A/N: Text that is bolded is a memory of Roy's conversation with Riza. I decided to add it in bits and pieces, giving enough information in order to convey what they had talked about (and bolded it because the page breaks would be too much)

There was not a force in Amestris strong enough to oppose Roy Mustang...

With another snap of his fingers, another explosion erupted in front of him, scattering the vermin that dared to challenge him.

After that display of power, the remaining lesser beasts scattered and vanished into the cracks in the walls. He doubted they would show themselves again after that...

Feeling a hand in his shoulder, he turned his darkened gaze toward Edward Elric, whose equally hardened eyes glared back.

"Colonel Wilson says we need to-"

"You need to find Beller," Roy hissed as he turned to focus his glare on the Lieutenant Colonel, whose hands were bound behind his back. "He will come with me."

Edward's eyes narrowed in anger. "No way in hell are we-"

"The longer we stand around here, the more likely it is he gets away," Roy snapped. Focusing on Armstrong and Havoc, he barked, "Go with Edward and secure the suspect. Do not let him escape this time."

Ignoring Edward's protests, Roy unlocked the handcuffs that had bound Wilson's hands. Pushing him forward, he growled, "Take me to her."

Raising his hands defensively, the Lieutenant Colonel obediently turned and began to lead Roy toward one of the many steel doors that lined the wall.

Before they reached it, he heard Edward approaching him from behind. "Mustang..."

"Go," he snapped as he whirled around the face the former alchemist. "I can handle this..."

For a moment the blond lingered, debating if he would disobey or not. Finally he gave in and turned away, tucking the gun Roy had issued him into his pocket. "I'll see you soon then."

Without responding, Roy shoved the Lieutenant Colonel through the door and into the dimly lit hallway.

For the moment they were alone.

"If this is a trick," Roy snarled as he raised his hand, his fingers poised to snap, "I can guarantee you will be the first to know my disappointment."

Without turning back to the General, the lower-tiered military man quickened his pace. After a moment of silence, he murmured, "I would not joke about this, General... I can assure you that I was unaware of all of this. Had I known sooner, you would have been notified then."

"Then why the change of heart," Roy asked warily, his eyes fixed on the man's back.

"Because... This man, the General, is not the same man I was designated to follow years ago. What he is doing," he said as he clenched fists at his sides, "Is not right..." Stopping at another door, the man briskly forced it open and beckoned the Flame Alchemist to follow.

The instant the door opened, Roy's ears were filled with cacophony and mayhem. Within the cells they passed were dozens of misshapen, godless creatures that were screaming, crying, agonizing…

But the moment he passed them by they quieted and pressed themselves against the walls of their container; hundreds of soulless, widened eyes silently following his every move.

The moment the Lieutenant Colonel led him to another corridor and shut the door firmly behind him, he could hear the creatures began to scream and moan once again.

"How much-," Suddenly Roy felt a heavy force slam against his body, forcing him to the floor. In that instant his gloves were torn from his hands and his arms were pressed firmly against his back. A cry of surprise and agony just next to him confirmed that the Lieutenant Colonel was caught up in whatever he was.

Twisting his head around, Roy could make out two large forms looming over them. Before he could shout in protest one of the forms groped at his hip, ripping his gun and holster away from his body. In one swift movement it then lifted him and held him tightly, pinning his arms to his chest.

Finally finding his voice, Roy spat, "Who the hell are you?"

His restrainer did not respond and instead decided to move onward, his conspirator and the captured Wilson following behind them.

"Answer me," Roy snarled as he struggled against the monster's firm grip.

The beast of a man remained silent, moving ahead at a quickened pace. Moments after turning a corner, the man that constrained him stopped and pivoted, bringing into Roy's field of vision two figures inside the cell in front of him. One standing and dressed in military garb, leaning against a wooden cane.

And the other… A familiar blonde form sitting cross-legged on the floor a few feet from the first, her head in her hands.

For a moment, a look of surprise flashed across the aged General's face when he saw Roy Mustang accompanying his "trusted" subordinate. Once he had suppressed it, he smirked at the captured pair. "It seems I could not trust you after all, Lieutenant Colonel. Such a shame... I was hoping to have another pawn to manipulate."

Then, without warning the chimera that was restraining the Lieutenant Colonel reached up with one hand and grabbed his head. With one fluid motion, it twisted forcefully, successfully severing the military man's spinal cord with a loud snap.

Roy watched in shock as the once struggling man became limp in the beast's arms.

With nonchalance the General nodded toward the chimera responsible. "Please remove that at once."

