3. Descending into Chaos
The foyer seemed to swirl around her, then Katie found her bearings and backed away from the bathroom. She could hear the men inside fighting with each other and tears streamed down her face.
Nearly falling, a she walked to the doorway to the ballroom. She pulled the top of her dress up around her breasts.
Already the self-incrimination was starting. …how could she drink so much… …why had she worn such a sexy dress… …why hadn't she just gone back into the ballroom, not the bathroom when she had seen Shane…
Stumbling to the doorway, she called out in a hoarse voice, “Can someone help Travis?”
Nerit saw her first and immediately walked toward her. She caught Jenni's arm as she passed her on the dance floor and Jenni looked startled until she saw Katie. She immediately ran to her.
Katie flung her arms around Jenni and held onto her tightly.
“Someone needs to help Travis.”
“What happened? Where is he?”
Juan ran up just as Katie pointed toward the bathroom.
“Shane…Shane…he…he…”
“Shit!” Juan cursed and ran for the bathroom.
He was almost to the door when it was flung open. Travis came stumbling out backwards with Shane right on him. Juan was in the fray immediately, shoving Shane off his feet and into a planter. He was sucker punched by Philip as the older man barreled through the door.
“Break it up!” Bill shouted as he ran out of the ballroom. Curtis was right behind him and they ran toward the brawlers.
Shane recovered enough to kick out at Travis and trip him. Travis stumbled, but regained his feet. He whirled around and slammed his fist into Shane's jaw. The men began to exchange a flurry of blows as Juan struggled with Philip.
“Break it up!” Bill managed to hook his arm around Shane's neck and haul him backward away from Travis.
Travis lunged forward for one last punch, but Curtis caught him.
“That's enough, Travis.”
“Did you see what he did to Katie?”
Katie clung to Jenni, sobbing. The sight of her made Travis even more upset and Curtis had to put extra pressure on his arm to keep him under control.
Juan and Philip were still grappling with each other. Finally, Juan managed to get him down to the ground. Roger and a few other men hurried to help subdue Phillip.
“He fuckin' attacked me out of nowhere! I demand you arrest him!”
Shane was still struggling to get free, his angry gaze on Travis.
“You were hurting Katie!”
“The bitch wanted to try out a man. Yer just jealous she didn't pick you!”
Nerit very calmly said, “If you hadn't been late to the party tonight, Shane, you would realize how foolish your words sound to everyone.
Katie and Travis made it very clear tonight that they are a couple.”
Shane turned his bloodied face toward her and said, “Back off, Jewbitch. I don't give a fuck what you say.”
“It's true, Shane,” Bill said pulling him away from Travis. “You better come up with a better story.”
“The lesbo wanted to try out a man,” Shane hissed through his bloodied teeth.
“You sonnofabitch,” Katie said in an angry voice. “You tried to rape me!”
“You can't rape the willing,” Shane spat back.
“That's it,” Jenni said.
She launched herself at Shane and managed to get in a few good slugs before she was yanked off of him by Roger and carried away to a safe distance.
Nerit slid her sweater around Katie's shoulders and drew it close over her breasts. Katie was trembling, but was looking more in control of herself.
“Let me go,” Travis ordered Curtis. “I want to go to Katie.”
Curtis hesitated, then let go of Travis.
Travis was walking to Katie when Shane managed to slip free of Bill and landed a solid punch to Travis' jaw. They went down in a jumble, fists, flying once more.
Nerit let go of Katie and picked up a candleholder from a nearby corner table. Bill and Curtis once more tried to draw the two fighters apart. It was hard going with both men determined to kill each other.
Nerit finally managed to squeeze in between the two cops and clocked Shane across the back of the head. He collapsed over Travis. Bill and Curtis immediately dragged him off.
Travis struggled to his feet and reached for Katie. She took his hand and pulled him up and into her arms. Clinging to him, she stared angrily at Shane.
