Korea and the others were dead silent when they heard a loud explosion in the background somewhere. It sounded like it was a couple of miles away, but the explosion was loud enough to cut their sentences in half.

One full minute passed them quietly; no one said anything.

Then Finland nervously said, "What do you guys think that is?"

"An explosion, da-ze." Korea said at once. "What else can it be?"

Silence. Then China growled, "An explosion, aru? I would have never guessed it."

America was temporarily distracted by a loud explosion coming from the west. At first he was afraid that one of the Dark Englands had exploded them to bits. When he found out he was still intact, he realized that it wasn't from the Dark Englands but rather, somewhere else.

Because America was distracted, he received a blinding flash of light in his eyes and he stumbled around, trying to see what was going on. In his brief moment of blindness he was jumped by several Dark Englands. "Get off of me!" he yelled, punching in whichever direction he wanted to.

"You bloody git, stop hitting me!" England's voice yelled.

America blinked several times, his sight returning to him. "Oh, sorry bro." America was sure that he wasn't talking to the real England, but it didn't really matter then. What mattered most was beating the living shit out of the Dark Englands. He's beaten England a few times and he can do it again!

That's what he kept telling himself after picking himself off the ground so many times.

"Stop playing around and start fighting back!" an England scolded America, shooting a blast of red light towards a green one so that they'd collide and dissolve into the air. Then he bent down and helped America up. "Honestly, what's gotten into you?" that England asked. Then a shot of yellow rammed him in the side and he was forced off his feet, tumbling on his side a few feet away.

"England!" America yelled. "Or uh, England copy! Dude, you okay?"

But that England went out of America's sight when scuffles moved in and blocked him. Oh well; it was most likely a clone of England. No biggie.

But America was concerned about how many times he had been beaten. How come England didn't use magic during the Revolutionary War? It would have preared America for this event, but then again he doubt that he could have won the war if England used magic.

The Dark Englands had range, and America couldn't get close enough. If only guns would work on doppelgangers.

But wait, they do! At least, for the copies of the real Dark England. "Finally an advantage." America said to himself.

Minutes later, a lot of the Dark Englands fell after several gun shots, unable to get back up because they were either being constantly shot at or America shot them so much that their limbs ripped off from the sheer force of the bullets.

It was a gruesome and yet somewhat hilarious scene. The clones were still 'alive' but they couldn't get up. Then they started to yell at America in archaic English, but America wasn't offended at all. It helped that he didn't know what they were saying anyway.

Laughing, America said, "Now we're getting somewhere!"

Korea and the others now knew what the explosion was. Dark Italy was in Chicago and he 'slipped' that they were testing out the weapons they had gotten from China and North Korea.

"But I thought you didn't want to attack headquarters, da-ze!" Korea exclaimed angrily.

Dark Italy laughed. "We're aren't. We're preparing."

"For what?" Belgium asked.

"Ve...something."

When Dark Italy left (he was there only to count the countries; Dark Italy counted to 29, sounding somewhat satisfied), China said, "That's not good, aru. We need to get out, aru."

"The bars aren't electrified, da-ze." Korea murmured. "We can't break it easily...I wonder if more than one person tries to break them will work, da-ze."

"Well let's try it, ana." Thailand said. He stood up, brushed off the dirt from his pants, and examined the bars.

Korea popped up from the ground and joined Thailand at the bars, striking the bars playfully. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the other countries coming up to the bars.

"We can still break it." the Netherlands said, coming up to Thailand's left. He tugged at the bars, frowning. Then he knocked on it. A hollow sound rang out and the Netherlands actually smirked. "Not a problem for three of us combined."

Korea grinned. "You thinking what I'm thinking, da-ze?"

"Ana, we have to be as discreet as possible or they'll come back." Thailand said, but he couldn't help but smile.

"Eh, forget them, da-ze." Korea said. "There's too many of us right here. They can't do a thing, da-ze."

"Korea, we're locked up, ana. Even if some of us get out, the others can't do a thing, ana."

Korea laughed. "We'd just break them out then. No need to worry, da-ze! Ready Netherlands? On the count of three, we kick it, da-ze. One, da-ze...two, da-ze...three-da-ze!"

