbed his forehead in irritation, "I was caught off guard. I'm sorry Fullmetal." he finished looking into Ed's eyes.
"It's not your fault Mustang." he responded with his voice nearly back to normal. "But can't we figure something out with knowing at least that piece of information?"
"That depends, did you ever know anyone who had a vendetta against Al?"
Ed racked his brain carefully, grasping to remember any little piece of information regarding his brother. "Who would want to harm Al? It has to be someone who knows quite a bit about him, otherwise how would they know where and when to strike? They struck at his most vulnerable..." Ed thought intently.
"Well? Anything?" Mustang asked; expectancy written all over his usually serious/expressionless face.
"Nothing..." he answered with a frustrated sigh; his fists tightening.
"It's okay Edward, we'll find him. We'll get him back." the dark haired man assured him.
Ed's face slowly began to darken; no hope was visible, as he spoke again, "Aren't we wasting time by just sitting around? Why don't we just catch up to them now before they hurt Al? It makes the most sense."
Roy's mask fell back onto his face; "Fullmetal, we can't leave without supplies. Let us at least do that before we depar-"
"Who said anything about we?" Ed cut him off. "I'm getting mybrother back. You know, screw this; I don't even know why I asked you if you had a plan in the first place. I'm leaving now to find my brother. And you can't stop me!" With those words said, Ed started into a sprint down the road.
"Fullmetal! Edward! Wait! Come back!" Roy yelled hoarsely.
Ed didn't even take a second to look back at Mustang yelling his name; he just kept running; allowing his feet to take him wherever the tracks led. Ed didn't know where this road would eventually take him, but he knew it would aid him in finding his brother. He knew that he would find him again, no matter the cost. There was no way in hell he was going to lose him again. He was going to make sure the bastards paid for stealing Al away from him. Didn't they know who they were dealing with?
As flesh and automail feet thundered across the hard earth, Ed's mind whirled with countless thoughts and ideas. He didn't take any notice of the beautiful surroundings of Risenbol. No, he didn't stop to admire the trees in bloom, or the fresh grass fields; he just kept running. Too distracted with thoughts of Al. And too distracted with unwanted thoughts of Mustang. He couldn't believe he allowed himself to cry in front of that smug bastard.
Ed began to slow his pace once he reached a fork in the road. Quickly clearing his mind of any unnecessary thoughts, he put all of his attention on the road before him. He stopped and let his golden eyes squint into slits as he tried to examine the ground in the darkness. Without any luck of seeing anything useful from his current standing position, he eased his way into a crouch and balanced himself with his right automail hand. He glided his hands over the ground to feel for any abnormal indentations; hoping the car left more traces of where it was heading. Slamming his right fist into the ground out of anger he got back up without a clue to the car's whereabouts. The gears in his head turned desperately as he tried to deduce which road these bastards would have most likely taken. Glancing to his right he wondered if they had gone through the little town that he himself had never even visited; or if they had gone to Central. "Going to Central was like suicide if you were on the wrong side of the military..." he thought to himself, a deep scowl and eyebrows knit tightly together accompanied his thought process. "But going through a small town, people would notice if any strangers came through...so maybe they would go to Central; just to pass through quickly undetected."
An angry growl escaped his throat as he considered all the possibilities of which way these faceless people might of went. He weighed the pros and cons of each possibility carefully; hoping it would help him come to a solid decision. As the time slowly began to slip by, Ed realized he needed to hurry. Mustang and the others would soon catch up to him if he didn't make a decision fast. He grit his teeth and shut his eyes; and in a split second his golden eyes flashed open again, and he began to run down the fork to the right.
"Colonel, are you all right?" Hawkeye inquired Mustang as he still sat on the dirt path.
"Yes I'm alright Lieutenant." Mustang answered his subordinate as he got to his feet.
"What happened sir? Did you allow Fullmetal to leave?"
"No. I didn't. He ran off briefly after I let him out of my grasp." he admitted.
"I see. What's out next mode of action then sir?" she asked calmly.
"First, let's get back inside and let everyone know where Fullmetal went. Then we'll figure out our plans for what to do next."
"Yes sir." the Lieutenant answered as she and Roy made their way back to the broken home.
As they walked up the steps Hawkeye stopped Roy. She placed her hand on his shoulder as she spoke, "Sir, are you alright? You look a little shaken up."
