Vendetta (Greg Dombrowski)


You know what? I never liked America and in the One World Nation Movement days I had a lot of reasons to hate him even more.

I was having a nice day at the beach. The previous ones had been terrible to me, with all that people protesting. My spine hurt so much I couldn't get out of bed in days. I made the effort to go have a swim, hoping it would make me feel better. How stupid! I knew myself what I felt wouldn't be fixed with a swim. But the boss insisted and I had nothing better to do than to watch everything go to heck. The thing is, it did me good, I even had a bit of fun with the waves, when I saw the gringo approach with his aviator jacket and sunglasses as if he believed he was in Top Gun, and ruined my good mood.

"It's so hot in here for December, isn't it?" he yelled from the shore.

I guessed I had no choice but to get out of the water and go to him.

"What did you do this time, America?" I asked him.

"Why? Can't one pay a visit to an old friend?"

"We stopped being friends long ago, man."

"That hurts me, but I forgive you, because I love this place. The sun, the beaches..."

He slipped his glassed down his nose to shamelessly look at some girls in bikini who passed by.

"And there's something I'd like to tell you."

"I hope is the abuse to Mexico."

Even though he kept smiling, I think I ruined his facade.

"Ah, have you been in touch lately?" he asked with interest.

"We've had a meeting down here in Latin America" I replied as I walked to the place where I had my stuff, "concerning your unexpected entry to Mexican territory. Another surprise visit of yours?"

"Well, yes, that's right."

"With military aircraft and soldiers?"

I grabbed my towel and put it on.

"You insulted her, America. You said you were sure she was a revolutionary nest."

"I didn't tell her that exactly. Come on."

"You said such ugly things to her she bursted into tears."

"You and I know how sensitive women are."

"Did you really think she wouldn't have done everything necessary to stop it if she had suspected she had the movement at her home?"

"I'm not saying Mexico's protecting them" America replied while taking his sunglasses off. "It's just that four eyes see more than two."

"She didn't ask you for help. What you did can be considered an invasion. We both know you prefer to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission, but in days like these I think it would be more sensible, if you have a suspicion, you say it clearly and let whoever's place is to act."

America sighed and hit the sunglasses softly against the palm of his hand. He looked at me again and told me:

"Cuba...Did you hear what happened to Poland last night?"

"I've heard something about it."

"Now it turnes out in Japan a journalist has been murdered while she sniffed around the matters of the One World Nation Movement. Shot in the back. You'll agree with me that this is serious."

"It is. But I don't know what your visit has to do with Mexico and me."

"People pay taxes. And in return they want us to give them the guaranty that no madman is going to steal the lifestyle their parents have died for. I'm not saying you are on the movement's side. Absolutely. But we're achieving nothing. Well, yes, we are: each day we wake up with the news that another nation is dying or already dead. We can't get out from our house without protection. I am a firm believer that the best defense is a good attack. I'm not waiting for them to come after me. Look what happened to Switzerland. He was so worried about his little sister Lit, Liech, Lat, whatever it's said, that he didn't think about himself and let the movement take over his house. And where is he now? Inside the vacuum bag of some cleaning lady. This is not the time to be neutral. Nothing is solved by closing our eyes and letting the storm pass. We have to fight if we want to protect our people."

"Protect our people? Or protect ourselves?"

"Isn't it the same?"

"No."

"...Right. I guess so. After all, you..."

"Careful with your next words" I threatened him, pointing at him with a finger.

He stared at me with a smirk. A disgusting superiority smirk.

"You love to act like the hero, right? The United States of America, our savior..."

"If it turns out the United States of America is the only one who has the balls to do something, well, I'm fine with it."

"And how come you ally yourself with those you considered the enemies of democracy two days ago?"

It was my turn to smirk.

"Everyone knows now you, China and Russia go around like a merry gang. The super-friends of freedom. Ha! Do you really think those two give a crap if the movement kills an enemy of theirs? Do you think they won't let anything bad happen to you?"

"We have an objective in common and well formed armies. Together we are unstoppable."

He came so close I could count his freckles. I wasn't afraid of him but when he talked again I didn't like the tone he used with me at all.

"So I guess you know what could happen if it turns out you're hiding something to the rest of the world."

"You're mad. You're absolutely nuts. Get out of here!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, I will, I'll leave...When I have finished checking a few things. If you have nothing to hide, then I don't know what all this fuss was about..."

After saying this, he turned around to leave.

"Nobody gave you the right to do it!"

"But someone has to" he simply replied.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me, America!"

"I've been very kind, Cuba. I appreciate you a lot and I want to see you happy. Now, if I find out you've been letting the movement act in your isles...I may forget about it."

That damned guy put his sunglasses back on and left. In the distance, I saw a military jeep driving near the beach which wasn't evidently ours.

I experienced in my own skin what Mexico told us. America didn't leave a palm without inspection, no building inviolated, no authority unquestioned. He installed a base in Havana. He arrested people he had been looking for for a while. He did what he wanted and I couldn't even complain. There was an international condemnation, but it was as effective as if they had reprimanded the wall.

After me was Brazil. After him, it was Argentina's turn. Then Bolivia. Chile. Colombia. Ecuador. He spared no one.

The worst came when it was Canada's turn. His own brother. Then it became evident that man had gone mad in the name of security.