Chapter Eight: Survivors.

When Hiccup regained consciousness, it was dark, dusty and very musty. He had a real sense of being closed in and most of him was hurting. He lifted his head and coughed, hearing the creak of strained girders and the trickle of dust, falling from shattered floors. Emerald eyes focussed on the gloom and he realised: AI6 had collapsed.

He tried to move and found that apart from being incredibly cramped, he was alive and relatively uninjured but it was pitch black, without even the basic emergency lighting that he would have expected. And the hum of the air conditioning had died as well: it was eerily quiet. As he concentrated on his surroundings, he felt a familiar pressure against his hip: his bag was at his side so he automatically pulled out a small LED flashlight and looked around. They were in a pocket of safety, girders and collapsed concrete hemming them in on two sides but the isolated little corner booth-reinforced because it was the corner of the building and by the air duct-had weathered the explosion better than expected and the ceiling was still up...otherwise....they would be dead.

Something moved against his arm and he realised Astrid was lying across him, limp. Grasping the flashlight in his teeth, he gently moved her to check for injuries and saw a small bruise across her forehead. She was already moaning and beginning to stir so he cradled her head until the bleary azure eyes cracked open and she stared up in disorientation.

"What happened?" she mumbled.

"Explosion, I think. Building's come down. We're in a pocket..."

"Whoo us," Astrid grumbled, pressing a hand against her aching head. Graciously, Hiccup gave her his last two aspirin and she swallowed without hesitation, then glanced around. Opposite them, the twins were slumped over the table, faces firmly planted in their burgers. Astrid stared. "Should we move them? They may asphyxiate."

"I have no idea how long I was out so I suspect they would have died by now if they couldn't breathe," Hiccup said logically. He could see them breathing anyway so he wasn't too concerned-because in the grand scheme of things, the creaking noises from overhead were worrying him far more. "I'm not sure how long this little pocket will hold up," he said thoughtfully. "The entire weight of the building is pressing down on this little point and when the girders fail, we'll be crushed." Astrid squinted at him in the torchlight.

"Not exactly reassuring!" she snapped. He sighed.

"Look, the way my day's been going, I shocked I'm not already a quarter of an inch thick," he replied sarcastically. "And I really don't wanna die so..." He grabbed the torchlight and squirmed round to peer up at the air conditioning grille, his keen emerald gaze exploring the frame. "Can you check on the twins?" he asked as his hand searched his bag and found his multitool. Ducking under the table, Astrid managed to bob up between the twins and check their pulses: both batted at her, mumbling they wanted ten more minutes. She growled and poured their cans of soda over them, causing both to yell and sit up abruptly.

The ceiling creaked alarmingly.

"I didn't say wake them up," Hiccup grumbled. "This place is really unstable and those two mutton-heads just don't do quiet or still...which is what we need right now..."

"SORRY!" they both said loudly.

The creak was longer and dust fell from above them. Hiccup winced as he stood on the seat and began to unscrew the grille, eyes focussed on the screws and LED torch gripped in his teeth. The tiny rays of reflected light illuminated the others as Astrid felt her way under the table back to settle by Hiccup.

"What did you two idiots do anyway?" Astrid hissed. There was a pause and even in the gloom, Astrid could see hurt expressions.

"Hey-wasn't us!" Ruff protested.

"Yeah-we may be reckless but we only blow people up under strict orders!" Tuff told her sternly. "We have STANDARDS!" His twin swatted him on the shoulder as another long creak sounded from above.

"Will you two mutton-heads keep it down?" Astrid hissed.

"You know, I really can't see what he sees in you," Ruff said critically. "I mean, you're snappy, bad-tempered, violent..."

"Just wait until I get my hands on you..." Astrid growled.

"I rest my case," Ruff retorted smugly.

"Yeah? Well why did you two think it was in any way right to mess around with his invention when you know what a screw-up he is?" Astrid hissed. "I mean, poor guy is already on about his third final warning and you sabotage the damned thing. You could have killed him!"

"Nah...we were pretty sure he couldn't manage to make anything that dangerous..." Tuff replied dismissively, fidgeting. Astrid realised he was trying to find the remains of his burger, which he proceeded to eat. Eyes wide with shock, Astrid shuddered slightly.

"It was powerful enough to destroy his workstation totally," she said shortly.

"Really. I'm impressed. Rumour was he's an utter screw-up..." Ruff commented, finding her burger and tucking into the remains.

