The Gentle Sniper

Chapter 42: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

A/N: For the folks out there that read the Ao3 version of this fic, you may have noticed slight formatting differences with this chapter.

If so, that is due to a google doc that handles getting rid of those pesky double spaces for me, among other things, which is pretty neat.

Also, I commissioned 'Daddyslittleangel155' from Reddit to write this chapter, as nothing I came up with progressed beyond an opening scene.

They were a huge help in actually fleshing out the myriad of ideas I had. Many thanks to them :)

Now, onto the reviews.

Review Responses:

CajunBear73: Don't fear the cheese pizza. There's no need. Lol. First time I've said that.

Scrumblenut: Yeah, a shotgun suits Gobber rather well. Glad you liked the pacing as well, by the way.

Now then. On with the show.

…

"No, Marc," Hiccup said wearily into his phone. "You can't kill Kasper."

"Are you sure?" the person on the other end of the phone to Hiccup asked.

Rebecca, who was sitting next to Bekker on the bed, raised an eyebrow. She almost looked amused. Hiccup continued to talk into his phone. Bekker ignored that and took a slice of pizza from the box between them, munching on it absently as she watched Rebecca out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't help but to bounce between suspicion and interest.

Her dark blonde hair was tied up in a neat bun, with not a single strand being permitted to escape. It emphasised her high cheekbones and dark eyes. She was a tall woman, and slim, but had an aura of self-assuredness in her own skills and limits that only came with training. That and she moved with a power and grace that spoke of a woman who knew how to use her body. In neck-snapping and.. other such matters. Bekker blinked. Where had that come from?

Hiccup sighed. "Yes, I'm sure, I've told you twice already, so stop asking. Unfortunately, we need him. Or you'd be getting into a long, long line of people. Behind me." He added.

He frowned. Kasper had been in the bathroom for a little too long for comfort. He banged on the door. "Hurry up," he barked.

A pause.

"No not you," he said into the phone, as Kasper said, "Give me a second would you. Can a man not get a moment's peace while he-"

"Alright, I get the point." Hiccup interrupted. "Just finish up soon, or I'll break down the door, no matter what state you're in."

A loud sigh. "Fine."

Inside the bathroom, Kasper leaned against the sink, listening intently to the sounds outside, a burner phone gripped loosely in his hand. He relaxed as he heard Haddock move away from the door and resume his phone call. He ignored the vague threats aimed in his general direction. They were meant to keep him in his place, fearful of the consequences of his actions. Kasper Hendegaard was never scared. Fear was a weakness, a distraction.

His phone vibrated silently in his hand. He glanced down.

We'll be there, sir. The distraction you requested will be set into motion soon. I will personally handle everything.

Good. He replied.

Then he quickly disabled the phone and threw it into the toilet.

He flushed it and made a loud production of washing his hands. And he made sure to keep the water running as he removed a small package from the toilet's cistern and tucked it away in a hidden pocket within his jacket.

He recalled Haddock's words. 'I'll remove the knives for you to call your people and tell them if they even think about breaking you out of DDIS custody, you die.' He smiled.

Oh, but it wasn't his people who were thinking of breaking him out of custody. He wasn't about to break his word. Haddock might kill him if he caught up with him… but right now, he, Kasper held all the answers and the safety of Haddock's friend. He didn't intend to lose the power that he held… and if they did trade the hostage, it would be on his terms. Much more favourable ones for his business. Every man had his price. For Haddock, it wouldn't be cold, hard cash that moved him, but his heart.

His thoughts switched to his arrangements for today. Of course, his second would expect to be cut into the next trade they did for his part in organising events - and if he pulled it off, he might even consider it. One could never say he wasn't a fair man to his employees… if they worked loyally for him, that was.

He sauntered back into the room, staggering as Bekker shoved him. He glanced at her, only mildly surprised at this point by the casual violence. She scowled back at him, her eyes flicking up rapidly to measure Rebecca's reaction. She didn't look shocked. Or amused. Now the woman was inscrutable.

"Don't think I'm not watching you. We all are. Lay down on the bed, now." Bekker ordered. And pointed her gun at him when he was a second longer than was to her taste.

Rebecca and Hiccup, now off his phone, watched him carefully as Bekker went into the bathroom to investigate.

"So, who were you talking to on the phone just now? Your lovely girlfriend? Cami, wasn't it?" Kasper asked conversationally.

