FORTY TWO: Blood Debts.

Astrid's eyes had widened as she had seen Toothless, restored and sleek, waiting for them in the hanger and she had smiled.

"Toothless," she breathed and ran forward, resting her hands against the restored hull of the Night Strike, the paint black and smooth with a pair of green eyes painted on the cockpit. Hiccup gave a small smile.

"I finally had the time, the means and the motivation to bring him back to his prime," he admitted, walking to stand alongside her, his hand caressing the smooth paint job. She looked up at him. "Though he is no longer toothless. I've armed him." She folded her arms.

"Really?" she asked with a smirk and he grinned.

"Why wouldn't I? he asked. "Though I never expected to take him on a trip like this…" He turned to face her. "Do you trust me, Astrid?" Instantly, she nodded.

"I mean, you are the best-and craziest-pilot I ever knew," she admitted, feeling his hands rest lightly on her arms. "And I know you won't let anything happen to me. But are you sure this will work?" Hiccup gave a lopsided smile.

"We've been here before," he admitted. "And if all else fails, Johann is a businessman. I could buy her back." And then his brows dipped. "But I really really want to stop him, once and for all. Because he lied about my so-called 'gambling debts' that were actually Eret's. He helped Eret and Viggo break my father and steal everything. They destroyed my family home. They tried to destroy Berk. And Johann wants to destroy the Archipelago for his own enrichment." Astrid sighed.

"And now he has our daughter," she commented. He nodded and stepped back, gesturing towards the door.

"So we go fetch her," he said, watching her clamber in-and then pausing as he saw Snotlout, Fishlegs, Heather, Cami and the twins all walk up.

"We're coming too," Snotlout said. Then he grinned. "I mean, what sort of bodyguard would I be if I let you go without me?"

"A sane one," Hiccup told him honestly as Snotlout punched him in the shoulder gently.

"And Ingen-have we ever let you down? Ever let you go off on your crazy schemes without us?" Tuff asked him honestly as his eyes filled with gratitude…and then he looked to the raven-haired young woman.

"Heather…" he murmured but she smiled wanly.

"And I have to go," she admitted. "I need to see it ended. And she may need my help…" Astrid glanced over at the other woman and Heather nodded. Hiccup gestured.

"Then let's go," he said, settling them in and evicting Tuff from the pilot's chair, which he had occupied. Cami took the co-pilot seat and everyone else was strapped in as they slowly taxied out of the hanger and round a compressed gravel taxiway-to reveal a runway on the cliffs. It was short-but just long enough for Toothless and as Hiccup and Cami finished their checks, Astrid closed her eyes, hearing the engines build much quicker and smoother than she recalled them. And then the heavy hand of acceleration pressed her back in the chair and they rocketed along, the nose rapidly rising and the aircraft soaring out over Thor's Bay and up into the leaden sky.

"Everyone okay?" Hiccup asked as they accelerated north. "It will take us about an hour to get to the Northern Markets, because we don't want to attract too much attention. Toothless is a fast plane when he needs to be…but we need to try and sneak in. And we need to rendez-vous with Dagur on the way…" Heather's eyes brightened and she smiled.

"He'll make sure that Johann finally pays for his crimes," she murmured.

oOo

Zephyr had explored the room twice and found the door to the little cupboard was, in fact, a very tiny privy with a toilet and a single tap over an old basin. Relief had flooded her and she had managed to drink from the tap, not trusting the water. But there was no window and no other way out. She had tried the door, which was-predictably-locked-but she could hear the sounds of steps outside and she wondered what kind of people would stand by while a young woman was locked up like an animal.

She was taken by surprise when there were the sounds of a key turning in the lock and she backed away as the door opened-to reveal Johann. She backed up, breathing hard as the man carefully closed the door and then inspected her.

"How are you, Zephyr?" he asked with fake solicitude as he saw her looked anxious. "Enjoying your surroundings?" Her eyes narrowed, fire entering the sapphire orbs.

"This is a prison," she snapped. "Let me go, Johann!" He tutted.

"So familiar," he sighed. "And so naive. You think I will just let a valuable asset go?" She frowned.

"I'm a human being, not a possession," she argued as he advanced a pace. She backed up towards the bed.

