May 23rd, 1963
There was no way to tell whether it was raining or not outside. The weather had warmed a bit, and there was less rain from day to day then there had been, but all that meant was that things were often gray, mildly cool, and damp. A couple of days before had revealed their first view of sunbeams in weeks. It had cheered the troops, and for a couple of days there had been a reprieve from combat. Still, the weeks were dragging, and the Amestrians were hard at work holding off the Drachmans who had split off from the main army and attacked to the East.
Underground in a currently empty mining tunnel, several alchemists worked transmuting the raw material of the mine to alter the locations of the tunnels without causing their collapse. If the Aerugeans could use tunnels in their land to move without being seen, Alphonse was sure the Amestrians could use the same trick to their advantage. The first mission, the one they would be pulling off tonight, would be to come out behind the primary Drachman line and take out the road and large bridge directly behind them.
"How's it going, Felix?" Al asked Russell Tringham's younger son. So far the young man had proved willing and capable, and humbler than his father. Al liked him. He also had a knack for manipulating plants and earth.
"I've got this entry way shored up," Felix replied as the blue transmutation light faded and they were left once more in the dim light that came from flickering torches and flashlights.
"Done down here," the voice of Ragnar Arronson, one of the alchemists closer to Sara's age, came from further down the tunnel. "I think we're less than ten feet from breaking to the surface again."
"Good," Al made his way slowly through the gloom, trying hard not to duck. The ceiling was high enough that he couldn't bump his head on it, but that didn't make it feel like it might! It had been a while since Al had spent any time running around in empty mines. "Don't go through yet. The plan is to make the move a couple of hours after dark once everyone is settled."
"We know the plan, True Soul," Ragnar chuckled as he appeared almost out of nowhere from around a corner.
Russell Tringham himself, Chambers, and Byrnes – all from Roy's unit – joined them in the break from work. "The secondary tunnel is ready to go," Russell told him with a smug grin. "Our team will be ready to block off the entrances again as soon as the strike team is finished."
The strike team would consist of Alphonse himself, Roy, and Alex Armstrong. Why? Not only because they were the most experienced when it came to massive destruction, but – frankly – because they wanted to do something other than sit around and act like commanders instead of alchemists! Al had laughed when Roy put it that way privately the other night. It was true though; they were alchemists – just alchemists – in this war, and it felt good to be striking back. Not that Al had needed any encouragement! Any step towards driving back the Drachmans, that hurt them, felt oddly satisfying.
"Glad to hear it," Al replied. Al and Roy's units would be manning the two tunnels they would use for their attack. The third unit – Armstrong's – would be ready to serve as back up on the destruction of the bridge and the road as well as serving as a distraction if necessary to keep the Drachmans from interrupting the operation before it was complete.
A loud grumbling growl made him turn his head sharply to look to his left. It was Chambers, who shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry! We worked through lunch, remember?"
Al glanced at his pocket watch. In the dark, working away with alchemy to avoid the obvious noise of pick-axes, the alchemists had spent days preparing the tunnels. Today's final push had taken them from right after breakfast nearly till dinner. At this rate, the mission would begin in only a few short hours!
"Good work everyone," Al nodded. "Let's get back, eat, rest, and get ready for tonight." Roy and Alex were polishing up their parts of the plan while Al oversaw the final preparations. It was almost sure to succeed. Al knew there was always the possibility of failure, but cocky as it sounded even to himself, the plan seemed fool proof. Two tunnels coming out where they had verified no Drachman scouts, over a half a mile behind the back of the Drachman encampment. Himself, Roy, and Alex making use of Drachman superstition as well as using a sizeable display of alchemy to take out the bridge and the road; Al did not say so aloud, but it honestly sounded like fun. It was as ambitious and ostentatious a plan and display as he and Edward might have cooked up as boys.
"All right!" Felix bolted for the exit eagerly, followed quickly by most of the younger men, though those older were no less eager, just less likely to waste energy.
"Ready for tonight?" Al asked Russell as they came out into the watery sunlight that seemed to want to poke from behind thick gray clouds only in brief moments. At least there were a few rays this afternoon.
Russell looked a little grim, but it lasted only a brief second. He grinned and shrugged. "I've been in tougher spots; usually dealing with Edward. I figure as long as he's not around I'm safe."
