EDWARD
My mind raced. Naomi. She didn't know she was a hostage, but I was sure that Bradley knew exactly how much she meant to me. He wouldn't be using Winry at all. He'd be using us against each other.
"No more bullshitting!" Olivier demanded, "Tell me the truth." I sighed. "Fine. Okay. Here's the deal..." And so I began to speak.
I didn't mention Winry as a hostage. I gave Olivier a look that meant: 'I'll tell you when she's gone.' or 'Naomi'. Either way, she got the memo.
xxx
I got a look at a map, and immediately Nao and I came to the same conclusion: "So," She whistled, "It didn't start in drachma." I nodded. "If our theory's correct, it's a circle encompassing the entire country." I said. "A circle?" Buccaneer questioned. Naomi nodded. "In Alchemy, the circle in fundamental. It's a component for controlling the flow of energy."
I hummed, and began to sketch onto the map. "Now we need...the equation." I looked at Falman. "Lieutenant Falman, can you think of some major conflicts in this country that resulted in a lot of bloodshed?" Both Falman's and Naomi's eyes widened. She scrunched up her face. "What are you planning, Ed?" She asked, "Why do...!" Falman began, but it must've dawned on him.
"In july 1558, Riviera," He said, "Riviera..where else?" "October 1661, Cameron riot. 1799 soapman incident in Fisk. March 1811, Wellsley. October...1835, northeast of the southern district. and now the fighting south of the new southern HQ since may 1911. " I scanned the map. "How about the western section near Pendleton?" I asked. "Border dispute. Lots of soldiers have died there already."
A beat of silence passed. Then,
"And in 1914...the uprising in Reole. Many Casualties."
xxx
NAOMI
I inhaled sharply. Ed immediately began to argue: "After exposing the church's plot, we sent reports to eastern HQ before things got out of hand!" I stared at Ed, brows knit. Please don't blame yourself...please.
"Our troops moved in right away and quelled the violence immediately." "Then what?" I asked, clenching my fists. "Central pulled rank on us and took over the operations from there." My eyes widened, and I thought I heard someone heart rate pick up. My own, perhaps. "Things in Reole didn't get bad until Central troops kicked us out. "
"Dammit Dammit!" Ed cursed. Olivier sternly commanded: "Continue drawing." We turned to her, "Feeling guilty won't get us anywhere. And I'm not about to console you." Secretly, I was thankful for her first reason. Ed grit his teeth and circled Reole. "Now we connect the points..." He said, jaw clenched.
"No..." I gasped. "It's the transmutation circle from the fifth lab!" Buccaneer growled: "The one that uses human lives for philosopher's stones? Don't they realize how many would be killed if they activated a circle that big." I cursed, "Of course they do." I scowled. "That's what they're aiming for." I pressed my hands against the map. "But...why?! They're cunning and smart, so why? What's their goal?"
Ed was still staring at the map, brows furrowed. To me it seemed like 'brows furrowed' was his perpetual state of being. "There's more." He said. "More?" I echoed, "What else can there be?" Ed hummed. "Well, for one: they've been calling you, Al and I 'Sacrifices'," He said, turning to me. He looked back at the map. "The oldest incident was in Riviera, right?" Olivier studied the map.