Hiccup stared at him, blank-faced. "None of your business," he said flatly.

He switched to Rebecca, who was now propped by the door.

He opened his mouth.

"Don't even think about starting with me," she said.

His lips twitched upwards - but he shut his mouth and relaxed against the bed, studying the frame and its mattress above. Nothing to see here, he thought, still feeling their eyes on him.

Then Bekker emerged. Her scowl had only deepened. As expected, she'd found absolutely nothing. He repressed a smirk, and only allowed himself a blink as she punched him.

The woman certainly had a right hook on her, but the pain was a minor thing compared to everything else.

"You were in there too long." She said in a low voice. "You were up to something. Don't worry, we'll find out what it was. And when we do…" she let the implied threat in her words do her talking for her. It was always better to let a person imagine, rather than give them details. Inevitably, what their mind conjured up was always far worse than anything she could describe.

She'd learnt that from her partner.

She turned her thoughts away from that particular line quickly, hoping she'd blinked away the tears quickly enough that he hadn't seen. She couldn't afford to be distracted around him.

He watched her intently. She sounded serious.

Oh, you will find out, he thought, amused. You'll just be one step behind me, as always. And you'll never be able to prove it was me, so all those threats will amount to nothing.

…

After things had died down, and Kasper was sequestered safely on his bed, Rebecca looked at Hiccup. She'd mostly watched as the events had unfolded so far - the way Haddock worked, how he backed up and was backed up in turn, by his teammate. She'd decided he would be an interesting man to work with. And he certainly got things done. She tilted her head questioningly at the door.

He glanced at Bekker, who nodded. "I can handle him alone for a few minutes." She said, "What's he going to do? Moan at me about the quality of his sheets not being up to standard?"

"Hey," he said, mildly offended. "I'm a soldier-"

"You lost the right to call yourself a soldier a long time ago," Hiccup snapped. For some reason, he felt uneasy. Like something wasn't quite right, and that made him on edge. He tended to trust those instincts. They were born of war and weapons.

"The right perhaps, but not the skills." He smirked at all of them.

Bekker rolled her eyes. "You, I don't know why you've become so obnoxious, but shut it or I'll gag you. You two, outside. Shoo."

Hiccup gave him another hard stare, before looking back at Bekker. "We'll be just outside the door."

The warning wasn't lost on Kasper. It was a potential opportunity for escape, but not easily undertaken, and one he could easily squander. He wasn't scheduled to leave yet, and besides, he really, really wanted to see the look on Haddock's face when he realised the true extent of Kasper's reach.

Outside the door, the Haddock in question, and Rebecca, were speaking quietly.

"I can see I didn't turn up at the best of times," Rebecca said dryly.

Hiccup laughed sardonically. "You'd be surprised to know that this isn't as bad a scene as many others I've been through. I mean the last couple of days…" he shook his head.

"The last couple of days?"

"Did you know the gods hate me?" he inquired.

She stared at him, bemused. "Really?"

"People die and get hurt around me. Grief is an almost constant presence, and luck never turns in my favour. You should know that before you agree to work with me."

She examined him closely. "I'm not a superstitious woman, so I'll take that advice with a large pinch of salt." She paused, giving him a considering glance. "And while I might not agree with you on that particular belief, I do agree with you on others. That, for example, the DDIS wastes too many lives and too many resources waiting for the exact right time to strike."

She paused to take in his expression. Nothing. He didn't speak.

So she continued.

"I happen to have a few friends who feel the same way, and we heard that you're putting together a team. I made the presumption that people aren't easy to find for that kind of job, and I brought one of them along today. He's elsewhere, waiting for a message from me. We thought it was best we introduce ourselves one at a time."

Now it was his turn to examine her. "Alright. But first I need to know: how did you find out where I was?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Would you rather not establish trust between us either?"

She sighed. "Naja."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Is your… compatriot… nearby?"

"Should I introduce you?"

"Would they be willing to do a job for me?"

"To assess our competence?"

"Because right now I'm distinctly lacking on uninjuried, trustworthy, available people. But yes, think of it as killing two birds with one stone."

