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Games without Frontiers
Chapter 30: The Beast
Rated: T+
Soundtrack: The Beast – Concrete Blond
Riza heard the phone hit the cradle with a resounding crack. She opened her mouth to begin the usual lecture on abuse of government property when she saw the expression on the Colonel's face.
The Colonel shoving his chair back, so hard that it almost toppled over, and stood, a firestorm brewing in his face. The office fell silent, aside from the minute sounds of a pencil breaking, paper scattering, and little wood chess pieces falling on the floor. Breda's muffled curse broke the tableau for a heartbeat, and then the Colonel's voice tore it apart.
"Hawkeye, Havoc, in my office! Now!" he snarled as he stalked past, not bothering to look in their direction at all.
Riza looked at Havoc. Havoc looked utterly confused. She frowned, and then shrugged, standing and jerking her head toward the office. She could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times the Colonel used that tone of voice.
Havoc closed his folder and stood, looking at his tablemates. Riza followed the conversation from the corner of her eye.
"What the hell did you two do?" Breda hissed.
"I have no idea, but it can't be good," Havoc said out of the corner of his mouth.
"Do you know what we did?" he whispered at Riza. She quickly shook her head and stepped up her pace.
They barely missed stumbling over each other as Havoc shut the door behind them. Riza colored, gaining some annoyance. She hated not knowing what was going on around her. Havoc placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her from tumbling, and then they both watched their commanding officer.
The way he was pacing caused a cold trickle to start travelling down her neck.
They waited a full three minutes while he paced and muttered and cursed. Finally, Riza couldn't take it anymore. "Sir, it would help if we knew what we've done wrong," she said, the brave one in this. She was proud of herself that she didn't even flinch when he threw her a beastly, dark look.
"You haven't done anything wrong," Roy finally growled. "It's − dammit, he can't go anywhere! Can't even go piss without getting himself −"
He stopped and looked at the two of them. Riza had a feeling she knew now what this was about, and her worst thoughts were confirm as the Roy's eyes skirted over Jean and then concentrated on a point right over Jean's shoulder. "We have to go to Central," he finally said.
Riza frowned. "Central? Why?"
"That was Hughes on the phone," Roy said through his teeth.
Jean tried for some levity. "Obviously. Only he can make you throw a phone like that."
"This isn't funny." The words stuck right between Havoc's eyes and his jaw clicked shut. He put a hand to the back of his neck and tried to rub the censure away. "Edward is in the hospital."
"What?" Riza said before Jean could even react. Hell. Hell, hell, hell… "What happened?"
"I thought you'd sent reinforcements," Jean said slowly, following Roy with his eyes. Riza turned her attention to the Second Lieutenant then, watching him carefully. Jean's face was turning into something she only saw on a battlefield.
"I did. He didn't get there quick enough."
"What do you mean he didn't get there quick enough?" Jean asked, again in a slow, measured voice.
Calm, Jean, Riza inward prayed. This is not the time. This was something she understood, understood even more these days. Surprised that this particular beast was stalking Jean so quickly, she hoped he could rein himself in before he sparked Roy's already uneven temper.
Roy gave him a quick look of warning. "Hughes said −,"
"Hughes? You sent Hughes?" Jean blurted before thinking. Then he rubbed his hand over his face and tried again, with little success. "What could Hughes do for back up that−" he cut himself off again, willing the tumbling emotions under control.
Riza didn't like this. Not at all. She knew Roy had been right to allow Edward and Alphonse to go on this mission; they would have done it with or without his permission. She knew he was right in sending the backup he chose. She gave Jean a long look, and then turned to Roy. "What did Hughes say?" she said simply, hoping to dissolve the tension.
"I didn't send Hughes," Roy said slowly. "I sent Armstrong."
"And he couldn't keep them from getting hurt?" Riza asked, taking one step between Jean and Roy. Neither probably noticed, but she had seen Jean's hands clench into hard fists.
Briefly, she wondered if this was how Roy behaved when Kimblee had attacked her. Then, on second, startling thought, she realized she probably would behave the same way had it been Roy in this situation – powerful alchemist or no.
"It was an ambush." Roy held up his hand when Jean would have opened his mouth again. "I don't know anything else. Maes wouldn't give me any details over the phone. He just said we have to go down there." He leaned back on his desk again and stared into space for a moment. "I should have kept them from leaving. I should have been more watchful."
"You should have realized that this was too dangerous for them−"
"Second Lieutenant," Riza rapped into Jean's slowly rising voice. "Control yourself! The Colonel said he doesn't know what happened. And until he does, we should stay calm," and she looked at the Colonel himself, who was glowering at a stapler on the desk, "and wait and see what happened."
"Show him," Roy said. Riza picked up the paper on the desk and handed it to Jean. She watched him digest what he read and saw his jaw tighten around something that was written there.
"But−" Jean started.
"Jean−" Riza said.
They both halted when they heard the crash and looked into the corner to see the poor, mutilated stapler lying wounded in the corner. Riza blinked and turned slowly to stare at the Colonel.
