The Treasure of Eyja Nott

Through The Fog

Eleven: Through the Fog

The tendrils of fog were swirling around the remote port of Bunion on the Island of Sweltering as the twins waited for the handover. They had made several runs since Hiccup-as Ingen Dodmann-joined the crew and he had found himself settling into the life of a smuggler with surprising ease. He was an honest man but he had little trust in the authorities and after all his experiences in Jotunheim, he found himself thinking like the crooks with shocking ease. Taken on as engineer and additional muscle, Hiccup had been amazed at how the twins and Fish had accepted him unreservedly, clothing and feeding him and making him feel welcomed.

He shifted his feet-flesh and the newly upgraded metal one-and stepped back a little into the fog, peering across the meeting point. Since he had joined the crew, he had demonstrated his abilities at fighting by outmanoeuvring and pinning Fishlegs-though he had complained that Hiccup fought dirty every way he could. Smiling, the auburn-haired man had nodded.

"Fighting fair doesn't win you anything," he explained seriously. "Well, nothing except a life sentence for something you didn't do."

They hadn't pressed him because he held up his end of the deal, ensuring that the engines ran perfectly and that every mechanism on the boat was serviced and in top working order. He had requested a knife and had spent hours practicing throwing it until he was accurate enough to be useful back-up but he was getting a very bad feeling about this deal, because they were late and not showing any signs of getting on the exchange, which was very different to the previous handovers he had witnessed. And wrapped in newish warm clothes, he was determined not to let his new friends down.

Tuff and Ruff were handling the exchange, negotiating for the four crates of chemicals they had been asked to take to bypass strict Berserker customs regulations and the Outcasts they were dealing with were sending out very bad vibes. Two squat men with dark duffle coats, bushy beards and questionable personal hygiene were facing the twins. Fishlegs was standing a couple of yards behind the twins and to Hiccup's mind, they all seemed to be far too easily blindsided-so he retreated further and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes briefly and listening.

There was the sound of a stone skittering along the concrete of the dockside and heavy breathing, not so very far to his left. He grasped the knife in his hand and tuned into the negotiations.

"As you ordered-and on time," Tuff said, gesturing to the crates. The heavyset man scowled over his rather wild beard and gave a loud snort.

"Ya think?" he scoffed in his gruff , he picked his nose and swept a scornful look over the two lanky shapes facing him. Bolstered by matching brown puffa jackets, the twins both looked serious and on point but there were more shapes moving in the fog to the left and right of the exchange and Hiccup realised that they were outflanked and outnumbered.

So why is this guy watching from here? Hiccup mused and stealthily moved towards the sounds of breathing-and the very slow but deliberate snap of a machine gun bolt. Tensing and praying he was still shrouded by the fog, he stuck to the shadows and came at the man from the side, slamming his hand over the man's mouth and driving the knife straight into his throat, the blade arching up deep into his brain. The man went slack and Hiccup carefully lowered him to the ground, retrieving the weapon and weighing it in his hands. He swiftly rubbed the knife dry on the man's clothing and then turned back to the confrontation.

"Hey, man-there's no need to be like this," Tuff was saying, his hands raised to try to reason with the Outcast but the man started laughing.

"I think our chemists will need these precursors and our profits will just be a bit higher if we don't have to pay for our delivery," the leader said and Ruff gave a loud whine.