Eleven: A change of plans
Hiccup advanced into the room, seeing what was essentially a ballroom with inlaid marble floor, smooth pink marble columns at the corners rising to the fresco'd roof. At the far end, there was a Regency desk with gold legs and claw feet, gold marble top and a deep red velvet throne facing away from them. The far wall had a sixty inch television screen boldly fixed amid the impressive 18th and 19th century portraits, behind the desk. And there was clearly someone sitting in the far chair.
"He's here," Heather announced. "Just as you asked."
"And the Meatheads?" The voice was a low growl, thick with menace. Concentrating on emptying his mind of everything but the mission, Hiccup faced the back of the chair calmly.
"They were Murderous," Hiccup said. "Madguts the Mincer and his crew. Disposed of now. As you asked."
"Good." The voice was guarded. "Alvin?" The big man had followed them in, his face locked in a scowl, his meaty fists clenched.
"All checks out," he reported. "You were correct, sir."
"Then act as I ordered," the voice said as Hiccup glanced around, seeing which guard's gun he would steal…and realising they were all staring at him, weapons in their hands and levelled at his chest.
"Er…Heather…I think there may be a problem," he said in a wary voice as Alvin unholstered his gun.
"Only for you," he said gruffly. "You ain't a Berserker, you ain't one of our men and we don't trust you!" But before Hiccup could move an inch, he felt the bite of a taser and a current surged through him. His hands clenched and his entire body arched…and then he slumped to the floor. Heather folded her arms.
"Okay," she growled. "You wanna explain what's going on now? And why my bodyguard has been tasered when he did everything you asked?" She peered at the chair as a bulky man with dark hair and dark eyes-who was definitely not her brother-emerged.
"There are a few things you need to know about your friend…" he said.
oOo
"What the Helheim happened to the coms?" Astrid snarled once they all got back to the miserable-and now crowded-room. Toothless frowned, then grabbed her com and leaned over it, fiddling away.
"Nothing wrong with them," was his verdict. "They've been jammed." There was a pause.
"Jammed?" Fishlegs echoed, eyes widening. "Who would jam us?"
"How about the Secret Service?" Astrid asked them sharply and every eye turned to her "There was someone watching the funeral-he had eyes and a gun on you all. Fortunately I was doing the same thing-but I was better than he was. I stunned and hogtied him-and he was definitely ASS. They were the guys who took off after you!"
"Those guys were ASS?" Snotlout commented and then shrugged. "What pussies!"
"Snot-they shot a rocket at us!" Fishlegs told him irritably as he lay back on the bed.
"And blew up a tractor!" Tuff reminded them. "That was awesome!" Sharing a look with Astrid, Toothless frowned.
"The Secret Service is under the direct control of the President and is dedicated to his protection," he mumbled. "So why were they watching the funeral of two Murderous gangsters? And why did they attack you guys?"
"We did shoot up a funeral," Snotlout reminded him proudly.
"What we?" Ruff asked pointedly. "You were dozing in the hearse! Fury took them out and we were the getaway car…hearse…"
"Sis-can we swap the camper for a hearse? Please?" Tuff whined and she banged her head against the wall.
"NO! There would be nowhere to sleep and store the guns!"
"It doesn't make sense," Astrid murmured, leaning close to Toothless and peering at his computer screens as he vainly attempted to hack the ASS system. "Why would they go after people who have shot up the Murderous Syndicate? They don't get involved in gangs-that's far too low level for them…"
"Unless someone knew that there would be a hit at the funeral and was after the hitman…" Toothless breathed. He looked up.
"Dagur," Astrid muttered. "He knew. And he had a good idea exactly when."
"We need to warn Fury!" Toothless muttered and activated his com. "Night-this is Terror. Can you respond?"
"…"
"Night-this is Terror. If you cannot respond, at least give me a sign…"
"…"
"Fury…give me some clue you're alive…"
"…"
Astrid rested hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension.
"If they knew, they will have taken him straight away on arriving at the compound," she said quietly. "He will have been captured before you ever got back here." Fishlegs paused…and then opened his laptop, entering code after code…and then a grid of the city appeared, homing in on the Berserker Compound. A red dot appeared in an upper floor.
