Fic- The Hour of Separation update
May. 31st, 2007 05:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessThe Hour of Separation
Shades of Grey Series #6 - Shade Mist
D M Evans
Disclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition.
Time Line - This has elements of the anime up to about #25 and definite spoilers for the manga past #38 and beyond. More manga-based than not
Rating – FRM
Summary - Riza and Roy’s life takes an unexpected turn, especially when old enemies put in an appearance
WARNING This chapter has themes of graphic violence and rape (I know perfect thing to post this week...)
Author’s Note – Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
evil_little_dog for the beta. This is one story in a series but is a stand alone. This series was started long before the lovely Ishbal arc so it’s AU for the Mustang and Hawkeye history and there is no real way around that I’m afraid. Also, the Ravensdales are original characters that have small recurring roles in the series. The other stories in this series are:
Roots of Violence
Ashes and Bone
Why They Call it Falling
Point of Fracture
With Silence
Previous Chapters Here
And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. - Kahlil Gibran
Chapter Seven
Riza felt miserably cold and thoroughly battered when she finally came to. Curling a hand protectively over her belly even before she opened her eyes, she was shocked to feel skin on skin. Riza pried her heavy lids open to discover she was naked and that her hands were handcuffed together. Not only had she been striped bare, but so were the other two occupants of the room, a lanky man and poor Winry. The only source of light was through the door that had a small window with thick, mesh-reinforced glass. Along one wall a couple of cushions sat and she wondered if those were for their captors to sit on and watch them. There appeared to be nothing hard or anything that could be remotely weaponized in the room.
Getting to her feet awkwardly – handcuffs were amazingly inconvenient – Riza left the tatty mat she had been tossed onto. She felt glad that her feet weren’t bound as well, not that she knew where she’d run off to. The sharpshooter staggered over to Winry to check on the girl. She seemed to be unconscious still but didn’t seem to Riza to be in any danger of dying from her injuries.
The man’s head jerked up, his yellow eyes squinting at her. Riza studied the redhead, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar and why he was important enough to kidnap. “You’re the Julien Mustang kept running around to help, aren’t you?” she asked, too angry to be embarrassed that they were all naked. She stumbled over to him.
“Sorry you got dragged into this. You have no idea how sorry.”
Riza didn’t know the accent but the voice had a familiar cadence. Her eyes flicked to the scars on the man’s torso; red, puckered, they weren’t more than a few months old then it clicked in her mind. “Oh my…Hughes?”
He nodded regretfully. “Sorry, Riza. I really am.”
“Why didn’t Roy say anything to me?” Her legs went so weak she thought she was going to fall.
“I asked him not to. I was afraid something like this would happen.” He glanced in Winry’s direction. “Is Winry all right?”
“I think so.” Riza looked over at the girl to reassure herself of that then swiveled her gaze back to him. She awkwardly touched his arm with her handcuffed hands, trying to convince herself he was real and not some figment of her imagination. “It’s so good to see you, Maes.”
“Wish you were seeing a little less of me,” he replied wryly and Riza flushed. “How are you feeling?” At her confused look, Maes added. “I know, Riza…Roy told me.” His gaze cut down towards her belly.
“I’m not surprised.” Riza wished she didn’t fear for her safety so much just now. She didn’t feel like herself but she knew her hormones were making her baby her priority and that might get them all killed.
“I never meant for you to get caught up in this. You should be somewhere being happy,” Maes said, regret coloring every word.
“We had decided I’d resign,” she whispered, closing her eyes against her pain.
“I’m so sorry, Riza.” Maes’ words barely rose above a whisper.
“This is not your fault.” She rattled her handcuffs, tugging on them, trying to slip free. “Who is behind this? Kimblee? Do you know?”
Maes shook his head. “No, he’s part of it but I think Roy’s been right all these years. I think that it’s the Cerulean Alchemist behind all of this.”
“But why?” The words were little more than curdled frustration and fury.
“I think the shapeshifter that was sent to kill me had something to do with this as well. Homunculi…I don’t think we should say more. We don’t know who’s listening,” Maes said uneasily, his eyes cutting from the door to an air vent so small even Winry wasn’t likely to get further than her elbow up into it.
Riza nodded and sat back down next to Winry. She wanted to stroke the unconscious girl’s hair but the cuffs wouldn’t allow for it. “This isn’t going to end well.”
“It…” Maes trailed off before he could make a hollow promise that it would all work out. “Roy will not stop and he won’t be alone.”
She shuddered, wanting to rub her bare arms to warm up but the cuffs wouldn’t allow for that. Riza knew Maes was right and she knew he feared the same thing she did. Without their stabilizing effects, Roy might do something wild, impulsive, dangerous. Worse, she knew that the brothers would be involved if Roy could find them. She wasn’t sure Al was experienced enough to handle both Roy and Ed once their tempers and protective natures were up. No, she was afraid this wasn’t going to end well.
A soft moan got both her and Maes’ attention. Riza looked down at the girl she sat beside and saw Winry was waking up. “Shh, rest easy, Winry,” she said, hoping she sounded comforting.