"And yet, your father traded you for the debts he owes me," Johann told her, his tone turning hard. He eyed her up and down as she self-consciously crossed her arms in front of her chest. "And I am not prone to any sentimentality. I take what I want and indulge myself where I want." He took another pace towards her as she backed away-and found herself trapped in the corner of the room. She shook her head.

"You're an old man!" she spat as he reached out and grabbed her wrist, jerking her close.

"And I enjoy fucking young women," he whispered menacingly. "Especially those with some spirit." She spat in his face.

"Get away from me!" she hissed, her breaths accelerating with anxiety. He chuckled and lasciviously stroked her face, holding her still by the vicious grip on her wrist. His thick fingers stroked her lips, caressed her neck, then dropped to slide over her collar bones and her small breasts, heaving as her panicked breaths shuddered through her.

"No," he breathed in her ear. She pulled her head back as he continued to paw her but as he looked up, she slammed her head forward into his face. He bellowed as a sickening crunch of his nose breaking sounded. He shoved her back and a punch felled her, slamming her to the floor at his feet. He raised his fist again, blood trickling down his face and into his manicured beard-before he lowered his fist.

"I was going to be kind to you, Miss Zephyr," he spat, wiping his face and inspecting the blood on his hand. "But I see that I was in error. You don't deserve any consideration. So I'll sell you as I do all the other whores here. You could have been my private plaything…but I am sure you'll serve the clients just as well." She blinked as she looked up and slowly shook her head.

"No," she breathed. He turned away.

"The next person who walks through that door won't take no for an answer," he told her callously. "And you won't be able to stop him. I would just accept your fate, Miss Zephyr. Because you are never getting away."

The door slammed behind him and she covered her face, her shoulders shaking. Suddenly, the reality of her situation hit her and there was nothing she could imagine she could do to evade her fate.

"Help me," she whispered. "Odin, Freya, Thor…please…help…"

oOo

Fink observed everything carefully because he guessed that any information would be useful when he made his move to try to escape. The officers were sneering at his slender shape and the older men were rough and boisterous, treating him like a little kid and casually abusing him. Being shoved or pushed aside was nothing new but after the first few hours, Fink found it harder and harder to keep his temper and finally, he managed to get away from the mess. The food was good-because no one who wanted to inspire loyalty would even consider feeding their troops slop-but the exercises were brutal and Fink found himself exhausted, cold and aching all over.

But he got a good look at the snow cats, realising he could easily start and ride them-though he would need to find somewhere to go on them first. Somehow, there had to be a way to get a message out or smuggle himself off Icefell. Because his Mom had been hurt and he feared that his father…Eret…had sent his sister to the creepy Minister Trayder. So Fink needed to get away and find some way to rescue her. All he needed was a gun and a way off Icefell…before he ended up dead…

oOo

"DragonEdge One, this is Shattermaster, do you copy?"

The voice abruptly over the speaker jerked everyone alert and Hiccup smiled.

"Roger, Shattermaster, this is DragonEdge One. Good to hear your voice. What is your position?"

"We are off your port wing and maintaining position. Are you alone?" The voice over the radio was highly amused and Hiccup gave a low chuckle.

"Almost standing room only," he commented. "Including your sister-though I won't let her leave the aircraft, my friend."

"I should hope not," the voice said, the amusement obvious in his voice. "I presume you are armed?"

"Enough to defend myself," Hiccup announced. "You?"

"Always," the stranger said over the radio. "And my men. Heather-keep safe. I'll speak to you once we have sorted out Johann once and for all. Dagur out." Astrid looked over at the raven-haired women and then at Hiccup.

"Who is he?" she asked, her eyes wary. He smiled.

"A friend," he admitted. "He helped save my life and he's helped me many times before. His men are very efficient…" He smiled.

"And you're armed?" Astrid asked. He nodded, adjusting their course slightly.

"The house has a shooting range in the sub-basement…just in case," he revealed. "We've faced a lot of rough situations over the years-especially when I was a smuggler with Ruff, Tuff and Fish. And I have a lot to lose now-even more since I realised who Zeph and Fink are. So I made sure I'm an expert marksman and have a full license. As well as other things to protect myself…" Astrid gave a small smile. "And can you shoot?" She nodded.

