#plus ive been having trouble with drawing anything besides faces

[fullmetalscullyy]

a conspiracy theory - chapter 14

co-written by @snowdog49 and @jeanhaavoc

summary:  Detective Roy takes on a challenging task… To find Olivier Armstrong’s sword. However, he has a beautiful woman to distract him along the way. Will he, Jean, and Ed be able to find the sword in time, or will they succumb to the conspiracy?

warning: graphic depictions of violence

tags: conspiracy, pining, unresolved sexual tension, private detective au, royai, havolina, mystery, violence, modern au, coffee shops

rated: m | words: 2760

read on ao3

One of Roy’s legs bounced impatiently as he waited. With his elbows resting on his knees, he’d leaned forward in his chair with his hands clasped before his mouth. His grip was tight but he didn’t really notice. Apart from the bouncing leg, he hadn’t moved since he’d sat down. He was wound up, adrenaline running on high, but unable to move or spend any energy. There was nowhere for him to go anyway.

Beside him, Rebecca wasn’t faring much better. She shifted every now and then, but mostly she remained still and chewed on her lip and the nail of her thumb. Roy wanted to comfort her, should comfort her, but there was nothing he could do. Not yet, anyway. He only knew as much as her, so it was just a waiting game until someone arrived and told them something, anything.

The wait was killing him. Roy needed to know. His fist tightened, knowing that he’d ordered a move that resulted in the pain of another person, let alone a co-worker. He couldn’t even do anything about it. It was eating at him, guilt swirling around his body. He should’ve been there. It should’ve been him. He didn’t even know what happened.

‘He’s been shot’. The words felt heavy as Roy played with them in his mind, and they made an uncomfortable weight settle inside his stomach. He hated them. A fury burned inside his chest with a passion. How dare this happen? Not only that, but there was nothing for him to go on. He was a detective. It was his job to know things, to find out things, and he couldn’t even do that for someone he cared about.

His arms lowered slowly, almost creaking after being held tensed for so long. His elbows dug into his knees almost painfully.

“The patient is ready to see you now,” a nurse called gently to them both.

Before Roy had even registered what was said, he was up and out of his chair. He’d been wired sitting there, doing absolutely nothing, so that when he did finally move and was given direction, he was like a tightly coiled spring finally releasing.

Turning, he ushered Rebecca forward first as the nurse walked ahead, escorting them both down the hallway. Roy steeled himself, stepping into the hospital room with anticipation crawling all over his skin. He didn’t know what he would see and wasn’t quite as mentally prepared as he’d liked to be for seeing the worst.

“Hey guys!” Jean cried happily. He was lying in the bed with a dopey look on his face. He grinned at them, offering a clumsy wave with one hand. The other was trapped in a sling across his body. Roy’s eyes caught movement from the IV needle in Jean’s arm, noticing how it flailed around.

“Careful, Mr. Havoc,” the nurse admonished. She hurried over and gently restrained his arm, lowering it back down to the bed so she could check the needle’s placement. 

Jean’s head craned around her hands to look at it. Then he giggled. “Oops. Sorry!” 

“It’s fine, Sir. Just be careful.”

Roy didn’t blame the woman for batting Jean’s hands away as he tried to poke at the needle. She was just trying to do her job and Jean was off his face on drugs, messing about with all her hard work. He was half tempted to believe Jean was fine since he was in such a good mood. 

“He’s on quite a bit of morphine,” the nurse explained as she walked away. Roy noticed she didn’t turn her back on her patient and kept an eye on his IV. Jean was just grinning back at them, perfectly at ease. “But that will wear off soon. If he starts poking at that needle, the machine will beep.” She gestured towards Jean’s bed. “If it does, come and find me.” She closed the door softly behind her, giving them some privacy.

“Hey, Jean,” Rebecca greeted as she walked towards the bed. 

“Rebecca!” He was ecstatic to see her. “I love you,” he crooned. He leaned onto his good side, obviously looking for a kiss.

Roy felt relief wash over him, seeing Jean awake and talking. Even if he was drugged up. He was alright at least, and he was safe.

