Horrors of the Past
Chapter Six
Horrors of the Past
Laboratory Three
Chimera Research Department
2:00pm
Edward knew this would be bad before he walked into the lab. He knew this would test his resolve, and possibly have him considering running away. He wouldn't allow himself to do so, but he knew he might feel like it. What he hadn't expected was this chimera in front of him. It appeared to have been, at some point, a large dog. It was clearly spliced together with a human, possibly a young one.
Edward vomited. He couldn't help it as the past and the present overlaid themselves so neatly, not nearly as healed as Ed liked to pretend, instead more a festering wound that he barely noticed until bumped. He wanted to scream, and cry, and punch someone all at once. Instead he calmly kneeled in front of the cage and held out his hand for them to smell. "Hey there. Can you tell me your name? Do you remember?"
"It hurts." The chimera warbled instead of an answer.
"I know, I'm sorry." Ed said sadly, before grabbing the file hanging on a clipboard attached to the cage door. He flipped it open in search of a subject name. Again, he saw red, because this poor creature was not given a name but a serial number. According to the information Ed was sure it would all match up.
Ed placed the file in a pile he was beginning to piece together as he had Havoc and Falman manhandle the victims into the room they were processing them. Edward turned to the next cage, worse in that this chimera had died, and better in that they couldn't speak to him. It couldn't have been dead long, it was still slightly warm and they disposed of the failures rather quickly, to avoid the smell more than anything, but also because they were also keeping records of the autopsies.
All in all, so far, Edward had identified twenty human based chimera. None of them were perfect but several seemed to have retained their intelligence if nothing else. Which made them worse. Ed knew, deep in his bones he knew, that if one of these poor creatures asked him to play Ed would not rational in his treatment of the lead researcher. Of the twenty the had identities had all been serial numbers, as if by retracting their names they became less human.
The eldest victim, and they were victims, appeared to be the one he spoke to. According to the chart they had merged a two year old dog and an eight year old boy to create the poor thing. Ed wanted to vomit again, but there was nothing left in his stomach, as he reached the final cage. The deformed body inside seemed incapable of standing, though it was still alive. He couldn't bring himself to speak to it and felt terrible that he couldn't. He doubted the child would understand him if he tried.
This was the closest they had come to success according to the records. Prompting them to decide the next round of subjects would all be younger. The child was listed as a two year old girl, name unlisted, of Ishbalan decent. She had been merged with a housecat, less than a year old. Just looking at the child made him want to go home, gather his babies to him, and cry. Who could do this to children?!
5:00pm
It had taken most of the afternoon to go through the list of cages, before Ed finally had a chance to turn to the researchers. The sneer was too much for Ed. He ordered them all taken into custody to be sorted out tomorrow, and walked out. His fist clinched so hard he drew blood.
Havoc caught up with him as he reached the car. Wordlessly, he held out a flask to Edward. Ed eyed it for a moment before taking it and taking a long swallow before handing it back. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it Boss. I carry it for moments like these, started back when I started on Mustang's team. Some of this…it gets to you. I was impressed you walked away. Figured the son of a bitch was going to need dental surgery at least." Havoc said with a shrug. Ed was slightly comforted at the implication that his Dad had had bad reactions in the past. At least Havoc wasn't going to blame it on him being too young.
"They are all children. Every single one of those chimera are children. I want their names and where they came from. At the very least their parents need to know they are gone." Ed said after a few minutes. Havoc nodded and wrote a short note in the notebook he carried for these occasions. You never knew when the boss was going to give out orders, even if this was a new boss it was a good policy to have.
Neither of them addressed what would happen to these children. Chimera couldn't be reversed. They were stuck in the tragic state these monsters had left them in. Edward would not be making the final call on their fate, it wasn't his department to decide how to proceed. Investigations would be entering the situation now that it was confirmed they had been using people.
Ed watched pensively as traveling cages were carried out of the building and loaded onto the back of a truck. He hoped the children were not afraid of the behavior of the adults around them. Havoc waited until they had finished moving the arrested researchers into the back of transport before suggesting they head out themselves. Ed nodded before stepping forward to address his men. "I want this entire building sealed until we can get some people in to look around. No one goes in tonight."
