The Gentle Sniper

Chapter 28: Resolution

A/N: Well this chapter was draining to write, more than any other chapter in this story thus far. So apologies if it sucks.

Also decided to release it a little early for those sweet, sweet reviews; good or bad, I welcome both kinds.

Now here we go.

...

When the car in front of the Renault Trafic van, Savage, from his position in the passenger's seat, in addition to the driver, laid eyes on four dark grey VW Transporters that screeched to a halt not far away.

From each came SWAT officers that moved to encircle their van, rifles at the ready.

"This is bad..." said the driver, stating the obvious. "What do we do, boss?" he asked Savage.

"Don't move a muscle until I think of something," Savage ordered.

Then, the group noticed a black-haired woman striding towards their vehicle with a phone in hand.

Walking up to the driver side window, she motioned for him to lower it, which the driver did after a moment's hesitation and a glance at Savage.

"I do believe you boys should hear this," said the woman.

"Who are you?" Savage asked, while subtly lowering his right hand to the holster that contained his sidearm.

"It doesn't matter who she is," a voice said, emanating from the phone in Anne's hand, which turned out to be on speaker. "The only things that do matter are who I am, and what you decide to do. Now, we can arrange for a bullet to go through the head of each of you, so choose your next words carefully Savage. Where. Is. Astrid. Hofferson. If she is not with you, or if she is harmed in any way, then may Odin have mercy on your souls."

"S-she's fine! Allow one of my men to show you where-"

"She's with you in the van or in the boot, is she not?"

"She is, yes."

"Then that is enough for me, for now. Anne, over to you. Take them."

"With pleasure," she said, then turned away, facing a nearby SWAT officer. "Arrester dem nu. På dobbelt!" she barked, and they all moved in as ordered. [1]

"Hænderne på hovedet! jer allesammen! Gå så langsomt ud af varevognen!" [2]

"Do as they say!" Savage hissed when his associates hesitated again, the man already complying by opening his door with one hand while he held the other to his head.

...

When Astrid awoke, it was by torchlight shining into her eyes.

She quickly shut them with a groan, while she felt like someone was beating against her forehead from inside her skull.

"Keep your eyes open dear. I need to know if you have a concussion."

"I think I'm fine. Just got a headache though."

"Do you remember what happened to you earlier? And you feel dizzy or sick?"

"Yeah, I remember some guy hitting my head against the dashboard of my police car. And no, just got a headache."

"Okay, no sign of the symptoms then. Welcome back to the land of the living."

"Mum? Where am I? I want answers. What happened?"

She took a step back, then regarded her carefully. "In a DDIS office in Skagen. Long story. Also, you were abducted by some of the Outcasts. They were going to bring you here, as one of them confessed. Luckily we were able to intercept them."