I don't have a valid excuse for why this took so long. All I can say is that I'm extremely sorry. As a writer, I write what gets stuck in my head. As new ideas from different sources pop up, I have to write it down. For a while, HtTYD wasn't at the top of my list. Once again, I apologize and thank you all for still having an interest.

It had only taken a moment. Everything happened too quickly after Wiz's unanswered question was asked. For a moment, time was still. The air was heavy with cold realization as the eyes in the room locked together. Then, it was chaos; a blur.

The twins and Hiccup threw themselves from the room in a frantic rush. They all barked various commands; to each other and Dagur who was stumbling after them. Hiccup's head was too heavy. No coherent thoughts were running through it as he slid in front of Punzie's room, banging his fist on her door and shouting the news Wiz told them. He did the same to Astrid's. If he'd had the time, he would have commented on the dark circles under her eyes, giving away her sleepless night, but the C.I.A was a more pressing issue.

Astrid jumped into action. All it took was her to hear a fraction of Hiccup's shouted explanation and she was in her element. The twins and Dagur had already grabbed their masks and made their way upstairs. Ignoring their petty relationship problems and feelings, Hiccup yanked on his mask as he ran after Astrid. Punzie was on his heels, demanding answers that he shouted over his shoulder.

It had only taken a moment for their morning to be thrown into chaos. It had taken another moment for them to be thrown into silence again.

Standing outside the small house that hid their complex, Hiccup was aware of how far from heroic looking they were; he was in baggy sweatpants, the girls still had sleep shorts hanging off their hips, and Tuff's bed hair was practically standing straight up. However, taking a glance at Astrid, she still looked lethal.

"Don't kill anyone," he told her as a cloud of dust appeared in the distance. "We don't know what they want."

"Jack and Snot leave to talk to a villain and then they show up," she snarled, eyes narrowing toward the road. "That isn't a coincidence. They're getting in my way."

Hiccup knew the government was probably well aware of the Guardians wrath when you came in between them and their job. Watching the approaching cars in the distance, he wondered what was so important they would risk the anger of a super.

Dagur, although Hiccup realized reluctantly that his power would be helpful in this situation, had been instructed to stay inside with Wiz. With no training whatsoever, let alone a mask, there was quite a bit of harm the newbie could do.

"Don't give anything away," Astrid continued, louder so the others would pay attention. "They don't need to know what we're up to."

"What if they're just here to give Jack and Snot back?" Punzie questioned. The cloud of dust was larger now. Hiccup could make out several outline of cars speeding their way.

"Why would they take them in the first place?" Ruff spat on the ground and wrinkled her nose towards the road. "Damn suits."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Hang on, we don't even know they took them. They could just be mad we sent them and want to talk about it."

"I highly doubt that," Astrid muttered lowly from beside him as several black SUVs came into view. The Guardians didn't flinch as the slid to stop on the gravel road, sending dust and rocks flying their way. There was no sign of their last two members as several men in dark suits jumped from the seats. Hiccup shifted uneasily as Cecelia Crow appeared from the closest car, her white suit crisp and too clean.

"What do you want?" Astrid wasted no time in front of the dozen of government officials in front of them. "You don't normally make house calls."

Agent Crowe smiled tightly, taking a step in front of her line of men. One by one, she looked at each of them, her smile twisting into an annoyed sneer before speaking. "Always so welcoming, Shadow."

Astrid crossed her arms. "Last I checked, assassins weren't meant to be welcoming. What are you doing here?"

"Please," Agent Crowe snorted, giving a short laugh. "Don't play dumb. It's insulting. You know exactly why I'm here. What are you doing?"

"That's none of your business," Ruffnut spat. "We're supposed to keep the country safe. Not give you detailed reports of our actions."

"Then enlighten me on why you left the country." From behind her back, she withdrew a crumpled paper and tossed it to Hiccup. He snatched it from the air and looked sideways at his friends before looking down. The French words unfamiliar to him, but the blurry picture was an image he could see in a mirror if he wished.

A painful knot twisted in his stomach. Glancing at Astrid, who was leaning up on her toes to pear at the paper, he wasn't surprised to see her face as emotionless he hoped his looked.

"So what?" Astrid demanded, turning her attention to the woman in front of them. "It's not like a secret that we exist."

Agent Crowe narrowed her eyes. "That's not the issue. I don't care about some fuzzy picture on a trashy magazine. I want to know what you were up to in France."

"Up to?" Ruff cackled, along with her brother. "Hiccup can't take a vacation?"

Hiccup wasn't sure what they expected, but he wasn't surprised when Crowe clicked her tongue impatiently. She was silent for a moment, with arms crossed, and eyes in slits before looking back to Astrid. "Alright, I'm done. You honestly expect me to believe you showing up at a maximum-security prison and making a detour in Paris is all a coincidence?"