He then turned to the car. "Let's go, I have other things that need my attention." Once they were in the car Havoc started in the direction of Edward's house. Ed didn't seem to notice at first, he was staring off into space, before he saw where they were. He immediately demanded to be taken anywhere else. He didn't want his brother or Winry, or the kids to see him this upset.
Havoc nodded in understanding before turning off of the main road. A few twists and turns later lead them to a bar Ed had never heard of, though judging by their looks it hadn't been open long. He raised an eyebrow questioningly but climbed out quickly enough. Havoc shrugged, "You're a Colonel before a teenager. With all the shit you've seen and done, no one's going to begrudge a beer…besides, your Dad's inside catching up with your Grandmother."
"Ah. Okay." Ed said, and though he didn't react externally, he was finding himself already slightly relaxed at the mention of his father. Dad understood, he'd seen and done terrible things. He didn't judge Ed for what happened today. Even if Ed did.
They walked inside the still empty bar, and Ed spotted Roy right away. He made his way over to the bar and without even looking at his father said to Madame Christmas. "I want whatever is strongest. Please."
"That bad?" Roy asked even as he nodded to his mother to confirm Ed's order.
"The eldest subject was eight… the youngest was two." Ed said as he picked up the shot of whiskey Madame sat in front of him, Roy signaled for another round for them both. "Two, Dad. The same age as my son. She was just a baby! How could they do that to her?"
"I can't explain the evil of men." Roy said in return as Ed slammed the drink back in one gulp as Madame produced another and Havoc joined them.
"I can't… I don't know if I can look at the kids and not see those things tonight." Ed said with a frown. "I'm a terrible father, turning my back on them."
"No you're human." Roy shrugged. "It's no different than the days I can't make bacon. It's no different than the days Hawkeye keeps her gun in hand. It's no different than your watch. Come tomorrow you'll want nothing more than to hold those boys close to you and never let go, but tonight you feel soiled by what you saw."
"How do you always know what I'm thinking?"
"He is you Boss. Hate to break it to ya, but you two have always been the same. It's why you used to fight so much." Havoc said with a shrug. "I already called your place, Rose and Winry took the kids to stay the night with Gracia. It's a boys night, Al stayed home in case you need him."
"Well shit." Ed sighed into his glass. "This will have to be last round, can't be going home drunk off my ass and get an Al lecture. M'head already hurts enough."
"We have work tomorrow anyway." Roy said as he stood and threw money on the bar. "Come on Ed, let's get you home."
Ed grumbled as he slid off the barstool and stumbled straight into Roy. Roy sighed melodramatically but steadied the boy who was now his size. It was obvious Ed didn't drink often with as quickly as he had been affected by the whiskey. Roy wasn't sure the boy had ever drank before at all. It was probably not his best parenting moment to hand his child alcohol to cope with today's trauma.
The problem was, there just wasn't a good way to deal with what happened. Roy should have stepped in and insisted Ed let him take over the case. Had he known they chimeras were going to be children he would have insisted. He knew how much his son had been destroyed by what happened to Nina Tucker. This was going to be just as bad, because though he didn't know any of these kids, there had been at least a dozen of them.
Worse too because they now knew there was a way to make successful Chimera which meant these children suffered because someone was either incompetent or wanted them to hurt. Either way, Roy hadn't seen them yet himself and he knew he was going to have nightmares. Ed saw them. Ed, who had a history with this exact trauma was the one who had been left to sort through the wreckage. If Ed felt like a bad parent for needing a night off after that, what kind of parent was Roy for talking his child into staying here and getting traumatized again?
Havoc sensed the shift in mood, and guided them both to the car, while taking care to keep track of their reactions. If it became necessary he could and would call Hawkeye to come babysit these two. Al would keep an eye on them, of course, but he may need help. Havoc could practically see the dark cloud hanging over their heads.
