Chapter 14

The ride back to the firm was in silence as Hiccup thought of what to tell Professor Grimborn. When they reach an intersection near the firm Astrid did say "You know I have to tell Viggo right?"

"I know," Hiccup stated.

"Hiccup, is this alibi worth hiding?" Astrid asked. Hiccup nodded and then mumbled:

"Even if it didn't, I did give my word." He looked down to his laced hands "It was a really personal alibi," Hiccup gulped. "I just can't tell Viggo."

"Okay," Astrid said and Hiccup looked at her. "I'll try to cover for you if I can."

"T...Thanks," Hiccup mumbled.

"Don't thank me yet," Astrid stated. "You're still the one to tell Viggo."

Hiccup gulped after they entered the conference room where the others were already seated. As Astrid had said she let him explain things-and as Hiccup had guessed, Viggo Grimborn was less than impressed.

"Let me get just reiterate," Viggo Grimborn said coldly, his dark brown eyes seeming to bore into Hiccup's hunched shape. "You have uncovered Johann's alibi-and yet you refuse to divulge it to me." Hiccup nodded miserably, hearing the anger in the man's voice. In fact the professor seemed to be turning rather purple due to his ire.

"Yes, sir," he admitted.

"Even though you were dispatched with the explicit task of uncovering said alibi?" Viggo checked with biting sarcasm. Hiccup nodded.

"Yeah...sorry, sir," he mumbled. Shaking his head with exasperation, Viggo paced up and down and finally leaned on the table with both fists, glaring at the student intern.

"I demand you tell me the alibi!" he growled. Bracing himself, Hiccup looked up and sighed.

"I can't," he sighed. "Look, Professor Grimborn, no one wants to make this easier for you than I do. I mean, what student intern doesn't want to curry favour with their mentor? But he would only tell me the alibi if I promised not to tell anyone. And I gave my word. All I can tell you is that Johann did not kill the victim."

"And you realise he manipulated you?" Viggo exploded in exasperation, almost tearing at his cropped hair. Hiccup nodded.

"Yes, sir," he said tonelessly. "That was pretty obvious. Astrid has chewed me out as well for being so naive. But I gave my word. It was attorney-client privilege."

"And you are neither his attorney nor his client so that doesn't apply!" Viggo snapped. "Astrid, could you please explain to your puppy?" Closing her eyes in irritation at the low blow, the blonde turned her head to the auburn-haired intern.

"Hiccup, I understand your reasoning but Professor Grimborn is correct," she explained more kindly-because Viggo had been shouting at Hiccup for ten minutes now and she could see how awful the young man was feeling. The blonde attorney had noted Heather smirking superiorly and passing not-too-subtle comments to Fishlegs just loud enough for Hiccup-and Astrid-to hear. "As an unqualified person, you cannot hold the same legal privilege as a fully qualified attorney-at-law." Sighing, Hiccup looked into her blue eyes and saw her support there.

"I understand," he said, causing Viggo to briefly relax. "Except...I was accompanying one of his legal team, I was acting in a professional capacity and he had an expectation of confidentiality when he spoke to me. And I gave my word."

Viggo snorted and Heather laughed aloud, immediately drawing his ire.

"No one requested your opinion, Miss Bazirk," he said cuttingly. "At least Mr Haddock won the trust of the client. I gather your assignment was wholly unsuccessful and you found nothing. And in recognition of that..." He glared at her. "I require a fresh coffee-freshly brewed Guatamalan, strong, 10cc full fat goat's milk. And about five minutes ago!" Heather stared at him. "NOW! Fetch me a coffee!" Blushing, Heather rose and left the room as Hiccup watched her, almost feeling sympathy but recalling Astrid's words about her own experiences during her training. He wondered how Heather would cope with the low level sexism and whether she would have the resilience to rise above her irritation and prove to Grimborn that she was worth taking seriously. Or if she would buckle and be unable to cope with not everything going the way she always wanted it.

"And you may be the highest scoring student in my class, Mr Haddock-but I can assure you that my decades of the law have proven that above everything, the client wants to win. And his alibi will ensure that!"

"But...." Hiccup started to say but Astrid interrupted him.

"Actually, sir-Hiccup is also correct," Astrid said calmly, twirling her pen in her hand. "The precedent is Ingvaldson vs Jensen where it was ruled the client had expectation of attorney-client privilege when communicating with any member of the legal team up to and including student interns."

"Et tu, Astrid?" Viggo sneered. "I don't care what this imbecile promised-I want that alibi!"

"I-I am afraid I can't-I gave my word," Hiccup insisted as he sat up a bit straighter when facing down Viggo. Astrid didn't show it but she did admire Hiccup for holding to his principles.

"And if you coerce him further, he will have grounds to litigate against your firm for breach of promise," Astrid reminded him. Viggo rolled his eyes.

"Okay-Mr Haddock-you are riding a desk now. You aren't getting any more live experience because it seems I can't trust you to behave as I would expect and do what you are told!" Viggo snapped. "Mr Ingerman-have the girl bring coffee through to my office. Astrid-a word." And he stalked out. Hiccup looked up with a groan.

"I'm sorry," he mouthed but she leaned forward and grasped his hand, giving a squeeze.

"I'm not," she assured him. "Look, I would rather work with-and go out with-a man of integrity, who does what he has promised to do and what he knows is right, despite the consequences, rather than one who breaks all promises and morals in order to win." He leaned forward and pecked a brief kiss on her cheek.

"Thanks," he whispered. "And sorry." She smiled.

"I'm a big girl," she reminded him and walked after Viggo with her head held high. There was a pause as the remaining interns stared at him in shock.