“I love you too,” Rebecca replied. Her voice was soft and she gripped his hand tightly, the whites of her knuckles showing. “Are you alright?” 

“Feel fine!” he grinned. “This stuff they have me on, it’s great! I can’t feel my face though…” He trailed off, suddenly looking very troubled. His mouth was closed, but suddenly his lips were pushed outwards as he ran his tongue over his teeth. Jean shrugged, and the grin was back. “Nah, can’t feel it.”

“Do you remember what happened?” Roy asked. He needed to now. He needed to know who he needed to find. 

“Roy! Roy Boy. Mustang.” Jean cackled to himself, drawing out the ‘a’ in his surname, finding it hilarious. It was like he was drunk.

“Hey, Jean,” Roy smiled softly. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too! I can’t feel my teeth,” he snorted, giggling to himself. At least he was in good spirits, even if it was the morphine talking. “Wait, we’re missing someone.” Jean leaned onto his bad side to look at the door behind Roy and froze. His expression turned into a grimace.

“Careful!” Rebecca quickly grabbed his shoulders and righted him, moving his weight off his injured side. “Are you okay?”

“That hurt,” Jean mumbled. His loud, jovial tone was gone. He suddenly sounded like a small child after they’d fallen over and hurt themselves.

“Take it easy, man,” Roy commanded gently. He pulled the one chair in the room over to Jean’s bedside and motioned for Rebecca to sit. “We’re all fine, I promise. But more importantly, how are you?”

“Sore… but this stuff I’m on is really good. It’s helping.” That rush of pain he’d received from being too overeager had sobered Jean up a little, and his demeanor was much calmer. He still looked slightly crazed, but he was acting less like an excited puppy and more like his old self.

“Good, that’s what’s important. Just take it easy.”

“Everyone else is okay?” Jean asked earnestly. “No one else is hurt?”

Rebecca and Roy shared a look.

“Does anyone have a reason to be?” Roy asked carefully.

“I… I don't know. But Ed’s not here…” He looked like he was about to cry.

“Honey, Ed’s fine. He’s at home. Nothing has happened to him.”

“Are you sure?” Jean’s eyes were wide, and that was when Roy became concerned.

“We’re sure,” Rebecca reassured him, giving his hand a squeeze.

His whole body sagged and Jean relaxed further into the bed. “Okay,” he mumbled. “Okay, good.”

Roy turned, lightly touching Rebecca’s shoulder. “I’m going to go and find another chair. Look after this dummy for me, yeah?”

He noticed the wetness in her eyes which she smiled and nodded gratefully to him.

“I heard that,” Jean muttered.

“Good,” Roy grinned. “I’ll be back in five.”

He said he’d be five minutes, but Roy purposefully waited fifteen before walking back to Jean’s room. He wanted to give them a moment of privacy together. Plus, after Jean’s worried questions, he quickly texted Ed to ask where he was and if he was okay. Roy could almost feel the accusation through the text, but still, it was an answer. A quick reply with ‘no reason’ was bound to confuse and irritate his protege, but it was better than explaining everything over a text. Roy would call him later and fill him in.

When he walked in the room both heads turned to look at him. Their hands were gripped together tightly in Jean’s lap and Rebecca looked like she never wanted to let go. Another grateful smile was shot his way from Rebecca, thankful for the moment of privacy, and Jean looked a lot calmer than he had before. Roy didn’t doubt that she’d caused that. They could both be firecrackers, but Rebecca could calm Jean down with just her touch alone, or a few words. He hung onto every one, like a lovesick man, and Roy had envied it. They were so perfect, and the two honestly deserved each other. It was like they were destined to be.

“So,” Roy announced, sitting heavily on his chair. “What happened to you, man?”

“Kimblee shot me,” he snorted. He didn’t miss a beat with his answer and his face darkened.

Roy’s hands made fists on his knees.

“He caught me following him at this park.” Jean scowled and looked away. “I don’t know how,” he muttered. “This is my specialty, he shouldn’t have been able to notice me.”

Roy shot a helpless look at Rebecca, then back at his friend.

