Can't Catch a Shadow

Hetalia chased after a few of the prisoners that had seemingly took the guards' side. They were running for their lives, throwing backwards glances and bullets as they ran.

The spy, using what she had learned from The Cage, threw herself at one of the cell doors and used her momentum to launch herself at the closest threat. She tackled him and dragged him down to the concrete floor, letting his face break their fall.

The other fugitives stopped in their tracks and stared at their friend who was lying on the ground with blood pouring from his face. He threw out a hand, begging for assistance. "Help me!" he shouted, tears starting to mix in with the blood.

Before any of the traitors could even decide between fight or flee, Hetalia snapped the neck of her pleading victim. The sickening snap echoed off the walls, making some of the people in front of her cringe.

Rhonda, one of the traitors in the pack, tightened her grip on the metal pipe in her hands. She ran towards Hetalia with the intent of bashing in her skull.

The teen dodged, using Rhonda's own momentum against her. She fell to the ground, black curls flailing wildly.

While she was down, Hetalia took the opportunity to strike. She ran towards the fallen woman and kicked her jaw, sending her head backwards.

The Indian woman glared up at the ginger Russian, spitting out blood and springing up, matching her height.

Hetalia stared at Rhonda, meeting her big brown eyes. No matter how tough she tried to act, Hetalia could plainly see how scared the woman was.

An alarm made both of them jump. They both knew what that meant. They had all sorts of drills and practices. But to Hetalia, it was more than the general alarm. It was a signal from Andre. 'Basically, run.'

Rhonda and Hetalia shared their gaze again. Now, she wasn't hiding her fear. "The gas," she whispered uneasily.

"Run," Hetalia told her. "Just run."

Rhoda looked over at whatever prisoners from the group were still there. Some of them had run away in fear of Hetalia while others ran in fear of the alarm. They stared at her, waiting for an order.

"They will kill me," she said, accent seeping through. "They think we shouldn't trust you."

"You shouldn't," Hetalia said quickly. "I'm a spy. But believe me when I say that you need to leave. The explosion will kill you."

Rhonda didn't need to be told twice. She nodded quickly and took off down the hall in the opposite direction of her peers.

Some of the prisoners either tried to take off after her or tried to catch Hetalia. She dodged them easily, springing into action.

She silently thanked her father's agility teachings as she moved as swiftly as a shadow.

The Russian took off down the hall, alarms still blaring. She had to get out. She had to run!

She got topside just as the gas leak ignited and exploded behind her, shock wave sending her forward into the brilliantly white snow.

She looked at the flames billowing behind her, completely awe-struck. She made it. She survived.

Hetalia let out a sigh of relief. She was out.

Some moans of pain caught her attention instantly. She moved cautiously towards the sounds, stepping over debris and dead bodies.

There, looking slightly charred, was the man that had created all this. He coughed, breath coming uneasily and sporadically from smoke inhalation.

"Miguel Kerchef," Hetalia almost cooed. "How interesting it is to see you here."

The warden coughed and sputtered as the pain of third degree burns spread through his body. "Hetalia Romanoff. I thought it would be you. I thought that, if no one else, you would be my demise."

Hetalia shook her head. "No, Kerchef. Hetalia Romanoff does not exist, and you know it. She died in The Cage. In fact, it was like she was never born."

Kerchef nodded knowingly, understanding exactly what she meant. "Then how shall I address you on my death bed, child?"

Feeling the rage build up inside her, she put her foot on his throat. "How dare you speak to me like that!" she shouted. "Do not act like a father to me! Shake in fear! Quiver! Beg for mercy!"

Kerchef sputtered in legitimate fear at the threatening gesture Hetalia was making. "Please, no!"

"Beg properly!" she commanded.

"What do I call you?" he said, stumbling on his words as he attempted to fumble out of her grasp.

She paused, staring down at the man under her foot. Pressing slightly harder on his windpipe, she leaned forward and stared into his eyes. "The Shadow," she practically hissed at him. "You will call me The Shadow, as will everyone else in this world."

Kerchef nodded. "Please, great Shadow. Please, let me live!"

Hetalia took her foot off Kerchef's throat and gave a solemn nod. "You do not deserve a death like that."

He nodded in agreement as she turned from him, relishing in the fact that he had slid his way out of an execution.

He tried to sit up, only to have Hetalia spin around and throw a knife directly in his chest. He didn't have time to even feel the blade go into him. He was dead before he even hit the ground as his blood turned the snow around him red.

Hetalia stared at her warden. She spat on his dead body, feeling the adrenaline finally leaving her body. She felt her knees go weak, but managed to stay standing.

That's when it hit her. Where was Andre?

She quickly spun around, staring once again at the flames. "Andre?" she called out, a thousand questions in one word. "Andre?!" she shouted again, sounding more afraid than before. "Andre!"

When no one replied, the teen sank to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "Andre!" she shouted again, begging for him to answer her.

She stayed in that spot for nearly two hours, crying to herself as the fires continued to burn. After she had finally calmed down enough, she stood and wiped her eyes. He told her it may happen this way, but she couldn't believe it.

With a mission, the Russian started to wander the snowy field around her, examining each body she found. She encountered Kari somewhere in the middle of the hunt, looking more peacefully than she ever had.

Hetalia knelt down, taking off the Prisoner tag from around her neck. "I'm sorry you had to die like this, Kari. As a prisoner."

After she finally felt she had given Kari the attention she deserved, she continued on with her helpless quest.

Andre never replied to her shouts and cries, but Hetalia didn't find a body. That alone gave her all the hope she needed to begin wandering out of the Siberian snow towards a new life.