Note:

Hello, I am back! Sorry for the long break. I didn't have a computer in the past weeks. I had to buy a new CPU and first I needed money for that:S But at least this is a really long chapter. I hope you will like it.

Thank you for your patience and for the reviews:

Wishfulliving89: I love the „like always" part:D

Amiegirl17

Orangevbnin: luck wasn't with me nowadays but I hope that better days are coming:)

Manga-animelove: yes I am such a sadist, I like torturing him:)

Alchemist of Steel: Sorry, sorry

TailsMoon: I wrote this long-long chapter in record time, after I finally could use my computer, so I tried, really…

TheParadoxGlitch

Dreamweaver56

Russletringhamlover: oh, now I understand:) Then good luck with the writing and the most important part: enjoy yourself;)

Trust

„Are you sure you are well enough to go, Fullmetal?" Edward just groaned at the question which was asked from him for the fourth time since he had stated that he would continue the mission. "You are still coughing a lot." The Colonel was exceptionally annoying today.

"But I don't have a fever. And you were the one who said that Charles could be the culprit so I have to try and get closer to him." He still wasn't sure that the theory of his superior was right about the mechanic. Okay, he also found him somewhat strange, but to imagine him killing children seemed a bit of exaggeration.

"You still don't agree with me" the Colonel watched him with a confident smile.

"No, I think that we missed something. Why would he have held onto the schools if he hates children? He could just work in his workshop." The Colonel just shrugged.

"Maybe to pick his victims."

"He has been working there much longer than the murders began."

"Maybe he snapped for some reason. You said yourself that he is very antisocial. He was bullied as a child. Maybe he saw as his first victim was hurting someone, he got angry and attacked him. And after that he couldn't stop. Murder also can be addictive." Ed was still skeptical.

"I find this theory really weak. And I spoke with him and he didn't seem the lunatic type." The Colonel shook his head.

"Sometimes you can't recognize the symptoms. He was strange you admitted that. And you were suspicious enough to ask him what he was doing on the streets. So why are you hesitating now? I didn't even ask you to kill or arrest him only to watch him and try to get know him more." Ed nodded defeated. It was true and it was really pointless arguing about this. "So go to him and speak with him. Try to ask him more about that teacher." Ed raised his eyebrows.

"Now Smalt also became a suspect?" the Colonel just smirked.

"We can trust no one. And besides we should know why Patterson is so hostile against him. Then try to get know why is he working in schools besides the workshop. Make him talk about his childhood. And watch his reactions closely, they could be the indicator whether he is the culprit or not." Ed nodded. It didn't sound too easy but maybe the job wasn't insolvable. "Keep your eyes open, be careful and don't do anything rush. And try not to reveal yourself or blow up the school." Edward groaned angrily at the remark. "And if you feel yourself sick then call us in the shop and we will go for you. Understood? You didn't rest even for a whole week; you shouldn't strain yourself too much.

"I am fine, and we don't have a choice. He said he is in the school every Monday. And if he was the culprit we mustn't wait for another week before we made a move." The Colonel just nodded, but seemed a bit… worried? What an unbelievable thought. The man would surely laugh his head off if he told him this theory. Roy Mustang didn't worry about anybody and only cared about his promotion. But he wasn't convinced about this. He felt sometimes as if there was something else about the man behind his smirking, egoist and pushy mask. He brushed the thought aside, he didn't have time to be sentimental or to try and solve the mystery of the Colonel's personality.

"Oh Edward! It's nice to see you are okay now. Last time you looked really sick." Charles voice was much more friendlier than the last time.

"Yeah I caught a bad cold, but now I am fine."

"That's good. Want to join me for another tea? The hot tea with honey is the best medicine against cold." The man smiled at him, which changed his whole face, like he was an entirely another person.

"Of course, gladly. But you will be the one who pay for it" the man chuckled then they started for the buffet.

"And did you get into trouble with your parents?" Ed looked at him confused.

"Huh?" the man continued smiling.

"Because you went out against their will. Out into the rain, into the dark and with a cold."

