AN: Heloooo all..... yes, new update, no it won't be every day. I just created a backlog of these chapters because I was bored. I am still bored and trying to ignore my thesis research for the day >_< . So yes, more writing and you guys get more reading. On another note, I now have to find a new headset for my laptop cause ever 2 years this one just went kaput. It is so hard to find a new headset..... (I especially like the one with the big poofy earmuffs) <---- I have no clue what they are really called. But enough of my ramblings.

I also want to take the opportunity to answer some of my readers' questions. While of course I can't give out spoilers.... I can certainly be a little evil. XD

IcyForest asked: "I feel sorry for Hiccup in this one. But I haven't seen Astrid yet. Is she from the people who fled through Project Genesis perhaps?"
Answer: "I know I haven't touched upon Astrid yet and that's deliberate. I know you guys are all wondering where she is, what she's doing, who she's beating up perhaps?" ;)
Astrid will be making an appearance soon, give or take.... 3 chapters.... In what capacity? hmmmmm (Zips lips) 

Chapter 5

The group stared at Fishlegs like he had grown a second head. "What?" Fishlegs asked as he stared back.

"How do you know that?" Snotlout asked with a frown. "Satellites are basically useless now. Trackers wouldn't work."

"It doesn't work with satellites," Fishlegs answered. "I was worried that when our scouting party got into trouble they wouldn't be able to find us but Gobber said he had a surefire way."

"Well man, don't keep us in suspense!" Tuffnut, the ever curious one, said. He winced as he tried to fold his arms, forgetting that one was in a sling.

"Gobber installed Radio frequency trackers in all vehicles. It wouldn't give us the exact location but close enough." Fishlegs explained.

"Radio trackers?" Ruffnut asked. "That's 21st century tech."

"Yeah, but you have to admit it works." Fishlegs stated. "With the way the world is right now, you have to think old school sometimes."

"I'm guessing Gobber has the tracker." Ruffnut said.

"Yes, I just don't know where he keeps it."

"Leave that part to us." Ruffnut said. "We can get the tracker."

"We can?" Tuffnut questioned.

"Yes we can you doofus." Ruffnut retorted and hit her brother on the head. Just because his arm was injured didn't mean she'd go easy on him. "You guys get some supplies and get the ATVs running."

"Wait... who made you boss?" Snotlout questioned and Ruffnut pinned him with such a fierce glare that had him snapping his mouth shut and taking a step back.

"Dude, never mess with a twin IOU." Tuffnut said as he stood up. When the twins left Snotlout looked at Fishlegs and mumbled "You ever have that feeling that the twins can be super scary?"

"All the time man. All the time." Fishlegs answered.

Meanwhile, Hiccup approached the end of the asphalt road and his eyes widened. Even in the dark he could see the silhouette of that was before him. The road stopped in front of a dented in chain link fence that lead to a dam. A working hydroelectric dam if the lights on top of the control house below were any indication. The lights were old and faint but the fact that they were on told Hiccup that the dam was very much operational, which shouldn't have been the case.

When the Genesis ships took off the Earth was left in disarray. Government officials, engineers, scientist and other important people had fled into space to save themselves, leaving places like these unattended. There was no oversight and workers that did most of the upkeep of the dams, railway stations, and other municipal buildings just stopped coming to work. The riots that had broken out made it unsafe for people to travel and many, according to the stories the previous generations told, had stayed at home, huddled together with their families wishing that the worst would be over.

However, the workers not showing up to their posts had dire effects. For instance, the hydroelectric plants could not be operated. The electricity shut off to major cities within a few days, the reservoirs behind the dams started filling up to dangerous levels within months because the waterways weren't opened regularly and then there was no one to monitor it, and the pressure against the dams caused them to crack and break, flooding entire cities. Hiccup remembered hearing the stories of millions of casualties caused by the floods. So yes, stumbling upon a working dam was quite a big deal his mind affirmed.

