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Amestris, Continental Calendar July 9, 1919
Chin up, shoulders back, eyes focused on the end of the long corridor—it was how Major Riza Hawkeye traversed the east wing of Central Command that particular morning. Two corporals also transited the long corridor. They offered Riza a salute when their paths met. Despite their best efforts, Riza didn't respond as required by protocol. She simply kept on walking, disregarding their presence altogether. A few beats later, her eyes widened with the realization of what she'd done. A frown of displeasure followed. Breaking the simplest of rules...it was completely and utterly unacceptable. Not even during her years at the academy did she forget to follow the basics. Her lips tightened into a thin line.
She failed in her duties because she was distracted. Her distraction wasn't due to lack of discipline or from mere insubordination, it came from deep preoccupation. Strange occurrences were happening all over again in Amestris. Maybe it was her age, maybe she was developing a strong distaste for all things supernatural. For some reason the monstrosity that had been known as Lieutenant Colonel Archer crossed her mind—she quickly shook away the mental image. As if a potential danger wasn't bad enough, there was the matter of the Brigadier General who'd decided to disregard the chain of command and place the responsibility of the entire team on her shoulders.
Haunted by her present thoughts, Riza arrived at her final destination without noticing. The doorplate spelling out the name of Mustang's unit was staring at her. "You can do this," Riza said in a barely audible whisper, then opened the door.
Riza entered the room. She took a quick glance at everybody before setting her eyes on Master Sergeant Kain Fuery. The young man was currently accompanied by Warrant Officer Vato Falman. Both men were listening to a tape recording; Riza picked up some Drachman from the conversation. She wondered if the people talking in the recording were speaking about what happened in Resembool. Riza left Fuery and Falman alone and moved her gaze to the other side of the room. First Lieutenant Heymans Breda and Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc were busy typing. The intensity etched in their faces told Riza they were working on the reports about the sting operation involving Auregan immigrants and their illegal trading in the Warehouse District.
Mustang's team was working efficiently—like a well-oiled machine. Riza smiled. It looked like everything was going to be alright.
"Good morning," she finally said, raising her voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
One-by-one, Mustang's subordinates stopped what they were doing to salute her as she walked to her working space.
"You're unusually late, Major," Jean said in an amused tone.
Riza ignored the comment. She picked up a stack of files and papers sitting in her inbox tray and sat down. After sorting out the paperwork by order of priority, Riza looked up and met Havoc's expectant gaze. "I was at the train station, seeing off the Brigadier General."
The rest of the team perked their ears and joined the conversation.
Jean raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" he exclaimed. After the initial shock wore out, he said, "You finally sent him packing?" His cigarette tilted upwards, following the path of his teasing smile.
"Not at all, Lieutenant," Riza replied, her expression immutable. "He has an urgent meeting with Emerald in Resembool." With that said, Riza returned her attention back to the paperwork. She picked up the folder on the top of the pile and opened it. And began to work.
Jean's cigarette almost fell from his bottom lip. "So the kid finally messed up?"
Breda who was sitting next to him slapped him on the shoulder with a stack of papers. "C'mon man! That kid couldn't break a plate even if he wanted to," he said then leaned back in his chair, making it creak as he settled on it.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Jean chuckled.
"Well, he's no Fullmetal," Fuery offered from across the room; Falman nodded in agreement.
And just like that, all that diligence, all that efficiency Riza witnessed the moment she entered the office, vanished into thin air. Her eyebrows came together in a frown, her right hand made its way to the holster.
"One thing I can tell you," Jean continued, pointing a fountain pen at Breda while he spoke. "I bet the Chief wishes Emerald was more like the Boss—"
Bang!
The bullet blew the top part of Havoc's pen. The fatally-wounded article bled onto the blond's hand and part of the floor.
"That's enough," Riza warned. As she lowered the handgun, her piercing eyes told everyone to shut up and continue working.
A simple reboot and Team Mustang got back on track.
"So what is awaiting our brave leader in the boonies?" Breda asked after a while.
Riza lifted her eyes from the requisition form she was reading and looked at the Lieutenant. Her expression turned distant. Before getting on the train, Roy instructed her to debrief the team about everything that's happened in Resembool.
"Yesterday evening, the town of Resembool was affected by seismic activity—hit by two consecutive earthquakes, to be exact," Riza began. She stood up and walked to the windows. After a long pause, she continued. "The recorded data showed that these earthquakes shared the intensity, depth, and position." Another pause. "Alchemical reactions were also witnessed during both incidents."
Jean let out a long, slow whistle; everyone else gave Riza astonished looks.
Moments later, Jean said, "So the Chief wants to make sure that what happened in Resembool wasn't a present delivered by one of our lovely neighbors."
