Capital Punishment

Chapter 5

Danny and Landon were just starting to have a good time. After Danny caught too many concerned looks from Landon on their walk to the National Mall, Danny took out his phone and turned on some Coldplay. Adventure of a Lifetime looped through the sidewalk, as Danny and Landon loudly sang together. They weren't that bad, they were on tune, and some passerby's chipped in a lyric or two. They must have looked like they just got out of wild party.

"I didn't know that you liked Coldplay." Landon said laughing as the song ended.

"Dude, I don't, I just like good music." Danny stated proudly. "Mission accomplished!" He threw his fist up into the air.

"What mission?" Landon questioned.

"Bro! I got you to smile. I'd made myself a goal to make ya smile after I read on the internet that the English are emotionally repressed."

Landon was touched unit he heard that. He scowled.

"BLOODY GIT!"

"Hey ya didn't deny it—" Suddenly Danny jerked his head to look over his shoulder. "Fuck." He whispered when he turned back.

Landon quieted before he could angrily rant at Danny's ignorance. "What is it?"

"Damn Secret service is following us. Namely, me, but I don't want them questioning you just for hanging with me." Danny looked irritated, like this was just an annoyance. He turned to Landon with a serious look. "When we get to that corner with the trees, there is a long street, usually crowded at this time of day, I want you to run. Weaving outside to the trees can be easier if you can't get by people on the sidewalk. We can split up at the Mall, I can distract them there. They are after me anyway. Got it?"

This wasn't the first time Landon experienced a situation like this, and he knew how to follow orders. "Loud and clear."

"Alright. Fist bump!" Danny said very loudly and brought out his fist.

For a second Landon looked confused, Danny was unpredictable at times. He brought up his knuckle. Danny bumped it, and jumped out to strike a very obnoxious victory pose, bringing a lot of attention to themselves. "AW YEAH!" And he broke into a run as they reached the corner.

Landon started to sprint when he realized what Danny had done. Clever lad. He'd done the weird bump thing to make it look like a game, almost like tag. Then they wouldn't look as suspicious as they ran down the sidewalk. Not bad, he really needed to give the boy some more credit. But now he needed to focus on weaving through the crowd.

England

"LOOK HOW AWESOME THIS PLACE IS." America belted as they reached the corner of the mall. He was right next to him, and England restrained himself from covering his ears at the sudden change in volume.

"Oh yes, It is splendid." England managed to get out. Then his attention diverted to a mild disturbance coming down the sidewalk. Some teenagers running, the one in back laughing like a maniac, the other in front deftly focused, both shadowed by some men in suits. England's eyes widened in realization. Was that—?

Landon

"LANDON?!"

Landon just reached the corner of the mall when he turned his head to look at a group of suited men. Clearly international. His green eyes met another pair of green eyes. He nearly panicked.

"ARTHUR?" He blurted before—KASPLOOSH!

Landon tripped over the side of the National Mall, falling face first at full speed into the water. He hadn't been looking where he was running.

"BRIT DUDE!" Danny hopped over the side, sloshed brashly through the water over to Landon to help him stand up. The Secret Service members were just jogging over to wait on the boarders of the man-made lake.

Landon looked over at England, who looked conflicted, smartly fighting the urge to rush over to him.

"ALRIGHT DUDES TOUR'S OVER FOR TODAY. SEE Y'ALL TOMORROW AT THE MEETING." He heard America exclaim loudly at the tour group. Landon saw what appeared to be France and Canada herding the remaining confused countries away from the group, towards town. They didn't want any countries finding out what Landon's connection was to England, because then there was a possibility of endangering the capitol and the country in case war ever passed again. Quick thinking on their part.

"Daniel, sir, you both will have to come with us." Said a Secret Service agent.

Next to him still in the water, Danny deftly slipped something into Landon's hand and spoke up. "No. Unless you're willing to strike a deal. If you want to take this man in for questioning, then I'm going to fight all y'all back to base. But if you're willing to overlook his involvement with me today, then I'll go easy, I won't even argue."

