Chapter Four:

At The Bugle

The Bugle office was busy

Phones were ringing ever few minutes, answered by secretaries, and newspaper articles were being published around the clock. A janitor moved his broom around as he swept under the desk, working hard to sweep away the clutter that had fallen there in the last hour. In his office, Jameson was in the midst of wrapping up his post-broadcast podcast.

"Once more, I remind you all that Spider-Squid is no hero. Do not be fooled by what that menace says, he has been terrorizing the fair city of Inkopolis with every chance he's gotten..." The hot-headed Inkling newspaper editor said, "...and people with masks are always bad news. This is Jameson signing out."

The mustached Inkling turned off the podcast device just as a blonde Inkling wearing a black leather jacket entered the room with a pile of photos in hand.

"New guy, Bruckner..." Jameson said urgently, "Where've you been? I've been waiting for you all morning, you didn't answer your cell phone, got trouble with the phone bill?"

"I was taking pictures... of Spider-Squid." Bruckner replied, he placed the photos on the desk. The photos showed Spider-Squid swinging through Inkopolis, and one picture showed the battle that had taken place at the construction site between the web-slinging squid and the gunmen that had taken the construction workers hostage.

"And how did you get some of those pictures, my clever friend?" Jameson mused.

"Well, its thanks to the new camera drone technology that Adriac Heidth's been providing..." The upcoming photographer replied.

"Oh, who cares about Adriac, where's your camera? You take pictures with that, correct? Let me see some more Spider-Squid pictures you may have taken."

Bruckner's face went pale. "I left it in the car, sir." He quipped.

Jameson was beyond irked. "What kind of photographer leaves his camera in the car, you idiot?!" He snapped, "And just when I hired you. Now that I hired you, you're fired! Repeat that, I just hired you, now you're fired! Then again we just make mistakes, you're unfired. I could use more bright people like you, especially for getting scoops on Spider-Squid."

"I'm hired and fired and rehired?" Bruckner was confused.

"Forget about that!" Jameson slammed his fist on the desk, "You're now one of the best I've got, its your job to get all the pictures of Spider-Squid we need and find out who that web-spitting wall-crawler of an Inkling is behind that mask. AND WHERE ARE MY OCTOLING SWIMSUIT PICTURES?!"

"You want a swimsuit picture?" Bruckner pulled a picture out of his pocket, showing a red-tentacled Octoling girl in a black one-piece posing in a sexy manner.

"Who's this? Your girlfriend?!" Jameson remarked with annoyance, "Leave my office and go get your camera from the car before I have an ink attack. I wasn't asking for small photos, I'M LOOKING FOR PHOTOS WE CAN USE FOR THE BUGLE'S SPECIAL SWIMSUIT EDITION MAGAZINE OF THE MONTH!"

"Here you go, sir." A pink-haired Inkling in a dress said, rushing in with a pile of photos depicting female Inklings and Octolings wearing various swimsuits from one-pieces to two-pieces.

Bruckner's face flushed for a moment as he looked at the pictures. Jameson noticed his odd behavior and coughed. "Aren't you supposed to be doing something important, Bruckner?" The editor asked firmly.

"You want me to take more pictures of Spider-Squid?" Bruckner asked back.

"Don't stand around all day, gawking at the swimsuit selections for the magazine, GO GET AS MANY PICTURES OF THAT FUCKING WEB-SLINGER AS YOU CAN AND DO NOT TAKE ANY BREAKS UNTIL I HAVE ANOTHER PAIR OF PHOTOS ON MY DESK!"

The hired/fired/rehired Inkling photographer left the office, and stopped by the secretary's desk where a red-haired female Octoling was sorting out newspaper files. "Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Bruckner?" Natlie Brandt asked sweetly, "I'm pretty busy like the rest of us right now?"

"I was wondering if you're free tonight, Natlie..." Bruckner replied with a smooth smile.

"My shift ends at four, Bruck. How do you know my name?"

"The name's on your tag. Can I have your number?" Bruckner held out I-Phone.

"You smooth squid, I guess you're into Octolings..." Natlie took the phone and wrote down her number into Bruckner's contact list.

"Well, they say the octopus is the cousin to the squid, but looks like octopi and squids can have a mixed species bond." Bruckner grinned, "And I know a lot of dudes who've made out with hot Octoling babes."

"You charmer..." Natlie chuckled with a slight blush, "Call me tonight, I'll text you..."

"See you, Nat."

Bruckner left the building and pumped his fist excitedly as he headed to the car, he'd just gotten lucky at the Octoling jackpot and started to reel in another gorgeous Octoling with red tentacles. And he couldn't believe that he would be going out with a Bugle secretary of all people. Imagine the look on Jameson's face...