Stand by You

XIX

Colonel Mustang had stationed Havoc, Falman, and Barry in a location as bait to draw out the group behind Hughes' murder and Lieutenant Hawkeye was positioned on a nearby building, ready to snipe whoever comes. Right now, Colonel and her are communicating through code in case anyone was listening, her being 'Elizabeth', a woman who Colonel had supposedly flirted recently. "Hey, Elizabeth, how are you?" He grinned fakely on his side to make it seem real. Pause. "That's okay, she's not here. And I'm able to call you like this because she's isn't."

Pause. "That's right. I haven't had a day off since I got here, so I'm thinking about going on leave."

Soldiers nearby gritted their teeth at the Colonel's behavior. It took all of my willpower to resist a laugh. I just But my lip and trembled in my seat. "Lately, I've been caught up fishing," Colonel continued. "Care to come along?"

A long pause. "What's the matter?" Colonel asked, concern growing in his voice. He glanced at me and I flashed him the okay sign, as the soldiers in the office had left out of annoyance of his behavior. "Elizabeth! Hey! Elizabeth!" He shouted over the phone.

Receiving no response from "Elizabeth", Colonel slammed the phone down and stood up. "Joyce, we're going!" He shouted.

"Where?" I sputtered, tilting my head to the side.

Nosy soldiers were peeking in and noticing my signal, he grinned at me. "Why, I need to pick up a flower bouquet for Elizabeth!" He laughed, grabbing my arm and dragging me away. "I need your feminine side to help me out!"

Soldiers facepalmed once again as I laughed nervously, my embarrassment for real this time as he dragged me out of Central Command and to help Lieutenant Hawkeye.

*~*~*~*~*~

Colonel and I ran up the stairs of the building Lieutenant Hawkeye was in. Without thinking, he slipped on his gloves and recklessly snapped his fingers, setting whatever was on the other side on fire. Screaming was heard as whoever he set on fire fell backwards out of the building. He dropped his hand, "I barely made it."

Furey dropped his gun and sighed with relief as Black Hayate, Lieutenant Hawkeye's dog, whimpered. "Colonel..." she closed her eyes to compose herself but then starting shouting. "Why the hell did you leave your post? You could have eluded the enemy's pursuit, regardless of what happened to us! And you come waltzing in here, plain as day. ARE YOU A COMPLETE IDIOT?!"

"Yeah, fine, fine, I'm an idiot. Happy?" Colonel picked his ear from the scolding he got from Lieutenant Hawkeye.

"Colonel!" Barry shouted from below. "The target is on the loose, sir!"

"Sergeant, clean up this place!" Colonel ordered. "Don't leave a single trace!"

"And you stay right by the sergeant, Hayate!" Hawkeye ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Furey saluted and Black Hayate barked back in response.

We descended down the stairs. "Colonel," Lieutenant Hawkeye said.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Thanks for saving us."

"Save it for later. Right now, we're on a mission."

"Yes, sir." She smiled softly but quickly returned to her usual frown.