Sandi and Tom's house, Spring, 2014...
Quinn, Jim, their four month old triplets, Chuck, Stacy and their kids were all gathered with Tom and Sandi in the sitting room. The reason for the get together was that Sandi had just come back from the hospital. As her husband, Tom Sloane, smiled proudly Sandi held a newborn baby in each arm as she'd just given birth to twins, one boy and one girl.
"Oh, Sandi," Stacy squealed with excitement, "You're a mom now."
Nodding, Sandi said "Yes, I most certainly am." She then proceeded to introduce each of her twins. Holding up the boy, she said "Our son, Shane." She then held up the girl. "And this is Alexis."
While everyone else gushed Quinn was a little distracted as she was holding Tommy while pushing Timmy in a stroller. Tommy was getting fussy...again.
"It's okay, Tommy."
Jim, who had Teddy, could've sworn that baby had just shot his brothers a disdainful look. Probably just my imagination. He didn't notice a Daria-like smirk suddenly form on Teddy's face.
Continuing to hold Tommy, Quinn said "I can't believe you had twins while I had triplets, Sandi."
Sandi grinned triumphantly. "Gah-ohd, Kuh-winn, you make it sound like you're the only woman who's ever had more than one kid at a time."
Quinn chose to disregard Sandi's brief relapse into the alpha-bitch that she'd been back in high school. Looking at the twins, she said "Oh, Sandee, your kids are soooo cute!"
Suddenly, Tommy started screaming for attention. Noticing this, Jim thought If I didn't know better I'd think Tommy's trying to hog the spotlight. In truth, Daria had recently paid a visit during which she'd pointed out something interesting to Jim. Apparently, Tommy was starting to show personality traits reminiscent of Quinn as a child while Teddy was developing traits similarly reminiscent of Daria. Timmy, on the other hand, just seemed to mimic one of his brothers or the other.
"I can't believe how it's gone since high school," Stacy remarked, "I'm a news reporter, Quinn's a YouTuber and Sandi married into old money."
"Hey" said Tom, slightly put off by the insinuation that his wife married him for his money.
"I didn't mean anything by it," Stacy reassured him, "I know Sandi would still love you if you worked at Burger World."
"Yes" said Sandi, "But let's not put that to the test."
Everyone laughed at that one.
After the laughter, Chuck said "It's the classic rags-to-riches story. Rich guy falls for stripper, stripper marries rich guy, they live happily ever after."
"Guys, about that," said Sandi, "I really don't want the twins knowing that their mother used to dance naked on stage for a living."
Quinn said "I get that. It's embarrassing."
Five year old Chucky immediately pointed at Sandi. In a snarky monotone, he said "You used to show people your boobs."
Both Chuck and Stacy blushed with embarrassment when he said that.
WSBC newsroom, the next day...
Stacy was pouring herself some coffee from the office urn. Like all media outlets, WSBC kept police scanners in the newsroom in order to catch major stories as they broke. One of those scanners happened to be right by the coffee urn. As Stacy sipped her coffee she listened to the scanner out of habit. This scanner was tuned to the Baltimore Police Frequency. Something suddenly came on that immediately caught her attention.
"Attention, all units! Possible hostage situation at Landon Tower, all available units please respond!"
Stacy spilled her coffee on the floor as she ran to get the nearest camera crew and comandeer a news van.
Downtown Baltimore, later...
Landon Tower was surrounded by armed cops in full riot gear as gunshots could be heard coming from the building. Stacy had been a field reporter long enough to be able to maintain professionalism even with chaos and bloodshed going on right behind her. The camera crew with her were similarly battle tested.
The crew chief said "Live in five...four...three...". He silently counted off two and one, at which point the camera started recording.
Holding her microphone steady, Stacy said "Thank you, Alex. Behind me is Landon Tower in Downtown Baltimore, where a hostage situation is ongoing. A gunman stormed the building and began shooting people at random. Police are on the scene attempting to persuade the attacker to surrender. SWAT are standing by but are not yet making a move as yet. Apparently, after the initial rampage the gunman has barracaded himself on one of the upper floors with several hostages. The shooter's identity and motives are not known at this time. We'll bring more as it develops. Stacy Ruttheimer, WSBC Action News."
As the cameraman cut to the studio Stacy turned to face the building.
"Keep that camera ready," she said, "We may have to go live again at any moment."
No sooner had she said that when gunshots rang out from an upper floor window. One bullet hit an officer in his leg, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Roll camera!" commanded Stacy.