Pain danced over the girl’s face as Winry moaned again. She tried to put her hands to her head, the handcuffs smacking into her face. Winry’s eyes snapped open and winced shut again. “What happened?”
“We’ve been taken prisoner,” Riza explained as gently as she could. “We're not sure by whom.”
“Why?” Winry's eyes finally opened and the girl struggled to sit up.
“Probably because of me,” Hughes said, bitterness hardening the lines around his mouth.
Winry jerked at the sound of the man’s voice. She stared at Hughes, her eyes huge. “We're naked,” she whispered to Riza.
“They probably didn’t want to risk us escaping.” Riza decided against telling the girl that this was how psychological torture began. Winry would find out on her own all too soon.
“I don't understand,” Winry shifted, trying to hide herself a little behind Riza. The girl’s face would make rubies envious.
“You just got unlucky. It's a military...well, I don't know what to call it. They wanted me and Hughes.” Riza nodded towards Hughes who seemed to be studying the door, looking for a way out.
“But …it was you on the street. I thought it was but I didn’t know how it could be.” Winry glanced over at Hughes.
Hughes’ face softened and he managed a smile for her. “I got lucky that time.” He hid a flash of worry. “Now, we have to wait on our friends to get us out of here if we can't do it ourselves.”
“Suggestions?” Riza asked.
“Let's think on it.”
Riza knew that meant, 'no, he had no suggestions at all' but she trusted in Maes' ability to think things through. He was one of the smartest men she knew and Mustang liked to collect intelligence. They still had a chance.
X X X
“Do you think this is going to help?” Ed shoved at the paperwork on the table. “We should be out there doing something helping Armstrong.”
Roy’s eyes canted up from the report he had in hand. “I have to ask you boys something. Will you trust my judgment and follow my lead?” he asked, ignoring Ed’s tirade.
“Of course, sir. Why would you ask?” Al asked as Ed’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“And if I ask you to step aside, will you?” Roy went on, fixing the pair with his gaze
“I don’t understand,” Al said, though his tone suggested he understood all too well and wanted to be told he was wrong.
“I do. You’ll kill the kidnappers, won’t you?” Ed asked softly.
“If I have to,” Roy replied evenly. “I don’t want you boys to become killers. If it’s necessary…there is plenty of blood on my hands.” The alchemist gazed thoughtfully at his hand as thumb and finger danced slowly over one another. “More won’t hurt.”
“But…”Al sputtered.
Ed put his hand on his brother’s metal arm, the expression on his face a study in pure misery. “I don’t like it.”
“I take no joy in killing,” Roy said softly.
Al rattled as his large head dipped. Ed scowled. “No, I didn’t think you did. We won’t be in your way if it comes to that.”
The sounds of the front door banging open startled them all. Armstrong strode into the room.
“Tell me good news,” Roy demanded, reading the large man’s face. He thought he saw hope there.
“We think we might have an idea where they’re keeping the hostages,” Armstrong replied, his tone guarded and so unlike his usual self.
“Where?” Roy asked at the same time Ed cried, “Take me there!” Al caught hold of his brother’s shoulders as Ed got up.
Armstrong regarded Ed sympathetically.
“We need a plan, Edward,” Roy said. “If we go there without one and mess it up, we won’t get another chance. They’ll die.” Roy wondered if the sound of armor clanking came from Alphonse shaking or Edward rattling under his brother’s hands. Roy looked at his compatriots. “That is why we have to do this smart and I’m confident we can do that. There is not a dumb person here. I don’t want Riza, Maes or Miss Rockbell to be hurt any more than you do.”
“Then let’s do it,” Ed growled, pulling free of Alphonse and throwing himself into his chair.
XXX
Riza hadn’t thought she could have drifted off to sleep, not in this situation, but she had. She jerked awake, her eyes cutting to the door. Next to her, she could hear Maes moving. Winry made a soft sound of distress. Riza went to reach out for her, forgetting the hand cuffs until they bit sharply at her wrists. She cast about for what had awoken her and saw Kimblee and Regiene coming through the door.
“The smell of helplessness is nearly intoxicating, isn’t it Kimblee?” Cerulean eyed the prisoners.
Kimblee made a noncommittally noise. “I think it’s dangerous keeping them here,” he replied pragmatically.
“Don’t worry. It won’t be for long. Mustang should be getting the ultimatum soon and then we won’t need them any more.” Cerulean cast a glance at her prisoners, hoping to see fear. Only Winry indulged her. “Until then we can play with them as long as we see fit.” Cerulean smiled and Kimblee echoed it.
“However shall I occupy my time?” Kimblee sauntered over, touching Winry’s chin. She flinched.
“Stay away from her,” Maes growled, trying to head butt Kimblee’s leg.
“Behave,” Cerulean scolded, yanking Maes back by the hair. “Or you’ll see what I can do with water.” She stroked the silver array she wore around her neck.
Maes’ body stiffened, a groan dribbling out of his mouth. The groan quickly morphed to a scream. Riza tried to puzzle out how she could help when their captors had taken some many steps to make them all helpless.
