Chapter Nineteen: Asgard

Asgard was a step up from the main Casino, a more intimate salon with rosewood panelled walls, deep crimson carpets and a single very long oval poker table in the centre. Waiters spun and dipped, sliding glasses of champagne and and cocktails to all comers, discreet and efficient as cocktail lounge piano played in the background. The dealers here were in full evening dress, hair swept up in tight knots, discreet coms in their ears. Most of the seats were taken, each main player seated with a bodyguard, companion or second standing behind him. Tuff walked past the table, lowering his eyes as the last pair were conducted in by the elegant hostesses.

Hiccup walked in, head up and shoulders back with Astrid's arm linked through his. The chit VA3 had given them-marked with the famous Casino motto 'Play Along'-had Hiccup treated like royalty and they had been whisked through with a rudimentary pat down, though the guard on the door had been very reluctant to touch the scowling Astrid. As she slid her arm through his once more, he leaned closer.

"You do realise they are expecting a simpering blonde companion, not a totally ferocious Valkyrie?" he hissed and she flashed a brilliant grin, her azure eyes glittering with humour.

"I'd suggest I was the agent and you were my arm candy, agent boy, but the gym girl has picked you out as our player," she hissed back.

"Um...I do have some clue how to play poker," he admitted and she stared at him as they were steered to a seat on the far side of the table. Hiccup slid in and undid the button on his jacket, sitting back by a preprepared pile of chips while Astrid leaned decorously on the back of his chair and glanced around the table. Alvin was sitting at the head of the table, his silver Tux shimmering in the subdued light with Savage at his shoulder. Dagur was seated at his left, idly flipping his chips. Opposite Hiccup, seated to Alvin's right, were the Grimborns-Viggo seated with Ryker standing at his back. At the other end, a huge woman in a steel vest with titian locks, red tattoos on her cheeks and icy grey eyes was seated with two escorts-a man in a spiked helmet and Toothless, telling Hiccup that he was looking at the infamous Red Queen. A tall elegant woman with strawberry-blonde page cut and long black gown-Queen Mala-was seated between Hiccup and the Red Queen with Throk at her back. The First Ministers of Murderous, Hysteria and Meathead were also at the table with female companions of varying appearance-though not one approached Astrid in beauty. And seated to the left of the dealer was the familiar and shocking tux-clad shape of Eret.

"I see we are now all here," said a very large, heavyset woman with blonde hair restrained in a tight bun. Her intelligent eyes flicked over the table as her jade-sheathed shape shifted inelegantly and she nodded as the familiar buxom shape of Cameron sashayed up. "As your host, I welcome you all to Asgard, the most exclusive gambling salon in the Archipelago. It is my honour to host this gathering. I trust you all recall our terms and conditions? Yes? Then I am pleased to introduce my daughter, Cami, who will act as your dealer..."

"What's he doing here?" Viggo growled, gesturing at Hiccup. "That spy is my prisoner! He escaped from my custody and I want him back...now..."

"Tsk tsk tsk-Viggo, I thought you were supposed to be smart," the large woman-Bertha-told him forcefully. "The terms and conditions guarantee that Asgard is neutral ground and that all vendettas, blood feuds and quarrels are left at the door."

"Howsabout contracts?" Dagur asked lazily, eyeing Hiccup like a piece of meat. Forcing himself to stare ahead, Hiccup picked up a chip and idly rolled its across his fingers and back.

"Ditto," Bertha said. Norbert 'the Nutjob', the semi-psychotic First Minister of Hysteria who had a reputation for vanishing journalists who published unflattering articles about him as well as denouncing them as fake news and banning their papers from all press conferences, leaned forward.

"What ya gonna do, Bertha?" he scoffed. "Serve us a bad cocktail if we don't play by your widdle wules?"

There was a crowded second where the harsh click of guns being cocked, raised and aimed filled the room as every dealer, hostess and waiter levelled their weapons at the First Minister. Hiccup knew for a fact that everyone at the table had been patted down-though Astrid, of course, was armed to the teeth, thanks to the modified purse he had made for her-and they were hopelessly outgunned. Bertha's .5 Magnum was all of three inches from Norbert's temple.

"Works for me," the young agent commented casually as everyone else glared. Dagur raised his hands.

"I can wait!" he added as he cast Hiccup a sideways glance. "And I look forward to continuing our battle of wits, agent Haddock!"

"I think you'll find," Hiccup said with a small smirk, "you are talking to the Archipelago's most wanted man!" Alvin arched a huge bushy eyebrow.

