Today
"America...You are well aware that there is a seven-hour time difference between Moscow and Washington..." Russia's voice sounded upset, but calm nevertheless, like someone trying to reason with a naughty, stupid brat. Surely that was what he was thinking he was. America could hear it somewhere deep into his words.
"Oh, is it past your bedtime? Don't worry, it won't take long." Lying on the couch, holding his cellphone with one hand and the remote with the other, America's eyes were on the screen in front of him deciding what movie he would watch once he was done with Russia. "I just wanted to ask you something. It'll be quick. Lithuania says you are being mean to him."
"Is that what he says?" Russia's voice barely changed. Again talking to him like he was a child, only this time one child who believed everything he heard and had no judgement. Now that America thought about it, didn't he always talk to him like that? Like it meant something that he had been born several centuries later than him or anyone else. "Well, Lithuania has always been very sensitive. He takes everything to heart. Just see how he's always trembling for no reason."
"Well, I got visual proof. Not only me; in fact, everyone on this big, round, blue planet has seen tanks at Lithuania's door. Tanks with your flag on them. One week after your fight over airspace invasion. I think he's got all right to be kinda upset about it."
"Those are there for a perfectly good reason which is none of your concern, because it is a matter between him and me."
"Perhaps, but when a friend of mine comes to me too anxious to even drink without spilling the coffee all around, I like to think that I am a friend decent enough to do something about it." America selected the movie that looked best but didn't hit the play button yet.
"You've got lots of friends to protect, right, America?" Russia was smiling, America could somehow picture it. "How selfless you are, always helping people, saving the world...How tiring it must be. Poor America. That must be why you are drinking all those energy drinks all the time, so the caffeine keeps you up, da? You were never so interested in Lithuania, I recall. There were times when he needed help...real problems...big problems...and America was not there to help. No, he didn't run to help and he didn't make any calls. But now...What made you change your mind? Was it his lovely personality, huh? Yes, surely that..."
"If you think I am on his side because I'm trying to make a profit..."
"Oh, no, I wouldn't dare say that..." Russia said, innocently.
'You said it. You were screaming it, you big junk pile...', America thought, his eyebrows furrowing.
"...Maybe the reason I am not with you is that you are being a big bully? I mean, the way you've always been..." He said.
"Is that what you want, America? Is that why you are calling me at three in the morning? Too bad I just want to sleep and not engage in that game. Maybe another day, but not right now."
"Stay away from him." America bluntly said, leaving the remote on the sofa, by his side.
"I can't. We're neighbors."
"If something else happens to him, if you touch one hair from his head, if you even look at him, I will know, and I'll leave the mark of my new Vans in your butt."
"Well, I've had enough. I am going to sleep. I was having a particularly nice dream and you ruined it."
"I'm not finished. Don't you dare hang up on me."
"Yes. Not yet. Before I do, let me ask you for something. You know I hardly ever ask you for anything, so I hope you are kind enough to do it, just this once." Now Russia's voice truly changed, to scare the naughty, mean little boy. A voice America supposed made all those who had been under his control shit their pants. "Mind your own business and stay away from mine."
Yeah, that could have worked with anyone—but not with the freaking United States of America.
"That's what I'll tell you next time I find your bots and technicians screwing my institutions."
America wasn't going to let Russia hang up on him, so he quickly claimed the last word.
Now he was in a bad mood! But it was something he had to do. One had to make things clear and speak up against injustice. Surely the movie and some popcorn would make him feel better.
Before playing the movie, he texted the American ambassador in Vilnus. This time, he was considerate to his sleeping habits; he could wait until he saw it in the morning. He asked him to tell him everything he saw, the tiniest thing, everything out of place. He wanted Lithuania to be safe. That bastard didn't seem to have had enough with enslaving him in the previous century.
He left the phone aside. He had had enough for the day. It was time to forget everything about it. Russia wasn't going to live rent-free in his head. He didn't deserve it. So he called Tony and together they watched the latest Tarantino film.
The Vilnian population was scared. Ambassador Walter Williams understood perfectly why. The older generations sure remembered the old times when Russia was in control and had the power to crush everyone of them if he wanted to, just to make their nation yield, just to prove he could. The foreigners, him included, also felt uneasy. It was like a storm approaching, like the announcement that something bad was about to come. The newly elected president, Julita Muskietiene, was not like the previous one, Rulyte, who was much more moderate and complacent. She was seeing with as much clarity as her nation the signs that Russia missed how it was when he was not as cheeky and independent and wanted to bring the magic metal pipe of pain days back. She was making adjustments which one could have interpreted as preparation for war. Stockpile of medicine, oil, gas and food, training scholars on how to act in case of bombing and terrorist attacks, getting the nation back in shape and providing him weapons...Oh, yes, Lithuania and his people were very, very scared, and everyone around was getting nervous as well.
