Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Wolves of Fire, Eagles of Ice ❯ A call to the West ( Chapter 4 )

I do not own FMA

 

Chapter 3: A call to the west

 

A solitary figure wandered in the rigid weather of the western mountains where snow was still falling, even if spring was almost gone and summer was getting closer. It was one of the coldest regions of Amerstis, even colder than in the northern mountains. For centuries the rough mountains and valleys of the deep west were considered hostile to any kind of life and for this reason considered safe for all those that dared to oppose the dictatorial regime of the current Führer. The deep blue eyes of the lonely man looked around at the familiar landscape, trained to recognize every single detail that guided him to his destination. He felt a shiver running through his back and by pure instinct he looked on his right just in time so see two wolves emerge from the nowhere. The big dark gray male looked at him with pleading eyes, trying to move toward his companion, but held beck by heavy chains that were cutting though the soft fur and skin of his paws. His companion, a light brown female, was lying down, her belly swollen from the pregnancy, her eyes desperate, was crying aloud, her howls full of pain and solitude. The male looked at her and then again to the figure standing in the snow.

They disappeared.

Nothing was left that testify their presence.

The snow unattached.

It had been a vision.

The man kept staring at the empty ground for several minutes. He sighed and get back to his track.

 

Back in Central City Edward could not move from his spot in the Colonel office, his eyes fixed on the picture partially covered in blood. He felt his chest getting heavier and heavier, the air more and more difficult to breath. He had never had seen so much blood in his life, not even when he tried to transmute his own mother. The stench of burned blood invaded his senses, nauseating him. He was vaguely aware of someone calling his name and escorting him outside the office. He set on a chair for several minutes with his mind overwhelm by the imagines playing in his mind. When he finally came back to his senses, he realized that he was not alone. He looked up to see a very worried Maes.

“Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?”

“I'm not a kid”

“Sure, that's way you almost passed out back then.”

“……”

“I know Ed, is not easy to look at the scene and stay objective and detached. I feel my heart skipping several beats anytime I have to go back in Roy office. But this is my work and if I want to bring him back, I don't have to much of a choice, but shut down my feelings.”

“How can you doing it?! He is your best friend! How can you stay so detached?!”

“I can't, but I must try.”

“Do you think that he is still… alive?”

Maes took a deep breath and sinked down in his seat. Was his friend just kidnapped? Edward question was logical considering all the blood present in the office, but his instinct and his good knowledge of Roy abilities suggested him that there were good chances that he was still alive.

“I have a hunch that most of the blood is not Roy's”

“How can you be so sure about it?”

“I know Roy and his abilities from back to Ishbal. You can't take him down that easily. By they way, you have seen it by yourself, back in the east. On top of it we have sent several blood samples to be analyzed.”

“Blood samples?”

“You know that all the people that work for the military have to do some preliminary medical examinations. In that occasion they also test for the blood type. This has two reasons. The first is medical, in case of a serious wound. The second is for cases like this. And I can tell you that on this front we are lucky. Roy has one of the rarest blood types in all Amerstis, AB negative. Less thes 5% of the people possessed it. So it should be easy to know if all that blood is his or not.”

“What if his?”

“No man can survive after such a blood loss. But it is too early to make any conclusion. Go home, rest and come back tomorrow. We will have the results in some hours, and then we can finally start to clean up all this mess. Ed, I will need your help with the crime scene.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I want you and your brother to have a good look around the office and find any sign of alchemical reaction.”

“You think that he was abducted by alchemist?”

“It's a possibility. Now go. I'll see you tomorrow.”

Edward decided to accept the Lieutenant Colonel suggestion. If he wanted to be of any help, he had to be at the best of his conditions. All people were working hard to find any clue that could set them in the right direction. Back in the office everyone was really concentrated in their own task, eccept…

“Lieutenant Colonel, where I can find Lieutenant Hawkeye? I haven't seen here around and I would like to ask her something. Where I can find her?”

Maes was not surprised by the alchemist question. The kid had an uncanny ability in observing details that no one else would notice. And Hawkeye absence could not be considered a minor detail. She was literally Roy's shadow. Where he was, she was. Their deep relationship was built day after day since they first met in Ishbal. They were just a state alchemist and a soldier incredibly talented as sniper. The first time that they met was soon after her arrival at the military camp. Together with other ten skilled snipers, she had the mission to always protect the precious human weapons. Any soldier was expendable, but not the State Alchemists. They were the key to victory. Their amazing power would have reduced the Ishbal nation on its knees. They were instructed to always follow them everywhere, and if their charge died, they would have died too. To further protect the State Alchemist they assigned them also two personal bodyguards. In Roy's case, the two men were Hughes and Havoc. It was back then, during a hard and sanguinary war that the bound between the four soldiers formed. They became more that friends, they became family. But even deeper was the bound that formed between the Colonel and his first Lieutenant.

