Operation Red Herring (Countryhumans Alternate History)

Chapter 39

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29 July, 1941

Dear Mr. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,

Hello! I hope this letter finds you well, or at least as well as possible in these trying times. Are your children well? I hope they are. With the way the world is, I fear all that will be left of us countries are the children and those who remain neutral in the war. Speaking of the war, I need your assistance on a personal matter regarding it. I know you made it clear that you do not wish to join the Allied Powers, and I whole-heartedly respect your decision. However, I ask this not as a soldier, but as a brother. Would you be able to inquire Third Reich about my sister, the United States? I found out through some of her officials that she has seemingly disappeared. I know the two of you are not fond of eachother, but if you would be able to find out any information for me, I would be extremely grateful. I am sure you could imagine the anxiety you would have if (God forbid) a member of your family (such as one of your children) were to go missing. My family is extremely important to me, and I know yours is important to you. So, not as country to country, but as one family-man to another, could you find it in your heart to assist me in this matter?

I hope to hear from you soon.

Kind Regards,

Dominion of Canada

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12.8.1941

Canada,

Work on your negotiation techniques. You sound like you are begging, which is uncomfortable. My children are fine. You mention them quite a lot. Please refrain from that. I will not go into detail about them in any letter to you for two reasons:

It is none of your concern.

These letters are read by my government officials during the sending process.

My family is important to me, this is true. Hence why I will not write about them in these letters (especially the second reason listed above). I would not be anxious if they were to disappear. I would be filled with rage, however. So I can partially understand what your situation feels like. I do not meet with the German until the 9th of next month. I will see what I can do regarding your request.

USSR

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26 August, 1941

Dear Mr. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,

Thank you so much for agreeing to my request! I am extremely grateful for your assistance! Please write to me as soon as you can after the meeting with Third Reich!

I am sorry for bringing up your family, as I did not know you were uncomfortable with discussing them via the postal system. I understand why, of course. I would not want my government knowing more about me than they need to. Does your government look through everyone's mail? If so, that seems really intrusive. Not that I am telling you how to run things! (Trust me, I am barely keeping things together over here, and would hardly consider myself qualified to get involved in someone else's business).

You mention that you would be filled with rage if someone from your family were to go missing. I wish I was the same way. For a while, I think I was. For the past nine months, I've been angry at my family. At my sister for betraying us, and at my father for pushing her to do so (then disappearing and leaving me to deal with the aftermath). So I fought. I made myself into something great. Something  s̶i̶m̶i̶l̶a̶r̶ better than my sister ever was. I've been trying to be brave and confident and righteously angry. But the whole time, the undercurrent of nervousness flowed through me. And now that my sister is missing entirely, it is harder to pretend that I am not worried. It is harder to be angry at her. My grandmother, England, believes I am starting to 'go soft' (her words, not mine) again. But maybe I am not reverting at all. Perhaps this has always been, and I've just been getting better at hiding it. I'm not sure anymore.