"He's alive-on the third level, northeast corner," he reported. "He's motionless and the device records a powerful electric current shortly after he reached the compound." He shook his head. "It doesn't look good."
"Wait-you put a tracker in him?" Toothless asked in outrage, his green eyes glittering. "But if you can track him, so can the others…" But Fishlegs shook his head.
"We never logged it in," he admitted. "We recorded that Snotlout dropped it down the can-which everyone believed…"
"Hey!"
"No one knows except Fish and I-and he's the only one with the access codes," Astrid reassured him. There was a pause as everyone digested the words-and three of the four other people realised the problem she had raised.
"Any other surprises I should know about?" Toothless asked pointedly, watching the woman. He knew she had the deal with Hiccup and was determined to do everything he could to enable his friend to complete the Contract and get away. And behind the back of her superiors…or because she couldn't trust them? But now Fury was taken and presumably on his own…because the hitman knew the score. He was expendable and in this kind of mission, expendable assets got burned. So Astrid's next words shocked him.
"Can you find me a way in there?" she asked. "I need two volunteers to go in with me and rescue Fury."
There was silence.
"Why?" Toothless asked.
"I could ask the same thing," Snotlout snarked. "I mean, he hasn't got anywhere near completing the mission and now it looks like he's blown his cover." The blonde agent frowned.
"You know, I really don't think he has," she murmured. "He's been very careful and planned every eventuality meticulously. Why were ASS here? Something smells rotten." Then she looked over at the twins. "And Hiccup is one of my team. So if he's in danger, we go and get him out."
"WHAT?" Snotlout stared at her in disgust and rolled to his feet, scowling in disapproval. Tuff nodded.
"Normally, he doesn't need help…but he never asks…even when he's in mortal danger," he admitted.
"Someone said the magic words," Ruff grinned. "I'm in."
"I'm out-just in case anyone is in any doubt!" Snotlout said firmly.
"No one was," Fishlegs retorted. Finally, Toothless nodded.
"So what do you want?" he asked. She smiled.
"Mr Wizard-can you find me a way into the Oswaldson Residence?"
oOo
Hiccup opened his eyes, all senses on alert as he tried to assess his surroundings. All he saw were plain cream walls and roof. No windows and a blank wooden door. He blinked and groaned inwardly.
What had gone wrong? He had maintained his cover, done everything asked of him and there had been no clue from his team that he was at all associated with the 'Meatheads'. But the man he had met had not been Dagur and the whole meeting…was a trap. And unarmed, he had been ambushed and taken. And worse, he had let them.
When all was said and done, he had been trained as an expert marksman and sniper with advanced combat training and lots of experience-but he wasn't an undercover agent and he had a very nasty suspicion that he was up to his neck in a world of trouble. He wasn't armed and had nothing on him that he could use to get out of this mess. And then he looked down at his own situation.
He seemed to be in what looked unpleasantly like a dentist's chair, his arms strapped down with leather belts and his ankles restrained as well. He was tilted back slightly and the roof overhead was grimy and stained. To one side was a machine that looked squat and unfamiliar, with resistor dials and a set of leads coiled at one side. His head snapped from side to side and checked the rest of the room was empty save a plain wooden chair. And he couldn't tell if he was even still in the Oswaldson residence or had been moved to another location for disposal. Wrestling slightly, he realised his bonds were secure so he lay back and tried to work out what next. Either they knew who he was…or they didn't trust him and had removed him from their stronghold. And he guessed if Dagur came through the door and recognised him, he was dead. And he really hoped that Toothless or at least Astrid would be realising that he was in trouble…
After spending a fruitless five minutes tugging and twisting at the straps and only succeeding in lacerating his own skin, he had rested back and closed his eyes, not sleeping but resting in preparation for whatever came next. Somehow, he guessed he would need all his strength for whatever they had planned for him.