“I can crystallize it within you or drain it out of you,” Cerulean went on over Maes’ wail.
“Stop it! You’re hurting him,” Winry cried, reaching out to Maes, her cuffs rattling.
“That, dear girl, is the whole point.” Cerulean favored Winry with a sickly smile but she let Maes go. He curled up, shaking hard. Regiene crossed over to Winry. “You’re only alive for our amusement.”
“Leave her out of this. She’s not military. She has nothing to do with it,” Riza said sharply.
“On the contrary.” Kimblee stood in front of Riza. “She’s important to Fullmetal and he’s no less dangerous than Flame. No, I think we’ll be holding onto her for a while. Speaking of holding and Flame, I bet he does a lot of holding a pretty thing like you.” Kimblee caressed Riza’s cheek. She turned her head, snapping after his fingers. Kimblee slapped her. “Do you want to see what I can do with a touch?”
“I know what you can do.” Riza refused to show any fear. She knew that eventually when he tired of her, Kimblee would kill her. In the meantime, she wouldn’t give him what he wanted.
“Let’s see what Flame finds so fascinating about you.” Kimblee grabbed Riza’s arm, dragging her kicking to the far corner.
“Leave her alone,” Winry cried, struggling to stand.
Cerulean grabbed the young girl’s arm. “Do you want to feel what had Hughes howling?” Winry grunted as the alchemist started messing with her water balances. “The body is ninety percent water. Would you like to know what would happen to you if I took it all out?” She squatted down, leering into Winry’s face. The girl tried to stay tough but she couldn’t help quailing just a bit.
Maes kicked Cerulean, sending her sprawling. Snarling, Cerulean shook her head and picked herself up. She loomed back over him. “Do you want to die?”
“Your boss isn’t going to let you kill us, at least not yet or we’d be dead,” Maes sneered.
“Don’t be so sure. We might just like playing with our kills,” she shot back and Winry caught her breath. In spite of her bluster, Cerulean left them alone.
“Mr. Hughes, we have to help,” Winry started to say but Maes shook his head sharply. She looked into his blood shot eyes, saw the cracked lips and flaking skin left by Cerulean’s tinkering with him.
Maes’ eyes cut over to Riza, wishing he could help her but there was no way any of them stood a chance naked and bound against two State Alchemists. He turned his head away from where Kimblee was on top of Riza. Winry followed his gaze, whimpering. Maes looped his arms over her head, cuffs and all, pulling her closer. “Don’t look,” he whispered. “Don’t look.”
X X X
Kimblee and Cerulean sat along the wall on the cushions, not even looking at their captives. Kimblee still appeared a little winded from his exertions, his long hair sticking to his sweaty neck. Cerulean looked disgusted with him.
“Guess it’s about time I go deliver that ultimatum to Mustang,” Kimblee said. “Might want to add a little personal note about how sweet his girl is.” He tossed a leer Riza’s way but she didn’t even look at him.
“Pig.” Cerulean snarled. She got up and sauntered over to Riza. “Want to add a little personal note of your own, dearie? Looked like you might fancy Kimblee.” Riza found the strength to kick Regiene in the leg. The alchemist cried out, then grabbed hold of Riza, her other hand brushing over her array necklace. “Well then what do we have here?” she all but purred as she started shifting water inside of Riza. “Zolf, our feisty little prisoner seems to be pregnant.”
“Somehow I think the last thing we need is another Mustang,” Kimblee retorted.
“My thoughts exactly,” Regiene concentrated her energies and Riza shrieked, her wrists struggling hard against her bonds, blood leaking out from around them. Maes screamed an obscenity, trying to get up. He struggled to disengage from Winry.
Kimblee bowled him over, knocking Winry over as well. Kimblee caught hold of Winry. “Be good, Hughes, or the little girl goes boom.” The alchemist turned to Cerulean, shoving Winry into Maes. “I’ll leave you to make her sing, Cerulean. I’d better get going or else this note will be a little late,” Kimblee said, sailing out the door.
“Stop it,” Winry cried but her words had no power.
Maes tried to get back up and Winry helped shoulder him onto his feet. Cerulean, so intent on manipulating Riza’s body that she didn’t notice him coming at her. Maes kicked her hard in the gut, nearly unbalancing himself, knocking her aside. His belly lurched, seeing a dark redness creeping down Riza’s thighs.
“You’re going to pay for that. They might want you alive but they didn’t say anything about whole,” Regiene growled, holding her stomach.
Maes braced to receive another taste of her alchemy then got knocked off his feet as something shook the earth. Another tremor followed fast on the heels of the first strike.
“What the hell was what?” Regiene grumbled.
Maes recognized the sound from the battlefields of Ishbal. The ghost of a smile played on his face. “Your doom.”
Regiene shot him a hateful look then left the room.
“Mr. Hughes,” Winry said, managing to get up. “What’s happening?”
He nodded for Winry to come his way. “Sit with Riza, Winry. Stay with her.”
“That noise,” Winry whispered, shuddering.
“Armstrong,” Riza mumbled, startling her. Winry had thought the lieutenant was unconscious.
