"The Metropolis Story…"
Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, . You might want to take a gander at the Cicelyverse page to get a handle on the Cicely Addams material... .
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...
Summary: Poet/Champion turned reporter/Champion (the vampire thing was involuntary) for the second least respectable news organization in Metropolis, William Soames Walthrop is assigned the job of uncovering the mysterious silence of a famed, deceased silent film star of the great film inspired by the greatest city on Earth. Both the other reporter/Champion and other reporter/seedy investigator of things mysterious in town hate his guts.
Part IV…
Normally, of course, Perry White, editor-in-chief of the greatest daily in the greatest city of the greatest state of the greatest nation on Earth would have glared down upon the rebellious underling frowning in dress suit and heels before him, rocking a bit in her agitation as her obviously gutless companion …Supposed superior for the assignment…Stood nervously next to her, looking rather anxious to sink through the floor as he sweated in suit and tie. And venting wrath upon said underling, smited her, by great Caesar's ghost…
But…Lois did have a point. And Kent, that wuss…Was clearly not taking the situation in hand and preventing it from reaching the editor-in-chief's desk.
"You don't want to do the follow-up on the alien story. The biggest news story in town…?" White opted for relatively friendly persuasion. Laced with a relatively modest degree of his trademark sarcasm…
"It's yesterday's news, Perry." Lois literally putting sore foot down…Damn these new shoes…I'm sure it was the alien who bought them, but since they're beautiful…And non-returnable, no way am I not getting use of them.
"It's whatever day of the week's news I say it is, Miss Lane…" White, coldly. "Kent?" He eyed Clark grimly. "Anything to contribute? Given I put this assignment in your apparently incapable hands…?"
"If I'm not valuable enough to this paper…" Lois began. Waving hands…
"Lois…Mr. White…" Clark began.
"All right…Enough!" White cut him off. Bringing even Lois to a stand-still with a heavy bang of fist on desk.
"Miss Lane…No one threatens this paper. Unless they're temporarily possessed by aliens. Do we understand each other?" he eyed Lois who blinked a bit. Ummn…
"If you are having an emotional problem with this story due to your tragic personal involvement, I could still see my way to forgetting this incident. Once…"
Ummn…
"I'm sure that Lois…" Clark began.
"I can speak for myself, Clark…" Lois snapped.
"Yes?" White eyed her.
"Maybe a little emotional trouble, sir…" slightly abject look.
"All right…" White nodded, calm tone. "Perhaps I was wrong to push for you on this. It's a valid argument, given your personal involvement. Kent, can you find someone else to help Olsen with the follow-up…?"
"Yes, sir…I think so."
"Good…Well, then…In that case, perhaps it might be better for Miss Lane to work with you regarding the special assignment I gave you. And for her to do a lighter schedule with maybe a bit of counseling…" smile.
What is he doing?...Kent, Lane.
"And…If you felt up to it, as you do your other work…. Maybe an in-depth story on how it felt to be possessed by the alien terrorists. Perhaps you could even do an interview with the mayor's wife or the Commissioner's, if they ever come out of their comas…?"
Hmmn…Clark nodded. That sounds…
…Like he just told me to do exactly what he wanted me to when he put me on this one. Lois finished the thought…
And put me on with Clark to watch Walthrop…At the same time…While making it seem like he was doing me a favor?
…And cutting any ground under her regarding using the alien possession thing to get out of the assignment. Clark added to his own exactly similar thought…
"I'm glad we're all better now…" White beamed, benevolently. "Kent, would you stay just a bit longer. Miss Lane…" White nodded to her.
"Please close the door as you go…Thanks. Gretchen?" he called out to his secretary in the outer office. "Set up an appointment with our counseling staff for Lois, will you?"
"Kent…?" he eyed Clark.
"Sir?"
Door closed…
"If I ever give you a supervisory position again in this life…And you let a member of your team by-pass you to come to me…And follow her in like a whipped puppy, begging for me to resolve the situation… Do I have to go further, Mr. Kent?"
"No…Sir…" Clark nodded, swallowing…
"Good…You and Lois are coreporters on this. And if she does well and you don't…We don't need two Jimmy Olsens at the Planet, Kent. Get me?"
"Got you, sir…"
"That's wonderful…" smile. "Out…"
….
"Hello…Hello, is this? Hello…Sorry, the connection on my cell is not that good. Is this England? The Royal…Hello? Yes, is this the Royal Society of Anti…Yes? Great, ma'am…Might I speak to Chairman Giles? Hello? Yes…Might I…Oh, thanks. Yes, I'll hold…"
Will looked over to Kolchak, behind his desk, comfortably leaning back in, for him new, if battered, chair and Margaret, seated near him. Finally… "I think I've got his secretary. Just a mo…Lord, isn't this a news agency? We don't have phones?"
