Riza had been the first on the list of people to be executed; but she was by no means alone. Alex Louis Armstrong, the same man who had knelt in Ishval's town square with the broken body of a child in his arms, tears streaming down his face at the madness of it all, was also to face the firing squad.

Once again Roy Mustang was not invited to witness the execution, not that it mattered in his current state. The former Colonel was unconscious in the bed of a black-market doctor, frantically trying to save the life of a man who had lost all will to live.

"How is he, doctor?" A worried Maria Ross asked. She paced around his bedside, watching the IV drip and listening to the soft whirring of the machines. The former Colonel looked thin and his skin was pale where it wasn't blistered. When she caught a look at his arm, Maria had to turn away. That man would bear scars for the rest of his life. Then again, the loss of his Lieutenant had scarred him much more deeply than anything he had done to his physical flesh.

Dr. Knox finished taking the temperature of his patient and then he leaned back in his chair. He sighed and ran a hand over his face, dragging the loose skin into crevasses caused by worry and pain. When he looked up at Maria, his eyes were haunted not only by treating the patient in front of him, but by all the others he had treated over the years. He knew what it meant to work amidst a militarized state, but this was all too much. How many more people would snap, and then hurt themselves in the same way as Mustang. The doctor didn't want to think about it.

"He burned himself pretty badly. I'm afraid that some of the damage might have extended to his nerves. When he wakes up, we might find that his motor skills are impeded. It's difficult to tell now of course, but this might have an impact on his flame alchemy."

He paused to let his words sink in. Maria covered her mouth with her hand, horrified. Why had he done this to himself? It broke her heart to think of how his losing Riza had caused something inside of Mustang to die as well. The poor man...she knew of his plans and goals. He had wanted to lead Amestris into a golden age as his fuhrer but with his enemies seizing power and the loss of his light, there would be nothing to guide him to his goal. Maria wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. Dr. Knox seemed to notice, but he didn't say anything. He sighed, and his exhaled breath was the spirit of a nation collectively surrendering—giving up because of the loss of their only hope. Now what would happen?

A knock came from the door, startling Maria and the Doctor. They exchanged a glance before the door opened and Denny Brosh walked in. He quickly shut it behind him and then turned to face the room's three occupants. It was a small space without even a single window, and he shook his head that it had to come to this. But, they were desperate and at least they could trust Dr. Knox, so that was why they were here. At least Roy was being treated. Denny shook his head. He couldn't believe that the man had virtually set himself on fire. If he didn't know already how much Roy cared for Riza, now there was no doubt.

Maria walked up to him and hugged him quickly. He planted a kiss on her cheek. Anti-fraternization laws hardly mattered anymore, not since General Hakuro was in power. He and Maria were trying to stay out of the thick of things, flying under the radar while Grumman did what he could from his higher-up position. They didn't really have a plan, so to speak, but it was important that they heal Mustang and get him back fighting for their cause.

"What's that?" Maria asked as she stepped away from Denny. As though seeing it for the first time, Denny looked down to the radio he carried in his hands. A conflicted expression of pain crossed his features.

"This radio's been modified to be untraceable by the military. It will give us a chance to listen to the broadcast..." His voice trailed off and he looked at Roy on the bed.

Dr. Knox stood up. "The broadcast of Armstrong's execution?" he asked.

Denny nodded. He swallowed but his voice still cracked when he spoke, "they want to make an example of him. The great Strong Arm Alchemist, former hero of Ishval and in cahoots with the Hawk's Eye reduced to a bullet-riddled corpse. Sorry," he said gently, noticing Maria's pained expression.

"Do we risk it?" she asked. She seemed also to think of Mustang in his weakened state.

"We have to know what we're up against," Denny said firmly. He plugged in the radio to a socket in the wall and turned to dial until the sound quality was clearer.

"Wait," Maria placed her hand on top of his and forced the volume down. "Who's reporting this?"

"No one we know," Denny said.

Relieved, Maria took her hand off of his. She remembered the way that they had kidnapped Bradley's wife and planned the stunt at the radio station. She didn't know where those people were now; she just hoped they were safe.

"This is Amerstrian Radio News, reporting from just outside Central Command's court room where the famed Alchemist Alex Louis Armstrong was convicted of crimes committed in Ishval—"

Maria was relieved to discover that she didn't recognize the voice of the person reporting. Still, that filled her with even more anxiety. Who was this person? Were they an actual supporter of Hakuro, or were they simply being manipulated behind the scenes, afraid for their life and the lives of their family? She shook chills down her back and leaned into Denny as he placed an arm around her. It was a meaningless gesture in the sense that his closeness to her couldn't save her from all the wrongs in the world, but it was the support she would need to make it through this radio broadcast.

"Sergeant Major Riza Hawkeye has already faced judgement in the sights of the firing squad and now it is time for her comrade to face the same fate. We report to you live, now from the execution site where countless other war criminals have met the same fate. Armstrong is next in line to receive justice. The recently demoted, former Major and State Alchemist Alex Louis Armstrong has had his wrists clasped together with reinforced steel. He is now being marched over to the far side of the courtyard. His posture is slumped and this reporter sees no more of his former strength. This is a man who has committed great evil and knows it—"

"Shut it off!" Maria exclaimed. She thought she would be able to handle this but it was already too upsetting. Those things they were saying about Armstrong were all lies. This was so wrong. None of this was supposed to happen—it couldn't end like this.

But as terrible as this was, Dr. Knox and Denny remained transfixed. It was like they were witnessing a terrible accident—a train derailing—but they were powerless to do anything about it. They couldn't even look away.

"No keep it on. I need to hear what happens," Roy Mustang's voice sounded from the bed.

As the radio announcer detailed the blindfolding of the alchemist and the squad taking up their positions, readying their guns, Maria, Denny, and Dr. Knox jumped up and ran to Roy's bedside.

"You shouldn't be awake!" Dr. Knox insisted, sounding worried. "You've been through so much your body needs to recover. Not to mention the amount of pain you must be in..." Dr. Knox went for a syringe to inject into Roy's IV. The former colonel slapped it out of his hand. The sharp point clattered across the floor and Denny picked it up gingerly so no one could get hurt.

Breathing heavily through the pain, Roy managed to choke out. "No. No medicine. Armstrong is about to die. I deserve to suffer. I deserve to die... Riza..." Roy's hands twitched at his sides, as though he was reaching for something beyond his bed.

"He's hallucinating," Dr. Knox said in an undertone. Maria felt a sharp pain in her chest and Denny lowered his head. The three slowly returned to the radio, turning up the volume dial so that the invalid in the bed could hear what was happening, if his senses were even working at this point.

"And everything has been set up. Everyone is in position. We're just waiting for his Excellency Major General Hakuro to give the order. Let's listen in on their exchange..."

Hakuro: any last words Armstrong? You mercilessly killed all those people in Ishval and now I think you would agree with me that this is justice.

Armstrong: I never was a monster.

A pause... then:

BANG!

Denny shut off the radio and looked at Dr. Knox. The man was shaking and stood to excuse himself. He walked out of the room quickly and then shut the door behind him. Maria sat in stunned silence, unable to believe that they had just heard the sound of someone's life being extinguished forever. She stood up and then cautiously went up to Roy. Denny stood beside her, his hand on her shoulder. She doubted either of them would be able to stand without the other to lean on.

Roy was asleep, but not in a peaceful sense. He was panting and his eyes moved spasmodically under his bruised eyelids. It was as though he was trying to wake up but his body had simply given up, passed out from the pain. Maria put her hand on his as it convulsed and was alarmed at how cold his hand was. She looked to Denny and when she was that he was crying she burst into tears as well.