Dixie was trying to remain upright, or at least face the way that America and New Mexico were. He flapped his arms a bit, hoping to stop his slow drifting upside down. America snickered.

New Mexico was trying to talk him through showing them his memories, but he wasn't really focusing on that.

"Dixie." New Mexico snapped for the millionth time. "Please pay attention. I won't be able to keep the connection up for much longer." The state of enchantment rubbed under his eyes.

"Sorry." He blurted awkwardly, finally accepting America's help in remaining upright. "So like this?"

He concentrated on the stupid room he had been confined too. With the flickering lights and the table in the corner with all the Shadow's cutting tools on it. He could practically taste the dingy dirt that hovered in the air, smell it too.

"That's it. Keep going."

Dixie felt his brow crinkle. Stone walls, flecks of mold dotting the highish poorly plastered ceiling. The room's was a wide rectangle, and he was chained to the wall farthest from the door. The door itself was ancient, cracked and splintering.

"Okay. That's enough detail."

Dixie opened his eyes at New Mexico's words and saw the place where he was being held captive. It was rather clear, except for the corners of the room. They were a bit blurry.

"Alright." America clapped his hands together. "This is a start."

New Mexico twisted around, surveying the room. He drifted downward, landing on the cold cement floor. His boots made an echoy thump.

America drifted downwards and so did he. Soon they were all on the ground.

"Looks like a basement of some kind." America walked around with New Mexico as the state poked around the room.

"Anything else you can remember?" The state of enchantment lifted up one of the rusty tools.

"He did bring me fast food." Dixie thought of the nugget that the shadow had slapped out of his hand.

America grinned. "So Arkie's hunch was right."

Dixie blinked. "What?"

"Don't worry about it."

The battle flag rolled his eyes. "I will worry about it, since I'm the one he's sort of bleeding."

America ignored him. "What's this?" He picked up a crumpled receipt. And a credit card.

"What he used to pay for the food I'm guessing." Dixie walked over to his brother. "But he could've taken that from anyone."

America frowned. "But where's the rest of the wallet?"

Dixie closed his eyes, trying to remember. He just remembered the Shadow tossing the bag at him. Come on...

"Wait." He said. "I don't remember the credit card or receipt. How is it here?"

"Your subconscious." New Mexico said, like it was supposed to be obvious. "You ever had a dream of someone you've never saw?"

"Well kinda."

"Its just like that. You have in fact seen that person- in this case, thing. You just turned a blind eye to it earlier or forgot about it."

Dixie scratched the back of his neck, confused. He gave America a look, and he looked just as weirded out.

"Found it."

New Mexico picked the wallet out from underneath the table. He opened it and pulled out an ID. "Nicholas Red."

"Okay explain that one." Dixie crossed his arms. "I swear I've never seen a wallet or ID card."

New Mexico snorted and handed the card to America. The country observed if for a couple of short seconds. "Okay, got it."

Dixie frowned. "Is that it? Can I go back to my suffering now?"

America pulled him into a quick hug. The display of affection surprised the battle flag. But he returned it.

"We're coming to get you." America said. "And I'm gonna kill this thing."

"And I can go back to doing the dishes?"

America chuckled. "Yeah."

Dixie smiled. "Alright. Please hurry though. I think I'm starting to get off his nerves."

America laughed again, but the sound was only audible for a couple of seconds. And he woke up.

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America blinked awake, stretching his arms out and winced a bit at his soar arm muscles. It took a couple groggy seconds to remember where he was.

"Hey, you guys are awake." A glass of cold water was shoved into his open hand.

"Yeah." The country sipped his water. "How's New Mexico?"

Arizona nodded to the right or America, and he turned to see the other state. He had dark bags under his eyes and appeared to be fast asleep.

"Dream connection takes a lot out of him." Arizona pulled a blanket over his brother. It settled around the state of enchantment's shoulders. "Figure out anything?"

"Loads." America rubbed his eyes. "A name. That might pinpoint his location."

"Well get to it." Oklahoma had appeared at the door. "The others are still trying to narrow down the search."

America smiled. He patted Arizona's shoulder and drank the last of his water in one swing. "Alright. Lets find ourselves a shadow."

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Nicholas Red turned out to be dead.

But not just any dead. Murdered dead.

"The murder of Red is still being investigated, but there are no leads to who might've killed him." Minnesota read aloud, brushing a bushy curl out of her eyes. "Detective MacDoogle is looking to close the case."

The article went on, explaining that the murder appeared to be unrelated to the poor human, and how the town might have a serial killer on the loose. But America knew who it was.

There wasn't much to go on, but Red had been beaten to death. The attacker didn't leave any of its DNA behind on the broken vase that had been found smeared and rusty-red with the victims blood. A vase that had been stolen from a museum that had been missing for about a day before they found the body.

Coincidence?

And Nicholas worked with the city. He helped situate and store hay and other crops.

"It fits a bit too well." America glared at the screen. "But I think we found him."

"So lets lock and load!" Texas declared, slamming his fist into his open hand with a load clapping sound.

America took a deep breath. "I think this is my fight kiddos."

Instead of facing opposition like whining or groaning, it was silent.

"Ya sure pop?" Georgia said, his eyes cautious.

"Yes. This is my fight. Dixie is my responsibility."

"Okay." Nevada sounded a bit disappointed. "We can still help right?"

Oklahoma bit on one of her nails. "Yeah. We need to find where Dixie's at."

Arkansas grinned. "I'll do some more slamming my head into the keyboard and see if I find anything else."

The states laughed at the inside joke America didn't get.

He felt someone touch his arm. He looked down.

"Dad?" Hawaii said. "You should get some sleep."

"I don't think I can sleep." He gave her a sad smile.

She frowned. "At least try. For me."

"Okay I will."

And so, for what seemed the millionth time that day, he climbed the stairs and slumped through the hall. His body was tired form running all over the place, his mind tired from thinking so hard and so long. He wanted sleep.

He forced his feet up the shallow steps up to his bed. He yanked off his shirt and kicked off his boots. Undid his belt. Rolled off his socks. Yanked off his pants.

America slumped into his bed, feeling the warmth of the soft blankets and satin pillows suck his thoughts away. Sleep.

He was lying when he said that he didn't think he could sleep. He felt the void call to him. Singing its sweet little lullaby. Didn't he just sleep?

He waited, and sleep came.