Thx for waiting

They only kept them down there for a day. After Archer had his fun, he drugged them both again. Roy woke up in his home and had gone to immediately report this to Riza. But a note on his bedside table said otherwise.

Cancel your plans in Ishbal and request immediate transfer to Eastern command. You will then receive further instructions on exactly what to do once you arrive.

Failure to do so will result in unwanted, unnecessary, and gruesome consequences. You will not need to worry about the details unless you fail to follow our exact instructions.

Enjoy

Fuck.

Fuck.

They still had Ed. They still had Ed. They still had Ed. They still had Ed.

Kimblee. Archer. Bald. Three psychopaths had an innocent young man and for what? Play games with Roy? Why?

Jesus Christ if only he had Hughes.

It was true, he could. But Mustang couldn't let that happen. He was sure they would use Edward against him. People were very aware that Roy cared deeply for Edward, but he never thought… Nobody could… Ed wouldn't…

Roy shook his head and stood. The note still laid in his palm.

Archer was in control of his men. Not Kimblee, nobody could control that freak, but Kimblee acted on self-interest, and if Archer was prosecuted, there would be nothing for Kimblee to gain. They were all in line, pushing their leader up from below. They couldn't hurt Ed if their leader didn't give them the order. And if Roy knew anything about this man, this was an empty threat so elaborate he wouldn't even need to touch his hostage for anyone to submit to his demands. Archer needed Ed alive for his plan to have any traction.

His thoughts rewound to last night. Ed's face contorted in pain. He used all of his will power to make no noise, Roy could tell.

Kimblee stamped on Ed's face again. Bruises already littered his pale face, just turning purple. Roy was yelling something incoherent to get him to stop. He almost lost his stability a few times.

"Kimblee, stop," Roy ordered in his most authoritative tone.

"Oh come on, Roy," Ed grunted. "'kind 'f like it… Kind 'f one 'f those life ch'ngin' experienes."

"Yeah, Mustang. It's a real productive exercise for the growing mind. Experience makes you wiser, so what's the harm if he likes it?" Kimblee noted before smashing Edward's face into the ground again.

Ed was stalling. Roy knew it. He was diverting the attack onto himself so Roy wouldn't get hurt. They had been going through a battle of bad-mouthing their enemies for almost an hour. The only exception is when Ed passed out for a few moments before being awakened once again by some demented wake-up call or his own willpower just to spite them because he's an idiot.

His left hand was still bound to the post, but his face was now mashed into the ground, bloody and bruised. Roy wondered if his shoulder was dislocated to get into that position.

"And you have so much experience and wisdom. It's unfathomable the knowledge you must have after being stuck in a cell for years in solitary with no human contact but the guards. How did that make you feel? Slowly going mad at the hands of the military you served?"

That got Kimblee's attention. He turned on his heel towards Mustang, making Ed moan in relief, strode and squatted at eye level to Roy.

"It felt wonderful."

If Mustang knew anything, it would be that anybody would break at the hands of a madman like Kimblee.

Good thing Ed wasn't anybody.

No, Mustang wouldn't play their games. Rule #1 of military: don't bargain with terrorists. But if he wanted to know anything about where Ed was, where they are, he needed to see what Archer's plan was. His motive. Investigations will need all the help they can get with an experienced criminal on the loose with a high profile alchemist in their grasp.

Ed was strong enough to deal with torture. As long as Ed was breathing, he could do this. He could have his rightful military status and Ed. He just had to play his game right. He could do this.

He had this under control.

After showering, Mustang strode into work. He informed Riza that Ed was missing. She didn't ask him anything else after he neglected to answer her expectant stare.

He continued his routine throughout the day, making sure he kept too busy to worry about Ed. After this test, he would contact Investigations and report everything that happened last night. Roy had plenty of credibility to make those bastards go away for a long long time.

But for now, he had plans in Ishbal to take care of. He had it under control.

Ed woke with a little less ease than Mustang. His head felt filled with cotton and the world spun around him. He wondered if they dosed him with the same amount as Mustang even though he was smaller. His mouth was filled with a chemical metallic tang that made him wince.

He heard a phone ringing faintly in the distance. Someone was answering it. It was dark in the room he was in. And colder than what he remembered of the power room. Much colder. He shivered where he stood and noticed his teeth chattering, putting a stop to it.

The voice was more clear now. Still muffled from being on the other side of the wall or doorway (Ed couldn't see very well in the darkness), but he could distinctly make out Archer's voice.

"...telling me that he didn't follow our instructions? Sir, does that mean… the boy?... Kimblee do it?... no... like the Fullmetal Alchemist… yes… yes sir… alright, General. Goodbye." He hung up and Edward hear footsteps clicking toward him. The door opened and shed light into the room. Ed gasped quietly and shut his eyes tight until the door thunked closed against something wood-sounding. A switch was flicked and overhead lights came on. Ed opened his eyes slowly and saw Archer standing by the light switch.

He was in a meat locker, dangling from a meat hook by his cuffed wrists. Like a fucking animal. He almost snarled but decided that would be a little too conventional. He instead just silently glared at the figure on the other side of the room.

It didn't really work out with his teeth chattering so bad. The cold explained why his automail port ached so bad. Not to mention how the cold from his arm seeping into the rest of his body. Wait… his arm?