Maes nodded. “I remember tremors like these from Ishbal. It’s going to end now.”
Winry let out a little sob of relief, not considering that their captors might kill them rather than let them be rescued. Her bound hands managed to find Riza’s. From the paleness of Riza’s skin, Winry knew the older woman was in trouble. Winry couldn’t keep in a scream as the wall cracked and parts of it came tumbling down.
Armstrong’s head and broad shoulder poked through the hole. “They’re here, sir.” With another blow, Armstrong had the hole big enough to get through. Ed shoved past Armstrong’s bulk. If anyone else was with them, Armstrong blocked them from view. Winry couldn’t find her voice when Ed’s gaze fell on her naked body. Swimming under his stunned expression was pain and confusion. Armstrong’s face darkened. Finally, Winry blurted out, “Help Miss Hawkeye. They hurt her and the baby really bad.”
Armstrong swept into the room and scooped Riza up. “I have her, Colonel.” He turned to hustle Riza out of the room.
Al brushed past Ed who seemed frozen. Galvanized, Ed rushed in and helped his brother to pick up Winry. She let go of her control, slipping her arms around Al’s broad torso and weeping against his cold, hollow chest. Ed caught hold of her hand, unable to let go.
Maes had found his feet once more and he limped out. Breda and Falman helped him over the rubble. He saw Roy hovering near Riza who rested on a gurney outside of the ambulance the rescue team had the forethought to bring with them. “Roy, Regiene ran off just as Armstrong’s attacks began. She’s not in uniform. She’s wearing black pants and a dark green shirt. Kimblee left only a few minutes before, wearing a light grey suit. Get out the word. They might not have had time to get away.”
“Oh, why even bother to escape at all, not when I have the ability to kill you all,” Regiene said. “To hell with keeping you alive.” Hand over a fire hydrant, Regiene cracked it open. Water poured forth, flooding the street, shaping into large mallets intent on battering them with alchemy-shaped weapons.
“No way!” Ed clapped his hands forming a wall between them and the water. Unfortunately it sloshed around his barrier.
Settling Riza into the waiting ambulance, Armstrong slammed a fist into the street, knocking down Regiene, along with Ed and his wall and nearly took out Al as well as he tried to get Winry into the ambulance. The boy put Winry in the hands of the paramedics.
“It’ll take more than that to handle me, you bald idiot.” Regiene sent a watery fist crashing into Armstrong, knocking him back onto the side walk.
“Forget about him,” Roy growled, edging toward the water alchemist. “You hurt the people I care about. Now I’m going to hurt you.”
Regiene laughed, picking herself up. “You and your pathetic little flames? I’ll have them snuffed before they even reach me. And then,” she gestured and a wall of water picked up behind her with a clear shot to destroy the ambulance if she sent it hurtling forward. “I’ll crush the most impotent thing to you.”
“Edward, Alphonse, out of the street,” Roy snapped, glancing at the boys hovering at the ambulance’s side in the street.
“But she hurt Winry. I’m going to-” Ed protested, picking himself up but stopped when Mustang’s gaze knifed into him.
“Remember your promise, that’s what you’re going to do,” Roy said evenly and Al dragged his brother back onto the sidewalk just as Regiene drenched Mustang, obviously playing with him.
“And what are you going to do other than stand there soaking wet and posturing?” Regiene called mockingly.
“Just this.” Roy pulled a silver metal lighter out of his pocket as he knelt down. “Thank you for all this glorious hydrogen, Regiene.” The lighter caught on the second try and the resulting explosion deafened them all. Screams echoed inside the ambulance and from the civilians that the military hadn’t entirely been able to clear from the streets. Parts of Regiene rained down like grisly hail, leaving charred smoking greasy hunks all over the street and sidewalk.
Mustang turned and stalked toward the ambulance. Ed dragged him to a halt, looking up at the man with huge eyes. “I didn’t…how did you do that?”
“I want people to think I’m a one trick pony, Fullmetal. It makes them underestimate me. I’m capable of much more than just flames.” Roy turned and instead of going to the ambulance he went back for Hughes. He slipped an arm around the naked man and helped him over to the ambulance. “You might have to wait for the next ambulance old friend,” he added, peering inside at Riza and Winry.
Maes pulled away and felt Ed’s hand steadying him. “You get the girls to the hospital, Roy. I’ll wait. She didn’t do anything to me a little rehydrating won’t help.”
Roy managed a weak smile and he tossed Maes a blanket before settling back next to Riza in the ambulance.
Winry glanced out of the back of the ambulance. “Ed, Al, watch over Mr. Hughes. I’ll be okay.”
“We’ll do that,” Al promised her.
“We’ll meet you at the hospital,” Ed said as one of the medics slammed the door shut and the ambulance rocketed off. Ed shook hard suddenly. “Damn it…just…damn it.”
Maes clamped a hand on Ed’s shoulder. “I know, son.” He let out a long slow breath. “I need to sit before I fall.” Ed and Al helped him to a clean piece of sidewalk and Maes held out his bound hands. “Can you get me out of these?”
