Elysia felt too mentally weak to stand or move. She didn't know when they had been transferred into a cell. She didn't bother to get up to fully explore her surroundings. She didn't bother to get up at all. She just laid where she woke up, miserable and emotionally drained. She almost didn't care what happened to her at this point.

Richard kept shooting glances her way. She ignored him. She could see he was worried about her but she didn't want to talk to assure him she was alright. But she wasn't so she'd be lying to him if she said she was.

"Did he really do that?"

Elysia startled out of her misery, raised herself to look at Richard. There was something about the question that snapped her into reality. "Do what?"

"Did he use someone to do what that crazy psycho did in front of us?"

"Yes." There was no point in sugar coating the truth. If he wanted to know why and how she would tell him but he had to ask. If he didn't then he formed his own opinion and someone who did that was not likely to be swayed with the facts of the situation.

"For some reason," Richard said slowly. "I believe he had a better reason for it than the psycho did."

Elysia couldn't help but smile to herself. He did form an opinion but in a positive way that meant he would understand why Edward did what he did. But the smile was mostly out of amusement over Richard's nickname for Russell: Psycho. It sounded like something Edward would say.

"Will you tell me about him?" He looked at her pleading, hopeful. She could tell this was something he'd wanted to know for a long time and the newspapers weren't enough to quench his curiosity. She took a minute to answer, instead trying to recall everything Edward had told her over the last five years to decide on a good place to start. But Richard took her silence as something else.

"You don't have to if you don't feel like it. You're probably not in the mood after..."

"No," Elysia interrupted. "I don't mind at all. I'd be happy to."

Richard gave her a grateful - and relieved - smile. "Thank you."

Elysia thought she should be thanking him. Talking about Edward would keep her mind occupied so she wasn't dwelling so much on her misery and fear. "Where should I start?"

Richard had a ready answer. "His mom, tell me what you know about her."

Elysia knew quite a bit. Although it saddened Edward to talk about his mother, he always did so with love and admiration. He missed her a lot and even though the painful memory of the person they created when they tried to bring her back was always fresh in his mind, he was able to separate the two.

Edward was actually a softy when it came to mothers. He was always especially kind towards Gracia and even more flexible to Elysia's requests after their daughter was born. It looked like Richard had the same trait.


Al was a surprised Edward actually kept his word and stayed within the fort. He felt no guilt for doubting his brother; Edward hadn't been entirely truthful through the years and liked to keep things from him. He also knew Edward wasn't above lying either but he was not the only one who could play that game.

Al watched Edward on the ramparts, staring out across the mountains into the vast expanse that was Drachma. Havoc was with him; both smoking but not doing much else. There wasn't much else that could be done.

They were convinced Russell had taken Elysia and Richard into Drachma. Sending Edward to Briggs, Grumman with a blond man in his mid thirties crossing the border, no evidence of them being spotted anywhere else within Amestris... it was pretty much a given. But just because they knew that didn't mean they were able to do anything about it. The Drachman government expressed some reservation but was willing to cooperate. The opposition came from the head of their military.

Since the war Drachma and Amestris kept to themselves; both needed to lick their wounds and start the long road of recovery. There was no occupation of Drachma; Amestris didn't have the resources but as the victors they insisted on a few stipulations that they didn't enforce. One of which was cooperation if they were ever in need. The Drachman military didn't see how the abduction of one man's wife and son required the full cooperation of the government, even if that man was a famous General of the Amestrian military. It was his title and reputation that made the military hesitant and slightly amused over his situation. It was also the military that still held a lot of power and influence so they were at a standstill from gaining their full cooperation.

For three days Mustang negotiated hard as well as General Armstrong. But there was only so much information they could give. How does one explain homunculi to a country that never developed or employed the art of alchemy? They used disgruntled Xing alchemists during the war but once it was over those alchemists and mercenaries were paid and sent packing. Drachma was never very welcoming of immigrants or foreigners. They tolerated tourists as long as they spent enough money and left when they said they would.

The delay did nothing to improve Edward's mood. He did cease being rude and pushy but instead he sunk back into his depression. Havoc mentioned in passing to Al that Edward was exactly the same way when he saw the Ouroboros on Elysia's painting. Something needed to happen and soon. Al couldn't bear to see his brother looking so helpless and lost.

"And what would you be thinking about?"

Al nearly jumped out of skin, startled out of his thoughts as Lin settled next to him.

