First of all, I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but I have a good reason :D. Sayo124 is now the beta for this story and she had fixed all the previous chapters and this one of course. Thank you so much Sayo!!! :D I hope you enjoy the story more now!

"Confrontation"

Edward finished his coffee and unfolded the sheet of paper he had been keeping in his coat. Today he didn't have to go out of the city, which was good considering what had happened the day before with Alphonse. His eyes twitched. He had been right about those bastards, so it had been a good call to hire a bodyguard for his brother.

At least he could be sure that Al was well protected so he could go on with his job without the need to call him every minute. Well, he wanted to, but he was doing his best to let the kid go on with his normal life. Ed owed him that.

He checked out his cell phone to see what time it was, but his eyes narrowed. He had one new message from a new unknown number. He got one every week or so. The blonde sighed and opened it just to read it.

"You know what we're capable of. Yesterday we made a mistake, but now we know what we're dealing with," Ed read in low voice and rolled his eyes. Of course he knew they would go as far as they could from the beginning.

He threw the empty coffee cup in the trash can and headed to his car. He had to get going if he wanted to go home early. When he was on his way, his cell rang and saw his aunt's name on the screen. Shoot.

"Hi, Teach-… Aunt," he corrected himself as he turned down the stereo. "Is something wrong?"

"Why do you always assume something is wrong?" she accused. "Of course not. I just wanted to know if you would be back home early so the four of us could go out to eat."

"Well, probably, but I'm not certain yet," he answered, stopping at a red light. "I'll call you later to let you know."

"Where are you going anyway? I told you to let someone know where you're going."

Edward almost snorted but decided against it. "I'm not going out of the city, so don't worry."

"Then I see you at noon, bye."

"Bye Aunt."

Edward sighed and stepped on the accelerator when the light changed. Izumi could get on his nerves every now and then, but of course he couldn't say no to her. Now he had to hurry if he wanted to be back on time.

…………….

"Al, please remind Edward. He has to go to Grandma's to do his check up," Winry told him when she was about to open the door of her car. "If he doesn't go when he says he will, I'll have to drag him over."

"You should tell Aunt," Alphonse suggested mischievously. "She'd knock him down if necessary."

Winry snickered. "Not a bad idea, actually."

Ling just shook his head and waved his hand, heading to his car, followed by RanFan. Winry said goodbye, too, and got in her car. Alphonse approached Roy, who was leaning on the car.

"How was school today?"

Alphonse held back a chuckle. Roy was talking to him like he was a little kid, "It was fine. I have a lot of reading to do."

"About something interesting at least?" Roy asked, opening the door of the car and getting in with Al.

The boy shrugged. "The history of Briggs. Not really my thing, but it can't be helped."

"History wasn't my thing either," Roy agreed. "But I have a book about Briggs I can lend you."

Al nodded gratefully. "That would be great! I don't think we have one of those in our library."

"If you want, we can go now," he suggested. "It's not far from here"

"Are you sure?" the boy asked.

"Of course, that way you won't have to go later."

Al smiled. "Thanks."

Roy nodded. "At the next corner, turn right and I'll tell you where to go from there."

Alphonse did as told after he checked on the mirror and waited for Roy's instructions, but in that moment, his cell phone rang and noticed it was Izumi. "I shouldn't answer…"

"But she'll keep on calling, won't she?" Roy added, smirking.

The dark blond sweat dropped and answered the call while Mustang watched their surroundings. He had to be alert to notice any little detail now that those men had taken the first step. Anything could be significant.

He looked through the rear view mirror, at his side, to the front. Everything seemed just fine so he leaned on the seat to hear Al's conversation.

"I'll arrive in thirty minutes, give or take," he heard Alphonse saying. "Yes, aunt. See you later."

The boy put the phone back and smiled awkwardly. "We should hurry. Brother is already home and she wants to go out to eat."

"Turn left in the next light and then right. We're almost there."

"I think I heard my Brother yelling at me so we'd hurry up," Alphonse added, raising a brow.

Roy just smirked. Was the woman that frightening? She seemed just a regular housewife; maybe a little overprotective, but nothing more. Was he missing something? Before he could ask Alphonse, something caught his attention in the left mirror. A white BMW, two cars behind them was not aligned with the others. He moved slightly and was able to see a man in the left seat talking to the driver, both of them wore dark sunglasses and were noticeably staring at Al's car.

"Alphonse, turn right in the next corner."

The dark blonde flinched at the sudden order since he had been told to go in a different direction. "But you just said-"

"Just turn right."

The boy threw the man a confused look, but did as told. Roy stared at the left mirror and watched how the BMW turned right too, now right behind them. This wasn't good.

"Something wrong?" Alphonse asked him suddenly.

When the car stopped in front of a red light, Roy glanced though the rear view mirror and his charcoal eyes met the man's through the sunglasses. He was sure then.

"Alphonse, let me drive," he urged, his eyes still locked on the mirror.

