"Wait, slow down," Russell complained.

Keeping up with Kimbley's brisk pace was too much. They only had a couple miles to go where they had a jeep hidden. He knew they shouldn't stop but he was exhausted. There wasn't much left of his stone and Greed was unusually quiet, something he took as a bad sign. If they had stuck around any longer for Edward to do any more damage it was likely they wouldn't have survived. But he was too impatient to wait for a stronger stone; his desire for revenge clouded his thinking. He wished now that he had waited for a stronger one. But that wasn't the only thing he wished for.

"Slow down for what?" Kimbley asked. "So Fullmetal's brother can track us with that Xing Emperor." Then he stopped, an excited gleam in his eye. "Oh, but wasn't that the greatest feeling!" He exclaimed turning to Russell who took the momentary pause as a sign to drop and rest.

"Not really," he grumbled. Why Kimbley thought that was great was beyond him. He thought it was a complete disaster. He wasn't expecting Edward to know how to get past Greed's best defense. He closed his eyes when he heard the Fullmetal Alchemist's words echo through his head. They stung and he hated that once again his rival came out on top. But for some reason he felt no anger or hate towards Edward. He felt nothing. The whole ordeal made him realize something... he was way over his head. He would never match Edward's skill as an alchemist. He accepted that fact with resignation. All his planning through the years was done following the incomplete notes of other alchemists. None of it came from his mind. It was also done at the urging of Grumman; the man that kept feeding his hatred which was quickly fading away, leaving him embarrassed, ashamed and guilt ridden. All it brought him was a near death experience and the company of a real lunatic at the cost of his brother.

Fletcher. Russell hung his head, disgusted with what he did. If he could do it all over again he never would have done that to his little brother. But what could he do now? What's done is done and he would have to live with the regret. He tried not to think about it. There was no going back now... or was there, he wondered. Was there a way out of this for him?

He stiffened and waited. There were no words of condemnation from Greed and he breathed a sigh of relief. His betraying thoughts would almost guarantee he'd no longer have control of his body. Greed had shut down to preserve what strength he still had. He was grateful for this small convenience.

"What a fight!" Kimbley went on, startling Russell from his thoughts. He looked up to see Kimbley all fired up. "I could see it in his eyes," the Crimson Alchemist went on. "He really wanted to kill me this time. There's nothing better than an enemy who wants to kill you just as badly as you want to kill him. Fullmetal certainly didn't disappoint... but you did," he added looking disdainfully at Russell. "If he had killed me he would have caught you again and you'd be leading him back to his wife and kid."

Kimbley shook his head in disgust. "You have no idea how to put these homunculus powers to work do you? But then, according to Envy, Greed was always one to avoid a fight if he could. I guess Greed suites you. You want it all but in order to get it you want someone else to do the dirty work for you."

"Shut up," Russell said with no emotion in his voice as he got up and started walking.

"Shut up. Not a very clever comeback." Kimbley teased as Russell walked by him.

"I thought you were worried about them following. Let's go."

"I am but I wouldn't mind facing Fullmetal again," Kimbley said with a crazed, wild look. "I really do hope he gets out of that alive. We have unfinished business."

"I don't see how you think that was fun. I'm the one that got the worse of it. This part of the plan was a disaster."

"Yes, it was. I don't know how you thought it'd be any different considering it was your idea."

"I should have left you behind. I never should have let you come along."

"Well, we've learned something. Fullmetal wasn't content to rest on his laurels. He's picked up a few tricks through the years. We should prepare for the eventuality of him catching up with us."

"Do you think he really survived that?" Russell asked nervously.

Kimbley looked eager and hungry. "Now that I think about it, I do. It will take more than a collapsed tunnel to kill him. It's the one thing he and I have in common. We're not easy to take down. At least, not without a good fight."

Russell found himself hoping Kimbley was right; that Edward had survived. Then perhaps the Fullmetal Alchemist could help rid him of the other psychotic homunculus.

Al thought at any moment he should come upon Edward. They were far enough down the tunnel where he figured his brother should be. He wouldn't think the worse just because there was no sign of Edward yet. Then he heard something.

It was faint but after moving more rock he heard something distinct. Someone was calling his name.

