Soldier Keep On Marching On

Briggs

Bring me out
Come and find me in the dark now
Everyday by myself I'm breaking down
I don't wanna fight alone anymore
Bring me out
From the prison of my own pride
My God I need a hope I can't deny
In the end I'm realizing
I was never meant to fight on my own

**********

Aiden spent her time at Briggs asking the regular questions to the soldiers for more information on General Raven's disappearance. There were three common answers; 'I never came in contact with the General' was the most common, followed by 'I wasn't aware he was here', and then a reluctant 'General Armstrong was with him a lot'. Those answers, among others, kept her walking in circles around the fort. In her haste to complete the case, she completely forgot about Kimblee until she bumped into him.

Aiden had been walking down a hallway, reading the notes that got her nowhere and dodging the odd soldier when she glanced up long enough to see a figure in white. She almost tripped in shock but righted herself immediately. Black hair, cold blue eyes, smirk, clothed in white.

"Ah shit," Aiden cursed. There was no way to avoid him so she stopped walking and closed her folder.

Kimblee paused and grinned down at her. "Well, well, long time no see Sergeant Wilson. Although I guess that rank has long since passed, Lieutenant Colonel," he jeered.

"Kimblee. And here I was hoping I'd never have to see your face again. Tragic day, this is."

"I see you haven't lost any of your bite since the war. No love for an old war buddy?"

"Kimblee," Aiden said sweetly, "the day I show any sort of affection for you is the day Hell freezes over."

The man grinned and leaned against the wall. "Tell me, how's the search for General Raven going? I'm sure it's a tough case."

Aiden raised an eyebrow at the jab but ultimately ignored it and handed him the case file to look over. "I've handled worse, thanks. So far all I've got are seventy-two soldiers all saying the same thing and it's getting me nowhere. I've been going in circles trying to locate General Armstrong to get her statement but as you can see..." she gestured vaguely to the area around them where the General was obviously absent. "If I don't finish this by noon I'll have to file the case as inconclusive and be sent back to Central while the Northern team takes over."

Kimblee glanced between her and the folder several times as she spoke before handing it back. "Sounds like a conundrum. Here's an idea, come with me and we'll talk to the Fullmetal Alchemist and you can ask your questions if you think he has an answer."

Her thoughts strayed back to a conversation she'd had over the phone just earlier that day. Getting close to the brothers would be beneficial to pass on the word. She sighed heavily and nodded. "Lead the way then."

Aiden followed Kimblee at a distance as they made their way across the fort. Two soldiers joined them and she knew immediately that they weren't the native Briggs soldiers. The biggest clue was that the Northern soldiers saluted them, and she knew they rarely ever did so with their own men aside from the General, Buccaneer, Miles, and a few others. They relied on one another too much for such formalities.

The two entered a room and Kimblee's men stayed outside. Aiden's eyes drifted to the golden-haired teen who looked surprised to see her. Kimblee offered her the second and only chair left in the room at the table but she declined in favor of standing off to the side. There may have also been a part of her that wanted to be as uncooperative with him as possible.

"Lieutenant Colonel? What are you doing here?" Ed questioned.

Kimblee interrupted her before she could answer. "We'll get to that in a moment. For now, I'm here to tell you that we have a job for you."