That's not what your eyes and tone say, old friend. Al smiled. "Well it's old hat at this point isn't it? Though combat's not the same as getting shot at a bit on an adventure." Once, Al would not have understood the difference. That day was long in his past. "Or maybe it's Felix you're worried about." That seemed more the mark.
Russell looked sheepish. "Am I that transparent?"
"Just like Ed," Al smirked.
Russell glowered, but it didn't last and seemed less than half serious. "I'm worried about both of the boys," he admitted. "Even though they've both been in combat now. This kind of combat is new to all of us. It's not just a matter of skill against one opponent, or a handful. It's not alchemist on alchemist yet either. I worry about Lyssa too, and Fletcher." He shook his head. "Maybe him most. He's always been such a peace-loving laid back guy. He hates conflict."
"He can handle himself," Al replied. "Besides, he's in Ed's unit." If nothing else, his brother would do everything he could not to let anything happen to any one of his own men.
"Yeah, I still think Ed's crazy for taking him," Russell shrugged. "But I know he's probably safer assigned there than just about anywhere else, even if that runs against all logic."
Al couldn't help chuckling. "It does doesn't it? With all the trouble Ed gets into somehow he always gets out of it again, and so does pretty much anyone stuck in it with him."
"It defies nature," Russell snickered. "Or maybe equivalent exchange somehow."
"Don't tell Ed that," Al warned him. "He gets really antsy if you start talking equivalent exchange."
"Not that I blame him," Russell said. "It's one of the few constants alchemists can believe in."
One of them. Belief was another topic best not discussed with Ed, though he wasn't as violently twitchy about it as he used to be. Al had been surprised when Ed thanked him for the annotated book he'd sent with him to Xing when he went to get his heart treated. Not that they had talked much after that either on the subject. Still, for a while Ed had seemed more at peace with himself and the world. If nothing else, he was much less self-destructive, and for that Al was grateful. Perhaps selfishly, he was tired of trying to hold the entire extended family together in times of crisis. At least this time, they were all in this together. "Yeah," he agreed simply. "I'm worried about everyone too," he admitted in a commiserating tone. "At least before it was usually just me and Ed running into danger; not the kids or anyone else."
"Just about everyone in your family is up here somewhere," Russell agreed with a sympathetic expression.
"Mostly from Ed's side," Al pointed out, though he knew it didn't make much difference. "I left most of mine home. Will's up here." Elicia, Alyse, Gracia, Ren, Minxia….all the girls were safe at home, where they belonged. Sara and Winry couldn't be counted among them even if he included them; they knew how to take care of themselves. "I hope he's all right."
"Of course he is," Russell chuckled. "If you and Ed trained him he's probably making the Drachmans sorry they ever got near him."
Al smiled half-heartedly. "I hope so. I didn't have the heart to try and make him stay home. Not that he would have anyway… but the longer we're out here, the longer it's clear we're going to be at this a long time. He's already missing out on so much thanks to these bastards."
Russell nodded. "He and his wife are expecting a second aren't they?"
Al nodded. "I'm proud of him for coming, but I'd have felt better if he was home with Ren and Minxia." The idea of losing his son was only worse when he considered leaving Minxia and the unborn without their father. Al wouldn't wish growing up without a loving father on anyone. . "But then, that's why we're here isn't it? To make sure everyone else has a future that can be safe and happy, instead of oppressed."
Russell snickered. "Damned straight. So we'll show them. In Amestris, even the old dogs have fangs. So let's eat and get ready to make them pay."
"Sounds good to me." Al felt his spirits lift a little as he followed Russell into the mess tent and got in line with the rest of the alchemists. Tonight's mission would have a few soldiers as armed back up, but not many. "Tonight we'll show them." He didn't dare say nothing could go wrong. He knew better. Even if he didn't believe in jinxing something; he didn't want to say anything someone else might say had done it later. It just seemed prudent.
Roy Mustang definitely considered the weather that night to be good luck. Waiting in the dark of one of the tunnels, with barely six inches of about-to-be-transmuted rock between him and the fifty yard sprint to the bridge, Roy was grateful that tonight it was cloudy, but not hinting at rain. If ever I needed a night to be dry. The bridge that was going was, thankfully, mostly heavy wood, and would burn beautifully once it got going. That was one of his two critical objectives tonight. Torch the bridge, and help Armstrong bring down the mountainside to block the road on both sides of the ravine. Their explosive projectile dual-alchemist attack should do the trick for those.
