Estonia had not had a very easy life. Germany, Poland, Russia…For as long as he remembered, there was someone who tried to steal his strategically situated house and resources. In his early childhood, he learned how to flee from trouble. Most often, trouble had longer legs and caught up with him, but no one could say he looked for it. And this was a good moment to run. Thanks to stupid Italy.
("Estonia")
("Guys, they caught me. Italy escaped. Now Germany knows.")
("Are you finished?"), Lithuania asked.
("I'm almost there.")
("Come to my house, to the usual spot in Grīziņkalns. I'll make sure that no one bothers you."), Latvia said.
("As soon as you've got it, do it."), Lithuania added.
Estonia nodded physically to no one. He stopped there the city ended and gave way to the highway. Someone was waiting for him, with a vehicle for him to use. His president was such a helpful man.
A call from Germany.
"Hm?" Sweden wasn't a man of many words and less over the phone. That made him more of a listener.
And there was much to listen indeed. Sweden didn't understand much, though; Germany didn't have much of an idea of what was happening, himself. But he understood enough. Lithuania and Estonia were behind everything going on recently and Latvia surely knew something about it, and needed to be interrogated.
"Latvia."
No response. Sweden searched the whole Riga Castle, inch by inch. Latvia was nowhere to be seen.
"Latvia!"
He exchanged a look with a couple of guards. They knew he was looking for their nation, watched him running around, but never offered their help or even asked what was happening. All they did was look at him—and Sweden didn't like the way they did. Reluctantly breaking the eye contact, Sweden looked for the little one.
He was bringing his gun, of course— just in case.
Poland did seem to understand everything Italy explained to the crowd he had summoned just fine. He just refused to believe it.
"Nah. Nah." He shook his head, drawing a smile. "It must be a mistake..."
"Is that...for real? Russia carried out experiments on...Really?" Ireland looked at Ukraine.
"He did...I remember..." She muttered, one hand on her mouth.
"I thought he was just obsessed with going to space!" Romano said.
"It was the age of science, and if science could send a man to space, it could as well help turn minds into weapons..."
"Let's not forget who we're talking about!" Poland insisted.
"He made me go through those experiments, too..." Azerbaijan said, cringing at the memory of it. "I failed all the tests and dropped me two months later..."
"Me too! I was in the program for five years, till the collapse of the Union!" Moldova exclaimed.
"Me too..." Ukraine still talked in a whisper. "They said us nations were not proper subjects, said that we weren't easy to decypher and monitor...It showed much better results with humans..."
Her gaze turned to Belarus. Though her siding with Russia had damaged their relationship, being something that concerned the former URSS members made her call her over. And she accepted the invitation, understanding the situation. Understanding that Russia's safety and reputation depended on this.
"It sure worked with the Baltics! Perhaps it's their DNA or something? I think I remember someone say that genetics had a lot to do with it." Armenia crossed his arms. "They discarded me in the end for that."
"I know Liet very well, and I'm telling you he could have never done what you say he did!" Poland rose his voice. "What for? He's a lot of things, but he's not a psycho, and definitely not as dumb as to forget that if America and Russia go to war, he'll be a collateral victim! It doesn't have any sense!"
"That's why we gotta find them and make them tell us!" Holland said.
Lithuania's phone was buzzing. Another incoming call from Poland. This made fifteen in less than ten minutes.
Another call he cut.
"They know."
Poland knew...Belarus knew...If he focused enough, he could feel what they were feeling. Anger, disappointment, amazement, rejection...
His best friend and the woman he loved...
The trembling was coming back, starting in his core and extending to the rest of his body.
Muskietiene fixed her eyes on him.
"Yes. But it doesn't matter."
The sensation vanished. Lithuania breathed deeply.
Yes. What did it matter, what those two thought?
"Estonia is almost done. Just a few minutes now." Muskietiene continued.
A few more minutes and everything would be over...Their job would be concluded. They could finally rest—forever.
"Go with him. The others are already moving. They must not interrupt any more."
"Yes." Now free from all worries, all burdens, all thought, Lithuania walked out of the office.
Muskietiene watched him go, her lips slightly curving upwards.
Grīziņkalns Park. Every time the Baltics met at Latvia's city, they always ended up there, taking a long walk, enjoying the green environment and the weather. And they would always end up sitting at some stone stairs near the South entrance to chat or share some drinks or treats.
It was dawn when Estonia reached the agreed-upon spot. Latvia wasn't there yet. Sweden was forcing him to take the longer route and hide. He had warned the others. They were coming. He could sense it. But Latvia was alright. He would be there pretty soon. And Lithuania too. He would have waited for them to get things started, but the plan was that he did it as soon as he had it. And he had been working on his way there.
