It was solemn tense drive back to the Drachman base. Getting through the tunnel was easy enough. Passing the mutilated bodies at the end and in the forest was not easy. Havoc still couldn't push away the visions. Driving along the lonely dirt road didn't help much. He and Mustang were in the same truck they had used the first time. It was left untouched where they hid it last. It bumped along, hitting holes, jarring him suddenly, reminding him he should focus on driving. But it was so easy for his mind to wander. It didn't feel like they were within the borders of an immensely populated country. It was frighteningly quiet and still, like he and Mustang were the only two people left in the world; that this whole trip was in search of others... others like themselves.

But that was not what they were seeking. Their goal was to destroy what did not belong. It brought up a whole lot of ethical questions that Havoc really wasn't concerned with. All he wanted to do was get it over with. He would have preferred to handle this mission with someone else. He wouldn't have even minded Lin at the moment. The Emperor had actually contributed to help fix this whole mess. But not Mustang... at least, not yet.

"Is there something on your mind, Brigadier General?"

Havoc flinched and shifted his eyes back to the road. "No, sir."

"Then why do you keep looking at me from the corner of your eye?"

Havoc hadn't realized he'd been doing so throughout the trip. He didn't answer. He didn't have one to give. Or one that was appropriate.

"Well?" Mustang pressed.

"I have nothing to say to you."

"I have nothing to say to you, SIR," Mustang repeated, stressing the forgotten.

But it was purposely forgotten. Havoc only remembered a couple of times he'd actually spoke his mind and let Mustang have it. The Fuhrer was obviously looking for it and Havoc was happy to oblige.

"Don't pull rank on my now," he growled. "I'm actually considering resigning like Ed."

"But he accepted his commission back," the Fuhrer pointed out.

"And how long do you that will last?"

Mustang was silenced. But Havoc wasn't done yet.

"In fact, if anyone should be resigning it's you. Betraying the country the way you did out of intellectual curiosity," he said with disgust. "You are no better than Bradley and his lap dogs. Edward asked Lin a very good question on our way to Briggs. He wanted to know what you and Lin plan to do, that if Elysia and Richard came back safe would you step down, relinquish power after what you did. Now I want to know if you will after we destroy the rest of this army."

"Is that what you want me to do?" Mustang asked seriously.

Havoc was caught off guard by the question. It was something he wasn't prepared to answer.

"If it is then I will," Mustang continued. "Though I would rather not. I made a mistake. It was unfair to you, Edward, Elysia, Richard and the people of Amestris who put their faith in me. People make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. It's not an excuse for what I did however. But just as Bradley was overthrown I feel I deserve that right to be overthrown as well. It doesn't have to be quite as dramatic," he said with a smirk. Havoc scowled at him. "One word from you and Edward and I'll step down."

Havoc's scowl disappeared quickly. As much as he wanted to say yes, he was never one to dictate how people should live their lives or make their decisions. "You're serious?"

"I am."

The smirk was gone and the serious tone back. Mustang meant it. Havoc wasn't sure if he could be trusted though. The Fuhrer was good with mind games, getting people to do what he wanted. Perhaps that was what he was doing now. It wouldn't have been unusual. Havoc figured if he said yes then they'd be at the mercy of Olivier Armstrong. She was a capable leader but he knew her temperament. She wouldn't be so easy on him or the others' who supported Mustang. But if he said no and Mustang remained Fuhrer and they discovered something else he'd been hiding… then what?

"Maybe there's still a chance for you to redeem yourself," Havoc said begrudgingly. "Let's see if lightening will strike twice in the same place for you. This won't be your first time destroying a homunculi army."

"It won't be just them."

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't notice someone missing?"

"No. Who?" Havoc asked giving Mustang a quick confused look.

"The Crimson Alchemist."

Havoc thought back when they were waiting for the homunculi army to pass; the only one who had lingered in back was Greed who went straight for Lin and he and Mustang were allowed to continue… and still were without a sign of any Drachmans or of the mindless homunculi.

"Shit," he said under his breath. A crazy alchemist with an even crazier homunculus trapped in his body that probably stayed behind to protect their operation to create more homunculi; not something he was looking forward to facing.

