Twenty-Nine
Hiccup stared at the enormous face leering at him through the screens and frowned, his concussed brain struggling to process the words.
"My-my mother?" he murmured, shaking his head to try to clear his thoughts. "She-she died in a car wreck." The man on the screen leaned closer and roared with laughter, the dark sound echoing furiously through the room.
"And how did that wreck happen?" he sneered. "Your father was harrying my operations and I had to distract him, take him off the case. So my men ran your car off the road. I aimed to kill you both but only your mother died. No matter-it achieved the aim. He was replaced and his successor was a man with fewer morals and a blinder eye." Hiccup swallowed, anger clearing his muzziness more effectively than a gallon of coffee, a good night's sleep and a slap to the face.
"You killed my mother as a distraction?" he shouted. The man in the screen stopped laughing and his dead black eyes inspected the skinny shape like a nasty insect. "You ruined my life-as a distraction? Are you some kind of fucking psychopath?"
The interrogator cuffed his head hard and and winced but continued to glare furiously at the image on the screen. The man began to chuckle at the battered, defiant shape. "Yes, I believe that I am," he growled and narrowed his dead eyes. "But you…you hate him, don't you?"
Hiccup glared back at him, rage boiling in his chest. His expression answered more eloquently than any words.
"Join me," the man said suddenly, his low growl enticing. "Join me-and you can help me get my vengeance-and yours-on him!"
He considered it-he really did. All those years of absence, starting when his mother died, flooded back and they hurt, so much more than he would ever admit to anyone-even Gobber or Astrid. He had seen the little image of himself at his mother's funeral so many times but he could actually recall that horrible cold day, alone and utterly miserable, all but ignored by his father and broken-hearted at the loss of his mother. The image didn't show the tiny boy desperately grasping for his father's hand-only to be brushed away. It didn't show his tear-streaked face and feel the misery as he was scolded for crying-at his mother's funeral, for Odin's sake! And that was really, truly the last image there was of him and his father. Since then, there had been no presence at plays, sports events, graduations, parents' evenings…no trace at all that Stoick was his father. He knew that Stoick blamed him for Valka's death-for living when Valka had died-but now he had learned that it was all at Stoick's door.
He felt his body shaking with anger. Stoick had abandoned him after the funeral. Gobber had been much more of a father to Hiccup than Stock ever had been and the young man guessed he would not be alive now if not for his de factor father. But Gobber was on active service as well and couldn't be there all the time-and in his absence, in the care of uninterested housekeepers, there had been the bullying, the taunts, the repeated beatings…that over the years had rent him apart, broken him down until he had become the wretched joke he was today. He closed his eyes, his entire body rigid. And then there had been the worst, the time he had been just abandoned by his father and taken eventually to the home…where what they had done…still haunted his nightmares; where cutting into his own flesh offered the only crumb of solace; where he had seriously, genuinely considered ending his life. Stoick had abandoned him to that, leaving him behind like trash without a second thought…
Yes, he hated his father. And yes, the offer of vengeance was attractive…
His forest green eyes flicked up to the cruel face in the screens, the scars ugly on his dark skin. His eyes were dead, cold, emotionless: the eyes of a shark. His expression was triumphant, enjoying toying with the boy. This was the face of the sadist who had ordered his men to drive a car off the road containing a young woman and her three year old son. Who had ordered that they die. Two innocent lives-one ended, one ruined on a whim-purely to facilitate his own aggrandisement and enrichment. He had wanted to stop Stoick, who was at least investigating and chasing this monster, trying to end his evil. The monster who had murdered his wife and tried to murder his son. The monster who had caused his mother's death and the cascade of disasters that became Hiccup's life.
So Hiccup hated this man even more.
"Go fuck yourself!" he said in a level voice. The interrogator slammed his fist hard across his face and he grunted in pain, blood spraying onto his shoulder from his mouth. He lifted his face up. "I will never join you." His hair was grasped and his head dragged up, his throat bobbing as they pulled his head back past the point of pain.
