President Weaver waited and waited...
"Why can't this boy ever pick up the phone?" He grumbled.
This was his idea. It was him who told him to see what he could find out about Mrs. Muskietiene. And now that he had something that could be important, like her being Lithuanian by adoption, after having been found half-dead by the age of ten in a landfill in Pagėgiai, with a hole in the skull, no less, nameless, with no known relatives or even memories; and he wasn't available to listen!
The director of the FBI, Newman, hurriedly walked into the Oval Office.
"You gotta see this." He was bringing a tablet.
A satellite image taken at Russia's borders.
"What the hell is that thing?" The president asked, pointing at the dark mass approaching Russia with a finger.
"It's...people!"
Weaver looked at Newman with his eyebrows raised and his lips parted.
"It's an invasion!"
"Are you seeing that?"
The chief at the border patrol left his post for a second to look for some binoculars.
They knew those were people. An awful lot of them, so many that they extended so as far as the eye could see, more than they had seen together in one place in their entire lives. But the binoculars showed a detail which made it even more shocking.
"Those are unarmed civilians!" exclaimed the man in charge.
He passed the binoculars to his partners, so they could see. Jesus Lord, they saw grannies and grandpas, delicate misses, people in wheelchairs, small kids!
"What the fuck is going on?"
"Should we shoot at them?"
The chief hesitated. "I-I don't know...I'll ask the officer." And he ran towards the phone.
Russia felt the violation of his borders deep into his bones, but so much was going on inside of him that the warning was buried deep among many other feelings.
"Who is she?" America asked, looking at him and at Muskietiene like this was a frenetic tennis match.
Russia wasn't able to open his mouth.
"Russia, what's going on? Do you know her?"
"Know me? He made me." Muskietiene replied. "I am his magnum opus. The first of the many men and women who would form the army that would destroy you. Oh, but it isn't polite to talk about oneself all the time, why don't you tell Mr. America? I am sure he will find the whole issue very interesting."
Russia didn't want to remember it, but, spontaneously, almost as if his tongue had a life of its own, he told America:
"I wanted to win...I didn't want to be behind you...You were a threat...I had to surpass you...I carried out experiments, on my underlings and humans...so I could apply them to myself one day and fight you if we finally went to war...Humans seemed to offer better results, so I focused on them...We found...promising candidates who achieved a notable score on tests...Performed brain surgery on them, trained them...Sometimes bred them..."
Muskietiene nodded.
"Go on." He coldly said.
"Her mother was Polish and her father, one of my MVD agents, who displayed certain qualities...We took the baby and stimulated her from birth, trained her for combat...I thought it was a great idea, but now..."
"Focus, Mr. Russia."
Russia didn't even need to recollect the memories: they all found their way to his mouth alone. "She was exactly what I was looking for. Since it seemed that I couldn't obtain those powers I dreamed about, I could have an army of supermen by my side..."
"And what happened, Mr. Russia?"
"The Berlin Wall fell, the Baltics revolted, I lost everything, and I shut the program down."
"You shot me down." Muskietiene remarked.
Russia turned to America, distraught.
"You won! There was no reason to keep on...! I was...! I didn't need it anymore! It could have turned against me! You...understand, don't you?"
«Yeah, I think I do...», America thought. It probably showed on his face, because Russia seemed a little relieved.
"So let me guess," America said, looking at Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, "you guys found her and planned your revenge."
None of the Baltics rejected neither admitted such accusation. In fact, they did nothing but stare at them with their lips sealed and no emotion showing on their faces. It was Muskietiene who replied.
"Wrong. I found Lithuania. The skills Mr. Russia granted me helped me always get what I wanted and have things my way througout my life. It made me a little bit of a brat, I must admit. And when I grew up, it wasn't difficult to climb the ladder in the party, then the local politics, and finally meet him face to face. In fact, it was insultingly easy."
America's eyebrows furrowed.
"Wait...Wait a second. Wait a freaking second!"
Of course no one would believe his claims that it was Lithuania who ordered Walter's death and stole his classified files during his visit...Of course it wasn't like him at all. Of course it had no sense that he shot himself in the foot...
"No." America shuddered a little, seeing that Muskietiene had read his thoughts. "I cannot force anyone to do things against their will. I can just convince them. What he did, he did it willing and consciously."
"After you poisoned his mind, didn't you?" America turned his eyes towards Lithuania.
"I did nothing that you two didn't do first. You were the ones who planted the seeds of resentment and fear, and I helped them grow."
"Still a puppet. But I don't understand...Estonia...? And Latvia...? How did you...?"