"Really?" he said gruffly. "I could be a bit annoyed about that after all the effort I put in ter get that explosive and blow AI6 to Helheim. You don't get to be where I am!"

"Will everyone behave or do I have to start ejecting people?" Bertha growled.

"No, I think you've made your point!" Norbert squeaked. The large woman paused, then uncocked her gun and secreted it once more. There were clicks and rustles as the guns all vanished once more.

"I think you may want to go and change your pants, precious," Cami grinned at the Hysterical First Minister of Hysteria. "Bit of an accident, I think." Astrid leaned close.

"I like her already," she murmured, waving to a waiter. Ruff miraculously appeared.

"Nice you could join the party," she said in a low voice, her black tux and pants combo making her look uncannily like her brother. "I'll get you a Virgin Colada and our boy?"

"He's a Virgin Pillager," Astrid murmured and Ruff gave him a smirking look.

"It's always the quiet ones, isn't it?" she commented with a snigger. "I didn't think he had it in him!"

"Ruff..." Astrid tone was a low growl.

"Fine. Sure you don't want me to spike the others' drinks?" the female twin asked and Astrid paused then shrugged.

"Do whatever you feel is appropriate," she suggested and immediately grimaced at Ruff's excited grin.

"Loki..." she whispered and sped away.

"In any case," Cami noted clearly with a lazy smile, "Agent Haddock no longer works for AI6-what remains after it was blown to Svartalfheim! No, he has approached us and secured a place here in Bog."

"As one of mine," Bertha added clearly. "He plays for me. Any objections?"

Almost feeling Astrid's glare bore into the back of his neck, Hiccup fashioned a lazy smile and nodded. "Well, really wasn't feeling the love back on Berk," he admitted. "I mean, I was treated like yak dung, blamed for everything and they couldn't wait to fire me...so I fired them first." He sat back and his hand rose to lazily caress Astrid's. "So blondie and I decided to jump before we were pushed..." Viggo scowled.

"That's not what you said when you were my guest," he growled and Hiccup gave a small grimace.

"Actually, I didn't say much at all because you were punching me most of the time!" he snapped. "Still didn't stop me escaping your clutches. Didn't you wonder why I headed straight for Bog?" Astrid's eyes flicked to see Toothless inspecting them curiously, his tanned brow furrowed slightly as he listened to Hiccup. He knew the truth of their escape-but made no move to contradict the young agent. Eret, though, was scowling at Hiccup and thumped his glass down on the baize firmly.

"I knew there was something off about you," he growled. "No one could be as useless as you were." Astrid felt it then-the slight stiffening in Hiccup's shoulder before the young man replied.

"And no one could be as incompetent as you were in getting captured by Al," he shot back. "Had to be a set-up. I assume Snot didn't have a clue?" Eret grinned, a white smile too full of teeth.

"Your cousin is a complete mutton-head," he commented. "An absolute Monstrous Nightmare. He couldn't keep his mouth shut. Why do you think I sent him to talk to Al's men? It was inevitable he would give himself away through his complete stupidity and arrogance!" Hiccup nodded.

"Tell me about it," he said.

"And while this ain't completely fascinatin'" Alvin cut in, his scowl deepening, "we ain't 'ere ter listen ter yer two traitors 'avin' a nice chit-chat! We 'ave business ter attend ter..."

"About time," Mala commented coolly. "I believe we all have a vested interest in what Minister Forraeder has to say about his proposal." Cami quietly shuffled and dealt them each their first two cards, all the players automatically peering at their hands. Alvin pushed a couple of chips into the pot.

"The current government of the Archipelago is weak, corrupt and counter-productive to our own insular independent interests," he began hypocritically, his wheezing voice firm. Madguts of Murderous and Mogadon of Meathead both folded but Viggo carefully saw Alvin's bet. Hiccup paused then pushed a speculative chip into the pot. Eret glanced up-then matched him. Dagur, Mala and the Red Queen all folded.

"You're not at the hustings for Presidential Election yet, Forraeder," Madguts growled. He was a buff, brutal man with bald head and small, dark eyes.

"May be soon," Alvin retorted smugly. "President Larson has proposed a bill to downgrade Island First Ministers' powers to be wholly subservient to the presidency, making us just servants in his cabinet! All the power to make any decisions-taxes, major infrastructure, education, defence, health-would all be centralised rather than devolved."

"Making a coherent policy for the entire Archipelago and addressing inequalities," Mala commented pointedly, her hands flat on the table.

"Easy for you to say-since you are a separate state outside our borders," Madguts sneered.