"Hmm, yes, they were angry. But I think they were more worried" Ed remembered that his mother always acted that way so he hoped it was the normal reaction. Meanwhile they arrived into the buffet and got their drinks.

"Yes, this is understandable. By the way, your adventure could have ended far more worse. Did you hear that a boy around your age was killed that day?" Edward spat out the tea he just sipped and started to cough violently.

"Wha…cough…aaat?" he asked. That bastard never told him. How could he keep silent about such an important information? That bastard, he will kill him! How dared he…?

"You didn't hear? Maybe your parents didn't want you to know. You were in a great danger. I heard that the boy was killed not too far from where you live." Maybe he should have been the victim? Maybe Charles wanted to kill him right before the Colonel and the Lieutenant arrived? And maybe in his anger he killed someone else? Or what if the culprit wasn't Charles? They could have caught him. If he hadn't become sick…

"Maybe we saw the culprit…" his voice trembled a bit. He had to get information somehow. "Did you see someone? I don't remember…"

"It's not surprising. You were sick. Unfortunately I didn't see anything either. But I am glad it wasn't you." Ed didn't know if he was really honest. Was it an act? Was Charles really a murderer?

"But… but we saw Mr. Smalt. I remember him and that you saved me again from him. That man is a psycho. Don't you think…"

"Nobody has seen Mr. Smalt since last Monday" Charles cut in. "The headmaster said that he phoned him and took a holiday." Ed looked at him astonished.

"What? And how do you know this?" Charles looked at him strangely for a minute. Maybe he didn't understand why he asked this. Then he smiled a bit.

"You know, I used to work as a teacher. A physics teacher." Ed faked a surprised expression and the man seemed to believe it so he continued "Mr. Smalt is a physics teacher also. When he went on vacation the headmaster called me to ask if I could substitute for him for a while. I worked here as a teacher so Mr. Sheeper knows me." This was a new information to Ed. The Colonel Bastard never mentioned this detail. But he neither mentioned many other things.

"Really? So will you stay as a teacher? Because if you will then you will also be my teacher."

"I think it partly depend on Mr. Smalt. And I am not sure if I am really wanted here."

"Why wouldn't you? I kinda like you" Of course he knew the answer well, but he wanted to know if he were about to admit it. The man watched Ed scrutinizing for a minute then he smiled again.

"You know, I kinda like you too. You are an interesting kid. You seem to be intelligent, talkative, curious and a bit shy. That's why I will tell you if I will really be your teacher." Ed nodded a bit disappointed. The man wasn't a really talkative person but it wasn't a crime. "And if you need any help just tell me. About anything. If you don't understand something" Ed shot him an affronted look and Charles smile grew wider before he became serious. "Or with the other children. I can help you. Don't let them torture you" Ed nodded then after he hesitated visibly for a moment he asked the man.

"Were you… were you bullied in the school?" the man face became really dark. "Because you talk like that… and I know… I have some experience about that as well." Here he was, he was lying to a really kind man. It felt horrible. But the reaction was instant. The man face became softer and his eyes warmer.

"I thought so. But don't let them or their memories bother you. Children don't bear with difference because their parents taught them that anything that's not fit in the pattern is evil. And you are clearly different." Ed raised his arm sadly. "Not just because of your automail. That is the most obvious sign, but not the only one. Your eyes tell them that you are not like them. I saw it for the first time we met…" okay the man was creepy. But he was a nice man. Ed really didn't believe that this honest and friendly man could murder child after child. "But if anybody here hurt you, please tell me. I can help you. Even if they only hurt you with words, okay?" Ed nodded with a pensive face.

"But what could you do? Not that you could hit them or punish them effectively. And if I became a squealer my situation would become worse." Ed tried to get something compromising and he felt himself horrible for it. He really hoped that Charles would answer something harmless.

"There are methods to deal with this kind of worms I assure you. And I a have a great experience in those" okay, this didn't sound too innocent. He forced a smile on his face.

"Thank you Charles. If I can't deal with them I will tell you." Charles just shook his head amused.