“I know, Hun, but that’s okay. Don’t worry about that right now,” Rebecca reassured him. “What else happened?”

“Can you start from the top?” Roy requested, his tone apologetic. He was clearly all over the place with the morphine, but with a little direction, Roy would be able to get to the bottom of this with Jean’s assistance.

“Right, sorry,” Jean apologized sheepishly. 

“It’s fine,” Roy placated, leaning over onto his arms. “I just need to know the whole story so I can help you.”

“Okay,” Jean sighed. “So I followed Kimblee about. He went into a store. It was just a generic one and I don’t remember the name, before you ask. Then he wandered for a bit towards the address of the meeting, but didn’t go there. It was like he wanted to, but wouldn’t quite go directly. He was speaking on the phone for a short time. He sounded a little agitated but I was too far away to hear what they were talking about. I really did try to listen,” he urged, like a child trying to get an adult to understand them. The painkillers must have been really strong.

“We know you did, Hun” Rebecca reassured him, patting his arm gently. 

“But, I couldn’t hear a thing. I crossed the street and sat on a bench. It was just inside the park, slightly hidden from view where Kimblee was standing. It was the perfect spot too because the building was just around the corner from where Kimblee was standing, so I would be able to see him walking into it without moving. He was on the phone for a while, I can’t remember how long,” Jean shook his head. “I was reading the paper and having a smoke so I didn’t have a chance to check the time. Then, Kimblee hung up and walked towards me.”

“He saw you?”

Jean shrugged. “He must have. I was playing it cool though, just kept reading. Then he stopped, and said my name.”

“... Your full name?” Roy asked. He didn’t like the sound of this.

Jean nodded, and the weight in Roy’s stomach sank even lower. “First and last name. He wasn’t happy. He’d obviously figured out what I was doing. I tried to keep the peace, tell him to calm down, and play it cool. He wouldn’t listen, but he wasn’t talking. He just smiled.” 

“And then?” Roy prompted, his tone gentle.

“Next thing I knew, I was on the floor. It felt as if I got hit with a baseball bat. I didn’t really know what had happened. The bastard was still smiling at me as he lowered the gun. I didn’t quite know what was happening but I was so angry.” Jean’s hand made a fist. “I wanted to get up, off the floor, and punch that smug look off his face, but my body wouldn’t move. Someone was screaming, I think. Kimblee disappeared, walking out of the park and in the direction of the building, so I tried to get to my phone, but I was stuck. Then, I realized I’d been shot.”

“Shit, man,” Roy muttered.

“Getting shot sucks,” Jean groaned, holding his shoulder. “Let me tell you! Fucking hurts.” 

Rebecca sniffed beside him.

“I… I have to ask, sorry, but did he go to the building?” Roy continued after casting a glance over to her.

“He didn’t,” Jean confirmed, sounding completely sure of himself. “While I was on the floor he disappeared, but I saw him cross the street and walk in the opposite direction. I don’t know if he went back later.”

“I don��t imagine he would have,” Roy thought aloud. He leaned back in his chair, bringing a hand to his chin in thought. “You said you heard someone screaming. Who called you to say he’d been shot, Rebecca?”

“The hospital,” she replied, her voice husky. “We’re listed as emergency contacts in each other’s phones.”

“There would’ve been too much attention drawn to the area in order for Kimblee to get inside.” Roy hummed to himself. “Maybe too much for them to even have their little meeting tonight. Did you hear the shot?”

Jean shook his head. “I didn’t hear it. I don’t know why,” he frowned.

“If you heard screaming that meant someone saw you go down. Whether they saw Kimblee’s face or not though…” Roy grimaced. “If the Police Chief is in the pocket of these people, and if that witness went to the police, Kimblee would probably be swept underneath the rug completely.” Roy sighed in frustration.

It was so unfair on Jean to suffer because of this. He’d been innocent! Just sitting on a park bench! And yet the police would ignore it because their chief is comfortable in their pocket.

“You said you didn’t know why you heard the shot?” Roy repeated.

Jean nodded. “Yeah. I just felt a fucking hard hit then I twisted to the side and fell off the bench.”