"We were just checking in on Jinx," Astrid lied smoothly. "Wanted to make sure she was enjoying her stay."

"Oh God." She rolled her eyes. "At least next time make sure your whole group has the same cover story. It's sad."

Astrid faltered. Ever so slightly she glanced to Hiccup and the others beside her. There wasn't time for her to answer though. Punzie, of all people, took a step forward.

"Where's Frost?" she demanded, blonde braid swinging behind her. "Why didn't you bring them home?"

"Because I'm not done with them," Agent Crowe replied smugly. "We're holding them until further notice."

"You-you can't do that!" Astrid's hands dropped to fists at her sides. Hiccup started to move, to grab her in case she lashed out, but luckily the assassin stayed in place. "You can't keep them! They didn't do anything wrong!"

"It's against the law," Hiccup retorted, speaking up for the first time since the cars pulled up. "You aren't allowed to hold someone without a cause."

Crowe laughed. Hiccup glared while she tried to keep a straight face as she spoke. "Against the law? Do you really think everyday laws pertain to us? We deal with the supernatural. We're allowed to do whatever the hell we want to, as long as it protects the country. With you and your buddies hopping all over the world, we have complete immunity. Maybe if you all would just work with us, we wouldn't have to resort to holding your friends."

"We already told you-."

"There isn't anything to tell," Astrid argued. "We aren't doing anything."

The silence was deafening and the tension thick enough to slice with a knife. For a split second, Hiccup was worried there'd be a fight. It'd be no question on what side would win, but he wasn't interested in taking out high ranking members of the U.S. government. Thankfully, after several silence filled seconds of hatred filled glares, Cecelia Crowe took a step back to her car.

"Okay." She clicked her tongue. "That's fine. Since you won't tell us, don't expect your friends back anytime soon. We'll just get our answers from them."

No one said anything. They remained there, silent and still in their pajamas, as the black cars disappeared on the dusty road.

It was hours before anyone calmed down long to actually sit down and talk. Astrid had gone on a shouting spree, slamming her fists into doors and knocking things off tables as she hissed curses and insults. Punzie cried, quietly and alone curled up in an arm chair while Hiccup shook so badly he phased, roaming the halls and spitting out coughs of fire. The twins were surprisingly calm, filling in Dagur and Wiz on what they'd witnessed.

"They know we're lying," Astrid addressed the others later that afternoon, "but personally I'd rather handle this ourselves. I don't trust her."

"She took Jack and Snotlout," Ruff scoffed. "Obviously we don't want her help, but how're we supposed to handle the mountain situation and this."

"She's right," Wiz piped up. "Just looking at it from a strategy standpoint, you need the man power."

"Times running out," Hiccup growled impatiently. "We don't know what the villains are planning and we need to find out fast. There's no time to wait around for Crowe to give up Snotlout and Jack."

For a small moment, no one said anything. Astrid looked carefully at everyone, running a shaking hand through her hair before speaking. "I trust all of you in this room more than anyone else."

"I just met all of you," Dagur smirked. Hiccup rolled his eyes. "But I like you guys."

Astrid ignored his comment. "If you guys feel the same, then I think I have a way to get us out of this mess."

"Sure, Astrid."

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say we'd all die for each other."

"Good." She sighed nervously, before continuing. "Then I think we need to go rogue. We'll get Jack and Snot back and go to the mountain to find out what they're up to. We prepare here, then stay under the radar."

"Are-are you saying we break in?" Punzie looked cautiously at the others in the room as she spoke.

"Yes, but not to get them back. I also want inside the prison. We need that talk with Jinx."

"Astrid…" Tuff seemed momentarily loss for words. "That's-."

"Crazy?" Dagur supplied.

"Listen, I know it's risky, but if our own government isn't helping us, then they're against us. Crowe is making everything that much more difficult. We need to lose her, which is where Wiz will come in. We'll leave you here, make it look like we split and left you behind. This can work you guys. By the sounds of it, if we don't stop them our world will be gone anyways. We might as well risk it all."

"I love gambling," Tuff smiled, grinning at the pothers around the table, "so I'm in.

"I can't let my dumb brother go alone," Ruff groaned. "Let's do it."

Astrid beamed and looked expectantly at the others.

"Of course I won't let you go with me," Punzie smiled, "and I guess it'll be nice to have Jack back."

"I don't know how any of this works yet," Dagur explained, "but I don't want to be left behind with the computer nerd."

She looked to Hiccup, who couldn't help grinning at her hopeful face. Going rogue was risky; there'd be no backup and who knew, if they succeeded, if the country would welcome them back with open arms. However, this was his life now; this hopeless group of young adults were everything.

"Just tell me what to do Chief."