"That was foolish," the scarred man growled. "I was willing to let you live but now…Stoick will have to watch his little runt die slow and painfully…" Hiccup forced a sarcastic laugh from his lips.
"Better check he'll even take the call," he gasped. "He doesn't give a fuck for me. He never has. So you may be wasting your efforts, whoever you are!" The man slammed his fist down on an unseen table, the crash reverberating through the room.
"You will learn to fear me, boy!" he roared. Hiccup eyed the enraged man and caught the edge of the mark he had drawn for his father on the wall behind the man. He seemed to be in an office but he was clearly nowhere near this prison. And he definitely had a short fuse and wasn't used to being defied.
"Kinda hard when I've no idea who you are!" he shot back painfully. "And bad luck! You won't get Stoick to even notice I'm gone!"
"I AM BLUDVIST!" the man roared, the sound echoing through the room and leaving sudden silence. Hiccup stared and his eyes widened. He had heard that name unfortunately and from what he had gleaned, he realised there was no escape from this.
"Sorry-is that a name or a medical condition?" he taunted. The man was visibly shaking in rage and Hiccup, though he felt his anger start to wane and fear begin to take over, felt a small flicker of satisfaction.
"I will contact your father, boy-and believe me, he WILL accept the call. And then he can watch as we dismember you, piece by bloody piece!" he roared, jerking his hand to his interrogator. "Prepare him!"
oOo
Cami and I made good time through the ducts, emerging by the armoury. She tranked the guard efficiently and we swiftly bundled the man up in a locker, tied and gagged. He would be out for an hour or so anyway. We both took pistols with extra clips. I would have preferred the trank guns we used in the base but we would have to use what we could-though I wasn't keen to run in all guns blazing, for fear of harming Hiccup.
We slithered back into the ducts and Cami checked her com for Hiccup's location. The guards had been sloppy: our coms looked very much like military issue watches and they had foolishly left them on us-so we could be located. Hiccup had been taken to the same room where we been taken before and I felt my stomach churn with worry, recalling what they had done to us there. Cami caught my expression and patted me on the shoulder.
"He'll be fine," she tried to reassure me but I stared at her with a frown.
"You can't say that," I told her roughly. "This is Hiccup we're talking about. The person most attractive to trouble in the known Universe! He's being targeted because of his father-again-and the poor bastard has already suffered far more than his share of shit due to that!" She looked at me in shock. I was pretty mad now.
"What do you mean?" she asked me suspiciously.
"I mean that he was pretty much abandoned by his father when he was a kid, bullied and abused at school, hauled halfway across the world to BERK with no say or choice in the matter, treated like crap by all you assholes, abused by Dagur, maimed by his Skrill and kidnapped and tortured by Alvin and Dagur!" I said, running out of breath. "I don't know why people don't just treat him at least like a human being. I mean-he's smart, funny, sarcastic, kind, patient, thoughtful and…oh damn, I hate the idea that he's in trouble again because he doesn't deserve it!"
"Wow. We really missed that," Cami murmured, inspecting me thoughtfully, then turned to her com. "Eret-a diversion would be useful. Any time this year possibly."
"Yeah, yeah-you try getting Snotlout and mini-Snotlout to do anything you order!" Eret grumbled over the com.
"Welcome to Hiccup's world," I shot back. "Snotlout-unless you want me to punch you into next week-get that bloody diversion going. I can't believe I'm saying this but-go nuts!"
"For you, Princess, anything!"
"Eurgh!" I commented. "Blow something up, already!" As unnecessary whooping sounded over the com, I rolled my eyes and winked to Cami. "Lead on, maestro," I invited her.
