Japan left Malaysia in charge for a while; he had to look for Germany. Japan knew that Germany would want to know that Italy and Prussia were located somewhere in Berlin (according to where Austria's tracker was).

Racing through the halls, Japan peered into Germany's living room and smiled with relief when he saw the German man sitting in his armchair with a beer bottle in hand. Germany was listening to Cameroon and New Zealand talk, looking somewhat distant. Japan knocked the on the wall gently, making the three countries glance up at him.

"Germany," Japan said. "Austria has found Italy and Prussia."

Germany stared at him and then at his empty beer bottle. "Am I already drunk?" he murmured.

Cameroon laughed and clapped Germany on the back. "Come on, let's go see what happened."

Japan led the three countries back to the conference room and over to the monitors. Malaysia slipped out of the chair and handed Japan the headset back. Japan thanked Malaysia with a small bow and sat back down. "Austria?" he asked into the microphone. "Are you still there?"

"Why of course." Austria said. "What do you want me to do Japan?"

Japan looked up at Germany, who was staring at the monitor. "Austria is right here." Japan said, pointing at the screen. "What do you want him to do?"

Germany blinked, still trying to comprehend what was going on. Japan turned to New Zealand. "How many bottles of beer has he drunken?"

New Zealand exchanged looks with Cameroon. "I think this is his fourth. He's not drunk yet but leaning towards it."

Japan didn't feel like he should let an almost drunk Germany take over and so Japan said into the microphone, "Austria, please wait there. I will send a few people over. Thank you very much for your service."

"How long will I stand around here?" Austria asked.

"Well, I suppose it will be at least half an hour."

Japan heard a loud sigh. "I see. Well please hurry. Do you want me to get Italy and Prussia's attention then?"

Japan thought it through in his head. Perhaps it would be a good thing for Italy and Prussia to know that they aren't doomed at all, and that they have a friend near by. "Yes, please do."

He disconnected with Austria and looked at the nations crowded around him. "Germany, please go rest." Japan said calmly. "Malaysia, Cameroon, and New Zealand, will you go to Austria and help rescue Italy and Prussia?"

"Japan…" Germany coughed. "How can I rest knowing that those two are found?"

"It will do you good to know that they are in safe hands."

"Eventually they will, but not now." Germany said slowly. Germany sat down in a chair next to Japan and leaned his head into his hand. He muttered something about a migraine and Japan gave Cameroon a concerned look. "Will you take Germany to rest, Cameroon?" he asked.

Cameroon nodded. "Sure. Come on, let's go."

Germany opened his mouth to retort back angrily but stopped and held his head again, gritting his teeth. "Fine." he muttered. "Let's go."

Within an hour Japan had sent Cameroon, New Zealand, and Malaysia to Berlin in order to help Austria free Italy and Prussia. Berlin wasn't far so the three had walked. It was strange, walking in the silence when normally the streets would be noisy and swarmed with people. Of course, they had to get used to the fact that everyone was in a safe place; or well, the people that were not infected that is. The people who were 'touched' by hatred were locked up and under the supervision of several different armies.

Japan guided them through Berlin and when they found Austria smoothing out his sleeve, Japan bid them good luck and disconnected with them.

"About time," Austria said in a matter of fact tone. "I was getting tired. Come on, let's free these three."

"Three?" New Zealand asked. "I thought it was Italy and Prussia."

Austria raised an eyebrow. "Turns out that France is here as well."

"France? Where?" Malaysia crouched down by the window of Italy's cell and peered in. He saw Italy jump up and wave brightly but he didn't see Prussia or France.

"Ciao! Ciao!" Italy called through the window.

Malaysia grinned and waved back. "So, can this window open?" he asked, glancing behind his shoulder.

"Of course not." Austria said. "If it was that simple they'd be gone by now."

"But the window looks very high up for them." Malaysia said, holding a hand over his eyes to block the sun out. "And even if it isn't high up only Italy can escape. Italy! Where are the others?"