"And meanin' we wouldn't need ter purchase yer wares," Alvin threatened her-but she smiled.

"I am certain that the market for arms is not going away anytime soon," she smiled, "but feel free to avail yourself of the inferior manufacturers' products-and see how well you do without us." Alvin watched as Cami dealt the next three cards. Hiccup and Viggo folded-and with a pointed cough from the Outcast, so did Eret. Alvin took the pot.

"Larson has a large private bank account that he has offered no public explanation for," he commented.

He owns Archipelago Petroleum and Gas Limited, Hiccup thought quietly, watching Cami deal again. Staring at the cards he had been dealt, he folded immediately. He's one of the five richest men in the Archipelago.

"But he seemed unconcerned when I suggested he wouldn't want others to investigate further," Alvin commented. "Nor was he concerned about the three ex-wives and four illegitimate children..."

Which the gossip magazines covered in detail during the election, Hiccup added silently. Toothless stared at the young agent and gave a single nod. Ruff brought a round of drinks and calmly delivered two cocktails with huge amounts of fruits and no less than three umbrellas in each before Hiccup and Astrid. Viggo accepted his glass of vodka on the rocks and Alvin had a large mead. Dagur sipped his beer-from an unopened bottle that he cracked open himself at the table.

"So a change is needed-preferably before the legislation is signed on the 19th," Viggo acknowledged in his smooth, cold delivery.

"And the President is going to open the new Viking Heritage Research Centre at the University Campus in Berk on the 17th," Alvin revealed. "Of course, First Ministers are invited...and one or two uninvited others may attend...such as my friend Eret here...and Dagur..."

"Presumably following this event, there will need to be another Presidential Election?" Mogadon asked dryly. He was a vicious and uncompromising man who ruled his island like an old-time Viking Chief and had his own eye on the Presidency.

"After a suitable period of mourning," Dagur added pointedly. "I never miss."

"Apart from 'Iccup there," Alvin taunted him. "Yer missed 'im a couple of times..." Dagur's face reddened but he remained still.

"I never miss a third time," he said shortly.

"So you will assassinate the President with you and the other vultures sitting by to try to provide your alibi," the Red Queen commented. "And you will stand for election."

"NO!" Alvin roared, leaping to his feet. "I will be proclaimed President by the Ministers sitting there. In response ter this terrible assault on our democracy..."

"...which you yourself instigated," Viggo commented dryly,

"...the Ministers present will unanimously call on me ter step forward ter ensure there is no power vacuum and assume the Presidency of the Archipelago," Alvin pronounced.

"And if we don't?" Norbert asked snidely.

"My magazine has twenty rounds," Dagur reminded him chillingly and everyone shut up-before Bertha gave a bright smile.

"Remember the rules," she said calmly and the red-haired assassin pointed a finger at her, half-closed an eye and mimed a shot.

"Bang," he said.

"Question is-where do you stand in this, Red Queen?" Viggo asked pointedly, flicking a glance at his next hand and folding. Hiccup glanced at his and faced two aces, quietly flicking a chip into the pile. The huge woman looked up.

"I stand by the eventual winner," she announced icily. "Alvin. My troops will be at your disposal when you secure your coup." Alvin scratched his neck and gave a yellow grin.

"Coup is such an ugly word..." he protested though his lips were curled in a smug grin. Cami dealt the next three cards as Mala, Dagur, Eret and Alvin all bet. An ace, a king and a three all turned up. "But sometimes, when duty calls, a man 'as ter answer..."

"Provided everyone calls him as ordered," Dagur commented dryly. Cami turned over another King. Alvin pushed all his chips in, as did Dagur, Eret and Mala. Hiccup stared at his hand and reluctantly did the same. The final card was a five

"So in the spirit of our new alliance, may I make a request?" Viggo asked smoothly, his calculating dark eyes swinging up to inspect the young man facing him. Alvin inspected the object of his interest and nodded.

"You can request," he invited the Hunter. Viggo stabbed a finger at Hiccup.

"I want him!" he snapped as Cami called for the cards to be shown.

"Not in my Casino..." Bertha growled through her teeth.

"Hiccup," Fishlegs said in his ear, "there are ten Outcast guards heading directly for the Casino!" Emerald eyes widened as Mala flipped a pair of Queens, making two pairs, Eret showed a two and a four, making a straight and both Alvin and Dagur revealed a King, making a Full House, kings over aces. Alvin chuckled and reached for the pot as Hiccup shook his head-and tossed his pair of aces onto the table.

