Ed cracked his back and refocused his eyes, moving his book another inch closer to his face. It was far past midnight, yet he refused to return to the dorm until he got some sort of information. Frankly, he was driving himself mad searching for answers.

It had started immediately after he returned from the Fifth Lab, with the truth about Philosopher's Stones lying heavy in the forefront of his mind. He hadn't told Al, not yet at least. After their fight, Ed worried Al's stress would skyrocket with the addition of anything else. Hopefully he and Winry were having a relaxing talk in their room, serving as a distraction from the week's events.

Ed had decided to postpone their plans to visit Dublith. Besides the fact that their Teacher could be horrifying at any given moment, he needed to have some solace before continuing his quest.

If the Fifth Lab had prompted his suspicion, the revelation about Liore only furthered his need for the truth. He knew it was partially his fault, but there was just no way a community could jump from peace to war in such a short time span.

Ed hadn't told anyone his doubts. As a member of the military, doing so would be suicide.

Out of desperation and his usual amount of recklessness, Ed holed himself away in Central Library, looking for military scandals of any form to assist in his quarry. So far, he was getting nowhere.

"Damn!" He slammed his book shut and rubbed his eyes again, groaning weakly in the back of his throat.

"Woah there kiddo, don't wanna wake up all of Amestris now, do you?" Ed practically jumped out of his seat in surprise, toppling over under the gaze of Maes Hughes.

"What'd you do that for?!" He straightened himself back up, brushing off stray papers and books that had fallen on top of him. Lieutenant Colonel Hughes was never very proper in his greetings, which also meant he had an apt ability for scaring the shit out of anyone who wasn't prepared.

Hughes' playful demeanor shifted, and he crouched down so only Ed would be able to hear him. "I came to ask you about something. Liore, to be more specific."

Ed blinked. Now, that was unexpected. He'd expect Mustang to notice a correlation, but Hughes? "You noticed it too, right? The connection with circle I showed you…"

"Yes, and I think it can be traced back to even before Ishval." Maes stiffened. "I admit I know next to nothing about alchemy, but hearing it from you just proves my suspicions."

Ed sat up even straighter in his seat. If the military had been planning, even organizing these events… that would mean the entire government was corrupt. Ishval and the Homunculi, everything was connected from the inside. His throat tightened at the realization. Ever since he enlisted he had been contributing to their plans, causing who knows what just so they could accomplish their goals.

"Find me a map, I think there may be even more than we're thinking." Ed leapt from his chair and grabbed a pen, pushing everything off a nearby study table.

"I don't know if it's such a good idea for you to be involved in this, Ed. The wrong people could find out." Hughes glanced around warily, eyeing the front doors with suspicion.

"So you just want me to ignore it?!"

"Of course not. For now, at least, you should leave this to me. Get back to Al and rest; you boys definitely need it."

Ed crossed his arms in defiance and walked a step closer, standing his ground. "No. I got myself into this, and you already know I'll find out one way or another, whether you help or not." There was no way in hell he'd walk away from this now, even if he had to be dragged out by his ankles.

Hughes sighed, seemingly at a loss for how to respond, and Ed felt the relief wash over him.

"All right, but this is strictly confidential. I'd hate imagining what would happen to you if word got out that you were behind this."

"Deal," Ed nodded.

Hughes instantly left to fetch a map, and Ed settled himself in front of the table, trying his best to look discreet.

This had something to do with Philosopher's Stones, he knew it. With human souls as ingredients, it wasn't far-fetched that the military would go to great lengths just to create them; sacrificing villages was just a stepping stone for them.

Ed shivered at the thought. He really wished Hughes would move faster.

As if hearing his thoughts, the Lieutenant Colonel returned with a table-sized map of Amestris and a tome of Amestrian history.

Ed stood on his tiptoes and surveyed the map, uncapping his pen and circling Liore. Hughes gave him a look and he knew he was defacing government property, but frankly, he didn't give a damn.

"List off the other major military battles in Amestris, ones where a lot of people died," he said, still focusing on the parchment. Amestris was a circle, and if what he was thinking was true, this would be very bad.

"There's Pendleton and Fotset, and of course Ishval," Hughes stared at the map as fervently as Ed, a look of understanding washing over his face as each city was circled. "South City, Wellesley, Fiske, and Cameron." He looked back down at his book, checking the dates and locations of each military skirmish.

His theory was right. The cities were laid out in a circle, expanding across the entirety of Amestris.

"And the last one; Riviere." Hughes' voice was low enough to be a whisper. He saw it too. "The first known conflict, dating back to when Amestris was founded."

Ed rapidly connected the circles, already knowing what they'd create. With one missing area in the North, it all matched up to the circle he saw in the Fifth Lab. The circle used for sacrifice.

"Shit…" Ed breathed, looking over and seeing Hughes as horrified as he was. Knowledge of alchemy wasn't necessary to understand how horrible this revelation was. Not only were there planned battles in Amestris, but someone was planning on sacrificing the entire country. With that many souls, the stone resulting from the transmutation would have power beyond his comprehension. The power of a god, most likely.

