Chapter 12: Ready-

"So that's the long and short of it," Mustang said, sitting back in his chair, "Our target is a man who is avenging the atrocities of the Ishvalan conflict by using alchemy to kill State Alchemists," Twilight sat upright, keeping eyes on the officer corps, from Mustang relaxed in his chair, to Maes Hughes leaning against a desk, to Major Alex Armstrong standing at attention, to Edward Elric slumping over as he sat next to Alphonse's ruined body on the window seal. And there he sat, a doctor who was seen as a close ally for the Elric brothers, and being given access to information that almost any spy would kill to have.

'Why would a doctor be allowed into this meeting, I'm not a standing officer,' after all, Yor Briar wasn't in here. She was actually part of the staff, yet she had been able to go home after the ordeal, while he was allowed into a meeting where the lowest ranking member was 2nd Lieutenant Breda. As a doctor, he would only qualify as a Warrant Officer, higher than sergeant, but lower than anyone else in the room besides Alphonse, who clearly was of such interest that he had to be in here. This went against standard military procedure, in both Cresta and in Amestris, 'They even asked me to be here. Is it because I'm their doctor. But I'm a psychiatrist, what good am I right now?'

As he considered his place Twilight looked over to Edward. The young man seemed depressed, the high of his survival from a serial killer clearly wearing off, as he considered the history of Ishval. In the end, Twilight couldn't help but consider that war continued to wound long after the last bullet was shot.

"So," Maes Hughes got in-between the view of Twilight and Edward, and looked down on him, "Anything you would know about this...Dr. Forger?"

"...what?" Twilight looked up, trying to maintain Lloyd Forger's façade.

Maes bent his knees down, so he was looking Twilight directly in the eyes. The man, who he had seen as something of a coward when he had arrived late to the fight with Scar not an earlier, had a sharp stare behind his glasses. Twilight could almost feel the eyes of everyone in the room begin to move over to him. and realized that he wouldn't be able to get out of here if he tried. He continued to look Hughes in the eyes, and then steeled his eyes back.

'Maes Hughes, Lieutenant Colonel of Intelligence,' Twilight noted in the back of his head. The great enemy of WISE's operations for the past two years, and the man that had personally killed Agent Style three weeks earlier. That he had arrived, and was now focusing his attention onto Lloyd Forger, said nothing good, 'Has he found out already?'

"What brought you to East City? Was there some kind of information about Scar's movements?" Maes began to ask, and once again, Twilight was bewildered, though he kept his eyes and features unmoving to the question, "Are there accomplices assisting Scar? Is there any kind of network of sympathizers helping him move through the country? Why wasn't there a greater presence of officers to deal with Scar if you knew he was coming?"

'Why would I-'

"Wait, why are you asking Dr. Forger if he knew about Scar?" Ed asked, a slight panic in his voice. Twilight, still too shocked by the new path of questions, kept up his composure, all the while monitoring the movements of everyone in the room. There was steel from Hawkeye, concern from Armstrong and growing apprehension from Havoc and Breda. And yet...Mustang seemed to still be relaxed as he laid against the back of his seat.

'Do they think Cresta is moving a terrorist around to kill State Alchemists?' he thought to himself, as he kept his eyes directly on Maes Hughes, 'Or may-"

"Because Fullmetal," Colonel Mustang said aloud, and all the officers in the room returned their attention to him, "He isn't really a doctor," he then stared at Twilight, his dark eyes focused, "He's an agent of Central Command."

'Wait, what?'

"Central Command?" Major Armstrong seemed to be taken of guard as well, as did everyone besides Mustang and Hughes. Edward's eyes lit up, as though something had just clicked in his mind. He then looked back at Twilight, some of his worry gone, but a bit of sadness still there.

"Like you were warning me about before I went to an appointment?" He asked aloud, and Twilight caught the nod from Mustang, and Twilight tried to pull in all the information as quickly as he could. They had already suspected him of something, that much was now obvious. Twilight could see why too, he had only just come a week ago, and managed to get appointments created that let him speak with several important figures in private, including two important State Alchemists, with future access to a third.

"Exactly," Mustang continued, observing Dr. Lloyd Forger lazily, "Honestly, I originally thought you were here to evaluate the possibility I would go off the deep end like Isaac McDougal," a look of comprehension crossed Edward's eyes.

"You mean that ice guy that tried to crush Central?"

"The exact same," Mustang nodded, before fully concentrating his eyes on Twilight fully, looking him up and down, "It makes sense, we both served in Ishval, might as well check if I was having similar thoughts."