He didn't have to wait long as the locks clunked in the door before it swung open to admit a mean-faced man with pointed nose, dark hair and brown eyes…followed by the poised shape of Heather. The sister of Dagur the Deranged walked in and stared at him as her companion locked the door and set the pail of water he was carrying by the machine. But though he looked hopefully at her, there was no warmth or even recognition in her face. Abruptly, she slapped him, green eyes blazing.
"You really had me fooled," she spat. "All that yak dung-and it was a lie. You're no better than my brother…or any of the others. You're a spy, aren't you?" He stared up into her green eyes and forced himself to remain impassive.
"Caught me out," he said lightly. "Archipelago Home and Garden. I'm a lifestyle reporter, looking at how the rich and corrupt live. Care to comment?" She slapped him again.
"I don't have a sense of humour, Hanson…if it is your real name?" she sneered. He gave an irritating lopsided smirk.
"Guess," he grinned.
"Who are you working for?" she demanded.
"Night Terror publishing, a division of Archipelago News Corp," he said smartly.
"Are you working for one of the other gangs?"
"Define gang."
"Who is your contact?"
"Smidvarg. He's my pet Highland Terrier."
"Do you have a pet Highland Terrier?"
"Nope."
"Do you have infiltrators in our base?"
"Is this a base? I thought it was a well-appointed Fin de Siecle Townhouse…"
"Where are your contacts? Who do you report to?"
"Lord Odin and the Norns, ultimately. I mean, it's a question of advanced metaphysics…"
Heather leaned over his half-reclined shape and stared into his mocking emerald eyes. "You know, I am going to make you talk," she said. "I want to know everything about you, Hanson Halvardson…or whatever your name is…"
"I think we've established that it probably isn't that," he said tonelessly.
"And yet you think you can use me to get to my family…" she hissed. "You unconscionable bastard! Using an innocent to…"
"Maybe you should cut the crap as well, Heather Oswalddottir!" he snapped. "Your law practice doesn't pay anywhere near enough to afford your multi-million dollar apartment or your offices. Your assets cannot be explained by your work. And you cover up and protect your brother's quasi-legitimate facade to keep the Feds and the IRS off his business interests. You're not an innocent. Innocents are women and children whose lives are ruined by Dagur's business. Innocents are people whose homes are ruined or who are killed as bystanders. Innocents are women and children murdered so your brother can have a reputation. Innocent are woman kidnapped, raped and used as whores so your brother can spoil you with more expensive gifts. So no-you aren't innocent-by any definition. You're complicit, you're a crook and you're a hypocrite."
Then she half inclined her head to look at her companion, who had stood quietly, surreptitiously switching on the machine.
"And you're a dead man…eventually," she sneered. "When it was explained to me, it all became clear…"
"I congratulate you on your insight," he snarked. "Pity it's worthless."
"You know, I wonder how long you can carry on with your smart mouth and this ridiculous pretence…"
"You're welcome to try away…" he invited her with a steely tone. Heather smiled and gestured to her companion, who had finished setting up the machine.
"Well, my man Savage will." Hiccup glanced over to the man at her triumphant tone.
"I look forward to working with you," he offered brightly.
"Don't!" Heather snapped, unbuttoning his shirt and ripping it wide open. She ripped the arms open to the elbow as well before she nodded to her companion and then smiled at Hiccup pityingly. "You know, we could have had some fun," she reminded him, a finger tracing from his throat slowly down his lean and lightly muscled torso, seeing not an ounce of fat under the very pale, lightly freckled skin. He forced himself to be absolutely still, recalling how he had even wined and dined her to bolster his credibility…to still end here. "Now only I am going to have fun. You…well, it's said electric shocks are incredibly painful to experience…"
"Hey-if you're curious I'm happy to swap places in the spirit of inquiry…" he said swiftly but she stroked her fingers lightly over the taut muscles of his abdomen, her eyes trailing over the smattering of freckles.
"Oh no," she told him cruelly. "It'll be far more fun watching…" And then she sat back on the wooden chair, watching as Savage twisted the dial on the machine, dipped what looked unpleasantly like a pair of defibrillator paddles in the water and then pressed them onto his forearms. He thumbed the current on and Hiccup felt his entire body jerk, back arching as all his muscles tightened agonisingly. A choked cry burst from his mouth. There was a long moment of white-hot pain before the current eased and he collapsed back into the chair, his chest heaving as he gasped for air.