"I…I need to tell the Colonel." Ed collected his things and moved for the door, not even bothering to wait for Hughes. He didn't care how much of an ass Mustang was, this was beyond his control, and he needed someone to know what the military was behind. The Colonel could very well be useless, but he was high enough up to make some sort of difference. The bastard wanted to be Fuhrer, after all.

"Wait, Ed!" Hughes called behind him, but he was too far out the door to turn back.

Maes gritted his teeth and watched as Ed ran out of the library. So much for not telling anyone, he thought.

He could hardly blame the boy, though. If he hadn't left first, he would've called Roy immediately. They had just uncovered the most horrific secret was buried under years of military cover ups, and he had no clue what to do about it. How could he, when he didn't even know who was responsible? No one person could have held onto such an intricate plan from Amestris' initial foundation. This had been going on for centuries.

He couldn't just stand there and gawk. Ed could be in danger, and there was no way he'd leave him running around the city so late at night.

Before he could move to chase after him, he was stopped by a woman. Though her appearance was ordinary, with a simple dress and shawl, her sneer proved otherwise. She had stepped out from the shadows as if she had been a part of them, covering any semblance of an exit he had left.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Lieutenant Colonel," she warned, lifting a hand against him. He had never seen her before in his life, but beyond the extravagant exterior, he immediately noticed her tattoo. He vividly remembered Ed drawing the same symbol when recounting his time in the Fifth Lab, and he knew it meant nothing good. This woman was a homunculus.

"Nice tattoo," he commented, drawing a knife from his belt. This was bad, very bad. If they had been heard, Ed could very well have been followed too. He had to get to him, and fast.

"That's the last thing you say before dying? What a pity," she tsked, fingers extending into long, thin claws.

Maes didn't hesitate in throwing his knife, landing it directly between her eyes with a wet squelch. Almost instantaneously, he felt a sharp pang in his gut, like his breath had been stolen from him. Her fingers retracted before he could even look down, but he didn't have to see the wound to know he was bleeding heavily.

His surroundings swirled before him and he caught himself on the nearby table. No, he would not let her take him down so easily. He had to get to Ed.

Clutching his throbbing stomach, Maes stumbled out of the library, gripping the wall to stay upright. With every step he took, his vision blurred more, disorienting his motion so intensely he couldn't even tell which way was up.

But he had to get to Ed.

Maes stepped forward again, following the faint glow of the streetlight ahead of him. He could see the red outline of the phonebooth now, which meant he was so close.

Again, he forced his leg forward, groaning as he fell onto his side. Black spots dotted his vision until he couldn't see a thing; limp hand dropping in defeat.

He had to get to Ed.

Ed's fingers trembled as he spun the dial of the telephone. What if it was too late? What if he wouldn't be able to do anything?

He held his breath until the operator picked up, and made no haste in trying to advance his call.

"Connect me to Colonel Mustang at Central Headquarters, this is an emergency!" he could hear his own heartbeat in his ears as he waited for the operator to respond. Why was he so freaked out? It wasn't as if he was being chased, yet there was a bad feeling he just couldn't manage to shake off.

"Sir, this is a public line, we can't connect you to the military unless you have a verified code."

Ed cursed under his breath, trying to remember any portion of his emergency code. Of course he had left all his info in the room. Just perfect.

"I-I don't have it! This is the Fullmetal Alchemist, and you need to connect me this instant! You can verify it later or even ask the Colonel yourself, I don't care! Just connect me." Perhaps it was the fear in his voice, or even his commanding tone, but without another word from the operator the phone began ringing.

"Colonel Mustang."

Ed's heart skipped a beat. "Colonel, you need to listen to me. The military, they're-" his voice caught in his throat as he heard footsteps approach from behind. Clanking footsteps, to be exact. Just like armor.

He turned slowly, telephone still gripped tightly in his automail hand.

"Ed, what are you doing?"

"Al? Why are you out of the…" Ed's voice trailed off as he looked over his brother. Maybe he was paranoid, but everything within him was screaming that this was not right.

"You're not Al," he snarled, dropping the phone in order to meet his hands together, forming a blade out of his automail.

"What are you talking about, brother? I think you need to get back and rest…" Al reached out to grab for him and Ed swung his arm back. This had to be one of those Homunculi… one of their tricks. He knew he must've been sounding crazy even to himself, but whenever Al was around, he could just feel the thrum of his soul. Ed was with him long enough to know that every mannerism, every dent and scratch, and every shift in body language told him this was not his brother.

As Ed swung his blade forward "Al" glowed a brilliant red, morphing into the shape of none other than Winry Rockbell. She was crying again, quivering hands wrapped around the grip of a pistol that was directed straight at him.

His arm froze in place as if pulled by an invisible bond. Just what was this thing? How did it know about Winry? Ed stared into the barrel of the gun, not able to shift even an inch. It was as if he was frozen staring into those watery blue eyes; lost in the pain and the anguish.