After he had been introduced to Ludvig Povlsen, a tall, lanky, pale-eyed man who somehow managed to project shyness and confidence in equal measure. Hiccup realised he'd been in the binder - the Frogman. Trustworthy, then, he hoped. He asked Ludvig to guard their room's door for him, and then he invited Rebecca back inside. He figured that if she was going to double-cross him then he was better off two to two than letting her loose to do gods-knew-what outside of his watch.

And with that settled, he went back inside with her. He felt he should feel more settled, but somehow that uneasiness still lingered, packing together in his chest.

…

Meanwhile, across the hallway, Gobber was staring at his phone.

He'd been placed in here with Fishlegs and Auðgeir. To be quite honest, he wasn't entirely sure who was supposed to be guarding who at this point. Hiccup had left them alone to deal with his own hostage situation, though it had been only after he'd made Gobber swear, albeit reluctantly, that he wouldn't do anything stupid. At which point he'd given Fishlegs a meaningful look, and tapped his phone.

But Gobber had meant what he'd said. After all, there was no Kasper to draw out anymore.

The text on his phone raised unnameable emotions within him. An anonymous tip had been sent to one of his officers, telling them that the No-Name's, Mr and Mrs, had sent that radio message out to the Outcasts. They had a serious grudge against Hiccup - a serious enough grudge that they'd caused riots in order to further it. The bodies of his lifeless friends flashed through his mind.

Stoick and Valka weren't the first people he'd lost, and they wouldn't be the last. But they were the newest to rip the scab from the oozing wound that was his grief. And for a brief, horrible second, he imagined Hiccup, his godson, the last living reminder of his friend in that state.

Because of the No-Names.

This should have been nipped in the bud a long, long time ago. He sighed quietly. Better late than never, he told himself.

He was enraged enough on his godson's behalf that he didn't even stop to wonder who had sent in the tip. Or what they had to gain from it.

He ignored Fishlegs' protests as he stormed from the room, and slammed on Hiccup's door, three times, making the door rattle on its hinges. To anyone else it might sound like a break-in - anyone who didn't know him, anyway, He ignored the new arrival that seemed to be guarding Hiccup's door, except to give him a short nod. The man hovered uncertainly. He looked like he was still working out whether Gobber was friend or foe, but seemed ready enough to remove him if he proved to be trouble.

The nod was returned.

And then the door opened.

Hiccup stared at him, privately wondering why the man was towering over him menacingly, rather than doing it in his own hotel room, on his own time.

"The radio broadcast. The one that sent all the Outcasts up in arms. You remember that, don't you?"

"I do." Hiccup said with amusement. "The last few days might have been long and busy, but unfortunately not long enough or busy enough to make me forget that particular incident."

"Well. According to a source, Mr and Mrs. No Name were behind it. And, frankly laddie, you have enough on your plate without adding those two into the mix. So I'm going to commandeer some of your colleagues so we can arrest 'em for inciting civil unrest. It makes two less people for us to worry about."

Hiccup withstood the stream of words, parsing his meaning through his thickening accent.

"Alright," he said slowly. "How would you like another job, Ludvig?"

After the man agreed, he looked back to Gobber. "Take him, and I'll text Cami to meet you down at the docks. Keep me updated on how everything goes, and come back straight after. And you," he glared at the man, making him flinch. "Your job is to make sure that he," jerking his head at Gobber, "doesn't do anything stupid." The man nodded.

"Good. Good luck Gobber."

"Aye, thank you laddie. Looks like you'll be needing more with that 'un on your hands." Gobber nodded behind the door. Hiccup's lips twitched.

He lowered his voice. "Don't tell him this, but I think the same thing."

Gobber laughed loudly. "Well then, we'll be off."

Hiccup watched them disappear down the stairs before texting Cami. Then he replaced Gobber with Rebecca in the other room - less damage control needed if that one escaped - and re-entered the room once more.

Into the valley of Death once more I go, he thought almost whimsically to himself.

The unease continued to clump in a ball deep in his chest.

…

"Are you going to eat that pizza or just look at it? You know you can't reheat it through the force of your glare, don't you?" Bekker teased.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Mine can't but I'm sure yours could. Oh, there it is! See? Definitely possible, I'd say."

He held up his hands protestingly as she lunged at him. "Hey, hey, it was only a joke!" he said.

"Ooh is Mr.'I-Survived-An-IED' scared of little old me, huh?"

"Yes! You hit really damn hard!" He was only half-joking.