Meanwhile, at Tom and Sandi's mansion...
Sandi had just put her twin babies in their cribs. She was about to take advantage of the opportunity to take a nap herself when she felt her cell phone vibrate. She took the phone out of her pocket. The number was Tom's private office line at Grace, Sloane and Paige. She immediately answered.
"What's up, Tom?"
"Turn on the TV! Put it on WSBC!"
Sandi, spurred by the urgency in her husband's voice, ran into the master bedroom (which was right next to the nursery) and didn't as he asked.
"...the ongoing hostage situation at Landon Tower. Correspondent Stacy Ruttheimer is on the scene."
Sandi gasped as the TV cut to Stacy, standing in front of what looked like a war zone.
"Thank you, Alex," said Stacy, "The ongoing situation at Landon Tower continues to escalate, resulting in an officer down with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The shooter, we've learned, is Bryan Markel, an employee who was recently let go. So far, he has refused to surrender. Police have refused to enter the building as Markel does have hostages and..."
Suddenly, there was another blast of gunfire. This was followed by a dead body being thrown from the window where the shots were coming from.
"OHMYGOD!" Stacy exclaimed, "It appears Mr. Markel has just executed a hostage!"
Watching this on TV, Sandi gasped with dread.
On the scene...
The gunman briefly stuck his head out the window to make a threatening gesture with his weapon, then pulled back before anyone had a chance to retaliate. Among the cops on the scene was a hostage negotiater who'd just placed the shooter on speaker.
"YOU FUCKING SONS OF BITCHES!" Mr. Markel shouted from the speaker, "TWENTY YEARS OF MY SWEAT, AND ANDREW LANDON THINKS HE CAN JUST TOSS ME OUT LIKE GODDAMN GARBAGE! I'LL SHOW THAT PENNY PINCHING WHITE-WASHED N #$%&!"
"What do you want?" the negotiator asked calmly.
Markel said "Andrew Landon...IN A FUCKING BODY BAG!"
Keeping his cool, the negotiator said "You know we can't give you that."
Over the speaker could be heard the sound of a woman screaming in terror.
"LOOK!" shouted one cop, pointing to the window of the office Markel and his hostages were in.
Stacy looked up and gasped. "Oh...God!"
Markel was holding a young woman at gunpoint. He handed her his phone and demanded that she talk. Everyone listened on the speaker.
"H...sniff...hello? M...my name is Holly Wilson. I...I...choke..."
Next came Markel's voice.
"TALK OR YOU'LL FUCKING DIE, YOU BITCH!"
"Pu...sob...P...Please, d...don't hurt me..."
"TELL THEM! TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE OR I'LL FUCKING BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT!"
"I...I'm m...married...I...I have three k...kids...please, j...JUST LET ME GO!"
Markel snatched his phone back.
"GIMMIE LANDON, OR I WASTE EVERY MOTHERFUCKER HERE, STARTING WITH MRS. WILSON!"
Knowing it wasn't a bluff, the negotiator said "Alright, we'll call Andrew Landon here. Just give us time!"
An hour later...
Stacy was still in front of Landon Tower. She was once again live.
"We've learned that the gunman wants to kill his former employer, Lawndale resident Andrew Landon. Mr. Landon is a well respected member of the business community, known as the man who invented the folding coffee cup. He is the father of tech entrepneur Jodie Landon. According to police, Bryan Markel is a former employee who was recently let go. His rampage is a means of luring Mr. Landon to his own demise, according to what we've heard so far."
Meanwhile, Andrew Landon was with the hostage negotiater. Thanks to plastic surgery and hair dye, he looks no different from when he was last seen in Is It College Yet?.
"Mr. Markel," said the negotiator, "I have Mr. Landon here."
Inside the building...
Pointing his high powered assault rifle at the hostages, Markel spoke on his cell phone.
"Good, I wanna see him."
On the other end of the line, Andrew said "I'm here, no one needs to die...What's your name again?"
"YOU CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER MY NAME, YOU FUCKING PRICK!?"
The next voice to come on the line was that of the police negotiator.
"Mr. Markel, we have binoculars. If Mr. Landon sees your face maybe he will remember you."
This struck Markel as reasonable.
"Alright, I'm coming to the window."
What Markel didn't know was that the police's seeming cooperation had actually been a stalling tactic. A police sniper was at that moment positioned on a nearby rooftop. He'd been given the green light to shoot Markel as soon as he had a clear shot. As Markel stuck his head out the window the police sniper took the shot. Markel never saw it coming. In the blink of an eye he went down with a bullet right between the eyes. Once that was done, the police sniper spoke into the two-way communicator on his SWAT vest.
