Death doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners
And the saints
It takes
And it takes
And it takes

**********

Hours later and sitting in her office, Aiden was staring down Katy. Aiden could never figure her out; there were inconsistencies in every report regarding Katy. One would say that she interviewed a criminal at three in the afternoon while another said she rescued a kitten out of a tree roughly at the same time, across the city. When more and more of the inconsistencies kept popping up Aiden did her best to cover them up and research as far and wide as possible to see how far back it went.

Everything started just after the Ishvalan War ended and Katy was assigned her first superior officer. As one could guess, Katy being in two places at once was never looked at, as there would have been a file for Aiden to look through. So she was the first. The only explanation Aiden could come up with was that Katy was a homunculus. The chances of Katy being with Father and the rest of the Seven Deadly Sins was rather low, but she didn't want to take any chances. There was no telling just who made her, and with Katy being in two places at once it was obvious that Katy could duplicate herself. Aiden refused to believe that Katy could time travel.

So with a new homunculus around with an unknown agenda, Aiden wanted her gone until the thing with Maes came and went. There was no chance of her taking 'no' for an answer. Katy was a wild card in her plans.

"I have to stay!" Katy argued, glaring at her superior.

They'd been going at it for a while, the rest of her subordinates were sitting at their desks and doing their best to ignore them. Aiden asked Katy to go with the Elric's but Katy kept on refusing. She wouldn't answer why and then the argument escalated into a shouting match that had Jack thankful for the thick walls.

"For what?" Aiden shouted back. "What could you possibly need to stay for?"

Katy gave a frustrated sigh and paced the area in front of Aiden's desk. "I said I can't tell you."

"Well until you can I expect you to be on that train."

"Why can't I-"

"Major Katy Erwin I am formally ordering you, as your commanding officer, to board the train headed for Rush Valley. You will serve as protection for the Fullmetal Alchemist, his brother, and their friend. Do I make myself clear?" Aiden growled.

Out of their field of vision, Aiden's subordinates tensed and stared in shock. Aiden had never once given a formal order to any of them. She would only ever ask them to do their jobs and take care of themselves so they didn't work their minds and bodies to death. They knew she hated pulling rank even on new recruits with attitude. For Aiden to do so with one of her friends... it was unthinkable!

Katy pursed her lips and glared furiously at her commanding officer. "Yes. Ma'am," she said through clenched teeth. Then Katy turned and stormed out the door.

Aiden sighed and ran a tired hand through her hair as she dropped into her seat. She glanced at the rest of her team, who stared right back at her, and sighed again. "You guys can go home. We're done for the day and I need time to think."

They nodded and gathered their things, each giving Aiden a look that she didn't bother figuring out. When the door closed Aiden leaned forward and rested her head against the cool wood of her desk. Katy - the homunculus, Aiden reminded herself - was gone and her team was sent home early. It was more than likely stupid to send Katy with the brothers, but assuming she did work with Father then it would only be a way for him to keep track of them. Which wasn't so bad, Aiden reasoned.

Aiden reached into her desk and pulled out a small box of cards. The unique thing about this particular set, was that it was meant for three players. Black, red, and blue cards were arranged across her desk, each keeping to its own. Aiden hummed as a Black Joker was integrated into her blue army. The unknown variable known as Katy. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head, moving the Black Joker into its own space. There was still no telling who she worked for - if she did. Until then, the trickster would remain separate.

The Black and Red army's had yet to make any moves aside from defense. They would stay put. There was a storm approaching, she glanced at the Red King, and Roy was right in the middle of it. Her stare turned toward the Red Joker that shared a space with her Blue Joker. It all began with the death of Maes Hughes.

In the dark of the night Aiden cursed and tightened her grip on the steering wheel as she waited for her moment. She'd been nervous in the days leading up to the moment she was in. It didn't take long, but weeks ago Aiden had found the telephone booth where Maes would be shot by Envy. That was where Aiden stationed herself, only a small distance away.

