Twenty: Contractual Obligations

The Ballroom of Caldera Cay was a magnificent space, a hundred feet long and fifty wide with the ceiling a dizzying forty feet above the intricate inlaid mahogany and ebony floor, the stucco relief work picked out in gold leaf and the three chandeliers. A large rosewood table was placed in the centre of the ballroom with a magnificent Norman chair-almost a throne-placed at the head of the table. The lights were all on, despite the fact that it was in the middle of the day, though the day was grey and cool and the room was ringed by ASS. At the head of the table, the powerful shape of the President stood, his familiar shape with the dark skin, jet hair in dreadlocks and the charcoal grey suit, the scarlet sash of Presidency slung over his left shoulder where the arm ended just beyond the shoulder. The man's face was marked with scars from the same terrorist attack that had cost the man his arm when he was younger, his dark eyes cold and his beard small and braided.

Behind him, the Vice-President was a more compact though powerful shape, his hazel eyes frighteningly intelligent and dark hair cropped short, his manicured beard neat. He was in a perfect black suit with a deep grey shirt. Beside him was the Security Minister, a tall women with green eyes and bright red hair, pulled off her broad and determined face into a high ponytail. Dressed in cream, she cut a stunning figure And behind her was the Foreign Minister, a tall powerful man with shaven head, deep hazel eyes and a stripe of beard on his large chin. Dressed in the same black as the Vice-President, his brother. the man cracked his fists as the group approached.

Spitelout bowed his head and the President beckoned him closer with his remaining right hand.

"Thank you for coming, Director Jorgensen," the man said, his deep gruff voice familiar from his telecasts.

"President Bludvist, the honour is mine," Spitelout said in a respectful voice. "BHS is always at your disposal. Though I was astonished that you wanted to speak with this...man..." Drago Bludvist's heavy black brows dipped as he looked over his hooked nose at the tall, lean shape of the hitman.

"Why should you be surprised?" Bludvist asked. "He achieved what you could not. He possessed the ruthlessness to complete the mission and assassinate the terrorist Dagur Oswaldson. He is a credit to Berk." His voice had risen and the way he said 'Berk' made Hiccup's skin crawl.

"But this man is a criminal, a man who kills for money!" Spitelout protested. "He's a disgrace. He is wanted for multiple murders and should spend the rest of his life in jail."

"I think you miss the point, Director," Vice-President Viggo Grimborn explained in his smooth, measured voice. "In this case, the end very much justified the means. Where an individual deviates so violently from societal norms and is so resistant to all legal and reasonable attempts to bring him to justice, sometime extreme measures can be justified."

"And...are you saying this was acceptable?" Spitelout asked gruffly. "That we should use state-sponsored assassins to deal with problems that the legal services can't deal with?"

Astrid stiffened, her eyes flicking sideways and inspecting the tall, auburn-haired shape. She knew about Hiccup's previous life as a Special Ops sniper, assigned to deal with people that the government deemed too dangerous to be allowed to live. And while she realised much of his work would be in combat situations with the army, providing cover for his colleagues, the knowledge that he had been used to assassinate Oswald Oswaldson, a man who was definitely a traitor and who had committed terrible crimes against people in the Berserker territories...but who had been an opponent of Bludvist in the Presidential elections was chilling, not reassuring. Suddenly the Vice-President's words had a very strong resonance and she found her stomach feeling incredibly unsettled at the implications. Was this what these men believed-that problems, difficult situations should be dealt with by just killing the man? By disposing of anything that they found a threat?

Hiccup's eyes flicked over to meet hers, reading her uncertainly and his brows dipped. He knew what he was and what he had done, knew the moral uncertainties of his orders and had followed them, like the good solider he had been. And what had that earned him? The deaths of everyone he loved and a bullet in the back before being pitched into a shallow grave. And all of that was for his blind obedience in following the heinous orders that had been given by this man.

"Director Jorgensen, perhaps you wish to step outside?" the Vice President said coldly. "I don't think we need you here while we congratulate the Night Fury." There was a frosty pause as Spitelout stared at him, then snorted and turned, marching for the door. Snotlout, Fishlegs and the other agents turned and swiftly headed for the door-but Astrid stayed firmly at Hiccup's side. "I believe you were asked to leave, my dear," Grimborn pointed out in a patronising tone.

