Project Nano -Chapter 7

Hey, guys so here it is Chapter seven we are getting so close to the end now I can taste it. I hope I did okay with this chapter and I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes I may have made I've read it through like 3 times and now I'm starting to overthinking things so I'm just going to say screw it and hit post. Oh and this chapter flips between Stoic's and Hiccup's point of view, which is why I bounce back and forth from saying Hiccup and then Hayden. As Hiccup calls himself Hiccup while Stoic calls his son Hayden.

So enjoy and let me know what you think?

...

Stoic made it to the warehouse seconds to spare. Dropping his head onto the steering wheel he took a couple of deep breaths to calm his nerves, this was it. Everything he did now rested on getting Hayden back he couldn't afford to get anything wrong. Taking one last breath Stoic stepping out of the car making his way to the back of the vehicle and began pulling out the prototype with all materials in a large metal briefcase.

"God's I hope this works!" Stoic whispered to himself as he closed the lid of the truck turning in the direction of the warehouse. Detective Mala had been with him when the call came through an hour ago and while Stoic was talking with the Kidnappers she and officers had been in the room with him getting everything ready for him. Once the call had ended Detective Mala had told him the plan while he handing him the keys to his car.

She told him a GPS tracker had been put in his keys and the inside lining of the briefcase so they would know where he was at all time. They would give him a police escort most of the way and drop back 10 minutes out where they would surround the area and move in on the Kidnappers once they left the building and take them into custody making sure Hayden and himself were safely away from them.

As Stoic walked into the warehouse he heard a man counting.

"5...4...3…2...1 that's it! Looks like your old man's late kid." The man chuckled turning away from a white van and looked at two other men with him. "What do you say guys should I give Stoic a call or just shoot the runt now and let Stoic find his body."

"Nmph!

"No?" The man laughed "Well perhaps your right that would make it hurt to get paid…Uh why don't I just give you a good beating instead?"

Stoic couldn't take listen to this anymore so he ran forward shouting "I'm here! Please don't hurt my son!" He couldn't see his son as he entered the warehouse, but he did see three men in total all grouped around a white van. If Stoic had to take a guess he says his son was in that van, he attempted to look around the man to see what condition his son was in. After that phone call, Stoic was worried about what could they have done to his boy to make him scream like that. Not being able to see more than a glimpse of a small red-clad sneaker move behind one of the men's backs, Stoic sighed at least he was here he feared they would keep him off-site until after the trade.

"Ah, Stoic! Glad you could make it! Cutting it a little close there weren't you?" Holding his hands out wide in friendly greeting as he made his way towards the middle of the warehouse heading towards Stoic.

The greeting sickened him. Stoic, barely contenting a growl he spit out a reply "Yes, well I'm here, now please let me see my son?"

"Very well, Savage," the large man said snapping his fingers once he stopped next to a table that had been set up into the middle of the warehouse, several feet away from where Stoic stood.

Stoic watched as the man known as Savage turned around and half climbed in the van. He heard grunting and muffled cries before the man pulled himself out of the van pulling his son with him and throwing him over his shoulder.

Stoic clenched his hand tighter around the handle of the briefcase he was holding anger bubbling up from his core. He studied his son closely as he emerged from the van his eyes were scrunched up in pain and Stoic thought he saw a burse forming under the gag knotted in the center and pulled between his jaw clenched shut.

As Savage turned around making his way towards him, Stoic lost sight of his son's face but saw that Hayden's hands were tied tightly behind his back and that one of his pant legs was rolled up on the left side revealing his prosthetic.

Stoic gasped at this there was no way his son did that himself Hayden hated seeing his own prosthetic and did everything he could to hide it since the attack. Does that mean the knee his son mentioned being injured was on that side? Stoic glared at the Leader throwing his hand out to point to his son "what is the meaning of this! He's just a boy, there was no need for such harsh treatment!"

The leader said nothing just watched as Savage stopped by his side and pulled Hayden off his shoulder and dropped him onto his feet where Hayden let out a hard cry of pain before his legs bucked underneath him, Savage quickly wrapped an arm around his chest catching him before he hit the floor.

Stoic went rushed forward to help his son but just as he took the first step the leader held up his hand and blocked his path "hold it right there."

Stoic froze not wanting any more harm to come to his son. He glared at the man again before his eyes went back towards his son.

Savage had caught Hayden before he fell and turned him around pressing Hayden's back up against him with an arm wrapped around his chest, which seemed to be the only thing holding his son up. Hayden's face showed a form of controlled pain as he stood only on his right leg, focusing solely on not letting his prosthetic leg touch the ground and taking in quick short breaths throw his nose.