He didn't need to see to feel the hulking presence of Alex Armstrong just behind him. "Funny," he chuckled softly. "Two sensibly retired men and here we are, getting involved in another war."
A warm chuff of air wafted behind him as the Strong Arm Alchemist chuckled at the same irony. "Be it acts of chivalry or sheer stubbornness, we could do no less, could we?"
"I vote on sheer stubbornness," Riza's soft sardonicism held a note of fond amusement. "With possible delusions of importance."
"Then why are you here?" Roy teased.
"Someone has to keep you in one piece," Riza sighed, and he felt her brush against his arm on the other side from where Alex loomed. He was grateful for her presence; and not just for the warmth. Somehow he didn't worry about Riza's safety on the battlefield. Anyone who tried to take her out was likely to find a bullet down their barrel before they got a shot off. Riza was doing her usual job tonight of sniper; in this case keeping any Drachmans off his and Alex's backs while they did their jobs. There were folks assigned to Al's team as well.
Roy reached down, finding the hand that wasn't holding on to her rifle in that moment, and gave it a squeeze. He would have liked to have been able to see her, but this way when they charged out into the night, no one would have to worry about their eyes not adjusting quickly. "I'm glad it's you. I stink at it."
Riza and Alex both chuckled. Behind them, Roy heard the shifting feet of the rest of his and Alex's alchemist units and the handful of snipers waiting in case the Drachmans showed up when the show started.
They were just waiting for the right moment and the signal which, in their case, was when they heard the tunnel Al was in blow, which should be just after eleven-thirty. Midnight had seemed too stereotypical.
Down the tunnels behind him, almost inaudible, came the boom, and the reverberating stone told them all they needed to know. "All right," Roy snapped his fingers as he heard Alex smack his fists together. "Let's give our friends outside a little trouble!"
Another alchemist behind them smacked their hands to the transmutation circle on the wall, and the rock in front of them seemed to flow away, leaving a large open doorway. As one, the unit charged through.
It was almost as if they had never left Ishbal; aside from the lack of screaming civilians being slaughtered. Roy and Alex still made a flawless team. First up as they charged into the open area through which the road ran up to the bridge over the ravine, they used explosive rock projectiles to block the road on the far side first. The wall of rock above the road on that side caved, rocks sliding down to completely block it off. That would take care of the incoming reinforcements and supply trains for a while. Now to really mess with them. Roy turned his attention to the bridge and Al, who was charging through the darkness from the other direction, hands coming together. Moments later a large whirlwind rose up in the darkness, barely visible in the clouded dark, but definitely imminent! Roy snapped, and as they had done in Xing, the whirlwind was suddenly very visible as the pillar of fire marched onto the bridge, setting it ablaze even as it began to rip it apart, breaking robes and shaking stones loose!
Now they had the attention of the Drachmans in their camp. Roy could hear the hue and cry of the night guards patrolling, even along the back of their camp nearly a quarter mile away. The sound carried well down to the steep-walled road.
"Looks like we're about to have an audience!" Alex bellowed as Roy turned his attention back to the towering man. "When do we want to blow this side of the road?"
"Not until they're in visual range," Roy reconfirmed. "We want them to see the bridge going up before we cut them off utterly." This was as much psychological warfare as anything else. When the Drachmans saw how completely they were cut off, the hope was that it would not only damage morale, and cut them off from supplies even if it didn't cut off all communications by radio, but it would drive home how isolated they really were, in enemy territory, with the Amestrians who were not using completely conventional tactics!
Not that they could look like they were waiting for the Drachmans. That was where things got creative. Some of the soldiers charged out with them, setting off a couple of rounds of shots that echoed off the rock walls and made it sound more like an engagement or surprise attack. It took a few minutes, but the Drachmans would be on them shortly he was sure.
As Roy sent another gout of flame at the already impressively burning bridge, he finally heard the sounds of feet running at quick-march. "I've got to hand that much to them," he smirked. "At least they don't act surprised."
"Well let's give them something else to chew on," Al suggested with a wicked grin as he caught up with Roy again. "They'll have to be better than us to try and put out the bridge."
