Freelance Reporter

Freelance Reporter

by C. Dreamer

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I make no claims whatsoever to own Sailor Moon because. . . well I don't. So DON'T sue unless you want $1 in play money. ^^;; (I'm broke, K) E-mail any comments, suggestions, questions, etc to Cdream_109@hotmail.com, puhleessee! Thanx to 'everyone' who did.

Chapter Three: A- Preparations

"Hey Jed," Serena said as he sat down. She had been admiring the formality of the restaurant; with it's bright red carpet and fancy tables. Candles dimly lit the room. The surrounding itself made her feel like royalty.

"You're actually early." He said as he sat down. Serena looked at him strangely, "Maybe you need your eyes checked or something. It's only 6:00."

"It is? My watch says it's 5," he said.

"Oh, well then maybe you need a new watch." She smiled.

"It doesn't really matter anyway," he said. "So, Serena, what's new?"

Funny, I've been asked that question quite frequently within the past day or so. She thought to herself. "Oh! Um, well nothing much really. I mean I have a new assignment and I've switched news editors for a while, but pretty much nothing else." She replied. And a new partner, whom hopefully, you won't figure out. she thought remembering the last time she had talked to him about a guy, "So Jed, what's hectic in your life?"

"Oh, the usual. Dates, girls, and you know, stuff." He said.

"Same old you I see. How do you live anyway?" She asked.

"Off people's charity." he replied pretending to beg.

"Funny." she replied sarcastically.

"Oh, getting odd jobs that pay well. Gambling, and anything else I manage to get." he said drinking his coke.

"Hmm, I see. You do know that you will probably lose more money than you gain." she retorted.

"Not me." he replied with a southern accent, "I haven't lost a game. Me's a professional gambler." He drawled with a confident smile.

"I see your ego has grown as well." She remarked snidely.

"What ego? I mean if it's the truth, it can't possibly be an ego." He replied smiling smugly.

"Oh, of course not. How could I have made such a mistake? There's a HUGE difference between an ego and whatever mutation of an ego yours may be, besides, we

musn't get to overconfident." She smirked.

Then the waiter appeared, speaking with a heavy French accent.

"What can I get for you today?" He asked.

"I'm in a 5-cheese Lasagna mood" Jed answered confidently. "How

about you?"

"Um, I guess I'll have the Chicken Parmesan," she decided.

'------------------------------'

Raye sped the car, the wind howling in her fury.

I can't believe you did this to me, Serena! After all that trouble

I went through, not to mention the strings I had to pull to make this work! So much for I'm going to get ready for the trip tomorrow. She thought angrily.

As she neared the Jaqulin restaurant, she slowed down and parked in the first empty parking spot she saw. Then she stormed into the restaurant looking for two blonde haired 'victims'.

"Um, Miss?" the waiter asked.

"What!" she asked turning around and glaring at him.

The waiter, now intimidated, asked, "Miss, can you get in line?"

Pointing at the angry mob of people behind her in line. She sighed dejectedly. "Sure."

'------------------------------'

Serena finished up her chicken salad. "That was delicious."

"Same here." Jed replied as he cleared up his plate. "Now you know why I recommend it."

"Yeah, this place is excellent. This is my first time here."

Serena looked around to see a very ticked Raye. "Uh, oh."

"Uh, oh?" Jed asked confused.

"It's a long story. One I don't have time to explain. C'mon" She grabbed his arm, paying the bill and leaving the tip.

"Hey, I was going to pay the bill." he objected.

"I'm going to expect you to pay me back, that place wasn't cheap! Just come on!" She said, dragging him along. "We are in a major hurry here."

"Okay, whatever you say." He agreed, running after her. After they had run a bit away from the restaurant, Jed asked, breathing heavily, "Now why are we in such a hurry that we left our cars in the parking lot?"

"Well, I told my friend, Raye that . . ."

'------------------------------'

Raye was really angry. She had waited about an hour in line and found that Serena and Jed had already left. Might as well order something now "I would like the Spaghetti and Meatball Delicacy please."

'------------------------------'

"So, that's the whole story." she replied.