"You don't plan to, do you? You don't have to play the lone wolf, kid. I can help you. But now I have some work here and I have to hurry because soon I will have a class with some annoying little brats. Be good Edward!" and he stood up to leave.

"You didn't answer to my question about Mr. Smalt. He was near the crime scene, what if he…?"

"Don't think about this. I will do some investigate about Smalt. You just concentrate on getting better and learning. And try to stay out of trouble." Charles cut in and this didn't satisfied Edward.

"But…"

"There isn't any buts. You are not a police officer, Ed. It's not your job" And he left without glancing back and Edward became really annoyed. He didn't accomplish anything. The bastard won't be glad. But at least now he knew about the new victim. And they knew about the disappearance of Mr. Smalt. It wasn't a coincidence, Ed was sure. The words which the man told him when they met were repeating themselves in his mind again and again. They sounded as if he tried to warn him about someone. Or did he just try to get his trust? The time will surely tell but now he was really hungry.

"Nii san!" Ed smiled as he heard the voice of Al through the telephone. He missed him very much. He really hoped that the mission will end soon.

"Hello, Al. How are you? Hasn't Winry already killed you?"

"Of course not. Only you can enrage her all the time, nii san. But how are you? Are you better?" Ed sighed warily. Now came the hard part.

"Of course Al. As I said before it was only a little cold. Nothing dangerous. I recovered really soon. I rested a bit and now I am as good as new."

"But nii san, you only rest if you are dying! It was that serious? You should have told me" Al cried with panic. "Are you better now? Can I visit you?"

"Al, I am okay. I weren't dying. It was nothing serious but the Bastard forced me to stay in bed. He is really paranoid and lunatic. He tried to poison me."
"Whaaat? Nii san, the Colonel would never do something like that."

"Yes he would. And he threatened me many times and he was a total jerk."

"Nii san, I don't think that the Colonel is like that. He forced you into bed. Maybe he was worried. You tend to overdo yourself. Maybe he didn't want you to kill yourself." Edward humphed angrily.

"Of course, because it would have meant a lot of paper work."

"Nii san!" Al sounded exasperated. "What did he do precisely?"

"I said before: he forced me into bed, threatened me to chain me to the bedpost, tried to poison me etc. He was an utterly bastard."

"Did he leave you alone?"

"Not for a moment. He went on my nerves. Sometimes I really wanted to punch him. Okay I always wanted to punch him." Al sighed as if he was a mother of a really dump kid.

"Nii san, he was worried and tried to help you. It isn't a good idea to leave a sick person alone. Lot of things could happen." Ed rolled his eyes.

"For example to bore himself to death…"

"Nii san… Did he send you out into the rain again?"

"No. I went out that night, but he and Hawkeye came for me and carried me home like a baby and he didn't pay attention to my protests. I could have walked home alone. He is such a jerk. And then they seduced me. That bastard then kidnapped me and brought me into a hospital." Ed listed enraged the insults against him.

"Nii san. I know when you are lying even through phone. You were really sick and you needed their help, didn't you?" Ed sighed but didn't answer. "And you know that he helped you, right?" another even bigger sigh. "Deep inside you, you are thankful to him, right?"

"LIKE HELL! NO WAY!" Ed shouted furious. "I have never asked him to help me, I don't need his help. I can manage without him just fine. I don't need anybody except you Al."

"Nii san" Al said softly. "You know that you are my only family, right? And I am your only family as well. But this doesn't mean that you can't accept help from anybody else." Ed just humphed denying.

"He is just a bastard, and he only cares about the mission and his promotion." Al sighed again.

"That's not true. If he had only cared about that then he could have sent you out, or have left you alone in the bed all day and gone out to have some fun"

"He found enjoyment in torturing me." Al didn't answer to this.

