The portal exited in Blinky's library; no real surprise there. It was the one location they'd all spent the most time in, aside from the Hero's Forge. Jim instantly looked around as the others exited, the portal closing being Claire.

No Blinky. The library was empty.

"Ok, he still might be somewhere," Jim said mostly to encourage himself.

"Someone's bound to have seen him," agreed Toby, already heading towards the door. The group stepped into the bustling streets of Trollmarket, and even to them the tension in the air was noticeable.

Then someone spotted them.

"The Trollhunter is back!" Cheering broke out, and a crowd gathered.

"Had anyone seen Blinky?" Jim tried to ask, but it was hard to be heard over the gathering Trolls and their questions about his mission. Draal growled softly about to silence them himself, but it was a call from another that quieted the crowd.

"Everyone, calm down!"

"Vendel!" Jim gasped in relief as the leader of Trollmarket appeared on a higher level. Vendel pointed at the group with his staff.

"Stay right there. And the rest of you, go about your business. Yes, our Trollhunter had returned, which means this matter will soon be dealt with if you give him space to do so!" Slowly the crowd dispersed, and though it felt line an hour-long wait within a couple of minutes Vendel had reached them.

"Vendel, have you seen Blinky? Is he here?" Jim asked even before Vendel could say a word. Much to their dismay the wise Troll frowned at the questions.

"I was about to ask you the same question." Draal swore quietly, and Aaarrrggghh's face fell. Jim seemed to deflate, Claire putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh man!" exclaimed Toby. "So he's not here?"

"No one has seen him in some time," Vendel confirmed. "I was wanting to tell him that two absent Trolls have been confirmed. Also, someone has entered the Vault without permission, and several artifacts are missing." He gave each of them a hard look. "I severely hope you are not about to confirm that Blinkous is the one who is responsible?"

"We think he went after my dad; he's got the missing Trolls," Jim explained. He took a breath and looked at Vendel. "What's missing from the Vault?"

"Several protective items, three healing crystals from the infirmary, and the Band of the Kukra, a metal band worn on the hand that had several ice-related powers, all aggressive."

"Could any of those interfere with my staff?" asked Claire. Vendel thought a bit, then nodded.

"It is possible. One of the rings missing can create a protective aura to block attacks, but it also can deflect divination magic. If your staff cannot sense Blinkous it stands to reason it would be unable to create a portal to him."

"So how do we find him!" Jim looked at Draal. "Did the message say anything about where he might be?" Draal shook his head.

"It just named a - hotel, though I don't remember what. Blinky deleted the message so Bar-burah wouldn't hear it."

"He wouldn't have them there," Claire reasoned. "No way!" Abruptly Aaarrrggghh perked up and touched Toby's pocket when he kept his phone.

"Track Jim. Stalkling." He looked at Jim. "Track Blinky?"

"Yeah! We used my phone to track you when you were running from the stalkling, Jimbo!"

"And I have the same app, so I can track Blinky! Brilliant, Aaarrrggghh!" The Krubera gave a pleased rumble as Jim quickly pulled out his phone and brought up the app. "C'mon, c'mon...there!" A capital 'B' lit up over a location on the edge of Arcadia Oaks.

"Are you kidding?!"Toby exclaimed. "That's nearly on the other side of town! It'll take us almost an hour to get there!"

"Jim house closer."

"Still almost twenty minutes." Jim groaned.

"But that isn't!" Claire exclaimed, pointing to a building at one intersection about two blocks from the site even as she pulled her staff out and extended it. "I recognize that place - it's a bakery where I get my birthday cakes every year!" This time the portal stuck without trouble.

"Good luck, Trollhunter," Vendel said as they left. "And being that fool Galadrigal home."

00000000

They exited the portal to a deserted street, and with only a moment to orientate themselves the group took off towards the construction site. They would get there within two minutes...

But even before then they could hear the gunshots.

"Blinky!" Jim's heartrate was racing and not from the run. They were still about a block away.

"Trollhunter! Trollhunter!" a voice called. A pair of younger Trolls were peeking out from behind some foliage, gesturing at them.

"Blinky?" Jim asked. One pointed to the site down the road.

"We - We don't know where we are!" the other exclaimed. "Blinkous is in there - the far back one!" Jim looked and saw a flash of light, faint but with an accompanying bang of gunfire.

"Go!" Claire urged, spinning her staff. "I'll get them back to Trollmarket then follow."

"Right. Draal, Aaarrrggghh, Toby, with me." As they hurried on he explained his plan. "My dad won't be alone. He'll have friends. Draal, Toby, I'll need you to distract them. Don't kill anyone, or hurt them, if you can avoid it. Aaarrrggghh and I will try to get in and find Blinky and get him out." They nodded and Aaarrrggghh pulled Jim up onto his back. The two split off, moving around the sides of the fence while Draal charged in with a battle cry, tucking into a roll and slamming hard intro a support pole holding a spotlight. It fell and shattered, blanketing a section in darkness. Gunfire soon sounded turning the area into chaos. Well, Draal certainly knew how to get attention!

"How get in?" asked Aaarrrggghh as he boosted Jim over the fence then jumped over himself. Jim looked at the third building, trying to find a way in. From his angle he couldn't see a door or anything...but he did see a solution!

"There! The scaffolding!" He pointed. "If you can boost me up there, I can get in." Aaarrrggghh nodded, but then frowned.

"Not hold me. Too small." Jim gave a small smile. He knew it pained the gentle giant of a Troll to not be able to get inside to help his oldest friend.

"Check on the others, and if they're doing okay then see if you can find a door or something on another side to get in." Aaarrrggghh nodded and headed towards the sounds of conflict even as another two lights went out, one smashed by a thrown piece of metal from Draal and he could only presume either Clair or Toby had gotten the other.

Not my best plan, but I hope it works!

So Jim began to climb.

0000000

Blinky panted as he ducked behind a large chunk of ice he'd formed at act as a barrier; perhaps not quite the intended purpose of the Band, but very useful. He'd had to make several such barriers as James Sr had pulled out a second clip, then a third. Jim had been right about his father; James was a marksman. He never rushed his shots, moving for better angles and using the barriers as well for his own protection.

With a grim expression the scholarly Troll looked down at his waist. Two crystals were dim, their power spent. He sighed and touched the third, and felt it's power bleed into him, closing a few minor nicks he'd taken, easing the ache from a twisted ankle, and giving refreshed strength.

One more shot landing home, and things would turn dire.

Suddenly there was a loud commotion from outside as well as a bellowing roar that Blinky recognized all to well.

Draal!

"Ahh!" James Sr laughed as he clicked yet another clip into his pistol - how many did he have?! - and darted around for another shot that took a chunk front the ice barrier. "Looks like your valiant leader had arrived! I look forward to meeting the Trollhunter!"

A sudden, heart-stopping thought hit Blinky like one of Draal's fists: what would James Sr do if he found out Jim was the Trollhunter?

Would he shoot his own son, kill him?

"Worry less about the Trollhunter!" yelled Blinky as he made a dash to another barrier, baiting James Sr to make a shot unprepared. The human was grazed by a frozen shard, but Blinky cried out as he felt a nick clip his leg, a hairline scratch he could do nothing about. "Your fight is with me!"

"As you wish!"

BLAM BLAM BLAM!