Roy scrunched his face, noting a tiny red graze by his eyebrow. His face must have scuffed along the ground.

“That could also be why it took you so long to realize what had happened. The gun could have been silenced. I mean, if he was going to shoot anyone who got in his way so openly in a park or on the street, he must’ve had the forethought to silence the weapon -”

Rebecca’s shoulders began to shake. Roy heard her sniff and it stopped his train of thought.

“Becca?” Jean’s voice was full of concern.

“No, it’s fine. I’m fine,” she reassured them, waving her hand in the air.

Roy’s stomach dropped. He’d been too blasé and too insensitive, after all, her boyfriend had just been shot in the street by a hitman and left to die. God, he was the worst.

“No… Rebecca, I’m sorry,” Roy stammered. 

“It’s alright,” she stated firmly. “I’m okay. Keep going, this is important.”

Roy eyed her for a second longer, then looked towards Jean. He was staring at his girlfriend in sympathy.

“Becca?” he called to her. “I’m okay.”

“I know you are,” she smiled, but it wobbled on her face. “I know. It… was just a lot to go through in a short space of time.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “Please, don’t mind me. Keep going.”

“We’ll always keep you in mind, Rebecca,” Roy reassured her. “I didn’t mean to sound so detached about it.”

Jean snorted quietly. “He’s in love with his work, remember,” he joked, trying to brighten the mood like he always did. A Jean Havoc special. “No wonder he can never break out of ‘Detective Mode’. I hope you’re not this way with Riza,” he frowned at Roy, causing a quiet laugh to escape from Rebecca. 

Roy chuckled. “No, I’m not.”

“You’re not, or you hope you’re not?” Jean retorted with shit-eating grin.

“She’s gone back out with me,” Roy replied defensively. “So I must be doing something right.”

“Or she just takes pity on you,” Jean chuckled.

“Listen, you,” Roy bit back, pointing at Jean with his pointer finger. “You just focus on getting yourself better, rather than what’s happening in my love life.”

“Oh!” Jean gasped. “He’s got a love life now.” He grinned at Rebecca. “Our boy is finally growing up,” he sniffed, proud of Roy. “I never dreamed this day would come!”

Looking heavenward, Roy sighed heavily. It was all in good fun, and it had cheered up Rebecca, which was important to him. And Jean was right. He needed to stop being so callous. His friend had been shot. He should forget about the damn case for once in his life.

[witteawrites]

Project: Fight Me Hellen

Synopsis

What does a kindly witch who accidentally curses your coffee, a Catholic vampire that's given up rare blood types for Lent and a group of Elves on drugs ("High elves, get it?") all have in common? A lot if you're a shape shifting cop who's job is to keep the magical world and the human world blended without any problems. Hellen loves her job most days but she really wishes all the trouble makers would stop making her job so hard (those over populated vampires from the recruitment surge during Twilight? Yeah apparently all the angst ridden whiny teenage immortal girls get hungry and are pretty mad that being a vampire isn't all sparkles and cheesy lines. Go figure.) She wishes human kind and magical types could just get along and things would calm down. Hellen gets her chance when she's given charge over a Hunter. Her job is to keep them from killing anyone while keeping tabs on them to hopefully find out who their boss is and then maybe the whole hunting ring fiasco can be taken care of once and for all and the people can live a little more easily and in peace. What she didn't ask for was a new friend and the whole thing going sideways when she mistakes the hunter for a new creature in town needing help blending in and spills trade secrets. Can she fix her mistake on time and get the hunter on their side or has she just spelled out death for all of the city's magical inhabitants?

Excerpt

The street light buzzed as it flickered overhead. The wind blew over as a loose missing pet poster across the alleyway as a cool breeze sent a chill down the back of a younger looking woman’s neck. She had walked this path a hundred times at night before but familiarity didn’t make it any more unsettling.

The scar on her neck twinged and she took a deep breath, counting to 10 and reminding herself she was ok. She was in control, this was familiar territory and she would be fine. She flinched slightly as the door to her right slammed against the alley wall and a giggling man came stumbling out. She rolled her eyes.

