Chapter one
America hung his head in shame. He couldn't believe he had let himself be tricked into coming here. He looked around the empty room and tried to roll his shoulders to let the tension out, but pain shot through his bound hands. He lent his head against the wall. How long have I been here? He thought to himself, two hours? Two days? Two weeks? It felt like it had been months, but America knew that it couldn't be that long. He closed his eyes and tried not to shiver. It was so cold here, and he had taken away the heater from the room when he had thrown America in here. Now all America could hear were the Baltic States going about the house doing their chores. He let the sounds wash over him as he thought back to that damn phone call. He didn't know his brother hated him so much.
America was lounging about in his office, supposedly working on a way to deal with the economy, but instead eating his usual hamburger and slurping at his coke when the phone on his desk rang. Swallowing his mouthful, he reached across his desk and answered the phone. "Yo, America here, what can I do ya for?" He crowed into the receiver.
"America, thank god," a voice whispered in his ear, "You have to help me."
America frowned, "Errrrrrr….who is this?" He asked confused.
"It's me, Canada, your brother!" The voice hissed back.
"Yo! Canada! What's up bro'?" America asked loudly, "Have you lost your maple syrup again?" He began to laugh loudly.
"NO!" Canada hissed, "I been caught by Russia, he wants info on you. Latvia got me a phone to warn you, you got to get me out of here…"
America sat up straight, suddenly serious. "What has he done to you? Have you told him anything?"
"He hasn't done anything yet, but he says if I don't help, he will hurt me and then kill me when he gets the answers." Canada's voice caught as he said the last part. America stared straight ahead his anger rising.
"I'm coming to get you." America said into the phone. "If Russia thinks he can get away with hurting my family he has another thing coming. Get Latvia or one of the others to help you get outside and I will be there tomorrow."
He was about to hang up the phone when he heard Canada whisper, "I'm sorry Alfred."
"Don't be sorry Matthew; it's not your fault. Stay safe bro." He put down the phone and tried to get a grip on his anger. He pushed his chair back and walked out of his office to his room. He reached into his draw and pulled out his gun and a box of ammo and slipped them into his jacket pocket. Then he grabbed his gloves and scarf, it was cold in Russia. He walked out of his room and down the hall, but right before he left his house he stopped. He remembered that England was going to visit the house soon to talk about work, so he grabbed a pen and paper and left him a note, telling England where he had gone. Once finished he left the note on his hall table, then left the house closing the door with a sharp snap.