Twenty-Five: His Mother's Son

A tyre blew out and Eret felt the tug on the wheel immediately as the limousine slewed towards the cliff edge. Ruff was wrestling with the last nuclear rod and cursing...but with a clunk, it finally came free. Instantly, she grabbed the rods and crawled over the seats into the back, slamming sideways as more bullets pinged off the bodywork and the limo jerked sideways again.

"Hey!" Ruff protested, rubbing her head.

"You wanna drive?" Eret challenged her.

"You wanna stow the radioactive rods?" she shot back gruffly, trying not to imagine what the things were doing to her.

"I'm good!" he grinned back, sharing the same thought, as she lifted the upholstery in the centre of the back seat to reveal the safe. "Code is 1099BA." She thumbed the code in and saw the door click, the wrenched it open. There were papers and a picture of Inga Olafson, the Archipelago-born supermodel, inside, which Ruff instantly threw out of the way. With a small prayer, she shoved the rods in, slamming the door and twirling the lock, then slamming the cushion back in place.

"Can you get us by the cliff edge?" she yelled.

"Why?"

"I wanna jump!" she retorted sarcastically. He glanced at her. "To dump the bomb, mutton-head?" she prompted him. "Unless you really want to be blasted to pieces?"

"Still good," he replied and spun then round, barging straight at the dirt bikes. "Let's send this Submaripper back where it belongs!"

oOo

Tuff had raced after Heather on the dirt bike, gunning the engine and driving insanely dangerously through the rolling and steep wooded terrain. Basically anything stupidly dangerous was twins territory: sky-diving, base jumping, wing-suits, scuba diving, cliff diving, trail biking...anything that could easily cause severe injury. But Heather had been committed and armed and Tuff had needed to dodge bullets as he followed her, determined not to let her get away. He would rather he risked his life with the bomb than Ruff-though he would never admit he cared to his sister. And he couldn't understand why Heather needed to leave a bomb when her brother was already going to kill the President...unless Larson wasn't the only target.

As Heather doubled back, Tuff saw the black limousine race away, the familiar shape of Eret in the driver's seat...and Ruff beside him.

"Good work, butt-elf," he muttered as he revved the engine. "You got him...now just don't accidentally kill him." Instantly, Heather shot off after the black limousine, barely matching pace with the wildly swerving vehicle as it crashed through the fence and out onto the coastal road. Tuff pulled alongside and then ducked as Heather shot at him, dropping back and zooming up right behind her. As he watched, she fired furiously at the limousine and blew out one of the rear tyres. He pulled right up behind her, ducking down as she lined up and fired again at the car. Suddenly, the limousine skidded round and charged straight at them-and the two bikes split, avoiding the hood by inches. Heather was straight after the car, seemingly determined to make the device explode.

Tuff zipped round, seeing a small ridge up ahead and as he watched, his sister shoved the door open. She leaned out as Heather lined her gun on the blonde shape...and he made his choice. His sister was a pain in the butt he would protect her to his dying breath-and he certainly couldn't watch her being shot. So he accelerated over the little rise and threw himself away from the bike, seeing it shoot like a missile unerringly into Heather's as Ruff threw a green metallic object-the bomb-out of the car and over the cliff. The gun flew from Heather's despairing grasp as her bike spun away and the screaming woman and it skidded to the edge of the cliff...and vanished.

The male twin landed on the hood of the car and rolled, slamming to the floor and rolling away to avoid being squashed by the speeding limousine. The doors erupted open and the two passengers jumped out-as with a howl of the engine, the car careened over the edge, pinwheeling down the sheer cliff face and into the raging sea below. Ruff and Eret skidded to the edge and found themselves going over, grasping wildly for anything they could. The female twin felt the tuft of grass she had grabbed give and she gave a final curse-as a hand clamped around her wrist.

"You are not getting to see Loki without me, Butt-elf!" Tuff grunted. He was bruised and battered from his impact with the ground but his grip was unshakeable as he hauled her back up onto the solid ground. "Are you okay?" She nodded wordlessly.

"Would anyone fancy giving me a hand?" Eret yelled from a few yards to their right, his grasp on the rocks just below the cliff edge slipping. "Or are you planning on just letting me drop?"

"Are you sure you want to go out with him, sis?" Tuff asked pointedly. "Sounds like a whiner to me!"

"Hey-I'm willing to give him a chance!" Ruff grinned and the twins lunged forward, each grabbing a wrist and hauling the trembling agent back from the yawning drop-as a huge explosion sounded and filled half the bay, water spouting up and drenching all three of them. The twins lay back, staring up at the sky as Eret stared in shock at the huge waves from the explosion.

"That would have killed everyone at the Centre," he realised. Ruff nodded.

"Makes no sense," she admitted, lacing her hands behind her head. "Do you fancy Viking or Pizza as a first date?" Blinking, Eret stared at her.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Whoever paid for that bomb wasn't Alvin-because he would have been vaporised by the explosion," Tuff confirmed. "So whoever paid the two mill for the Submaripper, they weren't anywhere near Berk."

