Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Unknown Sacrifice ❯ The Plan ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: Uniasus

Unknown Sacrifice

AU from Manga chapter 35

Chapter 3 - The Plan

“Brother! NO!” screamed Al, running toward the building underneath the roof Lust was just at. “Come back!”

The boy placed his hands on the building's side head hung down in defeat. His brother was gone, and this time it seemed as if the homunculi meant to kill him. He started to sob softly with a tearless face, for his body denied him that function.

Mustang punched the brick wall behind him. How could this happen?! First Maes, now Ed, who was next? Hawkeye, or Havoc? Mustang could not bear the thought and now he really regretted punching the wall for his hand had begun to throb. Looking up he saw Al against a building, crying.

This made the Flame Alchemist jump, Al wasn't supposed to be able to cry. Just then a rain drop fell on Mustang's noise. Upon closer inspection the colonel noticed that Alphonse's tear was not one of salt but rather belonging to a water droplet that had fallen from above.

With a sigh, Roy approached the hollow amour. Al turned about at the sound of footsteps.

“We'll get him back won't we?” Al asked, looking down at his brother's boss.

“Yes we will,” Roy answered looking up at the stars, now slightly blurred by the rain, “Yes we will.”

Sticking his hands in his pockets, Roy turned to leave the alley way. After waiting a beat he heard Al start to follow. Passing by the body of Maria Ross, Mustang felt ill. How could he have been so rash?

Taking off his coat, Roy laid it over the body. Closing her eyes, he lifted the coat higher so the rain would not wet her face. Saying a silent prayer to someone for the 2nd Lieutenant's soul and his own, Roy stood up. He then left to follow Alphonse to someplace warm for the night.

After a fitful night of sleep the morning came a cheerfully as it would on a wedding day. In fact, one was to be preformed later that morning. But Colonel Roy Mustang did not care.

Back at Headquarters, Mustang, Hawkeye, Falman, Fury, Havoc , Brenda, Armstrong, and Al were gathered. Since Armstrong had strong feelings for the Elric brothers and had participated in the Lab 5 incident Mustang gathered that he should be in on this as well.

Where could Edward be? Well, with the homunculi, so then, where were they? At one point Dublith had housed them, as had central once at Lab 5. Who was to say they didn't have other nests to hide in around the country? If so, how could they find Ed in time? Somehow Roy had a feeling that currently they were close by, no more that a couple hours travel from Central, if they did not inhabit the city itself.

Al seemed to share his brainwave.

“They have to be close by. Lust seemed surprised to see what Ed did. Usually they know where we are and occasionally have followed us, but this seemed to take her off guard. Meaning she would have just had to have been in the area.”

Mustang had to agree, and it seemed logical to everyone else.

“Wait a minute,” 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye spoke up, “they've followed you two in past? Why didn't you notify us?”

“Yeah, did you think you could take them own yourselves? Neither of you are Armstong you know,” Havoc piped up.

Eager to avoid the words forming on the Colonel's mouth Al quickly answered.

“No! Of course not!” he waved his gauntlets back and forth in front of him as if to fend off the others in the room, “We didn't know they where homunculi at first. But looking back at several of first assignments we came across Lust. We didn't take notice of course. I remember though at Lior we saw both her and Gluttony. It wouldn't surprise me if Envy was around hidden too. Plus there may others that followed us that we have not revealed as homunculi yet. We haven't noticed any more familiar faces since we discovered their existence, just more of Envy, Lust and Gluttony. I hope brother is alright, he and Envy have a thing for each other. They where all there at Lab 5…”

“You don't think they would still be there, do you sir?” asked Falman.

“I don't know,” Mustang said stroking his chin. “It's close. They might be, thinking that we thought they would be gone.”

“You don't mean,” Fury gulped, “We're going to rescue Edward by ourselves? In Lab 5?”

“Don't worry Fury,” Havoc said placing his arm over his buddy's shoulders. “You're not alone.”

“Yea,” Falman added. Brenda smiled, and Hawkeye loaded and cocked her gun.

“And you have me!” Major Armstrong stood up and flexed. Sparkles lit up around his head. “The art of rescuing has been in the Armstrong Family for centuries passed down from generation to generation!”

Everyone stared at Armstong, then looked at each other, and sweatdroped. It was hard to tell if the Major was showing off himself, his family, or just wanted attention. Either way it produced the same result, one that can only be verbally described as O.o?

“Thanks Major, that makes me feel a little better,” Fury said. And how could one not feel safe with such a guy on your side. One bicep is the size of a steer's head.

“Alphonse,” said Hawkeye turning to look at the armored boy, “How did you and Ed get into Lab 5?”

Al blushed, if that could be said, “We…um…cut the barbed wire and climbed over the wall. Ed entered the building through a vent because he was small enough to fit in it.”

Mustang's snort interrupted Al's recollection of the break in.

“I waited outside. Then Barry came…and then I entered the building to find brother through a hole in the wall that formed with the ground trembles. I remember that in order to find him I had to go pretty deep under ground. You should know that part,” Al turned toward Armstrong who nodded.

“Sounds good to me,” Havoc said, leaning back in his seat.

“Hmm…” Mustang seemed to be thinking, “Al, what was the building's protections?”

“Well, there were two guards at the front gate with wires along the ground in front of the door. Plus a high wall with barbed wire atop of it. That's it I think,” the young Elric said with a shrug.

“All right,” Flame commanded, “Fury, Brenda, see if you can grab some grappling hooks. Falman, Havoc, gloves and pliers. Hawkeye, try to get us some dark clothes. Take Armstong with you and see if there is anything his size.”

“Yes sir!” they all saluted and left to complete their tasks.

“Al?”

“Yes Colonel?”

“Can you draw a map of Lab 5 as you remember it? And tell me what happened down there. I don't know the full story,” Mustang said.

“Sure,” Al responded gathering paper and pencil. “But even I don't know everything little thing. Ed found some stuff too. But we found…”

Alphonse explained what happened while looking down at his map. Mustang sat across from him, watching and listening with his head resting on intertwined fingers.

When Al finished, the night haired man stood up and strode to the window.

“You said they wanted Ed to make a Philosopher's Stone so they could be human? And to make one they need human sacrifices which eventually they want you and Edward to become?” Mustang looked over his shoulder at the suit of armor.

“Yeah. That's why even though we fight a lot they haven't killed us yet.”

Al's last word echoed between them.