Edward looked up and low and behold: automail right arm very much there. He immediately clapped, already mentally deconstructing the metal chain and planning his escape.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Archer chuckled, walking towards him. He looked as he always did. Steely, half-metal. He had a screwdriver sticking out of his belt loop, but other than that he looked like a polished professional ready to torture a little kid.

Edward ignored him and gripped the chain with both hands. He was blasted by what he estimated as 70 milliamps from the chain with force that rattled his teeth and stopped his breathing cold. His whole body jerked and went taut. Ed's entire frame lit up bright neon fuchsia. His whole body was electrified with sharp twinges of shocks and his hands and muscles were glued to the chain. The electricity left him, ironically, shocked for lack of a better word.

Archer's lips cricked up.

Ed couldn't do anything to wipe that sick grin off his face. He used all of his concentration to cut off his alchemical powers, a sickening wail shredding through his throat.

The electricity was cut off and Ed's lungs filled with a gasp. The light was immediately diminished

It warmed him up but was probably the fourth most painful thing he had ever experienced.

"I did warn you, Fullmetal. That was a beautiful sound by the way."

"Wha- what the fuck did you give me?" he questioned, voice straining and jittery body twitching violently.

"Nothing to you. This whole room is alchemy proofed. Any energy put into a transmutation is rebounded back onto the alchemist," Archer explained. "I'm actually glad you tried it. Kind of a... rush don't you think?"

"Yeah, you don't get that rush feeling a lot, do ya? Must be a successful person thing."

"Oh, don't be like that, Ed. You're at my mercy, remember?" Ed glared. Archer moseyed closer to him. "That's actually why I came down here."

"Oh, yeah? For me to be utterly at your mercy?"

"Yes. The plan for you, Edward Elric, is nothing short of gruesome. Our orders failed to be followed and that is not good news for you."

Ed stared at him head on with golden irises against blue ones, fire versus ice.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Let's just say that your little dog did not obey his master."

"Oh, and who's that? It can't possibly be you, is it? The master? Actually, as far as I could hear, you are the little puppy peeing on the rug, aren't you Frank?"

Archer's eyes widened and he broke off their eye contact, preferring his tailored boots instead.

Fullmetal: 1

Bad Guys: 0

"You heard that through a steel door?" Archer pondered.

"What can I say, I'm a prodigy." Ed shrugged. "You don't really want to do this, do you Frank?"

Archer looked back up, amused this time. He laughed. It made Ed cringe inwardly and look slightly perturbed.

When Archer was done going completely insane (as if he wasn't already in Ed's opinion) his gaze flicked back up and held strong with Ed's. "Oh no, this is nothing personal, but I don't mind enough about harming you to be at all put off by the fact that I'm doing this for a significant amount of pay. Much more than anything you make in the Military."

"You sick bastard," Edward snarled.

"What can I say?" Archer winked. "I'm a prodigy."

Fullmetal: 1

Bad Guys: 1

But not for long. As soon as Archer turned around, Ed pulled himself up and kicked Archer's screwdriver out of his belt loop and, with many years of practice (from kicking both alternate Alphonse and Winry tools), kicked it up and caught it with his mouth. Archer spun around and tried to dodge Ed's swift kick to the stomach, but he was too late and fell to the floor. Ed took his opportunity, shoved the screwdriver in one of the links in his cuffs and through a small hole in the hook that held them, and pulled. It wouldn't give so he desperately pulled himself up, his muscles battling between twitchy from alchemy and dysfunctional from drugs. He hauled himself up all the way and then inching his feet onto the hook, stepping on the screwdriver.

Fullmetal: 2

Bad Guys: 1

Like a flash, the cuffs snapped and Ed landed solid with a catlike dodge out of Archer's attack. He was back up and in pursuit. Ed scrambled to the door, his frigid breath puffing in the air as he pushed the frozen metal open. Archer had propped it open with a wooden block. Ed jumped over it and scrambled up a narrow staircase just in front of him. It creaked under his raging steps but Ed didn't notice. He could hear it raining just outside.

To the left. He sped down a brick hallway with high windows. Too high to climb to. He kept running as the rain got louder and louder with his echoing steps. He could hear Archer almost on top of him and his aching body didn't help with that. He took a hard right at the next turn and could see the exit. There was no door, just an arching brick frame leading to dreary, wet, Amestrian freedom about twenty feet ahead.

But before he could taste the wet on his frozen lips, a blue uniform towered over him. Archer stopped somewhere behind him. Ed had already put the pieces together before he even looked up. Mustang would just never shut up about how it was him versus Hakuro to be in Grumman's favor.

"Hakuro," Ed panted. "Should have... known." Then, to his own embarrassment, his adrenaline worn off, Edward passed out right on the bricks. This was why Ed HATED drugs.

Final Tally:

Sass mouth: 1 point

Almost escape: 1 point

Archer Sass mouth: 1 point

Drugs: 1 point

Fucking Hakuro: 1 point

Fullmetal: 2

Bad Guys: Fuck it, it's over.

Sorry for the wait hahaaaa. Thank you for the reviews! ya'll are what kept me going on this story. Everyone, round of applause for them. They are the reason you arent getting this a month from now instead of rn.

D..do... do u see how.. do you see where... do.. duh.. do U SeE whERE THis IS goING?

Me neither bye.

Hope you enjoy this, and if there is anything fishy, dont hesitate to let me know!

Chapter 4: A Convenient Mistake