(Rusger) Project Raven

A change of heart

Chapter 21.

Sorry if I haven't uploaded earlier than usual, I was having bad internet connections recently. :(

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A few hours passed, yet Ben was still in front of the stage, hosting the auctions and biddings of their limited stocks. Whilst he was hosting, a man suddenly came up on the stage and whispered to him. Ben nodded as a response and gave an exasperated sigh to the crowd.

"I am deeply sorry, Ladies and Gentlemen, but it looks like they need me for something important. Another host will keep up the biddings as a replacement until I come back. Thank you for understanding."

Ben left the stage, followed by his bodyguards and assistants as the replacement set foot on the stage. "Great. Now what? We only estimated 2 to 3 guards with him and, too many would cause a scene." America crossed his arms and stared at Ben, who was talking to his assistants. Italy stretched his arms up and clapped his hands, smirking at the others who weren't informed of his backup plan. "Do you want to know how we mafias don't get caught? It takes stealth, destroyed evidence, intelligence, and..."

A man walked out of the curtains, pointing a gun at the ceiling, which made people gasp and hide behind their chairs, still peeking at the armed man. "A whole lot of distractions." BANG! BANG! BANG! Everybody started panicking, screaming and running while half the guards from Ben tried to get the man. Russia saw that Ben was left alone with two guards, who were running away from the stage. "Now's our chance. Follow him!"

They went through the hallways. Their shoes and heels were clicking on the white, glossy floor as the guards paused and went to them. "This place is not allowed to be exposed to the public. Go away immediately." Without a moment to lose, Russia punched one of the guards in the face, leaving him groaning on the floor as the other man launched a kick at him. Russia then grabbed his leg, struck his stomach and kicked him in the guts, sending him indescribable pain.

Ben's eyes widened as he stepped away slowly before dashing to the elevators to escape. Japan took off her heels, aiming one of them at Ben while smiling immensely. "Goodbye, painful heels!!" With great force and extreme relief, she threw it like never before. Ben kept pressing the buttons until he saw the upcoming heel launching at him with surpassing speed, seemed like it had flames on it. "Wha-" Bonk! It knocked him out.

"はい! I knocked him out!" (Yes) Japan gave a little 'whoop' of happiness until she saw the man not moving at all and realised what she's done. "Oh no... I-I knocked him out!" "It's fine. It'll probably take seconds for him to wake up." America shrugged and walked to the knocked out man, seeing the mark of the outer sole of the heel on his head. "Yikes.."

Poland noticed that the man was regaining consciousness since his eyebrow started furrowing. "He's waking up," The Polish pointed as the man groaned and opened his eyes, rubbing his forehead. "Huh...?" He narrowed his eyes and saw that he still was with them. "Gah!! Y-Y-Y-Yo-You p-people-ple!" Russia stepped closer to the man and knelt, glaring at him. "...Where is Germany?" 

"Where's Ben?? He's never late..." Canada leaned over a desk and stared at the chained German as Reich came into the laboratory, holding a phone in her hand. "Something happened to the party, and it involved the guests you invited." "Did they fought? Was anyone hurt?" Germany looked at the Canadian's expression, "He's afraid, Germany." Canada shook his head, "I mean, what exactly happened there?" "He's afraid of being weak. Being soft. Being himself." 

Reich gave the phone to Canada as he looked at it. "A man was shooting on the stage after Ben left, sending commotion around the area." Canada glanced at Reich and faced back to the phone, "Did they caught him..?" "They did, but-" Canada paused the video, pointing at specific people. "They look familiar..." "They're new, sir."

"Names?" "Edward Alistair Wiliams, Alexei Zakharov and Dylan Ping with some other guests." Germany snorted lightly at the names and whispered to himself. "Typical Ame-" 

BANG!! The door slammed open as the Italian, Japanese, Polish, American, and Russian came inside, standing behind the German. "Ey, Snow White!!" America shouted, "Your Prince and dwarves have come to rescue you!!" Germany's eyes widened as he turned his head, looking at the Russian. "Russland..?"

Canada crossed his arms and walked towards America, giving him an enigmatic smile. "What's your reason for coming here again, Ame? How does it feel like to come home?" "This is NOT his home." China grabbed America away from the Canadian, protecting him. "Well, not anymore, of course. He left the family and never came back." He sighed, but a smile kept appearing on his face.

"You're going to do it again, won't you? Getting what you only want and need, then walking away when you finally received it. I'd give you a round of applause because you're great at that. But, since that's all you could do, dad needed somebody else to make him proud. So, he chose me." America placed China's hand down and put his hand on his brother's shoulder, "I'm... sorry, Nada." 

"Shut up, Ame." Canada shoved his hand away, but that didn't stop America from apologising to him. 

"I'm sorry for leaving the family," 

Canada glared and clenched his fists. Is he serious? Just now, when he could have done it many years ago? "Ame, apologising won't fix anything-"

"I'm sorry for letting you take over this disgusting business even when I knew you were horrified and scared, seeing those children die, hearing their screaming voices..."

Canada suddenly heard them in his head, making him cover his ears and cower on the floor, shouting. "STOP IT!!"

"I'm sorry that you had to change yourself for dad, being more like him. That you had to murder innocent people even when you don't want to. Just so you could please him."

 'I'm being like dad...?' All responsibilities have been passed down to you. You should finish what I started, and don't disappoint me! Come with me, please!! If you stay, you'll be a monster just like him! Do not DISAPPOINT me! You'll be a MONSTER! MAKE ME PROUD!! 

"You... don't know... what it's like..." He sniffed, shivered, stuttered.

"I know I don't," America knelt beside him, offering his hand to his brother. "But I can help you out... and I'm not leaving you this time."

"..."

"Only if you'll let me..." 

Reich heard the door opening behind her and looked back, seeing Ben barging in with a phone in his hand. "What are you-" Reich was grabbed by one of his men, but luckily with her fighting skills, she escaped from their grasp. "DEUTSCHLAND!! GET OUT!!" She shouted before getting beaten up by Ben's bodyguards. 

"Mutter!!" Everyone's attention is now on Ben, especially the German's whose rage is bursting up. Ben laughed loudly as Canada stood up, ignoring the American's hand. "Ah, Canada. Oh, I mean, sir. It's finally time, don't you think?" "Leave Reich alone, Ben. That is an order." Ben rolled his eyes and sighed, signalling the guards to stop with his hand gesture. "Let her go." 

"Anyway, shouldn't we put your plan into action? That's the whole point they're here, right?" Canada didn't answer him and looked away, "Oh? A change of mind, I see?" Ben smirked as he put the phone on speaker mode, "Guess I'll be flying this plane solo." "Ben, wait-" "Send them in." 

The doors busted open, sending in a hundred volunteered men armed with knives, pipes, etc. Ben cackled as he announced to them, "Kill them all, except for the chained one. Britain has left me in charge now." "Yes, sir!" They shouted and snickered, thinking how easy it is to win, given the number compared.

America cracked his knuckles as Canada prepared a fighting stance, while Italy grabbed two guns from his suit, and Japan clipped her hair up, making sure it doesn't interfere with her fight. Poland stretched his wings and flew up as China grinned in excitement. Russia took his black jacket off and threw it away, "Let's get this over with." 

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1396 words.

Thanks for reading this chapter!