The screen of the laptop showed a programming pannel showing an endless list of cyphers and letters which could have seemed senseless, but not to someone who knew a little something about computering.
This was the program which controlled the missile launching of both America and Russia.
It had been hard. Sure they had protected the system as well as they could. But patience and care did wonders. Now he was the puppeteer who moved the strings, and the workers at Defense had their access blocked. They wouldn't be able to stop this. That is, if they even noticed he was there. They would only know miliseconds before the rockets fell onto their heads.
Since neither America nor Russia seemed willing to fight already...He would help them get moving.
Let's see if they are so forgiving after one of their cities disappears from the map. Mmm, which one? Estonia made a decision quick, based on some unpleasant memories, and wrote the coordinates down. 59°56′15″N 30°18′31″E. Saint Petersburg. 40.7127°N 74.0059°W. New York City.
Now, who did the honors?
Eeny...Meeny...Miny...
The finger had landed on New York City.
Moe.
He was grazing the 'Enter' button when there was a shot which echoed in the park and the laptop burst. Estonia turned around, letting out a yelp, to find Hungary's gun expelling steam through the muzzle.
"Freeze!" Hungary shouted.
There were more, many more. Italy, Germany. England, France, along with Spain, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Holland and his siblings. Practially all of Eastern Europe was there too. (Oh, and Canada). Sweden did not find Latvia but seemed to have found him, at least. He was coming along with the other Nordics, Finland included.
His friend reluctantly aimed at him with his gun, looked at him with horror.
"Estonia! You couldn't have...Please tell me it isn't true!" he pleaded.
Estonia's heart started to beat fast. The way his friend seemed on the verge of tears, how all of those people he appreciated and even loved were looking at him...
But whatever sensation was coming to him was replaced with anger, and he stopped feeling like a dirty rat.
"What? Now we're the bad guys?" He faced the group. "Those two can do what the hell they want with us, get us involved in their fights, act like the world belongs to them, make us sacrifice ourselves..., and we are the bad guys here?!"
"Hands up, Estonia." Germany calmly but firmly said.
"Why do you let America become the boss of you?" Estonia replied.
"Please, Estonia..." Finland kept on begging.
"What you are doing is horrible and will only cause more death and pain." France tried to reason with him, approaching a little.
"You weren't this concerned when it was our people who died and suffered!" Estonia harshly replied.
"Don't make this more difficult..." Now Finland was really crying.
"I know it's hard, but in the end, when both of them are gone forever, we will all have two less problems!"
"Do you hear yourself?!" Romano said.
"I said hands up." Germany dared to come closer, to try to grab him.
"Leave him alone."
They all turned their heads to find Latvia standing at the top of the stairs. The only way he could be taller than them.
Though there was something in him...The way he spoke, not like a little mouse, but without fear, with authority...
"You too've got a lot of explaining to do, boy." Holland said, aiming at him.
"You knew, didn't you? You knew what your partners were doing...And said nothing..." England said.
"You're coming with us too, Latvia." Germany said.
"No, I'm not. In fact, you are going to leave right now. This is my house, and you're not invited." Latvia replied. And he surprised many of them with his insolent response.
"You freak, you are going to come with us, whether you want or not!" Belarus shouted at him.
She didn't hesitate and fired.
She didn't seem to get him. Though Canada noticed and let out an exclamation. He had seen the bullet shine at Latvia's feet, then rolling down the stairs. He tried to call his partners' attention about it but no one listened to him.
"Freak..." Latvia repeated slowly, like munching the words. "Did you hear that, Estonia? She called us freaks...Guess that's what we are...And whose fault is that?"
"Certainly not America's. So why are you doing this to him?" France asked.
"Wrong. He's the one who started all this." Estonia replied, frowning.
Latvia grinned, his eyes fixed on Belarus. He once had feared her a lot, shivered at the sight of her, but now...
"Only a madwoman like you could love someone like Russia. You wouldn't have thought he was that handsome if you had seen him the way I did...All bathed in blood, maimed...covered in dust..."
Belarus needed a few seconds to digest what she had just heard. When she did, her face turned red, let out a roar, dropped the gun and tried to climb up the stairs to kill him with her own hands.
She stopped when a man dressed with a builder's safety vest and helmet appeared by Latvia's side. Then a college student. And a pregnant woman. And a fat man.
The group turned around to find that they were surrounded by all of Riga's population.
Estonia joined Latvia upstairs.
"We are doing this for you, too." Estonia said.