"WHAT did you do to my son?!" He roared at taking in all the damage on his son's body and face. Watching as he nearly fell when his left leg brushed against the ground (as he no longer had his left leg he could no longer tell how far he had to hold his prosthetic off the ground so that he wouldn't put pressure on his damaged knee).

"Oh, nothing that wasn't called for I assure you. He was a bit defiant in the beginning and fought back when he shouldn't have so I just paid the kid back the same favor he showed me."

Alvin smiled turned from Stoic and lifting Hayden's chin so he was forced to look him in the eyes. "Though I'm afraid am stronger than he is... Isn't that right runt" he laughed knocking his boot into Hayden's left foot receiving a muffled scream from said boy.

"BASTARD! Stop it!"

"Yes, yes you said that before. Now, do you have the prototype I asked you for or not?"

Stoic clenched his fists tighter as he started walking towards the man, placing the prototype that rested in the briefcase down on the small 4 ft table to the right of the leader.

Stoic looked to the man's left, his eyes locking with his son's for the first time. He took a breath he didn't know he was holding as he got a closer look at his son's eyes, they were filled with such fear, guilt, and most of all pain as his body trembled not in fear but at the concentration needed to stand on his one good leg. But there was still a spark of defiance left in those eyes that Stoic had to smile at.

'that's my boy, every bit the strong and stubborn man as I was at his age' Stoic thought.

But concern for his son's well-being still crept in as he saw the large bruise forming under his right eye where he was most likely struck. But he couldn't focus on his revenge right now he had to be there for his son, Hayden needed him right now.

"It's okay son. It's almost over" Stoic watched closely as Hayden pulled a little at the ropes binding him and nodded his head slowly. "That's my boy" he smiled but dropped it as he looked back at the man in charge as he was looking through the files and opening up a laptop he had next to the desk pulling out a USB drive from the briefcase and plugging it in the laptop.

"You have what you want now give me my son!"

"Not yet Stoic. I haven't checked the merchandise."

Stoic growled but waited.

A few minutes later he cringed as the man yell and slam his fists down onto the table. Stoic knew this was coming, "did I or did I not say to have the files decrypted!" His face was red with anger in one lightning-fast movement his arm shot out to his left and grabbed Hayden's upper arm ripping his son from Savage's grasp and pulling him to his own chest. while at the same time pulling a gun out from behind his back and pressing it into his son's temple.

Hayden had cried out at the unexpected movement barely able to hold in a scream as he was forced to step on his injured leg while being pulled towards the man only to freeze in step as he felt the cold steel of the gun pressed into his temple.

"HAYDEN! Please No!" Stoic cried reaching his hand out for his son.

"What did I say Stoic?! I said to bring the encryption key and the head technician or your boy dies" he yelled.

"No, please! DON'T HURT MY SON!"

"Then where. Is. The. Key!" She shouted each word as he pushed the barrel of the gun deeper into Hayden's temple making him let out a whimper as the gun pushed into his bruised temple.

Hayden's eyes were on his father and Stoic looked back into his eyes. Those bright emerald green eyes, the same eyes of his late wife Valka. He couldn't do it, he couldn't give up his son to these men but if he didn't he would lose him too, just like he lost his Valka.

"Answer me Stoic! Or your boy dies!"

"Please I can't… I can't do it."

"You can't? What do you mean you can't? Doesn't your son's life mean anything to you, for you to let him die over some prototype?!"

Hayden looked up into his father's eyes begging him with his eyes to just say it. 'Just tell him, please' He tried to speak but his words were muffled by the gag in his mouth.

"Hayden… No."

But Hayden kept shouting again and again getting the attention of the leader as he looked down at him confused at his son's persistence in trying to tell his father something. The leader hooked a finger around the gag cover Hayden's mouth and pulled down never losing his grip on the gun before placing it back to his temple.

Hayden took a second to cough out and clear his throat before shouting out in a dry cracked voice "IT'S ME! I'm the head technician!"

Everyone in the warehouse was silent as they took in what HIs son had just shouted. The leader looked down confusion written all over his face not believing what he just heard he scuffed "YOU?! You can't be serious?" He looked from the boy to his father and must have seen the truth in Stoic's eyes.

"Well it's true," Hayden said in his traditional sarcastic tone, Stoic felt his heart jump into his throat.

"Seriously this little runt is the head technician?" Savage asked

"Yes!" Stoic finally spoke up hating himself for saying this, "it was his code they got the nanobots working." But there was nothing he can do for his son now he was the only one with the encryption keys to the plans that sat in the Dragon pendant around his neck.

