Mauled

8: Set Piece

8: Set Piece

"Is everything ready?"

Ryker smirked, his cruel eyes already cold with anticipation at getting his hands on the young Viking once more. On this occasion, he would have much more time to wreak his vengeance on Hiccup Haddock... Viggo cleared his throat and his older brother dragged his attention back to the present.

"Yes," he said gruffly. "We had to let a couple of Traders join in-though they add to the illusion."

"Which?" Viggo asked coldly, an eyebrow arching. Ryder chuckled.

"Trader Derek..."

"The idiot with the seven foot beard?" Viggo's eyes rolled.

"And Trader Ivan." Ryker gave a low chuckle at the name and his brother looked quizzically. "The bald lunatic who threatens anyone with an axe who doesn't agree to his terms of the trade." Viggo's eyes narrowed. "It is going to convince anyone infiltrating the auction that it's genuine..." Viggo pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It is genuine," he sighed, revealing the situation to his brother. "Losses have been catastrophic. Our partners to the East are getting impatient at the delays in delivery of the merchandise so I have needed to call in our more amenable customers to sell some of our more attractive lots in order to recoup some capitol so we can finance more ships."

"And there will be the dragons from the Riders to sell," Ryker reminded him. "A Night Fury should fetch its weight in gold." Viggo nodded, inspecting his notes.

"I hope so," he said coolly, "because half the Vikings are coming to see the dragon captured and immediately sold." Ryder grinned.

"Don't worry, brother," he said darkly. "We both know this isn't the Hiccup Haddock who was such a thorn in your side. This version is far more predictable-and beatable!" Viggo inspected his older brother thoughtfully. Recently, Ryker had been challenging his commands and taking initiatives that Viggo hadn't authorised or approved of. The younger brother knew his sibling was violent, sadistic and cruel-and had fixated on the young viking who had defied and humiliated him so many times previously. Whatever Ryker had done to Hiccup had certainly broken the boy-at least partially. But in Viggo's opinion, this Hiccup may lack the compassion and unpredictability of the old one-but he was more brutal and callous-which was still a danger. Hiccup's friends had always been a reliable weakness: the survivors from the last skirmish had indicated he had been prepared to leave them to die if it meant achieving his goals. And that meant there was a possibility Viggo was facing a man as intelligent as himself-now armed with equal ruthlessness. The prospect was not appetising.

"We shall see," the leader of the Hunters said quietly, watching his brother roll his eyes and scoff. "We shall see."

oOo

"Is everything ready?"

The assembled Riders nodded, collected around the table in the Clubhouse, running through the final time before they left for the mission.

"All the dragons are fed and ready to fly," Fishlegs reported.

"We have plenty of containers of Monstrous Nightmare gel and Zippleback gas loaded in our packs," Snotlout admitted.

"Run through-by the numbers," Hiccup commanded, his green gaze sweeping over the assembled Riders.

"Group one flies in low from the south," Heather began.

"We launch a distracting run to attack the ships moored in the harbour," Ruff added.

"And we'll draw the fire," Tuff added. "Awesome!" Bucket and Mulch nodded-well, Mulch did and Bucket did when his short hairy friend, Mulch swatted his shoulder to remind him to agree. Heather frowned.