She looked at him, almost bemused, her lips twitching like she couldn't quite be sure it was a joke or not.

"He's right," Kaspar said with a rueful grin, patting his tender jaw. "You do."

Hiccup laughed. "Told you!"

"Told me? What is this, a playground? Are we all suddenly five?" she demanded.

"God I wish," Hiccup said wistfully.

The mood sobered in the room sobered, each becoming lost in their own thoughts.

…

Everyone arrived at the jetty back on Berk at almost the same time. The familiar smells of salt and fish permeated the air, and the boats rocked under the movement of the waves, creaking gently as they did.

The scene was almost peaceful.

That was until they knocked on the door of the No-Name's abode and started to read them their rights.

A crowd slowly formed - a few bystanders here and there, their neighbours being nosy…

In a way, it almost wasn't a surprise when a man at the far end of the jetty shouted at them that they had no right to arrest them. That they'd illegally detained Alvin, and now they were doing the same to others. The man moved closer and closer to them as they escorted the No Names' towards the exit.

The first man wasn't the trouble. A glace said he was an Outcast. One man was easily dealt with. But then another joined in deeper in the gathering mass of people, using the same rhetoric. Then another.

That was all it took to get the crowd riled up against them.

Soon they were pressing them back, further back down the jetty and back towards the No Name's boat.

A few punches and insults were thrown. Nothing he and the others hadn't dealt with before.

And then the Outcast, the same man who had started the crowd off, drew a gun.

And from there everything descended into chaos.

The people panicked - some pushing away from the exit and towards the safety of the boats, and others pressing towards the exit. Confusion reigned.

Cami yelped as a bullet whistled by, far too close for comfort, and Gobber barked out an order as another whipped by his leg.

They were being shot at.

Gobber shoved the now terrified No-Names, still handcuffed, into the relative safety of their home, along with Ludvig and Cami, who was now sporting a bullet graze along one arm.

The shooter - now shooters as another man produced a gun - seemed to be firing at random, but Gobber was almost sure they were aiming over the crowd, in a way that would heighten their fear but equally would ensure that no one was actually hit.

And yet, they'd aimed specifically at them.

… in much the same way.

He watched all that with a dawning comprehension. Then Cami dived past him, having timed her dash to the shooter's position to when the man would need to reload. He looked up and half-raised his weapon in an attempt to slow or stop her. But it was he who was too slow. She tackled him to the ground, hard, and loaded his weapon. The second shooter, spotting this, aimed at Cami but missed, instead hitting Gobber, who was now to her left, in the shoulder. He grunted in pain.

Cami raised the weapon smoothly, flicking the safety off before aiming it at the other shooter. Right between his eyes.

"Put it down," she called out, her voice sharp and clear, practised at cutting through chaos.

He put the weapon down.

And then, to both of their intense relief, they heard police sirens wailing rapidly towards them.

…

Gobber sat on the side of the dock, wincing as the paramedic applied greater pressure to his shoulder.

The crowd had been eventually calmed, and he watched as the last dregs moved away, having been treated for shock and various other injuries. They were fortunate no one had been killed - a bottleneck at the entrance could have crushed or drowned someone, in the general panic.

The instigators and the No Names were being dealt with by the police right now, but Gobber would make sure that changed.

He tried to hide the murderous glint in his eyes from the medic. They only got nervous when he didn't.

Won't be able to come back later. Turned into a fight with some Outcasts. All resolved now, No-Name's have been arrested and only light injuries sustained. Everyone is alive but it's going to be a busy night. He texted Hiccup.

There was a second's pause before his phone buzzed with a reply.

Thanks for letting me know. Have fun with your newly arrested friends.

…

As their room service arrived, Hiccup realised he wasn't hungry. Well, wasn't hungry for food at least, though he craved to hear Astrid's voice. A voice that was constant, reliable, even throughout all this change.

Kasper went straight for the food. They both ignored him as he started on another irritating diatribe. He spoke to Bekker and asked her if she would be ok alone with Kasper for a while again.

She grinned at him. "Don't worry, I've put up with more annoying men," and winked at him.

"Oi!" Hiccup said, unsure whether to be offended or amused.

"Oh I didn't mean you. Why would you think I meant you, unless you knew you're annoying? You're just…"

Kasper ignored their teasing voices but kept an eye on them in the mirror. They still weren't facing him. Good.