The boy blinked a few times, but when he saw how Roy was already moving in his seat, he knew Roy was serious. They did it as fast as they could since the red light wouldn't last long, and when Roy was ready to step on the accelerator, the light changed. However, Al was still trying to put his seat belt on and almost hit his head against the window when the car lurched beneath him.

"Mr. Mustang! What's going on?!"

He moved the steering wheel to the right at top speed. "We're being followed."

The younger Elric's eyes widened and looked back, noticing the BMW that was way too close. "They're going to hit us!"

Roy's brows furrowed. "No they won't."

Using the handbrake, he made a one-eighty and kept going straight. Alphonse saw how the BMW stopped and tried to turn around, but the traffic Roy had created managed to stop them for a brief moment.

"What are they trying to do?"

"They want to take you, of course," Roy said as he turned to the left. "But I'm not sure how. We have to lose them before we can go to your apartment."

"But they know where I live," Al pointed out. "I don't get it."

"They may be afraid of your brother."

The boy glanced at the older man, but he didn't have the chance to say anything since Roy turned abruptly to the left.

"Hold on, they're already behind us."

Roy stepped on the accelerator and passed a few cars always, checking the rear view mirror. He couldn't see gun of any sort, but he wouldn't take the risk. However, Alphonse caught his attention; he was clutching on his seat obviously terrified by his driving skills.

"It's going to be okay, Al," the man assured him. "Just trust me."

Al glanced at him and bit his lip, but he relaxed his hands and sighed. "Alright."

Mustang turned the wheel to the right, passing more cars skillfully, but he could see in the mirror how the BMW was still after them. They were good.

"Let's see what this Audi can do."

The younger Elric glanced at him out of the corner of his eye; he didn't like the sound of that, at all. He shifted to fourth gear and the car moved even faster so the dark blond closed his eyes.

"Everything will be fine, everything will be fine, everything will be fine," Al chanted to himself in a low voice.

But then Roy turned to get into a narrow alley where the car almost hit the walls; the boy flinched and screwed his eyes shut.

"Have we lost them already?!"

"No," Roy answered looking through the rear view mirror. "GET DOWN!"

Alphonse felt how Roy's arm forced him to bend down and the next thing he heard were gunshots. He covered his head with his arms and saw Mustang trying to hide his head while driving, but when the shots stopped, Roy grabbed the boy's arm.

"Alphonse, hold the steering wheel! Now!"

"Right!"

He did as told and Roy then turned around and snapped his fingers once to destroy the already shattered rear window and two more times to destroy the attacker's front window, blinding them for a few seconds. He turned back around and when they got out of the alley, he squeezed by the left passing two cars barely.

"Are they still behind us?"

Alphonse glanced back and saw how the pursuers got stuck in the traffic and were unable to get out of the alley. They put the car in reverse and disappeared. "No, but I can't see them anymore."

Roy's eyes looked through the rear view mirror for a brief moment, noticing that, indeed, the car had disappeared. "Damn."

The boy raised a brow. "That's good, isn't it?"

"I hope so."

Al gulped, leaning back in his seat and took a deep breath. He really wasn't a fan of speed and the previous predicament only proved that to him. However, the fact that there were people that were willing to attack them with guns gave him goose bumps and made him wonder what the research was about. Was it something worth killing for? He grabbed his cell phone and used speed dial to call his brother, but Roy moved the car abruptly and he felt something hit them from the right side of the car.

"Damn bastards!" Roy barked as he turned left. "They're certainly pissed off. Hold on, Al!"

And so he did, screwing his eyes shut. Roy pushed the break once he saw how the attackers were aiming their guns and the shots hit the truck, but he took a left again to avoid the traffic as no to hurt anyone innocent. Now that he knew that there were guns involved, he'd have to end the situation as soon as possible.

However, he saw how the attackers approach them again and hit the side of the car, the copilot doing his best to hold the gun still. "Oh no, you won't," Roy murmured and snapped his fingers.

The only thing he heard was a scream of pain as he shifted to fifth gear and left them behind, but they were almost immediately hit from behind. Alphonse winced and looked back; where they trying to capture or kill them?!

"GET DOWN NOW!" Roy ordered him, moving the car to the right abruptly.

He did as told wincing at the gunshots that shattered the front window of his car and ripped the seats. However, a small groan coming from Roy caught his attention; they had hit him in the shoulder and he was bleeding.

"Roy!"

"Stay there, Al!"

The boy clung to the car seat since Roy was once again moving the car violently. The attackers hit them a few more times from the back. The flame manipulating alchemist gritted his teeth and glanced at the rear view mirror.

"That's it."

Al held on tight when the car did a one hundred degree turn and saw how the attackers did the same, but they had to stop when a bus got in their way. It was then Roy stepped on the accelerator and put distance between them and the pursuers.

"I have to guide them somewhere less crowded. We can't hurt anybody."

"They're after us already," Al announced looking through the left mirror.