"He—" Riza started but stopped.
"Major, I need you to escort me to Central Train Station—I'm heading to Resembool. Miss Rockbell has disappeared. Emerald said that a mysterious woman took her place. It looks like some obscure form of alchemy was at play."
Her task was to debrief the entire team, but—
Riza offered Havoc a wry smile. "You're correct. The Brigadier General just wants to make sure there are no new threats to our nation."
"How commendable," said a man in the background.
Startled by the intrusion, everyone turned to the direction where the voice had come from.
General Hakuro was leaning on the door frame with arms crossed over his chest. He wore a smile that inspired fear in ordinary people.
"Sir!" Riza got on her feet in a flash and saluted her superior accordingly; everyone else followed suit.
Riza tried to quickly hide her shock under the guise of obedience but the Major General's sharp stare told her he'd seen through her charade.
"At ease," Hakuro commanded.
Everyone (except Riza) returned to their respective seats.
The Major General sauntered across the room, heading in her direction, stopping mere inches in front of her.
Egg salad or maybe an egg sandwich; Riza fought the urge to scrunch up her nose. If the Brigadier General hadn't gone AWOL, she would've dared to offer Hakuro a mint.
"Major Hawkeye, may I have a talk with you in private?"
The way he looked at her as he asked the question made Riza forget about his ripe breath altogether. "Of course, sir," she replied, her voice a little too soft for her liking.
Hakuro leered at her longer than what was considered socially appropriate. A moment later, he left her side and headed to Roy's office. He opened the door with such force that the nearby windows rattled in fear.
Riza held back a frown, after all, the Major General was known for flaunting his power in front of subordinates. She sucked in breath and entered Roy's office.
Hakuro wasn't a man that appreciated camaraderie, he must've had ulterior motives for dropping by Mustang's department. Most likely the Major General got wind of Roy's leisure trip to Resembool.
"Please close the door, Major, and sit down," Hakuro said as he fiddled with a model flag Roy kept on his desk.
Riza returned her attention to the moment. She met Hakuro's slimy smile, which sent shivers up her spine. She breathed out slowly knowing that an interrogation was imminent. As much as she hated being subjected to interrogations, Riza recognized this was a blessing in disguise. She would soon know if the Major General was trying to collect information on the situation in Resembool.
Riza sat down in the chair closest to her, making sure to keep eye contact with older man as she sat. Always keep your enemy within sight. From everything she learned at the academy, that had been the most valuable lesson she'd received. Major General Hakuro was indeed an enemy. The list of atrocities he'd committed over the years was as many as the decorations pinned to his uniform. To put it in layman's words: the man suffered from a God complex. The revolt in Liore was irrefutable proof of this. Hakuro also was known for being a misogynist. Charges of torture and rape were brought up to the higher brass while Führer King Bradley was still in power but those charges were dropped during the restructuring of the government following the Führer's assassination.
The Major General leaned against the desk, his fingers curling around the wood like spider legs curling around its prey. He took a long look at her before a smirk crossed his thin lips. Riza fought the urge to grimace.
"I was informed of a rather peculiar incident happening in the eastern region," the Major General said as he looked at his nails. He then pushed himself off the desk and sauntered towards Riza. He circled around, stopping behind her. It was a cheap scare tactic, but an effective one, as Riza realized when she inadvertently gulped. She stiffened when Hakuro placed his manicured paws on her shoulders.
"Early this morning a bird came to my window and told me that Brigadier General Mustang boarded a train," the Major General said. He then bent over to get closer to her ear. "Tell me, dear, where was Mustang heading to?"
His ripe breath ghosted over the side of Riza's face making her stomach revolt. Riza held her breath hoping that it would settle her stomach. "To Resembool, sir," she answered a moment later.
"To Resembool..." Hakuro repeated her words. Two beats later, he squeezed Riza's shoulders, and said, "Good girl."
Riza inhaled sharply, and Hakuro chuckled. His hands slipped off her shoulders.
"Why would a Commanding Officer be interested in traveling to backward town like Resembool? The Emerald Alchemist is there at the moment, why not assign the work to him?" Hakuro said. Then, after a small pause, he added, "The report indicated that it was just earthquake activity." Another pause. "Unless...unless something else happened?"
Riza felt movement to her right. Hakuro circled around and was now standing in front of her, staring down at her. Suddenly, he placed his hands on the armrests, trapping her in the chair. A grin full of malice slid across his face. "You're his right hand, Major Hawkeye. I'm sure he confided in you what's awaiting him there." His grin grew wider, sinister even. "What is Mustang going to find in Resembool, Major?"