"I did not expect that, either. It turns out that your experiments on them, though they didn't show the expected results, were successful after all—or perhaps you nations are made of something different and interact with one another in ways us humans cannot understand. Whether the bond they created for survival under their captivity, or during the Revolution, is a cause or an effect, I ignore it, but the thing is, despite their differences concerning language, religion or culture, the three of them created a bond that has lasted to this day, a connection which goes very deep. What happens to one of them affects the other two...After I started making suggestions to Lithuania, using my own powers through him, Estonia and Latvia started displaying signs of radicalization as well, their own abilities increased ...I would have been completely stupid if I hadn't taken the most out of it! Now Lithuania had two accomplices: Estonia, who put up technology, and Latvia, so willing to get his hands dirty...All that I needed was your input, Mr. America, to make that connection stronger, and more useful."
America looked at the Baltics again. Still not a sound, or a wink.
"Are you deaf or something?! Didn't you hear what she just said?! She just admitted she's using you!"
They still gazed at him in silence, with those vacant faces.
Muskietiene smiled showing her teeth, close to letting out a chuckle. America groaned. Sure villains always revealed their evil plans when they knew they had nothing to lose!
Russia looked at them one by one. Then, his eyes fixed on Muskietiene.
"...You...You are evil...You are truly evil..." He muttered.
"Me? I am evil?" Muskietiene was still smiling, and acted like she was offended. "You turned them into slaves, mistreated them, stole all you could from them...And I am evil?"
"I conquered them! Lithuania trusted you! You were his boss! You were supposed to take care of him, and protect him and guide him!" Russia roared. "The harm I did to them and to America, was to win a war without anybody dying! You tried to start one and get us killed! I regret having created you...I made a big mistake not killing you properly..."
But he was still on time to correct it.
The magic metal pipe of pain shone in his hands, he walked towards her and swung it, aiming at her head.
Lithuania finally moved, and he did it so quick and inadvertedly that Russia didn't see him coming. He grabbed the pipe before it hit Muskietiene and struggled with Russia. Russia was stronger and was winning, but Lithuania recurred to a headbutt to win this encounter and steal the pipe from him. And now with it in his hands, he did what he had wanted to do for many years. He started hitting Russia with all of his might, all of his fury, his teeth gritted.
"No!" America shouted. He wanted to intervene, but was pushed backwards, his back hitting Russia's door. Estonia and Latvia cornered him.
"Always meddling in everyone's business." Latvia mumbled.
"I wonder who gave him the right." Estonia nodded.
America stood up, clenching his fists. "Don't...come any closer!"
"You think we're freaks too, huh? We disgust you, you are afraid of us, like the others. Well, it's your fault, after all. You gave Russia the idea. You made him start that demented race." Latvia said, disobeying the order.
The door opened behind America and he was dragged inside. He glanced around and found that the furniture, the colors of the walls, everything had changed. He saw Russia and the Baltics standing there, with the fashion of many years in the past. He saw limb pulling, slaps, killer stares, dinnerwear breaking against people's heads...
"Where was the hero, the paladin of freedom, when we were trapped in here? Why didn't you come to save us? Are we so unimportant that our suffering doesn't matter to anyone?" Estonia fused with his image from the past, but this Estonia was not trembling, fear had abandoned his face, and would not hide. This Estonia, no one had ever seen it.
"R-Russia!" America shouted.
"No. It's just that they are just the same. He probably empathizes a lot with him. Look how he calls him!" Latvia despectively said.
"He should know what it feels like, being the forgotten secondaries in his action movie..." Estonia said.
The walls of the room collapsed, and America found a familiar place. This was not Russia's house. What was this...? He saw a horde of horsemen coming right at him, swords shining in their hands...He wanted to run but was glued to the spot. The world spinned, found himself lying on the mud, and just when he was rising his head, a man fell by his side, his throat slit from ear to ear, his eyes open wide. Trembling, he stood up, and found himself surrounded by people, or more like skeletons with black pits instead of eyes which wailed and tried to grab him. He shook them off of him and ran. He stopped, finding himself under a shadow which prevented him from seeing a thing...A tank, about to crush him...
America tried to repress a scream, fell to the ground again, his whole body trembling.
He couldn't breathe, oh God.
("RUSSIA!")
Russia turned his head towards the house.
"America!" He faintly said.
He rolled, the pipe hit the ground.
"Lithuania!"
Lithuania hit him again, on a shoulder.
"Lithuania!" This time, Russia managed to dodge for one inch.
And Muskietiene watched it all, probably directed it all, her eyes fixed on him, flaming, barely able to contain her excitement...
("I'M HERE, AMERICA! HOLD ON!")
America turned his head into the door's direction—after finally finding it, thanks to that voice echoing inside of his head.
Russia tried to run into the house. Lithuania hit him with the pipe in one ear, making him stumble.
He was going to kill him. After centuries of fighting, he would finally end him...
He looked at him to the face. He didn't recognize him.
(This isn't Lithuania...This isn't any of them...)