"Let's go and kick some ass!" Cami grinned and we scrambled towards the room, ready for action.
oOo
Eret rolled his eyes and shouted at Gustav, who was looping the loop, his Monstrous Nightmare on fire. They hadn't actually done anything yet though it was attracting attention. Eret suspected that wasn't the best idea since they had no idea about the numbers or offensive capabilities of the enemy. Not for the first time, he wished Heather-his Heather, not the skewed version that had come back-was by his side. She was steady, tactically astute and a good counterbalance to the idiocy of the others.
He threw Skullcrusher into a tight banked turn then targeted something which looked like a CCTV tower and his dragon obligingly blew it up. Finally taking the hint, Hookfang and Fanghook weighed in and blasted a generator apart. Eret winced as he battle cries of 'Snotlout! Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi!' and 'Fire it up!' echoed across the complex.
Klaxons began to sound and searchlights scoured the night sky for the attackers.
Eret saw guards run out, weapons raised and leaned lower over the armoured dragon. His hands tightened on the saddle as bullets began to zing through the frosty night air. "Shall we give them something to really worry about?" he asked his dragon with a grin and Skullcrusher roared, then arrowed down at the defenders…
oOo
Hiccup had been stripped to waist and was secured to the chair by his wrists and ankles. His prosthesis had posed them a brief challenge but they had decided just to rope his left knee to the chair leg and the ropes were biting painfully into the sensitive flesh of his stump. He had tried pulling against his bonds but they were depressingly firm. And the interrogator had left then returned a few minutes later rather worryingly with a silver metal case that he had rested on a trestle table and ceremonially opened.
The fact he had then put on surgical gloves just made Hiccup even more apprehensive.
The interrogator activated the link to Bludvist and the man gave a nasty smile, inspecting the young prisoner. Hiccup felt profoundly uncomfortable under that knowing gaze, always shy about his appearance anyway after so many years of cruel taunts. He knew he was lean verging on skinny, his muscles toned from riding Toothless but his skin was marred by bruises and welts. The white scars on his wrists were visible as were the red scars across his back. He clenched his fists and lifted his chin, taking a slow breath to calm himself and try not to disgrace his father and his friends.
"Hey, guys-I'm sure we can discuss this," he suggested in a pleasant voice. The interrogator backhanded him and he grunted in pain. Then the man walked back to his case and inspected the instruments within as Bludvist narrowed his eyes at the false bravado.
"You may not want to talk to me, Stoick-but perhaps you have some final words for your son?" Bludvist sneered. Hiccup started and half of the wall-sized screen changed to an vastly inflated image of his father whose eyes widened as he was patched into the conference call. Hiccup glanced up: Stoick's face was definitely concerned.
"Wasting your time…" he muttered thickly.
"Hiccup?" the General gasped. "Bludvist, you leave him out of this! He…"
"He seems to have inherited your stubbornness and stupidity in crossing the wrong person and speaking when he should stay quiet," Bludvist growled. "Jarkan-we need a little demonstration, if you will?"
The interrogator lifted a scalpel and walked deliberately towards Hiccup, who paled and clenched his fists even tighter. He swallowed. The man lifted the scalpel and grabbed Hiccup's left wrist, then pressed it down and dug the blade into his arm, slicing the blade up in a long cut along the length of his forearm. Stoick's eyes widened in horror.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" he roared.
"Dad…no…" Hiccup grunted, feeling the blade turn in his arm. Tears of pain burned his eyes and he grimaced. Blood began to trickle from the deep slice. The man leaned close.
"Hope you never wanted to use this again," he sneered at the prisoner. "I'm gonna cut it off, piece by piece." He pulled the scalpel out, slammed the fist down against the metal arm of the chair as Hiccup cried out in shock and pain. His hand loosened a little and the man snatched it open, pressing it, splayed, against the metal arm. He pressed down with his whole weight as he laughed at Hiccup's suddenly fearful face. Then he lifted his scalpel against the little finger. "First one to go…" he murmured and dug the blade in.
Hiccup screamed.
oOo
My blood ran cold as I heard the scream and I kicked the grille open, sliding out and raising my gun. The slimy man who had tortured us before had Hiccup strapped to a chair, a bloody scalpel digging into his hand. I didn't hesitate: I fired.