“Lloyd! What have I told you about the drugs? Do you want to get hunted?” She hissed, walking up to the tall lanky man and tugging on his hear to pull him down to her level.

“Heeeeyyyy! Why you gotta spoil all the fun… you just need a joint Hellen! Then you can come’n chill with me and see that life’s not all that bad!” He said before giggling again and slumping against the woman, her blonde hair fading into green at the tips.

Hellen sighed and helped him sit on the ground. “I’m going to have to take you in Lloyd. I’ve covered for you once. You promised me you would stop and get help but you haven’t and you keep blurting out who you are and taking off your disguise. Someone who’s not on something is going to see you and I can’t let you endanger the rest of us. You know that.” She said.

“Aw Hellen come on! I can’t help it! I’m a high elf. Get it? Huh? Huh? Get it?” He replied before laughing at his own joke so hard he started to throw up.

“These were my favorite shoes.”  Hellen mumbled, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Come on big boy, time to get you some help.” She sighed, putting him cuffs and taking him out to her cruiser.  

Stupid elf… She grumbled inwardly, heading back to the station once she had him secured in the back. Why did trouble makers like Lloyd have to make her job so difficult? Hunters were bad enough but then there were people like Lloyd who just became beacons for them. She tried not to take it personally when someone like him got themselves killed but she did and she wished they wouldn’t do that to themselves. Falling to addictions was a bad enough life without the added danger of being hunted.

Hellen rolled into the station a few minutes later but instead of taking the airy elf up the stairs to the main entrance she walked him into a wall around the side. The scene quickly shifted from a dark brick into a lively office, the wall rippling closed behind them.

“Hey Hellen! Sup?” A hairy looking guy called from behind the front desk.

“Not much Richie. How’s the pup unit going?” She asked, somewhat preferring the night crew to the day one. The more nocturnal types seemed easier to deal with in her opinion.

“Really well! So far we’re caught up on the little ‘play biting’ issues in the therapy part but I think we’re going to get there. What are you going to do, kids are going to play.” He shrugged.

“I can see their point though. Can’t have a bunch of new werewolf pups biting kids and turning them when they’re already stressed. Anyways, gotta take this one into the back.” She said, indicating Lloyd who was swatting at the lights above his face and clinking his handcuffs annoyingly.

“So pretty…” he fawned, his eyes getting bigger the longer he starred up at them.

“Alright little John, let’s take it one step at a time. Look, here’s a step…” She said, smirking a bit as he lifted his leg high in the air and then brought it down, thinking there was a set of stairs in front of him.

“Oh here’s another one. And look out! This one’s really high up and really big!” She continued, messing with him. He’d puked on her favorite shoes; he was going to be the laughing stock of the unit for a few days.

Finally, she got him back into the infirmary area and she got him laid down on one of the beds. She got an IV into the now drooling elf. “Alright, I’m going to give you something that’s going to make you feel a lot better.” She said, grabbing a syringe from one of the locked drawers.

Lloyd nodded happily, smiling and jingling his handcuffs lightly.

Oh he’s in for it… again. She thought, grabbing a bottle and sticking the needle into it, drawing out some of the substance and then emptying into his IV.

Lloyd’s smile quickly faded as his high disappeared like a bowling ball crashing into pavement. “Heeeeeyy!” he shouted, feeling ill and the high he’d paid for was gone.

“I told you next time you did drugs there’d be consequences. Now you get to dry up in here and find a new area to live in. You broke your promise.” She shrugged. Turning him over to the attending physicians working in that section.

She looked up at the clock and saw it was just after 9. “Oh thank god…” She muttered, shaking her head a little as she closed her eyes. Her skin faded into a dark ashy color and her hair went from the blonde it had been to jet black. Her eyes were coppery when she opened them again instead of the forest green they’d been a moment before.

She walked to her office and sat down at her desk, looking at a photo of her and another officer. Younger, smiling… alive. She turned guiltily away from it and started filing her reports and paperwork for the evening. After turning it in and making sure she was squared away she clocked out and gathered her things to head home.

“See you in the morning?” Richie asked as she walked by.