"But his focus on both you Ed, and Shou Tucker, made me consider that he was looking over alchemists who hadn't actually seen actual battle," Maes added, looking back at Edward, "Why give so much attention to all the alchemists?" he then pointed his finger up into the air, "Unless you were in fact, trying to keep an eye on all of them, if all of them were a target?"

"Dr. Forger?" Twilight heard Alphonse say aloud, and then felt all eyes in the room back on him. He kept his eyes locked on Mustang, all the while having to contemplate how he was going to push through this. He had one chance to get out of this without being thrown in the Brig, and brought in for questioning, but he would have to be careful.

'Showtime.'

"I'm impressed," Lloyd Forger's voice became a bit deeper, a bit closer to Twilight's inner monologue, "Mustang, Hughes, you both clearly live up to your reputations."

"So we are right," Mustang nodded, seemingly glad that to be given the confirmation that his suspicions were correct, "You are an special agent of Central Command."

"Well, better to say you that you were right," Twilight pointed his finger back in Mustang's direction, causing Roy to blank for a moment, "I am here to monitor you and your loyalty to the military, Colonel Mustang," he said, trying to push the conversation in his direction. Don't let these two have to much control, "I knew nothing about Scar's whereabouts, and neither does Central Command."

"...wait, really?" Maes was also taken a bit aback, loosening his stance for a moment in a bit of shock. Twilight inwardly smiled while maintaining his straight outer appearance.

'Good, keep them off balance.'

"Yes," Twilight nodded. In all honesty, it would be better for them to think he was more antagonistically disposed towards them, rather than as some shadowy agent using them as bait to lure out a serial killer. Would make Mustang more cautious, as any push against him could be a push against the Central Government.

"But, then, what about Scar?" he heard Lieutenant Breda ask aloud. The rotund officer's head was resting his his hand, as he was seeming to consider everything that was happening around him, "You meeting with all the alchemists doesn't make sense if you are just here to test the Colonel."

"That would make it too obvious," Twilight cut in quickly, understanding he had to control the conversation before it could take him in a direction he did not want it to go, "I started with Edward and Tucker because that would hopefully build a false sense of security for you Colonel, and allow him to let his guard down, and maybe provide some insight into his loyalties," he then made to look to the ground in disgust, "However, I moved up Edward again after the incident with Shou Tucker because in my judgement Edward needed it," he then looked over at Ed, who stared him back in the eyes, a mix of hurt, but also thankfulness mixed together there, "Despite being a government agent, I am also a psychiatrist. I do have that duty to my patients."

Twilight could see Mustang let loose a bit of a scowl. He could also hear a silence descending over the room, as the considered everything that had just been said. He could even see Breda nodding at his explanation. Hawkeye and hughes looked back at Mustang, who shook his head, and then nodded, at them, and they both took a more relaxed stance. Finally, Mustang spoke again.

"So, should we have our session now or..."

"I wouldn't be able to get anything out of you, and both of us know that," Twilight answered quickly, and almost smirked himself when he saw Mustang's lips curl upward slightly, "I had a recommendation for court martial for Shou Tucker, but clearly that is no longer necessary," Twilight left a grim pause for a moment, and then finished, "And I will be recommending that Edward Elric be honorably discharged."

"What!?" Edward shouted, jumping off the sill of the window, his eyes boring into Twilight. The other officers were looking at Forger with shock on their faces, "Why the hell would you do that?"

"Edward, you should never have been let into the military in the first place," Twilight stared Edward down in his eyes, "You are fifteen years old, and you still have the maturity of a fifteen year old," and Twilight could feel suddenly felt the eyes of his father looking down on him again, a fury evident from his face as he observed a young boy with a toy gun, "Being a soldier is something that you are still not mentally and emotionally capable of being. It would be better for you and your brother to be as far away from the military as possible, especially now knowing that Scar is specifically hunting military alchemists."

"...," Twilight watched as Edward looked to the ground for a moment. The young an then shook his head, and looked back up at Twilight, directly into his eyes, "Sorry Doc, but I'm going to have to say no."

"What do you mean?"

"The only way I can get access to research to get Al's and my body's back is if I'm a state alchemist," Edward answered, conviction returning to his voice, "I appreciate what you are trying to say, Lloyd, but I need the military right now. It's as simple as that."

Twilight finally moved his head over to the still stationary body of Alphonse Elric. That made sense. If alchemy was what caused the loss of Al's body, and Ed's arm, then the military would give privileges that would better allow Ed to try and find out a way to get them back. That meant, that the boy hadn't chosen to come on because of some selfish desire, but rather to help his younger brother recover from some past mistake. He then raised his hand, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that," he confessed, "There would be no way that that recommendation would work without getting your approval, or the approval of Colonel Mustang," he looked over at the man behind the desk, "Who I suppose isn't going to give it."

