Of course, the triumph didn't last forever, mainly because once Alex was behind bars, a few legal issues came in the way. After congratulating Edison for a job well done, being congratulated herself by Edison and Murray for her work, raising a toast to Tina with some champagne that a coworker had scrounged up from somewhere, and trying to let Bryce know that just because he balked in the face of danger didn't mean he was any less noble or courageous, Theora barely had enough time to go home and enjoy a nightcap with Kent before she was called back to her duties the next morning. As had been predicted, the London government had caught wind of Alex's capture, and as was also predicted, they were decidedly pissed about it.
"The Minister of the Interior has decided to pay a visit to Network 23," Murray told Theora in a message on the viewphone that morning. "He's waiting here for a chance to talk with everyone who was involved in the story last night. You'd better hurry- I don't think he's in a good mood." Theora nodded, thanked Murray for the call, and disconnected immediately to get dressed, not even blinking anymore at the lack of Kent in her apartment. She understood now that the only reason he left so early was so he could get breakfast and come into work on time in the morning. It was just another facet of their relationship that they would find a way to work around.
When Theora finally made her way down to Network 23, she discovered that Murray had understated the mien of the Minister. Upon walking into the main room, her first signal that something was amiss was the unfamiliar group of three men standing by her workspace, two of them clothed in black and standing side by side with the remaining one in the middle. Theora guessed, as she hurried on over, that the two men in black were security guards and their quarry was the one in an impeccable satin suit, his pale blue eyes boring into Murray and Edison, with whom he was conversing, and his pointed nose raised disdainfully in the air.
"Well now!" he declared in a sharp, distinctly British voice as soon as he caught sight of Theora, who managed to offer him a wan smile before slipping into place next to Murray. "Is this everyone, then? Controller, reporter, producer…"
"We're still waiting on Tina Wilson and Bryce Lynch," Murray said gently, and Theora privately wondered why Bryce hadn't come down from his studio yet. "They were involved in the story too, remember."
"Ah, yes." The Minister of the Interior set his shoulders defiantly and cast a wide gaze across the room, where it was obvious that all reporters and controllers who were working were vainly trying not to eavesdrop. Didn't this beat everything!, they were surely thinking. Rows between reporter and producer were no cause for alarm and could be ignored, but to have an elected official called down from another city to object to a piece of television… well, this was an entirely new event. It made Network 23's employees strain against their will to keep working and look presentable.
The Minister of the Interior, whose name Theora had failed to catch, gave a harsh stare towards those struggling to remain calm and then happened to let his eyes drop onto Theora. He seemed to be mentally sizing her up in a rough manner, expecting her to wither under his impervious gaze. Theora, for her part, slid her eyes onto the calm, controlled Murray, and then briefly eyed Edison for a moment. From the tense set of his jaw and the sparks whirling about in his deep eyes, it was clear that he was formulating numerous defenses, to be regurgitated verbally as soon as the Minister allowed him to do so. Let me handle this, Theora could almost hear him say. She sighed through her nose and looked down at her feet, hoping that she had attracted no attention.
Then, as if in answer to some unspoken prayer, the doors to Network 23 opened and in came Tina and Bryce, walking side by side and holding hands and gazing proudly as if they could face anything together. Theora's heart leapt at first to see Bryce, who had reverted from the biker gear he'd worn the day before back to a long sweater and crumpled jeans, and then her breath caught as she noticed his hand in Tina's more elegant one. They made an odd couple, the youthful Bryce with spaced-out eyes that suggested he had been staring at his computer for too long and the taller, graceful Tina with carefully-applied lipstick and dizzying high heels. When they stopped at the end of the room, it was Tina who spoke, and the words that fell from her ruby mouth were infused with joy. "Good morning, everyone."
"Morning," was all Bryce said, but he sounded more content than he had in days, and though his grip on Tina's hand relaxed, he did not let go of her.
"Hi guys," Edison responded first, seemingly just as bemused as Theora was by the sight, all arguments driven out of his head. "Where did you run off to last night?"
