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, some movie events will happen, but differently
Warning: May contain movie spoilers, will contain violence, death, and maybe sex.
43. Subterfuge (Subterfuge)
Ernst Draco was sitting at his desk and filing his fingernails when the phone call came: Dr. Forbes had just driven onto the Luxor car ferry with a patient. Although outwardly calm when he hung up, Draco's heart was pounding as he dialed an extension number and rapped out instructions. The embassy car was waiting on the other side when the dented and rusty white Ford ambulance rolled off the ferry and was followed to the train station.
Two more henchemen awaited there as the vehicle backed up to the platform. The doors popped open to reveal Dr. Forbes and one of his wife's many male relatives. They opened the back doors of the ambulance and eased out a stretcher with a blanket covered figure on it. A couple of porters assisted them to a Pullman sleeper car, the whole party passing right by the two Nazis. The patient was heavily blanketed and appeared to be asleep, they could see a flash of blonde hair and a reddened, sweaty face.
"Poor chap had a relapse, he's beyond my help so I'm taking him to the hospital in Cairo before it's too late," Dr. Forbes tersely said to the conductor of the noon train to Cairo. One of the two henchmen ran to the ticket office while the his companion watched which compartment the little party would take. He saw curtains flick shut on his side and smiled wickedly before he returned to the car and leaned in to impart this information to the driver.
The first Nazi was back with the tickets by the time he returned to the platform. This capture would be easy, they agreed as they took seats in a second-class train carriage. The conductor shouted, "All Aboard!", and blew his whistle. The engine answered with it's own toot before the noon train chugged it's way out of the station on it's long journey to Cairo. Dr. Alonzo Forbes sighed as he peeked between the curtains of the sleeper compartment while the train left the suburbs of Luxor behind and gathered speed. "We're clear!"
"ARGH!" With a strangled cry, Djura sat up in the bed, threw off the blankets, yanked off the blonde wig and gestured to her son Mukhtar. He knew what she wanted and promptly handed over the glass of milk which his mother grabbed in both hands and poured down her throat in three large gulps. A more normal color gradually returned to her face while she panted, thin runnels of milk seeping from the corners of her mouth.
"I think Khadija used too many peppers in that dish, I could have spit fire after eating them! It took all my self control to lie still and not cry out until the train was moving."
Alonzo first gave her a dazzling smile and then he bowed, "You did splendidly Djura! I don't think Madame Barrymore could have surpassed your performance. We've fooled the Germans into thinking Mr. Elric is on this train, now it's all up to Khadija and that flyboy cousin of mine."
Tears streamed from Edward's eyes and he rapidly fanned his face with one hand. It was all his fault, because Khadija had warned him the pepper stew would be very, very hot. With great reluctance, he picked up the glass of goat's milk she'd set in front of him and sipped from it. The thought of drinking milk made his insides squirm but those peppers were frying the insides of his mouth.
The first sip of the goat's milk eased the burn - a little - and Edward finally gave in and emptied the glass to the dregs. "Ahhh..." he gasped and set the glass down on the table top, and imagined steam coming out of his ears. He blew out a breath and slumped forward onto his elbows. He hoped Alonzo, Djura and Mukhtar would be all right, they were taking a big risk in helping him escape. But Edward didn't get much more time to think because a loud engine noise was coming fast and seemingly right above his head.
"He's here!" the children cried excitedly and they dashed outside, taking all the noise with them. Edward raised one blond eyebrow at Khadija, she and Alonzo had been rather cagey about the latter part of the plan. All Alonzo would say was they would distract the Germans while Edward made his escape in a different direction.
"Edward," Khadija's voice was soft and warm, just like her smile. "It is time for you to go now. Have a safe journey." She handed him a small box wrapped in a kerchief. "Some food for you, but nothing containing peppers."
He took the box in one hand, draped his coat over the opposite arm,and picked up his suitcase. Together they walked through the house, passing through three courtyards and innumerable doorways until the last door opened right onto the empty desert. A few feet away, like some sort of exotic winged insect stood a bi-plane painted purple and black. The children crowded around the plane oohing and ahhing, touching the tires, the struts, the wires and cables between the wings.
Near the plane stood a large man dressed in tall brown boots, tan jodhpurs, and a black leather coat. Edward couldn't see his face too well because the lower half was covered by a droopy blond mustache, the upper by a leather flying cap, and goggles. The man's mouth split in a huge grin when he saw them.
"Khadija! How grand to see you again!" Edward noted he had incredibly large, square teeth and they reminded him so of Major Armstrong, he wouldn't have been surprised to see pink sparkles erupt around his head. "Alonzo told me we're going to have a spot of Jerry-foolery, what fun, eh?"