A.I.: Orphans of Terra (HTTYD)

Part 36

Chapter 36

Hiccup awoke and felt as if he had just eaten an entire log. His mouth felt dry and probably also felt like sawdust. When his groggy eyes opened he was in a small cell. The lighting inside of the cell flickered on and off as Hiccup managed to stumble to the door. Whatever was in that sleeping gas was quite powerful.

The door was solid steel and Hiccup banged against it at first before he sank down and noticed a small rusting hatch. He opened it with some difficulty and called out. "Hello!"

"Oh Thor! Hiccup!" A relieved voice called out but Hiccup couldn't see where the voice came from. He did recognize it as Ruff's though.

"Ruff?! Where are you?!" He called out.

"Further down this damn hall," Ruffnut yelled. "Any clue where we are?"

"Yeah," Hiccup answered and he really wished he didn't. "Do you know where dad, Astrid and Gobber are?"

"I know Gobber's in one of these cells." Ruffnut answered. "I saw them dragging him into one when I came to, but......"

"But?!" Hiccup clambered on his knees and stuck his head closer to the latch.

"Your dad and some blond girl I've never seen before were dragged away after they dumped Gobber in a cell." Ruffnut stated. "The crazy guy muttered something about cyborg research."

"How come you were awake for it all?" Hiccup asked as he noticed most of the Berkians were just waking up.

"Tuff and I experiment. I guess we might have built up a bit of an immunity," She mumbled.

"Just what in Thor's name were you even experimenting with to build an immunity?!" Hiccup asked incredulously. "You know what, that answer can wait. We need to get out of here fast and find dad and Astrid."

"That's gonna be hard." Tuffnut now answered from a different cell that seemed to be closer to Hiccup's. "I left the lasers in our living room."

"YOU WHAT?!" Ruffnut shouted. "YOU STUPID BUTT ELF!"

"How was I supposed to know we were going to be kidnapped you damn Grendel's bride?!" Tuffnut shot back.

"That's what the lasers were for you lard brain!" Ruffnut shot back.

Hiccup wasn't about to butt into this convo, especially with the twins spitting at each other like that, but he did wonder where the hell the twins even got lasers to play with.

The twins were insulting each other more and more before they actually agreed on something. "We are doing that," Ruffnut stated with finality.

"But you know I hate doing THAT!" Tuffnut groaned. "I look like an idiot."

"You already are an idiot!" Ruff shot back.

"Doing what?" Hiccup frowned as he asked this. He had completely lost track of the conversation.

"Get help," Ruffnut chirped and Hiccup had no doubt that she was beaming at her idea. "Tuffnut start doing it,"

"Fine fine," Hiccup could hear Tuffnut groaning before Ruffnut shrieked "HELP HELP HELP!! MY BROTHER IS DYING!!" and continued shrieking for a few minutes.

It didn't take long for the doors to the brig to creek open and Hank to run in. Hiccup frowned at the quick response until he realized that Hank must have been monitoring the security footage. It would certainly explain how they found out about Astrid. Hiccup peered through the latch to see Hank standing in the corridor and Ruffnut yelling at him "WHAT THE DEVIL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! MY BROTHER IS DYING! HELP HIM!"

Hiccup heard the hurried footsteps and the sound of a door creaking opening. This was followed by a cut-off yell and a heavy thud. "Idiot," Tuffnut smirked as he stepped out of his now open cell with the keys in hand.

"What do you expect? The people who fall for this trick aren't very bright to begin with." Ruffnut stated. "Now release your genius sister."

"Meh," Tuffnut muttered and decided to release everyone else first while letting his sister stew. When Ruff finally got free she smacked her brother on the back of the head.

"Guys we don't have time for this," Hiccup told the twins who were busy glaring at each other. "I have a feeling that the fate of humanity literally rests in our hands at the moment."

"What do you want us to do lad?" Gobber asked as he stepped forward. The other Berkians were still groggy and even Fishlegs could only keep an eye open for so long. "Evacuate?"

"I doubt that's possible now," Hiccup mumbled. "Astrid told me that the doors to the facility could withstand a nuclear blast. Hank and Mary would have locked us out by now. The only place we can go is forward now."

"There isn't an armory down here is there?" Spitelout asked.

"Forget the armory," Mildew grumbled. "Grab anything that isn't nailed down to use as a weapon."

"We need to find dad and Astrid first," Hiccup said.

"Where do we even begin to search?" Gobber asked as Hiccup got a determined look on his face. He marched towards the cell where Tuffnut had been held. For once the Berkians parted and let him through without a problem. The door was locked now but Tuffnut, who still had the keys, unlocked it to reveal a groaning Hank. Hiccup wasted no time and bent down to grab Hank by the collar of his lab coat.

"Where are they?" Hiccup asked bluntly, a dangerous edge to his voice. Hank merely laughed but that earned him a punch to the jaw.

None of the Berkians said anything as the mad scientist went sprawling to the ground again. Some had to blink twice to make sure that it was mild-mannered Hiccup that was doing the hitting. "I won't ask again. Where are they?" Hiccup growled out as he was losing his patience.

"Doesn't matter....." Hank actually had the audacity to laugh. "The Earth population is already done for," He chuckled. "You're too late."

It was Spitelout who stepped forward in quick strides and knocked the man out, much to everyone's surprise. Hiccup blinked for a moment as he watched his uncle bend down and yank the ID card from Hank's pocket. "He's not going to tell us anything but this should get us into most rooms." He told Hiccup who nodded grimly.

"We should take him with us," Gobber suggested. "Insurance policy. That nutjob is the husband of the even bigger nutjob that shoved us in here." There was a chorus of agreements as Mildew and Ack started dragging Hank out of the cell. No one said anything as they deliberately caused his head to hit the doorframe, the wall, and several other objects in the hall.

After the Berkians exited the room they came upon a junction. Ellie frowned and then suggested "We should split up. More ground covered." The Berkians nodded hesitantly and started to split. Mildew and Ack who were dragging Hank went left with Ellie and several others while the teens went right along with Gobber and Spitelout.

"This place is giving me the creeps," Fishlegs uttered after they had been walking for fifteen minutes with no sign of the Chief or Astrid yet. They came upon a set of large double doors a bit later and Hiccup used the ID card to open it. When it opened his eyes widened at what he was seeing.

"YOU GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY DAD!" Hiccup threatened as his eyes narrowed.

AN: It seems we are reaching the end of this book. There seem to be only a few chapters left. But never fear! A sequel is near!