Chapter Text
Normally, when Mustang kicked Ed out of the office with a warning to not come back for the rest of the day, Ed would take that as a sign to fuck off and enjoy his free time researching, sleeping, or doing anything leisure oriented that he could not get away with on the field. Today though, as his aching joints so graciously reminded him, was more than likely the last day of clear sky before a heavy rain. As such, instead of lounging in bed with a book to read, Edward was making a reluctant retreat back to headquarters with a shoddily done report.
“I don’t care if it’s not up to code,” Ed mumbles to himself, “he can get all he needs from my witness statement.”
Ed wasn’t entirely looking forward to the witness statement either, though he took a small bit of satisfaction that he wasn’t the officer under scrutiny this time. It was just that a house call, even without any necessary transportation, would be a pain to report during the stormy weather. Ed wasn’t in the mood to recall schematics whilst feeling the phantom ripping of his bones from their limbs.
Even before he reached the office, however, there was a noticeable tension in the air. There were guards stationed in the hallway instead of patrolling like usual, bodies stiff like they’d just seen the Fuhrer pass by.
Ed turned to the nearest one, a more robust, black-haired man seemingly getting older in the years. “What’s going on?” he asked. It was strange to see so many soldiers on the lower floors. Stained at the doors of colonels and generals sure, but in the hall to the breakroom? That was unheard of.
“There’s been a break in, sir. Not quite sure what was taken or when, but we’ve been ordered to station guards at every corner.”
“But everything was fine this morning?”
The man shrugged. “Could’ve been fine this morning. Something could’ve happened now. All I know is that a lil’ over an hour ago we were ordered to our posts and here we are now.”
Ed rolled the information over in his head. He had left the office a little over two hours prior, and hastily finished his report. Whatever had happened had happened in the small window that he’d been gone. Or it had somehow taken place while he was here, though it seemed unlikely unless the perpetrator hadn’t been caught. Then again, given the guard’s information, there was actually a non-zero chance that whoever had broken in had gotten away.
“Who did it? What did they steal?” Ed prodded.
There was a sigh. “I think you’re going to have to ask someone a little higher up in the chain than me, sir. I know nothing except what I told you.”
“Oh. I see, thanks then.”
A dead end. Ed gave a short nod as he walked past.
While he was here, he might as well interrogate Mustang anyways. The bastard was always poking his head in everyone’s business. He was sure to know something.
The rest of the walk up to the office was similarly filled with an overwhelming amount of blue coats. Some Ed recognized, but a lot more were unfamiliar. The break in must be a big deal – to warrant a response of this magnitude.
As he drew closer to the office, Ed could hear the muffled sounds of Mustang’s team working - his team too, technically, but he seldom got put on missions with any of the members.
There were familiar officers posted on the outside of the rich wood doors - Kowolski and Schwortz - though they normally stood guard on Tuesdays, and it was a Thursday. They recognized him instantly, and shuffled to the side to let him pass. It was nagging at Edward’s mind though, that they were here on a Thursday. Especially Schwortz, since Thursdays through Sundays were her days with her kids, and she never missed them.
“-insane. Elric toes the line at times, but he wouldn’t jeopardize his career for something like this.”
Mustang was gesturing wildly, talking to another man Ed hadn’t seen before; tall, tanned, and with arms crossed in a universal stance of anger.
“Am I interrupting something?” Edward spoke before his mind caught up to the fact that they were talking about him, but the two men quickly redirected their stares to the blonde and Ed felt his hackles raise instinctively. Much flatter, he added, “It’s okay if I am, though, since I seem to be the subject of discussion.”
The colonel began to raise his hands placatingly. “Fullmetal-”
“Elric,” the stranger interrupted, “just the man I’m looking for.”
“What do you want?” At Ed’s cool tone, Mustang aborted his half completed movement with a grimace. “...sir.”
“You’ve been looking into other state alchemists’ works for a while now, yes?”
Ed looked to Mustang for direction, but the colonel just nodded towards the stranger.
“A couple months now, yes.”
“And why is that?”
“There’s just a lot to go through, and scheduling interviews is time consuming-”
“Why are you looking into state alchemists?”
“My own research has reached a dead end. I was hoping they could get me out of my slump.” Ed hoped that the answer was satisfactory, it got a little tricky trying to explain around his quest for a philosopher’s stone without giving away exactly why he needed it.
“And who exactly are you looking into?”
“The Life-Blood Alchemist, the Bone-Spinning Alchemist, the Chrono alchemist - a lot more, most of it medical in nature - did I do something wrong?”
The frowning stranger - Ed would call him Frowny from now on - rolled his eyes. “The Flash-friction alchemist and the Cloudburst alchemist, do they sound familiar?”
It was Ed’s turn to frown. “I know of them, but I don’t see how that has anything to do with me?”
“That’s funny, because Life-Blood, Bone-Spinning, every alchemist you just mentioned, Cloudburst and Flash-friction - all of their files went missing this morning. Can you tell me why your research subjects’ files went missing along with some of our strongest field alchemists?”
The colonel stepped in front of Ed. “Lieutenant Colonel Bradford, you’re neglecting to mention that both mine and Fullmetals’s files are missing, as well as all the remaining alchemists associated with Eastern Command. That Elric happened to be looking into our esteemed medical alchemists recently is nothing more than a small coincidence.”
