Hiccup was staring out towards the desert, with his gaze occasionally flicking down to the book open in his lap as he sat cross-legged.

A minute or two went by before he heard footsteps approaching and he glanced over as Bekker came to stand in the doorway behind and to the left of him. "We're ready to leave now," she said.

Hiccup closed the book in his lap, stood up and followed her back inside, all without saying anything.

Descending the stairs to the ground floor, he headed a little to the right where Aimal sat, wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

"We're leaving now, Aimal," he said to the Afghan, crouching before him. "I want you to stay with Fishlegs for the time being and heal up. Then, provided you get your voice back, I want to know how on earth you're still alive. Can you do that for me?"

Aimal didn't respond. Didn't even nod or shake his head. In fact, one would not know he was alive were it not for the rising and falling of his bandaged-wrapped chest.

"…Right. Forget I asked. Hope you pull through, Aimal."

"I'll keep an eye on him, Hiccup."

Hiccup glanced over, to where Fishlegs was leaning against a wall, phone in hand and nodded. "Good."

He then straightened up and left with Bekker, stepping out into the moonlight cast against a gradually brightening sky as sunrise approached.

There, he pulled Bekker aside gently, mindful of her limp. "How long do you think you can last with that bullet to the thigh you got?"

"In a gunfight someplace without cover, it's anyone's guess. Probably not long. But I'm still coming with you. I'll fight or die trying."

"Alright. Let's get going then. Let's paint the town red with whatever comes our way."

…

Earlier, Aimal had driven the jeep up to a mud brick house that was two floors tall.

It stood clumped amongst an array of buildings of the same material but differentiated itself from the rest with the fact that it had straw drying on the roof and a post where a donkey stood, tied with a rope that limited its movement.

As the jeep drew to a stop, a man who looked similar to Aimal emerged from the house.

He approached the donkey to untie it from its post but then decided to observe the jeep's occupants get out.

When he laid eyes on Bekker's hair, the man uttered something unpleasant in Dari and abandoned his task to go back inside.

However, Aimal responded to the man in Dari and then addressed his guests. "My brother. He is displeased to see another western woman."

So he may have something to do with Naja's disappearance then. "Yeah… is there any headdress I could wear? We don't have them in Denmark, really…" responded Bekker.

Aimal nodded eagerly, face brighter than when he regarded her before. "I shall ask my brother's wife for a spare. First, you get settled. Come."

So Aimal headed for the door but didn't reach it before his brother emerged, slamming the door open and pointing an AK-47 in Bekker's direction.

Acting on instinct, she immediately dropped into a crouch and made to draw her gun, as did Hiccup and Fishlegs, while the gunman barked at her in Dari.

Aimal responded in kind, which seemed to enrage his brother further, as he pointed the gun at him as a result.

"Aimal, what did he say? Talk to me?"

"Sir. He is angry about her."

"And what did you say to him?"

"I said I would bring a covering. He didn't like that. He said it would make no difference, sir."

"Alright. Ask him what he wants to happen then. And tell him I want him to put down the gun before my friends and I shoot him."

So Aimal relaid this. But nobody besides Aimal could have possibly predicted his brother's reaction.

He started laughing.

Then he said one last thing in Dari before turning and heading back inside.

"He said 'He is a brave one. I will bother him no more,'" said Aimal, translating without being prompted.

"Notice he didn't say he won't bother me again," Bekker piped up. "I'm sleeping with my gun ready tonight. Sorry Aimal, but if your brother comes near me again, I'm going to kill him."

"…I will get head covering for you."

…

When night fell at Aimal's household, Hiccup, Fishlegs and Bekker were provided rugs and blankets for bedding and shown how to get to their room - by way of a staircase and a door which opened up to the roof.

There they laid out bedding and lay down to sleep until morning.

Sleep they did, but not until morning, for something flickering orange woke Hiccup up first, and he woke up his companions next through bleary eyes, then with more vigour when the sound of footsteps bounding up the stairs reached him.

He tore his gun free of its holster just as the door burst open and fired on instinct.

Once, twice, three times, then more as his companions entered the fray until the would-be assailants were all down.

Hiccup spared them little attention, however, approaching the edge of the roof. "Sorry for the rude awakening. We're just having a wonderful night, tonight."

"You can say that again, Fishman. What's with the fire?"

Hiccup didn't answer as he took a peek at the flames.

What was intended as a brief look became silent staring, with Hiccup now rendered mute by shock.

But he didn't remain in that state for long. "One of you two find Aimal and make it quick."

"I'll do it," Bekker volunteered.

"Good." Hiccup glanced at the fire again before turning around once more. "Fishlegs, go with her and make sure those undesirables are all dead."

"Okay, I-"

Bang!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Fucking hell!"

"Bekker? You hit?"

"Y-yes! In the thigh! Help, please! This really fucking hurts!" she shouted from the staircase.

"On my way! Fishlegs, see if you can find a fire extinguisher… or a bucket of water."

"Yes sir," Hiccup heard him say, but otherwise paid Fishlegs no mind, reaching for the trauma kit pouch on his belt to help Bekker, stepping over the bodies in the doorway to the staircase.

…

"Let's paint the town red with whatever comes our way? And how exactly do you plan we do that? How will we draw people to us?"

Hiccup stared at Bekker. Or rather, her hair. She was not wearing the chaddari Aimal had provided, since having taken it off prior to falling asleep, and left it on the roof of his house. "With your hair as bait. It seems to draw people like moths to a flame."

"Well… you're not wrong… so do you think Fishlegs can get in touch with Sigrid at this time of day?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Probably not. But it's worth a shot anyway."