"Your powers of observation are not what they used to be."

"Shut up," Havoc grumbled.

They continued on along the dirt road for several more hours. Havoc decided to skip the walk through the brush and kept driving looking for another road that led to the Drachman base. He found one about five miles from where he, Al and Lin had ditched the truck last time. He turned down it and about two miles down he braked to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dry dust. There was a wire fence on a track that it ran across to easily slide open and shut across the road. The fence stretched across from both sides of the road over the hills and shallow depressions. There were tire tracks running up and down the road. Footprints were barely distinguishable on the ground on the other side of the fence. Those small signs and the fence were the only clues that anyone had been in the area at all. He had expected Drachman troops to be guarding the entrance to the base but it was deserted. There was nothing but thin bushes, the road stretching before them, curving around and disappearing behind rolling hills. A gusty wind blew through whistling a lonely tune that sent a shiver of nervousness up Havoc's spine.

"This is the place, right?" Mustang asked, looking at him skeptically.

"Well, we went through a back way but this road looks like it heads straight to the base."

"You stay here, I'll open the gate."

Havoc nodded and as Mustang got out he slipped his handgun from its holster and readied it just in case. He watched as Mustang cautiously approached the gate. It was obvious no troops were hiding. There wasn't anywhere they could do so without being spotted right away. There was the possibility of a sniper but Havoc's instinct told him that was not likely. Hidden explosives or mines were another possibility but as Mustang began to drag the gate open, the metal grating loudly it was obvious the gate was the only thing between them and the underground bunker.

Once Mustang was back in the truck, he placed the gun on the seat next to him, released the brake and they lurched forward, Havoc driving carefully, his senses alert. Another mile and they saw signs of the base. It was a mixture of wood and metal buildings and crates of supplies stacked next to some. Beyond the concentration of buildings were several Drachman military vehicles; jeeps, trucks and a couple of ambulances grouped together. Body parts were strewn everywhere.

Havoc brought the truck to a stop. He and Mustang both got out looking upon the carnage. Havoc thought he was going to be sick. He knew he should have expected it. It wasn't any different than what they'd already seen. He had subconsciously gone looking for a front entrance knowing they would not be stopped. But seeing it again was still a shock.

They walked through avoiding the arms, legs, feet, fingers, torsos… heads strewn about. The ground was soaked and it became increasing difficult not to avoid stepping around the spilt blood.

"I guess they didn't know what they were getting themselves into," Mustang commented as he looked around. He was a little to calm about the mess for Havoc's taste.

"So what happens between Amestris and Drachma? We can't let them off the hook for this, for funding the creation of that army."

"I think we're going to have to overlook it."

"How?!" Havoc demanded. "How do you explain to the families of our men what happened to them? Why their bodies are in pieces?"

"A training exercise gone wrong."

"You can't lie like that. Not anymore!"

"We have to!" Mustang countered angrily. "Do you want word to get out about this? The people of Amestris have been living in peace for almost twenty years. It's how it should be. They don't need to lose faith in the government or their military for my bad decision."

"But you are the symbol of all that."

"So you've decided?"

Furious, Havoc turned away and stalked off. He didn't know why it was so hard for him to just tell Mustang to step down. He also couldn't understand why Mustang was leaving it up to him and Edward; putting the burden upon them… again. It wasn't anything new. He should have known not to expect anything less when it came to Mustang.

They picked their way through the mess and finally came to a clearing Havoc was familiar with. The area in front of the bunker doors looked like a war zone. Al's barrier had been blown away; blackened rubble, equipment and military vehicles lay strewn about, along with more bodies. It took him a minute to realize the doors to the underground bunker were left wide open. It was an open invitation but not in the inviting 'Make Yourself At Home' way. It felt like more of a dare, mocking them to go ahead and enter at their own risk.

Mustang went straight for it without hesitating. He was already through the doors when he paused and looked at Havoc. "You coming, Jean?"

Havoc stared at him for a minute. He didn't want to go in. He couldn't move his legs. Then his soldier's pride got the best of him and overruled his common sense. He followed Mustang inside.