"Hello? Standing right here? Not deaf?" Hiccup said sarcastically from the seat, adjusting his position and starting on the final screw. He unclipped the grille and slid it down, peering into the steel-lined duct. He sighed as he stared at the group. It was be a tight squeeze. "This is the only way out...and it looks clear," he said thoughtfully, grabbing his bag.

"It may just be blocked further up..." Astrid pointed out. He stared into the darkness and shook his head.

"I don't think so...I can feel a breeze," he told her. "There is some way through...and I'm going. This pocket is structurally so unstable...staying here is a death sentence..." He paused. "The ducts run between the two layers of girders that form the outer skeleton of AI6...but they are pretty tight. At least you're all reasonably...slim...Fish wouldn't stand a chance..."

"Fish?" Astrid asked sharply. A creak sounded overhead.

"A friend. He's quite a husky guy," Hiccup explained quickly. He shoved his bag in, grabbed the edges of the duct and pulled himself in. The light abruptly shut off.

"Hey!" Ruff protested and there was a scuffling noise before the edge of the duct suddenly glowed. Astrid was already scrambling up and clambering after him with the twins sliding under the table and following.

"All in?" Hiccup called back.

"We're on your heels, Hicc," Tuffnut called as last man, scrambling forward and making sure his feet were safely in the duct. There was no argument that he was insanely reckless and a total daredevil but he had made sure his sister got to safety before he entered the duct. Hiccup nodded and swung his little torch forward, pulling himself along to the first right angle turn to the left. For once, Hiccup was glad he was a skinny guy, though his height and limb length made the ducts a challenge. He could hear Astrid breathing evenly behind him, her athleticism far greater than his and he guessed she was coping far better. Just occasionally, he felt a light brush of her hand against his ankle as she almost caught him up and he felt a little thrill at the slight contact. Gods, he really was pathetic, wasn't he? He shook his head and craned his neck at the next challenge: the duct turned vertical.

"Is it much further?" Astrid asked.

"Are we there yet?" the twins added in unison. Hiccup sighed, fished out his phone and stabbed a schematic from the documents. He frowned, the light of the screen washing his features pale.

"Up this shaft and then right...and we're at the external entrance..." he read and then tucked the phone away. He scooched his legs under his body and slung his bag across his body, then braced his arms and rose to his feet, jumping to brace his legs as well. Astrid saw the legs vanish...then there was a curse and a thud and Hiccup reappeared.

"You okay?" Astrid asked him.

"Um...slipped," he admitted. "You need to include duct climbing in the PT programme."

"I'll make the suggestion...when we have a gym again," she shot back, watching him get up and vanish from sight. He slid down again and landed with a thud but determinedly vanished up the shaft once more...and she could hear him groaning and the slight squeak of his feet as they slid up the metal. Deciding to take the risk, Astrid slid underneath the shaft and stared up, seeing Hiccup splayed across the shaft, the light of the torch swinging back and forth as he inched upwards. Deciding to take the risk, Astrid braced herself across the shaft and began to spider-climb briskly, rapidly catching up with the struggling young man.

"You okay?" she murmured as he grunted and nodded, the light bobbing up and down. His head swung up and she realised she could see the outline of the duct above them, the bluish daylight reflecting off the brushed steel. Below them, the twins were arguing but all that was drowned out by a rumble and a cloud of dust rolled along from behind the twins, setting them coughing.

"There goes our little pocket of safety," Hiccup muttered and Astrid stared at him, realising he had saved their lives. He had been right: they were only alive because he had worked out an escape route and taken action. Her azure gaze narrowed as she reconsidered: there was more to Hiccup than the screw-up everyone assumed. She inched closer.

"Can you get in?" she asked and he nodded. bracing his long legs and grimacing, then twisting and diving in to the duct with a hiss of pain. "Hiccup? You okay?" she hissed. He grimaced.

"Just a few bruises," he muttered, his legs sliding from sight. Astrid pulled herself up and agilely slithered after him, the light filtering in through the external grille outlining the lanky shape squirming his way through to the light. Behind them, the twins were still arguing though the voices were closing and there was the distinct sounds of scuffling. Hiccup crouched before the grille and Astrid pulled herself to kneel by him. He he put away his torch and was already unscrewing the grille. Astrid made to grab it but he snatched her hand back. He shook his head.

"It's armed," he said sternly.

