"Stand back or I slice this dumbass's neck wide open!" Belarus hissed at the allies.
"This is not cool," Poland muttered.
In her desperation Belarus had gone to her last resort. Now she held the knife, her knife she carried with her everywhere, to Poland's throat.
All four of the allies around her were yelling over each other in their attempts to negotiate.
"Last warning, let him go or I will unleash a world of hurt on your ass!"
"I can see that things have risen out of control but there is really no need for violence now, is there?"
"There's no way out girl, negotiate and I shall show mercy."
"H-hey there! You don't need to bring out weapons! I didn't have any with me!"
Belarus turned on the spot facing each of the four in turn, making sure none of them stayed out of her line of sight for too long. But as she faced France, she saw him the most fleeting glance behind her. A moment later her knife arm was being pulled away from her hostage. She kicked and screamed as Poland dashed for safety the moment her grip on him weakened, but it was to no avail as she was being pulled into the air. Her legs flailed uselessly off the ground while she screamed obscenities at the others.
"Be quiet and stop struggling," she heard her captor, Germany, say.
Poland stood panting behind America, shock still etched on his face. "You OK, man?" America put his arm around Poland's shoulder who nodded.
"Aaack eat this!" Belarus shouted as she head butted Germany in the chin.
The large man grunted in pain and Belarus felt his formidable grip slacken. She took the opportunity to elbow the side of his ribs and run.
"Hey, she's getting away again!" America yelled.
"Slippery one, isn't she?" England commented.
"I like a strong determined woman," France smiled.
Belarus stumbled in her desperation to escape but regained her footing in time to dodge America's attempt to grab her. She took off over the grass, earning a few looks from the ordinary people out there. It was a sunny day so the park was busy with dog walkers, children playing games and people relaxing on the grass.
She spared a glance behind her to see where the allies were, she didn't know why she was determined to escape but she couldn't shake the feeling that they couldn't be trusted. No one could be trusted. Lithuania had shown that when he went behind her back with Poland. She looked back to see America get hit by a Frisbee and England curse as he tripped over a small dog. There was no sign of France or Germany; she'd have to keep a look out for them.
She managed to put considerable distance between them now she no longer had to drag Poland around with her. Despite losing him she had at least confirmed her suspicions that whatever crime Lithuania put against her had ultimately been Poland's crimes, Lithuania was just an accomplice. Now if only she could prove that to her boss. Would he just take her word for it?
"Belarus!?" She heard someone call her name in surprise.
In spite of herself she turned to see who it was. A man she didn't recognise was standing in a group. All of them were wearing identical uniforms of her country. "We've been looking for you everywhere," the man said in her language, looking very relived as he spoke.
"You were looking for me?" She asked in disbelief, escaping from the allies forgotten about.
"Yes, of course. We have been searching for quite some time. We received a tip off that we may find you here. You cannot know how happy it makes me, will make all of us, to see you home safe."
"Home… I… am I wanted?" She asked and the man nodded. "I failed with brother and I didn't think… he said in that broadcast that he didn't want me"
"It will be fine," the man reassured her. "The president is under much stress but he would very much like your safe return."
Belarus exhaled to calm herself and then walked towards him.
"Hey, stop!" America yelled from behind.
"She is under our protection now. To violate it is an act of war," the uniformed man responded as Belarus stood next to the group.
"That's bollocks," England complained as he emerged from behind America.
"I should thank the pair of you for leading us to her though," he gave the two allies a smug smile.
England marched forward with fire in his eyes but America held out his arm to stop him. "We gotta let them go, dude."
"Why? The last time someone attacked Poland, I started a world war over it."
"It's not the same and you know it." America turned his attention back toward Belarus and her companions. "You're free to go, for now. But we'll be watching you very closely, understand?"
"Perfectly," Belarus snarled and walked off with her group to go home. If Lithuania hadn't already told them about Poland's role they'd find out soon enough.
A splash of water jerked Lithuania awake. He'd been asleep in his cell for a few hours, the first time he's slept for more than a few minutes since his imprisonment. The cell was damp, dark and dingy. It came with only the bare essentials of a bed and a bucket for waste and was completely isolated from contact with others. There were no other prisoners around, just a masked guard which rotated every few hours.