"You know me-I always liked weapons-and I managed to go to the public range whenever I could," she reminded him. Chuckling, he gestured to the locker to the side of the twins.

"Hand out the ordnance, Snot," Hiccup ordered as they banked. "Northern Markets coming up. I'm putting us down as close to Betsy's as we can-and then we're going full Berserker…" He glanced over to his left and saw the heavy dark green transport matching them, the unmistakeable shape of Dagur giving him a thumbs-up through the cockpit window. Nodding an acknowledgement, Hiccup banked them round a little more and opened the channel as the distant shape of Traders' Isle appeared on the horizon. He winked at Astrid and then cleared his throat.

"Northern Control, this is DragonEdge One," he announced. "I need landing clearance for Betsy's, I have a very raucous Stag Party that needs to let off steam…"

"Roger, DragonEdge One," a clipped voice came over the com. "You are cleared for Strip 5, closest to the top of town. Have a pleasant stay!"

"Oh, I intend to," Hiccup replied cheerfully. "Have a nice day."

oOo

Zephyr had withdrawn to sit on the bed, her back to the wall and knees drawn up to her chest. Over and over, her mind replayed Johann's assault and her reaction-and she was appalled and shocked at how she reacted-because she had never imagined she would be able to do anything. Despite all those years of being told she was weak and clumsy and useless by her father, it seemed all the lessons and time with her Mom had taken root. She looked up at the door and blinked. The next time it opened…

And then she shook her head. She wasn't a possession, a slave…she was a free human being and she had every right to say no to unwanted attention and any intimate contact. And she didn't want to do…anything. She wanted to wait for the right time with someone she really liked or loved and for it to be an expression of love and affection, not an act of violence and lust on the part of some horny old man.

She stiffened because she could hear footsteps approach and she tensed. There was the sound of a key in the lock-and then the door opened to admit a man probably ten years older than her father, his eyes lightly glazed with alcohol and a definitely menacing look on his face. The door slammed behind him.

"You look scared," he commented, his voice rough from too many days spent in smoky rooms, drinking and gambling. Cool brown eyes swept up and down her slender shape. "Skinny too."

She didn't bother to reply but cautiously clambered off the bed and tried to back away-but he walked forward inexorably, crowding her back into a corner and grabbing her face, pressing his mouth over hers and kissing her roughly. She squeaked and struggled, gasping for breath when he pulled back.

"You're a virgin, ain't yer?" he growled. "Good. I paid extra for that." She shook her head dumbly, gagging at his stench and taking a quick breath.

"No," she murmured.

"No?"

"No," she repeated. "No. I refuse. Please leave."

He laughed in her face.

"Yer don't get to choose," he scorned and pressed her back against the wall, his mouth covering hers and tongue trying to push into her mouth as his hand roughly explored her chest. Eyes wide in horror she pulled her arms free and then swung them round, slamming them flat over his ears. He shuddered and gave a bellow of pain-and as he pulled back slightly, she kneed him in the nethers. As he curled forward with a groan, she jerked away, trying to escape but he grabbed her arm and swung her to face him. Flailing wildly, her hand closed on the wooden chair and fired with desperation, she swung it round as hard as she could, crashing the wood into the man's head. He staggered, blood tricking from his scalp. Instinct taking over, Zephyr grabbed the chair in both hands and slammed it on his head again and as he was moving still, one final time.

And then she realised that he was lying motionless on the floor, his head smeared with blood and the wooden chair in her hand. Eyes wide in shock, she stared at him and then she turned, slamming the chair into the mirror and hearing the tinkle of shattering glass. A sudden calm and determination had taken her over and she felt like a different person, not the timid nobody that her father always told her she was. No, she felt like the 'amazing and talented' young woman Tallon Fury had called her and somehow, recalling his calm, positive words made her feel like she could do anything. She scuttled to her clothes and searched her pockets, finding a paper tissue-and the folded cloth napkin that Fury had drawn on that she took everywhere with her. Then she used them to safely grasp two wickedly pointed shards of glass, one in each hand that she could use as weapons.

