Capitol Punishment
Chapter 20
McConnell was starting to sweat. The United States of America was catching on, and slowly stalking towards him, England hanging behind him like a henchman and a good lawyer. The wandering senators had scattered, Washington has fled, and London has followed. It was just an evil tortoise, a self-proclaimed hero, and a former pirate. McConnell backed himself against a wall.
"So Mitch, would you like to tell me what exactly is going on?" America loomed over the senator, much like a wolf over a rabbit (tortoise).
And what exactly was going on? Why should the Senate Majority Leader feel threatened by the impending country? What did he have to fear, have to hide from America? As it turned out, he had plenty to hide, and because America knows how to get under people's skin, McConnell began to squeal, more like a pig than a tortoise (tortoises can't squeal). Sometimes being super annoying and a super power has its perks.
Down in a Capitol conference room America (and England because he was there) "learned" from Senator McConnell about a secret operation working underneath the government. A plot, a scheme so to speak, to turn and train the government into a strictly conservative organization. It was a fairly recent plan, started during the Obama administration around 2012 by the conservative members of congress, but its roots and foundations been sprouting and poisoning since the end of the Civil War. They just needed a fool in the White House to get the wheels rolling. And, unexpectedly, this rich dumbo was also a great distraction from their antidemocratic plot. Much easier to look at the small hands than the big picture.
"Is that why you needed me out of the way?" America pressed, currently sitting on the Senator's back, and smushing McConnell's face into the floor.
"No, not really," McConnell mushed out through mushed lips, "I wasn't lying when I thought you immature." He peered up pointedly at America from the floor, but then continued when America didn't move. "You're much too friendly and loud. And you've become too liberal. The president lost the popular vote, which is your jurisdiction as the people who voted more liberally. You would get in the way because you're too likely to try and stop us."
"Damn straight I'm gonna stop you. This ain't democracy. And what of Washington?"
"We need to train him—I mean we were going to train him to be more conservative, and overturn the leftist legislation. He would be more like us. If you spent time with him than he might become more liberal like you. We couldn't allow that."
"Well jeez, is liberalism that bad?"
"Yes."
"It shouldn't be, ya dingus. This is a free country, which means free to be conservative or liberal or whatever. First amendment rights and all that jazz. Just know that the right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins."
England frowned, "But I thought you loved punching things, America." He turned to look at America. "Like me."
America turned incredulously and answered as if the answer was obvious. "That's because you're England. And whose side are you on?"
McConnell tried to move his head, but was unsuccessful. "Would you please let me up Mr. America?" He said through his pursed lips. "Congress will be in session soon for the DACA bill."
"Not yet," America spoke down at him. "Couple more questions for ya. For one, who else is involved?"
McConnell sighed as if it was too much to answer. "Sir, it would be easier to screen the conservatives, some are involved—"
"When this is done you are making a list." America interrupted. "But maybe I should be more specific. I don't think you're the head honcho here. Who are you taking orders from?"
McConnell said nothing, just pursed his already mushed lips against the floor. America shook him in frustration.
"Talk!"
"Sir, I don't know!" McConnell blurted. "I just get the orders through email!"
America let him go with an impatient huff and ran a hand down his face. "Enough with the fucking emails!"
England put a calm hand down on America's shoulder, as he was still seated on the Senator. "America, I think now is the time to go."
America looked up at him and stood, but he eyed the Senate Majority Leader as he gathered himself and his dignity from the floor and brushed himself off. He took a cautious glance at the countries before slipping out the door. America turned to England.
"Did you get all that?" America asked.
"Of course I did, what kind of lawyer do you take me for?" England replied with a sly smile. He handed America a small recorder. "I did not spend years of espionage to come to a case unprepared."
"You're the best, dude." America laughed, shoving the recorder in his pocket. "Now, let's go find our capitols. Again."
Washington was running again. He knew he was being emotional, probably over reacting a little bit, but frankly he had no idea what he was doing. Everything was unstable and rocky, he felt a bit dizzy, but he tore down the sidewalk towards somewhere in the city. He stopped paying attention to where he was going once his was above ground again.
Last time the government was divided, he ran. That turned out pretty nicely for a while. Maybe he should try it again. After all, maybe he won't be so alone again.
"Daniel!"
Oh yeah. And London was following him. At the call of his other name, Washington stopped. He suddenly felt as if he hadn't heard that name in a while. It may have only been a day or two, but hearing it again was comforting, a return to normalcy. God, he could use a cup of coffee right now.
Washington waited for London to catch up, and finally took in his surroundings. He was outside of the Starbucks that he loves so much in the middle of the midday rush. People brushed by him to get their lunch coffee, and sky clouded some more, promising rain. He could hear London's feet pounding the sidewalk as he got closer. Pounding kind of like his head. Was there another vote today?
"My Lord, Lad, please don't just take off like that!" London huffed. He wasn't out of shape, but he did just run after a wild capitol. "Where are you going?" Noticing the sign, he put his hands on his hips and huffed again in slight annoyance. "Starbucks?"
