Three hours earlier
Katie looked around the over-crowed, noisy bar and sighed. It wasn't the kind of place where she'd usually spend a Friday night, but a group of her temporary co-workers had talked her into joining them for an after-work beer.
She'd been surprised how well she got along with this group of people. Who'd have thought that she'd spend more time socialising with a bunch of Marines, than she did with the geeks at her real job? she thought.
Carefully avoiding making eye contact with the murdered deer that was glaring accusingly at her from the opposite wall, she took a sip of her drink and joined in on the lively conversation.
A few minutes later she felt a tug on her arm and looked over her shoulder to find Bryson Thomas gesturing animatedly.
'C'mon, McGee. I need a female partner.'
'What?' she demanded distrustfully, eyeing the small dance floor. The Marine captain had been flirting with her for weeks.
She was only slightly reassured to learn that Thomas had challenged a rival from another office to a pool game, and that the challenge had been accepted on the condition that they each play with a 'girl' as a partner.
'What? No! Ask Alison,' she suggested, willingly throwing the cheerful lieutenant with whom she often ate lunch to the wolves. 'I've never even played...'
Thomas shook his head.
'She's too drunk. You'll be fine...' he assured her, pulling her to her feet. 'You're a scientist. And that...' he declared, pointing at the pool table, 'is physics.'