The Contract

18: Fathers' Sons

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I had this planned out and some of your feedback made me rethink this chapter and amend it a little. Hope you enjoy!-hp

-o-

Eighteen: Father's Sons

"They've arrived," Toothless said over the com and there was a long pause as the implications sunk in. The hitman knew he was out of time.

"Leave," he growled over the com.

"Understood," Fishlegs replied automatically, though only Hiccup and the others on the mission could hear him. Hiccup had left his channel open so everyone could hear the confrontation and they had all heard that Astrid was captured...but every one of them knew that he was her best chance of survival.

In the surveillance room, he checked everything was downloaded, then took his secure and highly modified flash drive from the computers and slid another in. It was his final present to Dagur's Crime Empire and contained a very nasty surprise that he had been working on throughout the mission. Thick fingers dancing impossibly lightly over the keyboard, he smiled as he deployed the programme, initiated and watched the task bar filled and the screen went dead...and every other one blanked as well. There was a pause and the lights went out.

"What did you do?" Snotlout whined. Fishlegs pulled out a small pen torch and scurried to the exit.

"Wiped the system...and sent the virus to all associated systems," he smirked. "Meaning his friends are about to have a very bad day..." Shaking his head, Snotlout headed off into the gloomy corridor, scanty red emergency lights the only illumination. Two men stumbled in their way and though Snotlout tensed, the henchmen looked worried.

"You any idea what's happening, man?" the shorter one said.

"Er...no," Snotlout replied with a shrug. One skill he possessed in spades was looking uninterested. "The lights just went out and bam...we're lost..."

"Where're you going?" the fatter henchman asked, his bulging eyes sympathetic.

"Garage," Fishlegs squeaked. "I mean...it seems like a good idea to get outta here, right?"

"C'mon...it's this way," the short man said and beckoned. "We'll take you there!"

"Hey-thanks, man," Snotlout said cheerfully, fumbling in his pocket. "Gum?"

"Don't mind it I do..." the fatter one said, helping himself as they ambled towards the exit.

oOo

The twins were in a rictus of anxiety with Tuffnut accidentally chewing on a block of Quaken plastic explosive in his distraction. He then spent the next five minutes jumping up and down to see if he would explode...though Ruff was pretty sure he wouldn't because Quaken, though powerful, was pretty stable unless detonated by a powerful charge. Both twins were carrying a 'Smidvarg' unit-the master control to the Night Terror detonation system in case they got separated...or the worst happened. Of course, they were sitting determinedly in the van and refusing to budge, no matter how many henchmen tried to get in...though when the two who foolishly did heard Tuff rambling and Ruff grinning hopefully at them, they scrambled out, preferring to run for it.

Until Snotlout and Fishlegs arrived, grinning and chatting like old friends to two henchmen. To their shock, the men all ambled over to the van and all clambered in. The twins shared a shocked look and then glanced back to the intruders.

"Guys-meet Lars and Sven," Snotlout said cheerfully. "They work in the maintenance department. They helped us find our way back here and I said we could give them a lift...okay?"