"Day Three." Japan said, squinting at the early morning sun. "Did America say anything about what time he'd break out?"
Korea laughed nervously. "Nope, not at all."
While Japan gave Korea a stunned look, Denmark tapped his tracker on his collar curiously. "So Vietnam and the others can see where we are using these?"
"Yes," Japan said, turning his attention away from Korea and to Denmark. "I made them recently. The old ones could be seen by the enemy as well. With these trackers, however, only those back at Germany's can see us."
"It's the third day already." Belarus growled. "Let's go already."
Hong Kong pointed towards Guangzhou. "The city's just over there. I think I know where the hideout is, but I may be, like, wrong." Hong Kong had studied a map of Guangzhou before they left headquarters. He kept on second guessing himself about the hideout but Korea had convinced him that they'd follow him wherever he went ("I just think you're adding more pressure on the fellow." Denmark had laughed nervously.)
Hong Kong led the way, followed closely by Korea and the others. It was a short walk through the park, and quite literally as well. Hong Kong led them to one of the parks and circled around the trees, peering around the trunks for some odd reason. "Uh, Hong Kong? What are we doing here?" Japan asked curiously.
"Don't you, like, remember a secret chamber underneath this park? Sensei took Macao and me here all the time when we were little." Hong Kong said, feeling around the trees.
Japan and Korea exchanged glances. "I don't remember one." Japan said.
"I don't either, da-ze." Korea said in an almost whine. "How come I wasn't taken here, da-ze?"
"Hm, maybe it's just Macao and me." Hong Kong said. "Ah, here." He found a small knot on the side of the tree and jabbed at it with his thumb. The knot backed up into the tree and everyone but Hong Kong took a step back in alarm as the tree tumbled over as if half of the bottom was on a hinge. Dirt and grass flew up as the tree slammed into the ground. When everything settled down, an underground passageway came into view right where the bottom of the tree would normally be.
"Well what do you know, it is on hinges." Denmark mused, crouching down to point at the metal hinges.
"Hong Kong, that was a loud entrance." Switzerland said. "Don't you think that they'd hear?"
"Then we should get going."
America had the past two days to recover. Luckily no other doppelganger had came into his cell other than Dark China who was normally the one who fed the prisoners. Dark China, like Dark Vietnam, was curious as to why he wasn't in his straitjacket. However, America heard him mutter something about Dark America possibly wanting a wider variation, whatever that might have meant. America had wondered if Dark America was going to show up on the third day, but he figured that he could always trick Dark China instead of Dark America.
But when lunch came around (America had stayed in the cell long enough to remember when it was 'Food Time'), Dark China didn't linger around him like he would normally do. America was surprised that Dark China popped in without a haughty sneer or a rude remark as an attempt to anger him. America was used to the insults and learned to tune them out. Instead of thinking about what Dark China said and brood, he preferred to think to some random time in his head and reminisce on the good old days. It worked 98% of the time.
Dark China wasn't alone when he arrived. America heard several footsteps run past his cell as Dark China yelled down the hall, "Find them and find them NOW, aru!"
America got to his feet and raced towards Dark China; Plan A required him to get Dark America away from the cell doors and close them so that Dark America was trapped in with him. America had figured that Dark America would find a way out so that he could join his doppelganger buddies. To be honest, America thought that Dark America would punch a hole through the walls so that both of them could get out; it was highly unlikely and America didn't tell Korea about that thought but he had to admit, that would be pretty cool.
Instead of that plan, America saw a much more easier and likely plan and took it; America ran by Dark China, shoving him out of the way for a single second of diversion, and ran like a jackrabbit on fire.
Dark China had only been slightly pushed to the wall and was on America's trail a split second later. America groaned and wished that Dark China would have at least trip over his own feet; enhanced running was totally unfair.
A voice called out to him as he passed by a few cells. "America!" Hungary yelled after him.
Oh yeah, Korea told him to give Hungary and Liechtenstein a signal. What was the signal? "Oh yeah, I'm supposed to make it up..." America breathed under his breath. He risked to turn his head back and hollered, "SIGNAL!"
He heard Hungary yell back, "Nooo, really?"
But America didn't stick around to laugh. He raced up-stairs with Dark China on his trail. America gritted his teeth; he was certain that if Dark China pounced forward, he would have caught him. He wasn't sure why Dark China wasn't making a leap for it and tackle America, but maybe it was because he was so careful that he didn't want to risk it despite the odds.