"Armed?"

"Well, this is a spy organisation-you don't want all and sundry clambering through the air conditioning do you? There are charges and stun-gas unless I trace the circuit and..." He bent forward and quietly levered off a small panel, his emerald gaze flicking over the knot of wires and switches...and then he reached in and flipped a switch, then pulled a yellow wire free. "...disarm it." He nodded and Astrid slammed her hands on the grille, knocking it out and scrambling into the fresh air. She threw her head back and took a gulp of the cool air, sighing in relief as Hiccup scrambled out, followed by the twins: both were caked with grey concrete dust and lightly smeared in mustard but they fist-bumped enthusiastically, grabbing Astrid and Hiccup's hands and fist-bumping them as well.

"Awesome, my man!" Tuff enthused as Hiccup slowly clambered to his feet and brushed the mud off his knees.

"So not bad for an utter screw-up?" Hiccup asked them sarcastically and walked away, shaking his head. Ruff frowned.

"What's eating him?" she asked in confusion. Getting up and brushing herself down, Astrid glared at them.

"You really don't get it, do you?" she snapped. "Honestly, you pretty much cost him his job, you got him kicked out of Q department-which he really enjoys-and everyone has been kicking his ass for it. He just saved your lives. The least you could do is say you're sorry!"

"You called him a screw-up as well," Ruff retorted. "And he kind of likes you so that's even worse! Poor sap." Astrid snorted and marched off after Hiccup, seeing the young agent standing back and peering at the wreckage, finally understanding what had befallen them.

AI6 had fallen-literally. Where there had been the stepped eleven-storey building, there was just wreckage, with debris scattered across the road and floating in the harbour. The cops had cordoned off the road and three brown-clad security agents were keeping people back from the rubble. But Hiccup's quick eyes noted something and he raced past them, scrambling up the pile of rubble. The guards were shouting at him but he scrabbled further, legs slipping and bouncing debris down behind him, his hands scratched and dirty as he managed to hit the top and reach the edge of the steel and bulletproof glass table. Frantically, he began to drag rubble away, throwing bricks and concrete aside...and peering under the table. He knew the Commander's Conference table was designed as a refuge, with a reinforced base and extendable struts to protect anyone hiding under the table from a disaster.

"We've got survivors!" he shouted, seeing a flash of flaming red hair and hearing a faint groan. There was a lot of blood but he could see several shapes in the pod, battered and injured from a ten story drop that no table could fully protect them from...though it was likely the fall was in stages, not a single freefall drop. He waved again. "Command staff are here..." He could see his Dad, Gobber, Spitelout, Mildew, Phlegma, Security Chief Ack...everyone he would expect from a senior briefing except Heather. "Wounded! Get the Paramedics here!"

He continued to dig with his bare hands until the security staff and Fire Crews joined him, shooing him out of the way. He found the release for the table top and it was lifted away, to reveal the badly injured survivors before he was ordered out of the way. He slipped and fell as he hit the ground but Astrid grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. She paused, then punched him in the shoulder. He cringed and pulled away.

"What-what was that for?" he protested, looking hurt.

"That's for being so reckless!" she scolded him, scowling. "That pile of rubble looks really unstable! You could have been crushed or anything!"

"I could see the conference table and I knew there was a chance that Dad was in there...so I had to check," he said awkwardly. "I mean, he hates me and is disappointed in me and frankly wishes I had never been born, but he's still my Dad and I couldn't leave him there if he was injured and needed help. No one else around would know he could be there or how to get him out..." She frowned as she looked closely at him.

"And how did you know anyway?" she demanded. He shrugged.

"It's in the emergency contingency plans for the event of a bomb, earthquake or meteor strike," he told her without humour.

"Meteor strike?"

"AI6 is run by very pessimistic people," he reminded her and she turned to look at the pile of rubble.

"Hmm, yes," she admitted. "But why do you know all this stuff?"

"It's information available to all agents," he said defensively. "I just try to know as much as I can in case it's of any help to the service."

"Like the schematics of the ducts?"

"Well, ducts are always a weak point," he murmured. "I..."

"You saved our lives, Hiccup," she assured him and lunged forward, swiftly pressing a kiss on his lips. "Thanks." His eyes widened in shock, staring at her, almost not breathing. She pulled away but he remained frozen. She frowned. "Hiccup? Hello?" She waved a hand in front of his face.