"Ed!"

"Al!" Edward called back relieved. Right before the tunnel collapsed he only had time to harden the rock around him, leaving him with just enough room to sit and unable to do much else. He couldn't see and he lost all sense of direction. He didn't dare create any light using the flame alchemy for fear of using up what oxygen he had in the cramped space. His best bet was to sit tight, hoping Al would be looking for him.

He heard the shifting of rock. A faint glow lit up his face and he was hit with a rush of fresh air. Then gold eyes met gold eyes. Strong, gentle hands quickly grabbed hold of him and helped him out.

As soon as Edward was free Al nearly knocked him back into the hole as he was enveloped in a tight bear hug. Then Al pulled away to look Edward over. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Edward said with a slight nod and a little smirk.

"I was so scared," Al said getting choked up and grabbed hold of his brother again.

"I'm sorry," Edward said sounding guilty as he patted him on the back.

"You should be," Al cried out angrily letting Edward go and pushing him back against the collapsed rock of the tunnel. "I thought you grew out of being a reckless teenager!"

"I told you not to follow. I had everything under control." Edward argued.

"Do you call getting trapped beneath all that," Al said pointing at the blocked tunnel behind Edward, "under control?"

"Look, if you hadn't followed me I would have found a way - ow!" Edward clutched his nose and stayed low, not wanting to get hit by Al again. "What the fuck was that for?"

"For worrying me and being a stubborn fool!"

"Fuck, Al," Edward said gingerly wiping blood away. "I think you broke my nose."

"Good."

Edward sat down to nurse his sore nose and Al walked away, then came back, frustrated and upset. "Why do you always insist on running off? Why do you think you have to do everything by yourself?"

"I didn't want to involve anyone else. It's bad enough Elysia and Richard are." Edward said in his defense. Then dropping his voice, he added, "I don't want to end up losing anyone else."

"And I don't want to lose you, Brother," Al said kneeling in front of Edward. "Please, let us help."

Edward didn't say anything and looked away. He seemed reluctant but on the verge of finally willing to accept help.

"I'm sorry about your nose," Al said using the apology as a peace offering. He smiled when he saw a break in Edward's resolve. He dropped beside his brother. "So are you going to finally let us help?"

"I guess," Edward finally grunted.

"Don't sound so disappointed," someone said.

Edward looked up, noticing Lin and Havoc for the first time. Both men had thought it best to stay out of the middle of a family disagreement until Havoc deemed it safe to announce their presence.

"Actually, I'm not," Edward said as he narrowed in on the Xing Emperor. "I'm actually glad you're here now. You can track those bastards for me."

"Before we start worrying about that, I think you need to rest..."

"If you want to help so bad then you'll at least do what I say," Edward interrupted Al as he stood up. "We don't have time to rest."

"Ed, Al is right," Havoc intervened. "You should rest first then we'll figure out what our next step will be."

"I'm fine," Edward said petulantly. "I don't need rest and I'll tell you what our next step is. It's for me and Al to fix this tunnel and then Lin will lead us to those two homunculi."

"I believe you resigned," Havoc pointed out, "so I don't think you have the authority to boss people around anymore."

"I'm the Emperor of an entire country, so I should really be bossing you around," Lin added with a smirk.

"And I'm your little brother so it's in the job description to defy the oldest," Al said holding back a smile.

"This is not a joke," Edward griped, trying not to lose his temper, as he glared angrily at all three men.

"You're right, it isn't. But think about it," Havoc insisted. "You don't know where Kimbley or Russell are going or who will be backing them up. If they're working with the Drachmans there could be a whole troop waiting and then what?"

"He's right," Lin said. "I can sense homunculi, not Drachmans."

Al got up and dusted himself off. "How about a compromise? I'll work on the tunnel for a bit and you rest. Then you take over."

Edward thought it over for a second then agreed with a nod of his head.

"I think that's the longest you've ever taken to think about something," Havoc joked.

"Shut up," Edward said shooting him a withering glare.

Al clapped his hands together and got back to work, shaking his head. "Sometimes, I just don't know what to do with you, Edward," he sighed. But he did.

Edward wasn't the only one who could make his own plans.