Stealthily, she inched round the supine shape of the man and stood behind the door, then took a deep breath.

"HELP!" she yelled. "Help! I need help! He's collapsed. Please-I need help!"

There was a pause and then the sounds of cursing and steps approaching. Backpedalling, she heard the key turn and the door open, a bulky man entering. He cursed as he saw the man unconscious on the floor but as he knelt down to check his pulse, Zephyr dashed past and out into the corridor. Glancing around, she sped down the red-painted hallway, the low level 'mood' lighting making the place look even more sinister than she had imagined. Her bare feet were soundless on the thick red shagpile as she ran, the mirror shard knives gleaming in her hands until she reached a fork in the hall. Immediately, she broke right and sprinted again, hearing shouts behind her. She ran harder, rounding a corner and bursting into a lounge that was clearly designed to look like an exclusive gentlemen's club, all dark wood panelled walls, leather chairs and dark traditional paintings of nudes staring sultrily down from a variety of sensual poses. There were a number of men sitting there, all older, richer and being served by scantily-clad waitresses with Johann playing the host. The air was thick with cigar smoke and a saxophone was playing quietly in the background as the Minister's eyes widened at the slender shape.

"YOU!" he spat as two men got to their feet. She brandished the makeshift knife in her right hand, concealing the second one carefully behind her back.

"Me," she told him. "And I am walking out of here. I am not a possession I am not a whore. I am free." He waved his men back and walked forward himself, a cruel expression on his face, his nose swollen from where she had earlier broken it.

"You are becoming more of a nuisance than you are worth," he sneered. "And far more trouble than Eret's debts are worth." He lunged forward and grabbed her wrist, hauling her close and twisting her wrist painfully to make her drop the weapon. But her other hand swung round and the shard of mirror slammed into his body, causing him to scream and pull back, releasing her. Bloody shard of glass still in her hand, she pulled away with a shocked expression on her face and even as Johann pressed his hand to the bloody wound, she ran for the door.

oOo

Astrid walked alongside Hiccup, her mind still in a whirl. Earlier today, she had been homeless with nothing and no hope, everything taken by the billionaire, Tallon Fury. But now Tallon was miraculously revealed as Hiccup-her Hiccup, the man she had always loved and whose death had broken her heart. And here they were, on Traders' Isle in the Northern Markets, walking up to the most infamous whorehouse in the North to rescue her daughter who had been traded by her vile now-ex husband for his gambling debts. And somehow, Hiccup had everything under control, his own private army spreading out, their commander winking before he had charged off with his team to flank the building.

The place was a melting pot of traders, smugglers, scoundrels and all other types of criminal from all over the Archipelago, the lawlessness of the place legendary. Traders didn't care what you did or how you came by it: as long as you had money, they were your friend and would deal in pretty much anything…meaning that the last resort would be to buy Zephyr back. But somehow, Astrid guessed that Hiccup would rather rescue her and end the man who thought he could buy and use young woman as unwilling cogs in his business.

Hiccup was walking determinedly forward, a gun stuck in the back of the waistband of his dark jeans, his leather jacket zipped shut and a "Dragon Isle Raiders' baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. The twins were walking steadily alongside, eyes front and game faces on and Fishlegs and Snotlout were flanking the group, also looking serious. And they were all armed.

"This is seriously the weirdest Batchelor party," Tuff commented as they swung onto the hard standing in front of the gaudy facade, the flashing pink neon sign proclaiming 'Betsy's-The Best Bang in The North'.

"Oh?" Fishlegs asked, frowning.

"Yeah-I mean, who brings a babe like Astrid to a Batchelor Party?" he asked. Ruff punched his shoulder.

"Hey-I'm a girl as well!" she reminded him but he chuckled.

"Sister Nut-if I ever got married-and the odds on that are pretty slim, what with my obvious insanity and chicken obsession-you would be the first person on the invitation list for my Batchelor Party!" She punched him again.

"You're damned right," she told him with an approving nod. "Or you'd never make it to the Temple on time. Or at all…" He head-butted her gently.

"Thanks, Butt-Elf," he murmured as they reached the ornate double door of the whorehouse. Instantly, the twins sprang forward and each pushed a door open to admit Hiccup with his entourage, walking in like a Prince. The men waiting in the room looked up in shock as he stopped in the middle of the floor and swept them with a cold gaze.

