Kat glared at Astrid. “Alright, who are they, and what were you planning?”
The mermaid tried to sneer. “Like I’d ever tell you.” However, when Danielle charged over and pulled back her foot for a kick, Astrid yelped and confessed quickly. “T-They’re business associates of mine! Real bad sorts. I…kinda owe them some money - okay, a LOT of money - and they’ve been hassling me for a while, even threatening my life! I thought I could finally get them off my back if I offered them…”
“Us,” Danielle growled. “Well, maybe we ought to give them you!”
“Please, no!” Astrid begged. “You don’t know what they’ll do to me! I was wrong! I admit it! You can punish me however you like, but don’t let them take me! Please!”
The girls looked at the groveling mermaid with disgust, but Kat paused. “You know, I think I have an idea.”
--------------------------
Hours later, Kat and Susan strolled back to the pool area where Astrid still waited under the watchful eyes of Rachel and Danielle.
“I think that went rather well,” Kat announced cheerfully.
“Yeah, they were unexpectedly polite,” Susan noted.
“Sure, once they found out who your father is,” Kat giggled.
“About that…” Susan knelt down and fixed Astrid with a steely gaze. “How long have you been using our relationship to hold off your ‘associates?’ Is that all I was? Just a human shield to hide behind?”
The former jock stared at the ground, though whether out of anger or shame, they couldn’t tell.
“Well, no matter. I cleared up that little misunderstanding by telling them you were no longer my boyfriend.” Propping her elbow on the floor to bring her eyes level with the mermaid’s, she smiled. “I also told them you had skipped town with that mermaid you discovered. You apparently found a better offer elsewhere.”
Astrid paled. “Y-You what!?”
Kat laughed. “You should’ve seen their faces. Especially when we showed them the photograph of ‘Todd’ posing with a mermaid-”
“Flipping the bird,” Susan added.
“-along with a handwritten note explaining your decision.”
“What photograph!?” Astrid demanded.
“The one I created with this.” Kat dangled the wand. “Plus Susan’s camera.”
“In any case,” Susan continued. “They told me to let you know that if you ever show your face in town again, they have a little surprise in store for you. They even shared some details.”
Of course, Astrid couldn’t stop herself from asking, “W-What kind of details?”
Susan shrugged. “Oh, there were so many, it’s hard to remember all of them.”
“There was something about cement,” Kat put in.
“Yes, and teeth, I think. Definitely something about teeth.”
“Or was that fingers?”
“Hm, it might’ve been fingers. And various other extremities. Oh, and the river! Mustn’t forget the river.”
“It always has to end in a river.”
Astrid groaned, putting her face in her hands. “I’m so dead.”
“Oh, cheer up,” said Susan. “They’ll only kill you if they find you. And as long as you’re like this, they won’t.”
“But I don’t wanna be like this!”
“I don’t think you have a choice,” Susan grinned. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m giving you an opportunity to live a very comfy life. You see, I wouldn’t mind having my own pet mermaid. You’d have your own tank and everything. We can talk all night and paint each other's nails, and I can do your hair. It'll be great!”
Astrid narrowed her eyes. “What if I refuse?”
Kat put her hands on her hips. “I can always turn you back and dump you at the curb. What are your chances of reaching city limits without being discovered?” The look on the mermaid’s face said it all. “Thought so.”