Witch Hunter Robin Fan Fiction ❯ The Crimson Hotel ❯ The Barracks ( Chapter 5 )

Robin's vision blurred in and out of focus as she opened her eyes and began to survey her surroundings. The room was dimly lit and cool, with drab concrete walls and floors. Above her head swung a dirty, decrepit fluorescent light, which mercifully, had been turned off. She lifted her aching head off the flat, stained pillow she had been lying on and gazed around the room, trying to figure out where she was. She was no longer in the hotel, that was for sure. These accommodations were a lot less luxurious.

"Good, you're awake." A cheerful voice said.

She turned her head and saw Dojima smiling at her from atop one of the six cots that unceremoniously lined the room.

"Dojima. Where am I?" Robin asked, sitting up.

"Back at the temporary headquarters. The chief was `considerate' enough to set up some cots for us to sleep on. He wouldn't let us go home." She wrinkled her nose, "I think this violates some sort of labor law. I told him that but he just turned a weird shade of scarlet and ignored me "

"What happened? I was in the hotel with Amon…"

"Yeah, I fell asleep at my desk a few minutes after you and Amon left. Michael woke me up a couple of minutes later saying that Amon had just radioed that there was something wrong with you. Apparently, you passed out in the hallway outside of room 706. Luckily, Amon caught you before you hit the ground and carried you back here. He said there'd been some sort of overpowering odor in the place and you must had reacted badly to it." Dojima hopped off of her cot and sat next to Robin.

"After he got you back here we called a doctor. After the doctor assured us that you'd be just fine, Amon forced me to go back into the hotel with him. We searched the entire fifteenth floor but found nothing. Not a single trace of Miho or Sakaki…or anything! It was just like any old hotel. Amon wanted to continue searching the other floors but I kept whining about how tired I was, so he finally agreed that we should get a few hours of sleep before we went continued. He can be a real slave driver sometimes!"

"So where is Amon now, Dojima?"

"Last I knew he was in the other makeshift barracks on the other side of the warehouse," she pouted, "The chief insisted on giving the boys a separate room. I tried peeking in through the door to see how cute they all look when they sleep, but the chief caught me looking and yelled at me. I don't see what the big deal was!"

"Everybody needs a hobby. Chief Kosaka's just happens to be yelling at you," Robin joked.

"I think Amon is still napping, though I have no idea how with Michael snoring so loudly. He sounds like a damn wood mulcher! I'm sure Amon's probably not sleeping well anyway. He seemed really concerned about finding Miho and Sakaki, plus, I'm sure, he's worried about you. You were out for quite a long time!"

Robin blushed. She tried to imagine Amon carrying her from the elevator back to the warehouse and the thought made her shiver. How had he felt when she'd collapsed in his arms in the middle of a very important investigation? Concerned? Annoyed? Angry? Robin couldn't help but feel bad for delaying the search for her friends, but it wasn't as if she could have helped it. Besides, it had given the others an excuse to get some rest and renew their energy. What exactly was the smell that had affected her so deeply? It was unlike anything she had ever smelled, like a mix between lavender and gasoline.

"Dojima, did you smell that odor when you were there?" Robin asked.

"No, there was nothing like that at all of the fifteenth floor, although Amon mentioned how terrible it had been when you guys were on the seventh floor. I was really scared the whole time. I kept whining and whimpering and screaming. Amon just kept giving me this look, like a, `What the hell did I do to be stuck with you' kind of look. I am glad I never actually saw anything or I swear, I would have died!" The door to the girl's barracks opened slightly and a single eye peeked through. Dojima narrowed her eyes, jumped off of Robin's cot and swung open the door.

"Can I help you, Michael?" Dojima asked with her hands on her hips.

"Hey, Dojima! Do you want to order some lunch?" Michael smiled innocently, "Robin! You're awake! We were all worried about you. The doctor said that you were just overtired and that the smell overcame you, but Dojima kept running around saying you were going to die. I think she thought you were poisoned or something."

"I told you that place really freaked me out! People died there! I didn't really think you were going to die, Robin, I was just concerned!" Dojima defended, then turned on the offensive, "Were you trying to watch us sleep, Michael!?"

"Only for a few minute." Michael smiled.

"Pervert!" She stomped her foot, "How come the chief caught me and not you! I wanted to watch you guys sleeping!"

"Oh, he went home a few minutes ago to sleep, leaving strict orders that we were all NOT allowed to do the same. He expects us all to stay here until the case is solved. I'm just happy to be out of the STNJ building for a few days, although this place is a lot less cozy. So, really, do you guys want to order lunch?"

"Where's Amon?" Robin interjected.

"He's still sleeping, I think," Michael responded, "He kicked me out of the barracks about a half hour ago. He said I was snoring and that it was counterproductive to have a leader who hadn't gotten any sleep, so he made me leave. He also gave me a big list of stuff he wanted to know by the time he was awake. I found most of it already, but I decided to take a break, you know, to check on Robin."

"To check on Robin, right." Dojima stared at him doubtfully.

"Did you find anything helpful?" Inquired Robin, fixing her hair, which had come undone during her ordeal.

"Maybe. A few grisly murders. I really don't see how any of it could lead us any closer to Sakaki and Karasuma, but Amon seems to know where he is going with all this." Michael took a step into the room. He had remained on the other side of the doorway for most of the conversation.

"GET OUT! You are not allowed in the girls' barracks!" Dojima stood in front of him, trying her best to look angry.

"Okay, fine." He stepped outside the perimeter of the room, "But you girls better come out in a minute so we can all order lunch. I'm famished." He disappeared, heading back to the workstation.

Dojima giggled, "He's so cute."

"Do you think we should wake Amon up?"

"Gee, Robin. You really have a one-track mind today! Do you ever think of anything but Amon?" Robin blushed and Dojima slapped her playfully. "I'm just teasing you, Robin! We should probably let him sleep for a little while, that is, if he's even sleeping. He probably would have worked for a week straight if I hadn't so often and annoyingly suggested that we get a few hours sleep."

"Maybe I'll go see if he's already awake." Robin jumped off her cot and began walking towards the door.

"No, Robin! No going into the boys' barracks! It is simply not allowed!" Dojima's eyes gleamed with curiosity as she thought back to the "refresher" that had occurred the night before. "The chief is gone, Ms. Sena, and in his absence I will have to put my foot down!"

"Okay, Dojima," Robin smiled, exiting the room, "You're the boss."

"So where's lunch, Michael?" Dojima questioned, sitting on his desk and touching his leg with her feet playfully.

"It's coming." He gazed at her, confused, "What's up with you?"

"Oh nothing." Dojima grinned devilishly and twirled her hair.

Michael seemed to understand and looked around the room, "Where's Robin?"

Dojima's eyes twinkled, "Watching Amon sleep!"

"And you're allowing that?" He joked, "I though you were the gender segregation police!"

"Oh, don't worry, Michael! I'm keeping a tab on things. She's being a good girl…for now, although I'll let you know right away if that changes."

"Oh, please do."