The Gentle Sniper

Chapter 20: Interlude

A/N: What's this? A dual update? Yes indeed!

...

The saddest part of life is when the person who gave you the best memories becomes a memory. Not my words; I found this on YouTube one time, but it fits. Anyway, I'm sure you can guess who my 'best memories person' is - HHH III.

...

Fishlegs was the first of the three to regain consciousness inside the tipped over humvee, graced by ringing ears and a vicious headache.

The position of the vehicle meant that the blonde soldier couldn't get out through the door closest to him as his face rested against the leather-back of the seat in front of him.

Above him and partially nestled into Fishlegs' side, the limp form of Hiccup rested, out like a light, as was Eret and the driver of the humvee; an Afghan soldier who had been toting a rifle in his lap.

Must have hit an IED for this to happen , Fishlegs mentally concluded. We're lucky to be alive, in that case.

Then Hiccup stirred with a groan. "Ugh... what happened?"

"Our humvee got knocked on its side, Eret and the driver are knocked out and you're kinda on top of me," replied Fishlegs.

"Must have been an IED then," mused Hiccup. "Can you move? I'm sure this isn't comfortable for you. It's not comfortable for me at least."

"Yeah, let me just-"

Crack!

The rear window of the humvee shattered suddenly, prompting both soldiers to duck, making themselves as small as they could as bullets raked in a line down the back of the armoured vehicle.

Once the gunfire subsided for the moment, frantic shouting in a language neither understood took its place, joined by the footfalls of at least four men.

Then, before Hiccup or Fishlegs could give a tangible response, the barrels of multiple AK-74's coming into view dissuaded any such notion.

Then both individuals were plunged into the void with a blow to the head, each.

"So you were knocked out and taken prisoner?" Snotlout asked.

Fishlegs gave a nod. "Then what happened?" asked Gruffnut, equally as entranced as Snotlout was.

"I woke up elsewhere..."

...

When Fishlegs awoke, he found himself in a room with plenty of sunlight, with his hands rope-tied tightly, behind his back.

Looking ahead proved futile, as, despite the light present, the blonde could barely see, his vision obscured by a plume of dust that drifted through the hot, arid air at a slow pace; not unlike a cloud of fog.

Looking around next, Fishlegs found, thankfully, that he was flanked by Hiccup and Eret, with the only relief from the Afghan sun being a stiff breeze from an open space overhead that functioned as a window, with no glass or window sill to speak of.

However, the soldier knew that he and his companions were not alone, as he could hear his captors speaking in a language that was foreign to him, the murmur of their conversations and the occasional footstep the only sound in his hearing range.

"Hikke? Eret? Er du vågen?" Fishlegs called out with trepidation, deciding to switch to his native tongue, just in case his nearby captors happened to understand English.

"Ja, bare fint, Fishlegs. Guderne hader mig virkelig." That was Hiccup, nodding with his eyes closed before gazing at Fishlegs.

"Så du har sagt, mange gange Hikke," and that was Eret. Clearly, both had gotten the same idea of concealing their speech as he had. "Har du nogen idé om, hvordan vi kunne komme ud herfra?"

"Overmande vores fangere og flygte. Ideelt set, mens en af os bliver ført væk for at blive tortureret af de nævnte vagter. Hvis jeg får en bedre idé, fortæller jeg dig to."

"...en af os vil dø, det er jeg sikker på. Det har været en ære at arbejde med jer."

"Ligeledes Fishlegs." They both chorused before the trio fell silent when they realised footsteps were approaching them.

A few moments later, seven men emerged from the dust-fog, six of them with an AK-74 either in their hands or across their chest in a patrol sling, with a knife strapped to each of their legs.

The sole unarmed man seemed to be their leader, for he pointed at Fishlegs at the same time he spat a command, and the blonde was hoisted, roughly, to his feet and the group set off, only two men left behind to guard Hiccup and Eret.

The instant the larger group was out of sight and earshot, Hiccup and Eret pounced on the pair that was standing guard, moving swiftly enough that neither men could bring their weapons to bear.

A matter of synchronized headbutts later, both men were down for the count; ready to be relieved of their weapons and left behind as Hiccup and Eret cut the rope that bound their hands, armed themselves with the AK-74's and continued on in search of their companion.

"Fall in behind me, Eret."

"Roger that."

...

"And that's pretty much how it happened," finished Fishlegs.

Snotlout was indignant. "You can't end a story there! What happened next?!"

"Can, and did," Fishlegs smirked. "Any questions?" he then asked, addressing his audience.

Snotlout saw his chance. "Yeah, a few: How did you all escape, what did they do to you and why did you keep the story a secret for so long?"

"To answer your last question: because we wanted to. That first question, well, we managed to find the car that they drove us back to their place in, and I have a scar that stretches across my stomach. You can have one try at guessing where and when I got it from since I'm still not comfortable with going into detail about it."

"What, afraid of a memory?"

"Of course. You say that like it's strange, but I'd like to see you handle the same thing. Actually scratch that. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."

Snotlout considered this for a moment, before looking to Gruffnut. "Don't tell me you also have secrets."

"Just a pilot with divorced parents," Gruffnut replied. "Nothing as dramatic as Fishlegs or Hiccup decided to keep hidden."

"Good. Otherwise, I think I would faint or something."

"'Ere, are you forgetting about me?" Major Belch chimed in, with mock seriousness.

"Nobody would ever make the mistake of forgetting about you, sir," said Fishlegs.

The man smiled. "Good. I told ye lot well, I see."

"Yeah. Now that brings me onto something else. Sir, where are Viggo and Ryker right now?"

"They stepped out. Why?"

"I think it's time I had a little chat."

...

A/N: Translations, in order, are as follows:

Hiccup? Eret? Are you awake?

Yes, just fine, Fishlegs. The gods really hate me.

So you've said, many times Hiccup.

Do you have any idea how we could get out of here?

Overpower our captors and escape. Ideally set while one of us is being led away to be tortured by said guards. If I get a better idea, I'll tell you two.

...One of us is going to die, I'm sure. It has been an honour working with you.

Likewise, Fishlegs.