RoyAi Theme: 'Telephone'

"Telephone"
A RoyAi Fan Fiction


Tomorrow is going to be a long day…no matter how it turns out…

The day had finally come. The night before the election was now upon Roy and it didn't matter how many times Riza told him to go back to his house and get some rest, sitting here talking to her was the only thing keeping the stress away.

It wasn't easy to make Hawkeye give in to keeping him company. She was unrelenting in her efforts to get him to rest up for the upcoming series of speeches and ceremonies since the people of Amestris were almost certain of his upcoming Presidency. However, no matter how much he looked forward to the day, the wait was unnerving to endure alone. Riza had agreed to stay up with him, if, and only if, the time awake was spent preparing for his speeches.

So much for togetherness…she's been like this since the Nelly West incident…

And so, late into the night, the two worked away diligently on a stack of note cards containing a never ending list of the statistics of Amestris. That is, until a cutting ring spit the air.

"I'll get it!" Riza leapt from her seat, nearly tipping over her third cup of coffee. She reached over the counter, scrambling for the phone.

Was she expecting a call or am I just boring her to death?

Considering the information they were spending their few hours alone discussing, he suspected the latter. Roy watched contentedly as Riza leaned over, balancing her weight against the counter top, listening intently to faint chirping sounds from the phone that just barely reached his ears.

"What do you mean 'gone?" Riza blurted into the telephone. Mustang, who was sipping coffee quietly in the kitchen, mouthed "who is it?" although he knew is girlfriend wasn't paying the slightest attention to him at the moment. He watched as Riza's eyes sharpened and her whole body tensed.

This can't be good…

"Rebecc…Rebecca! Calm down! Explain again!" It seemed as though she was having trouble getting a word in edgewise. After a few moments of a frantic chirping coming from the receiving end of the phone, Hawkeye finally hung up. Her eyes were filled with anger and confusion.

"What was that about?" Roy took another sip of coffee. He tried to keep is voice level, as if he didn't know that there could be something wrong.

"Sir…Roy…It seems as if Havoc is…missing…" Her face displayed a patronizing look that clearly knew what his reaction to this information would be.

He struggled to keep the emotional stab from showing on his face.  Images of a bloody phone booth rushed through his mind.

I won't lose another one…not now…not ever…

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                "So, Roy, what are your orders?" Hawkeye's back straitened, her hands snapped to her side, and she stared her President-To-Be down. Roy's eye's where empty and she knew the mental image that tortured him internally.

                "We find him."

Of course…

"Could you be any more specific, Sir?"

Leave it to Mustang. Always a brilliant scheme…not that I can blame him…it can't be easy…losing one comrade twice is unnerving, even for me…and that's a feeling I know well…

Nothing. Blank, angry stare. Not even the faintest idea of how to save their friend.

"Could I suggest that you talk to Rebecca yourself, Sir?" Riza knew that switching back to her professional title for him would drive Roy crazy. Maybe just crazy enough to get him to snap out of it.

Mustang's voice sharpened and he took the military stance that Hawkeye now held. "Yes. The only clue's we can get are from the source. But we can't involve anyone else…fewer outside connections."

Riza saluted. "Yes, Sir."

Now that's the Mustang I know and love…

The two charged through Riza's apartment door grabbing their uniform coats, and leaving, now cooled, cups of coffee and a sleeping litter of puppies in their wake.

A few minutes later and Hawkeye was pulling the car into a small apartment complex. Jean and Rebecca had been sharing an apartment since their engagement which made her easy to find. Before she even had the chance to park the car, Mustang had already unbuckled, leapt from his seat, and slammed the door behind him. It was all she could do to charge from the car to keep up with him.

When Riza reached her Colonel, he was pounding his fist on the Havoc household's door hard enough to break it down. She grabbed his arm before he had another chance to "knock."

"Sir? Rebecca was in a state of mental distress when she called. Hammering down her front door is just going to frighten her…perhaps, a more gentle touch?" Hawkeye tapped her knuckles lightly against her friend's door and lowered her voice to a sweeter tone. "Rebecca? It's Riza and the Colonel. Can we talk to you?"