Italy gazed blankly at Malaysia and then pointed to his left. "Prussia's over there. He's trying to dig a hole out, ve."

"And France?" Cameroon asked, kneeling by Malaysia.

Italy pointed to his right. "France is all the way at the end of the hall. I didn't know he was here. I think he can't talk."

"What? What do you mean he can't talk?" Malaysia asked.

Italy fiddled with his thumbs. "Ve…he doesn't say anything other than 'mmmm' and 'hmph'."

Cameroon tapped his chin thoughtfully. "He's probably gagged. Okay then. Let's go find a way inside."

Austria piped up. "I already found a way when I walked around a few minutes after I called Japan. Come. It's over here."

New Zealand reached out to stop Austria. "Wait, is it safe? It isn't a trap, is it?"

Austria adjusted his glasses. "Of course it isn't."

"And how do you know?"

"I tested it. I went down there and it was all fine." Austria said. "Please follow." He led the three deeper into the alleyway and stopped by a faded red door. He pulled out a handkerchief and placed it over the doorknob and turned it, oblivious to the strange looks that were sent to him.

The door opened and a wave of cool musty air greeted them with a slight feeling of hostility. Malaysia and Cameroon exchanged uncertain looks and New Zealand scrunched up his nose. "I know, I know." Austria said with a sigh. "And it's rather moist down there as well."

Austria led them into the narrow dirt hallway. There were a few windows that let sunlight stream in, but other than the sunlight the hall was dimly lit.

They reached the first cell and peered in. France was in the corner, his head leaning on the wall with a white cloth tied between his teeth. France lifted his head when he saw them and his eyes brightened. "Mmm!" He performed a mix of a barrel roll and the worm to get to the bars of the cell.

Malaysia cracked his knuckles. "I'll get France out. You guys go ahead." Austria continued down the hall and Cameroon and New Zealand shimmied past Malaysia to get by.

Malaysia inxpoected the lock on the cell carefully and then he reached out to grab a hold of the bar. He retracted his hands with a sharp gasp and stared at the red welts the bars had left on the palms of his hands. "Electrified?" he muttered.

Austria heard Malaysia gasp and he turned his head, pausing for a little bit. When he saw that Malaysia was safe and in one piece, he continued on. They reached Italy's cell seven cells down from France's. Italy jumped up to the cell bars and grasped them without the bars shocking him. He smiled at them. "Austria! Cameroon! New Zealand! I'm so glad to see you all! Is Big Brother okay? Is Germany okay? Oh, and is Japan okay? And-"

"They're all fine, they're all fine." Austria said calmly. "Prussia is...over there, you say?"

Italy nodded enthusiastically. "Hey, hey, Austria, when we get back, can we stop by for pasta? It's been a whole week since I've eaten pasta! Pasta, pasta, pasta!" Italy started to sing the word 'pasta' in many different notes. Austria cringed when Italy sounded too sharp or too flat.

"Italy," Austria scolded. "Please stay with one key signature. You start to sing a C Major scale and then you sing F Sharp! F...sharp!"

"Austria, New Zealand and I are going to go free Prussia, okay?" Cameroon said, clearing his throat. "Come on..." he added to New Zealand.

The two squeezed by Austria (who was too busy lecturing Italy about how the C Major scale had no sharps or flats). Prussia's cell was empty to their surprise; although when they peered into the corner they saw specks of dirt flying out of a hole in the ground. "Prussia?" New Zealand called.

The dirt was still but they heard someone starting to climb. Seconds later, Prussia poked his head from the ground and shook the dirt from his hair. "What's up?"

"What are you doing?" Cameroon asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Prussia asked, giving them a look as if it should be obvious.

"You're digging your own grave?" Cameroon mused.

Prussia waved his comment away. "You know what, forget you. I'm saving my ass right now. Go save Italy or France. I'll meet you guys outside. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm in the middle of digging my awesome hole with my awesome plastic spoon. Oh, wait, hold on." Prussia glanced up at the birdcage where Gilbird was perched in. "If you can save my bird that'll be awesome too."