They would be fools to think that the Drachmans wouldn't bring their alchemists into play tonight. Though Roy still hoped to be gone before their alchemists could do much offensively. This wasn't about engaging the enemy in a night battle. "They don't stand a chance," Roy scoffed. "Aaand…. Here they come!"
In the light given off by the bridge, it was easy to see the Drachman line when they came around a bend in the rocks and into sight. "Ready for it?"
"Ready," Alex grinned standing behind Roy and Al.
The rain of exploding rocks, carried even further than usual thanks to Al's little air boost, took the Drachmans completely by surprise. They had just enough time to get a really good look at the Amestrians in the light, the burning bridge that reflecting wonderfully off the rocks surrounding it, and the collapsed walls on the other side of the bridge. Then they were shouting and backing up quickly as rocks began to rain down around their heads.
A sudden boost in the wind sent a few Drachmans stumbling backwards as the boulders grew in size, the cliff face collapsing, half-blocking the roadway. Al's work most likely. Sympathy or coincidence? Given Al's dislike of Drachmans, Roy doubted it had been purposefully humane, even coming from Al.
"Damn it," Roy grumbled, holding up his fingers. "We'll need to do another round." He had hoped the entire thing would be blocked in one go.
The Drachmans recovered faster than anticipated. Charging through, there was suddenly an actual fire-fight breaking out between the very few soldiers that had come with the alchemists, and the Drachmans.
"Shit," Russell Tringham ran up to join them. "Take them out! The bridge is collapsing now. It's done. Even if they stopped it cold it would collapse."
"Good, then we're done here," Alex commented firmly. He slammed his fists together and Roy almost didn't get his flash off at the right moment. Then the projectiles were hurtling through the air again, slamming into the other cliff, and debris went flying as the face almost exploded instead of just collapsing!
"You're pushing too hard," Roy complained.
Al shrugged. "Sorry." Not that he sounded like it in this particular instance. "Complain later!"
The shouts and screams of the Drachmans caught in the second rock blast carried loudly in the night. Behind them, Roy could hear scrambling, then he saw a pale glow that looked like the alchemists had arrived. "Let's get that bridge down and get things out of here!" He spun and headed back for the entrance they had come in through.
The other alchemists on the team had been feeding the bridge fire as best they could or helping push back the Drachmans. Now they retreated as they could.
"One more thing," he heard Al behind him and turned to see that Al hadn't headed back towards his own entrance yet.
"Get moving!" Roy shouted incredulously.
"Just a minute!" Al retorted, and he slammed his hands together and dropped to the ground. The entire jumble of fallen rock seemed to glow, then it faded. On the other side, the sounds of small transmutations having any effect…ceased. Al stood and trotted back towards them, panting but looking grimly pleased. Or maybe that was the odd firelight.
"What did you do?" Alex asked as they all got back into the tunnels. Behind them, other alchemists closed the doorways once more. When the Drachmans got through, which they probably would eventually, they would find no signs at all of how the Amestrians had gotten in, or out.
"Changed the alchemical make-up of the rocks….ten times," Al smirked. "Each layer is something different, and the density of the first four are almost impossible to blow through. They'll be banging their heads against that thing for days if they want to waste the effort."
"Brilliant…and mean," Roy barked a laugh, ignoring the stitch in his side from all the running as they moved at a brisk pace through the tunnels, finally bothering to pull out flashlights now that it didn't matter. It would take some time to wind back to base camp, even without the need for quiet or caution. "That's wily enough to be one of Ed's ideas."
"Let's just say he was my inspiration," Al chuckled. "The more sadistic the better in this case."
"Unless it's so difficult they give up on it more quickly," Riza pointed out, ever the sensible one.
"Oh you're always spoiling the fun," Roy sighed, though he smiled over at her.
In the dim light, Riza rolled her eyes. "We want them to be distracted by our little diversion and panicked, not give up and redouble their efforts."
Al's expression dropped. "I didn't consider that," he admitted.
"It'll be fine," Roy assured him. "They've got alchemists right? Even if they're mediocre alchemists, have you ever known one who didn't enjoy beating his head against a wall?" Himself included. "Well… maybe enjoy is too strong a word."
"You have a point," Al agreed. "Besides, they need that road open if they want supplies or reinforcements. Even if they try and push harder against us, they're now working with much more limited options and they'll run out of food and bullets eventually if they're not careful. Desperation leads to mistakes."
"Is everyone all right?" Riza asked with a firm voice that could be heard through-out the tunnel.