He slipped the package from its hidden place and shook a little of it into Bekker's drink. He stirred both, ensuring it was well dissolved, and rehid the package just in time.

Bekker grabbed her stuff and retreated to a chair to eat, watching him as he wandered back to his bed, the food gripped tight in his hand. No drink for him or Haddock - and Haddock was ignoring his meal entirely.

Instead, he watched curiously as he slipped into the bathroom. And relaxed as he heard his voice start up, muffled to the point of indecipherable by the wall. A phone call. Hopefully, he'd be there for a while.

Hiccup was just grateful for the privacy. He had a phone call to make, and he didn't intend for Kasper's prying eyes - both their prying eyes, actually - to be watching his every change in expression, and searching out the meaning in every word he spoke.

Also, he thought Cami was his girlfriend. Hiccup wanted to keep up that deception for as long as possible. Sometimes a red herring as a distraction made all the difference.

He locked the door before leaning against the tile and calling her number.

He was grateful for the momentary peace that let him do it.

"Hey babe," Astrid said into the phone.

"Hey milady," he said warmly, unable to keep a smile from creeping over his face at just the sound of her voice.

Her sigh rattled down the phone. "Are you calling to tell me you'll be on the job longer than you thought? Feel free not to let me down gently. You aren't the only one with a job like that, remember?" she teased.

"You think I would have forgotten?"

"Well, you've been gone so long I thought it'd be best to remind you…"

He laughed. "I'll be back as soon as this job is done. It isn't all bad; you have Toothless for company."

She laughed. "Well, he is a good boy. He's sat on my lap, purring away right now, unlike some people."

"You want me purring in your lap?" His tone was only half-joking.

"Oh don't worry about it, your cat is doing a fine job of that right now."

"Do I have to worry about my girlfriend sailing away into the sunset with my cat?"

She laughed, and then sobered quickly. "I'm guessing you know about what happened at the docks earlier. The riot, I mean."

"Yeah. Gobber's being keeping me updated - looks like it's going to be a long, busy night for everyone involved. They were fortunate that there were only light injuries and that no one was killed from what I heard."

She hesitated. "Yeah, it was- It was pretty bad."

His tone softened, though his instinct was to sharpen it. Astrid deserved his care, and not to be barked at like a common soldier.

"What's wrong, Ast?"

She hesitated again, just a second too long. "Everything's fine, Hiccup."

"What's going on? Just tell me, please, I can't afford to be distracted on this job."

But her tone firmed. She'd made up her mind. "Then everything will be fine. Gobber may have skewed his report so he didn't worry you."

"What do you mean? Was someone killed? Badly injured?" He'd forgotten his resolve and now his tone was harsh.

He turned from the wall he'd been leaning against and gripped the edge of the sink with his spare hand. Hard. He could hear Kasper and Bekker talking in the other room.

"No. No one was killed. But a few people were shot worse than grazes, and the debris meant that the hospital staff are going to be busy for a while."

He groaned, speaking through gritted teeth in his frustration. "Who-? Gobber. Gobber was one of them, wasn't he? Damn the old man, he never listens!"

"He knows what he's doing, Hiccup. He handled the situation better than anyone else there could have." She said wearily.

But instead of tiredness, all he heard was accusation in her words. That he wasn't enough. That he hadn't been there, couldn't be there in time to stop the people he loved from being hurt.

As always.

"You know I'm stuck here! I'm sorry I couldn't be there when people needed me and my skills… but then I never am, am I?!" His raised voice echoed and then died, twitchingly, on the tiles. "I never am," he whispered,

"Hiccup…" Astrid said softly.

"I need to go." he said, and hung up, even as he could hear her still calling to him through the phone's tinny speaker.

He stared at himself in the sink's tiny mirror until he knew that his face was once more still, and his eyes were clear of those treacherous tears.

I had a job to do. He told himself. And then: I have a job to do.

He walked back in to find Kasper working on the door, and Bekker seemingly asleep on the bed. A cup hung from her slack hands. The liquid within dripped onto the carpet, staining it. A snarl from Kasper snapped his attention back to him. Adrenaline surged cold in Hiccup's veins, and he lunged towards him.

Kasper dropped his tools and swung to meet him. They exchanged quick, hard blows. Brutal. Uncompromising. Each fought for his own freedom, and neither would take the loss of that lightly, and lie down for the other.