"Not for calls to England, we don't, boy." Kolchak grinned. "This is INS, not the Metropolis Daily Planet…"
"Thank God the bills on this still go to Wolfram-Hart, LA…" Will sighed. "Oh, hello? Yes, William Soames Walthrop. For Chairman Giles, yes…William…Soames…S..O…A…Oh, bollocks…Just tell Giles it's Spike…"
Pause…Lengthy pause…
Margaret eyed Kolchak who shrugged…
"Rupert…Yes, it's me…But being a human soul, if not physically human, I would prefer my real name? William or Mr. Walthrop is fine, Mr. Giles. Oh…Thanks…And congratulations on your chairmanship…Very well deserved. Yes, we did…Everyone of the Slayers who came was very much appreciated, thanks. What? No…No, I didn't…Angel and I were prisoners and pretty much unconscious in the Partners' torture cell until two Slayers brought us in. Yes, quite true on that score…Dru…" he paused. Looking over at Margaret smiling warmly at him. Hope your friends in England are nice, her clear thought…
"Well, later on that…It went well. Angel did nobly, for once, by her though… What? No…Certainly not…Why would I be? If I were to be a bit miffed at anyone it would be you, not her? Well, Giles…You did try to kill me, post-soul. But no hard feelings, I understand your concerns… Well, how is she? Good…Life in Rome suiting her? Good…Yes, we were there. Me too, yes. But Giles, delightful as this catching up is… Yes, I saw her picture with His B in "People", they made a fine couple. Bully for them. Seriously, she deserves the best. Now, Giles…What I wanted to ask was…Giles, it's fine. Absolutely…Well, yes. She did cut my hands off. But vampiral regeneration is quite efficient and W-H had a crack team…Including our own Winifred. Yes, Burkle…Yes, that one. Yes, we were miffed, she was the finest person next to me mum I ever…. No, not a slip of the tongue, Giles. I loved her and I knew her faults. Giles?...Giles, what do you want from me, you tried to kill me because you thought I'd throw Buffy off her stride. Now you're troubled that I seem a bit distant from her? She's moved on and I've a life of my own, Giles. No, right…Unlife…But it's still mine. Anyway, I'm glad that Buffy's settled with the Immortal and I've no desire to bollocks that up, have no fears there. Now as to my own matter…No, I don't need you to give me a mailing address, however secure…Giles? Right, my nobility shines. But what I do need is access to your archive vaults. There's a Slayer I need to look up…What?" he frowned, pulling back… " I just need to know a bit about her…Who?" sudden pause…The two, Kolchak and Margaret stunned to see him actually manage to turn a degree paler. "Never heard of her…" secure tone.
Oh…Margaret frowned, eyeing him… "He just lied…William, why did you lie?" Kolchak eyeing her then Walthrop…
Tough job preserving the sanity of former psychos with no memory of their past but a lot of residual odds and ends popping up at the worse times.
"Any way the one I want is Brigitte Helm. Yes, the actress and Slayer…Yes, the one in 'Metropolis'. Just interested, I may do a story about her. No, as an actress…See, I met her once. I just need to review a few facts about her. Can you get me in? Great…I could be there in three days or so. Great… What?No, I tole you, doesn't ring a bell…"
William…Margaret, frowning. "I can always tell somehow when he's fibbing…" she noted to Karl.
"I used to be good at that myself with certain types…Before I gave up legwork." Kolchak grinning.
"Now you're the one fibbing, Karl." Margaret frowned, smiled. "You'll never be chained to a desk."
"What? Giles, I just tole you, there's no need…" Suddenly 'dad' wants me to see 'his little girl'? When did I become an acceptable dating choice…? "Fine, yes…Dinner would be great. But you're not going to… Good…No…I'd love to see her…Sometime…Just right now, I'd say it was best to let her enjoy her new beau undisturbed, don't you think? Thanks, nobility is my middle name, next to Soames. All right, seven on Thursday…And the archives? Good…Oh, I'll be bringing a colleague, quite human…"
"Maybe not…" Kolchak noted to Margaret. "Hey, Will…Make that two humans…"
"What? No, someone just speakin' to me. Just a mo…." Will put phone down. "Two?"
"Ever been to England, Maggie?" Kolchak grinned to her.
"Oh…" she beamed. "Not since my parents brought me over…"
"Now wait…" William tried. Nervous eyeing of Kolchak…Karl?
"We need secretarial and research support…And I don't want Maggie assigned to some one else while we're away. You'll come, right, Mags? And we've funding for her." Karl eyed Will.
Not a good idea, Karl…Will's look replied.
I'm pledged to keep an eye on her…Karl's returned.
"I'd love to go if the agency can approve it…" Margaret, eagerly.
"Fine…Wonderful…" Will nodded, returning to phone. "Sorry make that two humans for the archives and dinner, Giles. Our assistant Margaret Waverly is coming as well. So that will be Karl Kolchak, my editor, Miss Margaret. Yes, Giles…"
Thank God he knows…That would've made for an interesting dinner party…
"…Waverly. And William Soames Walthrop, yours truly. Thanks…What? No…" pause… "Well, yes…Tell her I wish her the best, as always."
"That girl…" Margaret noted to Karl. Who nodded. Both looking out Kolchak's battered office door and over to the framed photo on Walthrop's desk.
"Wish she'd make up his mind for him…" arch look at Karl who grinned back.