Riza had been correct in her assumptions. Hakuro was fishing for details on what happened in Resembool. Hakuro made a sound in his throat, no doubt his way of telling her to answer his question. Riza raised her eyes and held his gaze. No matter what type of sleazy tactics he used, he wasn't going to get anything out of her.
"Like I was telling Second Lieutenant Havoc, the Brigadier General simply wants to make sure that foreign weaponry isn't being used against our country," she said and waited three seconds before finishing her answer with the word "sir".
The Major General didn't say a word, not even to admonish her insolence. He straightened up, freeing Riza from his grasp. Hakuro sat again on the edge of the desk. He was studying her. A few heartbeats went by before he broke his silence.
"Back there, were you referring to the earthquakes or the alchemical circle left behind by them?" He simply said.
Riza's eyes rounded but she recovered fast. Damn bastard! Hakuro knew about the transmutation circle—not good. She checked the official reports and no alchemical anomalies had been mentioned. And she and Roy didn't see anyone suspicious roaming the train station; her eyes narrowed in contempt. She was going to find out how Hakuro did it. For now, it was best not to keep him waiting any longer.
"With all due respect, sir, you interrupted the conversation the moment I was about to tell the men about the transmutation circle," Riza said, believing that half-truth was better than no truth. "Apparently, the alchemical array is of an obscure nature, and the Flame Alchemist is well-versed in dealing with such type of arrays."
Hakuro remained silent once more. Finally, he said, "The Hero of Ishval never ceases to amaze me. He truly loves this great country of ours, doesn't he?"
Riza's ears didn't miss the sarcasm in the Major General's words.
Hakuro pushed away from the desk and headed for the door. Riza followed him with her eyes until the man was out of her line of sight. The door was opened, and chairs scrapped the polished door as each team member scurried to salute the Major General as he made his way out of the office.
Riza let out a sigh of relief and remained sitting. Hakuro's interrogation left her feeling physically and mentally exhausted.
There was a rasp on the door followed by "How are you holding up in there?"
Riza jumped in place.
"I didn't mean to startle you, Major," Jean followed.
"I'm okay, Lieutenant."
"Good," Jean grinned. A moment later he said, "How much trouble is the Chief in?"
"Neck deep," Riza responded with a wry smile.
"Thought so," Jean mused.
"Please tell Fuery he's on cleanup duty," Riza interrupted.
Havoc's face fell. "Cleanup duty" was the unit's secret code for a security breach. "This place is huge. Should I help him out?" he offered.
Riza shook her head. "Warrant Officer Falman can help him out," she said. Hakuro's recent visit proved that communications might've been compromised. To protect all members of Mustang's unit, Fuery and Falman would need to sweep the entire east wing of Central Command. All devices and all office spaces were going to be checked for planted bugs—a truly daunting task. No wonder that Jean wanted to help, but his help was needed somewhere else.
"Lieutenant, I need you enter the Brigadier General's home, and take the trash out," Riza ordered. Since Jean had been trained by Fuery himself, he should be able to spot concealed items on his own.
"No problem, Boss Lady. I'll make sure all the garbage gets thrown out," Havoc said, with a knowing grin. He then turned on a heel and went to get Fuery and Falman.
Riza stood up and skirted around Roy's desk, then sat on his chair. She undid the hair clip holding her hair in place. She turned the clip over to read the 10-digit telephone number engraved on the metallic bar. She was going to be giving a phone call to the owner of that number once Fuery and Falman confirmed that the phone lines were safe.
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Roy's breath caught in his throat. Emerald was right, Jane Doe did, in fact, resemble Miss Rockbell to the minute detail. His eyes stayed fixed on the inert body a couple of extra seconds until the unease made him turn his head away. Of course, he made damn sure that his mask of nonchalance was set perfectly in place before making eye contact with his subordinate.
Looking at Russell's haunted expression was like looking at his own reflection in a mirror. He couldn't help but frown. The atmosphere in the room changed; the tension was becoming palpable, unbearable. Things got even more awkward, Roy mentioned that he needed to inspect Jane Doe's body.
"She doesn't have the ouroboros mark, sir," Russell explained.
The mask Roy carefully had set over his face slipped off. He recovered quickly—because a superior must not give away any hint of vulnerability, especially when standing before their subordinates. Roy cleared his throat. Then, as a smirk spread across his lips, he said, "You sure are your father's son."
Russell's eyes narrowed a fraction. "With all due respect, sir, it was Fullmetal the one responsible for bringing the existence of the homunculi to my attention."
Roy couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Is that so?" Kudos to his newest protégé for keeping that bit of information hidden from him. "I didn't know you and Fullmetal were pals," he added, mostly to rile up his subordinate since he already knew about Emerald's history with Edward Elric.
Russell was a reserved man by nature—unlike his former subordinate. Russell's eyes, however, betrayed him. The gray in the blond's eyes shined like the purest silver when he was upset.