A tense moment of silence eventually followed by a faint mumble from the other side of the door.

"I think you should do the talking…" Roy muttered as the door swung open from the inside.
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The room was dark and stuffy. Windows sealed. Blinds closed. The shaking, huddled form of a women stepped out of the shadows.  Rebecca's eyes were red and the oversized blue military-grade coat she held in her trembling hands was soaked with tears.

Riza's whole body language changed in an instant. From the army professional to the caring friend, she pulled Rebecca into her arms. "Oh, Rebecca…it's going to be okay…"

Rebecca gave in entirely to Riza's guidance as she was led into a chair, her eyes spilling over with fresh tears. Roy hung back, afraid to intrude on the fragile moment.

Even after all these years, she can still get inside anyone's head…all for the sake of helping them…maybe the reason that she's tense around me is because, for once, she's not concentrating on one emotion…

Still in Hawkeye's comforting embrace, Rebecca whimpered out the words, "I-I always th-thought th-that I was st-stronger than this-s…b-but I just-t want hi-im to b-be all right…" He didn't know how to request the information he needed from her. Every time he rephrased the questions in his head, they came out blunt to the point of being rude, especially to a grieving woman. But if he had to be hurtful to save his comrade…than he would be. So much for letting Riza do the talking…

"Rebecca. Look at me." He sunk down to eyelevel with her. Riza shot him a cold glare. The kind that read Don't hurt her or you'll pay. "When was the last time you saw Havoc?"

Smooth…

Riza stared at him harder…A little to the point, weren't you…Rebecca was overcome with fresh tears. Several more impatient minutes of waiting for her to catch her breath. Several more minutes of waiting to save his friend…
Why do I always have to wait?…

"It was this morning." Rebecca finally managed to speak clearly, her eyes sharpening. "Jean…Jean went out to pick up something for us to eat…he was only going to be gone for a few minutes. I mean, the store is down the street…but he didn't come back…"

Mustang looked deep into those empty eyes as she spoke. Nothing. And then a twitch. Nothing noticeable to any without a trained eye. But it was there.

"Rebecca. What REALLY happened?" His Lieutenant looked at him with utter confusion.

"Wh-what do you mean, Colonel?" Rebecca's voice wavered again. Mustang hardened his expression, readying himself for the accusation he was about to make.

"Someone is silencing you. Who is it, Rebecca?" She leaned back into her chair, tears darkening the blue of Havoc's coat, she bit her lip. Riza pulled away from her, a look of betrayal playing across her face, and piped up. "What aren't you telling us?"

"Sh-she said that if you figured that out, that I was supposed to give you the next clue."

Questions rushed through his mind. She? What clue? How can there be a next clue if I don't even know the first clue?

"Explain."
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Trembling once more in her arms, Rebecca recounted an astonishing tale, perhaps weird enough to be true. Riza told herself that she should be watching Rebecca's body language for clues, but what drew her attention were Roy's reactions to the information.

Perhaps he is understanding something I'm not…

"It's true…about Jean going out this morning…b-but I got a phone call right after he left. It told me that he was gone. That I was not to contact the police. And that I had to let you know and test you to see if you could be told a clue…I-I don't know what…what happened…"

Hawkeye finally voiced her thoughts. "Do you remember anything about the call? The speaker? Maybe a clue to where the call was placed?"

Rebecca's empty eyes gazed into Riza's darkened ones for a moment, as if in a trance. Finally she said, "Y-Yes. Yes, I do remember…something…the speaker sounded female…young…"

"Did you hear any distinctive background noises?" Roy chimed in eagerly.

"Ah…It sound hollow…a small space…there was an echo…but it wasn't indoors…I could hear, I think birds, or people talking…but they sounded far away…" Her voice lost momentum and faded.

There was a long pause. Both she and Roy struggled to make sense of the information. However, she knew exactly what he would ask next.

"Rebecca? What was the clue?"

She shook her head. "Just a series of letters and numbers. I don't know what they mean though." She pulled a scrap of paper from her pocket.

"U.S.O.8.0.0."

BRINNNG! BRRRINNNNNNG!!

