The Phoenix and His Demons

I know I had some form of note here, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. To the person who was kind enough to review this chapter and the next....I hate that your comments got deleted and I hope that you'll continue to offer your support and comments for the rest of the story. Thank you all and enjoy!

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No Answers

Soft, mumbled curses were the first signs of Russell regaining consciousness, and while they may not have sounded like much, the few sounds had the room in a frenzy. Around him the elder Tringham could hear voices and bustling; though they weren't clear and he'd yet to identify any of them.

"Hey guys, I think he's finally starting to wake up,” spoke one softly near him. It was followed by a loud bellow from across the room.

"Really?! Let me talk to him!" A few crashes that made him winced followed.

"No brother, you're going to wait until he's a bit better." That almost sounded familiar.

"But Al, damn it, we need to find out where the hell he was." Al...Al...Alphonse? Was he back in town? And he's said brother. Was it possible that the whining, obnoxious, loud voice was Edward? But he was dead, wasn't he?

"Ugh, will someone please shut the shrimp up; he's giving me a headache." His voice was a bit weak and cracked' the result of his throat being parched, but Ed heard him loud and clear.

"Who the hell do you think you're calling short, you stupid jerk? We saved your ass and this is the thanks I get?" Ed had shouted but had not had a complete meltdown; Russell supposed he'd grown up, er...matured a bit, but it was definitely him.

"Oh shut up shrimp." He slowly opened his eyes, letting them focus on the face that was right above his. "Fletcher," it was pure relief that sang out in that single word. "You're all right?"

"Yeah Russ, I'm fine. How are you feeling?"

"Like shit. Please tell me you have water?" His brother nodded and helped him sit up so he could drink. The room had gone strangely quiet, but a quick glance around told him it was because the Elrics weren't in it. Maybe he'd imagined it. "Where am I anyway?"

"Xenotime, the clinic. We just got here a few hours ago. We had been at this nice old lady's house on the other side of the mountain while we were waiting for someone to come pick us up. They had another guy unconscious there and he took a turn for the worse so we really had to get you guys here quick. Ed pulled some strings and so here we are."

"So I wasn't hallucinating? That really was Edward screeching earlier?"

"Yeah, both he and Al arrived shortly after you went missing to investigate. They won't give me details, but the way they talk it's really serious."

"And the guy that grabbed me?" He finished one glass and motioned for another. Poor Fletcher had to hold it for him. His hands were bandaged up and since the bones were reset, the pain was little more than a dull ache; something he was quite grateful for.

"He's dead. We ran into him in the mines on the way to find you and he dropped the tunnel in on himself. It was pretty messy."

"Damn, and here I was hoping to get to break his fingers."

"Oh yeah, about that. The doctor said your fingers should heal fine and that you'd get full use of your hands back with a little work."

"That's good. Thanks Fletch. I'd hug you, but ...yeah." The younger boy nodded and moved to give his brother a half hug anyway, being careful of his injuries.

"I'm just glad you’re back and alive. I don't think they were too certain that's how we'd find you."

"If I hadn't realized he'd gone and taken the opportunity to run, I would've been dead. It was hell breaking out of there." The door crashed open and the elder Elric scowled seeing Russ sitting up and obviously coherent.

"Why the hell didn't someone tell me he was talking? You got a lot of explaining to do Tringham." From behind his brother, Al gave the pair an apologetic look.

"I could say the same thing of you, Elric. You're supposed to be dead."

"Yeah, but the explanation of why I'm not dead might not save other people from getting killed. Yours might. So start talking. What the hell happened to you?" Even Al had to admit that Edward had a point and Russell must've agreed because he began to talk; relating what he could remember of his imprisonment and his escape. The three listened intently until he was finished. Edward was the first to speak up.

"All right. In a few days when they let you out of here, think you can take us to where you were being held?"

"Not from town."

"What about if we take you back to where we found you?"

"Yeah, that I could probably do."

"Good, then we'll leave you be. Al you want to come with me while I report to General Jackass or stay with them?"

"I think I'll stay here so you two can talk." The snicker with that was just pure evil.

"I hate you Al, I really hate you." Al laughed and Ed stormed off barely hiding a blush.

"What in the world was that about?" Fletcher had asked an innocent question, so he didn't quite understand why Al continued to snicker.

"I'd tell you guys but then he might kill me for you. Sorry." He did however relate a bit of where Ed had been and what had happened to the pair as promised. He didn't give enough details so that it delved into classified materials but it was enough to sate their curiosity even if it brought up a few dozen more questions. He also was careful not to go too into it so he wouldn't upset his brother and they did deserve to know the truth after all this time.

Meanwhile, Ed had flashed his watch and kicked someone out of their office so he could call HQ; something he was half looking forward to and half dreading. After a few minutes he was put through to the General.

"Mustang speaking."

"Hey, it's me. I figured I'd let you know what we found and that we're going to be delayed a couple of days."

"Very well Fullmetal, go on."

"We found Russell Tringham, alive and mostly well. The guy must’ve known he was an alchemist because he broke his fingers. He escaped anyway and when they release him he's going to show me where he was being held."

"That sound like it turned out better than I expected. Can he identify his abductor?"

"Probably, but he doesn't have to. We got the guy trying to make off though the abandoned mines with another victim."

"I'm impressed. You solved a case and have a suspect in custody. Well done."

"Er, not exactly sir."

"Not exactly?"