Tina laughed a bit nervously, and Bryce let go of her hand to reply matter-of-factly. "Before everyone left, I went back up to my lab and Tina came to join me. I showed her some of my creations."
"And…" Edison began, but then he fell silent, as if remembering something vitally important. Theora could only guess what he had been about to say. And did you stay there all night?
"I went home later," Tina clarified, looking from face to face and letting the unasked question sink in. "But I came to pick up Bryce this morning."
Slowly, Edison nodded, and Theora found herself doing the same. Murray only continued to stare at the couple, as if he wasn't sure they were real- or perhaps, he was confused to learn that Bryce apparently had feelings for a female.
Before any more explanations could occur, however, the Minister of the Interior cleared his throat. "Ahem," he said, extending a hand towards Tina and then to Bryce. "I presume that everyone has arrived? Here are Tina and Bryce?"
"Yes," Tina said politely as she ended the handshake and the Minister went on to greet Bryce. "Here we are."
"Good, good." The Minister of the Interior released Bryce's hand and stepped back to survey and scrutinize the motley crew before him. The dark eyes of his security guards stared with more open judging. "So we all know why I have paid you a visit- to discuss the, em, matter of Alexander Burgess."
Upon hearing the name, Theora couldn't help but look over to Bryce, who held himself steady, but his face slowly grew paler. Tina gently wrapped an arm around him.
"Burgess is a fine citizen of our fair city," the Minister continued. "He has bounced back from his… ordeal several years ago remarkably well, and has shown much promise as an employee at the Gramodisc Archives. It would be a shame to lose someone as hard working as Brugess due to one simple… indiscretion."
At that, Edison began to speak, not even bothering to hide his outrage at the Minister's dismissal. "Sir, I would say I was sorry to say this, but I'm not at all. To call Alex Burgess's spree here in our city a mere indiscretion is complete, absolute bullshit."
The Minister of the Interior stiffened. "Wh-"
"I don't think you're aware of the full scope of the problem," Edison continued angrily. "Alex did more than assault a network employee. He's also the leader of the teenage gang that terrorized our city until they were caught several weeks ago. If you think that a depraved person such as Alex should be allowed to get off scot-free, well-"
"But what do you expect to do with him?" the Minister cut in coldly. "Put him on one of your silly little game shows? Alex is above the law, Mr. Carter, and you should know that. He is a government employee."
"And yet you can't deny that he's guilty," Murray said softly. "You must have watched the broadcast."
"And you can't deny that he's dangerous," Theora added. "According to my research, Alex has been allowed to continue his acts of violence in secret, under the guise that he has been cured by a controversial practice called… the Ludovico treatment?" She purposefully phrased the fact as a question in order to watch the Minister's blue eyes grow wide, before he got back in control of himself. "But your government administered the treatment itself. You had to have known if it didn't work on Alex."
"The actions of my predecessor, Ms. Jones, do not concern you," the Minister of the Interior said guardedly.
"By allowing Alex to continue a public life, you're risking not only the lives of the people in your city, but the people in ours as well!" Edison burst out, deciding suddenly that he had no time for this. The Minister of the Interior slowly turned his head to meet Edison with a steely gaze.
"But what makes you so sure that I won't give Alex a fair trial?" he said in a genial yet deadly voice. "All I'm asking is to prosecute Alex under the laws of the city of London. That is the reason for my visit. Your team here at Network 23 has meddled in our affairs… muddying up our legal system."
"Your reputation is far too important for you to give Alex a fair trial," Edison hissed.
There was a tense silence, and then Bryce spoke up, causing all eyes to snap onto him.
"A- Al- Alex can't be prosecuted under a London jury," he said, the preliminary name wrenched from his mouth but the rest of the sentence flowing evenly. His eyes were alight, his mind engaged with a solution he had just discovered. "The citizens of London aren't familiar with this case. The crimes that Al- Alex has committed are crimes that concern our city, not yours- a jury composed of people from London has no relevance for the case, and they won't have any bearing on what he's done."
