"Your name's been cleared." Aidan glanced up at the speaker in the dark and dank light, straining to crane his head in the direction. After a week in this hell hole, they had only been fed three times, and given water only once a day. They hadn't even been permitted to shower, though they wouldn't waste their water on something unnecessary.
"What the hell do you mean?" He gripes, not expecting an answer. His suspicions are confirmed when the intercom clicks off, leaving him alone yet again.
A furry, white figure scampered across the cracked wood, pain peeling off under its paws It gingerly climbs his pant leg, turning it's head up to look at him, wriggling its nose to sniff the air.
"Apple," Aidan sighed, relieved as the rat squeaked. A few days ago, after being locked in here, Apple had run up to Aidan to investigate. The first thing she did was head for the apple core that Aidan had been given for... 'food'... and nibbled on it.
And that started the Apple and Aidan friendship.
"What the hell is that disgusting creature?" The intercom piped up. Apple faced it in surprise, clawing Aidan's leg as he winced.
"Kill that rat! I don't want them killing our hostages just yet. And-" He was cut off by a shrill ringing, probably from a phone. He clicked a button, and a panicked voice and alarms cut the deathly silence.
"S-Sir! There's a break in at sector four! Sixty through sixty-nine have already gone offline! W-We need-"
"Cheh, think you can mess with my fuckin' family?"
Aidan froze. The voice had been familiar. Everything about the accent and the way his voice rose slightly at the end... it had to be someone he knew. Or it could be one of his delusions. He would have liked to believe anything at this point.
"We need help, sir! Help!" The man was torn from the phone, and from the sounds of it, thrown across the room.
There was loud screaming that followed. Men and woman being terrorized and running in fear, the phone was left in it's spot, giving Aidan a model of what was happening.
The door to his room slammed open, a distressed nurse standing in the doorway. She tore across the room- losing her footing more than once- and ripped at the knot, throwing the ropes to the ground.
"Come with me, dog." She ordered, dragging him. For a woman her size, Aidan had to admit she was strong.
He was pulled into a crowd of screaming, fleeing men and woman, going against the flow, and running into people more than once.
By the time they reached their destination, Aidan's feet and arms hurt from the constant abuse and the reopening of slowly healing cuts. He was tugged inside, met by a wave of heat and the smell of festering wounds. The sight is what unnerved him the most.
Dead bodies were everywhere. Most were rotting, flesh falling off the brittle and broken bones that littered the floor. Blood had long since stained the cracking wood, and Aidan had began to get the feeling this was going to be their own fate if they stayed here any longer. Just more ants in the hill that meant nothing.
"Stay here." The woman ordered as she pulled a gun from her holster, sneaking through the door. He obediently stayed in place, kicking at some maggots that had gathered by his shoe.
"Fu- come here!" The woman hissed out the creaking door, protesting to being opened after what could have been years.
She gently pulled it further to create more space, a man lugging a bag jumping inside the room, setting the bag down on the table.
"So we're going to Florida," The woman states, reaching in her pocket and drawing out a map. "Mr. S will expect us to go to the safe house in Washington. He won't look for us there. We can demand the ransom for Aidan, then head to South America. Heard they have Gupta there. We can get a ransom for him. Then we'll be in the Caribbean's by sundown."
"Sounds good." The other man grinned, gaze wandering to the scraggly boy in the corner. "He shouldn't be hard to control. Heard he really got the beating from S."
"Yep. Broke a rib." The woman strolled over to him, poking his cracked, but healing bone.
"Hmph. Try messing with me again, and you'll find a fate worse than death."
Silence. A rough, tinged voice had come from outside, making the three freeze in fright. In a fit of hope, Aidan lept forward, ripping open the door, and pressing his lips to the door.
"H-Help!" Was all he got out before being ripped away, and pounded mercilessly by fists. His broken body slid to the ground, the strange man tearing away from the mutt to help bombard the door. After moving all the furniture in the way of the door, they backed up, looking at each other fearfully. There was no sounds from outside, and the woman breathed a sigh of relief that the man outside hadn't heard them. She sneered at Aidan, proving she was the dominant one here, and he wouldn't get the better of her.