Germany frowned at the chalkboard and then at the computers. He was somewhat glad that his kick earlier didn't break the board because it was the only information they had. It wasn't accurate though; chances are that the majority of the information on that board would be changed. There are many more missing and he had no idea who was where.

"It's the best we have right now." Turkey sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It's not like we have the computers on you know."

The lights flickered back on, the hum of the air conditioner started up again, and the computer monitors blinked on. Germany and Turkey stared at the computers and then at each other.

"Ahahahaha!" Turkey laughed loudly, holding his sides. "Ahhh...man, am I magic or what?"

"What happened?" Germany murmured to himself, scratching his head. "How did the electricity turn on all of a sudden?"

Korea groaned with Thailand after they've been electrocuted. They had felt a sharp tingling sensation whenever they made contact with the bars and it caused the three to stumble backwards, numb from the shock.

"What a time for the cell bars to start shocking people, ana." Thailand sighed.

"What are the odds of that?" the Netherlands muttered.

"Crap, da-ze." Korea groaned. "Now we need another escape plan, da-ze."

On the other side of their cell wall, towards their left, China glanced at Greece and Finland. "Their bars are electrified, aru. Are ours, aru?"

Greece leaned in towards the bars and nodded his head. "I can hear the buzz." he said. Then he turned his head to the left and called into the next cell. "What about your bars, Mexico?"

Mexico glanced back at his cellmates, Sweden and Iceland. Sweden was in the corner, arms folded across his chest, shooting a cold gaze towards their bars. Iceland crept up to Mexico and asked, "Do you think the bars on ours are electrified too?" Iceland's puffin shifted on Iceland's shoulder a little, glancing around.

Mexico didn't dare try to touch the bar with his bare hand. He did what Greece did and leaned in to listen. The buzz was there alright.

"Si, our bars are electrified." Mexico confirmed, leaning back out.

Belgium, Taiwan, and Lithuania in the next cell over said that their cell too had electrified bars and so did Ukraine, Romania, and Egypt in the other.

"What now?" Taiwan asked.

China picked at the seam of his sleeve, thinking. When he heard Iceland's puffin squawk, he lifted his head, a lightbulb flickering on. "Iceland, aru!"

Iceland jumped at the sudden call of his name. "Y-yeah?"

"Your bird can fly through the bars and find a key, aru!"

Iceland was about to say something when his puffin squawked and said with irritation, "What am I, a golden retriever?"

"It talks!" Mexico exclaimed, staring at the bird.

The puffin glanced at Mexico and said, "'It' has a name, you know, and it's Mr. Puffin."

China crawled to the left side of his cell and tried to peer into their cell. "Whatever, aru. Mr. Puffin, go fly through the bars and try to get us free, aru."

Mr. Puffin ruffled his wings for a moment and then looked at Iceland. "I have to confess. I haven't been following that diet plan you gave me so I might not fit-"

"Just go through already." Iceland chided.

"You want me to shock myself until I die? I told you, I might not fit-"

"Mr. Puffin."

Mr. Puffin clicked his tongue. "Sheesh, alright, alright, I'm going." He squawked once more and then hopped off of Iceland's shoulder. He gave Iceland a long look and then he stared at the bars. "You know, I'm kinda tired. Maybe tom-"

"Mr. Puffin, aru!" China exclaimed from his cell. "If you go now I'll give you treats, aru!"

Mr. Puffin cocked his head. "The good kind?"

Iceland frowned. "What do you mean 'the good kind'? Are you saying you don't like the treats I give you?"

"I've tasted better." Mr, Puffin hopped to the bars and stuck a wing through it before retracting it quickly. "You know, you know, maybe later. I'll work out all day today, lose some weight. Then I'll-"

"Mr. Puffin, da-ze." Korea called. "If you go, all the girls will kiss you and praise you for your bravery, da-ze!"

Mr. Puffin shot through the bars in an instant. Iceland was alarmed when he crashed into the wall opposite of them. "Mr. Puffin, are you okay?"

Mr. Puffin got up and flapped his wings a little. "I'm fine."

"Did it shock you, ana?" Thailand asked.

"Barely. Now what, a key?"

"Go find the key or an off switch to turn the electricity off." Iceland said.

Mr. Puffin flapped his wings in response. "Got it. A key or an off switch. I'll be back; don't go anywhere."

"As if we can, aru." China sighed. "Be careful, aru."