"I found this tucked in her white coat," Russell said as he handed him an ID card.
The words "United States Uniformed Services" caught Roy's attention. His expression darkened. A walk-in? Roy shifted his gaze from the photo in the card to Jane Doe.
The earthquakes...the unidentified transmutation circle...it all was starting to make sense.
"Do you think it's a fake?" Russell suggested.
Roy turned his raven-colored eyes on him. His subordinate's expression was once again mirroring his own. Damn brat. "It's not a fake," Roy said with a sigh. Before Emerald had a chance to ask another question, he added, "Jane Doe might be a visitor from another world."
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If Roy had a choice in the matter, he would've kept the existence of the other world a secret, but the mere existence of Jane Doe proved the veil between worlds had been punctured once more.
Roy specifically chose to take Russell Tringham as his protégé because of his genius and talent. He was sure the young man could help him find a way to restore the order of things before everything became chaotic. Either way, Russell was going to be more than willing to help since, in a way, he would be helping his fiancée.
Roy took sit next to Russell. With the aid of freshly-brewed coffee (infused with whiskey, no less), he began telling the young alchemist everything there was to be known about the events that took place in Amestris two years ago. Roy explained how their superiors blamed the Drachmans for the airships attacks that took place in Central when, in fact, these ships weren't Drachman in origin. The ships came to Amestris from another world. The invaders entered Amestris via a gigantic transmutation circle etched in the cobblestones of the Underground City—the same place Emerald led Fullmetal into. Roy discovered that Edward himself was in full pursuit of the mastermind behind the alien invasion. He learned what he needed to know about the other world during the brief moments he'd spend fighting by Fullmetal's side as they made their way to the airship. Put into simple words, that other world was a menace to Amestris. Edward's final request was for him to use his flame alchemy to destroy the transmutation circle serving as the passageway between worlds. It had been the one and only time he let a subordinate dictate orders.
"Her name is Wendy Rockwell," Russell muttered, his eyes lost in the darkness of his coffee. "Even her name is similar..." he sighed. A moment later, he lifted his gaze to meet Roy's. "You think that place is a replica of our world?"
Roy took his time to answer the question. "Probably," he answered, even though he'd no base for his assumption other than Fullmetal looked fine when they crossed paths inside the Underground City. Russell looked somewhat satisfied with his answer so he went back to the task at hand.
Roy picked up the ID card from the table and flipped it over. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he read the information on the back of the card.
Wendy Ann Rockwell
DATE OF BIRTH: 1902MAR14
WEIGHT: 130
HEIGHT: 61
EYE COLOR: GR
DATE OF ISSUE: 1939NOV09
PROPERTY OF US GOVERNMENT
He frowned. The date displayed on the card didn't make sense, the current year was 1919, not 1939. His eyebrows shot up. Was there a time gap between worlds?
"Do you think Winry is safe in that other world?"
Russell's voice snapped Roy out of his musings. He looked up at him; the blond's grimace matched his voice. Alright? Roy asked himself. He sure hoped so. And even if she wasn't, Miss Rockbell was the resilient type. She would find a way to survive. "Have faith in her," Roy answered with an overconfident smile because Russell Tringham wasn't the only one in need of reassurance. He pushed the chair back and stood up, it was time to pay Jane Doe another visit.
Roy cut through the basement to reach the automail shop. His breath caught in his chest as he approached the maintenance chair were Jane Doe laid in deep slumber. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard Russell walking down the stairs. "We need for her, this Wendy Rockwell, to wake up"—he returned his gaze to the woman—"after all, she's the key to finding your fiancée."
Roy turned to Emerald. "Take me to this farmer who helped you with sleeping beauty. Let's make sure that he...cooperates."
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Amestris, Continental Calendar July 10, 1919
"So this is the infamous circle," Roy said the moment he laid eyes on the array. he'd been expecting to see something similar in design to the ones in the Underground City and Liore, this one was definitely "out of this world". Russell probably would lash out at him if he'd said the that out loud, so he kept the pun to himself. He proceeded to enter the circle, something his subordinate hadn't done given the poorly suppressed gasp he let just out. He didn't blame him, that transmutation circle was responsible for the disappearance of a loved one. Roy crouched. The first thing that caught his attention was how the relentless sun gave the discolored grass a luster similar to polished graphite. He took off the ignition glove from his right hand. Emerald hadn't been exaggerating, the grass blades were as springy as the ones untouched by alchemy. Roy stood up and exited the circle. He walked around the outer ring as he slipped his glove on. He'd seen the six-pointed star before. They've appeared depicted numerous times in the ancient Xinguese texts his great-great-grandfather brought over to Amestris almost a century ago. He'd always been aware that alchemy in the East was different from its Western counterpart. And if memory served him right, that specific configuration was used to represent the human aspect as a light vehicle, one that could travel throughout the many dimensions composing the universe. And if one was to take that piece of knowledge literally... Roy couldn't help but frown.
