The front door of the jewellery store was knocked down and Phlegma, Hoark and Sven stepped inside. This was followed by the sound of a shotgun going off, the store's front window shattering and the sight of three gas mask-wearing individuals leaping through the now open window.
"All units, be advised: suspects are escaping on foot and are armed with shotguns," said Phlegma into her radio, passing the cumbersome ballistic shield she had been holding to Hoark to do so.
"I'm on my way," said Astrid.
"Acknowledged, BV1," she then turned to Hoark. "We need to go after them."
He didn't have time to reply before a shotgun going off had them both turn around. It was Sven, firing at the four escapees after they turned and levelled their own guns at him. A second later, Astrid came around the side of the building and approached them, spying the ballistic shield in Hoark's grasp.
"I'll be needing that," Hoark gave it to her and she took off after the four, going as fast as the shield would allow. Sven ceased fire, but the criminals saw Astrid coming, now firing at her as they retreated backwards without slowing down.
The first shot went wide, the second going over her head by a small margin and the third hitting the shield but failing to penetrate it.
Astrid returned fire, intending to discourage them from firing again as she stopped chasing them. It worked, but they kept running, sprinting into an alleyway and disappearing from view behind a skip in the narrow lane.
Astrid dropped her support hand to her lapel mic, keying her radio. "All units, I have lost visual on suspects."
"Acknowledged. Hold for others to arrive, BV1." Immediately after hearing the response from Phlegma, Astrid heard a car engine roar to life.
"I hear a vehicle starting up in the vicinity. Suspects may be escaping in it. Pursuing."
"Negative, please hold BV1," but Astrid was no longer listening, already running past the skip and through the rest of the alley.
Reaching the other end, she saw a blue Subaru Impreza fly past, hearing its engine and the siren of an ambulance in the distance.
Huh. That car will be easy to spot. Don't see many of them in Berk, thought Astrid before she turned and headed back to Phlegma, Hoark and the others via the alleyway as the siren of the ambulance got louder and louder with every step, the doppler effect pushing its pitch higher, signalling its impending approach.
Astrid returned to the scene just as the vehicle came to a stop in front of the jewellery store and two paramedics got out to tend to the unconscious occupants within. Paying them no further mind, Astrid turned to see a stern-faced Phlegma.
"The car the suspects escaped in is a blue Subaru Impreza, I didn't get the tags. We should go after it," Astrid stated.
Phlegma sighed. "Get in my car."
Then, she was on her radio as Astrid complied. "T1 and T2, follow after my vehicle,"
"You got it," came Ruffnut's voice, followed by the roar of the engine belonging to the car the twins were in, as Phlegma and Astrid headed for her car and Sven for Hoark's.
...
"Back again? But you already cleaned your sniper rifle... and Eret's, brother."
"I know. I'm trying to avoid some people. And please stop calling me brother, Dagur."
"You know that'll never happen."
"Wishful thinking."
"Now, if you don't mind telling me, who are you avoiding?"
YOU ARE READING
The Gentle Sniper
FanfictionAfter losing his partner on a mission, Hiccup resolves to put General Finn Hofferson, secret traitor to Berk, behind bars or send him to Valhalla. Then a romantic rendezvous with his target's niece throws a wrench into his plan. Things aren't helped...