"I am looking for a young woman," he said clearly. "Yay high…" He held his hand a shade below Astrid's height. "Auburn hair, blue eyes, slender, scared. Where is she?"

"What's it to you?" a heavyset man asked, looking up over his cigar. Hiccup gave him a contemptuous look.

"She's my daughter," he ground out in the coldest voice any of them had heard. Snotlout and Fishlegs flanked him, both obviously with hands on weapons.

"Is she here?" Snotlout demanded.

"She may be…" a skinny unkempt man said.

"She ran away," a fat man commented, slapping a scantily-clad waitress on the rump. Hiccup dug in his pocket and pulled out a wad of fifty dollar bills, gently wafting them.

"Which way?" he demanded. Every hand shot out to point in the direction Zephyr had run-the door they had just come through-and Hiccup smirked-then flung the money into the air. As he turned back towards the main entrance, he was rewarded by the sight of the patrons, scrabbling around on their knees, pushing and shoving and fighting for the cash. One looked up and stumbled to his feet, intercepting Astrid and grabbing her arm.

"You fancy a spin, sweet cheeks?" he leered as she gave a roar of rage and wrenched her arm free, then punched him in the face. He went down like a felled tree, stunned as she loomed over him, her fists balled as she kicked him in the balls.

"Thank Thor that I don't have an axe, you lecherous bastard-because I would chop your nuts off and drop them down the nearest john!" she yelled at him. He cringed back, clutching desperately at his abused assets as Hiccup walked back to gently touch her arm.

"Milady," he murmured. "It's okay." She looked up and then stormed back out the entrance after her daughter. Hiccup gave a lopsided smile and then glared at the cringing man. "And if she didn't, I would," he added and then walked after her. The patrons all shared a glance and then scattered as the chatter of machine-gun fire started to sound from outside. The twins grinned and followed with Snot and Fishlegs bringing up the rear.

"Spread out," Snot ordered as Hiccup caught up with Astrid. She was rigid with anger, her eyes flashing.

"You could have just shot him," he pointed out as they glanced around. The way they came wasn't an option because they would have seen her as they approached and opposite was a parking lot with a sheer drop beyond. The only way was ahead, along a narrow road that skirted between a number of blank walls that formed the backs of workshops and businesses. Astrid frowned and pointed to a dark patch on the floor. She crouched down and tentatively touched it, the tips of her fingers turning red with the still-warm and sticky liquid

"Blood," she murmured and raced off. Hiccup ran after her, his steps echoing from the walls, the damp and smears of mould and moss making the place smell unpleasant. There were a few dumpsters that clustered by obviously barred doors and a couple of narrow spaces between the buildings that he glanced down-but saw nothing. And they headed nowhere, offering no prospect for escape for a terrified young woman. In fact, his intellect was telling him that she would keep on running forward, as fast and far as she could to try to get away, to try to find other people who would help her-though the chances of finding anyone like that in this damned and miserable place were slim. He could hear the sounds of the others running behind him but Astrid was pulling away, sprinting without any heed for the race, determined to find her daughter. As he watched, she suddenly swerved to the left and vanished from sight down a small lane that had light at the end-and two shapes wrestling, silhouetted against the grey skies.

"GET OFF!" The shout echoed from ahead and he accelerated as he recognised Zephyr's voice, higher than usual and filled with fear and panic. As he closed, he recognised the shape of Johann, facing the squirming Zephyr, who was restrained roughly by one of his guards. As Hiccup closed, Astrid was already within feet, her fists clenched as she watched him roughly snatch the weapon from her hand. It was a bloodstained shard of glass, the end wrapped in a stained piece of cloth. Johann slapped her roughly.

"You know, I wish you had just accepted your fate, Miss Zephyr-and then I wouldn't need to do this," he sneered, grabbing her wrist and forcing her hand open, He lifted the bloody glass shard over her fingers. "When I slice through the tendons, you won't be able to hold a knife or a pencil or anything again. But you will be able to lie back and be fucked like a good whore…" he breathed. Stopping by Astrid, Hiccup drew himself up.