The Minister of the Interior inhaled sharply and quickly fixed Bryce with a sharp look. "You're the boy who was raped, aren't you?"
"Yes, he is, and he doesn't like being reminded of it," Tina said defiantly, slipping her hand away from Bryce's neck to take ahold of his hand. A glare was forming in her eyes.
"Bryce has a good point," Murray said. "Bryce can't be tried by a jury that has nothing to do with the problem. This case is ours."
"Pish-posh," the Minister snorted. "That may be true, but you still can't very well put him on You The Jury. He's a government employee, for Christ's sake! Your program You The Jury is for low-lifes such as the Blanks, not for our respected-"
"Respected my ass," Edison cut in crudely, and Theora had to stop herself from giggling at his word choice. "Alex deserves to be tried as a low-life- he's just as scummy as all the rest of them."
"Besides," Murray began, choosing his words carefully, "he can be forced onto the show by popular opinion."
"Popular opinion?" The Minister was clearly not amused, but sudden inspiration stole over Theora. She broke away from the throng gathered in the back of the room and stepped into the middle of the room, clearing her throat before projecting her voice. "Excuse me! Who here has been following Edison's story regarding Alex Burgess?"
Slowly, the hiding eyes peeped up, and then numerous hands shot into the air. One brief sweep of the eyes was all Theora needed to confirm it- they had all been following the story, most likely because it involved one of their kind. Nodding, Theora took in the sight before asking, this time in a quieter voice, "And how many of you think that Alex should be tried on You The Jury rather than given a trial in court? Show your hands."
The hands stayed up.
"I-I-I agree!" Max Headroom blurted from a nearby screen.
Triumphantly, Theora turned back to the Minister of the Interior and gestured to the people behind her. For once she was surprisingly grateful for the network employees' habit of eavesdropping.
"The jury," Edison murmured humorously, "is in."
And so the program was scheduled to take place in two days, and everyone relaxed.
But there was a small problem with the boyfriend.
"Come on, Theora," Kent pleaded, his dark, beautiful eyes imploring her sweetly. "I promise I won't distract you from your testimony. It's just, this is an important event for anyone who's been following the story, and I've never been on TV before." A grin took ahold of his lips, even as he attempted to remain serious- the glow of televised fame was always too much to resist. "We can make it a date, if you like."
"A date watching a dangerous criminal get convicted?" Theora stated uncertainly. Kent only laughed modestly and amended his statement. "I mean we can do something after the show, once everything's over and done with, as a way to celebrate. Come on," he repeated, practically begging Theora to look at him again as her head tilted to stare at her toes. "Just get me on the jury. I've been following this story along with you, and it would mean a lot to me to join you in the courtroom."
Theora lifted her head and stared over at him, not sure how to respond. "You'd never get on the jury with that attitude," she murmured. "You know they don't want anyone biased."
"Then I can serve as a witness," Kent said. "You know, I saw that Bryce kid when he was over here. I can-"
His words were silenced as Theora shook her head no and looked down at the ground again. Privately she thought that maybe the lure of the camera was all that was gripping Kent. There were many problems with his suggestion to join her in the courtroom, a few of them being that he wasn't unbiased and that she didn't want to use her position as controller who worked on the story to get Kent into the jury, which is what he seemed to expect her to do. But the major issue was, of course, the fact that just two days ago Theora had told Edison that she was not romantically involved with anyone, and if he saw her with Kent he would know immediately that she had been lying, which could potentially fracture their relationship. This final reason had to be kept hidden from Kent, though, because Theora didn't want any bad blood between her clingy reporter and prone-to-jealousy boyfriend.
Eventually Kent wrapped a strong arm around her shoulder, trying to get Theora to respond, and she glanced up at him and swallowed heavily, controlling her expression. "You can watch it on TV like everyone else," she said calmly, and reached up to press a finger to Kent's mouth in order to silence his protest. "I'm sorry, but I don't want anyone to think you're mooching off me- and I don't want to use my position to get you a role that you don't actually deserve to fill." The words sounded harsh after they had left her mouth, but Theora couldn't think of any other way to phrase it.
