Before a question could be asked Edward noticed something strange about the shadows that played across Richard's neck. They didn't move. Edward leaned closer for a better look.

"What's wrong?" Richard asked worriedly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"There's nothing wrong with me," Edward said gently lifting Richard's chin for a better look. Richard jerked away and stepped back out of reach. Edward looked slightly hurt but he wasn't about to give up. "How did you get those bruises on your neck?"

"It's nothing," Richard said shrugging it off. "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

Edward realized he was getting a little too much taste of his own medicine lately. Richard's attitude made him think of himself reacting the same way. But he was a lot more stubborn and not so easily brushed off as he was able to do to so many people in the past. "How did you get those bruises? Was it Russell?"

"No," Richard said looking scared backing away slowly.

"Then who...?"

"It was Kimbley."

Edward turned to see Al looking in at the two of them. He was shocked at first that Al actually told him; that his brother didn't try to hide the truth like Richard was trying to do. But his shock was easily overwhelmed by the hot tide of anger that flooded over him. His hand curled into a fist and he had a few things he wanted to discuss with the Crimson Alchemist.

"Ed, losing your temper will not help right now," Al cautioned seeing his brother turn red before him. "Besides, Kimbley's not here at the moment for you to take it out on."

"That fucker," Edward said through gritted teeth ignoring Al's bad sense of humor which he wasn't appreciating at the moment. "How the hell did he get out of the Gate when I..." then shut his mouth before he said anything else.

Al rolled his eyes. "Don't bother trying to hide how he got there in the first place."

Edward's anger drained away as he looked at his brother embarrassed. "I guess it was obvious after what happened to you on the train."

"Yes," Al agreed, "It wasn't a subtle hint. But I feel stupid for not seeing it sooner." Then added with a wry smile, "I always wondered where the knowledge to blow things up came from."

"Do you still know?" Edward asked out of intellectual curiosity.

Al shook his head. "No, the concept is gone."

"Fuck," Edward sighed and walked towards Al and leaned against the chamber wall. "I only wanted to get your body back. I was desperate. I didn't think it would turn into such a huge mess." He said covering his face with his hands.

"I understand," Al said as he stepped in and stood next to Edward. "It explains a lot, why you left to fight in the war. I reminded you of what you did."

"Yes and no," Edward dropping his hands to his side thinking back all those years ago and how emotionally conflicted and confused he had been. "In a way I guess I felt I wasn't worthy of being your brother. You still retained some innocence. Me... Not so much and I didn't want to taint what you still had or bring you down with my guilt. There was so much going on at the time... I couldn't deal with it..."

"I know," Al soothed, always patient and understanding, even more so now that the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place and made sense. "I didn't help much. I feel I'm to blame... that I pushed you away when I saw you still had your automail. I had always assumed you just used the Philosopher's Stone to bring my body back and I didn't understand why you didn't restore your arm and leg. I was too angry that you broke our promise instead of trying to figure why you would do so in the first place. Then I just thought it was that side of you, to always put yourself in danger to protect everyone. But I should have known there was more to it... you're so predictable," he added with a teasing smile as he nudged Edward in the ribs with his elbow.

Edward chuckled then looked back at Richard who was thoroughly confused. "I forbid you to ever get involved with alchemy," he said to his son joking. "None of this makes sense but it will… eventually. That is if you want to know."

"I do," Richard said eagerly. "Someday, since it sounds like there's a lot to learn about."

Edward sighed again and sat down heavily on the ground, emotionally exhausted. "What are we going to do about Russell and Kimbley now? Fuck! How did Kimbley get out of the gate?"

"That guy Russell did it," Richard said quietly.

Edward stared up at his son. It was meant as a rhetorical question. He looked back up at Al who seemed to already know how it was done.

"Elysia said Russell used Fletcher as a sacrifice..."

Edward groaned then looked sympathetically at his son. "You saw it happen?" Richard only nodded. "What else happened? What did those crazy ass holes say or do? It might help us find out exactly what they're up to other than making my life a living hell the past few days."

"They didn't say much," Richard said is brow furrowed with concentration. "After that man Kimbley was brought back from whatever that place was we were pretty much left alone. Then we ended up in some cell and then we heard..." he paused for a moment. He looked scared and troubled. Then he shook his head like trying to shake away a bad memory. "I don't know what caused it but it was like people screaming. We only heard the echoes and it would go on and on. It never stopped."

"Souls," Al said quietly. "It was the sound of people having their souls ripped from their bodies."