The boys were just relieved to have something they could do.
Shades of Grey Series #6 - Shade Mist
D M Evans
Disclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition.
Time Line - This has elements of the anime up to about #25 and definite spoilers for the manga past #38 and beyond. More manga-based than not
Rating – FRM
Summary - Riza and Roy’s life takes an unexpected turn, especially when old enemies put in an appearance
WARNING This chapter has themes of graphic violence and rape (I know perfect thing to post this week...)
Author’s Note – Thanks to
evil_little_dog for the beta. This is one story in a series but is a stand alone. This series was started long before the lovely Ishbal arc so it’s AU for the Mustang and Hawkeye history and there is no real way around that I’m afraid. Also, the Ravensdales are original characters that have small recurring roles in the series. The other stories in this series are:Roots of Violence
Ashes and Bone
Why They Call it Falling
Point of Fracture
With Silence
Previous Chapters Here
And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. - Kahlil Gibran
Chapter Seven
Riza felt miserably cold and thoroughly battered when she finally came to. Curling a hand protectively over her belly even before she opened her eyes, she was shocked to feel skin on skin. Riza pried her heavy lids open to discover she was naked and that her hands were handcuffed together. Not only had she been striped bare, but so were the other two occupants of the room, a lanky man and poor Winry. The only source of light was through the door that had a small window with thick, mesh-reinforced glass. Along one wall a couple of cushions sat and she wondered if those were for their captors to sit on and watch them. There appeared to be nothing hard or anything that could be remotely weaponized in the room.
Getting to her feet awkwardly – handcuffs were amazingly inconvenient – Riza left the tatty mat she had been tossed onto. She felt glad that her feet weren’t bound as well, not that she knew where she’d run off to. The sharpshooter staggered over to Winry to check on the girl. She seemed to be unconscious still but didn’t seem to Riza to be in any danger of dying from her injuries.
The man’s head jerked up, his yellow eyes squinting at her. Riza studied the redhead, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar and why he was important enough to kidnap. “You’re the Julien Mustang kept running around to help, aren’t you?” she asked, too angry to be embarrassed that they were all naked. She stumbled over to him.
“Sorry you got dragged into this. You have no idea how sorry.”
Riza didn’t know the accent but the voice had a familiar cadence. Her eyes flicked to the scars on the man’s torso; red, puckered, they weren’t more than a few months old then it clicked in her mind. “Oh my…Hughes?”
He nodded regretfully. “Sorry, Riza. I really am.”
“Why didn’t Roy say anything to me?” Her legs went so weak she thought she was going to fall.
“I asked him not to. I was afraid something like this would happen.” He glanced in Winry’s direction. “Is Winry all right?”
“I think so.” Riza looked over at the girl to reassure herself of that then swiveled her gaze back to him. She awkwardly touched his arm with her handcuffed hands, trying to convince herself he was real and not some figment of her imagination. “It’s so good to see you, Maes.”
“Wish you were seeing a little less of me,” he replied wryly and Riza flushed. “How are you feeling?” At her confused look, Maes added. “I know, Riza…Roy told me.” His gaze cut down towards her belly.
“I’m not surprised.” Riza wished she didn’t fear for her safety so much just now. She didn’t feel like herself but she knew her hormones were making her baby her priority and that might get them all killed.
“I never meant for you to get caught up in this. You should be somewhere being happy,” Maes said, regret coloring every word.
“We had decided I’d resign,” she whispered, closing her eyes against her pain.
“I’m so sorry, Riza.” Maes’ words barely rose above a whisper.
“This is not your fault.” She rattled her handcuffs, tugging on them, trying to slip free. “Who is behind this? Kimblee? Do you know?”
Maes shook his head. “No, he’s part of it but I think Roy’s been right all these years. I think that it’s the Cerulean Alchemist behind all of this.”
“But why?” The words were little more than curdled frustration and fury.
“I think the shapeshifter that was sent to kill me had something to do with this as well. Homunculi…I don’t think we should say more. We don’t know who’s listening,” Maes said uneasily, his eyes cutting from the door to an air vent so small even Winry wasn’t likely to get further than her elbow up into it.
Riza nodded and sat back down next to Winry. She wanted to stroke the unconscious girl’s hair but the cuffs wouldn’t allow for it. “This isn’t going to end well.”
“It…” Maes trailed off before he could make a hollow promise that it would all work out. “Roy will not stop and he won’t be alone.”
She shuddered, wanting to rub her bare arms to warm up but the cuffs wouldn’t allow for that. Riza knew Maes was right and she knew he feared the same thing she did. Without their stabilizing effects, Roy might do something wild, impulsive, dangerous. Worse, she knew that the brothers would be involved if Roy could find them. She wasn’t sure Al was experienced enough to handle both Roy and Ed once their tempers and protective natures were up. No, she was afraid this wasn’t going to end well.
A soft moan got both her and Maes’ attention. Riza looked down at the girl she sat beside and saw Winry was waking up. “Shh, rest easy, Winry,” she said, hoping she sounded comforting.
