Stand by You

XXXI

"Major Miles," Another soldier called. "Briggs is on the line for you."

Miles stepped into another room and began speaking on the phone, away so we couldn't hear what was going on. After a little while Miles came out and ushered Edward, Alphonse, a soldier, and I into the room he was just in and began explaining what he was told.

"The fort is no longer safe?" Edward hissed. There was little privacy in this hideout and the howling wind outside can do us so much as to concealing our conversation.

"General Armstrong was summoned back to Central," Miles restated. "There are Central forces entering the fort in great numbers. No doubt at Kimblee's behest. When we were at the fort, he was making calls pretty frequently, after all."

"Hold on. If the General is gone..."

"A commander affiliated with Bradley will be posted in her place."

"Then, what about Winry and the others?"

"Hiding them just became difficult. In fact, if they're not careful, they'll fall into enemy hands."

"We have to warn Winry and the others somehow."

"It will be impossible to catch up to them in this storm."

"So are we going to let them go? I'm going after them."

"Don't go belittling the storm, rookie," A soldier chastised. "You'll lose all your strength in no time flat and freeze to death."

We sat in ominous silence, wondering what could we do. I glanced up at Alphonse and remembered how he trekked through the blizzard with not much problem and my constant begging to let me inside of him so I could avoid the wind. It occurred to me. "Why don't we send Alphonse instead?" I proposed. "A person with no body won't get tired and won't freeze to death."

"That's..actually a good idea," Edward thought about it.

Alphonse looked a little shocked about my idea. "I didn't mean to offend you at all," I nervously assured. "It just occurred to me that your current state is actually convenient to us right now..."

"No, it's fine," Alphonse said. "So, what will I have to do exactly?"

*~*~*~*~*~

After Alphonse left, night came and passed and it was a new day. Kimblee along with the two lanky guys Heinkel and Darius were outside ordering the soldiers probably on the search for Scar. Miles, Edward, our small group of soldiers that stood by us the entire trip here and I watched him through the window. "Kimblee and his men from Central..." Miles stated, approaching us. "When you get an opening take out all three of them."

"Yes, sir," The soldiers saluted.

"We'll carry out the mission with only those who are here," Miles continued. "This is top-secret, even to the soldiers from Northern Command."

"Hold on, Major Miles, by 'take out', do you mean kill?" Edward interrupted.

"Of course."

"I can't go along killing them. Better to keep him from using alchemy and getting intel from him."

"Do you think that guy is going to freely tell us anything? It's too dangerous to keep him alive."

"Then what about his men? They've been turned into Chimeras and maybe they have no choice but to obey him, you know?"

"You're right. But ultimately, that's still a 'maybe'."

"You're going to kill them just because you're suspicious of them? I mean, even in General Raven's case, there was no other way!"