"Sir, are you okay?"
Roy suppressed an annoyed sigh. While Emerald's concern was much appreciated, it didn't help with the task at hand. The boy needed to focus if he wanted to see fiancée again. "What we have here is a sì miàn tǐ or tetrahedron(1), a matrix representing the human aspect as a light vehicle capable of traveling across all the dimensions forming the universe," he said instead of answering Russell's question. "The four basic alchemical elements are present, indicating a reaction. The sun and moon—symbols used in human transmutation—are also present." He paused a moment to gather his thoughts, then said, "I think this transmutation circle is an inter-dimensional gate."
Roy stopped to let the information sink in. And sink in, it did. Russell's owlish stare was a testament to the sobering reality of his assessment.
From day one, Roy knew that Emerald wasn't as resilient as Fullmetal, however, he showed promise. He decided to give his subordinate a few minutes to recover from his shock. Roy returned his attention to the transmutation circle. He went over the glyphs and the sacred geometry composing the array, just in case he missed something crucial.
"If that transmutation circle is an inter-dimensional gateway as you say then we should be able to bring Winry back."
Russell's comment broke Roy's concentration. He looked over his shoulder and was relieved to see determination gleaming in the blond's gray eyes. Good. Because what he was going to say next was even harder to digest.
"First we have to make sure which world she ended in," Roy said.
"What do you mean?" Russell stammered.
Roy drew a deep breath, then recited, "Multiple dimensions could very well mean multiple worlds. Eastern wisdom speaks of at least thirteen dimensions that make up our reality. If one dimension equals to one world—you get the point."
Russell's petrified expression was a clear indication that he understood every word he said.
A moment of silence passed between them; then Russell spoke.
"That's not reassuring."
Roy shook his head. "I wasn't trying to be," he said, to Emerald's displeasure. "In any case, let's take everything one step at a time." Roy's thoughts trailed off for a second. "Speaking of which, did you manage to secure an appointment with the town doctor?"
"I did, sir. Doctor Murray will be coming over this afternoon."
There had been an edge in Russell's voice that Roy decided to ignore. "Good," he replied. "Let's head back to the house. We don't want to leave our lovely guest alone for too long."
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One trembling hand lifted one of Jane Doe's eyelids while the other tried to steady the flashlight. Roy observed from his spot by the door as the woman's pupil contracted. Her eyes were silver—a pleasant surprise.
"It's a good sign, the contraction of the pupils," the doctor explained.
"What's wrong with her, doctor?" Russell asked while the man returned his instruments to his bag.
The doctor offered him an aseptic look. "Well son, she is in a coma—a light one—since she responds to her surroundings, and can breathe on her own."
"Can she be moved to Central?" Roy intruded. He pushed off the doorframe he was leaning on and approached the doctor. He ignored his disapproving look.
"Technically you can, but I don't recommend it unless it is absolutely necessary to move her," the doctor said rather curtly.
Roy was sure the man wasn't accustomed to being challenged; he couldn't care any less. Crossing his arms over his chest, he said, "It's settled then. Tells us what we need to do so we can move her safely to the capital."
"Do you think that's a good idea?" Russell brought up his concern.
Roy gave his subordinate a warning glare, Russell countered it with a glare of his own. Roy stared at his subordinate for a moment then turned his attention to the doctor. "Would you excuse us for a moment," he said then grabbed Russell by the arm and dragged him out of the room.
Roy pushed Emerald inside the adjacent room.
"Think, dammit!" he hissed as he slammed the door close. "We need to keep Jane Doe hidden. News of what happened in Resembool has already reached the higher brass. If they get a hold of her, then you can forget about bringing your fiancée back from wherever the hell she is."
The look of horror taking over Emerald's features told Roy he understood. The boy wasn't stupid. Everyone with the rank of Major and higher (except a select few lower-ranking officials—those who'd dealt directly with the Elric's) had been privy to the real military culture and their questionable practices regarding the handling of people.
"Understood, sir," Russell begrudgingly acknowledged.
"You know it's the right choice," Roy reiterated despite his subordinate's discontent on the matter.
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The intercom crackled, shattering the silence in Hakuro's office.
"General Haruko, sir, I have Captain Rosenburgh on hold," his secretary announced before letting go of the TALK button.
Hakuro clenched his jaw so tight that he was certain his teeth could pulverize stone. How he abhorred his secretary squeaky voice. If it wasn't because that blasted woman was related to one of his superiors, he would've already sent her to freeze her ass off at Briggs.