Frowny scoffed, “And what’s that he’s holding?”
That brought attention to his mission report, long since forgotten in his hands. “It’s from the mine inspection,” Ed said. “It’s going to rain tomorrow, so…” He let the statement trail off. Mustang understood easily enough. Frowny didn’t, but the hostility seemed to fizzle out.
“Country folk and their superstitions. Very well, I can see that you’re only going to rebuke my suspicions. I’ll leave the investigation to intelligence; they’ll see that the perpetrator won’t escape justice.” The man saluted the colonel and took his leave, steps thundering behind him.
Once Frowny’s footsteps faded from earshot, Ed turned to Mustang, “What was that about?”
The colonel glared at him, though it lacked bite. “I thought I told you to go home for the day.” Before Ed could speak, Mustang continued, “That was Lieutenant Colonel Bradford. I’m not sure of his relation to the Flash-Friction alchemist, but Cloudburst is his niece. Her file going missing must have spooked him badly enough to act irrationally.”
“And that’s another thing. What’s this about missing files? I know there was a break in, but that’s all anyone seems to know.”
Mustang set his shoulders. “Edward, what I’m about to tell you does not leave this room, understand?”
Ed nodded, the unusual tone of seriousness from his superior so much different from their common banter.
“Earlier today, it was discovered that a bunch of classified files from Eastern Command are missing. They’re all on the East’s state alchemists. Do you understand the severity of this?”
Ed did. Those files would not only have their certifications and research, but it would also have their locations, combat abilities, and medical records - all things that could jeopardize the safety of whichever alchemist was written down in the contents should the information be placed in the wrong hands.
“Good,” Mustang continued, “We don’t know exactly where the files are or if there even was a break-in. They could have been misplaced for all we know. Unfortunately, we don’t have the privilege of treating that as a possibility. Until those files are found, we’ll be running an ongoing investigation where anyone could be a culprit. There’s going to be increased security for the foreseeable future.”
Ed grimaced. An increase in security meant that the rules and regulations he could have gotten away with ignoring would now be enforced.
“Do I have to wear the uniform then?”
The colonel cracked a smile. “I don’t think that they make uniforms in your size-”
“Hey! Who’re-”
“But there are going to be some changes that you won’t like.”
Ed sighed, choosing a nearby chair to slump in and brace himself for the news. “Of course. Lay it on me, then.”
“For one, no missions out of East City.”
Ed shot up. “But my automail-”
“We can transport your mechanic here.”
“And my research-”
Mustang patted him on the back. “This might actually be one of the few things that you’ll like. Every state alchemist in the area is ordered to report back and stay stationary. There’ll be plenty of time for you to interview other alchemists while you’re stuck here.”
Shrugging Mustang’s hand off his shoulder Edward leaned back in his chair. “I’ve already interviewed most alchemists in the east. I want to head south. “
“:You’ll have to live with calling them up for a round two then.” Upon hearing Edward’s groan, Mustang ruffled his hair. “If there’s one thing I can guarantee, it’s that everyone will be going as stir crazy as you. Give it enough time and they’ll start spilling a lot more of their secrets just to pick someone else’s brain apart. Equivalent exchange.”
“Why do I get the feeling that there’s more?”
The hand left his head, leaving a mess behind that Ed quickly went to work fixing.
“There is. Though, trust me when I say that I’m upset about this too.”
Ed glared suspiciously.
“Because this is such a big security breach, Central feels that there are certain things that need to be kept a secret from the common military. You have a right to know what’s going on because this matter concerns you, and the lieutenant colonel because of his ranking. But as far as most soldiers are concerned, they are having a temporary shift in duties.”
“So that’s why the team…”
Mustang nodded. “Yes, that’s why Hawkeye and the others aren’t here. I sent them away as soon as Bradford walked in.”
“But why would this concern me? It sucks that we have to keep them in the dark, but I usually work alone.”
Mustang sat down at his desk, hands pressed against his face whilst staring down at Ed. The focus sent a shiver running up his spine. His body language reeked of someone delivering bad news. Trepidation filled the room.
“Not anymore.”
“What?”
“You won’t be working alone anymore. As one of the alchemists whose files are missing, you’ll be assigned a guard. At least 2 soldiers will be tailing you to work and home. You live in the dorms, so there’s no need to post a guard there, but you’ll still be followed anywhere else.”
Ed could feel his lips curling in distaste.
“But since the investigation is still ongoing, and there’s no evidence of forced entry, we have to assume that the robbery was internal. HQ has ruled out the higher ups and the alchemists as extreme risks, but the common soldier is much less interconnected to the prosperity of our government. It’s highly likely that our subject was at least wearing a uniform, if not actually enlisted as a soldier.”
“So then why have a guard at all?”
“Because it won’t just be a guard. It’ll also be me. Our positions as state alchemists, especially as probable targets of a near-distant attack, make the safety of our persons the number one priority during the next few weeks. We’re grouped into pairs in order to watch each others’ backs. That means wherever I go, you go, and wherever you go, I go. For as long as this investigation remains ongoing, you and I are attached at the hip. And trust me, I am just as unhappy about this as you are.”