Roy and Ed stumbled out of the car as soon as they reached their house, they barely noticed Havoc limping behind them as they slowly made their way up the walk. Al yanked open the door just as they reached it, disapproval clear on his face. Havoc shook his head at the younger brother, as the elder struggled to remove his boots while leaning on their father. Mei appeared at the end of the hall, but when she saw their condition she slipped away again.
Roy kicked off his own boots, then excused Havoc before leading Ed upstairs. The best cure was to sleep it off, and water. Lots of water. Al turned to Havoc. "I don't think they want you to know the details. Ed had a rough case today. He needs time. Without the lectures."
"He's an idiot. Alcohol doesn't solve anything, and he's just going to feel worse for it. Dad too." Al said with a frown.
"Listen Alphonse. I know you don't approve, but you're going to have to let this one go. Hell, I plan on getting a few drinks in me when I get home myself after what happened today. So don't make this worse for them. Mustang knows how to prevent a hangover, he'll help Ed through it. This isn't going to be the last time though. You need to know that. The higher they climb the worse shit they see. We don't get to know the half of it." Havoc said. "Now that you're no longer following him on missions, you'll get to know even less. That's the way he wants it too, no more exposing you to the horrors this world has to offer."
Al started to protest further, but Mei appeared again at his side. She shushed him as she led him back to his room while reminding him that he wasn't supposed to be getting worked up right now. Havoc shook his head at the boy before listening carefully to be sure Flame and Fullmetal weren't going to butt heads while no one was around. It sounded quiet upstairs, and nothing had exploded so far, so he assumed as long as Al didn't go start a fight they should all be okay.
Roy had managed to get Ed to drink an entire gallon of water before the boy collapsed on Roy's bed. He then grabbed a large glass of water himself, and went to change for bed. When he returned, Ed had moved to take over only one side of the bed, and curled up as small as he could manage under the covers but was now sniffling. 'It would turn out that Edward was a weepy drunk', Roy thought with a sigh. The whole point of allowing the boy to drink was to let him forget for the night. It didn't seem to have worked. Roy laid down next to the boy, and said quietly, "It will get easier Ed. I won't say it will be all right, but it will get better." Ed rolled over to hug himself to Roy's side and let himself cry, Roy drifting off shortly after Ed.
Mustang-Rockbell-Elric Residence
1.:00 am
Roy was ripped from sleep by his son's scream right next to him. In an instant he was sitting up ready to snap, before he realized it was a nightmare. Ed was sitting up himself, hugging his automail knee to his forehead and attempting to slow his breathing. Roy lowered his hand, slowing his own breathing in the process before touching Ed's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay Buddy. I'm here."
Ed felt childish. This was the second time he had felt so downtrodden and scared he'd climbed into Roy's bed. He knew his dad said he didn't mind, and he probably didn't, after all Ed didn't mind when Al or Yuery needed to climb in bed with him. Still, he had gone most of his life without this, he shouldn't need it now. He was almost married father of two (sort of) and a colonel! He should be stronger than this. Yet somehow, having his father hug him and tell him he's okay helped more than anything else he had tried to keep the nightmares at bay.
Ed fell back to sleep listening to his father's heartbeat and the soft lullaby the man was humming under his breath. Ed may be too old for this, but he still needed it tonight. Tomorrow, tomorrow he could be brave, be the Colonel and the Fiancé and the Father he wanted to be, but for tonight, he got to be just the sixteen year old boy who had seen too much too soon and needed the loving comfort of a parents arms.
Court Marshal's Office
Interrogation Suite 3304
10:35 am
General Mustang was an impressively terrifying sight to most. Though he was not exceptionally tall or strong like Colonel Armstrong, he carried himself in such a way that he always seemed so much bigger. He man was a decorated war hero, he had fought against the immortal being that had nearly destroyed them all, while blind with his hands rendered nearly useless. He scared hardened criminals with a single hard look.
He was currently standing against the far wall, looking thoroughly bored while his subordinate took the lead. Not that Amos Hatch wanted to deal with Colonel Elric anymore than he had General Mustang. Elric was a lot like Mustang. He wasn't exceptionally big, and his delicate features lead to the idea that he leaned more toward academia. Who knew, in another life he might have. It didn't matter though, because in the end much like Mustang he was terrifying.