This morning, Lithuania assumed it was morning as a lack of sunlight had disorientated him; one of the guards had thrown freezing water over his face from a metal bucket. Lithuania gasped and staggered to his feet. The scene in front of his eyes wouldn't keep still, it tipped to the left and then to the right and then back to the left. What Lithuania did see as he grasped the bars of the cell door for support was the guard tossing the now empty bucket away behind him with a clang.
Lithuania rested his head against the bars and panted for a few seconds feeling the guard's eyes boring into him. "What do you want from me?" Lithuania croaked.
"I am here to help you," the guard said, sounding rather cheerful in contrast the conditions around them.
"Am I supposed to sign some papers to get this help?" Lithuania sighed.
The guard chuckled, "No, I am not with them. I am so glad I have found you, I was so worried."
Lithuania squinted at the man. That voice was starting to sound familiar but no matter how friendly the tone was Lithuania still felt he should be cautious, something about this figure was making him feel uneasy. "Who are you?"
"Oh, I forgot to take off my mask. I can be so forgetful." The man reached up and removed the clothing covering his face and Lithuania darted backwards. "Hello," Russia happily greeted him.
"R-Russia? W-what are doing here?"
"I am here to rescue you. I looked and I looked and here you are," he happily said while brandishing a rusty metal key.
"I-erm-I-er…" Lithuania spluttered. He really wasn't sure what to make of this. He couldn't have wished for anything better than a rescue but he couldn't have been cursed with a worse rescuer. Russia could probably get him out fine but what would happen afterwards? He didn't fancy being indebted to Russia.
"What is matter?" Russia asked, still looking as jolly as ever. "It is like you are wanting to stay here."
"No I don't want that at all," Lithuania protested.
"Then let us be on our way!" Russia unlocked the cell door with a loud and creaky clunk which echoed through the chamber.
"Wait, I need to rest first, you woke me too early," Lithuania made the first excuse which came into his head.
Russia shook his head, "there is no time. But when we are out, you can rest at my house, it will be fun to have company."
Lithuania stifled a squeal of horror. "Why can't I just do it at my own house, Mr Russia, sir?"
"You could but it would make me sad and lonely," Russia shrugged. "Are we leaving now?"
Lithuania took a glance around his cell. "Sure, I don't really want to stay here a moment longer," he resigned himself and stepped out of the cell door.
Russia nodded with approval and clapped Lithuania on the shoulder, causing the smaller country to tremble. "Follow me now and everything will be alright, I promise."
"I'm not sure this was such a good idea," Germany told the others.
"You're right. It's not a good idea. It's a totally brilliant idea," America laughed.
America, Germany, England and France were camped outside the Belarusian palace. It was inside here that they'd followed Belarus to and America's suspicion that Lithuania was inside.
"Boss man is going to want to keep Lithuania close to him but the first thing he'll want to do after finding Belarus is to speak with her. So we sneak in and get Lithuania out, bam problem solved."
"What if we're discovered?" Germany asked. "It could mean war."
"We have justification," America shrugged. "Attacks on Poland by Belarus and Lithuania by the Government mean we can flash good old article five at them. Let's face it; we'd kick this countries ass any day. If the boss man meets us, I'd say it might be time for a free and fair election in Belarus, don't you agree?"
"That's a regime change!" England raised one large eyebrow.
"Not so loud, Angleterre," France hushed him. "You never know whose ears may be listening."
"So are you guys in or does the hero work alone?"
"Well, I don't think any of us came this far out just to go back again," England sighed. "Very well, just none of you screw this one up."
"Haha, me? I fix problems not create them, England," America winked. "Now we move onwards, for great justice."
(A/N): Relatively short chapter today. Looking at the traffic stats I've noticed a couple of views from Belarus itself which makes me wonder how stories like this are viewed over there. Hope I haven't offended anyone by making it a rather dodgy and shadowy Government.
Anyway hope you can spare time for a quick review!