The Contract

8: Complicated

Eight: Complicated

Hiccup faced the guns pointed at him and slowly raised his hands, his emerald eyes still glittering with anger at the ambush he had just escaped. Adrenaline was surging through his veins like the most potent drug and he felt on edge, as he always had during a firefight but he knew he had to remain cool and in control. He had known this was dangerous when he came up with the plan but for these idiots to imagine that he had anything to do with this...

"Alvin! You moron! tell your goons to lower their guns! He saved me!" Heather was on her feet and shoving the huge man aside, her green eyes blazing with anger at the stupidity of the situation. "Have you spoken to my brother about what's going on?" The man's scarred face twisted, his bushy beard moving as he chuckled.

"He doesn't trust your little pet bodyguard, Heather and he's pretty pissed you didn't come back when you were ordered..." he scoffed.

"I'm not one of his mindless thugs," she snapped, drawing herself up and glaring at the big man. "I am Heather Oswaldson! Now lower your weapons! He was with me the whole time and had nothing to do with the ambush. We were isolated outside my apartment building-clearly they were watching me. So who is the issue, Alvin, and why are they after me?" Hiccup sighed.

"You're Dagur's sister-which is a pretty dangerous thing to be, considering his line of work," he pointed out.

"Shut up!" Alvin snarled.

"Cool your jets, Al!" he shot back, a small smirk lifting his lips. "You wanna hear who the shooters are? Or do you want to just bolster your tiny little ego?" The man growled and his huge fists clenched but Heather glared at the thugs and the guns lowered. "They all had Meathead license plates and were all top of the range SUVs with bullet-proof glass and armour plating. Four men per vehicle, all armed including automatic weapons. Someone really doesn't like your brother..." Heather flipped her braid over her left shoulder and her lips tightened into a thin line.

"What's he done now?" she growled. "Odin Almighty-why can't he just behave like a civilised human being?"

Because he's a rabid dog who should be put down like the monster he is, Hiccup thought, lowering his hands and watching her. She paused and looked pointedly at him.

"Come on," she snapped irritably. "You're supposed to protect me. So come on-bodyguard. We need to speak to my brother!" Controlling his face with an effort of will, Hiccup smiled pleasantly at the Berserker thugs and retrieved his weapon, flipping on the safety and holstering it expertly before walking after Heather. But as he followed, his hand brushed the gun and he flipped the safety off once more. If he faced Dagur, he may get one shot, one single, solitary chance to avenge his wife and son...and he wanted to be ready to take it.

No matter the cost.

oOo

Both Toothless and Fishlegs had tracked the chase and the subsequent massacre on the plentiful CCTV cameras of Berserk. Fishlegs had been shocked and amazed at Fury's efficiency in killing all the Meatheads who had tried to ambush them while Toothless leaned forward, his eyes dark with concern.

"He's angry," he murmured as the husky agent looked at him.

"That was...incredible," Fishlegs commented as Toothless removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"We both know he was a Black Ops sniper," he revealed with a sigh. "Meaning he has a perfect weapons rating and has been sent to a variety of hellholes and war zones in the service of his country..."

"With you at his side," Fishlegs added quietly with insight. Toothless nodded.

"But usually he's icy and in control," he said thoughtfully. "He was furious. It may make him sloppy." The agent stared at the other man and didn't reply: to his inexpert eye, the ruthless dispatch of the unknown gang attackers had looked very controlled and efficient. But there was clearly something else they weren't telling the agents-and it related to Dagur. He opened his mouth to ask a question when Toothless's phone rang and he stared at the screen-and then he turned away, accepting the call.