"What are the latest reports we got of Viggo's base?" Astrid asks as she paces the Clubhouse floor, wearing out the wood and her boots' soles.
"We haven't flown a reconnaissance in a while, Astrid," Fishlegs answers as he analyzes the Archipelago map stretched over the board. "I can't even remember the last time we had any good reason to go on a suicide mission like that."
"It's not like we have to go looking for trouble," Snotlout notes, taking a bite out of his hard tack. "Those guys find us anywhere all the time. They're everywhere. Armorwing Island is proof. There weren't supposed to be any Flyers there. But there were. I can't recall the last time we had a mission go as planned. Those buzzards are everywhere, and they're ruining everything."
Everyone is silent for a long second.
"What?" Snotlout blinks.
"I didn't know you had that kind of sense of justice, Snotlout," Tuffnut teases, and Snotlout threatens to elbow him in the nose as the twin backs off, snickering.
"The last information we gathered from Viggo's base was this," Fishlegs says, holding a pocket-sized notebook. Astrid takes it from his outstretched hand and immediately recognizes Hiccup's handwriting.
"Hiccup estimated Viggo had approximately half a thousand soldiers on the island alone, without counting the dozens to hundred Hunters scattered across the sea to conduct operations," she says before shutting the notebook with a sharp clap. She meets the eyes of the other Riders, their gazes passive. This is no new information. Despite being less than Dagur's armada, Viggo's army had a significant number. "That's not counting Krogan's current presence with his Flyers."
"Don't forget about Traitor Johann," Ruffnut reminds.
"Do you think Johann has an army of his own?" Tuffnut wonders.
"Unlikely," Astrid says, thoughtfully tapping her fingertips against the table's surface. "Johann works alone. He undoubtedly pays Viggo and Krogan for their resources. But he makes the calls. Hiccup made it clear when Johann revealed his true colours… They work for him."
"You think we should just wait for their network to collapse?" Ruffnut suggests.
"Why would it collapse?" Fishlegs frowns, confused by her statement.
"Isn't it obvious?" she says, peeling off the wall. "Viggo and Krogan have their own tribe—their own army."
"They're independent," Astrid underlines, slowly picking up what Ruffnut is putting down. "What could Johann offer them that would have them agree to be led by a deceitful merchant?"
"It can't be gold alone," Fishlegs adds, agreeing with the twin's insinuation. "A promise of power in the aftermath of the war?"
"Possibly." Astrid nods. "We've seen how Krogan and Viggo operate—Viggo's cunning. Krogan is ruthless. But Johann…"
"Johann's a coward," Snotlout spits.
"That's been established," Tuffnut chuckles.
"Johann doesn't engage in battles like Krogan does," Astrid analyzes, reading off the observation like a script. "He hides. He schemes. He's been doing it before Breakneck Bog, so why would he need Viggo's brains if he already has them?" She pauses, thinking for a moment. She frowns. "Why pay Viggo if Johann has both the brains and the brawn?"
"Maybe he's only using him for his numbers?" Fishlegs suggests.
"Maybe," Astrid supports, nodding. "We have three powerful men working together. If Johann is in charge, and Krogan is invaluable with his army of Dragon Flyers, then we have a weak link."
"Viggo." Fishlegs nods. "It makes sense. Viggo can't care for the gold. He has plenty of that. So Johann must've promised something else in the deal."
"But traitors like Johann are known to go back on their word, aren't they?" Astrid says grimly. "Maybe Johann is planning to get rid of Viggo before the end of the war."
"And what are we supposed to do with that theory?" Snotlout asks, folding his arms over his chest. "It's not like we can Terror Mail an enemy and propose a treaty based on hypothesis only. Isn't Viggo Grimborn supposed to be smart? He should see this coming. And if he is, I'm pretty sure the last people he'll want to join are Dragon Riders. May I remind you that Viggo wants us all dead?"
"Even a man dangling from a cliff will stretch out a hand to his worst enemy," Astrid says, her eyes dead serious as she holds Snotlout's flaming gaze.
It's not resentment for her. It's for the situation—the fact that they lost Hiccup to Krogan. She can't blame him for being angry.