"Enjoying working with me now, are you?" Savage sneered as the assassin forced his bleary gaze back up to inspect the man.
"May…take a little…getting used to…" he grunted, grabbing his scrambled thoughts.
"Your name!" Heather screamed at him.
"Guess," he taunted her.
oOo
Sewers were all the same, Astrid realised with chagrin, as she waded through effluent under the Berserker Townhouse. The stench, the poor lighting, the inherent danger of rising water levels, noxious gases and of course, infection were all the same but there were times in an agent's career when they were the only option…and she had reached that point. Hiccup was a prisoner inside the Berserker Townhouse and Fishlegs and Toothless had uncovered a route through the sewers that joined with the cellars and then the air-conditioning within the building. It was literally their only hope of rescuing him…so here she was, sloshing through the repugnant stream with the twins bickering behind her. She had already realised they were insane-but could be amazingly efficient when they put their minds to it. And they were extremely focussed and on point now that Fury was in danger.
"Are we there yet?" she asked with no irony over the com.
"Not enjoying the ambience?" Toothless's voice taunted them but she could hear the smile on his words.
"I'm happy to swap if you feel you're missing out," she shot back and the man chuckled.
"You know, if you weren't working for the BHS, Fury would've gotten on well with you," he commented slowly. "He appreciates someone as sarcastic as he is."
"Not possible," she replied as they waded forward, their LED flashlights skimming over the turbid surface. "I mean, he could melt steel with his sarcasm while me…I'm just mildly sarcastic…"
"And violent when angry…" Tuff piped up.
"With a fuse shorter then a Nanodragon blaster!" Ruff added.
"Do you want me to shoot you?" Astrid asked pointedly and there were hurried pleas for mercy. Toothless chuckled again.
"Since there are quite a lot of flammable gases in there, I would recommend controlling yourself," he said. "Your GPS shows you're in position. There should be a ladder up ahead." Astrid craned her neck.
"Got it. Anything we need to know about where we're going?" she asked, grasping the bottom rung and beginning a steady climb.
"Hmm? No," Toothless murmured.
"Blueprints indicate a cellar but I can't rule out surveillance equipment," Fishlegs added.
"We'll be careful," Astrid said. "Have you confirmed Fury's location? Has he been moved?"
"Third floor, corner room in the southwest of the house," Fishlegs replied promptly as she paused, reaching the manhole cover. Cautiously, she listened, then lifted the metal lid and paused, then slid it aside, bouncing to a crouch inside the dark room. There was a skittering of tiny feet and then the twins arrived as Astrid swept the room.
"Clear," she murmured.
"Apart from the rats," Ruff commented. Tuff shook his head.
"The chicken most definitely does not approve," he commented as they slid the cover back into place and made their way to the walls. In fact, it wasn't so much air conditioning as electrical and other ducts-with ladders placed up the side. It meant they had to be extra careful, for they were passing close by rooms that were in regular use. Checking which was the correct duct, Astrid clamped her light between her teeth, checked the ladder and began to swarm up, with the twins muttering behind her.
"Thor help me," she murmured, hoping that it would just be a simple matter of unlocking Fury, getting him out of some cuffs and smuggling him away. It wasn't what she had planned but if his cover was blown, she wanted him out and safe, rather than risking death at the hands of Dagur and his men. No matter what Snotlout or Spitelout said, she had taken responsibility for Fury- for Hiccup-and she wouldn't let one of her own down.
"To your right," Toothless murmured. "Should be an entrance…"
Two feet further up, there was a hatch and she paused, then cautiously cracked it open-to find herself in a cupboard. She was just acclimatising to her surroundings when Tuff gave her a huge shove and she erupted through the doorway, to sprawl on the floor in the hallway-right in the view of a guard.
"Hey, who are you?" he asked and she smiled.
"Er…surprise?" she suggested before whipping out her dart gun and taking him out before he could raise the alarm. Tuff poked his head out.