After nodding in compliance, the Lieutenant Colonel's murderer turned on his heels and threw the man's lifeless form over his shoulder and lumbered back down the hallway from which they came.

Pushing through the horror and disgust that had set in his stomach, Roy struggled fruitlessly against his captor's grip as he focused his attention on the one he had come for.

She was watching him, her expression mixed with confusion and curiosity. However, just as soon as he had caught her eyes, she turned her head and focused on General Thomas, not so much as giving him a second glance.

"Riza," Roy cried out as he continued to struggle against the tightened grip around him.

She didn't even flinch, her gaze never faltering from Thomas.

His sadistic grin widening, Thomas shook his head and said, "Try again, Mustang."

"What did you do to her," Roy demanded through bared teeth as he narrowed his eyes.

Raising his brows in almost indifference, the General responded coolly, "I have done nothing, Mustang. I've merely worked with what the kind doctor provided me with. Had you actuallyunderstood what the transmutation circle coded for, you might actually know." Turning his attention to the chimera that restrained Roy, he nodded.

Obeying his silent order, the beast loosened his grip on Roy, dropping him the floor.

In an instant Roy was on his feet, only to find the barrel of a gun pointed at his chest. "Don't move," the aged General hissed as he cocked his weapon.

"Leave us," Thomas commanded Roy's captor, focusing on him for a moment.

From behind him, Roy heard the rustle of fabric and the sound of heavy footfalls wandering away, disappearing down the corridor.

Turning his mad gaze back to Roy, the General chuckled darkly. "Now, don't try to be the hero. Because," he said as he trained the gun from Roy to point at Riza, "I will not hesitate to put a bullet in her head if so much as attempt to perform clap alchemy."

Roy slowly raised his hands in surrender. His eyes slowly wandering back down to her, he tried to appeal to her again. "Riza, please answer me…"

Again the General laughed wickedly. "You can call her name as often as you like, General, but she won't answer. To her you are nothing; merely another stranger that will come and go."

"What the hell does that mean?! What did you do," Roy spat venomously.

"Nothing. Just as I said before, Mustang," Thomas replied as the cocked his head to the side. "And here I thought having the former Fullmetal Alchemist on your side would have given you an advantage. Perhaps he needs to brush up on his alchemy, General," the man taunted.

"He did decode it," Roy corrected the man harshly. "And with the help of your subordinate, we've put the pieces together.

"You want war, but in order to win said war you need soldiers. Soldiers that would not hesitate to kill… So you take everything from them so that there is no reason not to." Balling his hands into fists, Roy's arms dropped to his side as he began to quake, his anger boiling just below the surface. "You're no better than the man that led this country before."

"I am doing what is best for this country, Mustang," Thomas sneered. "And if that means sacrificing a few lives for its sake, then I will not hesitate to."

Roy was trembling now, his vision becoming clouded by his rage. "Then why my men," he snarled as he clenched his fists tighter, digging his nails into his palms. "Why them?!"

The corners of the older General's mouth twitched. "Because a king without his loyalist subjects is nothing."

"And yet you sacrifice yours?!"

"As I said, sacrifices must be made. And if sacrificing their lives to prove a point is necessary, then so shall it be," Thomas spat.

"A point," Roy echoed in disbelief as he relaxed his fists.

"Yes; a point, General, "Thomas responded with a hint of self-satisfaction. "A point to prove that neither you nor your men are untouchable. That even they can fall when a stronger force is introduced."

"So you targeted my men first to prove a point," Roy tried to clarify as he slipped into a daze. "You did this to… Prove a point…" He took one step toward Thomas, then another.

Seeing the General's uncharacteristic approach, Thomas turned the barrel of his gun to Roy in silent alarm. "I said not to move!"

Roy ignored him and continued to advance forward, his head swimming with Thomas's words. He did this to them to prove a point… He did this to her to prove a point…

Losing his sense and logic and giving into his fury, Roy darted forward and rammed into Thomas, slamming him into the wall. Before the man could even react, Roy drew his fist back and drove it into his face.

Pulling it back once more, he did it again.

And again.

And again.

Ignoring the blood that spattered onto his face, Roy continued his barrage, driven by the taunting cackles that spewed from the other General's mouth.

He did this.

Roy landed another punch, feeling the General's face give beneath the blow.

He took her.

Another blow; this time dislocating the man's jaw.

All to prove that-

Before he could connect his bloodied, battered fist with the General's face again, something caught his wrist. Dazed, he turned to find that Riza had gotten up and wrapped her hands around his wrist. Through her overgrown fringe, he could see her widened, frightened eyes peering up at him.

