Stand by You

XXXI

"Do not forget the law of Briggs. 'If you get careless, you're dead'. Your sense of mercy could cost you or your friends their lives. We don't need anyone careless in these parts. We're going to dispose of Kimblee and the other two."

Edward clenched his fist as Miles and his men left the room and I placed a soothing hand on his shoulder.  I didn't know really what to do, so I decided on trying to change the subject. "Speaking of Kimblee...what are you going to do with Alphonse? It was hard enough sneaking him out so late at night, but when Kimblee doesn't see him with you that's an instant red light of suspicion that's going to ruin everything we worked hard for."

"Don't change the subject, Eve," Edward growled. "It's not going to help right now..."

"Oh..." I stepped back, feeling like I was scolded by a parent. "Sorry..."

"Don't take it the wrong way-I do appreciate the thought," Edward sighed. "And yes, I have thought of something..."

*~*~*~*~*~

Edward leaned against a crate while a fake Alphonse suit with one of Miles' men inside while I stood guard by the two as soldiers began to check in. "Squad 3, three men," they checked off. "Squad 4, five men."

"All right, that's everyone," Miles nodded. "Okay, each of you, commence searching your areas."

"Sir, yes sir," they saluted.

Kimblee, accompanied by Darius and Heinkel as usual passed by us as the soldiers began to fileto their assigned zones. Miles eyed Kimblee, "Let's go."

"Yes, sir," the soldier inside Alphonse's suit spoke, making me panic.

"Hey now Alphonse," Edward scolded. "You mean 'right', don't you?"

"Man, I tell you, it's hard to move around in this, Edward," the soldier inside complained.

"Please manage somehow," I pleaded. "Come on, Kimblee is watching."

"Just a minute, Brother!" The soldier staggered in an exaggerated manner while also speaking in a much more high-pitched voice.

"Walk faster," Edward rolled his eyes.

As we staggered behind Kimblee, his men, Miles and his men, we overheard Miles talking to his subordinate. "Hey, where are Kimblee and the others searching?" He asked.

"There's that huge mineshaft in the center of town, right?" The soldier replied."He said he was going in there to search the tunnels. He said he couldn't trust the northern soldiers, so he was only taking the men he brought from Central."

"He's caught on, has he? We'll head him off. Secure sniping positions near the shaft."

"Yes, sir."

Edward began to slow down gradually and once I noticed that the soldier inside Alphonse's suit were getting ahead, I stopped and pretended to adjust my clothing so I was with Edward. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Pick up your steps or else you're going to be separated from the group!"

"That's what I want to happen," Edward explained. "You heard the Major? He said that he's going to snipe down Kimblee. I want to reason with Kimblee first, though, like I had originally intended."

"Okay..." I trailed off, looking away to see that we had a great distance between us and the two groups and no one has caught on from our separation from the group. I had an ominous feeling about this though. Like, something bad is about to transpire.

As we got further and further behind the groups, the two groups split off and Edward followed Kimblee and I trailed behind Edward. Just as the soldier had said, Kimblee was in front of the mineshaft and was giving orders to Darius and Heinkel. "Search the entrance to the tunnel," He ordered. "If there are multiple set of footprints, then there's no doubt."