“Nah, I have a mid shift tomorrow and then a meeting with the chief. I think they might be switching me to a day group for a bit again while they train the newbie.” She shrugged. “There’s rumors of a hunter situation too, but I shouldn’t have to do much with that being on partial field work leave.” She added.

“Well be careful anyways. It’d be a shame to lose another fine officer, and a shifter, to the likes of those cut throats.” Richie scowled. “A few hundred years and you’d think they’d figure out most of us are alright.” He sighed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll just shift into a troll and blast them through a wall before they know what hit them.” Hellen smiled wryly. “It’s not my first rodeo.” She added, subconsciously rubbing the scar that was twinging near her shoulder and collarbone. She tried to keep a wince back as she forced a smile. “Night Richie.” She added, tipping her officer hat and heading back outside, this time to her own car.

“Finally…” She sighed, her appearance changing again. This time her hair turned into a layered brown cut and her skin tone became an average human color. Her clothes changed into something more every day looking instead of her uniform as she looked into the mirror, gently brushing her cheek with her fingers, longing to stay like this.

She parked her car by her apartment complex before she headed to her favorite local bar to get a quick drink and check in on some of the local gossip. It was a short walk there and back, plus it helped her get a feel for if and when humans became aware of anything strange. She also liked pretending to be one sometimes even if it was a magical bar.

“Hey Carl, I’ll take my usual.” She said, taking a seat on an empty stool and leaning against the counter on one elbow.

“Hey Hellen. Good to see you around again. I was starting to wonder if one of those crooks hadn’t gotten you too.” The bar tender said.

“Ah it’d take more than a few law breakers to get me down.” Hellen chuckled dryly. “Besides I just check up on the higher risk ones and make sure parolees are behaving and that no trouble’s starting. It’s not a terrible beat.” She shrugged. “Ah thanks…” She took the glass and swallowed down a sip, letting the burn fill her throat and give her a little momentary jolt.

She looked around the room a bit, observing the people. She picked out a Skinwalker, a Djinn, and a young witch intermingled with the humans. She was trained to see them and make sure they were blending well. These three seemed alright. She knew more of the trouble makers than the ones who hid in plain sight.

“Aren’t you off the clock?” Carl raised an eyebrow, his mild accent getting a bit thicker with concern.

“Habit.” Hellen replied simply, frowning a bit as she saw a younger woman who also seemed to be casing out the magical creatures in the room. Her fingers were tapping lightly on the table and she didn’t seem to have even touched her drink yet. Something about her seemed off to Hellen and she couldn’t quite identify what it was. She seemed human at first glance but something was different.

“Hey.” She waved Carl over. “What do you know about her?” She asked.

“Ah new girl in town from what I hear. Not sure what she is.” He shrugged, cleaning a glass with two arms above the counter, and to anyone watching. Two more were below the counter adjusting cups and taps to make sure they were in order too.

“I got that vibe also but I can’t figure it out.” Hellen tapped her glass lightly.

“Could be a hunter. They’re getting better at the fake creature act.” Carl muttered under his breath, disdain in his tone.

“Eh… either way, I’d better check it out.” She said, ignoring Carl’s incredulous look over he working off the clock again.

She turned to go offer the girl a drink but when she looked she saw her leaving a 20 on the table she’d been sitting on and heading quickly out the front door.

“Well I assume adding ‘super good hearing’ to the list of what she might be, would be wise.” Hellen said.

“Ah well… at least she paid and tipped well.” Carl shrugged. “Who knows, she might come around again. I’ll let you know right away.” He offered.

“Thanks Carl. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Hellen said, finishing off her drink and putting her jacket on.

“I do what I can girl, I do what I can.” He smiled knowingly. “Have a good night.” He added, waving her off once she’d paid.

Hellen headed home, the small chilled feeling tingling down her spine that she was being watched or followed. She took a few side streets and then slipped in the back way into her apartment just to be safe. She locked the door and sighed, kicking off her shoes.

I wonder who that girl was… She thought to herself. She had a bad idea she might be finding out sooner rather than later and she might not like what she discovered.

(©WitTeaWrites)