Three shots all hit the man and he flew back, blood spraying from the impacts. Two chest, one neck. He wasn't going to get up. But I was already moving, taking down another of the four guards. Cami scampered out behind me and shot a second. Bullets began to zing around us but I was rolling now, emptying my clip into the man nearest me. He went down in the hail of bullets and I rolled and reloaded as Cami tranked the last man. I looked up, checked we were clear then bounced to my feet.
"Door!" I commanded, stuffing the gun into my jeans waistband and running to Hiccup as Cami went to guard our exit. "Oh god, what have you done now?" I murmured.
"Me?" he murmured back, sounding weary. His hand and arm were bleeding badly. "I think it was him!" He jerked his head in the direction of the screen and I stared at the ugly face. I lifted my gun, then shot the camera that was patching us in. I saw his face jerk in shock and he leaned towards his console, screaming orders to whoever else was in this complex to get them to kill us. I shot the screen as well and watched it smash then die with satisfaction.
"Can't leave you for five minutes," I grumbled as I grabbed the scalpel from the dead interrogator and began to saw through the ropes. I was looking around for anything to bind his wounds with as he was freed. He was listing, his face pale. As soon as his arms were free, he gripped his bleeding hand fiercely and bent forward in pain. Once he was completely untied I found some wadding in the case and pressed it hard against the deep slice in Hiccup's hand and then I looked for his clothes.
"Astrid…" he murmured, his voice wavering. I snatched his shirt and helped him on with it, pulling up the sleeve and binding the scarf tightly round his sliced arm. I sighed: blood was a pain to get out.
"I'm not leaving without you so don't even think it," I said tightly.
"I wasn't. Thank you," he said in a genuinely relieved voice. "I really need to get outta here-NOW! He will send every man he has after us!" I glanced at Cami and she nodded, so we ran for the corridor-and I grabbed Hiccup as I realised he was struggling to keep up. He was leaning on me, staggering as we headed for the main door. Until we heard the sound of running feet and the crack of automatic weapons being cocked. I stiffened and we shrank back into a recess.
"Any other routes?" I asked as an explosion sounded outside. The lights flickered and dimmed.
"Way I came in," Cami suggested. I glanced up at Hiccup.
"How do you fancy crawling through ducts?" I asked him. He grimaced.
"If it doesn't mean more people hitting me or trying to cut bits off, then it's fine with me," he said wearily. We drew back into an alcove and I covered the corridor as Cami wrestled the grille open and scampered in. Hiccup dropped to his knees and awkwardly scrabbled in. As soon as he was vanished, I dived after them, hauling the grille closed. We began to move along-and then the lights went out.
Another explosion rocked the complex.
"Snotlout," I guessed. Hiccup paused.
"What in the name of Loki…" he muttered. I sighed as Cami activated a mini LED light and crawled on.
"The General sent us when he found your car," she explained continuing on. "Eret, Snot and mini-Snot are causing some mayhem as a diversion."
"At least we're getting them to do something they can manage," Hiccup said roughly, crawling slowly. He couldn't put any weight on his left arm and wasn't fitting well in the cramped space. His long legs were the problem and he was clearly struggling with his wounds from the beating. The explosions got closer.
"Swiftsoar?" Cami hissed and the dragon gave a little croaking noise and then rumbled deeply. She frowned, then sped up and I nearly ran into Hiccup as he paused ahead of me.
"She doesn't sound happy," he said worriedly.
"No, I think that's Cami's happy voice," I murmured.
"Swiftsoar," he said slowly. "Go first-I'm unarmed." I gaped but he pressed himself against the side of the duct and I managed to slide past him, our bodies almost sliding over one another. I paused and laid a hand on his face, visible in the dim light from the coms.
"Stay behind me, Dragon Boy," I said softly. "I don't want you hurt." I felt his face move into a slight smile under my touch.