Hakuro put the pen down, and after letting out a calming breath, he pressed the TALK button on his device. "Patch the call," he spat then released the button. A moment later, the phone began to ring. "You know damn well not to call this number, Captain!" Hakuro barked the moment he pressed the receiver to his ear.
The line was silent for a few seconds, long enough for Hakuro to take another calming breath. He'd been doing this ever since talking with Mustang's bitch.
"You were right about Mustang, sir."
Rosenburgh's words brought Hakuro to the moment. A proud smile slid across his face. "What else did you find?"
"I confirmed the presence of a transmutation circle in the field owned by the Rockbell's. I sent pictures along with a detailed report—"
Hakuro cut him off. "Don't waste my time with things that I already know. You better have something new to report, Captain. Remember, your promotion depends on it."
The Captain cleared his throat. "Right, sir."
Hakuro heard papers shuffling on the other side of the line. Seconds later, Captain Rosenburgh spoke.
"I interviewed some of the townspeople. There was a farmer who mentioned that something happened to Emerald's fiancée. After some digging around, I found out that Mustang had called for the town's doctor." There was another pause, and more paper shuffling. "At first, I thought the doctor was treating Miss Rockbell, but it turns out he treated another person."
Hakuro straightened in his chair. "Go on."
"As you know, sir, Winry Rockbell is Russell Tringham's girl. She's 20 years old with light blonde hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion. She's also an accomplished automail engineer—"
"Get to the fucking point!" Hakuro yelled into the receiver.
"The doctor described the woman under Tringham's care as a brunette with silver-colored eyes. She's in her mid to late thirties."
Interesting, Hakuro thought.
"The farmer I mentioned earlier also told me that Miss Rockbell hasn't been seen since the night of the earthquakes."
Hakuro could already feel his mood brightening up. "You did well, Captain Rosenburgh. Continue with working on the case." He was about to hang up when he remembered his subordinate's indiscretion. "Captain, bear in mind that you need to call my house number, not my office number."
"Affirmative," Captain Rosenburgh said before hanging up.
Hakuro placed the receiver back on its base. He loosened his necktie and undid the first three buttons of his dress shirt then pulled out a long gold chain he carried around his neck. He stared at the small key dangling from the chain before inserting it in the keyhole of his leftmost drawer. A quick turn to the left, a swift pull on the handle; and the drawer was open. Hakuro took out a bulging folder out. He placed the folder on his desk, flipped it open. Photographs of the transmutation circles found in Liore and in the Underground City stared back at him. He traced over with his finger the array depicted in one of the photographs and smiled. The incident in Resembool could be a replica of what happened two years before. If that was the case, then a new gateway had been established between Amestris and the other world, and if he played his cards right... This time Hakuro's smile turned into a sinister grin.
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Earth, January 23, 1940, A.D.
The sun pierced Edward's eyes, the light was so intense he'd had to close them. A second or two passed by before Edward tried to open them. Thankfully, the sun was out of his way. Edward blinked until his eyes adjusted to the environment. His gaze widened. Emerald fields spread about like the Atlantic ocean. Where is this? The answer came to his mind the moment he asked the question. "It's Resembool..." he breathed in awe. But how—?
"Edward!"
Edward stiffened. That voice... He knew that voice. It took him a moment to gather his courage to face person calling for him.
"Winry," Edward muttered after he turned around.
Winry Rockbell stood before him. She was no longer a prisoner of her deep slumber. Edward felt his chest tighten, he also felt fluttering. When had been the last time he felt this way?
Bang!
Edward looked around. Had a gun gone off?
"It hurts, Ed—"
Edward returned his gaze to Winry. "Win—ry?" he uttered, his golden eyes widening in horror as he watched his precious childhood friend clutching the white fabric of her dress.
"It hurts!"
Winry's hand fell to her side; a crimson dot blossomed where her hand had been. The dot suffused quickly, dying the dress in red.
"I'm sorry—" Winry gasped, her face had acquired a ghostly pallor. "I'm so sorry!"
No... Edward's vision began to blur. "Oh God, Winry!" He rushed to her side and held her in his arms before she collapsed on the ground.
"I'm sorry...Ed," Winry managed to whisper before her airway became obstructed. She coughed; a spray of blood landed on Edward's neck and face.
A wail got trapped in Edward's throat.
Black tendrils erupted from the ground engulfing him and his beloved's body until everything turned dark.
Edward woke up with a start, his eyes darting in all directions. "Shit—shit—!" He was starting to recognize his surroundings. "Fuck!" he spat when he realized what had happened.
