AN: Hello my lovely readers... *Hears a crash, goes to investigate.*
*sees the gang pelting Duck with random items* "Is that my good mop!" I yell. "What did I tell you guys about throwing items at my reviewers!"
"But.. but he keeps chanting" Fishlegs comments.
"No throwing items!" I tell them, and the twins get a wicked gleam in their eyes.
"Guys why are you looking at me?" Snotlout asked taking a step back, but the twins each grab a shoulder, and hurl Snotlout in Duck's direction.
...I was going to announce something but I think we'll just go on with the show. (^_^)
Astrid's POV
When we got to City Hall we saw various news vans parked outside. Reporters were milling about.
"Looks like the Mayor will be holding a press conference." Ruffnut states. "Security will be tighter."
"We're not getting in there in our bonded states." I tell them, and we separate from our dragons.
As we make it through security I check around the room. Various camera men were setting up in front of the podium. Even BTV's Eret Eretson was here.
From the corner of my eye I recognized the face of Viggo Grimborn, who was on the first floor balcony. He was dressed in a crisp black suit, and was carrying a briefcase. The strange thing was, was that he was walking away from the podium.
"Guys keep an eye out. Something is going to go down here." I tell them. "I think I just saw one of the Grimborn brothers. I'm heading to the first floor to check."
"I'm coming with you." Ruffnut tells me, while slamming her fist into her hand. "I owe that guy a punch for singeing my beautiful hair."
We quickly made it to the first floor, and I see Viggo putting together a rifle just as the mayor took the podium.
"Stop right there Viggo!" I yell, and leapt at him before he could point the gun, but he does something unexpected. He grins, and tosses the riffle at me. I instinctively grab it, and he takes off like a bat out of hell.
"What the…" Before I could finish that sentence a shot rang out. I look over the balcony, and see that the Mayor was hit. The people are now screaming, and panicking as security floods the room. Suddenly someone points up to the first floor balcony. "Look the sniper!" They yell, and point to me, who hadn't let go of the riffle Viggo tossed.
"Damn!" I curse as security opens fire on us. I feel a burning heat in my side as Ruffnut drags me down behind the balcony as a hail of bullets fly past.
"Ruff, I'm hit." I tell her, and try to put pressure on my side to stop the bleeding.
I hear Ruffnut curse as she drags me across the floor closer to the window. The bullets have stopped now, and I hear Tuffnut, and Snotlout running towards us. I'm was beginning to feel a little dizzy from the blood loss.
"We got to jump." Snotlout said. I feel hands suddenly grabbing me, and we race towards the large windows. The fall from a first storey window is not a pleasant experience, especially when you've been shot, and subsequently land on glass shards.
We all grunt from the fall, but recover quickly enough to bond with our dragons who had to wait outside. Before security could apprehend us, we had escaped.
"We need to take her to a hospital." Snotlout said to the others, but I quickly stop him.
"No…..hospitals." I tell him feebly. "They'll be looking for us there."
"What can we do then? You're losing blood." Ruffnut asked worriedly.
"We'll call Fishlegs." Tuffnut said, and pulled out his communicator. "He could probably help."
The communicator pings a few times before we hear Fishlegs's questioning voice. "Tuffnut, you called. What happened?"
"Astrid's been shot, we can't go to the hospital because they think she shot the Mayor, and now we're fugitives!" Tuffnut yells quickly into the device.
"Oh Damn" Fishlegs says, and then there is static over the device before a familiar voice speaks up. "All of you head to the abandoned subway tunnels. There should be an entrance not far from where you are flying. Fishlegs will show you the way from there."
We dive down towards the old subway entrance, and Tuffnut asks over the comm. "Fish, dude. What are you doing with Phantom?"
"It's a long story." Fishlegs sighs. "I'll tell you all later. Once you're on the subway platform head left. Keep going straight until you come to the next platform."
Soon we fly quickly through the tunnels, but I was getting sleepier by the minute.
"Hang in there Astrid." Ruffnut yells to wake me up, and snaps her fingers in my face.
We reach the next platform in record time, and we see Fishlegs waving us over to a hidden door in the wall. It was a slightly shorter flight, as we headed down the secret corridor, and we soon came to a wide open area that was lit with fluorescent lights.
The area was filled with computers, and other kinds of devices.
"Put her on the table." Came from the side, as we saw Phantom dash into the room holding a first aid box.
Tuffnut, and Snotlout put me on the table, and Stormfly separates from me.
"She lost a lot of blood." I hear stated. "Astrid, I'm going to give you an anesthetic. When you wake up you'll feel better."
I feel a needle penetrate my arm, and soon my eyelids start feeling heavy. I'm slowly drifting off to sleep. The blurs of my friends quickly fading.
"Beep…..Beep…Beep" I hear as I groggily open my eyes. The left side of my side was still in pain. I groan, and then I hear a chair scraping.
"Astrid don't move. You'll tear your stitches." I hear, and recognize the voice as belonging to Ruffnut.
Soon the others come into the room. "What…" I try to say, while sitting up slightly, but hiss in pain. Phantom comes closer to me, and hands me water, and some pain medication. "This should help. Just don't sit up too quickly. I don't enjoy stitching people up." Was all he said.
I take the pain medication swallowing it in one gulp, and then emptying the glass.
"What happened?" I ask taking in all the weary faces.
"You've been out for four days. The Mayor was taken to the hospital, and is now recovering in a private room. The Deputy Mayor has taken over, and you guys are being blamed for the shooting." Phantom begins to summarize. "The Deputy Mayor has disbanded the Riders, and he has hired bounty hunters to search for you all. They have commandeered your tower, and are led by a man named Drago Bludfist, who, if my intelligence is correct, is also the head of the Red Death. The city is now currently under martial law as well."
"This is worse than I thought. We literally walked into their trap." I put my head in my hand trying to understand the situation.
"They framed you for crimes you didn't commit, and made you out to be a villain, and now they framed us for murder." I groan out. "Oh my Thor. My boyfriend thinks I shot his father!" I say in despair.
"Astrid," Phantom says to get my attention. "First of all the Red Death's plan was five years in the making, and I would be an idiot if I didn't have fail-safes in place. Also I chose the villain path myself. As for your boyfriend thinking that you shot his father, I can tell you that's the farthest thing from the truth."
"How could you even know that?" I ask.
Phantom then says "Toothless separate." And in front of us stands none other than Hiccup. "I know I got some explaining to do so please don't kill me." He quickly says holding his arms out in supplication.
All I said in astonishment was "Hiccup!" and then I promptly fainted again.