“She is not well, that is why she is not here. Don't worry about her, she is at my place. Grecia and my little cute and adorable baby are taking good care of her.”

“She must be really in a bad shape to not be able to come here. I guess that the kidnapping of the Colonel must have had a big impact on her.”

“As I said, don't worry about her, we are taking good care of her. Go home. I really need you at your best tomorrow. Be here at 8 and don't be late.”

“Sure, I will tell my brother to weak me up. I really hope that you are right Lieutenant Colonel. I really hope that all that blood is not his. It would be a terrible loss for the military.”

“And for all of us too. Ed, I know that even if you two fight all the time, deep down you both care for each other. I see it in how much effort Roy put to keep you and your brother safe and on the track to your quest. I see it now in your eyes. You are really worried about him. Don't deny it, Ed. I've seen how you were looking to the picture.”

“I go home. See you tomorrow.”

As Edward was walking through the corridor a soft smile crept on Maes face, the first in the last three days.

 

As soon as he reached his place, he was assaulted by Al asking if he knew who disappeared. Ed told his brother everything that he learned from Hughes, leaving the huge suite of armor without words. After several minutes of silence, finally Al decided to say something.

“I'm sure that he is still alive. He is too strong to die that easily”

“I really hope that you are right Al.”

“I think that we should go and see how Lieutenant Hawkeye is doing. She must be pretty beaten up. She is sick and for this reason she can't help with the investigation. I think that if she knows that we will help too, she will feel better, don't you think brother?”

Ed could not help himself but smiling. Good old Al, always thinking about others before than himself. But it really sounds a good idea.

“Ok Al. First we eat something and then we go to see how she is doing.”

They found a small restaurant not too far away form the Hughes residence. As usual Ed ravished everything that was on the menu, while his brother tried every minute to convince the short alchemist to eat slowly to not suffocate himself. Thing that usually happened every ten seconds. After dinner, the two brothers walked quietly towards Maes' house. Grecia was surprised and happy to see the two brothers. She welcomed them and offered her famous apple pie. They spent some time talking about their last mission and getting update about the last news in central, till Al finally decided to ask about Riza.

“Mrs Hughes, we heard from your husband that Lieutenant Hawkeye is not well. We were wondering if it would be possible to see her.”

“I'm sorry Al but she needs a lot of rest.”

“How is she doing?”

“You should not worry for her boys. She had a rough time and Roy kidnapping worsens her situation.”

“We where quite surprised to hear about her illness. When we left she was doing pretty well.”

“As a matter of fact she started to feel bad the day after you left. Elysia and I are taking good care of her, and I promise that as soon as she gets better I will tell you, so you can come and talk with her. I'm pretty sure that she missed you two too.”

“Thank you Mrs Hughes. We are really looking forward to see here again. Can you please give her message form us?”

“Of course Al.”

“Tell her that we will bring him back.”

“I will tell her, and she will be relieved to know that you two are working with Maes.”

“Thank you very much for the pie Mrs Hughes. Good night.”

As soon as the door closed, Grecia looked up the stairs that lead to the bedrooms to see someone coming out form behind a corner. She was wearing a simple white nightdress. Her blond hairs were neatly comb in a low ponytail.

“How are you feeling Riza?”

“I'm better, thank you.”

“They are all worried for you.”

“I know, but I'm too confused right now. I need time to sort out my own feeling at the moment. I'm sorry to bother you so much.”

“Don't worry. We are all here to help you.”

Riza smiled lightly at the woman down the stairs. In the few days that she stained at her house she felt a strong bound growing between the two. She could have done something really stupid if it would not be for her. Since the ordeal has begun, she had finally found a place where she can feel at ease. As much as she appreciated the interest of her colleagues for her well being, she needed quietness. Luckily she found it in that house. She was also starting to understand why Maes held this woman so much high. Her kindness and understanding were really unique. With her heart a little bit higher, she went back to her room.

 

During all the way back, Ed thought about the First Lieutenant. He would have bet that nothing could have kept her form the investigation, not even death itself. Maybe was just his imagination, but the sudden illness of Riza must have something to do with Roy kidnapping. What ever it was, he really hoped that she would come back soon.

 

Far away, in an underground laboratory, two white clothed men were discussing livelily.

“What if is not working even this time?” The shorter of the two asked.

“It will work.”

“But what if not?”

“That will be our end. We don't have too much of a choice. We tried with normal people, alchemist of every sort, women, children, yang and old men; we tried also with animal, for God sakes! But nothing, they all died.”

“What does it make him so special?”

“He comes from my same blood.”