“People's actions-and votes- have consequences. We all need to be aware of this.” Travis stood and looked around the room. “As far as we know, we are the biggest and best off of the survivors in this area.
Hell, maybe the whole state.”
“Or country,” Jenni sighed.
“Maybe the world,” Nerit added.
“So we need to have our shit together. People have got to realize that every damn choice we make has consequences that not only affects our lives, but the lives of everyone around us.” Travis sighed deeply. “We need to let everyone know what happened. We need them to understand the situation with the Vigilante. And they need to understand that just because we are now in this amazing hotel, we are not necessarily safe. Call a fort meeting and lay it out, Manny.”
“The political fallout from this-” Manny started to say.
“Fuck politics, Manny.” Travis hated how harsh his voice sounded, but he knew he was right.
Manny put his head down, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.
“It's what I know.” Manny looked up at them, his eyes stricken. “I don't know how to do anything but be who I was before all this happened.”
“This world is messed up,” Jenni grumbled.
“Voting those assholes out was the right thing to do,” Juan declared firmly. “The Vigilante killed them, not the rest of us. Not the ones who voted.”
“We all knew they would probably die out there.” Nerit shrugged.
“We made the choice.”
“God help us do the right thing. From now on this is the kinda shit we gotta take deadly serious.” Bill flipped his notebook shut. “If this is our new brand of justice, then we all better be damn sure we can live with it.”
“Agreed.” Travis folded his arms across his chest.
“We're getting close to mob rule,” Manny said in a soft voice.
“People need leaders. Order. Law.”
“If we-the people in this room-try to dictate to everyone out there how it should be, we're gonna fail. Yeah, we need officials of some sort to handle every day administration, the planning of the fort defenses, things like that, but the big issues need to be in the hands of the people.” Travis faced the silent people in the room. “We have to do this together or we'll fail.”
2. Turned Upside
The first official fort-wide meeting was held in the dining room. It started right after dinner. Only the people on patrol didn't attend.
It stared off calm and ended up strained. Guilt ate at some, while others vehemently defended their choice to evict Shane and Phillip.
There was a mixture of reactions at the news of the Vigilante striking again. Some obviously saw him as a person willing to do what the authorities would not. Others were terrified for their safety.
No one wanted to end up on the wrong side of the wall.
The Mayor lost control of the meeting after half an hour and Peggy and Bill took over. Manny looked sickly. Rosie and Felix helped him out of the room.
Kate and Travis sat in the back of the room, listening to the other survivors. The strain and terror of the last four months was spilling out. It slowly became apparent that people were very aware of the fragility of their new existence and wanted assurance that life would safely continue. Making new societal rules was something most didn't even want to deal with.
When they finally decided to vote in a new mayor and fort council, Travis wasn't surprised. When the town nominated names for the position of mayor, he was shocked.
Katie's fingers slid over his hand. She gave him a reassuring smile.
“Well, shit,” he muttered.
3. The Camera Doesn’t Lie
“…as it dawns on them what they have done, the ramifications of their Romanesque gladiator games continue to reverberate throughout the fort,” Calhoun's voice narrates as the camera focuses in on four people lounging in plastic chairs, having a drink.
“Here we see the beautiful, yet psychotic Amazon named Jenni.
Sources tell me her real name is Genevieve Maria de la Lourdes Blakely. I'm sure that is some sort of top secret Catholic Church code…”
The camera zooms in on Jenni who promptly sticks out her tongue and crosses her eyes.
“…this bizarre secret salute once more appears on her face.
Whenever I approach her, she immediately signals the other Amazons.
But little does she know that with the use of some foil and toothpicks, I have eliminated her secret signal…”
The camera zips around to show Juan looking annoyed as he lounges next to Jenni.
“…as I once more document their top secret meetings…”Juan looks toward the camera and scowls. “This is not a top secret meeting, Calhoun. We're chilling out together as friends.”
“…is Mr. Juan De La Torre. He's Mexican-American and, as usual, he is issuing denials of his secret activities…”
Juan rolls his eyes and waves the camera away.
“Next is Travis Marcus Buchanan. Now, he used to live in England so I strongly suspect he is a spy for the Queen…”
The picture zooms in on the curly-headed man sitting in a chair looking grim. He sighs and pushes the camera out of his face.
“Calhoun, give it a rest.”
“…then his ladylove. The center of this debacle, Kathleen Mathilde Kiel. Her code name is Katie…”
The blond woman looks up into the camera; the light illuminating her golden locks, making her pale face look even whiter. “Calhoun, I know you think you should document all of this, but please aim the camera away from my face.”
“…this one eludes me to her origins…”
Katie sighs and covers her face with her hands.
“…but the truth remains that they sent two men into the wilderness…and one came back…or actually it was his clone…and not a very well done one…It was kinda chewed up and in pieces…”
“Calhoun, put the fucking camera away,” Juan's voice demands.
The camera turns to show the wizened face of a man wearing a cowboy hat. Calhoun is obviously holding the camera on himself. “I alone seek the truth as the others cower before the powers that be. I will unearth their secrets and reveal in my camera's light…oomph…”
The camera suddenly swings crazily and there is obviously a scuffle. When it’s over, the camera is on Calhoun. He looks very uncomfortable.
“…and this is Crazy Calhoun,” Jenni's voice narrates. “Rumor is that he is an overgrown leprechaun on steroids…”
“Am not!”
“…and that he is spying for the Wicked Witch of the West…”
“I am a proud citizen of these United States and I have never consorted with witches!”
There is another scuffle, then the camera reveals Travis looking at the camera, obviously trying to figure it out. Finally, he adjusts it and says into the camera, “We're going to vote in a mayor and city council.
They nominated me.”
Juan's voice says, “And he's gonna freaking win.”
Travis looks annoyed at this. “So, yeah, I'm chilling with my friends and hoping to God I don't get elected.” He hesitates, then adds, “ And I do not spy for the Queen of England.”
The screen goes black.
4. Haunted
It took some finesse escaping Calhoun and his camera. It took a little luck avoiding the little packets of survivors who wanted to talk to Travis about his nomination, but at last, they made it into the elevator.
“You're gonna get elected,” Juan repeated for the umpteenth time.
“You say that one more time and I'm going to deck you.” Travis scowled.
“Play nice, boys.” Katie ran a hand over Travis' curls to soothe him.
“Just tellin' him the truth.” Juan shrugged.
“Which he obviously doesn't want to hear,” Katie answered.
Travis continued to look out of sorts as the elevator dinged its way up.
Juan thought his buddy was being a big baby about the whole thing.
It was amusing as hell though. Besides, giving Travis shit was alleviating the tension he felt from Jenni's silence and distant expression. Juan watched the numbers over the door light up. Just a few more floors and he could find out what was wrong with Jenni.
She had been putting him off all night. He was tired of it.
The elevator arrived at the next floor and chimed. Travis slid his arm around Katie's waist as the doors opened. Juan took hold of his shoulder.
“You'll win because you're the best man for the job, Travis.”
Travis sighed and opted not to punch Juan's lights out. “We'll see.”
With that, the couple walked away and the elevator doors shut.
Juan looked toward Jenni and smiled. She either didn't see him, or she ignored him. She continued to stare into nothingness, her arms folded over her breasts. He loved her, but at times he felt powerless and incompetent. He could feel her emotions churning just beneath the surface of her eerily-detached expression.