Or maybe tackling was just too much work for a doppelganger as old as Dark China, no matter how stronger and enhanced he was.
America and Dark China raced up the stairs at the end of the hallway and America's heart nearly leaped out of his rib cage. Dark Belarus was coming down the stairs at the exact same moment he and Dark China were going up. If anything, America felt that Dark Belarus was even scarier than the real one, and that too was saying a lot.
There were times where one has a moment where things seemed to happen in slow motion; heart beating, adrenaline kicking in at full power, and that reckless sensation of following instinct.
America had one of those moments at that second. Dark Belarus had spotted them seconds before and literally pounced into the air in order to take America down. Dark China was within reach from behind. America's slow motion moment took over and America acted on instinct and ducked under Dark Belarus and her deadly black bladed knife. He could have sworn he saw his reflection in that knife.
And then time continued on again; America continued up the flight of stairs and Dark Belarus's knife found itself lodged into Dark China's chest. America glanced back when Dark Belarus screamed at Dark China for not tackling him and Dark China yelled as his chest healed that Dark Belarus should have stayed where she was and blocked the exit.
America couldn't help but grin as they started to take out their anger on each other; perhaps the doppelgangers weren't as perfect and cunning as he thought. They were just stubborn sticks of dynamite waiting for the right spark to ignite them, and loosing a superpower was probably one of those sparks.
By the time America reached the very top (which was about six flights up) he could still hear Dark China and Dark Belarus yell at each other but their voices rose so high that they thundered everywhere. America had glanced down to see that the landing that they were on was completely splattered with blood, but each doppelganger seemed unharmed ("Of course," America murmured.) They were stopped by Dark Japan who scolded them for arguing when they could still catch America.
Knowing that it was time to leave the drama, America left the top landing and started to run down the corridor. The commotion wasn't only at the stairs; apparently something happened that made the doppelgangers there frantic, or at least concerned. America wondered if Korea had arrived.
He couldn't help but slow down a little bit; his injuries aren't completely healed and he had already strained his body quite a bit. America took deep breaths and glanced around the hall. Down the hall he heard several shouts; he knew they weren't the back up Korea went to get. Their voices still seemed much too cold. But they why would the doppelgangers be shouting?
He knew that curiosity kills cats, but he was not a cat and went to check it out. He was going to peer around the corner, what harm could that do?
And that was how America realized what had happened.
"Huh, no one's here, da-ze." Korea whispered, glancing around the hall.
"So I'm assuming that this is the place, right?" Denmark asked, resting his axe across his shoulder.
"Yeah, this is the place. Great job, Hong Kong, da-ze." Korea said, sending Hong Kong a grin.
Japan frowned as the others started to walk. Being out in the open like that unnerved him. "Why don't we find another way to get around?" he asked before the others got too far ahead.
They turned around and stopped, exchanging looks. "Where would we hide?" Switzerland asked.
Belarus crossed her arms. "I have no time for this." she said curtly. "I'm going to go find Russia." And with that she left continued on.
"Wait!" Japan called out. "That's very dangerous!"
"Japan, do you know who you're talking to?" Denmark asked.
Switzerland scoffed. "But she had to have help with Dark Denmark."
Denmark looked surprised. "Whoa, when did that happen?"
"Focus," Switzerland said.
Korea cleared his throat. "Switzerland and Hong Kong, go with her. I know my way around here, I got this covered, da-ze."
Neither one of them asked questions. They turned and left Japan, Denmark, and Korea in the middle of the hall and caught up with Belarus, who scowled at them for being so late.
Korea, Japan, and Denmark wandered around the hideout for a while, trying to stay discreet. Korea was very careful about the corners; he always peered both ways at least three times before continuing on timidly. Ten minutes didn't even pass until the fun began.
They heard shouts and loud booms from the floor below them. Alarmed, Japan glanced at Korea and asked, "What's going on?"
Korea gritted his teeth and ran towards the stairs. "I'm not sure but something's happening, da-ze."
Japan and Denmark followed. "Is it a good idea to go towards the sound?" Denmark asked.
"I don't know, da-ze."
"So why are we going?" Japan asked, bewildered.
The three arrived at the stairs and went onto the landing. Korea went straight to the rails and peered over and gaped. "Russia's out."