Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Business as Usual ❯ Last Desperate Search ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Hey there, I'm back! I bet you thought I had forgotten about this story didn't you? Sorry for the long update, with work and college, life is pretty well full without throwing this into the mix but I am still working on it and I should have the next chapter up shortly. I hope you like the new chapter, and I'm sorry again for the delay.

The soldiers filed out of the small military truck they had commandeered all standing in civilian clothing several blocks way from Talsi’s home. Havoc was handing weapons to the men as Roy looked in the direction of the house in question. She had to be there. There wasn’t any other option; she had to be there.

Roy turned sharply to look at Havoc as the other man tapped him on the shoulder. Jean handed him a pistol, which Roy accepted looking over the gun carefully.

“Havoc,” the man looked up at the Colonel as he stared off into the distance. “I’m going to need you to take Lieutenant Hawkeye’s place as my backup.” Havoc looked at him for a moment then nodded his understanding. The Colonel was likely planning something the missing Lieutenant would call rash, so it fell to Jean to take her place and keep Mustang from getting himself killed.

“No worries, Chief,” he whispered, tossing his cigarette to the ground and twisting it beneath his boot. Nathaniel walked up behind Roy and stood silently at his elbow waiting as patiently as he could for the order to move. Roy glanced over his shoulder at the men standing quietly behind him and nodded, beginning to walk for the house.

Stopping at the gate, Mustang turned to his men.

“Falman, Breda, and Blackman, I want you to search inside the house. Havoc and I will search the grounds.” The three men addressed nodded shortly and vanished into the house without a word. Jean raised an eyebrow at the Colonel.

“We searched the house yesterday, sir. You know that.”

“I said the Major could come. I still don’t trust him to remain detached. I want him out of the way so that he won’t have the opportunity to do something inappropriate.” Havoc chuckled and followed Roy’s footsteps around behind the house.

“Interesting. I never would have thought that any of us would be ‘detached’ for this mission. You and the Major least of all.” Havoc followed Roy away from the house on the grounds, rounding one side of it heading toward the back. The Colonel glanced sidelong back over his shoulder and remained silent, deciding not to grace the assuming Lieutenant with a response. Havoc chuckled softly again as his steps fell in time with the Colonel’s, his eyes gazing around the yard looking for anything out of the ordinary.

Roy let his eyes roam the property taking in every inch as he scanned the area for anything that looked out of place. The yard was empty from the back of the house until it met the treeline, the grass so overgrown it came up to Havoc’s knees. A soft crunch underfoot drew the Colonel’s gaze downward as he shifted his foot off what he had accidentally tread on. Bending down he lifted a small bullet shell up from the dirt with two gloved fingers.

“Looks like the Lieutenant did fight back,” Havoc commented, watching as Mustang studied the casing intently.

“No, this isn’t her bullet. For one, her gun is at my house, left in my room when she was kidnapped, and second it’s the wrong caliber. This is the shell from a .45, most likely a revolver; Hawkeye fires a 9 mm.” the 2nd Lieutenant looked at him baffled, as Roy rose slowly to his feet.

“You don’t spend any amount of time with Lieutenant Hawkeye and come away with no knowledge of guns.” He tossed the tiny shell at the bewildered Lieutenant, who saw that the caliber had been engraved on the casing. “She’s here.” Before Havoc could rise to a standing position, something that sounded like a branch giving way underneath a weight, causing both men to jump and draw their guns. It had come from the tree line not far to their right and both men remained perfectly still, barely breathing. Roy’s free gloved hand signaled for Havoc to investigate. He was just moving forward when his gun tumbled to the ground drawn down out of his hands as a bright flash of light went off behind them.

Both men turned to see Major Blackman leaning carefully our the second floor window, one hand pressed firmly against a transmutation circle on the wall, a large magnet hanging from a bracelet on his wrist. Roy glared up at him.