She had stolen the getaway car she needed for her plan, but she fully intended on giving it back. Civilian clothes were a necessity, Envy didn't need to know that Aiden worked with the military. It'd only make him search for her more than he already would, if he would. The mask covered her entire face and neck, the zipper sitting at the back of her neck. At first she'd wanted to create a mask that just obscured her eyes; a half mask, but she came to the conclusion that hiding her entire face was better. The hidden zipper on the back was added instead of a regular strap so a person couldn't take it off without a good amount of difficulty. After that, the black faceless mask seemed blank and lifeless. Adding the face of a snarling hellhound was one of her better ideas, given the amount animals known to the world. Her inner Jessica wanted to wear a girly mystical animal - just to screw with Envy, but the situation called for maturity, hence the demon dog. As a last thought to her disguise, Aiden dyed her hair blood red and while it would make her stand out among the crowd, it was night and she could wash it out easily.

So there she was, Lieutenant Colonel Aiden Wilson undercover; dressed in a black, hooded cloak, grinning hell-dog mask, and blood red hair mussed up and wild. In her opinion she looked a bit like a psychopath. Even as she waited for any sign of her friend, an eye was kept on lookout for Envy. It was a tense silence; any shadow could hide the homunculus and every stray cat and dog that passed by was a potential threat. Seconds passed. Minutes.

Movement caught her attention and Aiden sat up straight, watching as Maes stumbled across the road, a hand putting pressure on the wound she knew came from Lust. Aiden quickly jumped from the car and took the shortcut to the telephone, making sure to keep him within her sights as she did. She didn't want to end up in the wrong place. Taking cover behind some bushes Aiden watched as Maes phoned Roy. Then Envy disguised as Ross walked up behind him.

"Sir! Are you alright? We need to get you somewhere safe!" Envy asked in concern.

Maes turned around and faced her. He was silent for a moment and the only sound to be heard was the ringing on the receiver. "I'll get safe when this call goes through." Maes cursed aloud and turned to look back at the phone. He didn't see the grin on Envy's face. "Damn it! What the hell is taking so long?" Maes glanced up and happened to notice Ross' reflection on the glass. He saw her face clearly, no mole, and full on smirk. He pretended to hang up the phone when in reality he just set it on top of the box.

"We need to go sir," Envy insisted, planting a fake frown on her face.

Maes nodded and Aiden's eyes widened. He wasn't supposed to leave! Aiden stared at the two in alarm as Envy turned around.

"There's something I'd like to bring up with you," Maes said, not stepping from the booth. His arm rustled slightly and another dagger appeared in the palm of his hand. He held it up to the neck of Envy. "Lieutenant Ross has a mole right below her left eye."

"Is that so? I can't believe I forgot. How careless of me," Envy said, his voice changing from Ross'. Then he grinned and tapped his cheek, a mole appearing under his left eye. "There, how do I look now?"

Maes glared but didn't lower his arm. "That's an amazing talent."

Envy jerked and went for his gun but Maes was quicker. His eyes widened and he sliced his arm to the side, cutting through Envy's neck. Envy's body landed twitching and Maes turned back to the booth, failing to notice how the blood evaporated from both his knife and the ground as Envy healed himself. Aiden stared in astonishment, that was not planned at all.

Aiden glared as Envy quickly got back up, gun raised. "Sorry, sir." Maes jerked around in surprise to see Fake Ross standing before him. "But I have orders to kill you."

Aiden took her queue and stepped out from behind the bushes, a gun pointed at Envy. As she slowly walked into the light both men turned to look at her in surprise, taking in the sight. The cloak wrapped itself around Aiden and the hood rested down, showing off the startling red hair contrasting with the rest of the black outfit. Black leather pants led to black combat boots, any possible hidden weapons were obstructed by the slightly baggy pants. The mask was what seemed to bother Maes the most. A black dog whose facial structure was outlined with a dark red and orange, a snarling mouth revealed white fangs that seemed to glimmer in the light of the lamp, but the eyes were the worst. The eyes were a pale, milky white that stared unseeingly into whatever it faced. It was almost like the dog was blind, and yet it could see into your soul and judge your value.

"And who the hell are you?" Envy snarled. He didn't move his gun away from Maes.

"I'm no one of consequence," Aiden shrugged, taking on the air of someone not bothered by the situation or what she had just witnessed. "I'm just here to do my job. Say, did you know that even though the war is over, the Ishvalan's really hate the military?" Aiden laughed and stared both in the eye. Somehow the men knew what she was doing, Maes shuddered and Envy glared right back at the white eyes. "Of course you do. And I can't say I blame 'em. I mean, you did wipe out most of their race."