Hiccup grunted as Hendegaard's uppercut got through his block. His head snapped back. He attempted to return the blow as he blinked stars from his vision but his injuries held him back. He was slow. Too slow. His shoulder protested as he blocked Kasper's punches, sending white-hot surges of pain through his body and neck. No matter how he tried to ignore it, it clouded his mind.

He knew when he was fighting a losing battle, but he preserved nonetheless. If they made enough noise, hopefully, someone would hear and report them. Or if he was really lucky, his friends across the hall would lend aid.

His blows were relentless, driving at him until he weakened enough to let another punch in. Hiccup managed to hit Kasper hard across the jaw, making him grunt in pain.

So the man was human.

He regretted that soon though - one, two, three, hits to the face, and a leg sweeping his own out from underneath him, had him on the floor.

He bit back a scream as Kasper kicked him hard, again and again.

"This," he gritted out. "Is for killing a key member of my organisation."

He kicked him hard twice more - his injured thigh, and then his shoulder. As his mind swam with pain, Kasper grabbed his head and slammed it into the floor until he was unconscious.

Then he rifled through his pockets, almost disappointed when he didn't find anything more useful than the room's keys. He did take their weapons, though. Just to make a point.

Hiccup Haddock may be many things, but he is not a stupid man, Kasper reflected as he locked the door from the outside. All the better to slow them down with.

Then he went to find the car which should be waiting for him.

…

Somewhere around the same time, Auðgeir turned to Rebecca and Fishlegs as they all were watching the TV.

He hesitated for a moment. "There's something you should know."

…

Hiccup groaned as he woke up slowly. His head pounded, but that was a minor ache in comparison to the fire that was his injuries. Fresh blood soaked his shirt and trousers.

He staggered up. He couldn't lay there when Bekker needed tending to.

He was relieved to feel her pulse beating strongly, and, as he listened, that her breathing was evening out.

He placed the cup on the table gently. Someone else could find out whether it was drugged or not later. His priority right now was getting Bekker to a hospital and to have people track down Kasper.

And then his phone rang. He cursed out loud until he saw who it was.

Johann.

"Hello? This better be important. I kind of have a situation on my hands right now."

"Oh, it is. I was going through the phone you gave me the other day and… I think I might have a possible location for where they're keeping Aage."

"Where?" Hiccup inquired, then paused after Johann told him. "…I see. Alright. I'll check it out. Anything else?"

"Yeah. About your proposal to form a team… it's been denied by the council."

"Wonderful. Just what I wanted to hear right now."

"For what it's worth, it's not the first time they've vetoed a decision. I've been in your shoes before."

"How often do the council check on what people are doing? Could I possibly pretend not to have a team, but have one in secret?"

"A risky, but bold move. Feel free, but you didn't hear that from me. This conversation never happened. Now I will be sending a few operatives, lead by Viggo, along to escort Aage back to Berk."

"Good. It's about time you did something. See you back at Berk."

Hanging up on Johann, Hiccup dialled the number of someone else.

"Hello?"

"Henry here. Yes, Marc. Forget what I said earlier. The party is on, just as soon as we check out a place."

"Anywhere in particular for the party?"

"Iceland is looking pretty active right around now."

"I'm with you. Where are you right now?"

"Skagen."

"Alright, on my way. See you soon, Snow Cub."

Ending that call, Hiccup put his phone away and stooped by Bekker again, once more checking for a pulse, then placing her in the recovery position.

It was after she was suitably posed that Hiccup heard a knock on the door.

"Henry," Fishlegs said, once Hiccup had opened the door.

He paused, eyeing Bekker's still form. "Is she…?"

"No. Her heart's still beating. I checked twice already. What is it?" Hiccup wondered, eyeing Auðgeir, who Fishlegs was holding very firmly by the upper arm as if he was trying to get away.

The man said nothing, his eyes still riveted on Bekker, so Rebecca stepped around him with a sigh.

"Your buddy here," she began, motioning at Auðgeir. "He has something interesting to tell you."

"Have him tell me on the way. Bekker should go to hospital."

"Alright. I take it Kasper caused that, since he's not here."

"Got it in one, Fish."

…

The building stood, strange and solemn in its foundations. Large glass windows covered the gaping holes in the stone brick walls. Despite its busy entrance, it had an air of quiet.