He got off from the ATV that he had parked in front of the broken fence and grabbed his pack and the flashlight from it. It was probably a crazy idea to go exploring on his own but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He easily crawled through the broken part of the fence and made his way on top of the dam. The walk to the control room would take awhile since it was on the other side of the river but Hiccup looked at the reservoir that was on one side and saw that it was stable. There was no danger of the water coming onto and over the dam while he was walking on it.

"So strange," Hiccup mumbled as he made his way across. The small yellow light that illuminated the control house got steadily closer. Hiccup wondered what could be going on here. The dam was clearly old, at least 20th century by the craftsmanship, yet still in relatively good working order. 'Just who or what would go to such lengths with the upkeep of such a place when humanity was literally heading into extinction.' His mind pondered.

When Hiccup reached the other side he found a ladder leading down to the control room that housed the turbines and the dam controls. The ladder was rusty as if it hadn't been used in decades and that was counter to what Hiccup had seen so far. When Hiccup got to the bottom, only nearly slipping once as one of the steps gave way, he stood face to face with the facility. The door was locked but the windows were broken which gave Hiccup a way inside. His curiosity was killing him. The old saying 'Curiosity killed the cat' came up in his mind but he was too invested now to not find out what was going on here.

Meanwhile , not far away, the gang was closing in on Hiccup's location on their ATVs. "Are we there yet?" Snotlout whined as he and Fishlegs sat on separate ATVs while the twins shared one vehicle.

"'Snotlout, shut up!" Fishlegs said as he held the tracking device that the twins had procured with one hand while steering with the other. Normally Fishlegs was the quiet one but Snotlout had been getting on his nerves tonight. "This thing only gives a general direction so let me concentrate!"

Thankfully Snotlout shut up and Fishlegs declared that they had reached their destination. They were utterly in the dark with only the starry sky above them. The twins got out their solar powered flashlights that they kept charged and flicked them on.

"Over there!" Tuffnut spotted the ATV Hiccup had taken some meters away and the group rode their ATVs closer until they came upon the same chain-linked fence.

"Hiccup?!" Fishlegs called out into the night but there was no answer back. Fishlegs looked at the fence and at the dam on the other side. "You don't think he went there do you?"

"Knowing my cousin, of course he did." Snotlout huffed. "Let's go. The sooner we find him the sooner we can get out of here."

The group then proceeded past the fence and made their way towards the control room at the bottom of the dam. "Don't you think this is a bit eerie?" Fishlegs asked once they neared their destination. "This place is still running."

"Yeah, spooky." Ruffnut confirmed as she checked the door. It was locked and the blonde looked for another way in. "Let's go through the windows." She suggested.

"Why go through a window when yours truly can bust down the door." Snotlout boasted as he took a running start and slammed his shoulder into the door. Ruffnut had kept quiet until Snotlout shouted in pain as the door didn't budge but he did.

"Because you nitwit, places like this have reinforced steel in the doors." She rolled her eyes as Snotlout cradled his bruised shoulder.

"You could have told me that before I made a fool of myself!"

"Now where would the fun in that be?" Tuffnut now said as he began helping his sister climb through a broken window.

Fishlegs needed a bit of a push and a yank through the window but the gang made it inside at last. They shined their flashlights around and noted that several of the turbines were indeed in working order.

"The electricity these things generate, where does it all go?" Fishlegs whispered as they made their way forward.

"Who cares!" Snotlout snorted. "We're here to find Useless."

"Yeah but....." Fishlegs was cut off by Snotlout shouting "HICCUP GET YOUR SCRAWNY BUTT OVER HERE!" The shout echoed through the room and the gang heard a squeak from the catwalk above the generators. "HICCUP!" Snotlout repeated. Soon another flashlight shone from above and Hiccup who had been examining the facility stood on the catwalk looking flabbergasted at the appearance of the others.

"Wha....What are you guys doing here?!" Hiccup nearly shouted, surprised that he had been found so fast. His shocked voice carried through the empty room and even the soft whirr of the generators couldn't dampen it.