"Promise we'll still go on a date after?" Kent mumbled around Theora's finger.
Theora sighed and leaned in, throwing her arms around his neck. "Of course." Their lips met and their eyes closed.
Amidst a swirl of jazzy lounge music, a jovial voice declared, "Welcome to You The Jury, held by your host and newly-appointed judge, Paul Waites!"
Theora blinked as the bright stagey lights flashed on and Paul Waites bounced out, waving a cheerful hello to the audience. She shuffled closer to Bryce, who stood beside her at the stand, his face blank to conceal his emotions from the world. On Bryce's other side was Edison, whose hands were in his pockets and whose eyes were aimed at the floor. Theora guessed upon taking in his appearance that he was trying to avoid the exact same thing she was trying to avoid- namely, the handcuffed and furious Alex Burgess standing at the other podium onstage, his murderous eyes flashing constantly at Bryce. His lawyer, the special guest attorney Skylar Ginty, appeared unfazed by the villainous appearance of her client, standing smartly in place with a clipboard in hand. In accordance with the rules of the game, Bryce had also hired lawyer as prosecutor, who would be asking most of the questions throughout the show, but Theora and Edison had agreed to stand onstage with him for familiarity and protection as well. Tina and Murray sat in the audience as onlookers rather than members of the jury, ready to be called to the stand as a witnesses if need be. On the opposite side of the panel sat the Minister of the Interior and his advisors.
"Will the jury please rise?" Paul declared jovially, and everyone got to their feet, including a baleful Alex, who only stared over at Bryce and sneered. Theora, scanning the audience, noticed that Tina looked very worried- she was wringing her hands unconsciously, her eyes trained on Bryce as well, but for a very different reason.
"Today's case is Lynch v. Burgess, which Network 23 has been kindly covering for us," Paul explained to anyone who wasn't in the know. Even with a supposedly unbiased jury, such things were never possible, but there were a few who might have been tuned to other stations while the big news went down. Theora suspected that the jury had been culled from those fans.
"Alex Burgess, on my left," Paul continued, gesturing, "has been accused of raping Bryce Lynch, an employee at Network 23 who stands to my right. Now, the rules of the game are simple, folks. The prosecutor, Budd Sherbet, will ask the questions and present evidence, and for any objection or motion to be made, you guys up here-" He moved and rapped on Bryce's podium before gazing warily over at Alex. "You guys up here can buzz in with your buzzers and ask for it. Our special guest attorney this episode is the ineffable Skylar Ginty." Skylar raised her arm and waved in a queenly fashion to the crowd, and the jury applauded for her. Theora dared to look at Alex to see what he thought of the regal woman before him, and saw an evil smile lighting up his face. Though his eyes were guarded, it was apparent from the rest of his expression that he was depending on Skylar to be his salvation. With hope, Theora thought, he'll be proven dead wrong.
"By the end of the trial, it'll be up to you-" Paul pointed flamboyantly to the audience- "to decide what kind of punishment the convicted one deserves. You… are the jury!" There was another wave of applause- Theora wasn't sure, but she could easily guess that there was a bright red sign flashing from somewhere over her head with the word APPLAUSE on it.
With another swirl of instrumental music, Paul hopped down from the stage and took his seat before the audience, facing the stage, ready to keep the trial running smoothly and in control. The stage was left up to Budd Sherbet and Skylar Ginty, and of course Edison, Theora, Bryce, and Alex. For the first time since she had gotten on the You The Jury soundstage, Theora felt her heart begin to beat faster. Up until now she hadn't considered the option that maybe Alex would be let go, but as she watched Skylar's fine retaliations and heard her convincing argument, she began to wonder if her belief would be shaken that day.