Pain danced over the girl’s face as Winry moaned again. She tried to put her hands to her head, the handcuffs smacking into her face. Winry’s eyes snapped open and winced shut again. “What happened?”
“We’ve been taken prisoner,” Riza explained as gently as she could. “We're not sure by whom.”
“Why?” Winry's eyes finally opened and the girl struggled to sit up.
“Probably because of me,” Hughes said, bitterness hardening the lines around his mouth.
Winry jerked at the sound of the man’s voice. She stared at Hughes, her eyes huge. “We're naked,” she whispered to Riza.
“They probably didn’t want to risk us escaping.” Riza decided against telling the girl that this was how psychological torture began. Winry would find out on her own all too soon.
“I don't understand,” Winry shifted, trying to hide herself a little behind Riza. The girl’s face would make rubies envious.
“You just got unlucky. It's a military...well, I don't know what to call it. They wanted me and Hughes.” Riza nodded towards Hughes who seemed to be studying the door, looking for a way out.
“But …it was you on the street. I thought it was but I didn’t know how it could be.” Winry glanced over at Hughes.
Hughes’ face softened and he managed a smile for her. “I got lucky that time.” He hid a flash of worry. “Now, we have to wait on our friends to get us out of here if we can't do it ourselves.”
“Suggestions?” Riza asked.
“Let's think on it.”
Riza knew that meant, 'no, he had no suggestions at all' but she trusted in Maes' ability to think things through. He was one of the smartest men she knew and Mustang liked to collect intelligence. They still had a chance.
X X X
“Do you think this is going to help?” Ed shoved at the paperwork on the table. “We should be out there doing something helping Armstrong.”
Roy’s eyes canted up from the report he had in hand. “I have to ask you boys something. Will you trust my judgment and follow my lead?” he asked, ignoring Ed’s tirade.
“Of course, sir. Why would you ask?” Al asked as Ed’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“And if I ask you to step aside, will you?” Roy went on, fixing the pair with his gaze
“I don’t understand,” Al said, though his tone suggested he understood all too well and wanted to be told he was wrong.
“I do. You’ll kill the kidnappers, won’t you?” Ed asked softly.
“If I have to,” Roy replied evenly. “I don’t want you boys to become killers. If it’s necessary…there is plenty of blood on my hands.” The alchemist gazed thoughtfully at his hand as thumb and finger danced slowly over one another. “More won’t hurt.”
“But…”Al sputtered.
Ed put his hand on his brother’s metal arm, the expression on his face a study in pure misery. “I don’t like it.”
“I take no joy in killing,” Roy said softly.
Al rattled as his large head dipped. Ed scowled. “No, I didn’t think you did. We won’t be in your way if it comes to that.”
The sounds of the front door banging open startled them all. Armstrong strode into the room.
“Tell me good news,” Roy demanded, reading the large man’s face. He thought he saw hope there.
“We think we might have an idea where they’re keeping the hostages,” Armstrong replied, his tone guarded and so unlike his usual self.
“Where?” Roy asked at the same time Ed cried, “Take me there!” Al caught hold of his brother’s shoulders as Ed got up.
Armstrong regarded Ed sympathetically.
“We need a plan, Edward,” Roy said. “If we go there without one and mess it up, we won’t get another chance. They’ll die.” Roy wondered if the sound of armor clanking came from Alphonse shaking or Edward rattling under his brother’s hands. Roy looked at his compatriots. “That is why we have to do this smart and I’m confident we can do that. There is not a dumb person here. I don’t want Riza, Maes or Miss Rockbell to be hurt any more than you do.”
“Then let’s do it,” Ed growled, pulling free of Alphonse and throwing himself into his chair.
XXX
Riza hadn’t thought she could have drifted off to sleep, not in this situation, but she had. She jerked awake, her eyes cutting to the door. Next to her, she could hear Maes moving. Winry made a soft sound of distress. Riza went to reach out for her, forgetting the hand cuffs until they bit sharply at her wrists. She cast about for what had awoken her and saw Kimblee and Regiene coming through the door.
“The smell of helplessness is nearly intoxicating, isn’t it Kimblee?” Cerulean eyed the prisoners.
Kimblee made a noncommittally noise. “I think it’s dangerous keeping them here,” he replied pragmatically.
“Don’t worry. It won’t be for long. Mustang should be getting the ultimatum soon and then we won’t need them any more.” Cerulean cast a glance at her prisoners, hoping to see fear. Only Winry indulged her. “Until then we can play with them as long as we see fit.” Cerulean smiled and Kimblee echoed it.
“However shall I occupy my time?” Kimblee sauntered over, touching Winry’s chin. She flinched.
“Stay away from her,” Maes growled, trying to head butt Kimblee’s leg.
“Behave,” Cerulean scolded, yanking Maes back by the hair. “Or you’ll see what I can do with water.” She stroked the silver array she wore around her neck.
Maes’ body stiffened, a groan dribbling out of his mouth. The groan quickly morphed to a scream. Riza tried to puzzle out how she could help when their captors had taken some many steps to make them all helpless.
“I can crystallize it within you or drain it out of you,” Cerulean went on over Maes’ wail.