"Nii san, please try to be a bit more friendly toward him. You are partners right now. You need each other for success. If you disobey him just to annoy him…"

"I am not that irresponsible. Children could die because of my mistakes." he continued muttering. "Al, I have already made a fatal mistake." He had to tell someone, and he knew that Al will understand. "I went out in the rain in anger without thinking. I didn't bring an umbrella or a jacket with me. And that's why I became sick. And that's why… that's why another boy was killed" he ended brokenly. He couldn't cry, he couldn't… that bastard would never let him live it down. But this thought never left him since he had heard from Charles about the new victim. If he hadn't been so thoughtless and he hadn't become sick then he could have been the target. And they could have caught the culprit. Maybe Charles was really the murderer or maybe not, but this statement was true either way.

"Nii san there isn't anything on the world that's called if and you know this. You just torture yourself with this kind of thinking. You couldn't know what could have happened. Just focus on the prevention of another case."

"Yes you are true Al, but… but I feel myself horrible." He mumbled honestly. He couldn't lie to Al. He never could.

"Just make up you mistake and catch the murderer. Remember: we need to see the future, not the past. We have to go forward and get back our body and you need to go forward to save others." Ed gulped painfully and nodded. He knew that Al understood him even though the phone. "What did the Colonel say about this?" Ed's guilt vanished in a moment and he felt a great anger instead.

"That Bastard didn't tell me! He tried to keep this secret. I have the right to know. I am also part of this mission he can't keep information back! How could I trust him this way? How could I know that he didn't have another important secret?" he felt disappointed about the man's action. Somehow he felt in the past week as if the Colonel had handled him more like a partner instead of a dog. And now he had to face with the truth. He still didn't deserve to know anything according to the Colonel's opinion.

"Maybe he wanted to avoid the situation you are in right now" Al said wisely.

"What?" Ed didn't understand what he was talking about. What kind of situation was he in?

"You feel yourself guilty and distracted. Maybe he didn't want this."

"So you presume that he is a human" he grunted annoyed.

"Nii san!" Al sounded really disappointed.

"Fine, he must be one, because he has all the organs. At least I think he has."

"Nii san!" Ed smiled deviously. Al was far too kind and he was easy to be teased.

"Now I have to go, Al. I have to talk about the today's development with the Bastard. I am really surprised that he is this patient and hasn't kicked in the door yet."

"Nii san!" Al sounded really exasperated. "Please don't kill him. They would imprison you if you did and I would be alone."

"Fine" Ed rolled his eyes. "Maybe I will just punch him" he imagined the Colonel's black eye and he felt himself much better.

"Nii san! You can't do that either. He is your superior." Ed groaned.

"Fine I won't lay a finger on him. Maybe just a toe. An automail toe." He smiled evilly but Al of course couldn't see that.

"Nii san, please be a bit more serious."

"Fine. But now I really have to go. Bye, Al" the Bastard just knocked on the door impatiently.

"Good bye Nii san!" he put down the phone as the Colonel came in.

"I am really happy that finally you could finish your babbling. Now, care to give me your report, Fullmetal?" Ed's anger reached a new level at the mocking voice.

"How could you… how could you keep back such information from me?" he shouted as a madmen. Even the Colonel jumped a bit at the sudden loud sound.

"What are…"

"Don't you dare to pretend you don't know what am I talking about! The new murder. How could you… how could you…"

"I just didn't want you to do something stupid, Fullmetal" the Colonel explained patiently. Ed watched him carefully. His smirk vanished as if it was never there. Was he mocking him? Or did he really think he was that reckless and childish? He turned away from him.

"You don't trust me" he didn't really asked instead he stated matter of factly. It was hard to admit, but he had to face the truth. And he couldn't help it even if he threw a tantrum. Besides he have already caused enough problem so he couldn't really blame the Colonel. "I talked with Charles. He said that nobody has seen Mr. Smalt since the last murder. He went on a vacation. He told me that he is the one who substitutes him. He also promised to investigate about Mr. Smalt. He seemed innocent to me in this. He also asked me to turn to him if anybody would bully me. He said he has a great experience in handling this kind of situations, but he didn't elaborate it more. I think he is creepy and strange but I still don't think that he is the murderer. Now, do you also want a written report?" He still didn't turn back to the man and he didn't even plan to. He was sure he would start shouting again if he had to look at his smirking face.