The silent rage that rolled off of the young colonel was enough to terrify three of the assistants into complete confessions before he did more than sit down. Unfortunately, they didn't know much. They were now sitting with Hatch, the lead researcher, the man that tempted Ed as much as Tucker into beating someone into a coma. The main thing holding him back at this point was that at least he hadn't tormented his own child. Unlike Tucker. Still, Mustang was here primarily to prevent Ed from snapping and doing just that.
"Why children?" Ed asked quietly. The first question he'd had to ask all morning.
"why not children? They're pliable, expendable, and cheaper to maintain." Hatch said in return, seeing no reason to deny it.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ed demanded as he jumped to his feet. Before he could move, Mustang stepped forward and said his name in a flat voice. A voice Ed recognized as complete rage, though he had only heard it once that he could remember. "Have fun, I'm going to go let Armstrong know he can carry on with the paperwork. The son of a bitch didn't try to deny it."
Edward stepped out of the room, and Mustang took his seat. He stared at Hatch for a few minutes, calmly evaluating the man who seemed slightly less nervous once Edward had left, as foolish as the idea was. "I want the names of your subjects." Mustang said in the same tone as before. "Their families have the right to mourn."
"They had no families, orphans, all of them. No one wants or needs an orphan."
"You seem to have misheard me. I want their names. All of them."
"I have no idea. My assistant might know, but I sure a hell don't. Why name the pets in a slaughter house after all?
"I will give you one more chance. I need their names."
"I heard you perfectly, Flame, I just am not answering. Go ahead and throw me back in my cell."
"You deserve some much more." Roy pulled on his gloves, and Hatch didn't seem to get the threat.
"Oh please. This country was built by men doing so much worse." Hatch dismissed. "You can't do anything to me, my work was sanctioned."
"Your work was sanctioned under the old administration. You, and everyone else, received a Cease and desist order, yet according to the records you have created four since Promised Day." Roy growled, as he changed the Oxygen density in Hatch's lung until he was choking, gasping for breath. "I am the new administration, there would be no repercussions should it be discovered that I neglected to save you from smothering."
"You fool." Hatch gasped. "I was following orders."
Roy released the air, allowing it to fill Hatch's lungs. "Now, we're getting somewhere. Who gave the order?"
"Fuck you."
"See now we're back to that." Roy said and activated the array again. "When you want to talk just nod."
Hatch held out for several minutes, the panic adding to the feeling of smothering. Roy had calculated it down perfectly, there was no chance of permanent damage or death, but Hatch didn't know this. A few minutes later, when he was sure he was on the verge of death, Armstrong entered the room. Hatch had a brief glimmer of hope, Armstrong was known for being soft.
Instead, in a perfect imitation of his sister, Armstrong crossed his arms and watched with a blank expression. He, of course, knew what Roy was doing. Hatch finally gave a shaky nod and Roy released the array once more. "Archer." Hatch gasped. " The order came down from Frank Archer."
Without a word Mustang returned to his seat, and once again pushed a paper and pencil toward the prisoner. He still wanted the names of the victims. Hatch picked up the pencil with a glare as Edward returned to the room, having waited in the hall as requested. Hatch had determined that Roy was reluctant to use that little trick with Edward in the room.
Rumor had it the boy was Mustang's son, who he only recently was acknowledging publicly. The boy had been in his command since the beginning though, and at an unreasonably young age too. They didn't look much alike, but rumor had it Mustang was involved with Hawkeye for years, and the boy was blond like her…
"I'll report you, you know, for trying to kill me like that. The new administration isn't going to like that." Hatch said. He didn't buy for a moment Mustang's claim about being part of the new leadership.
"I wouldn't count on that." Ed said with a snort, well-rehearsed lines coming easily after everything this man had done. " Grandpa Grumman doesn't take child torture lightly. Besides, you look fine to me. Armstrong? Did you see Dad touch this guy?"
Hatch paled as every rumor he'd heard seemed suddenly confirmed. He was going in front of the firing squad for sure, and possibly Archer. With careful calculation he began to write, perhaps if he co-operated they would spare him.