Really? Riza shook her head. "You both have lost your minds." She sat on the couch and crossed her arms. "I think I'll just sit here until you two finish destroying the whole office." When they looked at her, she waved a hand at Jean. "Go ahead, Havoc. Throw something. You know you want to. In addition, Colonel? You going to set the poor stapler on fire now that you broke it beyond all repair? Maybe that will change the situation."
That sent the ugly beast permeating the room back to its corner. The two men gave her a sheepish look.
"Look," Riza said again, her voice still calm and stern. "I understand why both of you are upset." She supposed since they weren't going to acknowledge it, she would. She looked at Roy. "Edward and Alphonse are your responsibility. Despite what you pretend, you care for them both. But not even you can predict the future."
Then she turned to Jean and watched him cringe at her look. Yes, I know, Jean. "And I certainly understand your upset." She gave up a small smile, just tiny enough to be detected. "Trust me, I understand."
Roy blinked, looking at Jean with a sudden realization.
Riza actually chuckled and relaxed a bit. "In any case, you forgot yourself, Havoc. This is not the Colonel's fault. Until we find out all the details, we won't know where to point the finger."
The two men looked at one another for a moment, completely in mental accord. Riza shook her head. Boys were so slow at times.
"Feels like shit, doesn't it?" Roy said softly with a crooked grin that still didn't reach the anger in his eyes.
"Huh," Jean grunted, rubbing at the back of his head.
"Is that how you behaved?" Riza asked Roy, her arms crossed in front of her.
"I think I was more restrained," Roy said.
Jean snorted. "You didn't have a CO to yell at," he said. "My apologies," he added.
"It's only us here," Roy said, "If you had done that outside there, though…"
"I know, I know. I'll watch it."
"You'd better. I know what you're feeling, even if you don't have a complete grasp on it. But letting it control you in the wrong situation is unacceptable."
Jean nodded.
Riza sighed, glad for the passing of the storm, but back to her initial worry. "While you two stand there and commiserate on the dramas of your lives, I will call for a car," Riza said, moving to the desk and plucking the receiver up. "Havoc, you will drive. Will that help?"
"You know, I think you've got the easier time of it than me," Roy was saying to Jean.
Jean returned. "Don't bet on it."
]o[
At first, it was nothing new. Edward had been hospitalized enough times to make the scene in front of her seem every day. The young alchemist was flat on his back, sheet tucked around him at waist level. What made this more serious was the unbelievable pallor of Ed's skin. That was a paleness that spoke of much blood loss, which the numerous bandages confirmed.
She turned her attention Roy and medic. She listened for a moment, the noticed from the corner of her eye another blue uniform halfway down the hall. Riza leaned forward and got Roy's attention. The Colonel looked the direction she pointed and saw Jean standing there, utterly at a loss. Roy quickly shook his head and held up one finger. Wait was the answer to his unspoken question.
The medic finished outlining Edward's condition. Entered in Critical Condition, now Serious. Three days of induced deep sedation. Mild traumatic brain injury. Evidence of attempted manual strangulation. Other serious lacerations and contusions. Destruction of automail arm, leg. Vitals, fair. Prognosis, good.
Roy gestured toward Jean, and Riza followed him into the room, feeling Jean's anxious presence behind her.
As she took the chair beside the bed, she saw Al first, seated on the far end of the bed, facing the door. Al's eyes glowed, fixed on his brother as if no one else was in the room.
Riza moved his regard a fraction and took in the form on the bed. His eyes were closed, with deep bruises of blue beneath them. Not injury, but lack of sleep and perhaps loss of blood. There was a vivid necklace of fingerprints around Ed's neck. There was a bandage wrapped around his head, mashing the blond hair into a sweaty mass that tangled on the pillow. A wide bandage cinched the ribcage. Broken? Bruised? Bruises were livid black/blue/red/green all over the upper half of the Fullmetal Alchemist. A large patch of bandage, easily the size of both of his hands, was secured to his lower left abdomen. Riza could see the blood staining spots of the surface.
Riza heard Jean take a deep breath and turned. His eyes were glassy through the light haze of smoke from his cigarette. As she watched, Jean blew the smoke out, turned on his heel and left without a word.
"Wait…."
Riza turned back to Edward at the sound. Nothing looked different. "Did Edward say something?" she asked.
"Not sure," Mustang answered.
"Brother?" Al asked.
Riza moved closer to the bed to see if she could hear well. After endless seconds of breath-held silence, his eyes finally popped open.
He turned his head slowly and looked at Riza. She gave him a gentle smile, hoping to keep him from panicking about his surrounds. She watched his eyes slowly move up and down, taking in her whole for. She saw his gaze stop at her midsection and remembered it had been some time since she'd seen him.
Edward took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and said one word. "Wow."
Riza's eyes narrowed at the exclamation from Edward, ignoring the hoarseness in his voice. Apparently, however, he didn't register the warning in her regard. "How long has it been since I've seen you?" he asked, quite undiplomatically, looking her up and down, not bothering to hide the fact that he was staring at her stomach. "You sure are ... wow!"