"Prove it!" the leader shouted giving Hayden a shove towards the computer ignoring the cry of pain the movement caused his son as his knee bumped the leg of the table he just pointed to the computer with his gun and shouted, "fix it!"

Hayden smirk over his shoulder at the man and Stoic cursed knowing full well that his son was about to do something stupid, as he would never give up the opportunity for a sarcastic comment. He swore this boy would be the end of him.

"I'd love to but my hands are a little tied up at the moment."

CRACK!

Hayden gasped as Savage's hand connected with his cheek whipping his head to the right "no one thinks you're funny boy!" Savage sneered.

"Don't touch him!" Stoic shouted taking a step forward.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Stoic" Alvin pointed the gun back at Hayden's head as he had to readjust his arm around the boy just to stop him from hitting the floor.

Stoic stopped, glaring at the man in front of him looking back at his son as he spits out blood from his now split lip.

"Savage if you would…?"

Savage moved forward and pulled his knife out from his boot cutting the ropes tying Hayden's hands behind his back and moved off to the side of the warehouse to grab the empty crate, dropping it down in front of the laptop.

...

Hayden grunted as he ran his tongue along his split lip he could already feel it starting to swell. "Damn that him and his big mouth," he thought, his ears were still ringing from the hit they gave him. Surprised as the rope around his wrists come off and he immediately pulled them free and grabbed onto the arm circling his chest.

Next thing he knew he was being forced down onto a wooden crate in front of a laptop. His knee protested the movement but he sat welcoming the relief he gave his right leg.

He froze once he felt the barrel of the gun pushed against the back of his neck.

"fix it" was all that he had to go on as he gun eased up and Hiccup looked up at the screen in front of him filled with encrypted code scrolling through the monitor. He didn't want to help these men, but what choice did he have he was trapped unable to run away and a gun pointed at his head. He snuck a glance at his father wonder what he thought of this, but what he saw was reassurance. His father just nodded his head and said "it's okay, Hayden."

Hiccup sighed and reaching up to his necklace pulling the USB Decryption Key out from its hiding place in his Dragon pendant that hung from his neck. He took one last look at it and then his father before plugging it in and waiting for it to load.

Once the program loaded Hiccup got to work decrypting the files, fingers flying across the keyboard was the only sound to could be heard echoing off the warehouse walls.

20 minutes passed and the leader Alvin started to get impatient "what is taking so long! You better not be trying anything funny boy?"

"I – I'm done." Hiccup moved his hands away from the keys taking a second to unplug the USB from the laptop and bring it back into his necklace before dropping his hands to his lap.

"About time" Alvin sneered coming in close almost hovering over Hiccup's shoulder. Seeing as he couldn't move away with his leg injured Hiccup was uncomfortable, to say the least. He was too close, so close that his beard brush against his cheek, Hiccup went to pull away as the man leaned in further to get a better view of the screen but his other hand landed on the table locking him in.

Stoic seeing how uncomfortably close the man was to his son spoke up "is that necessary? You have what you want now, please… Release my son, we did everything you asked."

"Very well it looks like everything is in order here," Alvin said turning his face towards Hiccup mere inches away as he whispered into his ear "this better not be a trick boy or I'm coming back for you and I'll make you wish you were never born" Hiccup shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself pull as far away from the man as he was able to.

While Alvin chuckled at his reaction to his threat looking over at Stoic "I'm a man of my word" he said moving away and standing up straight but still staying right behind Hiccup's back.

"Savage, Agnar grab the device we're heading out!" he shouted to his team.

"Yes sir" they both scrambled forward on either side of Hiccup making him flinch more as they closed ranks around him boxing him in. Hiccup's breathing was picked up as at the trapped feeling surrounding him becoming very claustrophobic. As the last item was collected from the table to Kidnappers stepped back but it didn't ease the tightness in his chest. 'just a little longer' Hiccup told himself 'just a couple more minutes and he would be free.'

Once they had everything they moved away from the group and brought it back to the van.

Alvin didn't move from Hiccup's side until the last item was in the van, and his men were behind the wheel. Only then did he step away from Hiccupwith a smile in his voice "great doing business with you Stoic" he said and turned his back on them walking towards the van.

The second Alvin was away from him Stoic ran forward dropping to his knees next to him and running a hand through his hair pulling him in close. Hiccup flinched at the touch at first but lent into the touch once he saw who it was and Stoic welcomed the warmth it created.

Hiccup could feel himself shaking and hear the sounds of his father shushing him telling him that everything was going to be alright and that he was safe now.

