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
Author's note: post series, and very AU. Some movie events will happen, just differently
Warning: May contain movie spoilers, also blood, violence, death, bad language, and maybe sex
22. Gamble
The door slammed with a sound of finality and the lock clicked. Edward rolled back to his feet and he went right to the door and experimentally tried the knob. But it was securely locked, and the door was quite solid. He sighed, and walked back to the table, then pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. There was a clock right above the door and Edward sighed again when he saw the time: 7:15. His world had been blown to shreds in just under twenty minutes by one suspicious policeman. He didn't know who this "Doctor Stein" was, but it didn't sound good.
The noises from the outer office: footsteps, voices, chairs scraping on the floor, and typewriter keys clicking, gradually faded into random sounds as the minutes ticked away. Edward had put his arms down flat on the table, one hand clasping the opposite wrist, then he laid his head down upon them. He closed his eyes for awhile, then flicked one open to glance at the clock: 7:45 He would miss his train to Milan. And labeled "insane" he would be back in Germany by tonight. A stray thought informed him that twenty-four hours ago, he had been sound asleep in his own bed.
Edward's ears pricked when the door knob suddenly rattled and he heard the sound of a key sliding into a lock. His other eye opened when the door abruptly swung open and a man in a faded pair of blue overalls entered, pulling a wheeled cart behind him. Janitor. Edward's mind helpfully supplied the word. The man seemed to be quite old, his hair was pure white and his back was slightly bent. He was humming to himself, apparently not realizing Edward was also in the room. A plan began to take shape in the younger man's head.
Very slowly and quietly, Edward got up and cautiously put his chair back into place, then he bent to pick up his suitcase. His heart in his mouth, he began to edge around the far end of the table. The janitor's head was still down, his gaze fixed at the floor while he mauevered his cart of cleaning supplies into the room. Edward contnued to creep along to his right until he was almost behind the door. He could hear his heartbeat hammering in his ears.
The old man must be deaf. Perhaps he has poor eyesight too. I hope.
Edward crept to the open doorway and looked into the outer office. It was quite empty of people. Unable to believe his luck, Edward walked quietly and quickly towards the doorway which stood between him and freedom. He had just reached for the knob when approaching voices warned him to get back. Edward flattened himself against the wall behind the door just in time as the door shot open.
"Ach!" ones of the voices exclaimed. "Herr Machus isn't in! He probably walking around the station, looking for the slightest thing out of place. That man is so detail oriented! We'll try again in half an hour, he should be back by then."
The door closed, and Edward released the breath he had been holding. He waited until the voices faded away before he cautiously opened the door and peeked out. The coast looked clear of both Herr Machus, and any station police, so he left the office with a firm step, and closed the door behind him. His shoulders were hunched nervously, but no shouts of "Stop that man!" were heard. Edward kept walking forward until he was engulfed in a crowd of morning travellers. He was free again.