"The suspect spouted off some wild nonsense and then dropped the tunnel on us all. Al and I kept it from killing us but he's pretty dead." In his office, Brig. Gen. Roy Mustang buried his face in his hand.

"I should've known that was too good to be true." He sighed and finally composed himself again. "What about the second victim and what nonsense was he spouting?"

"The second man died as well. Turns out he was pretty sick to begin with and whatever he used to knock them out weakened him even more. He slipped into a coma and died a couple hours ago. There wasn't much anyone could do by the time we got him back here. As for the nonsense, it was something about others continuing his work so a sacred flame would rise and its followers would consume the world. I wrote it down exactly but don't have it with me. It'll be in my report. You ever heard anything like it before?"

"No, not offhand other than it sounds like the makings of a cult. I'll see what I can dig up for you here. Hurry up and finish up in Xenotime then head back to Central. I have a few other assignments for you when you get here."

"You what?! You've got to be kidding me!"

"I don't kid, Fullmetal, you know that." Though he was smirking since the temperamental blonde couldn't see him.

You son of a bitch, jerk, bastard jackass. As if we didn't have enough to deal with, you're giving us more? You are a sadistic bastard, you know that?"

"Careful Fullmetal, I am still your superior and you will take these assignments; like it or not. You and Al together will be more than capable of handling the work and who knows, you may dig up a few leads on your mystery cult while you're at it."

"I hate you, I really fucking hate you."

"Noted. Now do you have anything else to report?"

"No," he sounded so miserable and dejected.

"Very well. Report in as soon as you return."

"Yes sir." He muttered then hung up the phone, glaring at it as if Mustang could actually feel that. Now he had to go tell Al the bad news.

Two days later found the Elrics on a train bound for Central. It had almost been a waste of time for them to stay. Russell had shown them the mini dungeon but other than a few common tools, there wasn't anything to find. The man's body didn't yield any new leads either. He had no identification, only a little money and no one they talked to in the town had ever seen him before. It was all one big dead end and the only good thing about the extra time they'd spent was that they got to renew their acquaintances with the Tringhams, even if there had been a few arguments along the way.

Their train ride was uneventful, which was always a minor miracle for the pair. For some reason they seemed to be magnets for hijackings. It was just after noon when they stepped off the train; the long ride and hard seats making both cranky but especially Edward. Al hadn't really been looking forward to their extra assignments but he'd not been as surprised or angry as his brother. Mustang had done this to him before.

"Come on Ed, we're going to get in trouble for being late." They were standing outside Central HQ; Al desperately trying to yank his brother inside. "You know, you're really being childish about this."

"No I'm not. It's not like he knows we're back yet. And I despise seeing that man in his office. He's just going to make fun of me."

Al sighed. It was time to resort to dirty tactics. "Oh look, there's Major Armstrong. I'll bet you haven't seen him yet. Let's go say hello." It worked.

"What?! Where?!" Ed jumped and looked around frantically before rushing into the building, little brother in tow, to hide. Once they were inside, Al shrugged.

"Oh well, guess it wasn't him after all."

"What do you mean it wasn't him? How could you possibly mistake anyone for Armstrong?" Just saying the name made Ed shudder. Sure the guy was nice but he was overbearing, overprotective and would probably break Ed's spine accidentally in a bear hug if he saw him. The man was a scary giant. Really, how could Al make that kind of mistake? Then the answer hit him. Al wouldn't make that kind of mistake.

"Alphonse! You did that on purpose!" At this, Al took off running; right for Mustang's office. "Get back here, damn it, so I can kill you!" The plan worked; Ed was in the building and with all the shouting everyone was bound to know it, preventing him from running away.

The rest of HQ looked at the mini stampede quite strangely but Mustang's staff didn't even look up until after the General's door opened, two blondes ran in; the latter slamming it behind him. After the slam, smirks and amused glances were shared before work resumed. Inside was a much different story.

Ed had slammed the door out of habit and it was that which told him where he was. He skidded to a halt while Al moved to sit calmly in front of the General's desk. "I hate you both," admitting defeat as he moved to join his brother.

"Well, I must admit you're a bit earlier than I expected, though Fullmetal you really need to stop slamming my door. One of these days it's going to come out of your pay."

"Yeah, yeah whatever. We'll have your written report tomorrow. We didn't find anything new after we talked. Now can we go?" Maybe if he made this quick they'd get out of more work.

"Not so fast. Are you forgetting about the new assignment I mentioned?"
"No, I was rather hoping that you had." Damn. Oh well, but he'd had to try.

"I see. You should know by now that I wouldn't do something like that. However, you might find this interesting. There have been a few minor disturbances in the city involving a small group of people protesting the military." He raised his hand to stop Ed's protest before it began. "That is not the unusual part. The odd part is their claim of religious right over the military. It's something of a cult and yet not. Most of the members we've encounter so far haven't been willing to say anything and they're all about the same age as your victims. Normally I wouldn't suggest a connection, but they're sprung up in all the cities that these killings have occurred. I want you both to check into it. Given your ages, they may be more willing to divulge information to you."

"It sounds interesting, sir. We'll get right on it. We have to stay here while we're researching anyway." Ed just grumbled something in agreement.

"Very well then. Alphonse, you can go. Fullmetal, you stay. I'd like to have a few words with you." Al stood and saluted dutifully before he left, avoiding his brother's pleading look. When the door shut, Mustang spoke again. "Now then Edward..."

Edward gulped.