Roy realized he had forgotten to ask. "Any casualties?" He added his own sharply barked question.
"No casualties," Ragnar Arronson's voice carried to them, "Only minor injuries."
That was a relief. Roy had come through unscathed save for being more tired than he would ever admit to anyone. The entire scene hadn't taken more than twenty minutes, but he had been running from place to place, moving, and doing a lot of high-energy transmutation on a level he honestly hadn't had to use in years. "Good," he replied. "Well done, everyone."
"Indeed!" Alex boomed, his voice echoing down the passage ahead of them. "Excellent work! Why I've never seen such-"
"I think they get it," Roy cut the man off before he could launch into a long, flowery, and utterly unnecessary speech. "Let's all report back to Brewster and Bloch and call it a night before the sun comes up." Maybe he could still get some sleep before the Drachmans organized enough to start shooting while they were pissed off.
The meeting with the Generals was blessedly short. "Good work," Maria smiled tiredly at them. "We've already got men on the lines in case of an early attack, though I doubt we'll see anything much before dawn."
"We heard the bridge go from here," Brewster replied, grinning over a cup of coffee. "The rocks too. What a lovely racket!"
"Glad you enjoyed the show," Roy snickered.
"We left things in a nice state of chaos," Al added, looking satisfied. "When do you want us back on duty?"
"I want you all asleep as long as you need if possible," Brewster replied. "It won't do us any good if we work you guys into the ground."
"It's worked before," Roy commented with a sardonic smirk.
"Not that you're suggesting it's a bad idea," Riza looked up at him.
"No, of course not," Roy shook his head, then smirked back. "I'd love to see the inside of my damp, chilly tent instead."
"Incorrigible," Maria shook her head. "Flame, True Soul, Strong Arm; your units are off-duty until tomorrow." There were two more alchemist units in their camps at the moment. Younger alchemists the lot of them; less experienced but far from inexperienced. They had already proven capable enough; and far better than the Drachman alchemists. If only they weren't outnumbered.
The meeting broke up minutes later, and Roy submitted to Riza's insistence that they go by the mess tent with the rest of the alchemists to get some of the food left out for them. "You need to eat," she scolded, chivvying him into a chair.
"At home you gripe about my eating habits," Roy teased as he dug into the hot plate of fairly bland meat and potatoes. At least it was meat!
"At home you laze around the house if you aren't teaching," Riza pointed out, poking him in the shoulder with one finger. She sipped the cup of coffee she had gotten for herself. "You're burning energy at a might higher rate."
Around them, the other alchemists were all tucking into their food as if they hadn't eaten since yesterday instead of having actually eaten that afternoon. Given how much work they had all done this evening; even if it hadn't been one of the blatantly apparent destructive forces involved, they all needed to replenish their stores.
Roy smiled at her as he ate. "Yes ma'am."
"Cheeky," Riza sighed, then leaned over and kissed his right cheek.
Roy paused in eating to take a long drink of his own cup of coffee. He stifled a yawn. He would not show weakness – of any kind – in front of the men. It didn't matter that they were all feeling the same; he just didn't have it in him; not after years of keeping it hidden. Very few people had seen him in a weakened condition; forget
the fact that three of them were in the room with him. "Always," he retorted after swallowing.
"Good," Riza nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
"I would," Roy countered.
"You would?" Riza looked startled. Good, he wanted to catch her off guard.
"Sure," Roy winked at her – making the gesture slightly larger than live to differentiate it from blinking with one eye. "I'd rather you have me in several other ways."
It earned him a slap in the arm, but it was definitely worth it!
Author's Note: Much thanks to the responses from folks about the question in last weeks post regarding changing the posting schedule. Having just deal with my first round of graduate classes for the semester, I believe I am, in fact, going to cut down to one post a week as the regular schedule for now. This will allow me to continue to keep (and hopefully build up) my current buffer of written chapter drafts to continue regular posting, without losing my mind or worrying about rushing through writing the story. The story is currently in no danger of being stopped or of having problems with having something to post. I wish to keep it that way. :) This does not mean there may not occasionally be specials or extra posts for things like holidays! For now expect a chapter a week for certain, and I will continue to make that posting date Tuesdays. When I feel I can go back up to a twice a week schedule, I will. Thanks everyone who replied for being so understanding!