Riders of B E R K

Part 28: Stoick's little embarrassment

"It's me you want. I am the Night Fury Rider."

I mentally face-palmed at Hiccup's words, the sentence betraying what we had sought to conceal. What had cost him so much pain already. The interrogator stared at him for a long moment, releasing his grip on my neck and turning away.

And then he burst out laughing. They all did. Hiccup stared into the scornful faces and took a couple of quick breaths. He knew what would happen next.

The interrogator slammed his fist into his middle and followed it up with a furious blow to the face. Hiccup's lanky shape went down and sprawled, an arm moving to wrap over his face as feet crunched into his body. And then something snapped inside and I felt absolute fury overwhelm me. I had played along as a scared know-nothing medic-as Hiccup had wanted-and I knew I had been frightened because I hadn't know what to expect or how I would cope but I was so much more frightened for him that what happened to me no longer mattered. That was my friend and he had offered himself up to protect me: he had told the truth and I realised he knew they wouldn't believe him because he had already primed them not to...

Look at me! I've got one leg, I look like a walking toothpick and I'm nobody! What would those asshole Riders want to have to do with me? And how would I know anything?

He knew they would disbelieve him and make him pay for defying them. Gods, was he paying! And they were all looking at him...

I slammed my head backwards into the man restraining me and crashed my foot into the instep of the man next to him. I cracked the point of my elbow into his throat and left him choking as I sprang forward, kicking back to finish to man I had head-butted. I had looked round the room-still ten men left and all armed. Well, this was a stupid idea, I reminded myself as I spun under a swipe and spun, a kick to the crown jewels making another man less than interested in proceedings. I dived forward and threw everything into a punch that cracked across the side of the interrogator's head. As he folded, I staggered sideways as a punch glanced my head and I stumbled.

"Get off him!" I shouted as a foot crashed into my side and I staggered. I threw myself onto the man kicking Hiccup and threw him but strong arms lifted me off my feet entirely and I screamed in rage and kicked out fiercely. A satisfactory crack and a groan rewarded me as another man limped away, clutching his chest. An arm tightened across my throat and I clawed at the throat-lock, hammering my arm into the man's ribs until he dropped me. Then I heard the click and froze, feeling the cold of a metal rifle barrel rest against my temple. I barely breathed, wondering if they were going to kill me and really hoped they wouldn't.

"Quite the spitfire," the interrogator sneered, his eyes furious. There was blood on his temple and I felt a surge of satisfaction. He nodded and I was hauled to my feet. Hiccup was dragged up as well, his head lolling and eyes unfocussed. "What happened to the scared little college girl?"

"She just saw you assholes beating up her boyfriend!" I spat, writhing against my captors. The interrogator narrowed his eyes. The man still had his gun trained on my head.

"Then who is the Night Fury Rider?" he insisted, wrenching Hiccup's head up by the hair. I winced at the damage on his pained face, the blood and bruises and despair in his bleary green eyes. There was blood in his messy auburn hair and his breathing was sounding painful. I couldn't watch him hurt any more. "He's lied to me and learned what that costs! Do you have a more honest answer for me, Miss Hofferson?"

"Look, I've only been there about two weeks and I've just picked up this really cute guy from IT," I spat. "The Riders are total assholes as he said." The interrogator slapped me and I glowered at him, my cheek stinging. It hurt less through my anger and I winced as he punched Hiccup considerably harder. But I recalled what he had said before we were brought here. I took an angry breath. "But I-I think their leader is...Jorgenson. He must be the one you're looking for!" The man glared at me and punched Hiccup once more: he sagged, unconscious.