In The Archipelago's Secret Service

Epilogue II: The Mark of the Bewilderbeast

Epilogue II: The Mark of the Bewilderbeast

Cameron walked through the corridors of the temporary HQ for AI6, her blue eyes scanning the way for the person she was seeking. Commander Haddock, Deputy Jorgensen and Q were all in conference with the First Ministers of Bog Isle, Paxlandia and Berserk, looking to secure full co-operation for further investigations into Alvin's network and sympathisers. The young woman knew her mother and Minister Yorgen Elofsson of Paxlandia would be more than willing but she was unsure if Knut Gunnarson of Outcast would be as forthcoming-especially since intelligence suggested he was Alvin's son-in-law. She snorted and guessed someone would have to be dispatched to investigate further.

She sped down the wide flight of stairs in the government building and strode confidently along to the little office at the back of the patched together Q department. Gobber had relished the challenge and had already recruited innovators from the Senior Years of High Schools and engineers from across the Archipelago-once they had finished vetting, of course. But a small room at the back was reserved for a very special tinkerer and she found him there, sleeves rolled up, grease smudged across his cheek and a pile of bits and bobs laying in front of him. Dexterous hands grabbed a size 4 nut and flapped around for the wrench-until a hand gently placed it in reach. Cameron smiled as the young man looked up at his blonde female companion, lounging in the chair opposite, reading the manual for the Svendsen and Larson submachine gun with her legs hanging over the arm of the chair.

"So it can fire 600 rounds a minute and has a range of 200m?" she checked. "Wow. I want one of those." Her companion glanced up, auburn hair wildly tousled and emerald eyes filled with humour.

"Service variant has a fifty round cartridge. But you need advanced weapons training if you want one of those, Milady," he told her reasonably.

"And you've already passed?" Astrid guessed. Hiccup smiled.

"Um...and been rated instructor," he said slightly sheepishly. "Especially since I hit Dagur with a handgun at two hundred and fifty metres..."

"I should damned well hope so, Hiccup!" Cameron said from the door and he started, though Astrid smiled and waved with her weapons catalogue.

"Well, he's a total dead shot!" she called as the senior agent walked in.

"Can I have a moment?" she asked and the two younger agents put their tasks aside, paying her their full attention. Hiccup gestured to a spare seat and she sat down. Cameron glanced at them and then fished a tiny silver disk from her pocket, sliding it across the table. Hiccup peered at the shape of an unfamiliar dragon-but he knew the symbol.

"The Bewilderbeast, symbol of Drago Bludvist," Hiccup said. "Fishlegs told me you found it in the room in the resort, on the floor. He said you suspect one of the dragons?"

"It seemed most likely," Cameron said distantly. "But this isn't from the resort. Ruff came to me with this. She found it in the rucksack the bomb was in." Hiccup stared and then passed it to Astrid.

"Are you implying that Heather is working for Drago?" he asked quietly. Cameron sighed and pushed another coin over.

"Possibly...especially when we found this taped to the high powered rifle that Dagur dropped," she revealed.

"Both of them?" Astrid asked softly. "That's not a reassuring thought."

"Though it makes sense," Hiccup murmured. "Oswald, their father, controls them and he is a man wholly out for his own advantage." He paused. "So they took advantage of the situation to clear the way for their master?"

"How many people were trying to kill President Larson?" Astrid asked. Cameron frowned.

"Everyone?" she suggested. "Alvin is in prison, the Red Queen has retreated to her fortress, Dagur and Heather have escaped and now it seems Drago was behind the Berserker siblings." She rose. "I think I may have a word with the Commander...before I head back to Bog. We need surveillance...though that is gonna be hard...and very personal." She leaned forward and grasped Hiccup's shoulder. "By the way-good work, Hiccup. Proud to have you as a fellow agent." She looked at Astrid and offered a fist. "Have you both," she amended as Astrid fist-bumped her. And then she was gone.