"And they probably had transport on standby for their agents," Ruff added.

"Or not-depending on how much they knew," Eret said, laying back beside her and staring at the sky. "Viking-because I hear you two don't pay for Pizzas anyway!" Tuff grinned.

"The man knows you already," he noted as Ruff grabbed the big agent's arm.

"My hero," she sighed.

oOo

Hiccup glanced up at the stands, knowing the assassin was there and would have a clear shot at him as he steadily ascended the steps to the stage, his hand on his pistol. And though Astrid had snapped him out of the Queen's control-because she was the image he had clung to, despite the agony his resistance had earned him-he could still hear the voice, scratchy and persistent in his mind.

"You belong to the Queen. You are her subject. Nothing else matters. Not family. Not friends. Not Berk. Only the Queen..."

But my heart belongs to Astrid and only Astrid. And I will fight for her to my dying breath...and I will never disgrace my Mom and Dad and the Service by failing them...

He strode calmly onto the stage, pulling the gun from the holster and levelling it at the Commander of AI6. He managed a grim smile as Stoick's grey-green eyes widened.

"Hi, Dad," he said calmly as he walked towards the man and past. "And don't worry-it's only your useless ex-son. You know Mom would be ashamed of you disowning me on the word of a traitor. But don't worry-I'm Mom's son as well-and she died giving her life for the Archipelago. Guess all I can do is the same." Stoick was staring in shock and Spitelout had gone pale, eyes swinging around to look for someone-anyone-to intercept the would-be assassin. Gobber's mouth was hanging open.

"Laddie...?" he murmured as the President's Secret Service men lurched forward, pistols raised in the rigid two-handed aim of highly trained and regimented professionals. But even as Stoick opened his mouth to shout a warning to his son, the young agent ducked down and grabbed the nearest man's pistol, flipping him round and cracking his gun across his face. A hard kick to the man's face ensured the Secret Service agent was out of the game and Hiccup turned away even has he relaxed, unconscious. The other man tried to adjust his aim to cover the lithe, lean shape but Hiccup leapt forward batting the gun aside in a move Astrid had taken half an afternoon to teach him and flipping a mini-stunner out of his sleeve and shooting the man three times. As he fell with a thud, Hiccup walked past the senior agents, the stunner covering them but the pistol swinging round to level at the handsome and frozen shape of the President.

"Mister President," Hiccup said levelly, ignoring the pain that stabbed through his temple as he resisted the imperative.

Kill the President!

"I am very sorry about this, but there are a lot of people who want you dead and who have gone to enormous lengths to ensure that they have a shot at ruling the Archipelago." His clear words rang out across the suddenly-silent Arena. A faint click sounded.

"And you are here to deliver the coup de grace?" Larson said evenly, his head held high as he faced his death. The young agent met the contemptuous sky-blue eyes boldly.

"You misunderstand me, sir," he said calmly. "I am your last chance..." And he glanced as the sunlight flashed off the sights of Dagur's rifle. And he launched himself at the President, the gun swinging round to fire furiously at the flash from the sights in the stands as he hit the President-and as the reports of the rifle echoed, three high powered rounds hit him. He was still firing at Dagur as the first round slammed into his right shoulder and the second and third shot straight through his left leg before the President hit the stage, the young agent sprawled across him.

"SHOOTER!" Cami yelled as she and her mother threw themselves to the ground. Stoick and Gobber were a second behind her, both of then reaching up and hauling Spitelout to the ground from his seat, where he had remained frozen. Screams erupted from the stands as Dagur stood up and aimed at the agent and the President.

"Stay down," Hiccup grunted to Larson as he cringed beneath the wounded agent, simultaneously swinging his left arm and the pistol up. "Thor, Oswald was right-pain does suppress the conditioning. But it's far less fun than being kissed by Astrid..."

"Wait-you are an agent?" Larson asked in shock as Hiccup gave a grim smile.

"Almost," he admitted as he finalised his aim and fired three times, hitting Dagur in the upper chest. The man gave a howl of pain and overbalanced, vanishing behind the stand as the screaming guests and visitors stampeded for the exits. With a sigh, the gun swung round and Hiccup recocked it with a click. "One more step, Al, and I'm gonna shoot you."

The huge shape of Alvin froze and the man looked back at the young agent, eyes wide with feigned innocence.

"I don't 'ave a clue what yer..." he began but Hiccup pushed himself to a rocky sitting position, the muzzle of the gun not moving a millimetre from its aim at Alvin's heart.

"You're under arrest for treason-for blowing up AI6 and planning to assassinate the President of the Archipelago!" he rasped. Alvin paused, seeing the finger tighten slightly on the trigger.

"Oh...that..." he murmured. "Can't we talk about it? I'm sure we can work somethin' out..."