"As fascinating as that is," Envy drawled, rolling his eyes, "I have business. If you don't leave now you're dead."

"How unfortunate." Aiden pouted and folded her arms. They couldn't see her face but she knew that they knew she was acting like a child. "Here I was thinking I'd get the bounty for this guy's head, and now some other girl gets to him before me. How saddening this night is turning out to be."

"Bounty?"

Aiden grinned, she's got him. "An Ishvalan put out a hit against this man. I'm just here to collect."

Envy whistled lowly and grinned at Maes. "Looks like I don't get to kill you after all! I'll leave that pleasure to the lady here." Aiden stared at him in surprise. She was sure she would have had to knock him unconscious with her homemade knockout gas. Then Envy turned and walked away. "Just make sure to leave a body! I have people to impress."

Aiden said nothing and slowly turned to Maes. His eyes were drooping slightly due to blood loss but he held on tightly to the phone which was surprisingly still ringing. Slight dizziness and anxiousness would be signs of losing somewhere between a litre and a litre and a half of blood, she concluded. Although, Aiden tilted her head, he may also be anxious with recent events. Whichever way it was, Maes was going to take a while to recover if she got away with her plan. She narrowed her eyes and raised her gun once more.

"Hang up the phone," she commanded.

Maes laughed uneasily at the new threat. "Come on, have a heart. I have a wife and daughter at home."

Aiden sighed and shook her head regretfully, "I really hoped it wouldn't come to this. So, Gracia and Elicia, wasn't it? The little girl just turned three, should I pay her a visit for her birthday?" Aiden watched as Maes' face slowly filled with horror as she talked. Then she listed off their address, followed by the layout of their house, and which room each one slept in. Rage slowly spread across Maes' face.

"Don't you dare touch them!" he yelled.

Before she could blink Maes threw his last throwing knife at her and it was fortunate his aim was off or it might have hit her head and not her shoulder. Aiden winced and hissed as the blade buried itself in her flesh. Her hand squeezed the trigger and the gun went off, the sound reaching the ears of a shapeshifter who grinned and carried on as if his day had just been made.

Envy whistled merrily as he approached Fuhrer King Bradley's mansion. A quick change into some nameless soldier and he was inside the grounds under the guise of having important information. When he was inside Envy grinned at Wrath, who merely raised an eyebrow, and sat on the arm of the couch behind him. He took note of Lust who stood in the corner of the room with her arms crossed.

"I assume he is dead then?" Wrath asked, sipping a cup of tea.

Envy nodded. "Yeah. That Maes Hughes guy is gone. Although-" Wrath looked up from his tea, "- a woman dressed in black and a mask showed up. Apparently, some Ishvalan wanted the man dead, no doubt someone who wanted revenge." Envy shrugged and folded his arms. "Oh well, the job's done at least, all thanks to yours truly." Then he stared at Wrath unflinchingly, voice completely serious. "But you should keep an eye out for whoever she is; she may have seen me die. And that could cause problems in our plan."

Wrath hummed as Lust sighed in annoyance at her sibling. "Why didn't you just kill her in the first place?"

"Two bodies in one place would be more suspicious than the death of just one Lieutenant Colonel."

"We could have fed her to Gluttony."

"There would be too much blood for just one man, people would wonder where the other body went."

"I suppose."

"Anyway, Wrath, what do you think?"

The two turned to look at the leader of Amestris. Wrath had relocated from his desk to the window and calmly looked out, staring at the city before him. It was like he was trying to pinpoint the location of the mysterious woman, but not even his ultimate eye could do that if he didn't know what he was looking for.

"I'll ask my spy network to look into it," Wrath said, not looking away from the city. "For now, I see no need to alert Father. As long as this masked person doesn't show up again, that is."

Envy and Lust nodded in agreement. It didn't matter if the woman showed up again or not, as long as their plans went forward they needn't worry. And if she did, well then Gluttony would get a snack after all.

**********

Maes: *retaliates when his life is in danger*

Aiden: *Pikachu face*