Astrid's P.O.V.

I tried lifting my arm from the cot but it was made of bricks and it was stiffer than concrete. I grunted as I pushed myself into a sitting position. My shoulders were burning and my legs were frozen jello. About the only thing that didn't hurt was my neck. I forced through the pain and the gravity took it's toll on me as I stood up. I take a deep breath and swing my arm in a circle, holding back screams of pain with every rotation. When my arms were loosened, I moved to my legs. I reached down to grab my ankle and brought my foot up until it was above my head, my leg stretching up my back. It hurt like heck but when I released it, there was so much relief I was wondering if I was on half a cloud. I did the same to the other leg before falling back onto the cot. I looked at the clock and saw that it was no later than 9:00. No guns. No knives. No ropes. No chains. No means of ending the suffering!

"End the suffering," I order blankly as Haddock walks into my cell.

"Sorry, can't do that," he says casually as he leaned his back against the wall.

"Seriously. Pull your gun out of your holster, cock it, plug your ears, aim right between my eyes and pull the trigger. I've done it thousands of times, it's easy," I say, as if explaining something to a 10-year-old.

"I'm not going to shoot you, Astrid," he says. I cross my arms and turn my head away.

"Then I'm not talking to you," I say stubbornly.

"You know, I've never had someone shun me just because I wouldn't shoot them," he says and I don't answer. "Oh, wow, you were serious," he says after a pause. After a minute, he sighs. "Okay, fine. Don't talk to me, just follow," he orders and I snort a huff of breath before standing up and following him to the hall. I hunch my shoulders and stuff my hands in my pockets as he walks me down the hall, glancing at me over his shoulder as he moved at a brisk pace. With my long, angered strides, it was easy to keep up with him, and I kinda wished he'd go faster.

"Can you go any slower?" I ask bitterly before he chuckles.

"And she speaks!" he cheers, throwing his fists in the air in victory before opening a door. I grumble under my breath as I storm in and he closes the door behind me. I sit on the stool and lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees before the lights turn on. I look up before spinning around with a sarcastic smile.

"See? That is why you should let me into these rooms, when the lights are already on," I say to the mirror.

"There's no coolness in that," the speaker says.

"But there's coolness in kidnapping someone?"

"Either answer our questions or bring your brother in and we will let you go."

"I've already told you, the day I tell you anything about him or do anything for you, is the day I grow wings on my feet and turn into Hermes!" I shout.

"I told you! She's not ready to crack!"

"Hey, Haddock, your mic is on!" I snap.

"Ah, crap," he grumbles before a small beep sounds and the voices leave.

"Hard to believe he's the mastermind of this shindig," I mutter as I pace around the room with crossed arms.

Hiccup's P.O.V.

"Well maybe if we didn't pamper her she'd fess up!" Alvin snaps.

"Are you saying I'm going easy on her?!" I ask.

"If the gun shoots," he spits.

"Not more than ten minutes ago, she was telling me to shoot her," I tell him.

"It didn't occur to you that she was really asking you to get her out of here?"

"Of course it did!" I snap, "But I could tell she was in actual pain. I know she's an undercover agent and a master at faking emotions, but this was real. I stake my entire reputation on it; she is not being pampered."

"I still say we should take you off her watch," he says.

"Alvin, just give me a little more time. She's not used to my way of break-down. You put another agent on her, and she will be able to take anything they dish out. You know why?" I say.

"Why?" he asks, humoring me.

"Because they use the basic interrogation techniques. The very same techniques that she has mastered. Once someone can preform a tactic perfectly, they can't be effected by it. And we know that she can take a beating, I mean, have you seen those scars? We gave her half of them," I say. Alvin paused for a moment, glaring at me in skeptical thought. He then looked at Astrid, who was playing with the stool, holding it like a shield.

"Fine. You can have your time. But, if she gets too out of hand, I will send someone to get her back in line," he growls.

"Thank you!" I breathe before turning on the speaker and leaning toward the mic. "Astrid, put the stool down." She looks at me with a blank stare and slumped shoulders. She sets it down, on it's side, and sits on it like a log as Alvin walks out of the room. "Now drop and give me fifty," I order and she rolls her eyes before standing and falling forward.

"Would you like me to do it one hand?" she asks in an English accent.

"Sure, that'll be entertaining," I say and she puts one hand behind her back before lowering and lifting her body, faster than last time. "Switch hands!" I order and she thrusts herself up before switching her hands mid air. She went at a slightly faster pace on her right hand. When she was finished, she thrust herself up one more time before curving her body, and rolling into a headstand. She crossed her legs and made loops with her fingers before putting the backs of her hands to her knees. "Okay, Hercules, you can stop that now," I say in exasperation before she clapped.

"Yay!" she cheered, "I'm Hercules." She rolled backwards before spinning around and sitting cross legged, examining her nails. "Hey, Haddock, you think we can talk to Alvin about gettin' me a phone call?" she asked calmly as she stood up and walked toward the window, "I can't remember the last time I've talked to another human."

"Solid burn," I say with crossed arms.

"Thank you. But seriously, I really could use a talk with my dad...I'm having some thoughts..." she says, her voice lowering in a sickeningly serious tone.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I'm having thoughts that only he can talk me through! If I don't speak with him soon, I will find a way to end..." she didn't finish.

"End what?" I ask.

"I just need to talk with someone!" she snaps.

"Okay. Talk with me," I say, sitting in a chair and getting comfortable.

"I'd sooner make out with Alvin," she spits.

"Look, Astrid. I'm the only one here who isn't voting for killing you. I'm the only thing keeping you alive. The only option you have. So either talk to me, and get a response, or drive yourself crazy," I say.

"You think I haven't driven myself crazy before?" she asks.

"Tell me about a time you did," I order.

"Getting on the plane to Salzburg," she says simply.

"And....?" I say after a pause.

"There is no and. I drove myself crazy when I was getting on the plane," she says.

"Why were you driving yourself crazy?" I ask, realizing I had to be specific.

"I was debating whether to disobey a direct order or not," she tells me after a pause, "My gut told me to defy everything I've been taught. My head told me to ignore the sickness in my gut that was making it tell me stupid things."

"You should have done the opposite. You always listen to your gut; it's almost never wrong. The head, on the other hand, can make you see things that aren't there; it's almost never right," I say before her eyes become deadly.

"You're having the time of your life rubbing this in, aren't you?" she mutters before adding more clearly, "My instincts are different. My head is usually right and my gut is almost never correct."

"Did you just tell me a weakness?" I ask, my voice sly.

"Damn!" she shouted before punching the wall.

"Why don't you tell me some more stuff about you?" I suggest with a chuckle, seeing her cringe.

"Like where my brother's safe house is?" she asks.

"Sure! I can send him some flowers from you for his birthday!" I say cheekily. She mocks me as she crosses her arms.

"I won't be here for his birthday," she says.

"So you're going to tell us where he is?"

"Nope," she says simply.

"Then how do you figure?" She stays silent, a smirk on her lips that made her look strangely... strong... like she was planning something.

"Double Agent," is all she says after a long pause. I furrowed my eye brows.

"Not possible. We do a background check on everyone before we hire them," I say, making her laugh heavily.

"FBI agents, are masters of disguise, Haddock," she says. I run out to the hall to see Stormfly walking toward Alvins office.

"Stormfly!" I call, running over to her. She turns to face me but pulls her gun, due to reflex.

"Hiccup, what's up?" she asks as she puts it back in her chest holster.

"Tell Alvin that we need multiple guards, at least two, on Astrid at all times. No one leaves her until a replacement comes, got it?" I order and she nods before running to the office.