“What in the HELL do you thing you are doing Major? I told you to do nothing until I gave the order!” Nathaniel bristled under the reprimand and glared back, shouting angrily as his frustration overrode his usual restraint.

"Yes because following your orders has given any sort of hope that we would get my sister back alive! It hasn’t done anything except cause more work for us, while you sit around in your office and do nothing!" The ice eminating from Roy’s level stare, sent a shiver down Havoc’s spine, giving evidence of the rage that boiled through the unmoving Colonel.

"I do not tolerate insubordination, Major. Now, you are to return to Lieutenant Hawkeye’s apartment immediately and stay there until this escapade is over. I would hope by then, if I were you, that something will have happened to improve my mood or you may find yourself facing the end of your military career. Do I make myself clear?" Nathaniel nearly responded in a sarcastic biting tone that he needn’t worry about his career if he had to look forward to a term of service under an egotistical prick, but stopped, thinking of his sister. She was going to kill him when she found out about his little outburst; he had better not make it worse. Without another word, he turned and left the window.

“Well, let’s see about making it so you don’t have a chance to make that end.” The was a hollow thud of metal on metal as Roy turned sharply to find Alphonse standing over him, deflecting a large pole from hitting the distracted Colonel.

“I was wondering when you were going to show up.” Roy glanced to his right to see, Edward drop nimbly out of a tree. “I was curious about those alchemy notes you gave me, Colonel. They seemed simple enough, then I really started reading them, and I realized they were simple; too simple. The notes had been deliberately written in a simple manner so that anyone who didn’t understand alchemy or was only just glancing over it would believe anything he told them, or think he didn’t have a change of succeeding.” He eyed Roy pointedly as he continued. “So I decided to do a little investigating.” Ed glanced at Talsi and moved closer to the Colonel, grinning broadly as he went. “And here I thought you would have figured that out yourself, or have you become so bogged down behind your desk of paperwork, Colonel?” Roy smirked at the boy and turned to Talsi.

“Where is my Lieutenant, Jericho?” The man smiled as he stepped back away from Alphonse, discarding the pole with a disdainful flick of his wrist and tucking his hands in his pockets.

“Safe enough, but that doesn’t matter now. Time’s up, Colonel. Deal was the money for her, and since you are here without the Sens I suppose you couldn’t get them, so I’m sorry but she will not be returned to you.” Pulling his hands free of his pocket, he lifted a large revolver and fired one shot clean over Roy’s head. Roy took one step forward, as a cascade of water poured over him, soaking him through.

“Havoc.” The Lieutenant didn’t need the rest of the command to know what the Colonel was asking for. Reaching into his front pocket and tossed Roy his matches. Pulling one free of the packaging as soon as he had them in his hand, Roy struck the match igniting the air around Talsi.

The flames died away and Roy started. Jericho stood where he was unharmed, his clothes blowing in a dying wind.

“I hate to say but your flame attacks won’t work if the air doesn’t remain where you need it.” Talsi dropped his hand from a large circular pendant around his neck. “And I don’t intend to permit it to remain where you want it.”

“Ooo, so the big bad Jericho is a Wind Alchemist,” Ed snorted. “Big deal. Tell you what Colonel what do you say you let me deal with this pompous jerk, and you go find Lieutenant Hawkeye. Besides, I believe as she said, ‘Your flame attack’s no good in the rain.’ It may not be raining but your wet enough for it to be.” Roy glanced over at Edward and hesitated. Ed was capable enough to handle this on his own, but Roy wanted to deal with it himself. Roy looked back at Talsi and glared balefully over at him. His own agenda aside, it was more important to find where Riza was.

“Alright, Edward. Lieutenant Havoc stay here with FullMetal and make sure things get cleaned up. I don’t want any trash left.” He glared pointedly at Talsi as he moved for the tree line.

“There’s a shed not far into the woods there. Lights have been on in there for some time. You may want to check in there, Colonel.” Al’s voice chased him into the woods, giving Roy enough guidance to have a place to start. Roy waved back with one hand in thanks and disappeared into the tree line.