"Respectfully, I must decline," she said firmly. "I'm staying with Hiccup. I captured him and brought him into the mission. He is under my custody so I cannot relinquish him."

"And I would prefer her to stay, sir," Hiccup piped up his eyes sweeping over the men facing him. "Special Agent Hofferson has been my contact and my handler throughout this mission and I insist that she is here." There was an awkward pause for the shortest time-and then Viggo Grimborn gave a false smile.

"Of course," he said. "It may be instructive for this promising agent to understand how such complex matters are resolved." He nodded and the President took his seat, followed by the others, leaving Hiccup and Astrid standing.

"Now, Night Fury, I think I owe you thanks for ridding the Archipelago of this threat..." Bludvist began.

oOo

Acting as staff members at Caldera Cay wasn't much of a challenge for the twins, for though they were prone to insanity and pranks, they were capable of focus and stealth. Tuffnut was carrying a pile of sheets and Ruffnut was balancing a stack of pillows as they wandered easily along the hall behind the Ballroom, their black uniforms blending into the rest of the domestic staff.

"Hey!" A sharp voice snapped out and they shared a look, then turned round. A tall man with short red hair and cool honey eyes stared at them. He was wearing the tan uniform of the Fitness Centre 'Throk's Oasis' and wore the badge 'Hello! My name is...THROK.' "What are you doing here?"

"Delivering these," Tuff said as if it was obvious. "We were instructed exactly this place."

"Instructed?" Throw asked, his voice deeper and more distrustful. "By who?"

"Special Agent Eretson," Ruff offered with a grin. "You know-the really handsome one with black hair and those oh-so-cool tattoos on his chin..."

"Oh Thor...I thought you were sweet on Fishman?" her twin asked her. She sighed.

"I am...but Special Agent sounds so sexy...and those tattoos are seriously hot. And I noticed he seems to have the cutest ass..."

"You do realise that Snotlout is a Special Agent as well...and he's the opposite of sexy...?"

"Well-he is pretty buff...but I know what you mean..."

Throk stared at the pair. He thought he recognised all of the staff at Caldera Cay but Mala did tend to hire new staff as the seasons rotated and with the conference, there had been a few new hirings. He nodded curtly: he hated disorder and everything had been thrown in the air with the visit of the President and his entourage.

"Carry on," he commented briskly and stalked off towards the exit. The twins stared after him-and then ducked into the service passage they had been directed to by Toothless.

"Wow-he's got a stick up his ass," Tuff commented as they dumped the bed linen and scurried up the passage to the narrow winding stair that led to the roof space, carrying the ordnance they had been hiding in the linens. Ruff sniggered.

"Seems to be a lot of it about," she admitted, touching her hand to the com in her ear as her brother wrestled the hatch open to allow them into the crawl space with their weapons. "How's it going, T?"

"Well, he's in with the bigwigs now," Toothless reported. "And they've sent out the other agents. They wanted to send Astrid out but she refused."

"Good," Ruff commented.

"We're in position," Fishlegs reported over the com. He had swapped out his standard issue com for the special model Toothless had supplied-immune to the ASS jammers and able to eavesdrop the meeting through Astrid's and Hiccup's devices.

"Why are we in the john?" Snotlout complained. There was an audible sigh from Fishlegs.

"Because we had to get away from the Director and the others," he tried to explain. "And no one can argue. When you gotta go, you gotta go."

"And we really gotta go back," Snotlout protested.

"If you want to prove you're actually a good agent and want to solve this case, you'll stay," Fishlegs told him sternly. "Or I will have to hit you over the head and tie you up until it's over." There was a pause.

"Hmm...so if I help you and we solve this, people won't think I'm a muttonhead any more?" Snotlout asked thoughtfully.

"Well, I'm not promising..." Fishlegs began.

"Yes! Definitely!" Tuffnut interrupted. There was a pause.

"I'll do it. And who knows-maybe Astrid will finally realise how awesome and manly I really am," Snotlout offered unwisely.