For the second time that evening, a sharp ring of a telephone cut the silence surrounding Riza. The three of them stared at the phone. The chances of this being the person who took Havoc were extremely high. Whether they were calling for ransom or to taunt a, once more, trembling Rebecca, the timing of the call was impeccable.

With timing like that they might be watching us…but there are no ways they could do that…as far as I can tell...this room is sealed shut by a trained military woman…the only things in here are dust and darkness…

Roy lowered his voice as the phone rang a third time. "Rebecca. Answer the phone. Don't let them know we are here. Angle the earpiece out so we can hear too."

BRING!

A fourth ring. Rebecca reached out a shaking hand and clutched the phone, cutting off the fifth and final ring. Roy and Riza leaned into to hear better and the sound of static came through the speaker.

"H-hello? This is the Havoc residence. W-who am I speaking too?" She struggled to control her shaking voice.

A frantic yelp came across the speaker. A familiar voice. "Rebecca? Is that you? It's Maria! What's going on?"

Maria?...Maria Ross?

Rebecca let out a sigh of relief. "Oh…It's you…I'm sorry, it's been a long day. Is there something you wanted?" Her friend's voice seemed to soothe her a considerable amount.

"I've been told to tell you…to tell…Cornel Mustang…something they call…what was it? The third clue?" Her voice disappeared for a moment, followed by distant shouting.

BANG!

A gunshot echoed through the recorder's speaker. The three of them took a collective gasp.

Ross' voice returned after a moment, more frantic than before. "Th-the third clue. That's what they said…they said if he's gotten this far, he should already understand what to do. They said…From outside a line to inside the heart…My voice cuts shrill to you…A decent by green, a blood-soaked part…That shall be the third clue…"

The words echoed ominously around the room.

What the-…Roy, I hope you understood that better than I did…

Another gunshot, more faint this time, and a cry of pain. A clatter that sounded as if Ross had dropped the phone. Footsteps. Ross yelling something. A man's voice…the one who had cried out in pain.

And the line went dead.
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"Could you excuse me for a moment, Rebecca?" Mustang stood and rushed from the room, his blood pounding in his head. Hawkeye untangled herself from Rebecca's clutches and followed him into the kitchen.

What is going on!? Who is behind all this? What's with all the clues hidden in code? There has to be some significance…but those were the second and third clues…what was the first? Do they have Ross along with Havoc now? They said I would understand…but…I haven't felt this clueless in ages…

"Sir?"

Riza's voice broke through his uncertain thoughts. She looked just as confused as he felt. Roy shook his head.

"I don't have the faintest idea what's going on…I just want to keep my men alive." He felt weak, useless, and worst of all, helpless.

"I don't understand either, Sir, but we need to try to figure out what this information means. It's our only lead and I can't see Rebecca telling us anymore."

"Is it safe to leave her here on her own? We need to search and we can't risk her being taken as well."

Riza peered around the corner at her friend, then turned back to Roy. "If they were going to kidnap her, they would have done so already. I doubt they would bother killing her…she's served her purpose in their plan, I think."

With that said, Riza and Roy gave instructions to Rebecca to help her stay hidden and were out the door, headed for the Central military offices. It was safe, there were large masses of information, and there would be no one there at this late hour.

Heading up to his office, for perhaps the last time as a Colonel, he turned on the lights of an empty room filled with empty chairs. Mustang flinched as he passed Havoc's desk.

I will find you…Why is it never me who goes missing instead?

Roy pulled an extra chair up to his desk for Riza to sit in and took out a pad of paper. "What was that first clue, again?" He rubbed his temples tiredly.

"Second clue, not the first. U.S.O.8.0.0." She refused her seat, choosing to stand instead, much to his annoyance. He hated to see her standing all the time. He could see the scar on her neck from this angle.

"Well that's just a series of letters and numbers. Maybe a password? A code?" Roy looked at his Lieutenant for the answer.

"It sounds like a military password, now that I think about it, Sir, but those change every month and each one has a different purpose."

"I suppose so…what are six digit codes used for?" He inquired. It might narrow things down.

"Private calls, Sir." Riza responded flatly. Roy felt his pulse quicken. All the phone calls tonight were to private numbers. A code would be needed only if they were military lines though…

"Is there any way we could find when this combination was used last?"