Astrid continues carefully. "Even if this isn't the case… We can still use it. Convince Viggo Grimborn that Johann and Krogan have decided that he is expendable. In exchange for protection from two new enemies, he assists us to get Hiccup out of there."
"And how do you know this will work?" Snotlout asks, raising his eyebrows skeptically. "The chances of turning Viggo against Johann is, shall we say, unlikely?"
Astrid sighs. She picks up the notebook again and filters through the notes—notes Hiccup took from his obsession with Viggo Grimborn and his brilliant tactics and manipulative works. She doesn't read anything useful, but her eyes spark up.
"Because Viggo Grimborn doesn't take orders…" she says slowly.
She recalls Ryker and how the Grimborn brothers had turned on each other in the pursuit of power—leadership. Viggo had offered Hiccup a truce. If the Dragon Riders helped him stop his brother—kill him, even—he'd exchange something of extreme value for their service: the Dragon Eye. Of course, later, Viggo went back on his word and backstabbed Hiccup, coming up with a new deal: her life for the Eye. It hadn't been a difficult choice in the end. But the lesson learnt was that Viggo Grimborn wouldn't let his own brother live after he stole what was his. It shouldn't be difficult for Viggo to agree to destroy the Northern Alliance if he learns that his partners are trying to get rid of him the way Ryker had. It may only be a guess, but Astrid is willing to bet on it.
"Hiccup is neither Viggo's prisoner nor Krogan's," Astrid explains. "He's Johann's. And now that we know who Johann really is, there's no guarantee he'll ever let him go. Johann knows us. He knows our tactics—he knows how we work. The last time we were on Dragon Hunter Island, we barely escaped, and that was Viggo's army alone back then. Now double those numbers with Krogan's men. As much as I hate to say it, going anywhere near that island is asking for a quick death. We're not getting Hiccup out without asking for help. We could ask Dagur, Mala, and use Berk's forces. But if I were Johann and saw a fleet of ships headed towards me, I would not only execute Hiccup Haddock the Third, heir of Berk and leader of the infamous Dragon Riders, but I would take advantage of the fact that most of his enemies are all gathered and bring the sky down on them. It would be Johann's greatest and easiest victory, and we would've paved the path for him to achieve it. Bargaining with Viggo is risky—there's no way to guarantee he will even consider it, whether what we suspect is really happening or just in our heads. But if we're not using Viggo or our allies, we infiltrate, disguise ourselves as Flyers, and improvise the whole way. Once we're in, there's no backing out. Whatever we choose will be a long shot."
The pause that follows is heavy as the options are weighed. It's not an easy decision to take. A thousand things could go wrong, no matter the path they choose. Hiccup's life is on the line, and it's up to them to make the right call. One wrong move, and they could lose their leader—their heir—forever.
"It's almost been two whole days," Snotlout states, breaking the consuming silence. "What do you think they've done to him so far?"
Astrid doesn't want to think about that. She'll focus on what she can control than what she can't. It's too easy to spin out of control in her head. Over the years of war, she's learnt to master that ability to push away the worries and put her energy into what is within her power. The anxiety remains, but at least she can operate under that pressure.
"Let's say we do choose the Viggo option," Fishlegs proceeds, distracting everyone from Snotlout's worrisome comment. He eyes everyone in the room, their thoughts all equally doubtful. "How do you suggest we contact him?"
At that, the sudden squeak of a Terrible Terror has every head spin toward the sound. The little dragon flies into the Clubhouse's opening and lands on the circular table. It paws the surface, shaking its hind leg, demanding assistance to remove the piece of parchment attached to it.
Everyone shares the confusion, and Astrid reaches to the dragon and takes the paper from it before releasing the creature. Anticipation gnaws at the Riders as she unrolls the paper and reads left to right. She reads it once. She reads it twice. She reads it a third time to be sure her eyes aren't deceiving her.
"This can't be right…" she whispers, barely able to voice her thoughts.
"What does it say?" Fishlegs asks, reining in the urge to read it himself as Astrid takes a moment that feels like an eternity.
She meets his gaze, her mouth agape. "It's Viggo." She blinks, frozen. "He's offering his help."