"You keep telling yourself that," Ruff muttered as she paused and silently pulled out the stunner. There was an ASS agent stationed in the roof space just in case some foreign and hostile agent tried to pull an ambush on the President...but what he wasn't expecting was to be shot five times by the twins. The man slumped unconscious as the twins crab-crawled over the rafters and moved the snoring man aside. Unexpectedly, he had a Valkyrie sniper rifle set up and silently, Tuff peered down the sights. He beckoned his sister to peer through as well.

The cross-hairs were centred on Hiccup's head.

"I think this guy was going to make sure that NF doesn't get a chance to reveal what he knows," he murmured. "And probably Astrid as well. And then the bigwigs will scurry away and it will get brushed aside as a failed assassination attempt...and no one will ever get caught."

"What?" Toothless asked irritably.

"ASS agent planning to blow H to Helheim," Ruff reported.

"Firing at the President is treason," Toothless added. "Stand by, guys...but leave the rifle alone-and don't touch it. It's evidence..." Ruff and Tuff smirked.

"Or it could be very useful," the added.

"Stick to the plan," Toothless sighed. "Are the cameras set up?"

"Yes, Mommy," Ruff snarked. "No one will be able to even pick their nose without half a dozen cameras picking it up from every angle."

"First of all-bleurgh! Secondly...that's not why we put the cameras in...but I've switched them on...and we're getting images. So the anti-jamming algorithm is working..." Toothless murmured and leaned forward, peering at his screen. "You know, the only variable is what Fury does...because he has every right to react. And if he does...the ASS agents will kill him."

"Not if he kills them first," Tuff smirked.

oOo

Facing the President was almost surreal for Hiccup Haddock, the man also known as the hitman Night Fury. During his time in the army, he had been a good soldier, following orders frequently given or authorised directly by the President. His oath of allegiance named the President just behind the Archipelago in his list of priorities and he had served them with every ounce of his strength and skill...until he was betrayed.

And though he now knew that former General Alvin Utstoett had turned to Dagur's service, there was a nagging doubt in his mind that he wasn't the person who had betrayed Hiccup and his family. Because he was very certain that Alvin wouldn't have approached Dagur on the off chance the man would be willing to pay him for the intelligence-his words had indicated he was offered the money by Dagur who already knew who he was. No-Hiccup was convinced that someone had already told Dagur who he was and Alvin's treachery was simply a by-product. The President looked over at his group.

"Viggo, Atali, Ryker-could you kindly step outside and join the Cabinet for the discussion of the Trade and Security Negotiations with the EU? Viggo-would you please chair until I join you?" the President asked reasonably and the Vice-President bowed his head wordlessly, heading for the door. His brother followed but the Security Minister paused.

"Will you be safe, sir?" she asked thoughtfully, her eyes trailing over the shapes of the agent and the handcuffed hitman. Bludvist lifted his hand with a smile.

"I have the Secret Service here to protect me-and Special Agent Hofferson as well," he reassured the red-haired woman. "I will be fine." She nodded curtly and strode out for the door, her tall shape brisk and straight. The President watched her leave and only looked back at the hitman and the Special Agent once the door had slammed behind her. The man's cruel face twisted in a smile that didn't touch his cold eyes. "So...you finally managed to end Dagur the Deranged," he began. Hiccup nodded.

"Yes, sir," he said in a respectful voice. "It was a well-planned mission run via BHS." The President raised an eyebrow, his cold gaze sweeping over the wary shape of Astrid.

"And yet I was under the impression that the mission was vetoed by the Director," he said mildly.

"I could never understand that reasoning, sir," Astrid replied boldly. "After all, the man is a terrorist and has killed hundreds. And while the obvious solution-bombing his compound in the centre of Berserk City-was inconceivable, a covert operation using a player unknown to the system made perfect sense."

"Even when the covert player was in fact a wanted criminal, an assassin?" Bludvist asked pointedly.

"Who better to infiltrate the organisation of a man who has an extensive criminal empire, who deals in drugs and people and weapons and death? And who seems to be one step ahead of every operation and plan we devised?" Astrid replied, her eyes brilliant as she stared unflinchingly into his face. "It was becoming very obvious, sir, that there was a leak in the Department because we could never get close."

