Contrapasso

Part 5

Chapter 5: the third night

That night, or rather that morning, had Astrid hurrying to her room. She left her weapons on the coffee table and just faceplanted onto her bed. She was exhausted and needed so rest if she was to figure out Hiccup's cryptic words.

"What don't I see?! What don't I see?!" Astrid yelled into her pillow and punched it as well. She lay there still in her red gown and lazily toed off her heels. The shoes fell to the floor with light thuds and Astrid's eyes closed. When she opened them next it was a couple of hours later and there was frantic knocking at her door.

Astrid leapt out of bed, grabbed one of her knives and went to the door. "Yes?" She opened it a sliver and blinked when she saw Mala on the other side.

Mala blinked as well as she noticed Astrid's somewhat rumpled bed hair and the red dress she still had on. "Am I interrupting something?" Mala asked as she took in Astrid's look. Astrid in her red dress and rumpled hair might have suggested she had been entertaining someone.

"No no, I just fell asleep. Uhm....." Astrid said as she looked down and noticed what she was still wearing. She blushed as she also got the implication of it. "Something happened?"

"Yes, your employers have gone crazy!" Mala exclaimed. "You have to see this for yourself!" With that she took Astrid's hand and dragged her off towards the lift. Astrid didn't even have time to put any shoes on and also then realized that the clock in the hall indicated that she had slept through the morning and half of the afternoon.

Astrid blinked when the elevator came to a stop on the 3rd floor. She wasn't surprised when it stopped on the floor of the lounge and restaurant. She was surprised that when the elevator doors opened she saw Abigail punch Quintin in the face.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Astrid exclaimed as she saw Quintin hold his bloody nose while Heather and Dagur held Abigail back.

"We don't know!" Heather said as the struggling woman nearly stepped on her feet. "We thought you would. Also...... what are you wearing?"

"They started acting like this when Fishlegs came with a phone call for them." Dagur added.

"I thought the lines were dead?" Astrid frowned "and never mind what I'm wearing."

"They must have fixed it," Mala guessed. "Either way a supply boat is coming in a few hours so we can get off this island."

"Forget a few hours!" Quintin hissed. "I want off this island NOW!"

"Quintin shut the hell up! This is all your fault!" Abigail shouted as she tried to break loose.

"Both of you shut up!" Astrid shouted now and got in between her employers. "Unless one or both of you explain what is going on then I will be forced to put you both on a time out!"

"You can't do that!" Abigail shouted.

"Yeah! We pay your salary!" Quintin added.

"I don't care if you pay my salary or if you are a Dodo!" Astrid gesture wildly with her hands. "You guys have always been prim and proper in public settings! What changed?! Someone better start explaining or I will bring out Roburta!"

"Who the hell is Roburta?!" Dagur asked with a frown.

"Her nunchucks," Quintin said as he let out a shudder.

"We'll need to talk somewhere more private," Abigail muttered. "Our Suite Quintin. NOW!" She then said and dragged Astrid along. Quintin followed behind while trying to stem the blood from his nose while Astrid was dragged back to the 7th floor.