Chapter 17 - 17. The Abandoned Lab

Ed frowned a bit and moved to sit next to Nova, wrapping his arms around her. "I would like nothing more, Nova… but, if the military is doing this… we need to know why and where..." he murmured softly, rubbing her back. "But once we get what we need, then we can go back for however long you want." He promised her. "Brother…" Al scolded him a little. It was obvious Nova was in distress with everything, whatever they learned could wait until they got back.

Nova lowered her ears some and leaned into him some when he wrapped his arms around her. "Someone's been following me the last couple of days, I can feel it.. I think the higher ups are starting to figure out who I am, and they're not going to let us do as we please much longer. I've remembered more as well, being in that god aweful place.." She murmured. She just wanted to go home, at least until the military was off her track. Both Ed and Al frowned at the news. "Then we should go home for a bit…" Al spoke softly and Ed nodded. "Yeah, we might as well…" he agreed softly. "We'll go in the morning, let you grab some of your stuff." He murmured.

Nova relaxed some and nodded lightly. "Gracia actually bought me a few things, but I think they're a tad too girly..for me.." She murmured sheepishly, flushing some. They were dresses, cute, and very comfortable, but dresses. She slowly stood and stretched some before picking up her beanie and putting on her head once more. Ed chuckled a bit at Nova's flush and gave her a soft grin. "Well, it might help throw the scent off you if you wore them…" he mused softly, wondering what else they could do to help her out. "Where do you usually feel the eyes? Do you think they know where you've been staying?" "Or you could hide inside my armor, Nova, that might help too." Al offered her softly.

Nova rubbed her cheek sheepishly at his muse, and shook her head. "Mainly out in town, and around the park.." She murmured quietly, then blinked and glanced at Al. "You know.. I've been kinda curious what it's like in there." She admitted shyly. "Maybe just long enough to get to the house?" She murmured curiously. Ed chuckled at her, smirking little as Al gave a soft laugh, his arms still around her to offer her comfort. Now he was trying to think of a way to cheer her up, since they weren't leaving until morning and it wasn't too late in the day.



Roy had found himself spending more time in his office than usual, the higher ups riding his ass about Nova's capture, but he didn't lead them to suspect he knew anything about her relationship with the Elric boys or the meeting they had. He gave his words to protect her, and he always kept his word. Whatever the military wanted with her couldn't be good. He and Maes had spent some more time together as they dug up old files on a man who nows bares the deserter tiltle, his name was Mark Ross and he was ranked Second Lieutenant until after the Ishvalan war. They had learned he had a wife named Dianne Ross, a talented doctor much like the Rockbells, who died during the war. He also had a daughter named Lillian, who supposedly died on the fied along side her mother. The man lost himself during the war, turned corrupt and did unspeakable things along side Tim Marcoh, only he enjoyed them, and no one else knew about that except those who were involved.

Maes had the file in his hand, while Roy had a couple others scattered across the table in his office as the two sat on the couch and chair in his office. The files were worn and some damaged as if someone tried burning them. Roy had also managed to find a single picture of Mark with his wife and child and Maes felt sick as he studied the picture, and the picture they had of Nova earlier that day, and Roy could see the tension in his friend. The man was a father, he had a family, if anyone could feel the pain Nova went through if she really was Lillian Ross, he could. It burned Maes to think any man could do the things in the few reports they found, to his own child.

Slowly, Maes set the file down and sighed some, noticing the time. "I should get going." He said as he began to stand. It was dangerous for them to talk here. Most of what they were doing was reading and comparing files. Roy chuckled at his friend and shook his head lightly. He rose from his seat as Maes went to leave, only chuckling because he knew why the man was being so quiet. "Maes." He voiced, having dropped his voice a tone. "We really do need to talk, about where to go from here." He said calmly. Maes sighed internally and nodded, there was a lot going after all. "Here or get a coffee?" he asked, knowing how serious this was going to get. Roy smirked some. "Let's grab a coffee." He said, knowing they could use one for later. He came out from behind his desk to join the other male.

Maes chuckled and nodded as the two headed out to get themselves a coffee and talk in a more private setting.

Once they sat at the table and had their coffe, Roy folded his hands together. "My situation is getting tighter, we need to start forming a plan in case things go south." He said quietly, referring to their situation with Nova. "Those files.." He said quietly. Maes frowned over his cup, but nodded. "I know… I can always see if some of my old contacts would be willing to pitch in…" he murmured, talking about colleagues who were no longer serving due to one reason or another. Roy stifled his own frown as he rested his chin ontop of his hands. "I wish there was a way to make all of this go away." He murmured uncharacteristically, actually feeling bad for the wolf girl. "No matter where we hide her, if the Furhur wants her that badly then it wouldn't matter if we sent her to another country." He mused some.

What the hell could they do?

"We'll figure something out. We're also not the only ones looking out for her." Maes reminded him. "Let's play it by ear for now, and if things get tough, we'll find a way to make things work." His mind began racing with different possibilities on how they could keep Nova safe. He wondered why the Furhur wanted with her, and why he wanted her so badly. Roy sat up some and rubbed his temples. "Go ahead and get in contact with your old people, keep them on standby if they're willing to help." He suggested.

Scar was in the wind, so he wasn't really worried about him showing back up for a while, and that was a load off.

Maes nodded with a slight smirk. "I will." Everything seemed to be spiraling lately, but there was always something good to come in the end. Roy nodded his head some when spoke and sipped from his coffee. "I'm going to do a bit more digging in my paperwork." He said quietly, before getting up and heading off back to Headquarters. Everything seemed to be piling up..

