Alyssa rolled the detailing cart into Bay Four.
She filled a bucket.
Selected the long yellow brush.
Started working.
Madison was at the next station holding the pressure hose.
Lauren stood near a red bucket talking to her.
Alyssa did not hear the conversation.
A customer’s phone later captured part of it.
Madison looked toward Alyssa.
Lauren said something.
Madison smiled.
Then she aimed the hose.
The first blast hit Alyssa directly in the upper chest and face.
Water and foam exploded around her.
Alyssa threw her forearm across her eyes.
The long brush nearly slipped from her other hand.
Several people gasped.
Madison released the trigger.
She laughed.
Lauren smiled nervously.
Alyssa wiped her face.
She looked at Madison.
“Seriously?”
Madison shrugged.
“Pressure slipped.”
Alyssa stared at the hose.
“Your hand slipped?”
“Relax.”
Alyssa placed the brush against the cart.
Her jacket was soaked.
Water dripped from her chin.
She walked toward Madison.
“Put the hose down.”
Madison lowered it but did not drop it.
“You going to write me up?”
“Put it down.”
“Maybe I should call Ray first.”
Alyssa stopped.
“What is wrong with you?”
Madison smiled.
“There she is.”
“What?”
“The real Alyssa.”
Alyssa stared.
“I’m standing here soaked because you sprayed me in the face.”
“You act like you’ve never accidentally sprayed somebody.”
“That wasn’t an accident.”
“You always know everything.”
Alyssa exhaled.
She looked toward Raymond.
He was walking from another bay after hearing the noise.
“Fine.”
Alyssa started to step away.
Madison laughed.
“Run to Ray.”
Alyssa stopped.
For months, she had heard variations of that sentence.
She turned back.
“You know what? I don’t need to run anywhere.”
Madison’s smile narrowed.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve been hiding behind that little supervisor badge for six months.”
Alyssa looked at the company logo on her jacket.
“I don’t even have a badge.”
Frank Miller laughed.
He tried to hide it.
Too late.
Madison heard.
Her face changed.
Lauren moved forward.
“Alyssa, just go.”
Alyssa looked at her.
“I am going.”
She turned.
Lauren suddenly came after her.
Maybe she thought Alyssa was moving toward Madison.
Maybe she thought the situation had already crossed a line.
Maybe months of loyalty kicked in before judgment.
Whatever the reason, Lauren rushed from behind Madison and reached toward Alyssa’s shoulder.
Alyssa turned just in time.
Lauren swung.
The strike came toward the side of Alyssa’s head.
Alyssa leaned away.
The punch missed.
“What are you doing?”
Lauren came again.
Alyssa raised both hands.
“Lauren, stop!”
Lauren grabbed at her jacket.
Alyssa broke the grip.
The wet floor made every movement dangerous.
People began backing away.
Phones rose.
Raymond shouted from behind them.
“HEY!”
Lauren either did not hear or did not stop.
She rushed again.
Alyssa moved sideways.
Lauren’s momentum carried her past.
Alyssa caught her arm and shoulder, turned, and pushed her away.
Lauren lost balance.
Her sneakers slid across the wet concrete.
She went down onto her hands and knees.
A gasp moved through the bay.
Alyssa stepped back immediately.
She did not follow.
Madison stared at Lauren.
Then at Alyssa.
“What the hell?”
Alyssa breathed hard.
“She came at me.”
“You threw her down!”
“She hit first.”
Madison stepped forward.
Alyssa raised one hand.
“Don’t.”
Madison came closer.
“Don’t what?”
“Do not touch me.”
Madison swung.
Alyssa blocked.
The movement happened quickly enough that several witnesses later said they did not realize Madison had attacked until watching video.
Madison swung again.
Alyssa ducked.
“STOP.”
Madison grabbed Alyssa’s sleeve.
Alyssa pulled free.
Lauren remained on the ground behind them.
Raymond was still moving closer but two cars and the rolling cart blocked the direct path.
Madison lunged.
Alyssa caught her wrist.
Released it.
Backed away.
Madison came again.
Alyssa shifted sideways and redirected her shoulder.
Madison spun.
Almost fell.
Recovered.
She screamed something nobody could clearly make out on the recordings.
Then rushed again.
This time Alyssa stopped retreating.
She caught Madison high around one arm and shoulder.
Turned with the movement.
Madison’s foot slipped through the rinse water.
She hit the concrete on her side and rolled onto her back.
Everything stopped.
Alyssa stood above her.
Breathing hard.
Her soaked jacket clung to her shoulders.
For several seconds she simply looked down.
Madison looked shocked.
Lauren was sitting farther back near the wall.
Alyssa did not hit either one.
She did not kick.
Did not celebrate.
Did not say anything clever for the cameras.
She turned away.
Walked back to the detailing cart.
Picked up the long yellow wash brush.
Rested it across one shoulder.
Then walked out of the bay.
That was the image people remembered.
Not because it looked violent.
Because it looked final.
Raymond shut down Bay Four immediately.
Madison and Lauren were separated.
Alyssa sat inside the office with a towel over her shoulders while Keisha drove across town to pick her up.
Raymond stood near the door.
“I am sorry.”
Alyssa looked up.
“For what?”
“I should’ve separated these shifts months ago.”
“You were short staffed.”
“That’s an explanation.”
He shook his head.
“Not an excuse.”
Alyssa appreciated that.
Madison’s mother arrived first.
She walked into the office furious because Madison had told her Alyssa had “slammed her onto concrete.”
Raymond did not argue.
He simply opened the security footage.
The camera showed Madison aim the hose.
Spray Alyssa.
Laugh.