ｂｒｏｋｅｎ ｃｌｏｃｋｓ ＢＵＩＬＤＩＮＧ ＢＬＯＣＫＳ＿_＿

❝ ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ ｗｉｌｌ ｂｅ ｋｉｎｄ ｔｏ ｍｅ ｆｏｒ Ｉ ｉｎｔｅｎｄ ｔｏ ｗｒｉｔｅ ｉｔ． ❞

［ ＷＩＮＳＴＯＮ ＣＨＵＲＣＨＩＬＬ ］

The other sounded so desperate through the phone. Matthew held it away from his ear on speaker.

"Mattieu? Canada!"

The addressee turned to his brother, as if waiting for instructions what to say.

America just shrugged.

"Papa, what is it?"

"Mon dieu, Mattieu! I'm worried! What is going on? Are you truly working with l'Amerique?"

"Working with Alfred? Me?" A glance taken at the other nation. A nod in his direction.

"Oui... are you?"

A short pause. Then a smug grin.
"Oui."

Francis must have had his end of the line on speaker, too, as there were vaguely audible gasps as background noise.

"Is there a problem? You all sound surprised. Like you didn't figure it out yourselves."
Canada walked into his kitchen, resting against the doorframe.
"Or you did, and denied the plausibility of it."

There were hushed mutters, but nothing he could make out as definite words.

"I'll... ah... talk to you... later, mon ami."

"Right." A finger was placed on the end button.
"Au revoir, papa et cretins."

He stuffed the phone in his back pocket, striding back to America.

"Unable to be traced?"

"Of course."

"Can never be too sure." He never looked up from his laptop.

"Hey, we should probably bring Prussia here." Mattie sat on the other couch across from Alfred.
"Before they think of trying to lock him up like they did you."

"Right. get on that. I'm almost done with this."

"Gotcha." And out came the Canadian's phone again.

"Hey, Gilbert."

"Ja?" He absent-mindedly watched as Gilbird flew around above his head.
"What's up?"

"We were thinking- we meaning Alfred and I- that you'd probably be a little less at risk here at my house. Your brother and the rest of them know Al and I aren't there anymore, and despite knowing very little about how you play a role in this, they still might try to put you under surveillance for Al's vague mentioning you."

"Ah. That seems smart."
He turned back to the muted television screen as the chick nestled back into his hair.
"Why did he mention me?"

"They were asking stupid questions. Probably figured that would rile them up or something. He didn't say much though."

Makes some sense, at least. You'll ask more about that when you get there.
"So when should I leave?"

"Probably as soon as you can. Can never be too careful about this sorta thing."

"True."
The former nation got up, going to his bedroom.
"I'll be there in a bit."

"Okay. Bye."

His phone went in his jacket pocket as he started getting some things together.

25 Monday 201X;; Day after being broken out. I have a smart brother.

Checked up with D'wailey a few hours after Mattie woke me up at his place. Pretty much all countries are under American control. The only six to not have surrendered by this point in time are really just those rebels that contained me. Not a big hill to surmount, really. Could force them down in a matter of days with the right planning and strategies. Or. Just as easy to let them think they've started to win at something and then crush them under my boot. Might actually do that, now that I think about it. Would definitely piss them off/make them miserable for a while afterwards, that's for sure. I'd enjoy seeing that.
If I keep rolling with that left turn, then I should start planning that out. I have that one thing being build out west, a few modifications and I could possibly use that for something more...

Maze-type thing, maybe. Trap them in different rooms. Manipulate them into surrender.
Yeah. I like the sound of that, actually. It's good.
Have to get new blueprints to Gwenth sometime soon if I stick with it- which I probably will. *Self-reminder: start on that soon.
If all goes well, Prussia, Mattie and I'll be in that building in a month or so. Maybe less. So long as some floors and rooms are built, we'll be there on my order. Eventually they'd probably find out we're at Matt's house anyway. It's not the most security-filled place on the planet.
I _

He stared at the screen, barely paying attention to Canada coming back.

I think I'll end this here for now. Mind's starting to go blank for things to write anyway. #DIDW3 _

"What exactly are you writing, anyway?"

He finally looked up, after password-protecting the entry and closing the computer.
"Just a type of... journal entry, I suppose. If you can call it that. More like a log type thing; for progress or whatever."

"Ah."
He shifts the topic.
"Prussia says he'll be here in a bit. I'm not sure how long "a bit" really is, but presumably soon."

"Good. I can't have an asset taken from me."

There was a few minutes of silence. It was a bit awkward for the both of them.

"How badly do you think they freaked out about you being gone, before they called me?"

"Scale of one to ten?"

"Yeah."

"A hell of a lot more than ten, that's for sure. Maybe like seventeen, or twenty three. Heh."
He let out a short laugh.

"What about after the call?"

"Maybe still around the twenties range. They seemed freaked that they were actually right about you working with me."

"Do you think they really knew beforehand?"

"Of course. They're not stupid. Not as smart as I am, but not dumbasses. France obviously wouldn't have believed it, though, since he's all "Oh Mattieu is my precious angel and he would never do anything like that on hon hon oh la la" and that shit."

Canada looked on the verge of both laughter and being upset at the American's mocking, but he let the laugh loose anyway.