Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies #2)(58)

“Pot, huh?” Travis considered this. “Well, they are kids…”

“We are rebuilding this society. We do not need drugs to worm their way back into it and destroy our youth!”

“Well, Curtis, look around. Half the adults in here are pretty damn drunk. Hell, I’m on my way, too. A little pot isn’t going to hurt them.”

“Pot is a gateway drug!”

“To what? The drug war is over, Curtis. The kids found some pot. Big deal. Once they smoke it, it's gone. It’s over. I smoked it myself back in the day. And I’m a fine outstanding citizen,” Travis said in a voice he hoped wasn’t too condescending. He was really annoyed with Curtis ruining the kids’ party. Yeah, he wasn’t fond of the idea of the kids smoking, but it wasn’t going to kill them.

“I thought you would be a little more understanding,” Curtis said in a tone that was half-hurt, half-angry. “I really did.”

“Well, I am understanding, but I don’t think it's such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.” Travis sighed. “Sorry, Curtis, but I don’t. I’m going to go check on Katie. She’s a little blitzed.”

Curtis sighed, then nodded. “Okay…okay. I guess I’ll drop it.”

Travis squeezed Curtis shoulder and walked out into the foyer. He noticed Philip standing near the women’s bathroom the second he was in the hall and he paused in his steps. Rubbing his chin, he moved toward Philip slowly.

“Have you seen Katie?” he asked.

Philip turned, startled. “Oh, um, yeah. She went into the ladies room with someone.”

“What?”

Philip looked a little flustered. “Yeah, she, uh, she, uh…you know. She’s trying out the other side of the fence.”

“What the f*ck are you talking about?”

Philip stepped away from the door, looking vastly uncomfortable. “She came on to Shane, all slutty-like, saying she wanted to know what it felt like to have a man.”

Travis didn’t even respond. He burst through the bathroom door and took in the scene.

Katie was fighting Shane as he tried to push himself into her. Katie had one hand planted hard into his throat, but the other was twisted behind her back. Shane was exposed and the sight enraged Travis.

“Get off my girlfriend,” Travis shouted. He grabbed Shane by the shoulders and sent him flying across the room.

“Travis,” Katie sobbed.

“Baby, I’m here,” Travis said, wiping away her tears. His heart was thudding so hard in his chest it hurt. The anger he felt was so intense it was pulsing in his temples. He was torn between comforting her and beating the shit out of Shane.

Shane resolved that dilemma by punching him in the kidneys and knocking him forward into Katie.

“Leave us alone!” Katie slammed her fists against Shane.

Travis twisted around and nailed Shane with a hard left to the jaw. He tackled him to the ground and began to slam his fist into his opponent's face over and over again.

Philip appeared, grabbed Travis and swung him around into the wall.

“Run, Katie,” Travis grunted, turned, and swung at Philip.

To his relief, she managed to evade Shane and run out the door. It slammed shut with a resounding boom and left him trapped with Shane and Philip bearing down on him.





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.”