America then looked at Estonia and Latvia. Not that he had ever talked to them much, but they seemed like good and helpful folks. Boys who just wanted the same as everyone else: living in peace, being prosper, enjoying their friends' company...
"Lithuania!" Russia shouted one last time. "You are the strongest nation I have ever met! You always found a way to resist me! You have gone through a lot to be free! Don't let her or anyone steal that from you!"
Muskietiene smirked. That was desperate. Unfortunately for him, it wouldn't...
What?
A brief thought, like a click...
Lithuania stopped.
Latvia turned his body towards the door, and Estonia's expression softened.
("Kill them! Come on! You've got them now!"), Muskietiene pressured them.
But Latvia had already seen the blood splatters, and his mind returned to that night at the ballet. Muskietiene tried to prevent it in vain. Latvia saw the destruction, the fire, the corpses, the blood everywhere...He looked at his own hands, which had caused that...
("...What they did to me, I did it..."), they heard him think.
("Latvia! Stop it! You were in your right! It was necessary!"), Muskietiene shouted mentally.
But the feeling inside of his chest not only disappeared, but grew uglier.
("That's what they said...That's exactly what they said...!"), not only did his anguish show in his thoughts, Latvia started to show external signs of contrition, becoming pale, cringing.
"Yeah, you've come a long way! The Way! Don't you remember? The whole world was looking at you guys and admired you! You faced freaking Russia! And you won! You won!" America tried to contribute.
"Shut up!" Muskietiene shouted.
After that, he couldn't be afraid of anything anymore...
Estonia slowly blinked.
("And now Finland...He looked at me like...like...")
Lithuania tried to fight it, wielded the pipe, ready to hit another blow. But couldn't. His legs wobbled. His grip on the pipe became so weak that it slipped and fell.
("LITHUANIA, DON'T LET THEM MANIPULATE YOU! THEY ALWAYS DO THINGS THEIR WAY! BUT NOT ANYMORE! NOT ANYMORE, LITHUANIA!"), Muskietiene glared at her nation.
She tried to erase the anxiety, but it was out of control. She...She couldn't!
"Not anymore..." Lithuania muttered.
America heard his thoughts just fine. ("Mr. Williams was a good man indeed, he was always nice to me, was very interested in my culture, spoke my language very well...He didn't like Julita, and I thought he was a bad man for it...I killed him, oh no, no, no, I killed him...")
("They were just trying to help...")
("I always fantasized about...and I...")
("I lost them forever, the ones I loved and who loved me!")
("I-Is this for real? Did we really...?")
("Oh God, what have we done...?!")
("No...Tell me I didn't...")
("I've become what I hate!")
America and Russia looked at the Baltics with hopeful concern. They were coming back to their senses! ...Were they? Yes! They were looking at them with a different expression now! Tears were running down Latvia's cheeks, while Estonia seemed to be too devastated to cry. All those visions vanished, and America found himself back to Russia's home.
Lithuania and Russia looked at each other for long. Lithuania seemed to read the latter's mind and find something comforting. He swallowed hard. Then turned around to face Muskietiene.
She drew back. "Don't..."
Estonia and Latvia walked out of the house too to join their partner.
"...What are you doing...G-Get out! Leave me alone!"
(They are doing it. They are breaking free.)
(Dear Lord, it hurts, it hurts so much!)
Muskietiene tried to fight it. Her face showed signs of pain.
"No, stop!"
America ran to help Russia stand up. He was wounded, but it didn't seem like it was something too bad. (No, it wasn't. It hurt, but he would be fine.) They both looked at the Baltics, who incremented the pressure on Muskietiene, making her scream. It looked like them trying to break free was hurting them an awful lot too, as if something was ripping.
"NO, NO, NO, NOOO!"
And finally, the string broke.
A fine thread of blood came out of Muskietiene's nose and ran down to her lips. She was left wide-eyed, trembling and silent. Then, she collapsed.
Almost at the same time, only having enough time to let of a tiny sigh of relief, the three Baltic nations dropped like dead.
At the frontier, right when the mob was giving the last push that would tear the fence down and the Russian army prepared to mow them down, all of those people, millions of citizens fell to the floor and stopped moving.
Back in Riga, the screams ceased all of a sudden. The population lost all its strength and fury and dropped like they had consumed all of their vitality. The nations, with their clothes ripped, scratched, some maimed, didn't dare to move until some seconds passed, after they saw that they were not moving.
America dropped on his knees, held Lithuania in his arms and removed his hair from his face to see it. He was pale like a corpse—was he...? No, he was breathing, thank God. He checked on the others. Yes, they were alive, too.
Did this mean...they made it? Was it all over?
"America...What you said...about hurting someone beyond repair...?"
America turned his head to find Russia looking at the Baltics with deep sadness.
"...I know that feeling..." He said, caressing Latvia's hair.