Breda rushed into the Colonel's office, slamming a newspaper clipping he pulled. Colonel picked it up and skimmed the headline. It stated that the military found Ross guilty of murder, judging by the bullet and gun used for the murder. However, she was sentenced to execution almost immediately, no trial even being held for her. "You think these actions might be too harsh?" He said.

"You think so, too?" Colonel Mustang asked.

"Yeah," Breda nodded. "Walking her out like a criminal in front of all those people and playing up the killing off a fellow officer in the papers, something that brings disgrace upon the military..."

The phone interrupted him and Mustang answered. "It's me," he grunted. There was a long pause before Mustang jumped suddenly from his seat, sprang Breda and I. "Hey, Bunny! I'm not supposed to take personal calls!" He laughed dryly. "I'll call you back from outside! Wait just a minute!" He slammed the phone down, grabbing Breda and I by the collars and rushing us out of Central Command.

Mustang stopped at a outside phone booth, calling back whoever called him. After a little bit he stepped back out, handing Breda a piece of paper. "Breda, get this together for me," he ordered.

"Pork bone and meat, carbon, ammonia...." Breda skimmed the list.

I leaned over to see what it was. Recognizing some of the components and what they made, I gasped, "Colonel you aren't--"

"No, I'm going to whip up a burned corpse," he stated his plan.

Breda put the pieces together quickly, realizing Colonel's plan, and the risks. "What if they perform an autopsy?" He threw a loophole.

"Trust me-it'll be really charred," Colonel nodded as he strutted off.

"What if they check dental records?"

"I'm way ahead of you."

"Can you pull it off?"

"I'm no expert, but I do have my share of knowledge in human anatomy. Making burned corpses is my specialty. Hurry."

Breda, gulping in doubt but nodding, placing his trust in Mustang before jogging off. Mustang turned to me, "'Bunny' or better yet known as 'Barry' is hijacking Ross and going though second district. Wait in one of the alleyways and escort Ross to me. Got it?"

"Y-Yes, sir," I nodded, saluting. "Colonel, do you suppose Ross found out something she wasn't supposed to like Hughes and now they're eliminating her to shut her mouth?"

"Possibly so," he shrugged. "With the military so corrupted, who knows?"

*~*~*~*~*~

I stood in a dark alleyway until I heard heavy footsteps of armor and someone panting approaching. I slipped out from the shadows. Barry slid to the side, revealing Ross in her prisoner's uniform. Shocked a my appearance, she opened her mouth to scream but I slapped a hand over her mouth. "You wanna get caught?" I hissed, grabbing her hand. "Come with me! MP is hot on our trail! They'll shoot!"

I dragged Ross as Barry stood behind to distract anyone who tried to go down our path. Running, I counted the footsteps until I reached the meeting place. Colonel Mustang appeared and we stopped. I stepped to the side and let him tack over. "Maria Ross, right?" He asked.

Not witting for an answer, he opened the dumpster next to him and heaved out a body, which was similar in build as her. "It's a dummy," he explained. "You're going to die here tonight."

He snapped his fingers, unleashing the flames in a dramatic way. Ross covered her face from the light and the whole alleyway was consumed in flames and smoke. Once it cleared, the dummy he had laid out was burned beyond recognition, just like he said he would. Ross stared in amazement at it. "Don't just stand there!" He shouted.

I took out the pliers I held and clipped at her prisoner identification bracelet, the chains unwrapping the landing on the floor. I handed her the pliers and closing her palm over it. "Just in case," I nodded.

She understood it was meant as a weapon and nodded back slowly. Colonel grabbed her forcibly and dumped her into the dumpster, slamming the top closed. Inside, a carved out path with Havoc as the escort will escort Ross to safety. Colonel snapped his fingers and burned her bracelet so it wasn't clear I clipped them off.

Footsteps approached and I expected it to be MP but when I turned around, I was shocked at the sight. It was Edward. He was eyeing the body in horror, realizing what had happened to "Ross". Colonel put on a poker face and I copied him. "Yo, Fullmetal," Colonel greeted casually.