The darkness of the forest closed in around him as Roy made his way deeper into the trees. He could just make out a tiny prick of light in the distance, his feet already picking their way over the uneven ground in toward it. The silence folded in about him as he began to make out the sides of the shed that Al had directed him toward.

The front of the shed came into view not long after he entered into the small woods, the door hanging half open to allow light to flood the small clearing in which the shack stood. Roy came to the little door and pushed it open more, peering carefully into the building, but seeing no one. Stepping cautiously inside, the Colonel moved silently down the hall in which he found himself. There were a few doors branching off, most of them open and containing large amounts of supplies for alchemy research.

He came to the first closed door and pushed it in. Glancing inside, he noted the tiny filth coated bathroom, and turned to move on down the hall. A man stood three paces away from him, the door next to him barely open as he looked at Roy angrily. The two men stood studying each other for long moments. The man that blocked the Colonel’s path down the hall was a large stocky man, broad shouldered and muscled for a fight. His dingy gray hair hung in strings about his dirt streaked face, cold green eyes regarding Roy with a small amount of wary disdain. His clothes were dirty and wrinkled as if he had worn them before and threw them on again without regard for their unclean state. Roy caught sight of something small and black in the man’s hand and glanced at it briefly. It was a small piece of torn black satin fabric.

Roy looked up at the man, anger coursing through him a new, as he recognized the fabric as a small section of Riza’s shirt. She was here, and this man was blocking his way to her. The Colonel glared at him coldly, as he stepped forward slightly.

“Move,” was the only word that came from Roy as he stood coldly regarding the other man in his way. The man laughed, cold and empty.

“No.” Roy took another step closer, still keeping his eyes on the man as he listened for any sound that would let him know that Riza was in the room the man guarded with his body. The man had yet to move from in front of the door, so she had to be in there. But why had she not made any noise to let Roy know that she was in there. Unless she was sleeping…or unconscious. Roy felt his body grow hotter as anger surged through him faster. If Riza was unconscious than something had happened to her and this man blocking his way was probably responsible for it.

“Move,” he stated again, his anger hissing past his teeth as he fought to keep his hands steady dispite his increasing rage. The other man laughed again before lunging for Roy. The Colonel ducked just under the man’s arms, letting him pass before kicking out with one leg at the man’s exposed back, knocking him off his feet. The man went down with a hard thud, but surged back to his feet instantly and charged Roy again. This time Mustang had his hands out of his pockets and snapped, igniting the man’s clothing.

The man never slowed, the flames burning at him as he charged recklessly at the officer. Roy ducked him again and one more kicked the man off balance, sending him careening into the closed door opposite the one the man had first been guarding. The room exploded, knocking Roy to the floor as the whole of the shed shuddered with the blast.

Winded, Roy climbed slowly back to his feet looking across the hall to see the flames pouring from the room into the hall and up along the ceiling, almost completely blocking out the room that Riza was most likely being held in. Removing his heavy wool jacket, he placed it over his head and shielded his face as Roy dashed down the enflamed hall into the room.

Lifting his head from the safe confines of his jacket, Roy looked about the smoke filled room trying to make out the shape of the Lieutenant’s body. There was nothing in the haze that looked to be anything remotely like a human body. He moved about the room, using the collar of his white undershirt to breathe as he studied the small area. He stopped as he came across a stain on the earthen floor. Bending down he looked more closely, pulling back quickly as he realized what it was. The small reddish blood stain lay in the middle of the floor. Looking up quickly, the Colonel caught sight of the small window that hung open, allowing the smoke to escape from the room. Roy moved to the window and smiled. The opening was just large enough for a slender person to slide through.

