In The Archipelago's Secret Service

24: Get Larson!

Chapter Twenty-Four: Get Larson!

The black limousine pulled up at the side entrance to the Viking Heritage Centre and two dark-suited Archipelago Secret Service agents got out, eyes scanning the surroundings behind the dark sunglasses before they stood back and opened the door for President Larson. Elegantly, he emerged, automatically buttoning up his dark grey unit that flattered his still trim shape, His greying blonde hair was swept back off his handsome, tabbed face, piercing sky blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled and offered his hand to the blushing Professor Ingmarsson, the director of the Heritage and Research Centre.

"It's an honour to be here to open this splendid monument to our heroic past-and to the research it will bring for our future," he said smoothly, shaking her hand firmly. He flashed his dazzling smile, pure white teeth almost gleaming in the weak sunlight. She smiled back, her freckled face with reddish brown hair and greenish brown eyes seeming plain alongside the President.

"I believe the honour is all mine, Mister President," she said, her low voice quivering with pride. He leaned forward.

"I am a huge fan of your work-you do write as the author 'Berkian Viking', don't you?" he murmured and she blushed furiously. Then he looked at the next person standing by her, a tall, muscular man with his jet hair swept back and dark eyes gleaming, wearing period garb of a fawn tunic and leggings, brown boots and sheepskin vest. "And agent VA1! What a pleasure to see you here as well!" he added. "Love the chin tattoos, by the way!" Eret gave a strained smile.

"As always, the pleasure is mine, Mister President," he replied with just the right mixture of familiarity and respect. "I wish you had accepted our recommendation to defer the opening until we had apprehended the prime suspects in the assassination attempt."

"Cheer up, Eret!" President Larson grinned. "It may never happen."

"Actually, I have a certainty that it will," the agent told him grimly. "Have you taken precautions?" Larson nodded.

"The vest makes me look like I haven't been working out but I'm prepared to take a hit in the tabloids if it prevents a bullet in the heart," he said philosophically. "I..." And then he paused as he saw an armed jet-haired woman in an armoured skirt and Viking garb sprint out of the back of the Heritage Centre, grab a dirt bike that was lined up to run round the trails at the back. With an expertise at odds with her dress, she revved the engine and raced off. Immediately a lanky male with long blond dreadlocks and Viking outfit sprinted after her, grabbed another bike and sped after her. Eret stared and his jaw dropped. Heather had run out of the Centre with Tuff in hot pursuit. And though he knew Heather was a traitor, he also knew that the twins, Astrid and the hacker had been excluded from the mission. That Tuff was here meant that Ruff couldn't be far away.

"Something to be worried about?" Larson asked and Eret shook his head.

"I suspect it's all in hand," he murmured. "Maybe you want to meet the volunteers while I just check what's going on in the Centre..." And then he walked rapidly past the President without waiting for an answer, his service pistol in his hand. Deftly, he ducked in finding cover and methodically searching the main entrance lobby, the concessions area, the Gift Shop and the corridor before heading into the next room-the auditorium.

Immediately he saw the helmet between two banks of seats, bent over something and he approached cautiously, his pistol levelled at the female twin.

"Lower that gun unless you want to blow us all the Svartalfheim!" she snapped and Eret sheepishly dropped to a crouch behind her. She had used her pocket knife to cut the rucksack away and was using the multi-tool to carefully unscrew the cover of a greenish metallic device.