A/N: We get a few more characters added! I was so stoke to write this chapter. Enjoy.

P.S. Congrats to those who guessed it was Astrid. Fine job, all of you! =D

OH! As a side-note, if you guys go to my tumblr: info; you can find information on the current characters and hints at the up-coming characters! There are quite a few secrets that will be unlocked much later. I hope you will stay with me as this goes. Thanks for all your fantastic reviews! They mean the world to me.


The Cave

May 30th, 2013

5:00 p.m.

The doors to the dark room opened and closed without so much as a whisper. The girl marched across the dusty wooden planks that made up the floors in the two level townhouse that was supposed to be abandoned. Her hood fell away from her blonde hair as the lights flickered into existence and blinked a second before burning brightly. She sighed softly, tugging the black mask from her face and throwing it onto the couch.

"Oi! Watch where you throw things," came a disgruntled voice. In the darkness of the corner, she could barely see the boy who sat there. "How'd it go?"

The girl rolled her eyes, "fine, no thanks to you." She put the bag down against the wall and placed her hands on her hips, "just what in the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Uh, taking a nap?"

She struggled not to face-palm, "no. I mean, where were you today? Fishlegs was so panicked he started to hyperventilate! And Snotlout was trying to shut him up, but it only made it worse. You guys were supposed to be there. So where the hell were you?"

The boy rolled his shoulders and yawned, stretching like a cat before shrugging, "I was nappin'."

"Ugh! You almost cost us the whole heist. It only made matters worse that we got the time wrong and Jack was there before us." She threw her hands up and paced the room. "We needed you, and both of you weren't there." She glowered around the room, "where is your sister anyway?"

"Oh, she's taking a bath. She's been in there for two hours… Oh gods, I hope she didn't drown." He hesitated and then looked at his leader, "will you go check?"

"What?"

"She's a girl. I can't just bust in there. Besides, the last time I did that, she nearly axed my head off," The boy wrapped a hand around his neck and swallowed hard. "I think you'd better do it."

"Right, because she won't try to kill me. Is that what you're saying?"

"Yeah."

"Auugh, fine. I'll go check on her," Muttering, the blonde tromped up the creaky wooden stairs and stopped outside one of the two bathrooms. One was for the girls, the other for the boys. She had made that a rule when they came here after Snotlout burst in on her changing. She sighed, happy those days were past and knocked on the door.

"Ruffnut? You in there?" She called.

A splash and gurgle concerned her, but the girl replied, "yeah. I must have fallen asleep. I'm awake now. Don't worry about it."

"I wasn't, Tuffnut was," She paused, "did you really almost kill him the last time he checked on you?"

"The idiot didn't knock like you, so yeah, I almost killed him."

"Got'cha. Well, I'll see you downstairs."

"Alright. Awesome." More splashing and then a squeak before a string of curses violated the air. Wincing, the blonde went back downstairs.

"Astrid."

The girl turned to face Tuffnut, "yeah?"

"What was Jack like?"Tuffnut leaned against the frame of the kitchen entrance, watching Astrid with that lazy gaze which irritated her.

Astrid smiled remembering Jack's face, "he was… everything I thought he would be. And everything hetold me he would be."

Tuffnut's eyebrows rose, "really? That must've been chilling."

"No. Not at all. It was exhilarating."


The Hideout

June 5th, 2013

11 a.m.

"Uggh, c'mon!" Merida spun around in the swivel chair for the umpteenth time.

"It takes time and a lot of patience," Hiccup said, his irritation growing as the redhead continued to bother him. "If you don't want to help then leave." He jabbed a finger at the door without turning to face her.

Merida frowned, "fine. I don't have patience for this."

"Thank you," Hiccup muttered.

Merida jumped up and left the room, trotting down the steps and into the kitchen, "Hiccup's taking forever."

Jack looked up from his novel, "it's not an easy process, Mer." He replied.

"I kno'," she slumped into a chair across from him and flopped her forehead onto her arms with a whine. "I jus' like everything to go quickly, you know? So we can catch that blonde brat."

Jack struggled not to laugh at her pout-fest, "Don't worry, we'll catch her. She can't hide forever."

Merida looked up at him from under her red locks, "you're really not concerned?"

Jack blinked, "I didn't say that." They both stayed quiet for a while before Merida sat up, "where's Rapunzel?"

"Painting."

"Maybe I'll go bother her." Merida stood, her hand hesitating on the table. "We'll find her," She said, attempting to reassure him.

Jack smiled, Merida could be hard to deal with at times, and a real pain in the butt when she wanted to be. But there were moments when he realized she was just as vulnerable and soft as the rest of them, despite how she tried to hide it behind her faux armor. She cared just as much as the others, and had been hurt just like them. So when she looked at him with those concerned blue eyes, he knew she was saying more than she could express in words. "I know."

Two days later...

June 7th, 2013

1 a.m.

Hiccup stared at the screen, his hand covering his mouth, "it can't be," he whispered. On the screen in a pixelated image was the very same girl that Jack had caught a picture of. It couldn't possibly be her. Could it?


Police Department

June 8th, 2013

Noon

"Are you kidding me?!" Eugene's exclamation made every person in the office look up suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Ana asked, coming to his desk and observing his strained behavior.

"Apparently, the FBI has decided to pull back on this case and let the CIA handle all the affairs. According to my boss, too many cooks in one kitchen. And thanks to your boss, they are sending down ANOTHER CIA agent. As if two wasn't bad enough!" Eugene looked up at Matthew Curtis who was walking toward them as he spoke.

"Did you hear the news?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah, a new guy is coming down from the CIA." Eugene sat back in his chair, "such happy news."

Matthew's eyebrows rose, "well, that's part of it. I've been recalled so that this department won't be over-run with CIA. It'll only be two agents." At this, the man's eyes flickered to Ana in a way that bothered both Eugene and Ana.

"Who is it?" Ana inquired.

"You don't know?" Matthew said, sounding surprised, "I thought of all people they would tell you." He studied her for a moment, "it's your old partner."

Ana paled visibly and her leg weakened. "Oh," She whispered.

Eugene blinked, watching her reaction in confusion, "wait… who?"

"E. Aster Bunnymund," Matthew replied.

"What? Bunnymund? What kind of last name is that?" Eugene couldn't resist the chuckle that broke from him, "Bunnymund.." he sat back, laughing. "That's a real intimidating name! Bunny… mund."

Matthew glanced behind Eugene, and Ana glanced too.

"He's behind me, isn't he?" Eugene said, catching their looks.

"No, I just wanted to freak you out." Matthew smiled, "see you all later." He turned and left the office.

Eugene looked up at Ana, "your old partner, huh?"

Ana nodded, "it appears so."