"Yes. I want a detailed report with everything he said." Ed stood up and walked out from the room.

"I am going into my room and write it" he shut up the door quite loudly and rushed into his bedroom without a glance at Hawkeye. He just wanted to sleep immediately. He was quite fed up with the day.

Roy watched numbed as Fullmetal left with such a disappointed expression that he have never seen on the boy's face before. He really tried to say something to assure the brat that he trusted him. If he didn't then he wouldn't have put him into this mission. He just wanted the boy to remain calm and don't get too excited over something he couldn't change. And he remembered too well what happened when he showed the pictures to the brat. He was devastated. And not just because of the sickness. He said that he hadn't been able to save a little girl and he clearly felt guilty about that. Then what would he feel when he got know that another boy was killed and probably because he was out of use. No he really hadn't wanted him to know. But he should have known that he couldn't keep this secret. And maybe it would have been better if he had just told him and kept an eye on him. He sighed warily. He really didn't like children, they were too complicated for his taste.

"Sir?" Hawkeye looked menacing. She saw the distressed kid and she was clearly blaming him for it.

"I haven't done anything with him" he said quickly. Hawkeye raised her eyebrows and clearly didn't believe him.

"And what did you say to him?" Roy winced at her tone. She was clearly upset. Nothing could be more dangerous then an infuriated tigress.

"Nothing, he just somehow got the idea that I don't rust him. It's ludicrous. I wouldn't use someone in such an important mission if I didn't find him trustworthy."

"Then why he got this idea?" Hawkeye still sounded dangerous even if she calmed down a bit and finally let hold of her trigger.

"Because I didn't tell him about the last murder. Somehow he got know about that." Hawkeye just nodded thoughtfully.

"That was due to happen" her plain answer irritated him but he chose to ignore the urge to shout at her. "You have to go after Edward and tell him that you trust him, sir." Roy looked at her dumbfounded.

"I won't raise his busted ego more. He would just laugh into my face." Hawkeye frowned at this and then sighed as if Roy was a stupid kid.

"Don't forget sir that he is just a child. Children need to feel that they are trusted and also need someone who they can depend on." Like he would care…

"And then? Fullmetal surely wouldn't like to depend on me. And he isn't the sentimental and indefinite type who always needs reassuring. He will be fine. He is just angry because I hurt his pride." Hawkeye looked doubtful. "Besides if I went after him now then he would just throw something at me. You saw it yourself, he is really upset. And it would be dangerous to irritate him more." The lieutenant touched her gun pointedly.

"Just go and tell him that it was a misunderstanding, sir. You both will feel yourself better after that." Roy still didn't move. He knew that his minutes were already numbered but he really didn't want to talk about with Fullmetal about this. It was hard to explain and he didn't need that the boy misinterprets something. Hawkeye got out his gun so he fled out from the room rapidly.

"Fine, fine. I will talk with him."

Ed was sitting on the bed in a bad mood when his door opened without any warning. He snapped up his head surprised and glared at the invader fretfully.

"You should have at least knocked before break in on me."

"Do you have some nasty secret Fullmetal?" he didn't even bother to answer him. The man was a moron. He wasn't even worth to get agitated because of him.

"If you don't have anything to say then please leave me alone." The Colonel looked shocked.

"There isn't any shouting? Breaking? Threatening? Who are you and what did you do with the real Fullmetal?" this joke was a really obsolete one. "Or have you finally realized that you are so small that nobody can hear you even if you are shouting?" Ed saw red and he nearly launched himself on the man.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL THAT YOU CAN DI…" he started to cough violently so he had to turn away from the smirking bastard. "Are you satisfied? Then you can go now" he murmured and lay down on the bed. He was very tired which wasn't a miracle considering he didn't even come out of bed in the last week. His body had to reaccustom.