"More,' he murmured. "Me neither." I slid forward-and then I heard Cami arguing very loudly with unknowns, her weapon tossed behind her-within reach and under the cover of the cowering dragon. I grasped it and lifted my com.
"Eret, Snotlout, Gustav-Cami is in trouble!" I hissed. "Get 'em!" I heard roars outside and Hiccup pressed against me. His hand found mine.
"Hang back," he advised. "They won't hold back!" And the roars grew louder, accompanied by the roar and explosion of a wall of flame hitting the ground. There were screams and cries and the furious growl of a dragon quite close by. I saw the grille open up ahead on me as Cami's dragon moved away and I erupted out, seeing a man aiming at Cami. Her dragon was trying to wrap her wings around her but I suddenly had the vision of the bullets ripping through Toothless's wings in the Refinery.
They have armour piercing bullets!
And as I was thinking, I was also moving with purpose. I tranked him before I emptied the clip of my pistol in the direction of more shouts that seemed to be approaching at a run. Hiccup achingly scrambled out of the duct, his green eyes scanning the locale urgently, and then he launched at me, bearing me to the ground as bullets stitched the wall above my head. I gazed up as he lay across me, his green eyes staring deeply into my own.
"No point rescuing me if I lose you," he told me roughly, not moving as another explosion sounded from the direction of the gunman-along with shouts and whooping.
"WHOO! FIRE IT UP!"
"That's a stupid battle cry!"
"Yeah-but it's mine!"
"Snotlout! Snotlout…"
"My thoughts exactly," I murmured as he leaned forward and his lips hesitantly met mine. I closed my eyes and raised my hands to grasp his head, leaning into the kiss.
"Ah-hem!" Eret's voice was loud enough to remind us that this wasn't the best place to eat each other's face. "Get a room-back at base, preferably!" Reluctantly, Hiccup pulled away and I scrambled up, thrusting my hand out to help him up. Cami was already on her dragon and she winked at me.
"Wanna ride, sister?" she invited. I glanced at Hiccup but Eret had already landed and had offered his hand to the injured man. Hiccup sighed and allowed himself to be pulled up behind the Rumblehorn rider. I jumped up behind Cami and the dragons shot up as Gustav and Snotlout mounted one last devastating strafing run that left half the complex in flames and in darkness.
"Snotlout! Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi!"
"Is he going to do this all he way back?" I asked Hiccup over the com.
"Probably," he muttered. He sounded desperately weary. I hung tight to Cami and she drifted her dragon closer to Eret's so I could see him. He ghosted a smile just visible in the moonlight. "Thanks for the save, Astrid. I really mean it."
"What was he doing?" I asked, worried by the detachment in his voice. Something really bad had happened, something he didn't want anyone to hear…well, except me. He paused.
"We can talk later," he said quickly, changing the subject.. "I think I owe you coffee." I facepalmed.
"Oh no," I groaned. "I think this date has to definitely count as a fail." I heard a small chuckle from his end of the com.
"Better luck next time," he smirked.
"What makes you think there will BE a next time?" I teased him.
"Hmm. Thought I was your boyfriend?" I groaned: he had remarkable recall for someone who had just been beaten to a pulp at the time.
"You heard that?"
"May have been the concussion speaking but I was sure you called me your boyfriend as you kicked their asses!"
"I'll kick yours if you mention that again!" I shot back.
"You wouldn't kick a one-legged…" he began then caught my expression. "Shutting up," he finished hastily with a more genuine smile.
"I could use that coffee right about now," I groaned as Snotlout and Gustav continued arguing…
oOo
The door to the General's office swung silently open and a slender, jet-haired figure slid in. There was a bulky shape just visible in the chair, the lights not on and a single cut-glass whisky tumbler half-filled with amber liquid set on the blotter, reflecting the light entering through the door. The chair was turned away from the door and gentle snores filled the air.
Heather lifted her pistol and emptied the entire clip into the man's back before racing for the dragon pens.