"Oh yeah, totally, gotta get my lunch coffee, yanno?" Washington bumbled.
London raised a brow, but said nothing as he gestured towards the door. "Are we going in?"
"You're not going to take me back to that meeting?" Washington asked, relieved but not sure why.
"No, that's quite enough for today." London watched Washington carefully, as he looked skittish and apprehensive. He didn't want him to run again. Yet Washington made no move to go into the coffee shop. London sighed, and pulled his jacket around him more. He noticed the side walk had quieted down, and thought of something else.
"Here, Daniel, let's sit here." He sat down on the curb where no car was parked, and patted the concrete next to him and watched as Danny carefully sat at his side, hugging himself and looking a bit pale.
"What's wrong, boy?" Landon asked gently. "I thought you got it all out in your room, is there something else bothering you?"
"Yeah, actually," Danny spoke softly, "you know, the last time the country was divided, I ran. The headaches were bad, like real bad," he gave an empty laugh, "And I was scared, and alone, and—and too many people were telling me what to do, and I didn't even know what I wanted to do, or why I should know what to do. And then out in the frontier, all of a sudden, all the pain just went away. No worries, no headaches, I thought it was because I had found something else. A friend, a family, and all my ties with the capitol city were cut off so that I didn't have to worry about those old government men telling me how to think." He finally looked London in the eye. "But then, it turned out, the South had seceded from the union and a war had started. Now that I know what I am, I realize that the pain was the fighting in the government, but once those men left the government, there was no fighting. Just… relief."
Landon was starting to understand. "Are you upset that your relief led to the deaths of many men?"
Danny snorted, "Jeez thanks man, way to make me feel better."
Landon scowled. "I am trying here." Daniel cut him off with a wave of his hand.
"No, you're sorta right actually. But that isn't the whole reason and that was a long time ago. I'm also a bit miffed that they didn't tell me who I was, or how I could help. I was scared and all, but I should have stayed to help them out or something. I was a coward. I don't want me to be divided again, that lead to America being divided. This time I want to be there to help so it doesn't happen again. No more civil wars. Yet I panic and shuffle around the issue when it's even mentioned. I'm still a coward."
"I don't see a coward. Boy, you need your perception checked. An at least you know where your faults are, when I was younger, I was not as… attuned to my flaws."
Danny looked at him with wide eyes, "You?" He raised a brow and a sly smile, "I don't know, you seem pretty perfect."
Landon scoffed, "Please, don't flatter me, I was a right arse."
"Not a left one?"
"Not the point here, Washington. No, when I was younger, I had my fair share of problems. I was greedy, very greedy. I always wanted more money, more resources, and sent the British empire all over the place. It took me quite a while to realize that England left to go privateering because he wanted away from it all, away from me. I kept ordering him to go conquer this land and take over that trade, sell opium to the Chinese."
"Don't do drugs kids."
"Yes, well, he would follow the orders because that's what the country wanted, imperialism. We got rich… but we were missing something."
"Happiness? The meaning of life? An actual purpose?"
"Let me finish, boy." Landon scowled.
"Please, continue."
"When we got to the Industrial Revolution, and he had been away for a while in India, I realized that… I was quite lonely, and yes, unhappy." Landon looked down at the gray, eroded pavement, and watched the cracks as he spoke. "I took a day trip, to get away from it all, like you. Just a stroll around the city, breathing in the charcoal smoke and stepping in murky puddles. I had children on the streets beg me for food, mothers pleading for money to feed the children, men threatening my life for my money. I was beat up in an alleyway—"
"Woah, woah, woah," Danny waved his hands in disbelief and looked Landon with concerned eyes, "That took a turn, jeez that's depressing. Were you alright?"
"Of course," Landon said, proudly straightening his back like the stubborn brit he was, "I know how to fight and recover quickly, but it opened my eyes. That's when I started visiting factories and working on labor rights, helping children, and the like. When England got back from India… well, let's just say I haven't seen him smile like that in quite a while." Landon smiled down at the cracked pavement. "It turned out to be well worth it. So, do you see my point? We have faults as a capitol, but we can fix things, we can fix ourselves. You may want to run, but you're stronger than that, my boy."
Danny settled his head on his hands and pouted despondently. "Yeah. Sure."
Landon threw his hands up in defeat. "After all that, you have to give me something, lad."
Danny gave him a small smile. "Yeah, thank you Landon."
Landon smiled back and gave Danny a friendly punch in the arm. "Anytime, lad. Say, do you want to go look for the nations?"
"Sure, why the hell not." Danny huffed and pushed himself to his feet. And then he promptly collapsed. He didn't sway, just felt immense pain, and then nothing at all. His body was numb, as if it disappeared from his conscience and left a void of feeling with no nerves. Then his conscience started to drift away as if it blew to dust and left a void of space with no senses. It all just blinked away in a second like the television had been turned off. All there ever is was black.
Landon jolted and stopped Danny's head before it hit the ground and held an unresponsive body. Then all he saw was black… a van. A black van.
"Oh dear." He whispered just as the sky started a cold drizzle.