"Fullmetal, how are you? This time honestly. I need to know the state of my men to be able to manage the mission successfully." He didn't answer. He didn't really feel that he needed to. "Tell me, Fullmetal. You must be horrible. You hardly eat anything in the last week and you had a fever for a long time. And you haven't recovered yet. So you can't really surprise me." He just crossed his arms and looked before himself stubbornly. Maybe if he just ignored him then he would give up. "You know Fullmetal, if you want to gain someone's trust you should give yours as well."

"Don't misunderstand me, I don't need your stupid trust." He snapped angrily.

"Are you sure? Because you already have it. But if you don't want me to trust you then…" Ed really couldn't help but turn toward him at this.

"What? Why would you…?" Then the truth came his way. "Hawkeye forced you to tell me this, right?" he narrowed his eyes. The Colonel just shrugged.

"He forced me to talk with you but not about what to tell you. It's the truth. If I could choose who I want to defend my back then you would be my third choice." Ed eyes widened with astonishment. "But be assured only because your alchemist skills and not because you could be a good shield. You are far too small for that. Maybe only if you bring your brother with…"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL THAT THE WIND COULD BLOW HIM AWAY FROM THE COUNTRY?" the Colonel smirked arrogantly and Ed just humphed when he realized that he did just what he wanted from him. That bastard.

"So, you have to admit that the one who doesn't trust in anybody but his little brother is you." He opened his mouth to protest but then he closed it. It was true and it wasn't any use denying it. "You didn't tell me about your problems at the beginning of the mission and you always dismiss my questions. You don't even consider letting me help you. And your stubbornness is dangerous to the mission. So before you make a scene next time you could think about this a bit." And he turned toward the door, grabbed the clench and tried to open it. But to the amazement of Ed he couldn't do it. He tried again this time more forcefully but nothing happened. "This is closed." He turned back to him with a really stupid face and Ed had to giggle at it a bit. The colonel didn't seem too pleased with this but this was just hilarious. "Hawkeye? Is this your creation?"

"You should talk a bit with each other and arrange your problems, sir." The Colonel watched the closed door with a dumfounded face.

"I haven't even known that there is a key to the door." Ed said thoughtfully. It could be useful if he could gain it from Hawkeye somehow.

"Is this all you could say, after she shut us in here?"

"Not that we can't open it with alchemy. Or make another door." The Colonel really didn't use his head. Now he just sighed as if Ed would be the moron not him.

"If you try something, sir, you will regret it. You too Edward. I will let you out after an hour."

"She is crazy" Ed blurred out. "How could you employ someone like her. It's dangerous."

"Yes, but she is trustworthy. Someone could also call you dangerous and crazy. Just think about how many buildings you have already destroyed during your career as an alchemist." Ed face twitched at this, but it was true.

"You also can't complain" Ed shot back at the man.

"I have never said that."

"Sooo?" Ed raised his eyebrow at the Colonel questioningly. He just glared back at him.

"So what?" Ed shook his head. The man was hopeless.

"What will we do?" the Colonel sighed and rubbed his temple.

"It will be wiser if we obey her." Ed smirked at this.

"Now who will be a hen-pecked husband?"

"Shut up, Fullmetal. I would never marry her."

"Why? You would be a great couple" he smiled evilly.

"Don't talk about something you can't understand. If you want to talk about girls then what about your girlfriend?" Ed blushed no matter how hard he tried not to.

"Winry is not my girlfriend" the Colonel just smirked smugly and disbelievingly. "Now show me the pictures!" the Colonel looked surprised.

"What?"

"The pictures of the new murder, you bastard. And show me the previous ones too."

"No way. You puked last time when I showed them to you."

"Because I was sick then, Bastard. I can bear it. And I need to see them." Ed said determinedly, but the Colonel still looked doubtful. "You said that you trust me" the man hesitated for a minute but then he sighed and brought out the photos and gave them to Ed. He looked at the first one carefully. He had to struggle again with sickness at the sight of the lot of blood.