There was a vast difference between slicing through metal and slicing through skin. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't.

Ed hated himself for hesitating. He couldn't stand the idea of hurting even a cheap copy of her, with the way the tears flowed down her cheeks. How could he, knowing the real one would look the same way?

That hesitancy, however, proved to be a vital mistake.

Before he could even comprehend the situation, the bang of a gun pierced through the streets of Central.

"Fullmetal? Fullmetal!" Roy shouted into his phone, knocking his chair to his feet as he stood. He had been trying to tell him something, something important, and then...

A gunshot. He knew that sound anywhere.

"Fullmetal! Answer me!" He heard a harsh thump, like a body hitting the ground.

What was going on?! He had clearly heard the voice of Alphonse, and something that sounded faintly like a girl weeping. Why wouldn't Ed answer the damn phone?!

"C-Colonel." Oh god. He had been shot, Roy could tell by his voice.

"Fullmetal, Ed, I'm coming, just hang on." Roy scrambled to leave the office, papers flying to the the ground behind him. He had to find Riza, or anyone that would be able to help.

"No! Wait…" he heard heavy breathing, enough that indicated the wound was bad, if not fatal. "You need to stop them, Colonel. Find Hughes, do something." Hughes? What did Hughes have to do with this? Had he been hurt too?

Roy swallowed the lump in his throat and ignored the stinging in his eyes. He would not let one of his own die, especially not Ed. He had so much left to accomplish, so many more left to save. What would Al do without his brother?

"Listen to me Ed, you need to keep breathing, okay? Put pressure on the wound, and whatever you do, do not close your eyes." Roy switched his tone to the one he often used to lower ranking officers, it was the only way he'd be able to remain calm in such a situation.

Just don't think about it, he'll be fine… he'll be fine…

"Dammit Colonel, you're not… listening to me! You… need to find H-Hughes." Ed's breathing was getting heavier by the second, and Roy could hear him straining to plug his wound. With every break he took in his sentences, Roy's panic increased further.

"I will, I will, I promise you, Fullmetal. This is more important right now, I just need you to stay with me," Roy commanded, probably using more force than necessary. How had he let this happen? Wasn't he supposed to protect his subordinates? "Tell me where you are, Fullmetal. I'm sending help."

"The p-phone booth next to the library," Ed said, voice cracking towards the end. "Hughes is still there I think…"

Roy dropped his phone onto his desk as he ran into the main portion of the office. He had to send someone, and fast.

Luckily for him, Riza was standing right by, a concerned look on her face. She must've heard the yelling, he figured.

"Lieutenant, I need you to send an ambulance to the phonebooth by Central Library as fast as you can." He knew she could read the panic in his expression, as she quickly moved to confirm his hysteria.

"Is everything all right, Colonel?"

"Just go!"

She nodded, and Roy was back to the phone before she had even left the office.

"Fullmetal, are you still with me?" he asked, unable to hide the fear in his voice. He was supposed to be the strong figure for Ed, hiding trepidations to give him support through his missions. Fine job he was doing now, doing nothing to better the situation for either of them.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line and Roy held his breath, assuming the worst.

"I'm scared, Colonel."

Roy's eyes widened. This wasn't right, in no world would this ever be right. Ed was not supposed to be scared.

Ed broke the silence. "What am I supposed to do… about Al? He'll be all alone…"

"You listen to me now, Fullmetal." Roy hid his past concerns and focused on only one thing. "You are not about to die, so quit talking like it. You've gotten through worse before, and I expect the same right now." Roy didn't know if he was just saying all these things to make himself feel better, but it didn't matter. He could not let his mind spiral, not yet. Ed still needed him, and for every second he heard the boy breathing, he grasped at the hope it provided. Another breath meant he was still trying his best to hold on, and for the moment, that was all Ed could do.

Roy desperately listened for more breaths.

What he hadn't been expecting was a fit of chuckles. "Stop kidding yourself, bastard. We both know I'm not… making it out of this. I just… really don't want to die. Not yet, at least. Not before… Al," Ed struggled for his breathing again, and Roy could hear him break into a coughing fit. The coughs were wet and deep, reminiscent of Roy's time on the battlefield. It was blood.

He recalled holding soldiers as they gave their last breath, and the similarity between past and present left fear settling deep in his gut.

Before Roy could reassure, because he had no idea how to comfort him at a time like this, Ed continued where he left off. "Just watch over him for me… okay? That's all… I want…"

"Of course, of course," Roy's voice caught in his throat. Why didn't he hear any breathing? "Fullmetal? Are you with me? Ed!" He desperately listened for any noise that would indicate Ed was still alive, anything to know that his spark hadn't faded.

"Edward! ANSWER ME!" There was no way… no way he could have died. There was no way the Fullmetal Alchemist could be taken down by something as simple as a bullet.

Roy dropped the phone once more and dashed out the door. He wouldn't stall any longer. Ed needed him.