“Stop it! You’re hurting him,” Winry cried, reaching out to Maes, her cuffs rattling.
“That, dear girl, is the whole point.” Cerulean favored Winry with a sickly smile but she let Maes go. He curled up, shaking hard. Regiene crossed over to Winry. “You’re only alive for our amusement.”
“Leave her out of this. She’s not military. She has nothing to do with it,” Riza said sharply.
“On the contrary.” Kimblee stood in front of Riza. “She’s important to Fullmetal and he’s no less dangerous than Flame. No, I think we’ll be holding onto her for a while. Speaking of holding and Flame, I bet he does a lot of holding a pretty thing like you.” Kimblee caressed Riza’s cheek. She turned her head, snapping after his fingers. Kimblee slapped her. “Do you want to see what I can do with a touch?”
“I know what you can do.” Riza refused to show any fear. She knew that eventually when he tired of her, Kimblee would kill her. In the meantime, she wouldn’t give him what he wanted.
“Let’s see what Flame finds so fascinating about you.” Kimblee grabbed Riza’s arm, dragging her kicking to the far corner.
“Leave her alone,” Winry cried, struggling to stand.
Cerulean grabbed the young girl’s arm. “Do you want to feel what had Hughes howling?” Winry grunted as the alchemist started messing with her water balances. “The body is ninety percent water. Would you like to know what would happen to you if I took it all out?” She squatted down, leering into Winry’s face. The girl tried to stay tough but she couldn’t help quailing just a bit.
Maes kicked Cerulean, sending her sprawling. Snarling, Cerulean shook her head and picked herself up. She loomed back over him. “Do you want to die?”
“Your boss isn’t going to let you kill us, at least not yet or we’d be dead,” Maes sneered.
“Don’t be so sure. We might just like playing with our kills,” she shot back and Winry caught her breath. In spite of her bluster, Cerulean left them alone.
“Mr. Hughes, we have to help,” Winry started to say but Maes shook his head sharply. She looked into his blood shot eyes, saw the cracked lips and flaking skin left by Cerulean’s tinkering with him.
Maes’ eyes cut over to Riza, wishing he could help her but there was no way any of them stood a chance naked and bound against two State Alchemists. He turned his head away from where Kimblee was on top of Riza. Winry followed his gaze, whimpering. Maes looped his arms over her head, cuffs and all, pulling her closer. “Don’t look,” he whispered. “Don’t look.”
X X X
Kimblee and Cerulean sat along the wall on the cushions, not even looking at their captives. Kimblee still appeared a little winded from his exertions, his long hair sticking to his sweaty neck. Cerulean looked disgusted with him.
“Guess it’s about time I go deliver that ultimatum to Mustang,” Kimblee said. “Might want to add a little personal note about how sweet his girl is.” He tossed a leer Riza’s way but she didn’t even look at him.
“Pig.” Cerulean snarled. She got up and sauntered over to Riza. “Want to add a little personal note of your own, dearie? Looked like you might fancy Kimblee.” Riza found the strength to kick Regiene in the leg. The alchemist cried out, then grabbed hold of Riza, her other hand brushing over her array necklace. “Well then what do we have here?” she all but purred as she started shifting water inside of Riza. “Zolf, our feisty little prisoner seems to be pregnant.”
“Somehow I think the last thing we need is another Mustang,” Kimblee retorted.
“My thoughts exactly,” Regiene concentrated her energies and Riza shrieked, her wrists struggling hard against her bonds, blood leaking out from around them. Maes screamed an obscenity, trying to get up. He struggled to disengage from Winry.
Kimblee bowled him over, knocking Winry over as well. Kimblee caught hold of Winry. “Be good, Hughes, or the little girl goes boom.” The alchemist turned to Cerulean, shoving Winry into Maes. “I’ll leave you to make her sing, Cerulean. I’d better get going or else this note will be a little late,” Kimblee said, sailing out the door.
“Stop it,” Winry cried but her words had no power.
Maes tried to get back up and Winry helped shoulder him onto his feet. Cerulean, so intent on manipulating Riza’s body that she didn’t notice him coming at her. Maes kicked her hard in the gut, nearly unbalancing himself, knocking her aside. His belly lurched, seeing a dark redness creeping down Riza’s thighs.
“You’re going to pay for that. They might want you alive but they didn’t say anything about whole,” Regiene growled, holding her stomach.
Maes braced to receive another taste of her alchemy then got knocked off his feet as something shook the earth. Another tremor followed fast on the heels of the first strike.
“What the hell was what?” Regiene grumbled.
Maes recognized the sound from the battlefields of Ishbal. The ghost of a smile played on his face. “Your doom.”
Regiene shot him a hateful look then left the room.
“Mr. Hughes,” Winry said, managing to get up. “What’s happening?”
He nodded for Winry to come his way. “Sit with Riza, Winry. Stay with her.”
“That noise,” Winry whispered, shuddering.
“Armstrong,” Riza mumbled, startling her. Winry had thought the lieutenant was unconscious.