"He bled out after 21 stabs." Ed forced himself to continue watching the photo after this. He watched the transmutation circle carefully and suddenly a thought hit him. He rapidly threw all pictures on his bed and put them in line so he could see all of them. No he couldn't see it on the other ones. Or maybe he could. He leant closer but probably he just imagined the sign. He rushed to his bag and threw everything out of it until he found what he was searching for. He grabbed the magnifying glass and stepped back to the photos and took a closer look on them. Yes, he was right it was definitely there.

"Look at this, Colonel" the man came closer and took the offered equipment and photo.

"What should I see?" the Colonel asked perplexedly.

"Can't you see? The symbol!" the man looked at it again then gasped as he finally found what Ed was talking about. "The symbol of water! The inverted triangle, which symbolizing the downward flow! I think I know why the victims bled to death. He uses their blood to restrain them. More then 60% of the body is from water. They were restrained by their own blood" the Colonel paled visibly.

"But what about the one which was killed by rocks?"

"I think he was also restrained after he started to bleed. Most likely he drew the transmutation circle before the attack. So he watched his victims before and knew where he could attack them. He injured them and forced them into the circle. He pulled them or rode them that way and then he activated the circle. And we know how it continued. Only the why and who remained unsolved." The Colonel nodded thoughtfully.

"So he followed his victims before the murder. Then he didn't want to kill you that day. He wouldn't have changed his mind if he had wanted you." Ed sighed relieved. He didn't even know how tense he was before. But of course it wasn't one hundred percent sure. But he felt himself better now. Maybe it wasn't his fault. Maybe that boy would have been killed even if he had been marching healthily on the streets all night.

"And the one he hung up? He didn't die from blood lost, and there wasn't any transmutation circle." Ed also found that strange.

"But the boy was injured when he was hung up. He had lost a lot of blood before. I don't know why he changed his method and why he didn't leave him there to bleed out. Did he die from suffocation?" asked Ed.

"According to the specialist, yes. Hmm maybe there was some reason. Perhaps he couldn't leave him there because someone or something perturbed him. Maybe someone really saw something that time and he or she doesn't even know. We will need to investigate that one more." Ed nodded at that, but he sighed as a thought came into his mind.

"But, Colonel. I thought about it. If he is willing to change his habit then he could changed that night too. Maybe he wanted me and when I became unapproachable he tricked another boy into his trap. He could choose someone instead of me. Maybe the boy just came into his way at the worst time. Maybe…" but the Colonel stopped him.

"That was enough Fullmetal. You can't think about what could have or couldn't have happened. It wasn't your fault either way. It was only the fault of that madman. But if you want to know my opinion I don't think that he would choose his victims randomly. He kills almost ceremonially. I think he has some reason. Surely a sick reason but a reason anyway. And I think he doesn't decide precipitately. He wanted that boy and it was only a coincidence that he killed on that day." Ed was surprised because of the man's gentleness. It was unusual, but he was grateful anyway. He felt himself better and less guilty.

"Thank you, you bastard. But that doesn't change the fact that I was reckless and I gave him time with my sickness. But now I am in action so he doesn't have a chance. We will get him in no time" the Colonel smiled at this. And he looked honest.

"That's the correct spirit, midget" Ed took a great breath to prepare for the shouting but then he blew out the air. He wouldn't satisfy the man with giving him what he wanted.

"So now, what will we do? We still have some time." Asked Ed irritated. "I really want you to disappear from my room."

"We could talk a bit. For example about your girlfriend."

"Winry isn't my girlfriend, you Bastard" Ed groaned angrily. "Instead tell me why do you want to be a Fuhrer so badly?" he asked curiously. He always wanted to know the reason behind the man's ambitions. Now he was in a somewhat talkative mood so maybe he would answer.

"You know Eddo this is really a personal question, but I will answer you because I owe you one for you let me see you puke and scream with fear from shots." Ed wanted to hit him but he also wanted an answer so he decided to wait a bit. "So it isn't a complicated story. When I was a child I always wanted to be a God. High and mighty, who can do anything. But you know, growing up means that you give up on stars and instead dream about more reachable goals. So know I want to be a Fuhrer."

"You are insane. You are totally insane" Ed shook his head but he couldn't help but smile a bit.