"I am not sure that I am comfortable with the use of a man who should be locked up for centuries for his crimes being treated as an agent and allowed to walk free..." the President told her, eyeing Hiccup with mild disdain.

"Even when that man was a decorated officer?" Astrid asked. There was a pause.

"That was not in the files," Bludvist commented.

"No-once I dug myself out of the shallow grave and recovered from the bullet in the back that Dagur put there, I erased my existence and set out to play my vengeance," Hiccup said quietly. "I was in the Heindallr Division, sir-one of the Black Ops Guardians. I served in Afghanistan and Iraq. I fought in the Battle of Itchy Armpit. And I was the man who sent to assassinate Oswald Oswaldson, Dagur's father."

Was it his imagination that the man's eyes widened in brief and almost-imperceptible shock?

"No such mission happened," the President said flatly. Frowning, the hitman inspected the man facing him.

"It was a Presidential Order," Hiccup told him flatly. "To assassinate a man who was his rival in the Presidential elections."

"It was not an order I gave," Bludvist growled, his tone angry.

"But you are extremely strict on law enforcement and security, sir," Astrid reminded him. "And there was persuasive evidence that Oswald was a man who posed a clear and present threat to security within the Archipelago. He had been personally responsible for the destruction of villages where people spoke out against his despotic rule of the region as governor. He was building his own army and following an agenda that strongly suggested a coup attempt."

"You know, I was struggling to work out what Dagur could offer to someone so that he would be worth protecting," Hiccup said, his eyes flicking over to the tall and buff shape of Special Agent Eretson. "ASS were dispatched to make sure that Norbet the Nutjob was killed as Dagur requested-probably not realising that I had already been dispatched to do the job as a test by Dagur. I guess he didn't bother to let you guys know. And the fact that you people suddenly turn up when we finally take out his organisation, claiming you were there to protected a 'valued asset' tells me that Dagur was under your protection."

"That's a bold allegation to make," Bludvist said in a mocking voice.

"Indeed it is, sir," Hiccup said sarcastically. "But regrettably, it's a valid one. Dagur was insane-furious at the Archipelago for murdering his father and determined to make the people pay for his loss. He spread chaos and destruction-and posed a valid and ongoing terrorist threat that the authorities seemed incapable of dealing with. A perfect accomplice for your hard line stance on crime and security."

"You were elected on a platform of 'tough on crime and the only person fit to defend the Archipelago'," Astrid continued, her eyes fixed on the President. "What better than to have a valid threat, a bogeyman to threaten the people with so that they vote through your hard line proposals on security, your restrictions on freedoms and your laws which transform the country that voted you into office into a police state."

"With ASS as your personal secret police," Hiccup said, looking over more pointedly at Eretson, seeing the man look slightly uncomfortable. "Not protecting the President but crushing all opposition."

"Encouraging those who will come with you-and destroying those who won't," Astrid finished.

There was a pause...and then Bludvist began laughing, a low, menacing chuckle, his hand clapping in the table.

"I am impressed," he said mockingly. "With that kind of imagination, you really should work in the creative industry..." Sharing a quick look with Astrid, Hiccup gave a shrug.

"It is an interesting story...but I am not sure that you are aware that telecommunications leave footprints," he said. "My team have traced communications from Director Jorgensen to your personal line. And subsequent calls from the same line to Dagur's line-at the country house in Hysteria that we hadn't previously known about. Until we destroyed it."

"You dared to investigate my personal communications...?" Bludvist growled.

"Homeland Security is tasked to investigate threats to the Archipelago people-no matter the origin," Astrid added. "Even if the origin is the occupant of the Granite Office..."

"I have heard enough of these wild fantasies!" the President snapped, turning his head to glance over at Agent Eretson. "Escort Special Agent Hofferson out. Make a note on her record for her admirable tenacity and independence. And make sure all her desires for promotion are permanently thwarted." Then he looked back at Hiccup. "You, on the other hand, are an easier prospect. You're a wanted criminal and a man who no longer exists. So I shall ensure that you return to that state-permanently!"

