The Secret

Chapter 10

"Guess what Rose found in the pantry."

Rose sat in the living room in front of the television at the moment. Content to watch cartoons while she ate breakfast.

"Breakfast?"

"Someone named Launa. And you'll never guess who's kid she is." Russia looked up to America, confused. "Alan."

His eyes widened in a moment. "What?" He seemed to forget about the food in front of him. "What happened? What did he want?"

America shook his head. "Nothing. It seemed like he was just as surprised as me." Russia snuck a glance towards the pantry door. "It's fine now. Whatever doorway was there, is gone now."

"That's a relief. But, how did it get there?"

"Good question. Another good question; are there more?"

-

"Is that really possible?"

"If no one screws up," Italy said, tired of being questioned. "Yes."

"How did you find this spell?" Spain turned through the pages. "These spells look ancient." He looked up from the faded pages to the Italian. "We shouldn't be messing with this kind of stuff."

"That's why we're not messing with it. We're going to use one spell to finally fix everything. Isn't that what we all want? For both out worlds to finally be in peace?"

"At what cost?" Germany asked.

"And what of Viktor and Alan?" China asked. "Once they discover our plan, they will not be very forgiving."

"After this is down and over, they will understand. It is for the greater good for both out worlds."

"Where is the other one?" Spain asked. "You said Markell was getting Alaska from our world. What of the other?"

"Kuro is taking care of that." Italy looked up to the wall where a clock hang. "They both should be here momentarily."

-

"And he looked like Dad, except he looked different. His hair was darker and his eyes looked red."

New Hampshire listened to Alaska's explanation while she did dishes. Alfred was in Texas with some of the other states. She'd have to call him later.

"Why won't Dad talk about them?"

New Hampshire shook her head. The hot water cascaded over the plate, rinsing away bubbles and carrying them into the drain. "Don't worry about them."

"But-"

"It's not good for our worlds to mix. That's all you need to know."

Alaska fell back into her seat. "Okay," she said softly. She slid down from her seat and left the room. No one would tell her about Launa and her dad. Were they bad? They didn't seem bad.

Alaska wandered the house for a little bit. Everyone seemed to be doing something else. Strolling into the dining room, she found New York helping Pennsylvania with a model of some kind. She watched for a moment before speaking. "Can I help?"

New York looked up. "Hey, Rose. Can't find anything to do?"

She shook her head.

"How about I finish this with Shawn and then you and I can go do something?" He looked back down to the model after Alaska gave an 'okay'.

Alaska left the room and continued through the house. She was walking through the front hall when she recognized the strange echoing she had heard before at her papa's house. Was Launa here? Was there another secret door somewhere in their house? She went to the closet, turning the knob and pulling the door open. She didn't see the closet inside. She wasn't sure what she saw, actually. There was a man there; one of dad's friends. Or maybe he was like Launa and her dad. "Are you Japan?"

He nodded. "You are Alaska."

"Yes. Is Launa with you? Can I see her?"

"Come with me and you can." He held out his hand and Alaska reached out to take it, delighted that she would he able to see Launa again and maybe talk to her. She had so many questions, maybe Launa could answer them since no one else would.

Japan took a firm grip on her hand, and Alaska felt like she was being pulled by a car as it drove down the highway. She held on tight to Japan's hand, fearing she would get left behind in the space around her.

-

He couldn't find her anywhere. Maybe he had missed some spot, or maybe she had just moved to a place he had already looked. It was a rather large house.

"Janet, have you seen Rose?"

Virginia looked up from her book. "No. Not since lunch."

Without another word, New York left the room to search the house once more.

"Jackson, you're worrying me."

He looked up to find New Hampshire standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a kitchen towel drying her hands.

"What."

"You've walked through the house and outside twice already. Who are you looking for?"

"Rose. I can't find her."

"Well," she said carefully. "How about we do one more sweep before we start panicking.

New York nodded and immediately turned around. Maybe she was hiding somewhere. Playing hide and seek or something. He prayed that was it. He pulled open a closet door in the front hall and stopped.

Maybe he'd accidentally opened a bathroom door. No, this was definitely the closet. That wasn't a mirror. "Who are you?" When he spoke, the man in front of him did as well. His voice in perfect synch with New York's.

"What'd you do with Launa?" he asked venomously.

"Who?"

"Alaska. Little girl, dark hair, red eyes. Where is she?"

He caught New York's attention at the mention of Alaska. Why, and how, did this guy know Alaska?

"Jackson." At the same moment he heard New Hampshire's voice, another one called out behind the man, with a different name. A woman came to stand beside the man as he saw New Hampshire stand beside him from the corner of his eye.

"What are you doing here, Adelynn?"

New York turned to New Hampshire. "You know them?" he asked shocked. He didn't like not knowing things. Not knowing who the two in the closet were, bothered him. "How do you know them?" he demanded.

"That's not important," she said, waving his question off.

The motion infuriated him for some reason. Why wasn't she telling him everything?

"Do you have Alaska?"

Adelynn shook her head with a solemn face. "What about our Alaska?"

"No."

"We have a problem, then."