Bill and Curtis finally got Shane and Philip handcuffed and managed to get the crowd in the foyer to step back.
“We didn't do nothing wrong!” Philip was shouting. Next to him, Shane was slumped over unconscious.
“I want to know what is going on right now,” Bill said in a loud voice that sent most of the people in the room into silence.
“That bitch lead Shane on then Travis busted in on them-” Philip began in an almost shrill voice.
“From Katie, I want to know from Katie,” Bill said.
Travis gently rubbed her back as she took a deep breath. “I went into the bathroom to splash water on my face and Shane followed me in. Then he…he…attacked me…and…I fought him…until Travis came…”
“I’m going to kick his ass!” Jenni started across the foyer again and Juan grabbed her right before she reached Shane. She was cussing away in Spanish with impressive dramatic flair.
“Jenni, back off,” Curtis ordered.
Travis looked ready to beat the hell out of Shane again, but Katie clinging to him forced him to calm down. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and held her close, laying his cheek on the top of her head.
“That bitch asked Shane into the bathroom with her and said she wanted to try out a man,” Philip protested. “They asked me to stay outside and not let anyone interrupt. Shane was more than willing to the turn the lesbo straight.”
“Oh, please,” Peggy said, rolling her eyes. “She’s with Travis.
She’s obviously not gay.”
“And if she was, it wouldn’t make no difference if Shane was trying to rape her,” Bill said firmly.
Shane managed to open one swollen eye and slurred, “She fuckin’ begged me.”
Jenni shouted something about Shane being a puto and tried kicking him. Juan dragged her a little further away from Shane.
“Let’s get them down into the holding cell,” Bill said to Curtis.
“We’re not going to get anything settled like this.”
Curtis nodded and motioned for Roger and a few other men to help him. Philip and Shane were then half-dragged, half-carried into the elevator and disappeared from view.
“What are you going to do with them?” Jenni asked angrily.
“Nothing yet. Need to get the story down and process it. Then we’ll decide,” Bill answered.
“Throw them over the wall,” someone shouted from the back of the crowd.
There were murmurs of agreement.
“I think the clones would enjoy playing with them,” Calhoun said from somewhere in the crowd. “Obviously, those two men have no protection against the alien overlords and are controlled by evil forces.”
Bill walked up to Katie and Travis and said softly, “Katie, want to sit down with me and give a short statement.”
She nodded and pulled Nerit’s sweater tighter around her shoulders.
“Yeah. I would.” She seemed to be gathering her strength and her jaw was set determinedly.
Bill motioned to those standing around. “Go back into the party now. Clear this area out. There’s been enough drama.”
People began to slowly walk away, talking to each other in hushed voices. Juan had pulled Jenni aside and was talking to her softly in Spanish, obviously trying to calm her down. Nerit stood stoically next to Travis and Katie.
At last, Bill guided Katie into the elevator, Travis right beside her.
Nerit, Juan, and Jenni followed along with Peggy. They all rode down in silence to the lobby, where Bill sat Katie down in one of the comfortable chairs and very gently questioned her on all that had happened.
When the statement was finished, Bill pulled Travis aside and whispered, “I’m going to get the Mayor down here and we’ll need to have a meeting about this.”
Travis nodded, his jaw set grimly.
“I need you to be calm though,” Bill added.
Travis sighed then said, “I know. But she’s…she’s…my everything…”
“I know. But still, we need to decide what is best for all of us.”
Travis rubbed his brow then nodded again. “Okay. I’ll be back down in an hour. I want to get her settled.”
“Okay, then we’ll meet at midnight in the hotel manager’s office.”
“I’ll be there, Bill.” Travis moved toward Katie. It hurt him to see her looking so traumatized. He could see how hard she was trying to not give into her emotions. He felt proud of her for that.
How this was all going to end was beyond him, but it felt as if they were quickly descending into chaos.
4. The Casting of Lots
