Vicki, Neil, Tammy, Marshall and Pat sat around the big table in the meeting room.
"The food situation is getting pretty desperate," Pat said. "People have mostly used up their own emergency supplies, the ones who still had supplies after the explosion. We're having to stagger meals here at the hotel, and we were wearing out the kitchen people, so when people come in to eat, they have to work in the kitchen for two hours first. Then they can eat."
Vicki nodded. "As I mentioned, I have a few different things which I started this morning, to try to find solutions. They're all more or less long shots, though. Do you think we need to call a meeting?"
Neil shrugged. "Not my area of expertise."
Marshall nodded. "I think maybe call it for tonight, and just hope we have some news by then. And make it clear that it's optional, not mandatory, but I'll bet a lot of people come."
"And people need to see you," Pat said to Vicki. "You need to tell them that this will work out."
"To be frank," Neil said, "it is a problem if we're holed up in here all the time and all they see is Ray, because Ray's not going to fill anybody with confidence about anything, and they all know that when the going gets tough, he crawls into the nearest bottle."
Vicki made a face, but she was interrupted by a knock at the door. Pat went to answer it.
She looked out, then she said, "It's Pete, and he says it's urgent."
Vicki nodded. "Let him in," she said. Pat opened the door further and Pete came in, followed by Katherine and Perry. There were quite a few empty seats at the big conference table, and Pete hesitated.
Vicki gestured around. "Sit anywhere, please, and give us the very short version first. I don't think I could stand a big build-up."
Pete quickly ticked off the points on his fingers as he sat down. "One, there is food. Two, there is a way out. Three, I, or I should say we, would like you to preside at a wedding, very soon."
Vicki almost laughed, her face lighting up. She turned to Pat. "Nobody gets in," she said.
Marshall looked up. "Jan's on her way,"
Vicki smiled. "Jan gets in, of course. Nobody else."
Pat went outside and closed the door as Vicki turned back to Pete. "Whose wedding might this be?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.
"Mine, with Katherine, the wonderful woman who made the other two things I mentioned possible."
Vicki nodded. "I am at your disposal, of course. Now, please tell us the whole story."
Pete told most of it, with help from Perry and Katherine. As he reached the part where the two men had left the room to confer, the door opened and Jan Sleet came in quietly, going to sit next to Marshall.
Then, as Pete described how people could walk out of U-town through the subway tunnels, the door opened again and SarahBeth burst in, with Daphne barking behind her. As soon as Perry saw her expression, he muttered, "Oh, God, what have I done now?"
Ignoring the others, SarahBeth stormed around the table to Perry's chair. "I need something you have," she said, glaring, "and I don't mean that in a nice way."
"I don't know what you . . . Oh!" he said.
"Yes, 'Oh!'," she said, taking his hand and pulling him toward the door, nearly taking the chair with him. "Come on."
They left, and Pat stuck her head in. "I'm sorry," she said. "I tried–"
Vicki held up a hand. "It's okay, baby. I don't expect miracles."
Pat closed the door again and Daphne barked. Pete snapped his fingers and she trotted over to him, her leash trailing on the floor behind her. He rubbed her head. "We have a lot of news," he told her quietly, "but we'll tell you later." She lay down at his feet as he looked up and finished the story.
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