Roy glanced around, trying to decide which way they should go where it was less crowded; however, the attackers probably picked the timing to be to their advantage since the traffic was extremely heavy at that hour. Damn it. Roy noticed how Alphonse opened the glove compartment and grabbed a piece of paper.

"Turn left in that corner and park as fast as you can," the boy commanded looking back to check on the attackers. "But do it really fast."

"What? What are you planning on doing?"

"Just do it! Now!"

He would have to trust the teen since apparently Al had an idea while his mind was still blank. Roy took the left and parked between two cars, turning the engine off immediately. Alphonse then quickly placed the sheet on the window of the car and touched it, activating a simple transmutation array.

"What are you going to do?" Roy inquired when he figured it out what sort of array it was.

But his question was soon answered when he saw how the now the damaged Audi transformed into a simple sedan once the transmutation was over. Roy smirked as the boy grinned at him.

"Very clever." He patted the boy's shoulder. "Wait here."

Alphonse raised a brow but before he could ask anything, Mustang was already out of the car, hiding. Al did the same inside the car, making sure he could see if the pursuers turned at the corner at came after them. Roy hurried to the attacker's car and snapped his fingers, leaving the car unusable; then, he approached the driver and yanked him by the collar.

"Take this a warning, you sons of a bitch," he hissed, slamming the man against the burned car. "The kid is well-protected now and you won't lay a finger on him, ever."

The man gritted his teeth, but he tried to struggle so Roy would set him free and his dark sunglasses fell, revealing a pair of red eyes that were full of anger. Mustang flinched slightly, but he pushed the man inside the car and raised his hand threateningly since the copilot was trying to get out.

"Ishbalans?"

Roy glanced at Al who was now at his side, staring at the two men. The boy was as surprised as he was apparently. However, Mustang glanced back at the attackers. One of them was trying to unfold a gun. "Don't move an inch, you bastards," he warned them, frowning, noticing how those red eyes were fixed on Alphonse. He pulled the boy behind him.

Al flinched when he heard the sirens of the police approaching and it was then he saw how everyone around was staring at them and murmuring. Great. He really hoped no one he knew was close or the whole school would know.

"Alphonse, call your Brother."

Right, his brother. The boy grabbed his cell phone and turned around, trying to block out the loud sirens of the police. Roy just watched the police handcuff the Ishbalans, taking notes and asking Roy questions which he answered automatically. The men's eyes were stuck in Alphonse, so Roy stood alert through the entire interrogation.

When the dark blonde turned toward him, Roy rested a hand on his shoulder and saw how the stare from the men grew more intense now Al was closer.

"He said he'll be here in ten minutes," the boy announced as he closed his cell phone.

Roy drew Al even closer when the Ishbalan's started struggling against the handcuffs and he prepared his other hand to snap his fingers if needed. One of the police men approached him again to ask him even more questions. Mustang didn't let the Al go; not that the boy tried to move away.

However, the younger Elric shifted nervously when he noticed Edward's car approaching at top speed. Roy saw it, too, and waited until the blonde stopped his car jumped out of it, running towards them.

"Al! Are you alright?!" he almost cried.

"Yes Brother, I'm fine," Alphonse assured him with a smile. "Mr. Mustang was amazing."

Ed glanced at Roy who was staring at him and both stood like that for a brief moment. However, Edward gulped at the recriminatory stare and he didn't have to ask the reason since he noticed the Ishbalans being pulled inside the police car.

"I think you have something to explain, Edward."

The boy's eyes shifted back to Roy but only for a second. "Where's your car, Al?"

"I transmuted it," Alphonse answered, pointing at the sedan.

Ed nodded and turned around, clapping his hand and transmuting Al's car back as if it was brand new. Mustang couldn't help but to watch, amazed; not matter how many times he saw it, the kid's ability astounded him.

Edward glanced at the police's car and saw how the Ishbalan's eyes were glued on him. He glared at them and then approached Al and Roy.

"Brother, who are they?" Alphonse finally asked, catching Ed's attention.

The golden haired boy sighed in resignation. "I guess I omitted some details in my story before."

Alphonse face twisted in confusion. "Brother! Why would you do that?!"

"I didn't think it was important for you to know," he explained, scratching the back of his head and flinched when Roy took a step forward.

"But it was important for me to know," he said quietly but accusatorily. "I have to know the details."

Golden eyes smoldered in discontent, but he showed understanding. "Alright," he merely said, but he then noticed something. "You're hurt."

Roy frowned at him, too, and raised a hand when Al was about to say something, "It's only a scratch. Nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?" the younger Elric asked, concerned.

"Of course. Alphonse, go home with Edward," Roy suddenly ordered. "I'll go to the police station to finish this and clean the injury."

Alphonse shook his head. "We can drive you there, Mr. Mustang."

"That's okay. You should go home right now since someone could be still around."

The boy sighed and handed him the keys to his car. "Thank you, Mr. Mustang."

"My pleasure."

Before he turned around, onyx eyes met golden eyes and both stared at each other for a brief moment in clear confrontation. This conversation wasn't over and Edward knew it.

……………….