"Four Aces," he announced and scooped the pot, handing Cami a large denomination chip. He handed a golden chip to Astrid with a smile. "For you, Milady..." he murmured. "Be ready..."

"And we have another problem!" Fishlegs added urgently. Teeth gritting, Hiccup stared across at Cami, whose smile had suddenly become slightly forced. But just then, Alvin rose to his feet, his face locked in a furious scowl.

"What a rip off!" he growled. "I never lose. And I..." He suddenly grimaced and clenched his teeth, clutching at his middle. "I gotta go!" he wheezed and scrambled towards the exit. Savage frowned and looked after him as Viggo doubled up and raced after him, Ryker in tow. Mala hitched up an eyebrow.

"Have you poisoned them, Bertha? Not that I am complaining?" she asked and the large woman gave a smile.

"I actually have not authorised any such thing," she commented. "But...some men are not strong enough to hold their drink..." Astrid shared a quick glance with Hiccup and nodded: Ruff had Loki'ed them.

"HICCUP!" Fishlegs squealed and everyone stared at the young agent.

"He's wired!" Dagur snapped and grabbed at the young agent-only to be hit in the face with a glass full of an untouched Virgin Pillager. He gagged and tried to wipe the fruit and umbrellas off his face as Hiccup dived away, followed by Astrid, who was muttering curses and taking to time to punch Norbert in the face on her way past. Ruff managed to get in the way of the Red Queen's Nadder guard but he shoved her aside as Bertha watched stonily. But before Hiccup could get to the door out of Asgard, the door slammed in and a stocky shape erupted in, his face red with anger and blue eyes glittering.

"USELESS! How DARE you sneak off with my Princess while I am asleep!" he shouted.

"You mean dead drunk!" Astrid snapped.

"Not now, Snotlout!" Hiccup groaned as his cousin squared up against him.

"I mean, why did you leave me with Fishface or whatever his name is? He's not even a proper agent...come to think, neither are you!" Snotlout continued at the top of his voice, oblivious to their surroundings and the phalanx of Outcasts who appeared behind him.

"Shut up..." Hiccup hissed.

"I mean, why on Midgard are you acting like an agent when we should be looking for...oh, hey Eret!"

"And we're dead," Hiccup groaned as the sharp snap of guns being cocked sounded harshly and the escapees-along with Snotlout and the newly arrived Outcasts—were surrounded by waiters, the bouncers and the other players. The Red Queen stared at him and her eyes narrowed.

"Bertha-I wish this one," she said imperiously. "My oracle has predicted a destiny for him-and I need to ensure that it does not happen." The large woman stared into the cool eyes of the fabled Red Queen and then bowed her head.

"As your ally, I accede to your request," she said stiffly.

"And I'll have the rest," Dagur growled. "Tell your master not to worry," he advised Eret. "I'll dispose of these two. They've heard too much." He turned to Bertha. "I trust your men will track down and finish their colleague?"

"I will send my daughter to complete the job," Bertha confirmed coldly. "Try not to leave a mess. And if you do, you'll have to clean it up yourself!"

"Yes, Mommy!" Dagur snarked, grabbing Astrid's arm. "C'mon, blondie. I think we can have some fun before I kill you!"

oOo

Hiccup found himself watching as Dagur hauled Astrid away and it the side door of the private salon but he was escorted through the main entrance to Asgard, the grip of the Nadder guard bruisingly tight on his tight arm. Toothless was walking along silently, not meeting his eye and the young agent realised whatever understanding they had was shattered on the edict of his ruler. Not that he had fully trusted the man but Toothless had come through so many times that Hiccup had sort of come to rely on him.

My mistake. Never trust anyone. They always let you down. Though of course, Astrid and Fishlegs hadn't-and they would end up getting killed because of that.

The noise of the main casino hit him almost like a blow and he dragged his feet, emerald eyes darting in around in search of any desperate attempt to cause a diversion. The hubbub of voices, the beeps and sirens of the slots and the shouts from the Craps table all blended as he glanced at the powerful shape of the Red Queen, striding ahead of them.

And then he heard a familiar voice shout out:

"Free drinks at the Valhalla Bar for the next five minutes!"

Tuff's words barely had a chance to finish when there was an almost-stampede as punters and their friends all surged forward and jostled the Nadder, loosening his grip, Hiccup pulled free and darted through the throng with the powerful man elbowing people aside to run after him. He snatched a glance to see the man closing so he dipped his hand in his pocket and tossed a handful of his winnings in the air.