He needed to get Edward to talk to him, without tipping off the higher ups, and get ready to transfer to central.

Later that night, after the boys took Nova out of the hotel room for some fresh air, the trio returned to their room and Nova told them goodnight before laying down on the bed Edward had given up, and claimed the couch.

Edward was far too awake to even try to sleep. He laid stretched out on the couch as Al sat with his back propped up against the back of it, holding his automail up over his face. "I still can't believe it.." He murmured, trying to be quiet as to not disturb Nova. "I don't know what pisses me off more; thinking we'll be stuck like this forever, or how much she suffered after she left.." He murmured. Al glanced at him from over the couch. "The military allowed it.." Edward grit his teeth some and lowered his arm over his face.

Nova lay with her back facing the boys as she nestled into the blankets, unmoving as she silently listened. She wasn't asleep, her mind buzzing and fears sinking in.

Edward frowned as the gears in his head continued to turn. "We spent all that time searching for the truth and now that we have it.." He let his voice trail off. "I wonder if this is God's way of torturing people.." He murmured. Nova slowly sat up and glanced at him, pain deep within her amber eyes. "Don't say that." She murmured, causing Edward to jump some and glance at her. It bothered him to see the expression she was wearing. "You can find anothrr way to get your bodies back.." She murmured softly. "I was afraid to tell you, and I hate I couldn't tell you before you found out.. I let you suffer by letting you find out the way you did.."

"Nova, it's okay. I understand. There's been something I've been afraid to say too." Edward spoke quietly, biting back a sma frown. "Al.. I.." He murmured. Al glanced at him and went to ask, but a loud knock sounded at the door and Armstrong's voice could be heard. The first thing they did was try to find a way to hide Nova, since he hadn't seen her yet. They were afraid of what would happen if he saw her. Two of Mae's officers heard what happened and were talking about it when Major Armstrong happened across them. Panic rose when the large man broke down the door with his knocking and expressed his feelings on the matter of the philosopher's stone, and how the military allowed it.

Nova ducked under the bed before the men could see her, laying as still as humanly possible as the large man spoke with the boys until he finally left. When he did leave, Nova slowly came out from under the bed and blinked at the look Edward was wearing, then furrowed her eyebrows together and went over to the map on the table. "I'm going with you." She stated quietly, glancing at him. Edward frowned some and shook his head. "Forget it, you're staying here. It's still a lab and if the military see you.. I'm not gonna let you put yourself at risk like that." Ed retorted.

"I'm going and that's final. Who's gonna make sure you don't do something reckless? Winry just fixed your arm." Nova finalized. No way was she staying here while they looked into the abandoned lab. The brothers shared a look, knowing she wasn't going to budge on this. Edward sighed and looked at her. "Fine, but stay close to one or both of us." He said. Nova nodded and smirked some before they snuck out through the window and headed for the fifth lab.

For an abandoned building, there was a lot of military personal crawling around. Nova kept her promise and stayed close to the brothers, finding that the only entrance wasn't big enough for her or Al to fit. A vent. Nova sat next to Al after Edward climbed up into a vent, semi glaring at the entrance. "I bet i could squeeze in." She murmured stubbornly. Al chuckled quietly. "I could see you wiggling through the vent." He admitted. "But Ed told us to wait here." He said. Nova bit back a frown as she stared at the vent. He was in there, probably being as reckless as always. "I don't care, I need to get in there." She murmured.

Al placed a hand on her shoulder, getting her to look at him "I know you're worried, Nova, he needs us out here. We need you to stay safe." He said calmly. Nova felt her ears droop under her beanie, only to perk back up when she heard the clatter of armor as a suit of armor landed on the ground in front of them, holding a large butcher knife. Nova moved to stand behind Al as the living armor moved to attack Al, and the two fought while Al tried to keep him away from Nova. Nova blinked as Al manged to knock his head off and Al paused. "You're hollow.." Nova spoke quietly.

Barry caught his head and laughed, before deciding to tell them a story about a criminal by the name of Barry the Chopper, who ended up being caught after having killed twenty-three people. "But that's only the story released to the people, they bound your soul to a suit of armor and put you here to guard this place.. Which means there's definitely something going on here." Nova concluded. "Why aren't you freaked out? You should be screaming!" Barry said, surprise clear in his voice. Nova bit back a frown and focused on finding the other door. She needed to get inside, knowing Al could handle himself.

Al took off his head and Barry yelled as if terrifed, only coming to a conclusion that Al had been a criminal as well. Nova growled as Al tried to explain that he wasn't and began to try to get inside his head by telling him his memories were fake. "You're wrong, I won't let you make him think otherwise! He's alive, his heart is proof! You wouldn't know anything about that!" She yelled, clapping her hands together and slamming them onto the ground. A couple of large trees sprouted up from the dirt and their limbs entangled the ex-convict within his armor and making it nearly impossible for him to move. "If I break your seal, you're finished!" She said as one of the branches slipped under his head. "But I'm not a killer." She murmured. "Not by choice." She murmured quietly.

She turned and ran to the vent opening. "Al, give me a boost! I don't give a damn about staying safe, he's in there." Nova called to the self-doubting younger brother, who knew better than to question her when she was like this. Al hurried over and did as she said, and she pulled herself into the vent. It was a tight fit, but she could manage. Reaching the end of the vent after scrunching herself and wiggling through the vent, she dropped down and immediately caught the smell of blood, his blood, and her anger bubbled. Nova ran down the lit hallway that lead into the lab as fat as she could, fighting with herself not to change forms.