The hospital buzzed with people. It was all bright open windows and a modern facade. The happenings within - love, loss, joy, pain - seemed to pass through its veins and tendons, feeding the fast-beating heart of hope that kept this place alive.

The hospital stood out starkly from its surroundings. The brutalist architecture made it feel intimidating. This was a place that would smell of harsh cleaning products and freshly bleach floors. Sterile. Unwelcoming.

Not for the first time today, Hiccup tried to quell the unease in his chest as he and his companions approached the reception desk, carrying Bekker between himself and Fishlegs.

This was the kind of place you didn't walk out of; it was the kind of place you went to die.

"You think he'll have woken up from his coma after all this time, Fish?"

"Guess we'll find out. Now about his parents-"

"I'd rather not talk about them. Because if I talk about them, I'm going to break something."

"That makes two of us."

"Good. Now, Rebecca, do you mind sticking with Auðgeir and taking a look around the hospital? Fish and I are going to stay with Bekker while you do that."

She nodded. "Sure thing boss."

"You… you don't need to call me that. In any case, some people I know will join you soon. Now, we're almost inside, so let's split up."

"You heard the man," added Fishlegs. "Let's get this done."

…

Hiccup sighed internally as he watched Bekker be hurried out of the waiting room on a stretcher.

Beside him, Fishlegs was much less quiet. "Oh," he squeaked, to the amusement of some of the patients in the waiting room with them. But not all, for instance, the mother with her young son who was sitting behind them, shot Fishlegs a quick scowl, but neither he nor Hiccup looked round. "I hope whatever is in her body doesn't kill her…"

"You and me both, amigo. But if it does, Kasper will know. I'll make sure he doesn't forget."

"Yeah… I'm going to call Heather. You should talk to Astrid as well."

Nodding absently, Hiccup looked down as he reached into his phone pocket, then looked up, hearing someone approaching on crutches.

His gaze drifted left as they appeared, and was about to look at his phone again when he was hit with a strong sense of recognition concerning the crutch user.

When it clicked, he elbowed Fishlegs, hard, in the side. His left side specifically.

"Ow. What is it?" the blonde wondered.

Hiccup nodded at the guy with his head, without taking his eyes off him. "Tell me I'm dreaming and that's not him, Fish."

"No… that is him. But I thought Interpol and Kasper both said he was in a coma."

"Yeah, well I don't think Kasper is one for the truth. And Anja either didn't know or was lying as well. Either way, we've done it. We've found our f-friend."

Fishlegs got up without a word, balancing on his crutches awkwardly before crossing the room in Aage's direction.

Halfway, Aage - skinnier than when they had last seen him, older and dressed in hospital wear but unmistakably him - noticed Fishlegs and closed the distance. "Can I help you?"

Fishlegs's voice broke as he answered, but he disguised it as a cough. "Y-yeah. Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could take a picture with you? It's not every day I see someone using crutches, and I want to learn how you do it, since I'm new to this."

Aage stared, bemused before giving a slow nod. "Uh… sure thing. Even if it's a strange request."

"Yeah… I get that sometimes. You can say no if you want. I don't want to impose too much."

"Just one picture, okay?"

"Sure," Fishlegs was quick to agree with a small smile. "Anything for you," he continued, balancing on one foot and crutch as he reached into his jeans for his phone.

After the picture was taken and they parted ways, Fishlegs sank into the seat beside Hiccup, palming his face with one hand and a groan. "So we know what he looks like and that he doesn't recognise either of us."

Hiccup nodded. "Feels like just yesterday that he could spot us from across the cafeteria back at Solvband base."

"Yeah. Now about the line to deal with Kasper. You better not mind if I move ahead of you, because I want to tear the fucker to shreds, and I'll do it even when sober. I really fucking will."

"We'll do that together. Deal?"

"Deal. But I'll still be sober when I do it."

Hiccup laughed, but it was a short-lived, humourless sound. "Fine with me, Fish. Do as you please."

"Roger that. Now the question is… how in Thor's name do we get him home?"

Hiccup sighed. "Good question. I have no clue."

"Excuse me," the mother sitting behind them began, an edge to her voice. "I don't want to know what you two are talking about, so keep it down!"

"Sorry, ma'am," both politely murmured.

"I'll go get the others," Hiccup added as he stood up. "Be right back."