"And to make sure you let us do what needs to be done..." Latvia said before turning around and starting walking along with his partner.
This was the sign the horde needed to let out a collective, hysterical, beastly roar and pounce on them. Fragile elders, school girls, small children, handicapped.
Not a single bullet was shot. They couldn't hurt civilians—they didn't give them the chance, either.
'Not the face!', Latvia and Estonia heard France shout above the screams, as they hurriedly walked away.
Lithuania looked away.
Freaks...
That word hurt him...but, again, Muskietiene only needed to look at him to give him the comfort he needed.
"Now what...?" Lithuania asked.
Muskietiene did not show any kind of negative reaction to Estonia's failure.
"...They will still die...Now it is time that you three join forces and show them that it is them who should tremble."
Lithuania drew a smile.
Vodka was good. Vodka was a friend. Vodka was always there when he needed it. Vodka helped him feel better.
Just...not that day. Russia had already drank two big bottles, yet he was still feeling uneasy. His boss thought he had lost his head. He guessed he was right. Or perhaps America was a good rival. He really knew how to make him lose his cool.
Why didn't he come yet? What was he waiting for? He didn't care anymore. He was coming, why did he leave? Was this a trick? Would he come back with all of his army? Well, it was for today! He wanted this horrendous feeling to end, he wanted everything to end...
He suddenly rose his head. Slowly got up from the sofa and walked towards the door.
He opened it and found him there.
He was unarmed.
They gazed at each other for long.
"...Russia..." America's voice sounded sticky.
Russia let out a long sigh.
"You have finally come to kill me..."
"...No."
"No?"
A long pause.
"...You know...this awful feeling when you've hurt someone beyond repair and can do nothing to make amends?" America murmured.
Russia's phone rang. It was Tarasov. He picked up.
"Russia! America's here! He has invaded us!"
"You were right, and I was wrong...I know this won't solve anything but...I just wanted you to know..."
"Our men are coming, hang in there!" Tarasov kept on shouting.
"...I'm sorry..." America closed his eyes.
Russia removed his phone from his ear to gaze at America.
"...I'm sorry, Russia..." America repeated.
Tarasov kept on talking, but Russia cut the call.
"...I...know you didn't put that bomb..." He said instead.
America replied nothing to that. He seemed slightly surprised at Russia's words.
"...I apologize too." Russia continued, slightly above a whisper.
"Well!"
They were both startled when Lithuania exclaimed. He was approaching, along with Estonia and Latvia.
"This is so pretty I want to cry!" He mocked them.
"I think we are interrupting something." Estonia said.
"He did it, Russia! He killed Walter and put the blame on you! And Estonia has been hacking both of us!" America told Russia.
He looked at the Baltics one by one, like he had just gotten a bullet to the stomach.
"You too...?" Russia muttered.
"What do you mean?" America asked.
"Latvia was the one who bombed the ballet."
"Latvia?!"
"You only know how to disappoint us. You only had to do one thing. We weren't asking for much: just for you to kill one another. And you couldn't do that little favor to us." Lithuania spitefully said.
"Guess we will have to do it ourselves." Estonia said.
"Guess so..." Latvia nodded.
"Oh, yeah, did I mention that they can read minds and all? Your telepathy program worked, Russia. It really worked—on these assholes here." America said.
Russia gazed at the Baltics, losing his color.
"It...worked? But..."
"What? Aren't you happy, Russia? I thought that's what you wanted! I thought you made us go through hell to get results!" Estonia said.
"That's Russia for you." Another voice said.
The one who had spoken approached. It was Muskietiene, with her arms crossed and fire in her eyes.
"He uses you, plays with you until he has broken you, then leaves you..."
"...What are you doing here, lady?" America faced her.
"I heard that your FBI has been trying to find my dirty laundry. That is not polite, Mr. America." She replied.
"Well, after all, you invaded my privacy first..."
"Also, I wanted to see Russia once again."
Russia stared at her for long, confused. Muskietiene smirked.
"Don't you remember me?" She asked.
Russia opened his mouth, hesitant.
"What I said. His toys mean nothing to him...You once called me your beloved, told me we would do wonders together..."
She sighed, removing the bangs which hid a horrific scar on her forehead.
"Empty words, I see..." She said.
America turned his eyes at Russia and saw all blood definitely draining from his face, his eyes widening. He could feel his heart stopping for a second or close.
The Lithuanians, the Estonians and the Latvians from outside of Riga, on the other hand, felt nothing at all. At work, watching television, walking on the street, driving...They just stopped whatever they were doing and with no emotion, no second thoughts, no questioning, left their chores and walked all together in one single direction.