That's was all it took before Hiccup broke down all the fear, the guilt, and anxiety that he had been holding onto for the past 18 hours or so and shot out of him like a rocket. He lunged forward into his father's chest gripping his suit tightly in his shaking hands and began to cry.

He cried like a baby, sucking in ragged breaths that left him gasping for air. Hiccup wanted the tears to stop to just 'suck it up and be a man just like his father always told him. But the tears just would not stop and it was getting harder to breathe, he was starting to get lightheaded and knew that he would pass out soon if he didn't get his breathing under control. So he let go relishing in the sense around him: the smell of his father's cologne, being held in his strong arms that were wrapped tightly around him, and the constant reassurance telling him that "everything was going to be alright's, I got you's and your safe now's." before he knew no more and passed out.

...

Stoic held his son in his arms it was heartbreaking as gut-wrenching sobs left his son's body. He had fought so hard and stayed so strong in the hands of his captors, so Stoic just let them cry. He earned this.

He was so proud of his son, and Stoic patiently waited for his son to let it out as he reassured him that he was there and everything was going to be okay. His breathing worried him as it got more ragged and faster in speed before he passed out in his arms exhausted.

He cried himself into exhaustion, but Stoic's panic picked back up as the breathing didn't even out and seemed to get more sallow.

Once his son had passed out he ran his hand over his forehead pushing his sweat-soaked bangs out of his closed eyes. Confused Stoic pulled away slightly as he felt how cold and clammy his son's skin felt as he wiped away his tears.

"My brave boy" he smiled shaking himself back to reality he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone scrolled through the contacts until he found the name he was looking for.

"Detective Mala speaking" the blonde's voice sounded through the line.

"It Stoic, I got Hayden and I need an ambulance now he's hurt" he rushed through the words.

"Help is on the way Mr. Haddock we'll be there shortly, just hold on."

"Thank you..." he sighed, grateful that his son was going to get help "Did – did you get them?" He asked holding his breath needing to know the answer.

"Yes, Mr. Haddock. All three men are in custody and your prototype his back in good hands."

"Good…" Stoic could breathe easier now, he didn't think he would have been able to sleep at night if those men had gotten away, in fact even with those men safely behind bars he didn't know if he would want to sleep again. he didn't want to take his eyes off his son but he assured himself that the man was gone and finial away form his son.

His ears perked up as he heard the ambulance pull up outside the warehouse "I've got ago EMTs are here."

"Of course. I'll stop by the hospital later today once everything is taken care of."

"Thank you, Detective" Stoic couldn't say it enough he got his son back. He couldn't express how grateful he was for the detective's help.

"Just doing my job Sir. Take care of that boy of yours and I'll see you later."

"I will," he said before hanging up the phone just as the paramedics reached him, asking a slue of questions one after the other.

"Are you the boy's father Sir?" the first Paramedic asked taking charge while his partner pulled Hayden's unconscious body out of Stoic's hands and they both laid him on the ground on the gurney.

"Yes, please help him."

"We'll do everything we can sir. What's his name?'

"It's Hayden, Hayden Haddock"

The EMT's both nodded and turned their full attention onto his son shining a flashlight in his eyes checking for a response "Hayden? Hayden can you hear me?!" the EMT asked with no response "his pupils are dilated..." "pulse and breathing are erratic, he's in shock." They were both speaking over each other working feverously over his son.

"What?!" Stoic yelled leaning closer to his son, but the lead paramedic placed a hand on his chest pushing him back while his partner threw a blanket over Hayden's shivering body and started to hook him up to a machine located below the gurney.

"Please sir step back. Has he been like this long?" he asked

"No, he passed out a couple of minutes before you arrived. He was hysterical earlier, when the men left I thought he just cried himself into exhaustion?"

"It's possible that the relief of finally being safe pushed him over the edge? Are there any other injuries you know of?"

"He said something about his knee being dislocated, and I saw them hit him across the face... but I don't know what else they did to him before I got here. Is-Is he going to be alright?" Stoic said frantically looked back at his son's pale face, his chest heaving as he struggled to get air into his lungs through the oxygen mask now resting over his mouth and nose.

Stoic tore his eyes away from his boy to see the other paramedic finish wrapping a splint around his left knee after cutting away his pant leg.

Once they were satisfied he was stable both paramedics looked at each other and move to lift the gurney. "Alright on three…" the EMTs nodded and on the count of three pulled Hayden up from the ground and moved quickly towards the ambulance.

Stoic close on their heels" hold on son" Stoic said as he entered the ambulance after the paramedic and heard the door slam shut behind him as they raced off to the hospital.