Apparently, his arguing was enough to make the agent pause, and think about the arrangement. The agent knew what Daniel was like when he didn't want to cooperate. Both obsessively annoying, loud, and sometimes violent. The agent subconsciously rubbed his jaw from the fiasco of the last time that Danny had "Argued."

"Alright, but just this once. I realize that times are hard on you, but we cannot allow this to be a regular thing. Come on Daniel." Danny pouted and looked back at Landon, but trudged over glumly through the water over to the agent, who put his hand on Danny's shoulder to lead him away.

Landon left the water. By this time, France and Canada had effectively herded the other nations away, and only America and England were waiting for him on dry land.

First England turned to America. "What the bloody hell was that?"

America looked confused and suspicious. "I have no idea. I have never seen that kid before in my life." He turned to Landon, who was standing sheepishly in front of England. "What were you even doing?"

England cut in. "He can tell you later, first he is coming with me back to my hotel to have a nice chat."

Landon knew for certain that this chat would be anything but nice. He nodded to England. He knew that England wanted to be the first to know what Landon was doing, so he could decide what information was important for America to know. National Security and all that.

It was getting late anyway, the sun was starting to set. Time started to fly for Danny and him once they started to have a good time.

"Okay… but I'm coming over to meet you guys before the meeting starts so you can tell me what's up." America said a little apprehensively. He felt he had the right to know what London was doing in his country, but he trusted them well enough to get their shit together before giving him the details. America could tell that England was just as surprised as he was to see London in the National Mall. He started away, facing England and London, pointing at them with both hands. "CATCH YOU DUDES LATER."

England turned to Landon with hands on his hips, giving him the disapproving parent look. Landon looked away.

"Let's just get on with it." He started walking towards town, England at his shoulder.

"I'll give you choice. Tell me now or tomorrow morn, because this whole ordeal has given me an awful head-ache, and you look like you need to gather your thoughts." England grounded out, with his hand rubbing his temples.

"Tomorrow." Landon said right away. His body seemed to just catch up with him. He was tired and wet, he stared numbly at the ground. His thoughts turned to Danny. Poor boy… he doesn't have anybody… well, at least that means he's not going to be getting anything like England's lecture. But at this point, I think that he would prefer it to sitting lonesome, there's nobody to tell him what he was doing wrong. Landon suddenly turned to look at England.

"Thanks for worrying about me."

England sputtered, not prepared for anything like that. But then he looked closely at London's expression. A mix of pity and appreciation. Their conversation in the morning was going to be an interesting one. England softened his face.

"You're one of my best friends. Somebody who truly understands me. I'd be silly to let anything happen to that." He put his hand on London's shoulder. "But I also need you to trust me. I want to hear what has suddenly brought this up. I am starting to worry about you."

"I'm not the one you should be worried about." London turned away. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow." Oh God, I am so thankful to have a friendship like this, I had never even thought about what it would have been like if I didn't have England. These thoughts were certainly disheartening.

This is what Danny—no Washington D.C.—needs. A friendship like this with America. Landon wiped his eyes with his jacket sleeve. He must still be wet from the dip in the Mall. And he's missed out on all these years. Landon suddenly found himself angry. All because of his bloody government, why is that? I haven't heard of imprisoning a capitol from a country since Berlin, but that was different. They had better have a bloody good reason. I have to stop this.

Landon looked forward with new determination. I have to help Washington.

Landon suddenly remembered what Danny snuck into his hand. Still walking, he unwrapped the piece of paper. A phone number.

Danny

Danny looked up at his star covered ceiling from his star spangled bed. Locked in again. Not too bad. He would just sneak out again. And he'd do it again in a heartbeat. Today was one of the best days of his life, up among the days that he'd spent with Andy on the Harrison ranch. He turned on his side and smiled at his Goldfish, Link. Short for Lincoln, one his favorite presidents, and Danny was a Legend of Zelda fan. He loved video games. Link stared back him.

"Today was great, don't you think? I think I made a new friend." The fish didn't respond.

"Yeah, I'd wanna to do it again tomorrow."

Danny's phone buzzed. He practically kicked it off his bed trying to jump at it. He held it to his face.

Tomorrow?

Danny was now convinced that Landon was a mind-reader.