With each step he took taking him closer to Drachma and two homunculi Al grew unsure of himself.
He'd faced homunculi before but he was young and didn't have a wife and eight kids waiting for him to come back. It was a selfish feeling but he'd been selfish ever since he got his body back. It was why he didn't go with Edward to fight in the war. But here he was doing what he always condemned his brother for doing; rushing off recklessly. He had hoped he wasn't as reckless and was more thoughtful with his approach then Edward would have been. What made him really nervous was the fact he'd been, well, out of commission, was the only way he could put it. He had kept in shape through the years, his alchemy techniques were far more advanced than even Edward's but he didn't have the experience his brother had of walking into danger without fear for his life or leading others along as well.
He cast a furtive look at Havoc. He knew the Brigadier General postponed his proposal to Rebecca. Al argued that nobody forced Havoc to come along. He did so on his own, ready to follow Edward through hell and back. Now he had chosen to follow Al who was scared to death he would be leading Havoc to his death as well as Lin.
Lin was the Emperor of a whole country. A lot of people looked to him to lead and to provide them with their continued peace and security. What would happen if he didn't return? His oldest son wasn't ready to take over. Who would then? Would there be another succession war?
Al wondered if this was what it was like for Edward when he led men into battle. Did his brother carry these burdens? Of course he did, Al said already know the answer to a question that didn't need to be asked. He felt that and a lot more. And it was a far heavier burden to carry then he ever realized.
There was a lot that Edward endured that Al knew absolutely nothing about... that was until they followed after his headstrong brother into Razkuul. Al made Havoc and Lin tell him everything that happened during the two wars, the full details of the petty rivalry between Edward and Russell and how Erika was involved to Edward nearly killed by an assassin while in Xing.
Havoc and Lin were both hesitant to speak but they did knowing Edward would never say anything and felt Al deserved to know. Learning Edward had kept so much hidden infuriated him but it also made him realize why he was doing what he was doing... so Edward would never have to do such things again or at least he would have his brother with him as it should have been. But Al's resolve was starting to crack.
They stepped out of the tunnel into the fading afternoon light. Al swallowed nervously as he looked out along the craggy landscape down deep into a valley where a river ran through. He could see a couple miles around but there was no sign of Kimbley or Russell meaning they were already within the cover of the forest that spilled from a pass between the mountain ridges on the opposite side of the valley.
"I've never been to Drachma before," Al commented as he took in the sight. It was a beautiful sight but his mind was too preoccupied to fully appreciate the view.
"And you still haven't," Havoc noted. "We still need to go through that pass," he pointed out across the valley. "It runs through that last ridge that separates us from Drachma."
"Their presence is fading away more so now," Lin warned as he stood next to Al.
"They're traveling faster?" Havoc asked looking over worriedly at the Emperor who nodded stiffly. "Then they must have had a ride waiting for them."
"More could be hidden in that forest as well," Lin pointed out. "We should change here before we go any further. You too, Al. If we're lucky and they're expecting Ed to have survived it could be they may want him alive. Then if you're captured as Ed we could be led straight to Elysia and Richard."
Al nodded in agreement. "I hope we are that lucky."
"And that nobody is already watching us," Havoc added as he and Lin headed back to the tunnel entrance to change into military issued fatigues used by Special Forces for covert operations.
While Havoc and Lin changed, Al went behind an outcrop to hide himself from the valley. He wasn't changing his clothes. He had purposely changed into something similar to what Edward was wearing before going after his brother.
Clapping his hands, he touched the top of his head. The roots of his hair lightened a couple shades down to the ends from his honey gold to the more pure gold like Edward's. Setting his pack down he opened it and dug around then began to pull out a several pieces of thin metal sheets. He spread them out on the ground and clapping again he formed a metal sleeve that looked exactly like Edward's right automail arm. Then he did the same with the remaining sheets of metal to form a shin guard.
Unbuttoning his shirt he slipped the fake automail over his arm and tested it by flexing his arm. He stopped to stare at the metal for a moment remembering the familiar sound of creaking metal whenever he moved.
"Al?" Havoc asked looking at him with a worried frown, coming out after changing.