"FREE CHIPS!" he yelled and this time, the Nadder was knocked aside as people began scrabbling for the chips, fighting each other for the generous gift. Hiccup dodged past the last waiter and shot through the doors into the kitchens, shoving past waiters and busboys and ducking out the back, heading for the service entrance to the Casino. He needed to get round to the back and rescue Astrid and then get to Fishlegs. They had grabbed his earpiece and he had no clue what the husky hacker would do but he had to warn him. But first...there was Astrid...

oOo

Dagur was moving fast, hauling Astrid like a rag doll along and she was muttering a vivid selection of curses but not resisting-because she was gripping her purse fiercely and thanking Thor that Hiccup as so persistent. Two of Alvin's men were accompanying then and Snotlout was moaning and protesting that he wasn't with her and it really wasn't fair he was being lumped with her. They had already made it to the underground car park and the girl knew this was where she was supposed to meet her end-though the cessation of Snotlout's whining would be a blessed relief. She looked around: it was dark, cold and quiet with only a couple of beat-up small cars in this lowest level. Dagur grinned and shoved her backwards, backing up and fishing the gun from the holster in his jacket. Snotlout was half hiding behind her and she sighed, facing Dagur and ignoring the agent who had cost her the precious chance to become an operational agent of AI6.

"You wanna talk now, blondie?" he asked.

"So not my type," Astrid snarked back and the pale green eyes grew colder.

"You know, I don't have to kill you straight off," he reminded her. "I can wound you one shot at a time until you are begging me to kill you." She folded her arms.

"Never happen," she snapped. "You really have a big opinion of yourself, don't you?"

"She doesn't speak for me," Snotlout added from behind her. "I didn't hear anything..."

"You never do-and you do even less," Astrid growled.

"My kills all cost seven figures, blondie," he told her easily. "And eight for the big one. In two days, these islands will have a new President-and he will owe me. So I really can't have some dumb blonde getting in the way and screwing up a plan that has taken over two years to bring to fruition!" Astrid stiffened, her azure eyes glaring.

"I am not a dumb blonde" she yelled. "I am a serious agent!"

"You're gonna be seriously dead in thirty seconds," Dagur told her, cocking his gun. "What name should I put on your tombstone, honey?"

"LOKI!" a female voice yelled and Ruff reared behind him, too quick for him to turn his gun on her and hit him in the face with her serving tray. He staggered back, shaking his head and lining up on her-as Astrid hit him with all her strength with a kick in the chest and midriff. He exhaled with a gasp and staggered back as his colleagues grabbed for Ruff. The girl hit one on the face with a bottle of vodka while Snotlout threw himself on the second, rolling around trading punches. Gathering his breath, Dagur grabbed at Astrid and snagged an arm, but she slammed the purse back and it hit him full in the face, the reinforced edge breaking his nose. He cried out in pain as he threw Astrid and she stumbled back on her heels, cursing the choice of footwear. Ruff jumped him and he spun, trying to dislodge her determined grip from his shoulders and neck, but she was like an Octopus and hung on tightly. Finally, he gripped her hair and threw her unceremoniously, dumping her flat on her back looking up into the muzzle of his gun.

"Odd name but it'll have to do," he commented, blood dribbling down his face from his broken nose as he aimed at her heart.

The zip of three darts filled the air and he flinched three times and turned-to see Astrid holding the min-stunner from her purse. He frowned and blinked-the pitched motionless onto his face. The remaining guards were shot as well and both slumped senseless as Snotlout sat up, looking relieved.

"I had him!" he protested, despite the fact that he had been pinned. "But you couldn't resist your urges to save all this manly magnificence!"

Astrid walked forward, kicked him hard once-then, as he was yelping, turned to kick Dagur equally hard...and then again, just to make sure-before snatching his gun and checking the other girl was okay. But Ruff was already up, grinning manically. She offered a fist to the other blonde.

"That was awesome, Ast!" she said happily. The female agent slowed her breathing and stared at the unconscious assassin and then at the stunner, absently fist-bumping the other girl.

"Thor-it actually worked," she murmured. Then she turned her gaze to Ruff. "You know this was the device you and your brother sabotaged? The one that caused him to be thrown out of Q department?" For a second, a guilty look flashed across Ruff's face and then she nodded.

"Yeah, kinda feel bad about that...especially as we still owe him our lives twice over," she muttered. Then she brightened up and glanced down at the unconscious Dagur and the equally unconscious guards. "So what are we going to do about them?"

A/N:I am not a poker player or frequent visitor to casinos (I have been once) so any inaccuracies are purely artistic license!