"I wouldn't do that," he told Johann, walking forward. Johann's eyes narrowed.

"You turn up entirely too often, Mr Fury," he sneered. An explosion sounded behind them and Hiccup smiled.

"I promise this is the last time," Hiccup told him. "I just want the girl." Johann glared at him, the swelling around his broken nose and blood staining on his shirt evidence of her resistance.

"I'm afraid I've wanted her for a long time and now she's mine…" he said. "Her father gave her to me in payment for his considerable gambling debts…"

"She's a human being, not a possession!" Astrid spat. "He has no right to hand her over. I am her mother and I demand her you hand her back!" Johann glanced at her dismissively.

"No," he said brutally. "He owes me millions in debts. This girl is payment for those debts."

"Then I will settle them for her," Hiccup offered calmly as the young woman stiffened at his voice. Her eyes lit with hope and Johann inspected her, then shook his head.

"No," he said. "I have wanted her for a long time. This is not longer business but personal. I'm keeping her."

Hiccup lifted his chin.

"I was really hoping you would say that," he murmured as Johann's eyes widened in shock, a flicker of recognition crossing the gaze for an instant. But he didn't have a chance to move as Hiccup snatched out his gun and fired, over and over. Astrid was also firing, the pistol held securely in both hands as she shot the man at the same moment. Slammed back by the impacts, he spun, bullets ripping through his chest and then Johann collapsed to the ground. Unerringly, Hiccup swung his weapon round to point at the guard holding the trembling Zephyr and shot once without hesitation. The guard went down as well as Astrid lowered her gun.

"Zeph? Are you okay?" she asked as the girl gave a sob and ran towards her. Flinging herself into her mother's arms, Zephyr buried her head in Astrid's shoulder and clung to her, sobbing. "Shh, shh-I'm here now…" she soothed the girl. Then she looked up as Hiccup walked closer. "Thank you," she whispered and he nodded, glancing down the alleyway as the others ran up, summoned by the sounds of gunfire. There were more shots behind them and the sounds of sirens were closing

"We need to move," Snotlout reported. "Dagur's band are involved in a gun battle with Johann's men. The authorities are on their way-and I think they may side with Johann."

"Good luck with that," Hiccup muttered, glancing at the dead man. "Damn. I promised not to kill any of them."

"What?"

"Nothing important, Snot," the billionaire murmured. But his cousin gave a nasty smile.

"I'll sort this," he said, beckoning Fishlegs to come to his side. "We'll ensure Johann ends up where he deserves…" But Hiccup shook his head.

"It's no longer important. He's no longer important. Guys, I want you to go back and get everyone out of Betsy's," Hiccup ordered. "Dagur will have swept the place already and I suspect most of the clients will have escaped already. But please warn the women to escape as well. There may well be others like Zeph who aren't here voluntarily."

"Almost certainly," Astrid murmured.

"Dagur will offer them safe passage to anywhere they want," Hiccup murmured. "Once they're out, I'll have Dagur blow the place to Helheim. Everything that Johann was or cared for will be gone." He gave a small, absent nod as Astrid gently stroked her daughter's face, hugging the traumatised girl tightly. Beginning to shiver in only a thin dress and barefoot, Zephyr suddenly cast around and grabbed the stained cloth her makeshift weapon had been wrapped in before diving back into the safety of her mother's embrace. The twins chuckled as Snotlout grabbed Johann's body and walked to the nearest dumpster, pitching the former trade minister and traitor in.

"Right-will you be okay getting back to Toothless?" Snot asked but Hiccup nodded, glancing over at the women.

"I can handle myself," he confirmed, moving to stand by Astrid. Zephyr looked up, her cheeks damp with tears.

"Thank you, Tallon," she whispered. Astrid hugged her.

"Zeph-he's your father," she said gently. "Your real father." She gave a small sob.

"Oh, thank Thor," she whispered as Hiccup wrapped his arms around Astrid and her daughter, giving them a hug-and then he lifted Zephyr in his arms.

"Now let's get out of here," he said, turning away from the sprawled body of the guard and heading back after the twins, his daughter in his arms and the woman he loved at his side. Now all that was left was to rescue his son-and kill his former best friend.