There were murmurs of agreement, Peggy and Curtis included.
"I'm an elected official!"
"Well, the new elections were just held and you lost," Juan answered.
"Take the handcuffs off," Travis ordered.
Handcuffs?
Katie realized the cold brace around her wrists was metal. She tried to open her eyes and failed. Something cold and wet was resting on her forehead and eye. An ice pack.
"Curtis, I am your boss!"
"Not anymore," Curtis answered.
"Give me the keys," Travis said.
Again, she tried to open her eyes.
"Hey, you awake?" Travis' voice, warm and strong. So much like her father.
Her eyes fluttered and light broke the darkness.
She felt him fumbling with the handcuffs.
"Kinky," she moaned.
Travis laughed and his features swam before her eyes and slowly solidified.
More figures pushed into her vision and she saw Jenni's large eyes.
"Not dead…" she managed.
"And not arrested," Juan assured her.
"You can't let her go," the Mayor protested.
"Watch us," Travis answered, and leaned down and gathered her up in his arms.
The ice pack tumbled off her head and onto the cot.
Wrapping her arms loosely around his neck, she whispered,
"…need…to…stop…playing…romantic hero…"
"Yeah, I keep telling you that, but you just don't listen," Travis chided her playfully.
"She's bullheaded that way," Jenni agreed, following him as he carried Katie out of the room.
Katie slumped against Travis. "Head hurts," she said.
Then she slipped away again.
2. Movement
Jenni pushed her way into the city council meeting room and elbowed her way past the many people gathered there: townspeople, construction workers, city workers, other stragglers who had found their way here.
Everyone was pressed into the room.