"No!" Hiccup snapped. "Dad-would you please take him into custody before he runs and I have to shoot him?" Stoick scrambled up and grabbed the First Minister firmly.

"My pleasure," he growled. "Unless you want to try to run from me, Alvin?"

"Nah...I'm good, Stoick...by the way, 'ow's the leg? I 'eard it were a little tender..."

"THE QUEEN!" came a roar as ten blond blue-eyed men, almost identical in full Viking outfit lurched forward, heading for the stage and armed with swords and metallic spines...but before they could get close, a lithe shape leapt forward, her axe swinging ferociously.

"Just try it!" Astrid yelled. "Everyone here is having fun except me so if you mutton-heads want to come up here, be my guest!"

There was a moment's pause as all eyes turned to the ten men-and then they surged forward. Without hesitation, Astrid leapt into battle, her axe swinging and slamming the first two aside. Another was sliced open on the backswing as she kicked out and tossed another man from he stage to land very painfully across a chair. The President sat up and stared at the blonde shape, kicking, cursing and slashing. She really was the epitome of the perfect Viking Shield Maiden...and then he glanced at the sagging young man, his right hand stuffed into the hole in his shoulder, blood starting to pool under his mangled leg.

"Is that your girlfriend?" he asked, reading the concern in the younger man's emerald eyes. Hiccup sighed.

"Not quite...but I was sort of hoping one day..." he murmured as he saw movement to his side. Gesturing to the people who had moved forward, he smiled as he glanced up. "Sir...Q and D will get you to safety now. And I think Miss Bogcastle will lend her assistance as well since her mother, the First Minister will accompany you..." The President looked up as the AI6 agents surrounded him, and then down at his rescuer. The one remaining security agent joined the ring of people around the tanned shape but before he turned away, President Larson land towards the wounded young man, seeing him breathing hard in pain.

"What's your name, son?" he asked and Hiccup sighed.

"Hiccup Haddock, sir," he admitted.

"As in the Commander?" Larson asked. There was a pause.

"My son," Stoick said. "A very promising young agent." Hiccup stared and then raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so I am officially dying now," he commented. "Astrid kissed me and my Dad isn't shouting at me despite my screwing up. Whoo me!"

"I shall watch your career with interest, Agent Haddock," President Larson said a small smile and a nod before he was hustled away. Snotlout, Toothless and Hookfang had joined in the fight but Astrid was still carving her way through the attackers, screaming like a Valkyrie and fighting like the combat instructor she was. More Nadders joined from other parts of the auditorium meeting furious resistance from he dragons. Toothless fought like a madman, his acid green eyes drifting intermittently to the wounded shape on the stage, before taking his anger and concern out on the enemy.

"Snotlout! Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi!"

There was a small smile as Hiccup heard his cousin's battle-cry and he painfully dragged himself over to lean against the lectern. A Nadder almost blindsided his cousin and he gunned the man down before he ripped the arm off his shirt to tie around his wounded leg. The man had barely dropped when he frowned as he saw a mildly wounded Nadder rise up behind the furiously battling Astrid, a metallic spine-the classical weapon of the Nadder clan-raised above her head. Blinking against his fading vision, he lifted his very heavy arm and tried to stabilise his trembling hand.

But my heart belongs to Astrid and only Astrid. And I will fight for her to my dying breath...

The muzzle steadied and he instantly pulled the trigger, dropping the man, dead, Astrid spun round at the report and saw the Nadder inches from her, toppling backwards with wide, dead eyes-and behind him, the raised and recently-fired gun of her friend. Hiccup smiled with bloodless lips then nodded to her.

"Milady," he whispered as her eyes widened, realising how injured her was. She absently swatted the last Nadder aside, not even stopping to watch him slump unconscious to the stage before racing to his side and staring into his dulled eyes. His shoulder and arm were soaked with blood and his leg was clumsily bound and leaking blood as well. She stared at him, lips parted in shock. She gently rested her hand on his and got him to lower the pistol.

"Hiccup?" she murmured. "Oh Thor...you're shot..."

"Sure the twins would be envious," he mumbled, feeling faint. "It's only fun when you get a scar out of it..." A loud thud sounded and the ground shuddered slightly. Head snapping up, Astrid scanned the area for danger, her hand closing on the axe once more. "Hmm...gonna have to hide that axe from you..." he added with a wan smile.

"What was that?" she asked fiercely. Hiccup gave a weary smile.

"Fireworks...? Sonic boom? Earthquake?" he suggested. "Nothing to worry about. It's not near." He managed a ragged breath and stared up into her eyes. "Thanks, Astrid. For everything. I mean it with all my heart." Her eyes widened in concern and she wrapped her arms around him. He rested gratefully against her, his head heavy on her shoulder. "S'been a long day. Now...if you'll excuse me...President's safe...Red Queen's thwarted...Dagur's failed again...ha, wouldn't like his reputation now...so I think I can just...finally...go to sleep..."

And his eyes fluttered closed as he went limp in her arms...