"You do of course realise that Dagur's records explicitly reveal the links to you-President Bludvist?" Hiccup asked him coolly. "Fortunately my friends are better than you imagined and cracked the encryption of Dagur's records. Of course, military grade encryption is pretty unlikely for a gangster and terrorist...but not if he got it from his buddy in the Granite Office..." There was a pause.

"Eretson-you should have killed them in Hysteria," Bludvist growled, rising to his feet. "It's not a mistake I intend to repeat. DO IT!"

There was a pause and Hiccup gave a smile, hearing the twins giggling over his com.

"Sorry-were you expecting a sniper to shoot me from the roof space?" he asked pointedly as he saw Agent Eretson's eyes widen. "I am disappointed. Apart from being the only person here qualified to use a Valkyrie, my friends have ensured that your sniper has lost interest in the proceedings. Though others haven't...since our coms are immune to ASS jamming..." Bludvist stumbled back.

"TREASON!" he yelled. "Kill them!" The ASS agents pulled their guns-as the unmistakeable report of the Valkyrie echoed round the room and a chunk of the table just in front of the President vanished.

"Tuffnut..." Hiccup growled. Two objects dropped from the roof and exploded, thick smoke billowing through the room.

"SMOKEY BUTTS!" Tuff's voice echoed from amid the rafters as Hiccup slammed into Astrid and they hit the ground, both covering their mouths against the Smokebreath grenades. Bullets ripped over their heads as the ASS agents fired where they had been standing. The hitman gave a grin.

"So someone is trying to kill me-wow, that feels better," Hiccup said, his emerald eyes sparkling. "Can we lose the bracelets, Astrid?"

"Once we're out of the line of fire," she told him shortly, coughing slightly.

"Ah...so in a couple of years," he retorted. She stared at him.

"You seem ridiculously chipper," she commented as they crawled under the table towards the door...but as the smoke billowed, they could see two ASS agents blocking the way.

"Looks like someone wants us dead," he reminded her. "And that's a lot more reassuring than being locked up by Director Jorgensen. There's a hatch on that wall leading towards the kitchen."

"Smoke's thinning," Astrid pointed out as they made a run for it. Bullets zinged around them as they dived through the hatch and into the quiet corridor to the kitchen. Instantly, Astrid was on her knees, fumbling with the keys and releasing him. Rubbing his wrists, he grinned and gave a sigh of relief.

"You know, no law-abiding person asks public security officers to kill two unarmed people in cold blood," he pointed out.

"That's true," Fishlegs commented over the com.

"Heading your way," Toothless said. "And I've started broadcasting the footage on all channels..."

"Which won't be worth anything if we're dead..." Hiccup commented as they scrambled up. Astrid grabbed a gun from the back of her waistband and handed it to him.

"Let's get out of here," she said, pulling her service Glock from her holster. The doors behind them exploded open and the agents stared at them-before Hiccup shot them.

"That feels so much better," he said as they sprinted off, crashing through the doors into the large kitchens of the hotel. Half a dozen chefs looked up from their prep work for the sumptuous luncheon that had been planned for the Presidential party. "Ooh-lobster!" Hiccup grinned madly, stealing a cherry tomato as he chased through. "Sorry...sorry...that smells divine!" he added as he dodged through the room and vanished out through the back with Astrid in tow. The blonde agent was still very focussed but there was a sense of unreality that the sarcastic and obsessed hitman had transformed into the man leading the escape. Hiccup had avenged his wife and son and a weight had lifted from his shoulders-and though he was still being chased, they were almost at the end of the line, with the real culprit in their line of sights. And though he seemed to be the President of the Archipelago, she hadn't actually seen Hiccup more cheerful.

The doors behind them slammed open and two more ASS agents appeared, firing at the two fugitives but Hiccup ducked, throwing himself backwards and shooting them both before he landed on his back. Astrid ran forward, jamming the heavy bin against the doors and blocking them. Then she turned to see him wince.

"Ow..." he protested as she stuck out her hand. "That looks so much easier in the movies..."

"You do realise we're both fugitives now?" she asked him and there was a pause. "Guys-where are you?"

"We're in the bathroom," Fishlegs whispered loudly over the com. There was a pause as Hiccup achingly got up.

"Why in Thor's name are you in there?" he asked.