"Not on your life," the Colonel had a small smile. He then let out a laugh, "Besides, I still have use for Edward, can't let an asset like him go wandering off to who knows where."

"Shove it up your ass!" Edward yelled back, and Lloyd had to rub his head even harder.

'So much for saving another child from the damage of war,' Twilight couldn't help but see another blonde boy standing where Edward was currently yelling at the Colonel from. That boy had green eyes, and was yelling at a Crestan recruitment office, shouting at them to let him join the army, 'The losses we experience seem to only drive us further into more loss.'

"So," Maes Hughes, no longer in interrogation mode, walked over to Edward, causing the teen to stop committing insubordination, "What are your plans now?"

"Well, Al's body's a real mess right now," Edward said aloud, considering his next option, and Twilight had to agree. It seemed that every minute or so, some sliver of metal would continue to fall from Alphonse's body, "And I can't fix him up without a second arm to use alchemy."

"I could fix him!" Armstrong somehow sparkled with that declaration, the light of the bulbs above him reflecting off his muscles.

'Why did he take off his shirt?' Twilight asked again, the strange giant aristocrat only being slightly less disturbing than the experiments of Shou Tucker.

Slightly.

"No," Ed and Al said together, and then Ed continued, "I'm the only one who knows how to transmute the armor while keeping Al attached to it. I need to get my alchemy back," he groaned, and placed his hand over where his arm should be, "I'm going to have to head back to Resembool, and meet with my mechanic."

"Resembool," Twilight said aloud, remembering the file he had read on Edward's home town, "But that's at least a days ride from here, perhaps two," he then looked over at Edward, "And without Alchemy, and your brother immobile, how are you supposed to get to get there."

"Why it's quite simple," Twilight felt sweat develop on the back of his head. Slowly, he turned around, and saw again the mass of muscle flexing as he looked down over the rest of the group, the twinkle around his eye still dancing far too close for Twilight's comfort, "I shall be your guard for this Edward Elric!"

"What!?" Edward almost fell backwards, before pointing at the Major while shaking, "Why him?"

"I've got a ton of work to get back to in Central," Hughes stated plainly.

"So do I here in East City," Mustang added.

"I have to make sure that the Colonel actually does his work," Hawkeye noted.

"I have no confidence that I could protect you from that insane monster," Havoc almost laughed.

"My thoughts exactly," Breda added.

"So it's decided!" Armstrong declared, placing a hand on Edward's head. The young alchemist just looked back and forth, trying to look for someone to save him from the giant. He looked at Lloyd, who shrugged his shoulders.

"I unfortunately also have to get back to Central," he answered honestly, "I have to report to my superiors about my evaluations, and I will be starting a new position in Central monitoring their hospital," he then, as an added push, "And you met my daughter, she has her test soon for the new student position in the fall. I need to get everything moved there by the end of the week to set up."

"Wait..."

Suddenly, Twilight was turned around, his chair moved violently. Standing in front of him was Hughes, whose glasses seemed to shine brightly as he was only a few inches away from Twilight's face. Twilight, suddenly wondering what he could have said to give himself away.

"You have a daughter huh..."

"...Yes."

"Well...SO DO I!" And suddenly, a wallet full of photos of a young girl, no older than three, flopped out. There were pictures of the daughter with her mother, pictures of her with Hughes. Pictures of the girl on a rocking horse. Pictures of the girl jumping hopscotch. Pictures of her face covered in ice cream. Twilight couldn't imagine the sheer number of photos in his view. All the while, Hughes was blushing, his ass moving back in forth in a strange wiggling motion as he laughed about the girl, "Her name's Elicia. She is two and three quarters. Isn'tshejustthecutes-" he then proceeded to continue to flip through more and more photos, all the while Twilight fell further and further back in his chair.

'How...how does he afford to develop all these?' the cost of getting photos wasn't something he thought was cheap at all.

"Well, good luck with all that Doc," Ed groaned, both from the fact that he was going to have to have Armstrong take him to Resembool, and from Hughes sudden outburst.

"If you are ever in Central," Lloyd forger spoke up to the younger man, "Don't hesitate to give me a call. I am still a psychiatrist, if you need to speak about something, I'll be glad to talk it through with you."

"Pfft, whatever," Ed looked to the ground, and Lloyd could see that the young man was in fact hurt by the revelation that his doctor had been spying on him. Twilight killed whatever sympathy was building, and then nodded at him. Dr. Forger got up off his chair, and then marched out towards the final door. Just as his hand gripped the door handle, he turned back, and looked at the crowd.

"I don't suppose you'll let me know how you caught on to me?" Twilight asked. Roy Mustang just smirked back at him.

"Not unless you tell me the name of your superior."