Feeling his grip on Thomas's jacket loosen, he numbly released him, hearing the beaten man slide down the wall and hit the floor with a dull thump.

"Riza..." He slowly moved toward her, reaching his other hand out to her.

Suddenly she released her grip on his arm and raised her hands to either side of her head. With a cry of pain she stumbled backwards, crumbling to the ground.

"Riza!" Roy rushed forward and fell to his knees. "Are you-"

Her eyes flying open, she released one of her hands and lashed out at him, her nails tearing through the flesh on his face.

Roy instinctively drew back and grabbed his cheek in his hands, feeling the jagged, rough edges of the deep and fresh wound.

Pulling away, Riza withdrew backwards, increasing the distance between her and Roy. Backing into the wall, she curled her arms and legs up to her chest, watching him with panic-filled eyes.

Ignoring the throbbing in his cheek, Roy scrambled forward and reached for her again. She responded by swinging at him again.

Dodging her assault, he cried out her name again, trying to catch her eye. But she showed no signs of recognition, pushing herself as close to the wall as possible.

Finally, his eyes caught hers. They screamed of confusion and terror.

"I need you to listen to me..."

Roy shook his head and moved away from her. He couldn't think about this now...

"Riza... You can't expect me to do that..."

"You entrusted me with the same. If I were to stray from who I was..."

"Please... Say something," Roy begged. "You know- you know me," he said as his voice cracked.

"How do you know I would even follow through?"

"...Because you love me enough to..."

The further he backed away, the more relaxed she became. Slowly rising to his feet, he addressed her again. She watched him, but her eyes... She wasn't looking at him out of recognition; she was watching him in order to try and understand. He saw her eyes dart over to the bloodied and battered General lying motionlessly a few feet from them before resting on him again.

"An existence like that is not worth living. You know that, Roy..."

"I know..."

He reached into the pocket that lined the inner part of his jacket, the object she had given him becoming increasingly heavier.

"Riza, you know I would never let something like that happen. I will always be here with you..."

"I know..."

He had failed. Let his guard down and allowed them to take her.

He should have fought harder. He should have been stronger.

He had failed her.

"Riza..." He held his breath, praying that there would be some sign of recognition... But there was none.

She didn't lift her head, instead lowering it further.

She wasn't here anymore.

Everything that was "her" died the day they took her.

She was gone...

"I will always be here with you... Because I love you, Riza..."

His vision began to blur.

It hurt.

"I will always be here..."

It hurt.

"I know..."

It hurt!

The instant their eyes had met, something within her surged, fighting desperately to surface. But the moment it got too far, a head-splitting pain tore through her skull.

Crying out she stumbled backwards, trying feverishly to stop the seemingly endless agony. Her hands immediately went to her head, trying to ease it.

But whatever it was, it was relentless.

His pained, sorrowful eyes had done this; caused whatever it was to fight.

Cracking one eye open, she realized that he was in front of her.

He did this…

Releasing one of her hands, she swung viciously at him, her nails tearing into the flesh on his face. As he yelped in pain and sprang back, she saw a splash of blood decorate his cheek.

She needed to get away now!

Pushing herself back as quickly as she could, she found that she had run herself into a corner.

Turning back toward the intruder, she saw that he was suddenly there, practically on top of her.

She responded by lashing out at him again, forcing him backwards.

The further back he retreated, the less of him she could see through her increasingly blurring vision. And the more the pain began to recede…

He began speaking, causing her to fill with frustration. Didn't he realize she could not understand him? What did he want?

It couldn't be anything good… She pushed herself as closely to the wall as she could.

Then he stopped and reached his trembling hand into his pocket, seconds later producing a shining black object.

She stared as he looked down at it, as if considering it. He remained like that for what seemed like hours.

Then he decided.

Slowly he lifted it, pointing one end of it directly at her.

She instantly recognized it as something bad.

It was dangerous. He was dangerous.

Every fiber of her being begged her to run. Her muscles tensed in anticipation of flight. But…

The surge of adrenaline never came.

Instead, the thing that had fought so desperately to surface lightly nudged at her again, begging her to reconsider her notion of him.

He wasn't dangerous, it told her.

He was there to help, it said.

He was there to make the pain stop.

She slowly scanned her eyes up to his face, his visage mirroring what she felt inside: Fear. Pain. Hurting.

He was there to make it stop.

Her eyes lowered themselves to the black object.

That would make it stop, it told her.

Giving in to its explanation, she bowed her head in acceptance.

He would make it stop…

For a brief moment his trembling hand steadied, his finger finding the trigger of the gun.

"Because I love you..."

"... I'm sorry..."