"It's only been a short while, and I wouldn't say anything else about it if I were you," Riza said quietly, fingering the gun in her lap.
Edward turned a lovely shade of purple, and then muttered. "Why aren't you in uniform, then? You're always in uniform."
Riza gave him a look. She looked down at the button down shirt she wore; the second stage uniforms had the best-tailored shirts. "I don't wear the jacket these days unless I absolutely have to," she said darkly, singularly displeased with the whole idea.
"And I say she doesn't have to unless the Fuhrer is walking down the hall," the Colonel finished, leaning against the table beside Riza. "Can't you go anywhere, Fullmetal, without getting yourself banged up?" he asked.
Riza hid her smile. Just ten minutes previous, the Colonel had been beside himself when he found out that Edward had been injured in his last adventure.
"Well, if you want to just yell at me, I guess I won't tell you what I found out." Edward grumbled, folding his arm behind his head.
They boy (young man, she reminded herself)'s automail appendages were lying on a table in the hospital room, waiting for the arrival of the only person he would allow to fix them. It looked like three fingers and the knee joint were missing. Aside from that, upon closer look at the fingerprints on his neck, and a marvelous looking black eye, he was perfectly fine. Still, the paleness gave them all a jolt. It made everything that was wrong seem that much more serious.
The Colonel opened his mouth to say something, and then thought better of it. He crossed his arms over his chest, muttering instead, "All right, what did you find out?"
"I didn't find Scar," Edward started, holding up his hand when the Colonel would have spoken. "But I did find some friends of his... or what I think are friends of his."
"Friends of his?"
Edward frowned. "They seemed to be after the same thing..."
"Which is?"
"Alchemists."
"Tell me."
It took Edward a few minutes to gather the words in his head. Riza could imagine that with the rattling his brain had taken, it was taking a while for him to line them all up into something that made sense.
"I went to the internment camp," he started. "It looked like any other camp, of course – filthy, dirty – you know, the military should take better care of these people, or they're really gonna get tired of the way they've been living–,"
"I know that," the Colonel interrupted. "What about these people you encountered?"
Edward muttered something that sounded vaguely like "Rude bastard," under his breath, but continued. "There had been people – kids really — who said they saw Scar, but that the man had gone days before." He shrugged. "I decided to go poking around anyway. They were only kids, they could have been mistaken."
Riza pursed her lips. As if you are much older than they were, Edward Elric, she chastised in her mind, but then caught herself, remembering what she had told Jean only a few days ago: Sixteen doesn't fit on Edward the same way it would fit on any other boy.
"So, you went looking," the Colonel said, urging him to get to the point.
"And that's when I saw them..." Suddenly, without warning, Edward turned an even sicklier shade.
"Brother..." Al whispered from the corner.
Edward shook himself and held up a hand. "No, this is important. I have to tell it." He seemed to gather himself. "There were three of them. Pale skin, strange clothes...all black, with these red things on their bodies."
The Colonel leaned forward. "Red things?"
"A mark...an array...something..."
"Could you draw it?"
"Of course I could draw it!" Edward said testily. "You wanna hear the rest of this?"
The Colonel leaned back, waiting.
"One of them, she was beautiful. The mark was right here," he pointed to the center of his chest. He gave the Colonel a look. "You would have found her something to look at. Long legs, dark hair, the whole thing."
A small smile turned up the corner of the Colonel's mouth. "My taste run in different directions these days," he said softly.
Riza decided that she really needed to take better care of her nails. Yes, she did.
"Oh, yeah, forgot about that." He waved his hand. "Anyway. The other was this big round blob of a person. His mark – if you wanna believe it – was on his tongue. And," Edward shuddered. "He kept saying he wanted to eat me."
"What?" Riza asked.
Edward nodded. "That's what I thought. The last one...If I could have kill him – her – whatever–I would have. That one did this to me. I didn't see if it had a mark or not, but I suspect so."
"Did they say who they were?" The Colonel asked.
Edward looked at him carefully, as if weighing his decision to tell him. Then he looked over at Al. Al was expressionless in the extreme.
"They said they were... homunculi."
The Colonel paled and stood straight. He was silent for a long while, and then he rapped out, "Fairy tales. Made up to scare us into behaving when we were kids. Keep us from transmuting our neighbor's cat into a potted plant."
"Well, a fairy tale with hair that looked like a potted plant took a couple of chunks out of my ass!" Edward said leaning forward as if he wanted to have a go at the Colonel. Hissing in pain, he sat back, clutching at the bandage at his midsection. "You saying you don't believe me?" he finished breathlessly.
Riza looked between them, not understanding. Homunculi?
"If you're not careful, Boss, you're gonna pull your stitches out."
The voice that dropped into the middle of the conversation sounded familiar yet wrong. Strained around the edges, breathless. Riza – and the others – looked at the door.
Jean leaned in the doorway, tapping a cigarette out of the pack. They all watched him flip it between his lips and light it oh-so-carefully before moving completely into the room.