Riza's eyebrows wrinkled in concentration. "Maybe in the document storage rooms, but-"

"Then let's go!" Mustang was out of his seat and out the door before Hawkeye could finish her sentence. He darted down the empty hall, counting the rooms as he went along. He shook the doorknob angrily. The document storage room was locked.

Just my luck…

"I tried to tell you that it would be locked." Riza coughed as she finally caught up with him a minute later. She pulled a key ring out of her pocket. "You should have grabbed the keys first, Sir."

What would I do without you Riza…
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The room was cold and dark and the ages of dust on dust made Riza cough harder than before. Her lungs ached from trying to hold back the severity of her symptoms all evening. Roy flipped a switch shedding light on the boxes of papers.

Mustang began rummaging in the first box he could get his hands on, but only one of the cardboard containers caught the Hawk's Eye. It was exactly like all the others, but this one had no dust on it at all.

Almost as if it had been opened recently…

She removed the lid to find files of papers. Hundreds of them. Each containing information on the month's code to access a military phone line. Her eyes fell on a bent back corner of paper, and she pulled it from the mass of others like it.

Password: U.S.O.8.0.0. That's it alright…but this is from years ago…but wh-…no…it couldn't be…

"S-Sir?" Riza's voice trembled with excitement and fear. "I think I found it…but it can't be right…it has to be a coincidence…right, Roy?"

She passed the page over to her anxious boyfriend. His eyes lit up as he read the code printed across the top of the page. Then his face contorted as he read the month and year the password was in use.

"Th-this can't be…can it?" He slumped against her. Riza reluctantly supported his weight which made it even harder for her to breath. It wasn't exactly a good time for their relationship.

"I mean…what are the chances that this was the code for the month and year when Hughes…that he used when he…died? Is this really supposed to…these were some of his last words…" Mustang had lost all momentum. This meant, of course, any moment now he would explo-

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE FOR DOING THIS!?" He screamed at the ceiling. "No one. NO ONE IS THIS SICK! WHO THE HEL-"

BRIIIINNNNGGG! BRING!

Down the hall a phone began to ring, its sound echoing through the hollow building. Hawkeye threw off Mustang's weight and darted for the door.

I only have one shot at this…

She slammed the door behind her, locking it with a sharp twist of her wrist. If Roy answered that phone as angry and exhausted as he was, he could ruin their chances to catch a kidnapper.

"I'm sorry, Roy, but they're my friends too." Riza muttered as the phone rang again. She ran down the hall, slipping into an office, and grabbed the receiver. In the distance she could here an explosion.

He's burning the damn door down!?

Riza clutched the phone, holding it up to her ear. Static. A furious, pained scream.

"I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" An explosion sounded once more, this time coming from the phone.

A squeak of boots as Mustang sprinted down the hall.

"WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD THAT, MUSTANG!?"

The line went dead as he charged into the room. Roy wrenched the phone from Riza's weakened grip.

"Hello? HELLO!?" He yelled into the phone. Realizing there was no response, he slammed the phone down and clutched Riza's shoulders.

"DAMN IT! WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!" She could feel his fingers digging into her arm and she flinched as she saw the burning in his eyes.

"I-I..." She couldn't make herself say it. "I was trying to protect you…and our friends." Riza forced the words out of her protesting lungs.

That was horrible…but this is worse…

Mustang flung her aside, spinning on his heels as he marched furiously back to his office, the moon's light cooling the flames in his eyes.

I guess I should let him burn himself out…he was so angry…

Riza leaned against the wall, looking at the phone receiver dangling from the desk. This was crazy. Unknown phone calls. Codes alluding their tragic past. Clues so convoluted that neither could make sense of them. And now this. Of all the times for them to have their first fight.

Something tells me this is going to be a long night…


THE END
THIS FANFICTION WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY A ROYAI FAN WHO CLEARLY NEEDED INSPIRATION AND IS OVERCOME WITH EVIL CHUCKLES AFTER MENATALLY TOURTURING EACH CHARACTER. TUNE IN NEXT TIME FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE PHONE CALL STORY ARC: "SHIRT"