"You weren't fired? How did that happen?" Snotlout asked in shock. "I mean, Heather and I came up dry and he yelled at me that I was about an inch..." And he held his fingers barely a millimetre apart. "And inch away from being kicked out. He never even mentioned that to you."

"I'm sure he was thinking it-and that wasn't an inch, Snotlout-that was a fiftieth of an inch!" Hiccup replied sarcastically. Snotlout peered at the gap and frowned.

"Is it? Are you sure? Because I always use this much when I'm talking about an inch..." Fishlegs and Hiccup shared a look and then both shook their heads.

"Oh my Thor," Hiccup muttered.

"It was very classy of you not to give up the alibi," Fishlegs said. "Not sure I could have held up against that pressure." Hiccup managed a wan smile.

"Thanks, Fish," he sighed as he saw Heather walk very cautiously past towards Viggo's office carrying a porcelain cup of steaming coffee. The sounds of Viggo's voice yelling was audible down the hall and Hiccup sighed. "I just seem to cause trouble wherever I go," he moaned but Fishlegs patted him on the shoulder.

"Look-you are the best by a long chalk in Prof Grimborn's class and you are here on merit," he reminded the auburn-haired young man. "None of us knew about the expectation of lawyer-client privilege being extended except you. And you did find out that there actually was an alibi."

"Though I can't tell anyone," Hiccup muttered.

"And that means that we can go out and know there has to be some proof for our case" Fishlegs reminded him eagerly "We know Johann has a solid alibi which you got so we just have to work out where to find the proof to prove that. All we have to do is find out who actually committed the murder."

"All you have to do," Hiccup amended. "I'm stuck here, remember?" But Fishlegs just smiled.

"I'll keep you in the loop-and I know Astrid will," he promised. "After all-you are pretty much the smartest one of us!"

"For all the good it's done me," Hiccup sighed as Grimborn's associate, Savage, walked in. The man had dark hair, a mean face and cool amber eyes that looked over his pointed nose.

"With me, Haddock," he sneered. "I've got a lovely load of filing with your name on it." Hiccup rose and sighed.

"Oh joy. I am so sure this will advance my legal education" he muttered as he followed the lawyer out and glanced Heather carrying out a brace of empty cups in need of washing. "Still, at least I'm not on kitchen duty."

Savage led Hiccup to one of the filing rooms. Hiccup looked around at the stacks of boxes as the Senior partner shut the door behind them. "Haddock, first of all let me just say..." Savage started "You got some balls to talk back to Viggo like that."

Hiccup's eyes widened and he mumbled an uncertain "Thank you, Sir?"

Savage ran a hand through his hair. "Let me just say this, Viggo is set on winning at any cost so you just made his hit list. That being said, thank you. For keeping Ryker's secret."

Hiccup's eyes widened and he stared open-mouthed at his boss. "You knew?!"

Savage sighed "Viggo is so focussed on winning that he has no time for his brother."

"Wait... wait... Ryker is Viggo's brother?!"

"Oh, Johann didn't mention that?"

"No!" Hiccup exclaimed.

"Oeps," Savage mumbled. "Look, I know you won't gossip now. Johann and Ryker met at a company party. Viggo is as oblivious as ever. Frankly I doubt he'd even believe his brother is as gay as a rainbow since he brought home girls while in High School."

"You've known them for a while haven't you, sir?" Hiccup asked.

"Yeah, childhood friends with the Grimbornes." Savage stated and then looked around swiftly even though no one but them was present in the filing room. "In my opinion you need to check the widow. Johann might be a shifty fellow but no way would he ever commit murder."

"But.... I've been assigned desk duty." Hiccup mumbled.

"You still can move more freely than me," Savage stated. "Johann doesn't trust a lot of people. If he told you then he knows you won't betray him. If Viggo says anything to you just tell him you're doing errands for me."

Hiccup nodded vigorously cause he had no clue what to say. He probably wouldn't be able to voice his opinion. In no time afterwards Savage showed him to a desk and then whispers "Mr Haddock, I hope you don't disappoint." Hiccup gulped but nodded.

Sometime later he was working on some documents when a shadow obscured them. Hiccup looked up to see Heather leaning against his cubicle. "Hiccup," Heather said.

"Heather?" Hiccup asked as he had no clue what she wanted. He hoped she wasn't going to be a pain in the ass again.

"Look, let me give you some advice. I know you are acting all noble and everything here but that just isn't how it works in this world," she shrugged while looking at Hiccup.

"Wh...What do you mean?"

"The alibi!" Heather hissed. "Just tell it to Viggo!"

"I can't. I gave my word!" Hiccup shot back.

"We're gonna lose because of you." Heather's eyes narrowed.

"Then we aren't very good lawyers!" Hiccup shot back as his eyes narrowed. "Heather, did Viggo send you to get the alibi out of me?"

"Look, if you tell him he'll probably hire you as a summer associate," Heather said. "Who cares about Johann? Think about yourself."

"I gave him my word, Heather."

"So what?" Heather shrugged as Hiccup averted his eyes. It was a struggle not to retort that her reply just about summed up Heather: just looking out for number one, no concept of keeping her word if it didn't suit her and no recognition of anyone else. But before he could say anything else Astrid called out as she stepped out of her office not so far away:

"Hiccup come with me!"

Relieved, Hiccup quickly shot up and grabbed his bag. He sprinted out of his cubicle, completely ignoring Heather, and followed after Astrid. "We are going to see the widow?" Hiccup asked Astrid who turned her head sharply towards him.

"How did you......" Astrid asked.

"Just call it intuition," Hiccup mumbled as he scratched his nose. Mt Savage did say he was going to get him out of the office.

AN: Harrypanther has challenged me to a oneshot competition. (Which I accepted of course) The stories will be up on Feb 28.