The Price of Life [Fullmetal Alchemist]

Chapter Twenty Seven

Burn

•••

"She and the Second Lieutenant went this way! C'mon Al!" Edward pulled his brother along into the forking alleyways. They skidded to a stop when they got lost, but once a fire engulfed the sides of some buildings, Ed and Al didn't hesitate to dash in that same direction, their minds racing of endless possibilities.

The smell of a burnt human corpse was prominent even before Ed stepped foot in the alley. He covered his mouth and nose with a gloved hand as he stepped up to the body, Mustang behind it, looking down as the flames danced around the flesh. As Alphonse saw it, he gasped out of habit, not necessity, covering his face with a giant hand.

"What is this Colonel?" Ed demanded, a clenched fist at his side. "Who is this? Where is Lieutenant Ross and Sonia?"

Roy remained quiet, only going to crouch down next to the fire he created. It was no use for him to try to cover his nose of the stench; on most days that was all he could ever smell.

Edward couldn't stand it. The anger was immediate to him as he grabbed the collar of his superior's shirt and brought him up to his eye level.

"Are you going to answer me, Mustang?!"

His rage came fast through him fast, his fist reeling back then landing right on the young alchemist's face. He tumbled to the ground in a grunt, shock apparent on his face. His brother made a sound of surprise as well, helping him up quickly.

"It would do you well to not question your superiors," the colonel mentioned cooly as he fixed his shirt collar.

"Mustang, you have got a hell of a nerve to remind me of this right now! Now tell me everything! Tell me, why was Hughes murdered? Why didn't you say anything?! And where is Sonia?! And the Second Lieutenant?! And, this?!" Edward pointed to the charred corpse in front of their feet.

"This is none of your concern, Fullmetal!" he roared, his frustration peaking. He cleared his throat and looks away. "It was wrong of me to hide Maes' death, but it is not your place to question authority. You are a mere soldier. And as for the killer Maria Ross..." He gazes to the corpse just as Edward does as well. He steps back in disgust, and then looks to Mustang with the same expression.

"You.." he's speechless, and Alphonse is silent as well as his brother tries to find the words, but all he can get out is, "..sick bastard."

The colonel doesn't look effected at all.

"And.. And Sonia?" Al asks quietly.

"Gone."

Before either of the young alchemists can ask, military men surround the three in the alley. Questions are shot at Mustang from them all, and all he can reply with is, "The orders were shoot to kill. I followed them as they were given."

Ed and Al were taken from the scene minutes after, with the smell lingering on their clothes as they left.

•••

"It's a shame what you've done: killing such a young woman. A beautiful one, at that." Dr. Knox leans over the examining table. "Sure enough, by dental records, this is Maria Ross."

Ed and Al's hearts dropped. They had the smidge of hope that Mustang was not so cruel, and yet the second lieutenant was dead, all because of him.

Dr. Knox shakes his head. "Truly a shame."

The colonel says nothing to his remark, and keeps his head low.

•••

The brothers return to the hotel late. When Winry asks where Sonia is, Edward's reply is the same as Mustang's.

"Gone."

Whatever that was supposed to mean.

Ed and Al lay in their room, quiet, but their thoughts the exact opposite.

Until loud footsteps echo through the hallway in front of their room... then get louder and louder before the shadow of a figure is under the slit of the door.

"Who is it?" Edward calls carelessly, but then the door bursts open, revealing the rambunctious Major Armstrong.

"Edward Elric!!!" he shouts, scaring them both so that they sit up. Al's helmet practically hits the ceiling.

"What?!" Ed screams back, holding his hands up in surrender.

Effortlessly, Armstrong picks the small alchemist up and declares, "We must go to Resembool immediately!!!"

Alphonse is about to butt in, but he adds, "ALONE!!!!"

And with that, the two leave, much without Ed's consent.

But, it's not like he can do much.