"How to keep Ed out of Drachma but still find a way to get Elysia and Richard back," he said still looking at Edward.

"There are ways," Lin hinted.

Al looked sharply at him.

"Razkuul," Lin continued. "It gave us a lot of trouble before we finally pushed the Drachmans out."

The name sounded familiar. Then Al remembered. It was the old abandoned mine town where they found Scar, along with Dr. Marcoh and Mei, the Xing Princess. He also remembered there were a lot of underground tunnels; some of them even crossed the border into Drachma. Al knew what Lin had in mind.

"It's tempting," he said. "But we have no idea where they are in Drachma."

"But I can sense homunculi. When I first set foot on Amestris soil I could sense them, though at the time I had no idea what it was and there were a lot more of them with Father's presence being incredibly strong."

"The Emperor of Xing shouldn't be wandering around alone. No, I don't think that's a good idea. You have your wife, your children a whole country..."

"I owe this to Ed," Lin insisted. "There are things I talked him into doing during the war and if it wasn't for me and Mustang this wouldn't have happened."

Al shook his head, though noting to himself to find out what Lin and Edward did during the war. But those details would have to wait. "We all make mistakes but we don't have to fix them by sacrificing ourselves or doing it alone."

"But..."

"Look what happened with my brother and me. We were two dumb kids playing with fire and we got burned. We tried to fix our mistake and Ed decided, on his own, how to do it. He blamed himself and he still does. He just won't let it go. We're close but it's not like it used to be because of it. I am not going to let that happen again. He thinks he has to fix this himself and now you think you can make amends by going in alone... no," Al said shaking his head again. "It ends now."

"Do you really think negotiations will work with two homunculi?"

"No. I'm not that naive."

"Then how do we do it?"

Al sighed. "I don't know," he finally admitted. "But if you feel you owe Ed something then promise that you'll back me up."

"Back you up on what?"

"That you will not question my decisions or actions."

"I feel like I'm talking to a stranger and not Alphonse Elric. I didn't know you could be so scary," Lin joked. "You would have made an excellent officer like your brother."

Al actually smirked. "After dealing with Edward and eight kids you learn to stand up for yourself and not let them walk all over you."

Lin chuckled but quickly fell into guilty silence.

"Don't worry," Al said. "You will get your chance to make it up to Ed. We all will."

"General Elric!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the female voice. General Armstrong and Brigadier General Miles were walking hurriedly towards Edward. Both looked anxious; nervous more like it but they were trying hard not to show it. It was obvious they had news and both seemed reluctant to share but knew it was their duty to do so.

"Oh, no," Al breathed and headed over to the gathering group.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Lin said as he followed after Al.

"What's going on?" Al and Lin heard Edward ask once they were close enough.

"Russell Tringum has made contact with troops in Razkuul," General Armstrong said.

Al and Lin looked sharply at each other. They weren't the only ones who knew of the convenience of the abandoned town. Al looked back at Edward and saw a spark light up within his eyes.

"And what are his demands?"

Al swallowed; afraid to hear the words he knew were coming. General Armstrong looked at him then back at Edward before continuing. "He wants us to clear out and for you to meet him there so you can talk. Alone."

"Is that all he said?" Edward pressed.

Armstrong hesitated before continuing. "He just said you must be alone."

Everyone understood the full meaning behind the orders.

"Fine," Edward said. "Pull out all your troops, General. I'm leaving now."

"Ed, wait, don't…"

"Al, we all know what he'll do if I don't go alone." Before anyone else could argue with him - or stop him - he turned and stalked away. There really was no point in trying to stop him. He was determined and they all knew it. He paused several feet away and turned back. "Don't follow me," he ordered then continued on alone.

This was exactly what Al was trying to prevent. But for some reason he couldn't move or speak. Some unknown force rooted him to the spot. A vision of Edward cutting his hair, wearing a blue uniform, the fear of not knowing if he'd see his brother again… No! This will not happen again! This is why I'm here!

When Edward was out of earshot Al turned to Lin and Havoc. "We're following whether he likes it or not."

"We can provide a small support unit," Armstrong offered.

"No," Al refused. "Just the three of us so we can follow discreetly."

"We'll stay within calling range then."

Al nodded in agreement. "Let's get ready," he said leading Lin and Havoc away.

"He knows we'll follow," Havoc hissed in Al's ear.

"I know but there's nothing he can do about it."