Sighing with relief, Roy smiled as he turned back to the door; Riza had escaped. Looking up at the door through which he had come and stopped. The flames had over taken the door way completely by now, trapping Roy in the room. The Colonel turned immediately back to the window and through his jacket out first, it was likely to hamper his squeeze through the narrow opening. He grabbed the ledge and jumped lightly to get most of his weight on the window sill. He managed to wiggle his shoulders through the tiny window just as he began to feel the heat on his legs from the fire that had apparently spread farther into the room. He heaved again on the frame and inched his way slowly out the window. Dropping heavily to the ground, Roy patted hastily at his pants, the long overskirt having caught fire as he slid free of the window. The Colonel retrieved his jacket from the ground and gazed about trying to determine which way the Lieutenant would have gone.

The forest floor was fairly soft where he stood so despite Riza’s usually light tread she still left floor prints in the dirt. Roy sighed in relief as he set out after the woman. If things held the way there were, he would likely find her shortly.

~*~*~*~*~

Roy looked down yet another alley way as he swore under his breath, searching for the still missing Lieutenant. He still hadn’t found her and he had been searching for almost an hour since he had reached the city. He had expected to find her before he left the small wooded area he was in, but she had entered the city and he had lost her trail on the pavement. Now, he was scouring the streets in a vain hope that he might stumble across her before anything more could happen.

Stopping where he was, Roy caught sight of a woman in a long black satin dress staggering down the alley, bare feet black from dirt. He started to turn away, thinking her to only be another drunk, when something told him to take a closer look.

She was a tall blonde woman and her hair was pulled back from her face in a ponytail. She would have been rather attractive if she didn’t look completely exhausted, dark circles under her eyes and evidence of a few bruises spotting her otherwise smooth skin and a piece of her dress torn away. She stumbled and almost fell but held herself up on sheer force of will as she braced her weak body against the wall with one hand. She lifted her head and looked directly at Roy with soft honey eyes.

No…that couldn’t be…was that…Riza?

The woman stood where she was for a moment blinking in his direction as she became more and more unsteady on her feet her gaze the only thing that remained steady as she looked at Roy. Then she spoke.

“Colonel?” Roy’s heart leapt to his throat. It was her. Taking a tentative step forward he called out her name. A small smile spread across her face as her eyes began to drift shut. Roy started to run. She wasn’t going to stay on her feet much longer, and as her knees buckled under her, he yelled to her again. Roy’s feet hammered on the stone ground as he rushed to catch the woman before she completely fell. He pulled her into his lap and rolled her onto her back so he could look down into her face.

“Hawkeye,” he whispered, shaking her lightly and trying to get her to respond. He panicked for a moment when he saw her fall, fearing for that brief instant that he was too late. The moment he had her in his arms he could feel her breath, shallow as it was, on his skin, and sighed. Shaking her again, he heard her mumble in her unconscious state, rolling onto her side, closer to his warm body as she shivered against the chill night breeze.

Bending closer, Roy looped his arms under her slender frame and lifted Riza into the cradle it formed, walking back the way he had come. She lay limp in his arms, her body unresponsive to his touch and the soft murmur of his constant calling of her name as he moved. He clung to her as he ran through the deserted streets of the small city, tilting her body so that her head rested closer to his shoulder, so he could feel her breath, reassuring himself that she was okay. If she just kept breathing she was fine.

Roy came to a juncture in the road and hesitated, one way lead to his own home and to the other to hers, Blackman probably tearing the place apart in frustration at being ordered back to the apartment for not following orders. He hesitated unsure which way to take her, his own home was closer to be sure but she would probably be more comfortable in her own bed.

Riza moaned painfully into Roy’s shoulder, and he stiffened, looking down at the still unconscious Lieutenant. She wrapped her arm tight around his neck, clinging to him, and Roy stepped on the path to his own home. The sooner she was in a soft bed, the better, whether it was his or her own didn’t matter. She needed to be somewhere safe so she could rest; he would call the Major when he had laid her down so the other man could relax.


Hey! So did you like that? Some of the little twists and turns took me a while to work out and I really hope you're enjoying the way the story is going. So please review and I'll post the next chapter as soon as it's ready. Laters!