That was until the boom.
They heard it before they saw it, furniture crashing in on itself, and dust clouding their vision and fogging the room. Aidan coughed out the foul substance as it scratched at his throat and eyes, turning his attention to the red figure that entered. His eyes widened in recognition, though a hint of fear blew through his mind.
There stood a man, black hat covering his tussled blond hair, with a white, feathery ploom hanging off the back and floating behind him. His white, ripped dress shirt was hidden under a fluffed out red coat, golden buttons lining the rim and adding a gleam to the outfit. It was finished with black boots that covered the fabric of his black pants up to his knees. And to top it off, he had pure gold necklaces and bracelets that dangled on his neck and wrists, a single gold and diamond earring pierced through his right ear.
"Who the fuck touched my brat?" He growled, triumphant smirk spreading across his face.
"Her! Take her!" The cowardly man slid her forward, hiding in fear.
"It was this fool!" The woman jeered and pointed at the man. Deciding not to pick, the pirate smashed the barrel of his long gun across their foreheads, blacking out their vision as they slumped on each other. He glanced over at the blond teen for a moment, before his expression softened and he fell to his knees.
"Aidan." Arthur wheezed, reaching out his arms to him. Aidan's eyes widened, and he scrambled forward to run into his mum's embrace.
"M-Mum? You look so..." He pulled away a moment to run an eye over his outfit. "...tough."
"Oh... this?" Arthur laughed, standing. "The frog made me wear it. To..." He looked down, blush forming. "...make me look scarier."
"Well... I was certainly scared when you kicked in the door." Aidan grinned, standing also. "But... can we find the others and get outta here?"
"Of course. We spread out to find you, so we just need to meet your father." Arthur took his hand, leading him out into the blood splattered hallway.
"Mum... did you... kill... them?" Face cringed in disgust at the smell, Aidan wondered aloud, worry tinged in his voice.
"...the ones in there are still alive... I don't think I killed anyone... no wait, there were... a few... unfortunates... that went mad..." The Brit sighed, looking back at Aidan. "I had to save the other humans, no matter what kind of hate I felt for them."
"Oh..." They both went quiet, winding through the maze-like halls. There was nothing to say; other than the obvious, 'Are you okay's.'
"So there you are." A man growled behind the two. They spun, just before Aidan was grabbed and tore away from Arthur's grasp. The boy fought, scared to death that someone had found him and was about to ruin his moment of being saved, before someone chuckled in his ear.
"P-Pappa." Aidan breathed, calming down. "D-Don't scare me."
"Fuck, Francis! You scared him!" Arthur scolded, getting his slight pirate tone back.
"Desole. I was trying to have a bit of fun, Captain." Francis saluted, turning to Arthur.
"S-Shut up!" The Nation's cheeks got a light shade of red, and he tucked his gun away in his belt.
"But, Captain Kirkland looks sexy tonight."
"Hey Mum... why're you wearing that, exactly?" Aidan asked, gaining the attention of both his parents.
"I-I already told you. Your father made me!"
"Are you only lying to our kids now, Mon Cheri?" Francis sighed dramatically, looking at Aidan. "I caught him trying it on before we left."
"Bloody liar!"
"He misses the old days when he had his sexy pirate booty."
"Shut up, frog!"
"He claimed he was trying it on for fun, but I think he was just trying to seduce me."
That was the last straw, and Francis stepped back when he found a sword placed at his throat.
"So you shut up now, hmm?" Arthur growled, reverting from Gentleman to beast in seconds. "Is that all it takes these days?"
"You want to play it rough?" Francis winked, running his finger down the sharp blade.
"Kid in the room." Their son coughed, snapping them out of their daze.
The pirate withdrew his sword, glaring at the Frenchman who winked in reply, as they started down the hall once more.
"So... how do we get out?" Aidan asked, walking behind Francis who had snuck his hand to intertwine fingers with Arthur.
"Wing it." Arthur shrugged, turning left and freezing. His body tensed and there was a faint shouting at the end of the hall.
"Aidan. Run."
