It’s summer in Iceland.
The land of Fire and Ice is beautiful and serene.
Peaceful… But not for Hildur.
In the undying light of an Icelandic summer, Hildur is on her first assassination mission, with the power and weight of the organisation behind her: TESS – The Elite Scandinavian Syndicate. They are the powerhouse of the Nordic region, and no one can match them.
So, when Hildur ends up on the run across this rugged landscape she once called home, will her training be enough to keep her alive in her fight for survival?
Will the land she once called home hurt or heal her?
Iceland will provide you with 24 hours of daylight throughout this fast-paced thriller. Hildur has choices to make and will have to run across the country to escape the consequences.
Will you run with her?
It’s summer in Iceland.
The land of Fire and Ice is beautiful and serene.
Peaceful… But not for Hildur.
In the undying light of an Icelandic summer, Hildur is on her first assassination mission, with the power and weight of the organisation behind her: TESS – The Elite Scandinavian Syndicate. They are the powerhouse of the Nordic region, and no one can match them.
So, when Hildur ends up on the run across this rugged landscape she once called home, will her training be enough to keep her alive in her fight for survival?
Will the land she once called home hurt or heal her?
Iceland will provide you with 24 hours of daylight throughout this fast-paced thriller. Hildur has choices to make and will have to run across the country to escape the consequences.
Will you run with her?
The Watcher’s eyes panned across the panes of glass, following the figure, measuring the movements. From one to the next, gliding in a smooth motion, tracking every step, the rhythm steady enough to draw the envy of a metronome.Â
The time was nearing, and the Watcher could feel it. The senses were heightened, the focus narrowed, and the breeze tingling the skin, making the hairs stand on end.Â
The breathing – steady.Â
Calm.Â
The light was low, but it was as low as it was going to get. The crimson backdrop raged a deep burn, painting some things a flattering colour, while distorting others. An uneven spread of luminosity, unfairly distributed to all things below, as with all things. Such was life.
Still surveying, eyes scanning from one window to the next, they stopped upon a pane – a pane which was different. Framing a cherry blossom tree at its centre, leaves dancing around and filling the edges, it was picturesque and almost perfect; perfect except for one thing – the figure wasn’t in it. The pane was empty, and when the Watcher’s eyes tracked back to the previous section, that too, was now void of any silhouette.
The eyes widened as quickly as the heart quickened and began to jump from one section to the next, no longer in the smooth, controlled, rhythmic flow that was in place moments ago. The eyes now darted around in untrained fashion, the heart-rate in a mess, thoughts of worst-case scenarios flashed into the Watcher’s mind.Â
Calm gave way to panic.
A long time had passed since last experiencing this sensation – as far back as the early days of training. A period of trial and error, learning from mistakes, and stamping out those little lapses of concentration. A time when refining instant assessments and making decisions as near-perfect as possible were a must. But... there were always external, uncontrollable variables that could creep in at any point. But not at this point, not now. It had barely begun, yet the figure had suddenly back-tracked. Could it be random? Maybe. Could they know something? No, impossible. The Watcher banished the paranoia instantly, before it reinforced the panic. Procedure had to be remembered; remember RAM: regain control, assess, move forward.Â
Outside, and into the forest.
Stepping between the trees, weaving and swaying in and out, as the gaps between them narrowed. The sun flashed and flickered through when it could, a strobe of light filtering its way through the cracks. The smell of pine wafted up from below, accentuated by the moisture rising from the damp ground. On any other day it would have been a combination worth sitting and enjoying.Â
But not today.
As the trees parted, the figure flashed back into view, standing still, looking out through a small clearing, just enjoying the view before moving on again, strolling along the path. It had been random after all – a last minute change of mind to walk through the woods. The Watcher slowed back to a walking pace, matching that of the figure in front. Cat and mouse resumed, with the figure none the wiser.Â
It rarely ever was.
They continued on through the woodland at a leisurely tempo. Just two walkers, getting some exercise and fresh air. That’s how it would appear to most. However, one of the walkers knew something different from the other – they knew where this walk was going, and more importantly, how it would end.
With the figure back in sight, and false alarm over, it was back to business. Composure regained; it was time.Â
This had to happen, and happen now.
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She couldn’t let her target escape.
The Watcher. Ready. Waiting for her target. Hildur is tracking her current target in the picturesque Iceland. Hired to kill. She is on the lookout for anyone that might increase the body count. Trained in body and mind, she is after a hacker part of a larger network. Unassuming and attuned to blending in, most do not suspect who she is until it is too late.
An operative part of a clandestine organization called TESS, Hildur’s loyalty is tested when she decides to lie to protect someone.
A mission goes wrong putting Hildur and another operative Hans in a dangerous situation. Fighting for survival and not able to trust their own organization to get them out. Hildur is on the run, with no one to protect her, she is alone, having to use her skills to battle against those out to destroy her.
Hildur. A fascinating and complex character that blurs the lines of good and bad. Although she may seem slightly psychotic at times, there is an enticing aspect to her. For some reason, you are rooting for her, and you don’t know why… Throughout the story there are flashbacks to her training that provides insight to what Hildur is about to do.
Hans and Hildur would be considered the protagonists with a dark side to them. They are not what you would traditionally consider the ‘good guy’. Instead, they are trained killers that have empathy, fighting an organisation that will take out anyone that threatens to get in their way, directly or indirectly. Their targets are not necessarily criminals. TESS borders the grey, the person in charge crosses the lines, and does not care who the collateral damage is going to be.
It is not a complicated plot line, not a mystery to be solved, or a psychological profile dug into. Instead, it is a cut and dry action thriller with Hildur and Hans taking out those that are coming after them.
It is not the who, it is about the why. What triggered her organisation to suddenly come after her?
Those looking for a solid action adventure with realistic fight scenes and a strong female character, give this one a try. I have a feeling, there may be more coming…
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