Edward ran his metallic hand through his tousled hair and hissed when it got stuck. "Fuck!" he cursed again. Every night he reminded himself that he slept without the latex sleeve covering his automail, but thanks to his fucking nightmare, long strands of golden hair got wrapped around his artificial metacarpals. A string of curse words streamed out of his mouth as he freed his hair from his automail hand. He welcomed the fiery pain irradiating from his throbbing scalp because it told him that he was fully awake.
Edward looked around the room. The sun was pouring through the cracks in the curtains. Birds weren't chirping; it was normal at that time of the year. The cold was starting to penetrate the satin sheets.
Nothing had happened. It was morning, and nothing had happened. He just had a vicious nightmare. Winry was safe. She was safe and alive. And awake. Edward laid back down on the mattress and rested his automail on his forehead. The tangled hairs fell all over his face. "Winry's awake," he muttered, his brow slowly furrowed into a deep scowl as he recalled the moment Winry opened her eyes.
At first, the scene reminded him of a fairy tale where the princess blinked awake after being kissed by the gallant prince. There wasn't any magic surrounding Winry's awakening from coma. There had been shock and a profound sense of exhilaration, but above all, there had been horror.
The most grotesque shriek ripped out of Winry's throat just as Edward's golden eyes lined up with tears of happiness. Moans, wails, and croaks followed, all playing a ghoulish symphony before his eyes. It became painfully clear to him that Winry had failed to adjust to her surroundings.
Fortunately, Nurse McCarty had heard Winry's screaming and returned to the room help her patient. After she injected a sedative into the I.V. line, Winry screams turned into weak moans and heavy breathing.
Alphonse came rushing into the room since he also heard the horrible screaming, but unlike him, his brother had been spared from seeing Winry writhing in agony. By the time he arrived in her room, Winry had already succumbed to the full effects of the sedative. It was then that Alphonse turned his worry on him.
Edward knew he wasn't taking things well. He was shaken, utterly dismayed about what he'd witnessed. Too much had happened all at once and he...he just wanted everything to go back to the way it used to be. Alphonse knew him well, he could tell by the way he looked at him that he knew what he'd been thinking—wishing. He was spared from being heavily scolded by the nurse, no less. She took Alphonse to the side and asked him to contact Dr. Marcus.
Alphonse didn't end up calling the good doctor, he took the car and drove to his house. Dr. Marcus was a family friend, and he was always available in case of emergencies such as this one.
Not even fifteen passed by when Dr. Marcus, followed by Alphonse, entered Winry's room. The first given order was for him and Alphonse to leave the room. He apologized to them and asked if they could wait for him in the study room. Edward knew Dr. Marcus wanted to make sure Winry was stabilized before leaving her side.
Alphonse took him by the hand and led him to the study. He guided him to the leather sofa before plopping his emotionally-drained body on the adjacent armchair. They did as told, and waited for the doctor to come by.
Neither he nor Alphonse spoke as they waited. He tried to drown Winry's screams with scotch; surprisingly Alphonse did too though he didn't share the exact reason for drinking.
It had been close to midnight when they both heard a weak knock on the door. Alphonse got up and let Dr. Marcus in. The doctor took sit where Alphonse had been sitting. First, he got comfortable, then began to explain what happened with their childhood friend.
Dr. Marcus told them that Winry was in a stable condition and that for the next twenty-four hours, she was going to be under constant supervision. The doctor explained that Winry's reaction, besides being uncomfortable to the eyes, was rather normal for someone who's been in a coma as long as she had. Her confusion upon awakening meant she was connecting to her surroundings. Dr. Marcus suggested that Winry should have no contact with family members until he declared her emotionally stable. Edward wasn't going to object to that, on the contrary, he was relieved to hear his orders.
Dr. Marcus didn't ignore the tumblers sitting on the coffee table. He gave the glasses a once over then returned his gaze to them. The doctor didn't waste his time scolding him since he already knew the type of drunk he was, but he did give Alphonse a hard look. After a long and rather awkward pause, Dr. Marcus fished out a small bottle from his white coat. He instructed them to take two pills each because they needed some rest. It was annoying that the doctor's gaze was fixed on him when he spoke. After that, Dr. Marcus left the Rockwell estate with the promise to return the following day in the afternoon.
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Rockwell Estate, Early Afternoon
Edward took out his pocket watch from his vest pocket. A quick flick of the wrist and the lid was open. The time marked 12:55 PM. In half hour Dr. Marcus was going to discuss in detail everything there was to be known about Winry's condition. Edward was more than worried about Winry. At some point, the topic of Amestris was going to surface especially as Winry's rehabilitation progressed. Dr. Marcus was a sensible man, he didn't foresee any problems coming from him; the nursing staff was the problem.