"Oh well," he then opened the door, and walked into the hallway.

"Dr. Forger was lying."

Mustang sighed, looking over at Hughes, as they and Hawkeye were lounging around a small table in the Colonel's office. There were three short glasses, with a decanter of fine liquor sitting in the middle. Hughes had just taken a sip of the drink, and placed it back down on the table.

After Forger had left, they had made final travel arrangements for Major Armstrong and the Elric brothers. The larger man had then escorted the two to a hotel near the train station to provide a closer guard incase Scar returned, and then they had begun to deal with the rest of the fall out from the attacks over the past two days. Damage reports, repair bills, funeral arrangements for the military policemen and Lieutenant Strauss, it had been a busy, and depressing, rest of the afternoon. So, as the last three still in headquarters, Mustang had pulled out his finest drink, and decided to celebrate with his closest allies while they were still alone. This was meant to be a place for private discussion, and Hughes had taken the conversation to the topic that Mustang most wanted to discuss.

"What about?" Hawkeye said. Her voice betrayed no confusion though, she had likely noticed something off too, though she was having trouble placing it.

"Not sure exactly," Mustang's best friend groaned, and Mustang felt like groaning along with him, "He gave in too quickly for one thing. He could have fought a bit more about it, but he seemed more than willing to give away he was working as some kind of spy for central command."

"Like he was using it as an excuse," Mustang noted aloud, and Hawkeye nodded, before lifting her glass, and sipping a bit down as well, "He was also careful not to reveal who he was working for."

"A guy like that would usually use the biggest name they could think of to intimidate us into backing down," Maes added, swirling the drink in his hand, "I'm with General Raven, I'm with General Klemmin, I'm with Fuhrer King Bradley. He made sure to only give us enough to let him get out of here."

"Wouldn't he have strict orders to hide it though," Mustang said, "I mean to keep it from coming out that Central is spying on alchemists?"

"No Alchemists, alchemist," Maes pointed out, and then pulled up his drink again, "His mission was for you, and since he's heading back to Central..."

"Do you think Command might have some idea of the Colonel's goals?"

"Wouldn't shock me in the least," Maes nodded, "But there was something else, that really bothered me about Lloyd. Something that almost certainly shows that he is not who he says he is."

Roy and Hawkeye looked at one another, and then back at Hughes. The glasses wearing man just continued to stare at his drink, all the while Mustang began to lean in closer, as though waiting to hear what revelation truly gave Forger away. Just as he was almost all the way over the table, and within striking distance of Hughes himself, Hughes revealed his clue.

"He didn't show many any pictures of his daughter."

SLAM

"Next time," Roy mustang had fallen backwards over his chair, his fine glass laying next to him, the contents spilled into the carpet of his office, "I'm going to have to remember that no matter how serious you are, you are a fundamentally ridiculous man," he looked at his empty glass, "Aw, do you know how much this alcohol costs," then he saw the developing stain on the carpet, "Do you know how much this carpet costs!?"

"Never the less," Hawkeye's only blemish was a slightly bulging vein on her forehead, "I agree that Dr. Forger was suspicious," she then looked over at Mustang, "But, if I'm guessing correctly, you are hoping to use that to our advantage."

"We know he's working for Central, right," Mustang pointed out his best friend, who nodded at that. He was back to his chair, and he had grabbed the decanter and was pouring another drink for himself, "And with his daughter settling into a school there," he ignored the little twitch in Hughes, who was trying to keep control of himself, "We can bet he's going to be there for a while. Hughes, you're in intelligence, why not keep an eye on him while there, just check in on him and his family when they are around the hospital, and see if he slips up, see who he meets with, and whether they might tell us who sent him to observe me."

"I can probably do that," Maes nodded, before frowning, "But it might mean I'm not able to call you as much."

"You say that like a bad thing," Maes turned in horror, not to Mustang, but to Hawkeye, who had said it at the exact same time as her commanding officer. She looked him up in the face, "I have to keep the Colonel disciplined and working, and you calling him up is an excuse to dodge work."

"Anyway," Mustang nodded at Hughes, "Do that, keep an eye on our good friend, Dr. Forger, and find out who is so suspicious of me," he then forced himself to a more upright position, "And with that, we'll know who I need to watch out for when I get brought back to Central, and with that, we'll be one step closer to our goal."

"...," Maes smiled sadly, and for a moment, the constant sadness at the back of the Intelligence Officer's eyes receded, as he raised a glass into the air.

"To Peace in Amestris."

"To Peace in Amestris," Hawkeye and Mustang clanged their glasses into his, and all brought their glasses to their lips. It was a promise to one another, that they had made when they got home from Ishval.

And Mustang wasn't going to let some wannabe psychiatrist stand in his way.