"Target neutralized. Repeat, hostile threat is neutralized, over."
On the ground, a short time later...
As police were escorting the hostages out of the building Stacy spoke to the camera.
"After several hours the standoff has ended with the death of the gunman. The hostages are now being safely evacuated while SWAT teams and the bomb squad comb the building for possible explosives and accomplices, though it appears that Bryan Markel acted alone. Stacy Ruttheimer, WSBC Action News."
Ruttheimer house, evening...
Stacy was in bed with her husband, Chuck, talking about her day.
"That was exciting."
Chuck said "I can't believe you were the first reporter on the scene. Why didn't you let someone else handle it?"
"One," said Stacy, "I was the one who heard it on the police scanner. Two, a story like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
"You could've been killed" said Chuck.
Stacy said "Chuck, I'm fine."
Chuck sighed. As much as he loved his wife, he didn't love her willingness to risk life and limb to get a hot story. "Stacy," he said, "You have a husband and two kids. I don't wanna have to tell them that their Mom died on the job."
Stacy said "Chuck, it's sweet that you worry, but I can handle it. I was never in any danger."
"Yes, you were," said Chuck, "I don't want you taking on something that could make me a widower and leave Chucky and Q growing up without a mother. Don't you think it's time to try something less dangerous, like entertainment or community events."
Stacy said "Chuck, I usually do that, but sometimes I like the rush of covering something exciting."
Chuck countered with "Stacy, you have a family at home."
Stacy replied with "So do a lot of police, soldiers, firefighters and EMT's, but that doesn't stop them from putting their lives on the line when duty calls. I'm a reporter, it's my duty to report even if I have to endanger my own physical and emotional well being to do so."
Chuck sighed. "At least promise me you won't take these risks when you don't have to."
Stacy kissed him on the cheek. "You know I don't take unnecessary risks, babe."
WSBC newsroom, a few days later...
Stacy was seated at her desk working on her next story when one of the station interns, a nervous nineteen year old college student, approached her cubicle.
"Mrs. Ruttheimer, Mr. Allen wants to see you in his office right away."
Stacy was suddenly nervous.
A short time later...
The sign on the office door read "Edward Allen, News Chief". Inside, Stacy sat in front of the desk of her boss, Ted Allen. Mr. Allen looked and sounded just like Lou Grant from The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
"You wanted to see me, Mr. Allen?"
Nodding, the news chief said "That was some solid reporting during that hostage situation a few days ago. You know, I've been in this business a long time. I remember back when I started, covering race riots back in the late sixties. In all those decades I've never come across a reporter who's the dedicated professional that you are."
Smiling at the praise, Stacy said "Thanks, chief!"
"In fact," Mr. Allen continued, "I think you're ready to take the next step in your journalism career. How'd you like to be an anchor?"
Stacy's jaw fell open.
"Me? Anchor!?"
Nodding, Mr. Allen said "Yep. You're ready. You're a dedicated reporter, you've got screen presence, and you're so good looking that if it didn't violate station policy or the fact that you're happily married I'd actually ask you on a date."
Stacy blushed slightly. She knew he was just trying to be nice, but it still felt good to know that she could still turn heads at thirty-one.
"So," said Stacy, "You want to promote me to anchor?"
Nodding, Mr. Allen said "That's right. You get paid six figures to just be on TV and talk to our viewers while other people do all the hard stuff. In addition to the increased pay there's also the increased time to spend with your family. After all, balancing a journalism career with being a wife and mother is no easy task. Now, you can spend days in the studio and almost always be home in time for dinner."
Stacy thought it over for a second. On one hand, she liked the excitement of being out there in the trenches, searching high and low for any and all facts. On the other hand, being anchor meant no more risking her neck for a good story, no more nights where she doesn't come home because she's still gathering facts, no more missed play dates with the kids, more chances to be intimate with her husband and a six-figure pay check.
"I'm in," she said, "I'm definitely taking this."
"Hold on," said Mr. Allen, "Before you make this final there's something you need to know. The anchor position isn't here as neither Alex or Marie are ready to call it a career just yet. It's at another SBC affiliate."
"Which one?" Stacy asked.
"WSFL, in West Palm Beach, Florida."
Stacy gasped. If she took this job, she'd have to uproot her whole family and move to South Florida.
To be continued...