Maes nodded. “I remember tremors like these from Ishbal. It’s going to end now.”
Winry let out a little sob of relief, not considering that their captors might kill them rather than let them be rescued. Her bound hands managed to find Riza’s. From the paleness of Riza’s skin, Winry knew the older woman was in trouble. Winry couldn’t keep in a scream as the wall cracked and parts of it came tumbling down.
Armstrong’s head and broad shoulder poked through the hole. “They’re here, sir.” With another blow, Armstrong had the hole big enough to get through. Ed shoved past Armstrong’s bulk. If anyone else was with them, Armstrong blocked them from view. Winry couldn’t find her voice when Ed’s gaze fell on her naked body. Swimming under his stunned expression was pain and confusion. Armstrong’s face darkened. Finally, Winry blurted out, “Help Miss Hawkeye. They hurt her and the baby really bad.”
Armstrong swept into the room and scooped Riza up. “I have her, Colonel.” He turned to hustle Riza out of the room.
Al brushed past Ed who seemed frozen. Galvanized, Ed rushed in and helped his brother to pick up Winry. She let go of her control, slipping her arms around Al’s broad torso and weeping against his cold, hollow chest. Ed caught hold of her hand, unable to let go.
Maes had found his feet once more and he limped out. Breda and Falman helped him over the rubble. He saw Roy hovering near Riza who rested on a gurney outside of the ambulance the rescue team had the forethought to bring with them. “Roy, Regiene ran off just as Armstrong’s attacks began. She’s not in uniform. She’s wearing black pants and a dark green shirt. Kimblee left only a few minutes before, wearing a light grey suit. Get out the word. They might not have had time to get away.”
“Oh, why even bother to escape at all, not when I have the ability to kill you all,” Regiene said. “To hell with keeping you alive.” Hand over a fire hydrant, Regiene cracked it open. Water poured forth, flooding the street, shaping into large mallets intent on battering them with alchemy-shaped weapons.
“No way!” Ed clapped his hands forming a wall between them and the water. Unfortunately it sloshed around his barrier.
Settling Riza into the waiting ambulance, Armstrong slammed a fist into the street, knocking down Regiene, along with Ed and his wall and nearly took out Al as well as he tried to get Winry into the ambulance. The boy put Winry in the hands of the paramedics.
“It’ll take more than that to handle me, you bald idiot.” Regiene sent a watery fist crashing into Armstrong, knocking him back onto the side walk.
“Forget about him,” Roy growled, edging toward the water alchemist. “You hurt the people I care about. Now I’m going to hurt you.”
Regiene laughed, picking herself up. “You and your pathetic little flames? I’ll have them snuffed before they even reach me. And then,” she gestured and a wall of water picked up behind her with a clear shot to destroy the ambulance if she sent it hurtling forward. “I’ll crush the most impotent thing to you.”
“Edward, Alphonse, out of the street,” Roy snapped, glancing at the boys hovering at the ambulance’s side in the street.
“But she hurt Winry. I’m going to-” Ed protested, picking himself up but stopped when Mustang’s gaze knifed into him.
“Remember your promise, that’s what you’re going to do,” Roy said evenly and Al dragged his brother back onto the sidewalk just as Regiene drenched Mustang, obviously playing with him.
“And what are you going to do other than stand there soaking wet and posturing?” Regiene called mockingly.
“Just this.” Roy pulled a silver metal lighter out of his pocket as he knelt down. “Thank you for all this glorious hydrogen, Regiene.” The lighter caught on the second try and the resulting explosion deafened them all. Screams echoed inside the ambulance and from the civilians that the military hadn’t entirely been able to clear from the streets. Parts of Regiene rained down like grisly hail, leaving charred smoking greasy hunks all over the street and sidewalk.
Mustang turned and stalked toward the ambulance. Ed dragged him to a halt, looking up at the man with huge eyes. “I didn’t…how did you do that?”
“I want people to think I’m a one trick pony, Fullmetal. It makes them underestimate me. I’m capable of much more than just flames.” Roy turned and instead of going to the ambulance he went back for Hughes. He slipped an arm around the naked man and helped him over to the ambulance. “You might have to wait for the next ambulance old friend,” he added, peering inside at Riza and Winry.
Maes pulled away and felt Ed’s hand steadying him. “You get the girls to the hospital, Roy. I’ll wait. She didn’t do anything to me a little rehydrating won’t help.”
Roy managed a weak smile and he tossed Maes a blanket before settling back next to Riza in the ambulance.
Winry glanced out of the back of the ambulance. “Ed, Al, watch over Mr. Hughes. I’ll be okay.”
“We’ll do that,” Al promised her.
“We’ll meet you at the hospital,” Ed said as one of the medics slammed the door shut and the ambulance rocketed off. Ed shook hard suddenly. “Damn it…just…damn it.”
Maes clamped a hand on Ed’s shoulder. “I know, son.” He let out a long slow breath. “I need to sit before I fall.” Ed and Al helped him to a clean piece of sidewalk and Maes held out his bound hands. “Can you get me out of these?”
The boys were just relieved to have something they could do.
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}