"That's what I asked," Snotlout protested, his voice echoey.

"Get out there and make sure the Director gets to the Vice President and the Security Minister," Astrid ordered them. "You need a senior civil servant, the VP and one other senior minister to impeach the President and remove him from office pending independent judicial review..." There was a pause as Hiccup looked over at her, his eyes flicking briefly to the door to the kitchen.

"How the Thor...?" he asked and she smiled smugly.

"Wouldn't want to make a horrendous mistake with the process when we have to speak to the VP," she told him without thinking, seeing his emerald eyes widen slightly as he caught the word.

"Astrid?" he said, his voice suddenly toneless. "Have...?" There was a crash and the bin jolted. The doors to the kitchen opened a fraction and Astrid threw her weight against the bin, slamming it back against the doors.

"Now? You want to talk about it now? I mean...can it wait?" she asked. "Because I think we need to keep on the move..." He nodded and they sprinted out the back and headed in the direction of the sports club as the door eased open enough to allow three ASS men to emerge, led by a tall, lean man with dark skin, a scar and cold cruel eyes. His hair was cropped short and he moved with a measured grace as he stared after the fugitives.

"Ilvo-go after them and tell me where they are heading," he ordered. "Lando-with me!"

"Yes, Krogan," the men murmured and obeyed as the man glared in the direction the fugitives had run off and then stalked back through the kitchen. But he had barely passed when the twins popped up, both wearing kitchen whites and carrying various weapons-including the sniper rifle-in a large cloth bag.

"He looks like one mean dude," Ruff commented, frowning with concern. Sensing her worry, her brother socked her shoulder.

"One ugly dude," he amended. "And ASS seem to be acting like some sort of a secret police force..."

"While we're an even more secret anti-police force," Ruff reminded him. "What do you want us to do?"

"Stay safe," Hiccup said breathlessly as they sprinted towards Throk's Oasis. "And make sure the ASS don't capture the rest of the cabinet."

"What will you be doing?" Toothless asked.

"Trying not to get killed...and then making sure the person who helped Dagur answers for his crimes..." Hiccup told him. "Do whatever you can...because this is no longer about me. The whole Archipelago is at stake."

oOo

Arriving at Throk's Oasis, Hiccup panted into the very elegant waiting area, the large soft chairs decorated with linen covers and large, squashy pillows, pictures of fit people doing vigorous exercise on the walls and filled with the gentle sound of running water. Gasping, he snatched a bottle of water and poured half down his throat, dumping the rest on his head. The door slammed behind her as Astrid entered, chuckling as she got herself a bottle of water-and then Hiccup was facing her, his emerald eyes sparkling. He took her hand.

"What is my middle name?" he asked her breathlessly. She opened her mouth, looking into his handsome features and then she smiled. Everything she had learned out him-his bravery, his determination, his stubbornness in continuing when he had lost everything, the tiny glimpses of the man he had been before he lost everything-meant that she didn't want to lock him up and make him pay for his crimes.

"I have a Contract for you, Night Fury," she said firmly, not answering his question. "I think we find ourselves in a horrendous situation and it's down to us to save the day. And I need a partner and someone I can rely on-and you are definitely that person. I mean, it would actually be horrendous without you. What I am asking is your help in bringing Bludvist down. And in return...well, if you can guess my middle name, you walk free with a clear record and your life ahead of you."

"And if I don't? Guess your name, I mean?" he asked her. She grinned.

"I'll be extremely horrendously disappointed," she told him with a triumphant look in her eyes then stuck her hand out. "Do you agree, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock?"

He grasped her hand and pulled her close, staring into her shining eyes with a small smirk lifting his lips. His stomach was fluttering with a sudden sense of shock and admiration along with an attraction he was finding harder and harder to resist: she was beautiful, clever, feisty and fierce...everything he wanted in a woman and his broken, shattered heart was limping back into life, reminding him that perhaps he could have a life in the future beyond the death of his family. Not that he would ever forget them or ever stop missing them, but now Dagur was dead, he could finally imagine the faintest possibility of a life ahead. And he suddenly wanted Astrid to be part of it.

"I certainly do, Special Agent Hofferson," he told her. "You have a deal." And then he kissed her.