"What? Mum I-"
"Go, dammit!" Aidan was pushed ahead by Arthur and Francis, forced to run down the slippery hall. He caught the sound of footsteps following them, thundering and letting fear run deep into his heart. He turned the hall, catching sight of an open door and taking off towards it, unaware that someone had stopped following him.
He crashed inside, reaching out to stop Francis who had slipped and tumbled after him.
"Where's mum?" Aidan panted, looking outside for him. Francis shook his head, breathing heavily. Slipping into the hall, the scene he saw play before him made his heart stop.
"C'mon, bastards. Go ahead and shoot me." 'Captain' Kirkland commanded, smirking. His eye patch was a bit crooked, and he held his sword in front of him, menace playing in his voice.
There was a team of gunman huddled in front of him, made up of about 20 people, all holding black, German machine guns.
"Ready." Arthur was thrown a bit off guard, but he growled in return, swinging his sword at several who easily deflected it, two slamming the hilt of their guns into his chest and head, the same he had done earlier. Aidan started to run into the hall, but was held back by a choked up Francis.
"Aim." One of the men barked, all the barrels of the guns focusing on Arthur.
"Mum, no!" Aidan shouted, struggling in Francis's grip as he wrapped his arms around Aidan's torso, pulling him in close.
"Fire!" The silence was shattered by ear piercing gun shots, as it tore through the air, one after another, and splattered hot red into the night...and death.
X X X X X X X X
"Luci." Maria reached out desperately towards the brunette, who took her into his arms.
"Maria... oh god... we've gotta leave."
"I-I can't..." Something in her voice made him freeze, and he drew back, staring into her eyes. The once hopeful buzz that glittered in her chocolate brown orbs had long since faded away, and she looked helpless on the chair, alone and bruised.
"Why can't you?" Luciano finally choked out, checking her legs for injuries.
"Luci... I can't s-"
A woman's scream cut her off and Luciano's expression turned stern. He stood, grabbing Maria's hand and forcing her to follows him.
"You're getting out of here."
Maria simply nodded in reply as they started out the door, hand in hand. The siblings continued down the hallway, Luciano glancing back every so often as his sister hobbled painfully through the dank light. At one point, she ran into a table, stumbling backwards and groping blindly for anything to make her stop.
"Maria!" Strong arms wrapped around her torso, keeping her from falling. They hauled her upright, flipping her around to face the mystery man as he embraced her small figure tightly.
Luciano froze, startled, as tears began to run down his cheeks. He rushed forward, practically jumping onto Antonio in a fit of glee.
"Papa?" Maria gasped between sobs that racked her body. Antonio nodded, pushing hair from her cheeks as tears started to free fall
"Si, Maria. I'm here, Mi hija." The girl only clutched onto him tighter, breathing deeply.
"L-Luciano! Maria!" Skidding across the wet floor, Lovino clumsily made his way over to the four, gasping.
"Lovi... it's them! W-We got them back!" Antonio released his hold, keeping them at arms length. Luciano grabbed onto Lovino tightly, who gripped him with equal strength.
"Mamma?" Maria asked, looking over the top of Lovino's head. The pure-bred Italian nation looked over at her, nodding.
"Si... it's Mamma, bambina."
Maria reached over to him, missing her aim by a bit and reaching more towards air than man. It was so pain-stakingly obvious... it stabbed at Luciano.
"Maria... I'm over here..." Lovino whispered. Maria smiled softly, nodding.
"I-I knew that."
"Mi hija..." Antonio hissed, shifting her body to face Lovino as she took a shaky step forward, arms wrapping around her mother.
"Mamma... I've missed you." Maria breathed into his neck, snuggling closer. She was pushed gently away, Lovino staring at her. Doubt played in his eyes and he hesitantly rose his voice.
"Maria... where's Luciano?"
"... right there." She pointed to her right, roughly where her older brother was- who was trembling in shock.
"Where's Pappa?"
Maria's eyebrows wrinkled in frustration as she turned, seeming to scan the surroundings.
"Th-There...?" She guess, pointing on the opposite side of the hall, from from where the Spaniard was.
"...how many fuckin' fingers am I holding up?" Lovino asked, twisting her body and displaying his index finger in front of her face.
"I-I... I don't know."