"Oh, so that's why we left the restaurant, left our cars, ridiculously ran all the way out here, and are totally lost?" He asked totally confused.

"Oh, come on. Where's your sense of adventure." she asked.

"Somewhere back there with the rest of my dinner." he replied grouchily.

"Okay, that's over. Let's go back."

"If you insist, Mr. No-sense of adventure." she remarked snidely.

"Yeah, that's me." he replied slightly sick in the stomach.

'------------------------------'

Raye felt much better after the excellent meal. She paid her bill, left the tip, and walked out the door to see Serena and another person who she guessed was Jed. "They're back already." she said with a sly smile. This could be fun.

"SERENA!!!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

Serena turned to find a smiling Raye. Her face paled immediately, "Raye!" she smiled, "Hi!"

Raye caught up to her, "Serena, I never thought that I would find you here of all places."

"Mina told, didn't she. When I get home I'll--

"Don't even go there. So I suppose this is Jed." she asked quietly, "Hi, Jed" she said in a sickeningly nice tone.

"Well you must be Serena's friend. I haven't managed to catch your name."

"That's because I haven't thrown it. My name is Raye Stewart, but just feel free to call me Raye." she smiled. Serena felt horribly embarrassed. Raye came to embarrass her and was doing a great job of it while Jed was flirting with an engaged woman! If she was lucky, everything would end soon.

'------------------------------'

*RING* Serena slammed the alarm clock to the floor. Was that all a dream? She looked down and saw a torn piece of paper with Jed's number on it. She groaned, that was all real. She pulled her pillow over her head shutting out everything. Then she realized that she had to get ready for the flight change. She frowned. It's going to be a really LONG week she thought tiredly as she tripped over some of Mina's clothes,

thinking of everything else that could happen.

'------------------------------'

"Serena, are you ready?" Mina asked popping her head in the door.

"Yeah, hold up. I've got one more bag to go." she said grabbing the bag and her suitcase off her bed.

"That's it?" Mina asked. "That's all you're taking?" she asked looking at the three bags.

"No, I still have my purse." she said.

"That adds a whole lot more luggage, let me tell you." Mina remarked sarcastically.

"Funny, ha ha." Serena said with the same tone of voice. "I wonder exactly how much more luggage you have." she said as she pulled out of her room into the living room. "Also, Darien is bringing the cameras and stuff."

As she set her stuff down, "I'm going to miss this place." she said aloud, looking around at the rather spacious room decorated with forest green couches with matching curtains, a wooden antique table, the old and worn gray carpet, and a nice big screen TV with a DVD player and large sound speakers to top it.

"You're not permanently moving out or anything." Mina replied filing her nails. "Are you?" Mina threw down the filer and started to pace,

"Serena, don't move out. I need a roommate, not because of financial differences, but because I can't live on my own. I planned to marry a rich doctor who makes a couple million a year, but until then live with a nicecaring roommate." Mina was going hysterical.

"But Mina . . . "

"I know I haven't done my share of anything this past year.

"But Mina-"

"And I know I could've probably helped you a little and kept out of your stuff.

"BUT MINA!" Serena yelled. Mina stopped mid-sentence.

"Wait, you went through my stuff? Well never mind that, I'm not moving."

"Oh, good. Cause I really would like to borrow that . . . Serena groaned as she fell on the couch not listening to anything Mina was saying. She stared at the ceiling then she recalled her flight.

"OH MY GOSH! I'm so late!" Serena yelled grabbing her bags and flying through the wooden door.

'------------------------------'

"Diamond." Emerald called out.

"What is it, Emerald." he asked calmly.

"Reporters, media. They're coming from all over the United States to investigate the land deal." she replied rather worriedly. "Even the government suspects something. Do you think the SoC's will tell?"

He smiled lazily, "No, the SoC's aren't idiots. They know who I am, and what I'll do. As for the government, they are fools. The media won't find anything either because none of them are willing to sacrifice anything to find out the true facts. They won't find anything."

Indeed, nothing at all he smiled lounging in his chair as though it were a throne. "Set up a press conference, for the day after tomorrow."