"Feeling better?" he asked as Ruff hit him while the agent got to her feet.
"Curiously, yes," she admitted then gestured to him. "Conceal him, will you? I need to see what's worth guarding in this place." And then she reached the door-and turned the handle.
The room seemed to consist of a reclined dentist's chair with a man restrained by leather straps with blood smeared around from where the prisoner had clearly struggled. His shirt was ripped open at the front and arms and there were red marks of his skin. He was lying motionless, head flung back. Checking the room was clear, she lowered her weapon and ran forward.
"Hiccup?" she gasped and stared at him-gently resting a hand against his face. He twitched and pained eyes snapped open as she began to unbuckle the straps. He took a shuddering breath and rocked his head to stare at her, seeing a blonde head bowed, rescuing him.
"Cami?" he grunted. "Milady…how…?" Glancing up, Astrid met his disorientated gaze for a long moment before he blinked and sagged. "M'sorry," he mumbled as she released his legs. "I mistook your for someone else…"
Your wife…? she realised, recalling the image from Bertha's front room. "Are you okay?" He tried to sit up and collapsed sideways off the chair, sprawling in a heap with a low hiss. As she watched, he curled up in obvious pain and the last shreds of her determination to treat him like a convicted murderer evaporated. She dropped to her knees by him and tenderly slid an arm under him, feeling him trembling. A long arm wrapped around her and she found him pulling himself against her, burying his head in her shoulder and hugging her tight. And because something horrible had happened to him, she hugged him back for a long moment, until he released her, his arms bracing himself as he tried to get up.
"Thanks," he said hoarsely as she pulled him up, allowing him to lean hard on her. "I think we need to get out of here."
"Before Dagur returns?" she said, her azure gaze flicking down to look at the red marks, which looked unpleasantly like burns.
"Heather," he rasped. "Dagur was never here…" She froze.
"He never came?" she asked. He shook his head.
"It seems," he rasped, "he recognised me all along…and decided to play me…" He grimaced as he took a step. "Can we leave? Please?" The soft plea was enough to have her hauling him out of the room and down to the cupboard, where the twins were nowhere in sight. He stared at the hatch and then shook his head. "I…"
"Look-I will go first-all you have to do is follow me…and let me worry about the rest," she said, pulling the cupboard door closed. "And if you don't follow, I will come back to get you." He nodded and leaned against the wall as she slid into the hatch then looked up at him, those blue eyes mesmerising him. "Hiccup-trust me," she said. He nodded wearily.
Why did I call her Cami? Damn it, Thor-why did you let me lose it now when I'm so close?
But he extended his hand and managed to grasp the ladder, hauling his trembling body onto the rungs and slowly stepping down. He could hear Astrid, going down slowly below him, quietly asking him if he was okay…and though he appreciated the concern, he wished she would just let him alone. He had shown her his weakness, betrayed how broken and pathetic he was…and he had failed. He had his chance-and he had blown it. All he had left was to be taken to prison and die there in decades, alone and forgotten…especially by those who were responsible for breaking him…
…and yet…
He glanced down and met the blue eyes looking up at him, gleaming in the light of her torch. She looked so much like and yet unalike Cami…that each glance hurt his broken heart…but there was something else, something uniquely Astrid that was fierce and independent and determined, much like his dead wife but wilder, more hard edged. But the kindness she had just shown him had been astonishing…and had briefly cracked his shell, weakened by pain and utter despair. And he was fighting against his attraction to her because she so strongly resembled his dead wife-because it was an insult to both women…and dangerous. He had no illusions where he should be and what his ultimate fate was….so there was no future-even if the Norns cold change the laws of space and time to allow him a life beyond the end of this nightmare which didn't involve a cell or a coffin.
His foot slipped and her hand immediately grasped it, gently guiding it back onto the rung and his arms ached from the sudden grip he had clamped round the rung to prevent him falling. His body was aching badly and he was trembling and exhausted once they reached the cellar-and the twins, who had stuffed the unconscious guard in a coal store. Astrid stared at the feet sticking out.
