The Contract

19: Pawn

Nineteen: Pawn

Astrid flashed her ID to the warders and stood with barely-concealed impatience as they patted her down. She reluctantly handed over her weapon but refused to relinquish her ID.

"ID's mine," she growled, her azure eyes glittering so ferociously that the shorter warder backed up a step. "Special Agent Hofferson, Berk Homeland Security and Archipelago Intelligence Services. Now open the damned door!" The man-a short hairy man whose name-badge read MULCH-saluted with an amiable look on his face.

"Just doing me job, Special Agent," he said without rancour and Astrid felt a pang of guilt at her temper-but she hadn't been able to see Hiccup for two days and she was worried for him. She forced herself to calm down. His partner-a tall man with a long blonde beard and a simple expression with a badge proclaiming his name was BUCKET- nodded, looking worried.

"I know-and thank you," she said clearly. "But I need to see the prisoner." Mulch smiled and led her to the cell, through four sets of locked gates before they finally reached the cell. With a nod, Mulch opened the door and let her in.

"Just knock or call when you want to get out," he advised her as the door slammed behind her.

It was strange to see Hiccup in prison orange, the short-sleeved coveralls loose on his lean frame, sitting on the single metal-framed bed, his bare feet flat on the floor. And then he looked up and his face lit as he saw her, a smile lifting his lips and emerald eyes sparkling.

"Astrid!" he said and there was definite relief in his voice as he rose to greet her. The weight lifted off her chest and she walked forward and hugged him, feeling him stiffen for a fraction before wrapping his arms around her and hugging her back. "Are you okay?" he asked roughly and she nodded.

"I should be asking you that," she admitted, looking up into his face as he gave a small smile.

"You know me-can't manage to keep my mouth shut," he reminded her.

The Special Agents closed on them, both exhausted and caked with mud, their guns trained on them. Hiccup could see Astrid was starting to shake and he lowered his hands slightly, taking a small step towards the agents.

"Let's all be sensible and not lose our heads," he suggested in a very even voice. "Special Agent Hofferson needs medical help..."

The nearest man swung and the pistol cracked across his head, stunning him and dropping him to the damp ground. A quartet of guns levelled at his prone body and he groaned, tensing and expecting to be shot-but in that moment, Astrid growled.

"Lower your weapons!" she snapped. "Special Agent Hofferson, BHS. We have just completed our mission and dismantled the Berserker Crime Empire. My colleague here has executed Dagur 'the Deranged' Oswaldson for treason and terrorism offences. This was a high level mission authorised by the Director." Then she lowered her hands. "And we're on live coms here, gentlemen-so anything you want the whole of BHS to hear?"

The lead agent walked forward, a tall, buff man with slicked back jet hair and a rugged face with a traditional tattoo on his square chin. She saw her reflection in his mirror black shades as he paused-and then gave a curt nod.

"Eretson, Archipelago Secret Service," he said curtly. "We were informed that there was an illegal attempt on a valued asset..."

"Obviously, you were misinformed," Astrid told him sharply. "Dagur was wanted for hundreds of deaths, the whole range of gangland crimes and multiple terrorist attacks against the people of the Archipelago. I am certain even ASS could find the warrants on the system..." And she folded her arms, her incredibly dishevelled and dirty appearance not detracting one whit from the sarcasm in her voice. Special Agent Eretson holstered his weapon, nodding to his men to stop pointing their weapons at her.