Richard didn't look like he believed what his uncle was saying. He turned to Edward who only nodded sadly. "But how is that even possible?"

"That's why I forbid you to use alchemy," Edward finally said. "It causes too much trouble."

"But you're an alchemist..."

"Exactly," Edward said cutting him off and continued quickly before he could argue. "I'm living proof of the damage it can cause when it's abused."

Richard let that sink in then said quietly with a small, sheepish smile spreading across his face, "I've never considered being an alchemist."

"Good," Edward said and meant it. "That doesn't bother me at all."

"But I want to join the military."

Edward paled and Al started laughing. "We'll have to discuss that one," Edward said, then to Al. "I had hoped it was only Envy and Greed that we had to worry about. But going by what Richard just described, it looks like we have a lot more trouble than just two rogue homunculi. Mustang suspected as much."

"Lin also felt the presence of a huge gathering of souls. He said it felt just as it did in Central."

Edward looked troubled at first but he soon settled into a quiet contemplation as his mind began to focus on the inevitable. "Do you have any ideas?"

Al smiled; glad for once Edward wasn't going to shoulder the responsibility alone. "I have a couple of theories. But we should discuss it with Mustang."

"Right," Edward said with a tired sigh. "Where is that bastard?"

"He's on his way out of the tunnel now with everyone else. I didn't want to leave you two behind on your own. There's a squad left at the other end of the tunnel to watch the valley. They'll radio if they see anything. But we should go catch up with Mustang to talk about what to do."

As Edward pushed himself away from the dirt wall Al noticed something; a thin silver chain running from his pocket to the belt loop of his pants. Al put his hand on Edward's arm to stop him then reached down and pulled the watch free, unclipping it. Al stared at it for a moment. Richard looked at the watch as well but where he stared in awe and curiosity Al's expression was unreadable. He didn't know what to think about seeing his brother with the watch again.

Edward waited for Al to say something. He looked defiant but at the same time worried about what his younger brother would say. He was a bit ashamed how easily he had been sucked back into the military.

"How did you get this?" Al asked finally finding his voice.

"Mustang," Edward grunted then pocketed the watch when Al handed it back. "I swear the jerk must have hypnotized me at some point. All he has to do is snap and say 'Jump' and I ask 'How high?'"

"Are you going to stay for sure?"

"I don't know," Edward answered thoughtfully.

"Perhaps it's not the best time to answer that," Al said. There were more pressing matters that required their attention. "We should get going."

Edward, Al and Richard left the chamber quietly and began the walk through the dark tunnel in silence each one lost in their thoughts. Once they emerged it was late afternoon and Edward flinched back from the bright light that still managed to pour down into the collapsed building. Al and Richard were momentarily blinded but adjusted quickly; they hadn't been in stuck in the dark as long as Edward had been. Once his eyes were used to the light he saw several soldiers strategically placed within the debris to cover the tunnel entrance. All of them saluted Edward and he saluted back as he climbed the stairs going to the top thinking he didn't remember seeing any stairs when he came down chasing after Kimbley and Russell.

Stepping out from the collapsed building Edward saw the signs of his fight with the two homunculi. There were scorch marks everywhere - on the ground on the nearby buildings - and the ground was still torn up in areas from Kimbley's blast and when he tried to capture the Crimson Alchemist. It began to sink in how lucky he got through it alive. It was always like that. He never gave a thought to his own safety in the heat of battle… after was always a different story.

There were more troops behind cover along the abandoned streets and some on the rooftops. They finally found Mustang when they turned a corner. He was standing beside a jeep with a Sergeant who had a communication pack. Edward figured he was probably speaking with General Armstrong back at Briggs. Seated in the front seats of the jeep were Lin and Havoc with their eyes closed, resting. As Edward got closer he could see Elysia lying down on the back seat asleep. He walked around and leaned in; kissing her lightly on her forehead and her eyes snapped open.

"Hey," she said looking up at him with tired eyes. "How'd it go?"

"Good," Edward said with a smile though looking at Elysia he didn't feel much like smiling. She was exhausted, thin and pale. He wished he could wipe the memory of the last few days away.

Elysia grinned back at him then took his hand in hers. She knew Edward had nothing to fear. Even though Richard had expressed his confusion whether he wanted to meet Edward or not, she knew he did.

"You stay here and rest," Edward said kissing the top of her head. "I'm going to talk to Mustang."

Elysia nodded not feeling so tired anymore as she watched Edward walk around the jeep and approach Mustang. She and Richard may be safe now but she understood something had to be done about Russell and Kimbley.