The Contract

4: Part of the Team

Four: Part of the Team

"Of all the incompetent, reckless, stupid, irresponsible half-assed moves you could have pulled, this is far and away the WORST!" Director Spitelout Jorgensen yelled so loudly the agents in the next office but one could hear. "You all deserve to be imprisoned until the idiotic flat-footed police services complete their investigations and clear you of any wrongdoing!" Astrid gritted her teeth, Fishlegs blushed and Snotlout looked pleased.

"Nothing to answer," he commented.

"You were firing wildly in a civilian-packed areas!" Spitelout shouted, his face bright red with fury. "You could have killed dozens of citizens..."

"Dad-chill!" Snotlout said with ill-advised confidence. "I'm an excellent shot!" There was a pregnant pause as Astrid turned her head to stare at him in utter shock.

"Are you kidding?" she accused him. "You were more dangerous than the terrorists! The only person you shot had already been disarmed by Hiccup and was being questioned-until you killed our only lead!"

"Astrid-babe-you gotta learn to accept that I was far the most..."

"Ineffective useless pile of..."

"ENOUGH!" the Director bellowed, his eyes bulging with fury. "All of your performances were wholly unacceptable!" Then his furious ice-blue gaze swung to the last member of the party, whose carefully unimpressed face met his glare without changing. "And you-what the Loki were you doing with a weapon in a public place?"

"I have a valid gun license which permits me to carry a gun anywhere," Hiccup pointed out and Spitelout lurched a step closer.

"And you were firing it in a public space!" he sneered as Hiccup's brows dipped.

"My mistake," he retorted sarcastically. "You preferred we should have huddled pathetically behind the metal table in our cafe, watching civilians get mowed down and waiting for your ridiculous police to finally get their asses into gear instead of shooting the terrorists and stopping the carnage?" Spitelout closed to a few inches and glared into the glittering emerald eyes.

"You shouldn't be shooting anyone-you are a damned assassin and should be locked up!" he sneered. Hiccup sighed.

"So you wanted me to watch those men gun down innocent women and children when I could stop them?" he asked. "I just wanted to get this straight. Intelligence Chief prefers dozens more casualties rather than helpful member of the public stopping them being killed?" He shrugged. "Well, I guess if more were killed, you'd get more funds...or isn't that how it works any more?"

"How dare you...?" Spitelout spat in his face. "You killed seven men..."

"In self defence..." Hiccup pointed out. "Thor-there isn't much hope for the Archipelago if you're more worried about your reputation than the safety of the people of Berk!" He shook his head. "Pathetic." His word was scathing. Spitelout shoved him back and gave a nasty smile, his gaze sweeping over the tall shape with his hands still in cuffs. "This mission is a failure. You three will be on desk leave until I decide how to deal with you..."

"Sir! This is madness!" Astrid protested. "There has just been a major Act of Terror and you need every agent you can get to investigate this! Putting us on enforced leave confined to our desks because we happened to be in the wrong place and stopped the attackers killing far more people makes no sense!"

"You are a loose cannon, Special Agent Hofferson!" Spitelout sneered. "I cannot believe a promising young agent would jeopardise her career by engaging this wanted murderer to deal with a suspect! Thor I should be suspending you pending expulsion but your record previously has been exemplary and I knew your father so..." She wanted to say more and stiffened but he stared coldly at her. "Another word and you're suspended." He looked over at Fishlegs and his son. "That applies to both of you," he added and Snotlout folded his arms.