"Brings back memories," Al said softly. Shaking himself from his reverie he pulled his shirt back on. He'd seen enough metal limbs in his lifetime and the less he saw the better though he would be stuck looking at his hand throughout the rest of the journey. Bending he lifted his pant leg and secured the shin guard to his leg. It was just enough that if anyone checked - or took a kick at him - it would feel and look enough like his leg from the knee down was automail.
"How's that?" Al asked turning to Lin – who had just stepped from the tunnel entrance - and Havoc for inspection.
"I never really paid much attention to the resemblance before," Havoc noted, nodding with approval, though taken a bit back by how much Al and Edward looked alike. "I think your personalities were so distinctive it just set the two of you apart. The only difference is you have fuller cheeks and you don't look so impudent and full of shit."
"Should every other word I say be 'fuck' or 'you bastard'?"
"It would make you a more believable Ed," Havoc agreed.
"Or just insult the two of us from now on," Lin added with a smirk.
Al smiled but it faded quickly as his nerves settled in the pit of his stomach and felt like he was going to be sick. Lin and Havoc noticed the change and looked at each other with doubt and unease reflected in the glance. It didn't go unseen.
Al steeled himself. "Let's go," he said with more confidence that seemed to be enough for Lin and Havoc.
It took the rest of the day to get down through the craggy cliffs and into the valley. There were signs that someone, or more than one someone, had passed through recently though they were long out of sight, not so surprising since it took them a couple of hours to clear out the tunnel.
"Are you sure we shouldn't leave some sign for the troop following?" Al asked as they crossed the valley floor through waves of tall grass and fading spring flowers, the sun well hidden by the mountains that loomed all around them.
"They know where we're heading," Havoc reassured. "Brigadier General Miles will be leading them and I told him to secure the pass for us. If we need backup we'll radio for Miles to send a couple of squads after us."
"A couple of squads," Al said nervously. "That seems like too many men."
"Or not enough."
"What do you mean?" Al asked turning to look at Havoc.
"While Ed was waiting to hear from Russell, Armstrong informed the Fuhrer about Grumman."
"How did he handle that?" Al knew the old, retired General was a close confidant and advisor to Mustang. It must have stung learning the truth of someone you trusted for so long had turned around and stabbed you in the back.
"Not well," Havoc continued. "Then he told us about Grumman and his visits with Envy when the homunculus was imprisoned."
Al gasped and stopped, staring back at Havoc in disbelief. "He didn't…"
Havoc nodded. "Mustang suspects there's more to this now then Russell getting back at Ed, especially if Grumman is involved and was seen entering Drachma."
"Is he working with the Drachman government to attack Amestris again?" This news disturbed Al more than anything. It just complicated matters that were complicated enough already.
"Mustang didn't suspect the government had a hand… but rather, the military. They were the ones against assisting with the search for Elysia and Richard."
"But what could the military do without the cooperation of their own government?"
Havoc shrugged, "I'm not sure but…"
"Maybe the same thing as Bradley," Lin interrupted. He looked pale and a cold sweat broke out along his forehead.
"What do you mean?" Al asked confused. "Do you think they want to turn Drachma into a military state then attack Amestris again?"
"If the Drachman military did that they would need something to ensure their success," Lin answered, looking scared. "Didn't Ed tell you about them?" He added looking pointedly at Al.
"About what?" Al said looking to Havoc who looked just as confused he was still feeling.
"I was underground in Central with Father for a while, remember?" Lin looked at Al who nodded then went on. "I saw a lot of what they were doing down there before I broke free of Greed's control temporarily."
"What did you see?" Havoc pressed, irritated with the delay when Lin paused and hadn't continued right away. Al was starting to get impatient too.
"I mean, it may not be that," Lin said almost as if he were arguing with himself about it. "Hell, I hope not…" he breathed. "But it makes sense now," he continued. "If Russell is working with Grumman who is possibly working with the Drachmans… they kidnap Elysia and Richard to lure Edward into Drachma, flaunt what they're doing and kill him. It would be a blow to Amestris by killing their hero… their best defense…"
"Tell us," Al insisted ready to shake the story out of Lin who was looking out ahead of them, his eyes unfocused, thinking.
"Yes, just spit it out!" Havoc exclaimed.
The Xing Emperor looked at them and swallowed nervously. "Father had been creating an army under Central… a homunculi army…"