"Do I need to ask why?" she demanded and they shrugged.
"Because it was there," Tuff said as if it was obvious.
"And it will give some protection," Ruff added. Frowning, the blonde agent helped the listing Hiccup down.
"From…what?" he asked hoarsely and they stared at him, eyes popping at his ashen appearance, made worse by the harsh beams of the flashlight.
"Hiccup-no offence but you look like crap," Ruff said, her voice concerned. The female twin advanced, gently resting a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?" He nodded wordlessly, which worried her more: the lack of sass was very unusual for the bitter man he had become.
"Heather…knows," he managed. "Need to get out…" Tuff immediately moved the manhole cover and gestured.
"Astrid-get him away from here," the male twin ordered, his voice suddenly all business. "We've rigged all of the ducts except the one you came through-and that will take us a couple of minutes. Once that's done…"
"Ka-blooey!" Ruff finished, grinning. "And as you're moving slower than Snotlout towards a long and boring job, you need to get a lead!" Despite his spinning head, Hiccup managed to twitch a small smile.
"Wow, he really sounds like a great team player…" he rasped as Astrid helped him down the short climb into the sewer. "Not sure which is worse…the smell or more ladders…" Shaking her head, she pulled his arm over her shoulders and wrapped her around his waist, determinedly pulling him along.
"Well, I like to see you challenged," she retorted and then she shook her head. "But not hurt." He took a deep breath and regretted it.
"Too late for that," he murmured. "I was hurt long before we ever met. I was broken beyond repair…"
"Nothing is irreparable," Astrid told him. "I believe there is always hope, no matter how dark things are…"
"There is none for me," he said, coughing. She tightened her grasp on him as he staggered.
"Hiccup-we tried doing it your way and it hasn't worked…but it was a brave effort." Her voice was surprisingly compassionate. "Now we maybe try something different. You were a black ops sniper…and we know where he is. We can track Heather-and use her, as she used you. Dagur has to be stopped. And you are the best person to take him down…with the twins…" She paused. "And I will ensure you go free. If we don't get another shot, I won't put you in prison: the Contract will be voided…"
"No…" he grunted, pulling to a halt. "No-I gave my word-and the Contract will continue. If I fail, I accept the penalty. But this will be my last chance. If I fail…I want to give everything in the effort, Astrid. Grant me that chance. Because there is nothing else left."
She stared at him and there was a pause.
"I am not sure your family would want you to die if you had a chance to live on," she reminded him and he swayed.
"Maybe I don't want to live on with them gone?" he said tonelessly. She stared at him and though her mouth moved, she had no words.
"I'm sorry," she said. "But please…don't give up…" She looked into his eyes. "You have friends who would give their lives for you…and you have me. I risked my career to get you out." He stared at her, once more captivated by her eyes, by the gentle plea that had him considering-if even just for a second-that life without Cami may not be wholly impossible…
"You wanna join the 'Friends of Fury'?" he suddenly teased her and her eyes widened.
"Well, not sure what that would involve?" she retorted and he coughed and then leaned against her.
"Well, badges, maybe a cap, a secret handshake and a quarterly newsletter," he smirked, resuming his unsteady way along the sewer.
"Badges, eh? Do I get a certificate for my wall?" she replied, smiling. He tried to look away because the smile was cute and he didn't want to feel the little warm feeling in his chest again. Because it felt like a betrayal of Cami and everything they had. But he forced his voice to remain light and teasing.
"Maybe even a signed photo," he offered her and she winked.
"Definitely holding out for that!" she laughed as there was a suddenly splashing and the twins literally came sprinting by them through the muck.
"Gangway!" Tuff yelled.
"Detonation in five…four…three…two…one…" Ruff yelled and cringed.
Nothing happened and the twins ground to a half, glaring at each other.
"Loki damn it-did you use the expired fuses again?" she snapped at her brother.
"No? I thought that you…"
And then an explosion shook the entire sewer, particles fell from the ceiling and the roar of water approaching suddenly filled the tunnel.
"RUN!" Ruff yelled as the wave barrelled round the corner and engulfed them all.