"Yes Lieutenant, I'm fine. I'm just a little worried I suppose. Edward is right; Al isn't strong enough to defend himself yet. I understand why he didn't wait to figure out a plan." he glanced at Riza before continuing, "And that's why we need to figure out our plan quickly and catch up with him so he doesn't get hurt either."
She nodded, "right."
They finally stepped into the house and Roy looked over the damage. Besides the huge hole in the side of the house, only a few chairs were broken; nothing a little alchemy couldn't fix. Then he realized that Ed wasn't there to fix it, and that someone else would have to fix the house with good old-fashioned manual labor. He gave his head a little shake; sometimes his fire alchemy was so useless.
Getting out of his own head he looked around with hard black eyes at the people in the room. No one was harmed, thank goodness. He waited a moment until everyone was quiet and had their attention directed at him before he spoke.
"Fullmetal has already left to retrieve Alphonse." he began calmly and assertively. "Our objective is to get both boys back home and safe. First we will track down Edward and give him any aid he may need."
"Colonel, are we all going after Fullmetal?" Armstrong cut in.
"No, we are not. I will need one of you to stay here and help Miss Winry and Pinako fix the damage done to their home. Then half of us will make our way back to Central Command, while the others track down Fullmetal. And since you so nicely interrupted my orders major, you're more than welcome to stay here and help with the rebuilding of this home." he chuckled.
"Yes sir!" Armstrong replied with a salute.
"Now," Roy began looking at his remaining officers, "Havoc, you Falman, and Breda will be on the squad heading back to Central. Lieutenant Hawkeye and I will go out and search for Fullmetal."
"Roy, I think you forgot someone." Maes smirked.
"I didn't forget you Hughes, I need you to go back to Central as well. I need you to be my eyes and ears while I'm not there. You will keep me updated on any information you can find out about this case." Roy ordered before a smile crept it's way through his mask, "besides, I'm sure you would like to make sure your lovely wife and daughter make it home safely."
"Thank you Roy," Maes smiled back, "and don't worry, you know me; I always got your back. I will immediately contact you with any piece of information I uncover."
"I know you will."
Roy nodded as he took one last glance around the room. "Alright men, you know your orders; dismissed!"
"Yes sir!" the officers responded as they saluted their commanding officer.
He looked to Riza, mask still in place, "you ready Lieutenant?"
"I'm ready whenever you are sir."
"Then let's head out. You got any necessary supplies already I assume?"
"Of course sir, I'm always one step ahead of you." she smiled.
"That you are Lieutenant." he smiled back thankfully, letting his guard down just a tad.
With those words said, Roy bid everyone a farewell, and set out with Riza by his side to find Edward. He was anxious and worried. Worried that Ed would do something reckless in order to get Alphonse back. He was still recovering from his battle with that repulsive humonculous that tried to take over Amestris, and that worried Roy to no end.
As much as he hated to admit it even to himself, he felt protective over Edward; and not in a commanding officer/subordinate kind of way that he felt for people like Riza and Jean. No; these may be actual feelings for the blonde.
Over the years, Roy had watched Ed grow up and mature into the young man he was today. And in that time it was hard to ignore that Ed also became even more visually appealing. He had become a very attractive young man, and it made Roy's stomach twist in knots whenever his mind wandered to thoughts such as this. Whatever these feelings he had for the golden-eyed teen, he could never bring himself to sort them out. Having relations with a subordinate was illegal in the military; it could cost him his position and in turn, cost him becoming the Furher on day. Roy couldn't risk that for some measly feelings; even if these ones seemed different. No matter how much he wanted to reach out and stroke Ed's blonde hair from his face, to find out what these feelings meant, he knew he never could. He let out a disappointed sigh.
"Sir?" Hawkeye asked slightly concerned.
"Hm?" Roy responded before he realized that he had stopped walking. Riza stood staring at him, wondering why he had stopped moving.
"Are you all right Colonel? You appear to be...distracted."
"I'm sorry Lieutenant, I don't know what came over me; let's keep moving." Roy quickly informed her, making sure he hid behind his mask.
"Yes sir." she nodded.
Roy was thankful Riza didn't ask too many questions. He knew that she knew him well enough to be aware that he probably was lying, but she never pushed anything.
Roy took a moment to clear his mind, and finally started to walk again. He was going to find Ed, and he was going to find Al. Nothing would stop him from bringing those boys home safely.