And all because Russia didn't like how close he was to his sister now, how he was siding with him...He sure didn't like Lithuania to have his own ideas...No, Williams thought. It was something more complicated, he was sure. It was just that Russia wasn't happy seeing Lithuania, or Latvia and Estonia for that matter without a leash. Your old minions abandoning you and facing you...Boy, did that have to hurt. Russia, he guessed, was just wanting to bring back that delicious feeling of making them tremble. Make them feel small and weak. Probably he wasn't planning a real invasion...Or...well, that was what everyone thought in Ukraine's case...
He just hoped he knew when to stop, before things got ugly. Because he would surely tell America personally if Russia upset Lithuania again, and America would jump in, and when that happened...
Williams sipped his coffee and licked the cream from his lips. Crazy times, those...Everyone had such a short fuse, everywhere...
He turned his head to gaze at the buildings of the city through the rear seat's window, the usual vision he had on his way to work. Those old buildings he barely paid attention to usually because they were part of a scenery he was more than used to, part of an often boring routine. Maybe if he had known this would be the last time he saw them, he would have appreciated them like they deserved, because before he realized, a couple in a motorbike, with their faces and body types hidden under all the riding apparel, suddenly blocked the sight of the city and the one sitting behind shot him ten times, after which they disappeared among the rush hour traffic.
America couldn't just sit in front of the webcam. He had to move. He had to be walking, pacing around the room from one side to the other.
"You should stop, America, before you make a furrow in that pretty carpet." Belgium said, her head resting on her hand.
"Oh, yeah, you can make jokes, you can laugh..." America stopped in front of the laptop to give her a severe look. "The guy they left like a Swiss cheese wasn't a friend of yours. You don't know her wife and three kids. He was a good man, and my best golf partner."
"No one's laughing." Belgium replied. "This is very serious indeed. I'm just saying that you should see this with a cool head."
"Didn't you hear what I just said? Is the mic working?"
"I heard you perfectly. But we can't just penalize people and make a fuss based on suspicions."
"I told you I am not suspecting anything!" America shouted, hitting the desk with his fist. "It's clear like bottled water! I tell Russia to stop harassing Lithuania and the next day my ambassador at his house is killed by mysterious bikers. Boy, what a coincidence! Surely you can't be stupid enough not to see the connection there."
"I am not, America, thank you, but, again, we can't do anything based on assumptions. We need facts. We need proof that Russia has something to do with it indeed. I promise you that the Europol will do everything they can to find the murderers. If you can show us proof, and I mean real, legit, verified proof, we will take it into account and we will give Russia what he deserves. We are with you, okay? This smells fishy. But we must do things the right way."
"Just say that you don't want Russia to turn off the tap." America said, and cut the call.
After that, he finally considered Belgium's suggestion and sat on his chair, sighing. He removed his glasses to rub his eyes. One of his secretaries waited some seconds to knock at the door shyly. America noticed then that the door had been open for a while and she must have been waiting until then to approach.
"Mr. America, Mister Lithuania is on the phone." She told him.
"Ah, thanks, Daisy." This was being a morning of so many calls...However, he preferred talking to a bunch of people in the distance than having to undergo the inevitable, highly unpleasant trip to Tennessee to comfort Walter's family.
"Hello, America..." Lithuania's stongly-accented voice sounded even shyer than Daisy's.
"Hey, Lit. You okay?" Surely he felt bad about it; they had told him everything about the call to Moscow. America tried to sound nice.
"No, I feel terrible that your ambassador..."
"It's okay. I mean, it's not. But it's not your fault anyway."
"I feel like it was. Hadn't I told you..."
"Hey, don't say that. You must not be quiet when this sort of things happen. Russia's got no right to act like he still owned you."
"Mr. Williams was a very good man...I have all my best agents working on the case."
"You should save them to watch your back."
"I desperately want to believe he didn't do it...I mean, he wouldn't be so...obvious, so blunt...He wouldn't spill American blood..."
"Yeah. Russia's always been more of the poisoning type. Or throwing people out of windows."