"Monday?" she asked to confirm.

"Precisely."

'------------------------------'

Serena ran into the airport gasping for breath. Then she saw Darien with his same cocky smile. "Late again, are we Carlyle?" he replied with a smirk. The people passing seemed not to hear him, but she was quite a sight to see.

Her hair was rather sloppy, flying in any and every direction. Her clothes were wrinkled and she had 2 bags hung over her shoulder. "Shut UP!" she yelled causing people passing to stare at her. "I really don't feel like putting up with you right now." she said. "Now I'm going to go freshen up. Don't you dare leave without me!" She checked her watch. "Besides," she snapped, "I'm only about 30 minutes late."

'------------------------------'

Mina frowned slightly. "Uh oh. Serena left her purse." I know I'll call her cell phone.

Mina picked up the phone and dialed, a few seconds later she heard a phone ring inside of Serena's black purse. Okay, scratch that. Her pager Mina picked up the phone and dialed once more.

'------------------------------'

Serena brushed her hair quickly but efficiently. The restroom in the airport was pretty horrid. The only water that she felt was cold even with only the hot turned up all the way. The smell was almost more than she could stand, not to mention the mirror was cracked in a couple of places. She hurriedly put her hair up in two buns on each side of her hair, and pulled on a hat. She checked the time once more, Okay, it's 9:24, I still have 6 minutes till the plane leaves.

She walked out of the restroom and walked toward Darien in the small cafe. He was sitting at an outside table drinking coffee.

"Nice to see you looking human." he replied drinking his coffee.

"Why thank you for your kind comments." she said trailing off into laughter. He looked at her oddly. "My beeper," she commented as she pulled it out of her pocket. "Excuse me." she said as she exited the café and ran into a phone booth. She pulled out some spare change and put coins into the pay phone. "Mina?" she yelled quietly careful not to gain attention. "What do you want?" . . . "NO! I can't believe I did that." . . .

"When you leave for your flight, bring me my purse, okay?" she asked.

"Fine." She replied as she hung up.

"Attention, passengers! CA Airlines, flight six eighty-nine for California is now boarding at Gate Thirty-Eight! Repeat: CA Airlines" a pleasant voice abruptly announced over the airport's public announcement system.

Serena looked at her ticket, "Flight 689, that's me." she ran quickly to the cafe to find Darien and her bags gone. Well at least he cared enough to take my junk. She found her flight and boarded, hoping that Darien had managed to get in and find their seats."

'------------------------------'

Emerald carefully arranged a seat for the governor. "Yes, may I help you?" she asked.

"I have a meeting with Mr. Diamond." he replied.

Emerald pretended to look through her planner. "I'm sorry, I don't have you listed. Mr. Diamond is a very busy person. Perhaps we could arrange for a meeting next perhaps, next week?" She replied.

"Listen here, Miss. I am also a very busy person, and I have requested that your employer make time for a meeting with me. Now I'm sorry if this is barging in during an inconvenient time, but I made an appointment, and your boss should have the courtesy to keep it!" he snapped.

Emerald watched slightly amused, "Please come in, Mr. Governor." She said leading him inside a room, "I'll see if Mr. Diamond can attend this little chat. Please help yourself to whatever you would like." She replied casually as she walked out.

The governor looked around at the expensively furnished room. There was a large oak desk near the end of the room, supposedly being Mr. Diamond's desk. A large maroon chair stood behind it, facing the windowed wall behind it. There was green carpet decorating the floor, and a marble table on top of it. Around the table were two green chairs, one in which he was sitting. He found a counter with black coffee and helped himself as he waited.

'------------------------------'

"Diamond?" Emerald called out into the dark room.

"What is it Emerald." he called back.

"The governor is here to see you." she remarked, "He threw himself a little fit when I told him you were unable to see him. Should I send the usual?" Almost immediately she called out, "Sapphire!"

"No, the governor shouldn't be kept waiting. I'll go myself"

"But are you sure?" Emerald asked worriedly.

"Why wouldn't I be." he replied walking out of the dark empty room.

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Author's notes at the end of 3b.