Edward heard a knock. He slipped his pocket watch back in his vest pocket and pushed on the chair. He needed to pick up his favorite tumbler from the desk before answering the door.
"Hey, Ed," Alphonse grumbled as he dragged his feet past Edward. He headed straight for the couch.
Edward blinked, astonished, then he remembered how Alphonse had gotten drunk with him the night before. Alphonse rarely drank (probably because he'd been the one having to clean up his messes every time he hits the bottle) so it was amusing seeing him so— "You look miserable," he said.
Alphonse crumbled on the couch and covered his eyes with his forearm.
Lightweight. Edward chuckled softly.
"I swear...I don't know how you do it, Brother," Alphonse whined.
Edward's smiled faded. "I have plenty of reasons for drinking, little brother," he offered, then fell silent.
"Don't remind me," Alphonse groaned. He too fell silent.
Edward took the opportunity to refill his tumbler with the drink of the day: bourbon.
Alphonse fished out his pocket watch to look at the time. It was 1:07 PM. "I thought Dr. Marcus was going to meet with us at 1 o'clock."
Edward felt a small tug of guilt inside him; Alphonse's voice sounded as miserable as he looked. "He will be here at 1:30," he replied. Before his hungover brother complained, he said, "I wanted to speak to you first."
Alphonse straightened up. "What about?"
"Want one?" Edward offered when Alphonse met his gaze. The menacing glare his brother gave him answered the question. Edward shrugged his shoulders. He walked over to the couch and sat next to Alphonse. He leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs; held his drink in his natural hand. He took a sip of bourbon before telling what was troubling him.
"I've been thinking about Dee and Winry, about how they switched places," he said.
Alphonse looked forward, his expression turning distant. Edward couldn't help but smile wryly in turn. Alphonse had been his assistant way before becoming his wife's right hand. Wendy's teleportation experiment was born from the data he'd collected with Alphonse while tinkering with the science behind zero-point convergence. While Wendy was trying to find a way to move matter from one place to another by manipulating Earth's leylines(2); he had been trying to go back home, back to Amestris...back to her. Edward let out a sarcastic scoff. "Dee found a fucking backdoor into Amestris, isn't that amazing? No alchemy or philosopher's stone needed; just some fancy equipment, enormous amounts of electricity, and a few precise calculations."
Alphonse snapped out of his musings, his eyes were wide yet a profound sense of sadness hid behind them. "Dee succeeded where you couldn't," he uttered.
Edward was stunned; Alphonse might as well punch him in the gut. But Edward knew his brother wasn't trying to hurt him on purpose. "Oh, she surpassed me alright!" he guffawed, then took another sip of bourbon. Edward noticed that there wasn't much liquor left in his tumbler—
"Winry might be able to tell us what happened."
Edward blinked upon hearing the comment. He paused a moment before chugging down what was left of the bourbon. Then, he turned to his brother. "Al?"
Alphonse leaned back on the couch. "Yes, Brother?"
Edward met his gaze, and said, "Do you think you can replicate Dee's experiment?"
Alphonse looked away, he even shifted uneasily upon the cushions of the couch. Edward couldn't help but notice the thoughtful look in his hazel eyes.
A moment later, Alphonse turned to Edward. "Maybe," he said, "but I can't do it alone."
Edward offered his brother a thankful smile. "So that means you'll getting me full access to the Annex?"
Alphonse replied with a smile and a nod. But then, his smile faded and his expression turned glum. "Brother?" he said after a long pause. "I need you to be sober for this."
Edward offered him a rueful smile. "Don't worry, I will."
A moment of silence passed between them; then Alphonse spoke.
"Ed?"
Edward blinked. "Yes?"
Alphonse hesitated for a second. "Forget it—it's nothing." He turned his eyes away and fell silent once more.
Edward didn't need to press on the subject since he knew what his brother had been wanting to say. "What's the real reason you're doing this, Brother?" Alphonse wanted to ask. Edward stared at the bottom of the tumbler, it was as dry and empty as himself. Why did he want to recreate his wife's experiment, Alphonse asked? The quickest answer was because there's a natural order to things, but the real answer was because he had the power to keep Winry safe. He thought of his nightmare, of the future the Gate had shown him...so he thought to himself that, No matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice, Winry Rockbell will survive.
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Thank you for reading!
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References:
(1) Direct translation for tetrahedron from Madarin and by no means a translation to the term merbabah that describes a star shape tetrahedron. More on this in later chapters.
(2) Based on the Planetary Grid System—you can google the keywords—in where leylines are alleged alignments of a number of places of geographical interest, such as ancient monuments and megaliths that are thought by certain adherents to dowsing and New Age beliefs to have spiritual power (Source: Crystalinks). This can be a loose reference to the Dragon's Pulse in the manga.