The first piece of evidence shown was a portion of the eyewitness report that Max had inadvertently filmed, in which it was made absolutely clear that Alex Burgess was the perpetrator. Whether or not he had done it was not what this trial was all about, Theora realized- it was whether or not he would be let off easy, depending on what kind of argument his attorney presented in order to clear his name. After the film was shown, Bryce's confession tape was also screened, and the real Bryce stared down at the hard wood of the podium in front of him and closed his eyes, appearing to be trying to block out the sound of his own voice. Theora laid her hand on his shoulder and looked away as well, remembering what a bad shape Bryce had been in that day and the night before. Only Edison took in every detail of the piece he had filmed himself, using the trauma in Bryce's voice and eyes to spur his emotions in preparation for his testimony.
"What have you got to say to that?" Budd Sherbet asked Skylar directly when the video was over. "Your client is undeniably guilty."
"I'll agree to that," Skylar said, her shining eyes turning shiftily, "but Alex wasn't himself during the attack."
"What?" Edison muttered under his breath, forgetting that he was wearing a mic, and both his attention and Theora's strayed immediately over to Skylar. Theora had the feeling she was thinking the same thing he was- is she really pleading insanity?
Stepping out into the middle of the soundstage, Skylar gestured towards Alex, who had plastered on as innocent a face as he could muster, and pitched her voice high in order to possibly garner sympathy. "Alex told me himself that when he saw Bryce at Network 23, he was filled with an inexhaustible rage and took leave of his senses. It wasn't the real Alex Burgess, the mild-mannered archivist as Gramodisc, who would have beaten Bryce as badly as he did. The problem clearly lies in a chemical imbalance in his brain waves, which means-"
"Objection!" Edison snapped, buzzing in an instant. Budd whirled around in surprise, not expecting the buzzer to be used so soon.
"With all due respect, ma'am, Alex Burgess is the last person you would call 'mild-mannered,'" he said, his voice clear and distinct and his eyes firmly fixed on Skylar. "This one incident with Bryce is just one of his many attacks on the people in our city. When I first met Alex, he was in suspicion of being the leader of the teenage gangs on whom I did a story a few weeks ago. And since he's come to our city, he's not only raped Bryce but a female Fringer named Poncho, and he's kidnapped and threatened another Network 23 employee, Tina Wilson." Edison pointed to her in the audience, and Tina nodded fiercely, her eyes anywhere but on Alex's face.
"Flights of madness, all of them," Skylar answered smoothly. "Alex is an unstable, unwell man who only needs the help that his government has not provided him with."
"And do you believe such an unstable man should work for a government-owned agency?" Budd questioned.
Skylar's response disappeared as Paul hit a button on his seat that caused the sound of a gavel to ring out across the room. "We'll come back to that question on You The Jury," he said, turning to aim his words at the camera, "after this break!"
Once the cameras went off, Theora instantly relaxed, the tension in her shoulder muscles draining away. Of course there was still a bit of nervousness thanks to Alex's presence, but she felt much more comfortable during the commercial break than during the trial. Bryce whispered something to Edison in a quiet voice, and together they walked down from the soundstage to lean over the rail separating the jury from those involved with the case and spoke with Tina and Murray on how they thought the trial would turn out. Tina held Bryce's hand for a few moments, and he looked down at it, surprise filtering the fear from his heart.
Alex DeLarge had to remain seated for the safety of the jury, watched by hidden Metrocops, though he wasn't handcuffed and supposed he could have incapacitated the Metrocops and escaped at any moment. Well, he wouldn't get very far without his trusty britva, so that idea was out… As Skylar walked back onstage after chatting with the Minister of the Interior, a plastic bottle of designer water in her hand, Alex gave her an entirely naughty wink, the meaning of which did not pass her by. She stared as she strode past, but made no comment, and Alex grinned. With luck, Skylar would be the one to set him free, and then he would reward her. He was only bothering to keep up with this farcical trial for her sake. Of course, it also depended a bit on that old bastard, the Minister of the Interior, who had tried and failed to keep Alex safe. A harsh stare was all he would be getting from DeLarge.