America breathed out a sigh when Dark America left. To be honest, he was seething on the inside. It had taken all of his self control to keep a smile on his face. The second the last of the five inch iron doors were closed and locked up, his smile immediately faltered.

Gritting his teeth, America pulled himself back into a sitting position and glanced around at the floor. His vision still blurried, he tried to find a hint that would lead him to his glasses, even though he probably wouldn't be able to pick them up anyway. He tried to find a glint of light that might have suggested where his glasses were but all he saw was the floor stained in his own blood.

"Okay, well, no problem." he said to himself, trying to revert back to his old cheerful self. "I got this. This is just a straitjacket dude, you got this." America squirmed in his jacket but they refused to give him up. Sighing, he got to his feet and squinted around the room. Other than c ot in the corner, there was a small air vent on the other side of the room. Maybe if he could try to cut the straitjacket by using the edges as a saw...

"That'll take forever." America whined. "Aw, forget it. I think I'll just go to sleep."

Only, sleep didn't come easy for him. His nose kept him up; every other minute he felt like it would start bleeding again. It was also rather hard to get comfortable when knowing that the fate of the world rested in your hands. Well, technically, part of the world's fate rested in his hands. He also got worried about Korea and Hungary and what they might be up to.

He perked his head when he heard the doors of his cell start to open. He actually hoped it was Dark America; maybe he could get some sympthaty from him and have him take the straitjacket off. Maybe Dark America would even help him find his glasses.

America laughed at thought of his doppelganger helping him. "What was it that Canada said?" America mused to himself. "Don't chase them in the shadow? Wait for them to come in the sun? Are there any hidden messages in that at all? If only I didn't skip England's literature class when I was little..."

"America." a voice said grimly.

America grinned. "Korea? Is that you?" he asked. But then he frowned. "Or are you Dark Korea? I can't really tell."

America listened carefully as the doors slammed shut, leaving the echoes to bounce around the room. "Listen, da-ze." Korea said in a hushed voice. "Somehow I got them to think I'm Dark Korea-"

"Dude, that's so cool!"

"Shhhh!" Korea sounded anxious. "They want me to kill Liechtenstein, da-ze."

America blinked at the blurry face of Korea. "You have to...kill Liechtenstein...?"

"What do I do, da-ze?" Korea hissed.

America blinked. "Well first you can help me find my glasses."

Korea left America's cot and returned a few seconds later. Korea frowned at America's blood stained glasses and wiped the blood off of them with the blanket on the cot. Then he reached forward and placed the glasses back on to America's face. "Better, da-ze?"

"Yeah, thanks." America struggled to sit up. Korea helped him up. "Thanks again. So, let me get this straight. You pretended you are Dark Korea...and how did that happen?"

"Well I was with Dark Aniki and then I made a run for it, da-ze." Korea said. "And then I hide in some room but Dark Japan, Dark Hong Kong, and Dark Vietnam were there-"

America responded by letting out a low whistle. Korea gave him a tired look. "I know, da-ze. And I learned that they're gathering weapons and stuff. I don't know what for but I can try to find out, da-ze. But anyway, they said that Liechtenstein's history isn't as bloody as they wanted and they said that if they killed her, it would be one less country to worry about and her doppelganger won't affect their strength, da-ze."

America sighed heavily. "Okay, I get it now. Are they going to go kill her people and government or are you?"

"Me."

"And when are you going?"

"Tomorrow, da-ze."

America bit his lip. "And are you?"

"That's what I'm asking you, da-ze!" Korea exclaimed in exasperation. "If I don't I can't get any more Intelligence and they'll be after me. If I do then we lose Liechtenstein and Switzerland will be after me forever, and Switzerland can get scary, da-ze."

"Can't you stall?"

"How?" Korea demanded.

America bit the insides of his cheek thoughtfully. "I have a plan, and a pretty cool one too. Wanna hear it?" he added mischievously.

Korea couldn't help but grin back at America. "What's the plan, da-ze?"