Riders of B E R K

Part 5: Taken

"Come in," I invited him, completely taken off guard. How the hell had they found me? But I guessed somewhere as well resourced would have a lot of intel support and I sighed. He stomped heavily through the door, followed by a shorter and younger man with piercing blue eyes and black hair. I read his name-tag: JORGENSON.

"Where is he?" the General demanded. I sighed again.

"Gone, sir," i admitted and fetched the note, handing it to him. He read it then handed it to his companion.

"What is he to you?" the General asked. I met his level gaze hardly blushing at all.

"I treated him," I reported. "I found him in an alley, collapsed with a high fever and an infected stump. He was gravely ill. So I brought him here and treated him." He scowled. "He begged me not to take him to hospital. He-he seemed really scared." He rubbed his forehead and sighs.

"Aye, he would be," he admitted in a gentler voice. His broad Scottish accent sounded sad. "He didn't have an easy time after the accident." He nodded. "How long has he been gone?" I paused and thought. I wasn't away that long and the bathroom definitely showed evidence of a shower.

"Maybe an hour?" I suggested. He turned.

"Thank you for your help, Lieutenant," he said and I blinked in shock.

"Sir?" I asked him. He looked at me. "How did you find him?"

"Your search for BERK tipped us off," he told me. "But finding you were already in the army was just a piece of serendipity. I know I can rely on you for absolute discretion." Or else. I stared at him.

"He told me about the dragons," I revealed. He sighed and shook his head, the floorboards creaking under his weight. I noted his boots were perfectly polished and I could see my anxious face in them.

"Hiccup," he growled in exasperation. The younger man rolled his eyes.

"Might have known Useless couldn't keep his mouth shut!" he said snidely. Both Stoick and I glared at him simultaneously and he caught my expression with interest.

"My son is not useless," the General snapped. "But why are you...looking so annoyed, Lieutenant?" I blushed.

"Considering he made his way down here with no backup and no resources and has evaded you for a couple of weeks, that would suggest he isn't exactly useless, doesn't it, sir?" I replied, keeping the defensive anger from my voice. The images of his injuries played across my memory. "And as for keeping his mouth shut..." Stoick gave a deeper scowl.

"Accepted. My son is resourceful, stubborn and now gone from here," he said, bringing the conversation to a close. "Sergeant-signal the team. He's gone."

"And he's in danger, isn't he?" I asked, my tone soft. He looked at me. Did he pick something up in my voice?

"You're army, medical aren't you?" he asked. I nodded.