Capital punishment

Chapter 8

Danny waited for one of them to swing first. He ducked under and brought a fast fist to the man's face, hearing a nice crack signaling a broken jaw. One-shot and the man went down, but Danny couldn't pay him any attention as two guys came on each side reaching for his shoulders. He grabbed the arm on his right and flipped his attacker onto the other, making a two man pile of criminal.

BATMAN, BATMAN, BATMAN, IM THE BATMAN, Danny chanted to himself, before he grabbed a metal trash can lid and swung it into the face of the next guy unlucky enough to come at Danny alone. NO, THAT WAS TOTALLY A CAPTAIN AMERICA MOVE THAT WAS AWESOME. Two down and out, two more rushed at Danny who used the wall behind him to brace his back and bring his legs up to push them both away from him before stepping out from the wall. The two man pile had recovered, this time coming at him from the front and back. Danny quickly stepped backward, spun halfway using his momentum to swing his elbow into the guy's temple. Focusing on his front, he dodged two blows before returning two of his own to the man's face, grabbing the guy's head to pull it down while bringing his knee up to meet the masked face.

TOTALLY GOT THAT FROM ASSASSINS CREED 3, Danny brought his focus back, Alright, four down, gotta take down the three before they regroup. Running at one guy who was standing a little too close to the other wall, he ducked under and slammed his foot into the back of his attacker's leg. Bringing the masked man down to his hands and knees, Danny used a harsh kick to the enemy's cheek, the momentum alone sent his head into the wall behind him like a second kick.

Jeeze, I gotta admit that was fucking brutal. As the next came for Danny's back, he dropped his shoulder and football slammed this guy back. Letting the enemy stumble backwards, Danny grabbed the masked man's arm with one hand, using it as leverage so he could smash his other fist twice into the criminal's face. He went down.

One lef— Danny spun around only to find gun aimed at his heart, only inches from his chest. Oh shit.

"DANIEL." Both Danny and the masked man jerked their heads to look at the end of the alley, where Danny could see Landon and two other men pointing handguns in their direction.

"Move and he gets it." The criminal warned with an unidentifiable accent, as the man grabbed Danny's collar with his other hand, bringing him closer to the gun and closer to death. Danny sucked in a breath as he felt the barrel of the gun settle in the center of his chest. This is so not awesome, Danny thought.

"Let him go or we will shoot." America warned, both him and England had steady aim at the gunman's head. America hasn't had a good ole standoff in a while, but these were not the circumstances to feel the thrill like he had in the old west. This was a hostage situation. America hated hostage situations.

The man just chuckled, "I believe I have the upper hand here. Now let me and the boy through. We have business to discuss."

I gotta do something, Danny went through scenarios in his head, but nothing came that would leave anyone unharmed. Screw it, I'm my own hero.

"We don't want a fight, let the boy go and we could forget this." Landon hoped a negotiation would get Danny safe. Of course, only so Landon could kill Danny later for being so careless and making his rescue involve riding a motorcycle with America.

Surprising them all, including the gunman, Danny spat in the man's eyes while bringing his one arm up to brush the gun away from his chest. Three shots rang out through the alley. It all happened so fast the Danny couldn't even feel pain until he watched the gunman fall with two shots in his head. America and England had aimed true. But the gunman wasn't too far off. Danny staggered back, his shoulder feeling hot and wet as blood bloomed on his blue Captain America T-shirt. Well damn, that's gonna be a bitch to get that stain out, Danny thought as he heard three sets of footsteps fast approaching him. His knees just started to buckle from shock, when he felt hands start to hold him up.

"Oh my GOD, Daniel, why did you do that?" Landon asked him gently from his one side.

"Dude, I'm not gonna be some damsel in distress, I'm not a good hostage." Danny muttered back, as they guided him out of the alley.

At this Landon lightly chuckled, "No, you certainly are not. But now we have a different problem. America? What do we do now? There is not enough room in your motorcycle, should we go somewhere?" Danny was in too much pain to realize that America was holding up his other side, with England at his back in case he fell.

America looked pained and took a moment to answer, "Well guys, if we take him back to the capitol, they may take him away from me, and I… don't want that." He paused, then put a confident look on his face like that of a resolute soldier and turned to look at England and London individually. "I have the supplies back at my place to patch him up, you guys don't have to help anymore. He's my responsibility now."

London narrowed his eyes, and England crossed his arms.

"No." They both said at the same time.

"No, America, we are going to help. You both need help, do you have any idea how to handle a capitol? I have invested more time in this boy than you have so far, and to be frank, we have acquired something of a friendship. I am not going to leave him now." London said firmly.

"Please don't leave me yet." Danny whispered, only hearing the last part. He leaned his head on Landon's shoulder, and Landon suddenly felt very much attached. America pouted.

"America let us help, God knows you need some guidance right now, and we know how this system works. Do it for him, at least. He needs some guidance too." England said looking sympathetic, but he had to make his point. He couldn't leave America alone now with no idea of how to handle his government, which is more delicate right now than one would think.

America looked shocked for a moment, before giving them a rare small smile. "Thanks guys, but I hope you know these means that we all have to fit on my Harley."

England's and London's faces went white. Danny picked his head up and squinted at the bike.

"Nice bike, dude." Danny commented.

America grinned. He liked him already. "Thanks dude."