"Yup-you've broken him," Ruff grinned, ambling up.

"Do it again-that was hilarious!" Tuff added.

"Or you could hit him and see if that helps," Ruff suggested unhelpfully. Astrid pulled back her fist and thumped his shoulder. He swayed backwards and winced, clutching at his shoulder.

"OWWWW! Why-why would you do that?" he protested. "I mean, being kissed by the most beautiful woman on Berk would give anyone a moment but why with the punching?"

"Did you just call me beautiful?" she growled. He backed up a pace at her tone.

"Oh, come on!" he protested. "Thor-this is just UNFAIR! I mean, her name means 'Divine Beauty' and she is the most amazing woman and I get punched for calling her beautiful because she is? I mean, if I called her ugly or homely or something untrue like that, then...fine, I'd really deserve it...but getting in trouble for paying a beautiful woman a compliment? How is that fair?" Astrid stared at him and rolled her eyes.

"I am an agent!" she told him firmly.

"Of-of course!" he gabbled, "but you are beautiful as well. I mean-look at me! I'm also an agent...admittedly apparently I'm ranked lower than two elevators-though maybe not now because they no longer exist...but I'm skinny, red-haired and clumsy. Adjectives still work when you're an agent...you're just lucky that you get better ones than me! And being beautiful gives you power and camouflage. Remember...people have preconceptions about beautiful blondes! So you have an in-built disguise..."

"Hiccup!"

"And I really don't want to upset you because you are about one of two people who actually talk to me without looking at me like a total loser so...yeah...not beautiful. At all. Even slightly..."

"HICCUP!"

"Yeah?" He spun to face her from where he was pacing up and down, his arms whirling as he frantically tried to retrieve the situation and saw she was smiling.

"It's okay," she said gently. "That was sweet. And you do know that when things got serious...you were actually pretty awesome?" He blushed and looked away.

"I just did what needed to be done," he mumbled, then turned and ran. She frowned-then saw what he was looking at and sprinted after him. A stretcher was being carried carefully down the mound of rubble towards one of a fleet of waiting ambulances, the four men struggling with the huge shape, even when they hit the flat and reached the ambulance. Hiccup raced to the side, struggling past the security agents.

"Let me through!" he protested, struggling.

"Sorry...the Commander can't be bothered..." one said angrily.

"Let him through!" Astrid snapped as she arrived. "That's his Dad!" They glared at her and stared at the skinny shape, wrestling in their grasps. Then they let him go and he made Stoick's side, grasping a blood-smeared hand.

"Dad?" he murmured, staring into the bloodied face. Bleary eyes swung to see the shape leaning over him and then looked away. "Dad-I'm here. I will find out what happened," he promised. "I will find out who did this!" Stoick moved his oxygen mask and mumbled a couple of words, then closed his eyes. Hiccup turned away, his face filled with a mixture of hurt and concern. Astrid came to stand by his side and grasped his hand. He stiffened and looked worried but Astrid patted his hand reassuringly.

"What did he say?" she asked. "Surely he must have been relieved that you were safe? I mean, there must be horrendous casualties...but you are both alive! That must be a comfort..."

"You'd think," he said tonelessly. "I mean, I am his only child. I made it out and led the rescue team to him and the other command staff. I promised to find out what was happened. And how does he respond? Avenge me,son? Glad you're safe? Make me proud? No." His voice had turned sarcastic. "He said...don't bother."

oOo

A pair of pale green eyes saw the tall shape watch the Commander ambulanced away and then sigh, his head dropping and eyes closing. An athletic blonde walked to his side and murmured words of comfort while two very grimy blonds dressed identically ambled up and began to banter. Dagur narrowed his eyes and saw the tall, skinny shape with the tousled auburn hair, green eyes and bruises from his encounter the previous night. The assassin checked his phone and nodded: it was the target.

He had been rather annoyed that AI6 had blown up and may have killed his target before he could get to him-the only circumstance where Dagur would have to hand the fee back-and he had been moderately cheered up by the improbable emergence of the boy with three others from the rubble. If he had been completely insane, he would have gunned the young agent down now...but the area was literally crawling with security and police and he was devoid of back-up. Dying never figured in Dagur's plans-except as something that happened to other people. So he ducked back into the crowd, watching the young agent and completing his research. With AI6 out of business, it would be so much easier to isolate the young man and then, Dagur would earn his fee and end him.