"To your places, please!" Paul Waites called out one minute before the show came back on, and everyone scurried back onstage or back into the audience, ready for round two to begin. As soon as the cameras were rolling, Skylar Ginty attempted to answer the question asked of her by explaining that Alex was perfectly harmless working in the Gramodisc Archives. She called her first witness to the stand, and the Minister of the Interior came up, flanked by bodyguards, to talk about why his predecessor had given Alex the job and why he himself continued to let Alex work there. "Alex loves music more than anything," he told the eager jury. "It's saved his life countless times. It would be cruel to think of taking away his favorite surroundings because of mental instability."
"His favorite thing besides raping and murdering, you mean," Edison muttered under his breath, and Theora shot him a warning look- you're on network television! But of course, Edison had never been afraid to state such things when he was working on his own show.
"And do you think," Budd Sherbet asked the Minister of the Interior, "that your government has provided him with the means necessary to help him with said instability?"
The Minister dipped his head. "I will admit that we've failed Alex in certain ways, but we regret our actions now. Alex deserves to have better life opportunities just like everyone else in England."
"Where'd he come up with that cr-" Edison began, but this time he spoke audibly enough for Budd, Skylar, and the Minister to all look over and give him looks using varying degrees of darkness. Theora reached around Bryce to lightly tap him on the shoulder. "If you want to say something, buzz in," she whispered.
Edison buzzed in, and from that moment on, the tides turned in favor of Bryce Lynch and Network 23.
Edison made a brilliant orator out of himself, speaking on behalf of every 23 employee and on behalf of Bryce. He accused and condemned Alex using harsh words, and then asked Budd if he would allow the witnesses to be brought up, one by one. Budd agreed, and Paul confirmed the motion, and almost immediately after Tina was brought up to the podium to give a slightly tearful recollection of the events of her kidnapping by Alex, the memories still fresh in her mind after three days. "If I had been a little weaker that day, Bryce might not be alive now," she concluded in a shaking voice. "I don't think anyone could trust a man as prone to threats and emotional blackmail as Alex."
Then it was another commercial break, and Theora gave Tina a hug, who tolerated it but immediately reached for Bryce once Theora was done with her. They had only a few moments to clasp hands and exchange comforting words before Tina was off the stage and Bryce stood watching her, his expression guarded, but hurt in his eyes managing to crack the façade ever so slightly.
After the break, Theora took the stand and explained what she had learned from her searches on the Ludovico treatment- namely, that it hadn't treated Alex at all. "Alex might have remained a good citizen under the care of the Ludovico treatment, had he not somehow had the process reversed," she said. "That London's government released an ex-criminal back into society with full knowledge of how little the treatment had worked is a testament to the Minister of the Interior's obsession with staying popular rather than doing what is best for the people." She hated having to say these words, especially with his successor sitting and glaring daggers a few feet away from her, but she had no choice. "Alex tried to keep his return to a life of crime a secret, but the signs all pointed to him when the teenage gangs were discovered in our city."
That only left Murray to explain how he had helped with Edison's story about the gang crimes and how he had found Bryce after the attack and so had witnessed firsthand the horrors that Alex could commit, and Skylar to flounder in her best attempts at coming up with a defense. Finally, a weight was being lifted from Theora's shoulders. It seemed pretty clear that Alex would be convicted, and then everyone at Network 23 could rest easy. The nightmare would be over. But first, of course, there was deliberation from the jury to be made.
Once all the evidence had been presented, Paul Waites stood up, thanked both teams for good participation, and then turned his attention onto the jury. "Now's your chance, folks! Any decision you make will become the undisputed law. Is Alex Burgess guilty? And if he is, what punishment does he deserve? You decide… after this break!"
As soon as the red ON AIR light turned off, Edison, Theora and Bryce all herded themselves down from the soundstage and off to Murray and Tina, where they huddled together and stared in bewildered wonderment. "Is this really it?" Theora breathed. The trial had seemed to go by in a flash.
"I think we did it," Murray announced. "I think Alex Burgess is going to jail for good, if he doesn't get the death penalty."
"Thank the nonexistent deity," Bryce said softly, and Tina looked happily down at him, a smile on her face.