"I want to believe he is sane enough not to hurt a member of the EU and NATO...I really hope I am just being paranoid..."
"Russia was never sane. You and I know he always does what he wants, whenever he wants, and will never mind the consequences."
Lithuania paused.
"I must go now. I only wanted to tell you that I am sorry and I am doing everything I can to find out who did it. Don't worry, Europe is watching closely. Poland, Latvia and Estonia are staying at my house these days, to keep me company and..." 'Protect me', America listened in that pause, without Lithuania having to move his lips. "Be careful, okay?"
"You too." America sighed, leaning back on the chair. "You're the one who should definitely be."
America hanged up and turned his head to the door. There was Daisy, still.
"There's more, huh?" He smirked.
"Mmmm...Russia has been calling. You were busy, so we told him you were not available..." She said, avoiding to look at him.
"Did he leave a message?" America walked to a corner of his office and opened a cabinet, where he had all of his sugary drink supplies. He opened a coke can and gave it a sip.
"Uh, no..." Daisy muttered, and moved aside.
The man who appeared from behind her was no other than Russia himself.
"Good morning, America." He smiled showing his teeth.
"Oh." America swallowed he drink and left it on the desk. "I don't think we have an appointment."
"I know, but you bothered me the other day, so I thought I could bother you..."
America couldn't help snickering a that. Son of a...
"I suppose you are here because..."
"You have been calling me a murderer and a gangster. Yes." Russia sat at a gesture from America. "I want an apology. The sooner, the better. It's alright, I've got all day, I can sit here and wait."
"You should read a magazine or two, because that's not gonna happen any time soon."
"Have you got any proof that I was responsible for that diplomat's murder? These are very serious accusations..." Russia dragged the words, staring at him barely winking.
"No. But I don't have any doubts, either."
Russia clicked his tongue.
"I don't see much good will from you..."
"With all due respect, Russia, my dear lad...I don't give a rat's ass what you think."
Russia still smiled. "You don't usually want anybody's advice, I know, but I will give one for you, because I appreciate you. Yes, I appreciate you. I really do. So here it goes: your posture is not a wise one..."
"Thank you. How kind from you. I really don't want to talk to you today, and I don't think I want to see your dumb face in a good while, but I'm glad you came to my house so I could say this to your face..."
America stood up, placing both hands on the desk, and glared at Russia.
"You are going to pay for what you did..." He groaned.
Russia's smile did not falter.
"America, if you keep insulting me, I will have to be harsh..." He slowly said.
"I will find the proof I need." America frowned. "And I will show the whole world."
"...For the moment, I think me and my embassy are leaving your country...Since I see that you are desperate to make me the villain..." Russia stood up and just like he had showed up at the White House, he left.
America didn't stop Russia. The next days, he wouldn't do what his president desperately wanted him to do, which was apologize and stop him. He almost put a red carpet for the Russians at the airport. He was so fed up of the old story, of Russia being a snake in the grass. Instead, he made a good bunch of calls to his investigators, to work on the case as the highest priority.
It turned out America didn't need to send his agents to Vilnus to carry out a research. Lithuania kept his word and had his own police search for clues.
It didn't take long, actually. The attackers were recorded by the surveillance camera of a bank in the crime scene. They got the license of the motorbike and found out that it belonged to a rental company. The owners helped the police identify who it was leased to: some men called Isaak Shishkanov and Sergei Essen. They were living in a rented house in Panemunė, 256 kilometers away from the capital, near the frontier with Russia's enclave.
They knew the police would come sooner or later and greeted the patrol with gunshots. Unfortunately for them, the Lithuanian police managed to find their way into the house and reduce them. Essen died during the operation, but they made sure Shishkanov only got an crippling shot in the leg—his mouth was left intact so he could talk.
And talk he did.
"If I talk, they will find me and kill me." He said at first.
They made him see that if he didn't talk, he would spend the rest of his life in jail, which was virtually the exact same thing, and he considered it for long, watching his hand cuffed to the bars of the bed, his hair glued to the forehead due to the sweat.
"...I want something more than pretty words. I want a passport to get away from here as soon as I can walk. I want my name changed."
Who was he so afraid of?, they asked him.
"Those were orders from the Kremlin...Of course I am afraid." Shishkanov smiled weakly.
America would record those words and hear them for his own pleasure again and again and again.
"Don't be so suspicious, they said..." He grunted, making his way to the urgent meeting like a tank, ready to blow Russia up.