"What's going on here?" He demanded, clenching his fist in anger. "What's going in here, Colonel? Evie, what did he do?"

Not receiving a response from either of us, Edward gritted his teeth, "Why? Why is Colonel Hughes...? Why did Lieutenant Ross...? Why didn't either of you do anything?"

He grabbed my shoulders and shook them, glaring at me. I glared back, "Don't call me Evie."

He dropped his hands and stared back at me, pupils dilating in horror at my coldness as a hurt expression appeared on his face. I immediately felt guilty, but I couldn't just lose face now. Edward's hurt express turned to rage He as he to the Colonel and ran up to him, preparing to punch him. Luckily, Alphonse Ex-Machina was there to stop him, as he held both Edward's arms behind him. "No, Ed!" He shouted.

"Let me go, Al!" He yelled.

"I said no!"

"This bastard killed Lieutenant Ross and Evie-I mean, Evelyn was his accomplice!"

"Lieutenant Ross?"

Alphonse saw the body and gasped, "What is the meaning of this, Colonel? Eve, how could you help him out with this?!"

"There was orders to shoot the fugitive Maria Ross on sight," I stated. "Her fate was sealed ether way."

"Either way?" Alphonse cried.

"I apologize for hiding Hughes' death," Colonel said as he walked away. "But do not argue against orders. Do but ask for explanations. Just follow them. That's what a soldier does. You should follow Clockwork's example for once, Fullmetal. There is a reason she's so highly regarded in the military."

Edward gritted his teeth before whipping around and slapping me across the face with his right hand. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Colonel flinch in surprise before returning to his neutral state. "At first, I couldn't believe someone like you could be related to him," Edward growled. "But now, I realized you're more like your uncle than I thought."

Edward stomped away like a child throwing a tantrum and Alphonse stared at me before following Edward. Once they were gone, I reached my hand up to touch my sore cheek. "You're okay, Clockwork?" He asked.

"Yeah," I nodded, but for some reason I felt my heart tightening at what Edward did to me.

*~*~*~*~*~

Colonel Mustang and I awkwardly sat on the couch while Major Armstrong and Edward conversed. Dr. Knox, a doctor Colonel had asked specifically to do the autopsy, as he was a close friend, came out of room. "The body suffered severe damage," he stated. "But judging by what little was done to the dental work, I can conclude it was Maria Ross. What a terrible thing to turn such a beauty like her into charcoal. You must of held some sort of grudge, Mustang."

He turned at us, glaring at us within the gleam of his glasses, making sure it was believable by all. "Do you feel better now that you've taken vengeance?" Dr. Knox asked mockingly.

Colonel refused to respond and I stared blankly before Dr. Knox left. "The Hero of Ishval doing something so horrible to a little girl, not to mention yanking in his own family to assist him in such a deed...it make some sick." He left us.

Edward gritted his teeth, refusing to look at us, at me specially. More than anything I wanted to jump up and tell Edward it was all an act, but instead I bit my lip and looked off to the side so I couldn't break down if I made eye contact with him. Colonel stood up and I followed. "Colonel, let me take this opportunity to apologize for what of my own men did," Major Armstrong dropped his head in guilt and shame. "To think that Lieutenant Ross could commit murder...she was such a straightforward, earnest, considerate woman."

Major Armstrong sat back down, rubbing his temples. "Fatigue seems to be catching up with you," Colonel stated simply. "You should take a leave. Back east, where I was. That's a nice place. There's no big-city hustle and bustle, and best of all, there are lots of beautiful women."

I almost snorted at the Colonel's last comment but held it in as the Colonel and I went to his office and he sat back down at his desk, keeping his poker face. "Colonel, what's next...?" I asked.

"With this sudden death just hours after her called execution, it should draw the attention of whoever framed Ross," Colonel smiled, placing his hands underneath his chin. "They'll exploit themselves to us, and we'll have Hughes' true killer-or, at least part of the group who planned this."