The Waters of Lethe
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, I just like to play around in it's world and torture Ed for awhile.
Warning: may contain movie spoilers, also violence, blood, bad language and maybe sex.
Author's note: post series and very AU; some movie events will happen, but differently.
Summary: Edward gives his Calais tickets to a traveller from America and makes good his escape from Germany. Meanwhile Steve and Jim are questioned by Captain Kessalar about the "riot" on platform 21. Will they inadvertantly put the Thule Society back on Edward's trail?
16. The Hounds Cast About (Die Jagdhunde warfen ungefahr)
The door to the stationmaster's office opened and Steve's friend and travelling companion Jim Sims walked in, trailed by two station police sergeants. "Good news, Steve!" Jim burbled merrily, he had a knack for seeing the bright side of things. "They'll hold the Calis Express for half an hour, so if we can get this cleared up, we still could make it."
Captain Kesslar indicated a chair to the left of Steve. "Please have a seat, Herr...?"
"Sims, Jim Sims - from Montana." He extended one sinewy hand and shook the surprised Captain's with tremendous strength. "Me and Steve," the Captain winced at the poor grammar. "Are cattle punchers at a ranch in Wyoming."
A wild mental picture of the two slugging cows sprang up in the captain's mind. He pinched his eyes shut and shook his head as if to eject that picture out of his cranium.
"Herr Sims, your friend has told me what occured, but I would like your story."
"Oh, sure. We'd gotten to the station late and I got the last ticket for the Calais Express, so Steve here was raggin' about how he'd have to cool his heels here overnight when this kid comes up to us and offers Steve a spare ticket for the Express, and the channel ferry."
Captain Kesslar looked down at a picture of Edward, half-hidden underneath his hands, which Hess had given him. "Can you describe this boy?"
Jim screwed his eyes shut in thought for a moment, "Lessee, his head came to about here on me," Jim put the edge of his palm at the middle of his chest. "Blond hair, really long and tied in a ponytail. I thought it looked strange, but things are done differently here in Europe, so I didn't pay it much mind. His eye color really struck me as unusual - yellow - I've never seen anyone with yellow eyes before. I thought maybe he was jaundiced, 'cause he did look kinda sickly."
The captain cocked his head and asked "Really? Why do you believe he was sickly?"
"He was really thin and just about swimmin' in that brown coat he was wearin', like it was too big for him. If we hadn't been pressed for time, I would have offered to take him to the station cafe for a meal, he looked like he could use some feedin.' He looked scared too, and when Steve asked him where his parents were, he acted downright spooked." Jim paused for a moment before he asked in a half-joking manner, "Why are you after this kid anyways, did he rob a bank, or something?"
"Oh no, nothing so serious. He's just an escaped mental patient and it's important we find him."