Edison reached over and took Theora's hand, squeezing it once before letting go. The contact was such a surprise that Theora glanced up at him, startled, only to find that a relaxed grin was taking over his face, the first one she had seen from him in days. "The jury'd better choose right if they know what's good for them," he said, but Theora could tell that he didn't think there was a huge possibility of losing the case anymore. She smiled back and fought the urge to impulsively throw her arms around him.
Soon the show returned, and both teams stood around their respective podiums, listening to Paul Waites pad out the show by thanking everyone again for being "such good sports" and throwing in details about the next episode that would be airing shortly. Finally, however, he addressed the jury for the last time, asking them the important words that could change everything. "Jury! Is Alex Burgess innocent or guilty?"
"GUILTY!" the jury roared back, with such vivacity that Theora was stunned. Fans of Netowkr 23 or not, these people really cared about Bryce Lynch.
"And," Paul exclaimed, "what should his punishment be?"
"THE LUDOVICO TREATMENT!"
The Ludovico treatment…
The Ludovic treatment.
Deep within himself, Alex's heart sunk like a stone.
The Ludovico treatment! Of all the punishments in the world, it just had to be the one that he hated most of all, the one that had been his torment for days on end, the one that he still had nightmares about even now! It was bad enough that Skylar had lost the case, but this… this was a whole new level of awful. Alex would have rather died than undergo the Ludovico treatment again.
As Network 23's team rejoiced, everyone hugging Bryce and hugging each other (except for Murray, who managed to dodge every embrace but Theora's), no one noticed as Alex was cuffed again and hauled out of the building, trying to fight his way free but failing utterly. For all anyone knew, Alex had become one of the nameless teenage boys from the gang, being paraded into a white van to never be seen again. Even Bryce was so startled by his first kiss, given at once by an ecstatic Tina, that he didn't even hear the wordless wail that escaped Alex as he railed against the Ludovico treatment.
When Edison's arms enveloped Theora, she leaned into him and soaked up the warmth for all it was worth, clinging to his sturdy body and inhaling the interesting scents that mingled together on his clothes. The embrace didn't last very long, but to Theora it felt like a lifetime. She pulled back and was unable to resist beaming up at Edison as he placed his hand on her shoulder, mirroring her expression. "Well, Theora, now that that's over with, would you care to join me for a drink?"
And that was when a familiar voice called "Theora!" from behind her back.
Confused, Theora turned around- to be met face to face by none other than Kent. She barely had enough time to process her shock before he had swooped her into his arms. "Surprise!" he cried, holding her tightly. Theora blinked numbly. "Kent! How did you-"
"I got on the jury at the last minute," he said. "Guess they don't do very thorough background checks. I saw the whole thing, Theora, and you were amazing! I'm so proud right now." He gently took her face in his hands and then leaned in to kiss her.
Theora tried to focus on the kiss, but her ears managed to pull snippets of conversation from the air around her instead, and the first thing she heard was Edison's startled voice- "Who's the guy with Theora?"
Dazed, Bryce correctly identified Kent from the brief time he had met him at Theora's apartment. "Oh, that? That's Theora's boyfriend."
Theora's eyes shot wide open. NO- As soon as Kent let go of her, she turned around, but it was too late. Edison, quivering intensely, whirled around and stalked off towards the exit.
"Are you going to introduce me to any of your friends?" Kent asked, blissfully unaware of what had just come to pass. "I've never met anyone famous, like Edison Carter for example."
Theora turned back to him, her mouth open but no sound coming out of it, lost for words. It appeared that she had just lost a friend in Edison Carter.
Will Theora clear up this mistake? Will Bryce and Tina's relationship last? Will Max ever get his own show? Find out in the upcoming sequel to A Clockwork Headroom, Watch More TV.
AN- Thanks to anyone who read this lovingly-written crossover, but thanks especially to my wonderful almost-beta, ElegantButler, whose kind reviews and silly PMs and helpful information and useful ideas kept me motivated throughout the writing of this piece. You rock, man!
