I regret to say since planes were invented I have lost the habit of making long journeys over land, even by car. In order to avoid being identified as much as we could, Switzerland and I moved by foot or hitchhiking around Denmark. It was a bit like going back to the old times, when the world seemed much bigger. We had the chance to talk to each other, of meeting people. We found very amicable people who helped us, although, of course, there were also moments when I was thankful Switzerland didn't leave his gun behind along with the rest of his belongings. The story of the travel itself is not relevant to the case we are talking about, so I will simply say after a trip which took us days we got to Malmö, hours before the new year began.
If Liechtenstein was held captive in a Nordic country we needed the collaboration of said countries, and Sweden was our man. Sensible and quiet. He would understand our trick and help us make the inquiries needed in his house. He would also be our intermediary to get the collaboration of his neighbors.
We walked to his residence in Malmö, expecting to find him there. We had a plan in case he had gone somewhere else. But we noticed soon the atmosphere in the streets wasn't festive.
In our way to Sweden's house we came across a personnel carrier vehicle. Switzerland gestured me to pay attention to the uniform of the soldiers who, armed with assault rifles, were inside of it. "Russians", he muttered in my ear.
It seemed something happened in the street where the apartment was. A group of soldiers kept us out. When Switzerland demanded to know why they kicked us out rudely, stating it was not our business and we just had to obey.
"Of course it is our business" Switzerland said, and grabbed my hand and we dusted off the old art of flight in combat to slip past the soldiers and approach the building taking alternative routes.
We hid behind some trash containers. From there we could perfectly see Russia and Sweden arguing at the doors of the building. Next to Sweden were his Northern neighbors, plus Estonia and Latvia. It seemed Russia had interrupted the celebration of the New Year with his friends.
"You have no right to be here, Russia" Sweden calmly said, but with the stare of a tiger. "Go away."
"China has told me Kazuki Ogura, an ex-collaborator of Japan who joined the One World Nation Movement, has been seen at the BMA" Russia explained with his hands inside of the pockets of his coat. "If he is here..."
"If he is here, we will look for him. But your ministers should have called mine and talked about this among themselves."
"I like to do things myself. And since my friends went to the trouble of coming..."
"You've already come into my house without permission, Russia, we're not letting you do whatever you want!" Denmark exclaimed, pointing at him with an accusing finger.
"You're all very angry. You should be having fun, it's New Year's Eve!"
Paradoxically, Latvia, who has always been a bundle of nerves, mostly when Russia was around, was the calmest.
"Let him do what he wants..."
"No way" Norway intervened. "What did you think? Because you have the biggest army you can do whatever you want with the rest of us?"
"You don't care about our security. This is all an excuse to go back to that 'one with Russia' thing" Iceland looked at him with an expression of deep disgust. "You're despicable. You didn't even respect your own dying sister."
Iceland knew perfectly that his sister was a very sensitive topic. I suppose at that moment he was so irritated he forgot about it or did not bother to measure his words...he was already cornered. It seemed he was going to regret it. Russia's placid expression twisted and he took his hands out of his pockets. Estonia took a step back and Norway grabbed his younger brother's arm to protect him. I felt a shiver myself. I was sure he was going to kill him right there.
In the end, the only thing Russia did, luckily, was to smile wider. That seemed to frighten Estonia even more than if he had started beating Iceland to a pulp with his fists.
"We can talk about this..." he begged.
"There is nothing to talk about" Russia replied. "You're all very smug. And this is the moment to work all together. If you don't want to collaborate, that's because you're hiding something."
"Do you really think we'd be on that scum's side? After what they did to Sealand?" Finland walked to him with no fear and stopped just a palm away from him. "Do you think we are that stupid?"
"No, but I know you are all very smart. You could have thought...I don't know...if you helped the movement get what they wanted you'd get rid of competitors and you'd have a lot to share out."
"Your time in the Soviet Union made you lose your mind."
"It gave me clarity. If you had listened to me and come with me, you'd know what I am talking about" Russia placed his hand on Finland's chin with the gallantry one would use to caress a maiden.
He slapped it away from him. Sweden took a step forward and glared at him.
"Don't you lay a hand on him again."
"Russia, really, none of this is necessary" Estonia insisted. "We well talk to our bosses and..."
"But there is one problem, Estonia: I am fed up of having to deal with puny bosses. Of doing what they want when they don't have a clue of what is going on. I won't leave the survival of nations to a simple human who brags about their medals. If we have to do this by foul...Very well. You asked for it."
He must have done some imperceptible gesture. Or maybe it was true that he was more blended with his army than words could express. But instantly twenty of his men approached the Scandinavians threatening them with their guns.
"Hands behind your head" one of them said.
"How dare you?!" Norway roared.
Only Latvia and Estonia obeyed instantly. They had been under Russia's control once and they knew better than to resist. The others still wanted to fight.
"You're gonna regret this, you son of a bitch!" Denmark insulted Russia.
"I think he told you to put your hands behind your head" he smiled in return.
The tip of the rifle hit Finland's stomach and he, showing his teeth, was forced to obey. One by one, the Nordics surrendered and obeyed. Sweden was the last to do it, and his stare seemed to announce a war declaration which Russia ignored, still smiling.
"Let's go" I grabbed Switzerland by the arm.
"This is unbelievable" I heard him complain.
"I know. That's why we have to leave before they find us. We can do nothing here."
"There will be shots in the next gathering..."
"You'll have time to think about next gathering. Let's go now."
We left the Northern nations in big trouble much to our regret and left the place hurrily. Some explosions alerted us, but it turned out those were only fireworks. 'Happy New Year!', I heard Russia exclaim.
The only thing we could do was wander the streets of Malmö, where the foreign military presence had ruined the fun of many. We ended up sitting on a cold bench in a children's playground.
"Without their collaboration this will be like looking for a needle in a haystack..."
I knew I was saying an obviousness and it wouldn't help, but it was what I had in mind.
"Even if I have to tramp all countries in this filthy world" Switzerland said, "I'm going to find Liechtenstein. I'm taking her home. Whatever it takes."
Someone with much less tact would have told him he was asking for something impossible. There was a high chance that Liechtenstein was dead. Maybe he wouldn't find the movement before they found a way to kill him. But I didn't. For the friendship we once had. Because...well, at those dark moments one had to have hope if they didn't want to go mad. And I really believed there was a chance, even tiny, that the girl was still alive and it was worth it to risk everything for it.
It was then when God Almighty sent us a sign which gave us hope and told us we were in the right path.
Or, more accurately, He sent it to Switzerland. I saw him stand up all of a sudden, as if he had just been possessed.
"What's the matter?"
He didn't say anything, he stared at a man who passed by, a shadow to me I paid no attention to.
"Switzerland?"
But Switzerland had started walking. He asked me to stay quiet and look. I didn't know what he wanted me to look. He grabbed my head and pointed at the pocket of his coat. A purple ribbon pocked out from it.
I wanted to tell him that proved nothing, but he didn't listen. I guess his guts were telling him something, so I let his instincts take charge. What did it matter? We had nothing better to do.
