ShadowChancer
Chapter 6
by MistThing, published on February 12, 2001
- "I really need it, Josh."
- "Uh-huh ... I suppose in *that* case, I should give 'it' to you straight away then..." Josh 'Grim' Dallas, executive editor of Seattle Tribune General News department, sat back in his chair and examined Grace with that look that usually scared the hell out of his staff.
Grace was too desperate to get scared, though. "Come on ... I need this for a story. I *know* you like stories, Josh ... the big, flashy, breaking news kind of stories."
Josh's tone was indifferent. "For a freelancer, you've got some nerve, Nakimura." Then his mouth twisted into a thin smile. "But that's why I like you."
He's game for it, thought Grace. She didn't let her relief show on her face. "Thanks Chief ... you won't regret it."
- "Now I'm experiencing some memory loss" - Josh pressed his fingertips against each other - "I don't recall saying I'm allowing this abuse of The Tribune's resources."
- "JOSH!"
He laughed dryly, concentrating back on his computer screen and the load of papers on his desk. "Fine, fine ... go, tell chief-librarian I authorized it. Just leave something in the archives for future generations, will you?"
- "See, that's the kind of attitude that gets you *great* headlines like 'Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Experts Say'." Grace grinned and quickly fled to the corridor, before 'Grim' Dallas changed his mind.
Gabriel is supposed to be at the Psion Comics building right now, thought Grace. They had a long talk about Bruce Kent / Clark Wayne / Spark and he listened intently. She couldn't tell what was going on behind Gabriel's eyes ... long ago, there was a time she could. This blind spot hurt her in a way she refused to admit to her consciousness. The thought slipped off the margins of Grace's awareness again as she hurried to the library. Grace loved the archives ... enough microfilms, diskettes, tapes, CDs, Videos, DVDs and hard copies to satisfy even an information junkie like her.
She stood at the archives door. "Chief Librarian Mike ... thought I might find you here digging up stuff instead of salivating at your desk."
Mike jumped to his feet, banging his head on an upper pulled out drawer. Seeing Grace, he smiled. "Well, f*ck me if it isn't my favorite Lois Lane."
- "Please, don't call me that..." - Grace advanced idly towards him - "I've had my share of aliases, thanks." She smoothed his shirt collar affectionately. "Nice shirt ... colorful. How's John, by the way?"
Mike frowned slightly. "Don't ask me about the bastard ... ever again."
- "Hmmm ... trouble in paradise?" - Grace appeared sympathetic.
- "Uh..." - He dismissed it with a hand wave - "Don't worry your head about it, Princess."
- "Hey ... you're the only royalty title in this room, Mike" - Grace smiled - "And, I'm really sorry ... I thought you two were right for each other."
- "Yeah ... water under the bridge. What can I do you for, Grace?"
- "Oh, 'Grim' authorized me archive and digital database access."
- "He did? Funny, good mood day ... He probably got laid last night ... Yeah, that's it." He swung his arm wide, gesturing around him. "It's all yours, Grace" - he said as he left the room.
Grace strolled along the alphabetically arranged cabinets. "Mike!" - She called loudly - " The 'Psion comics' stuff - where can I find it? It's not under 'P'!"
His voice came faint from the adjacent room. "Try under 'C', Grace!"
- "Huh ... 'C' for 'Comics'?"
- "Nah, 'C' for 'Corporations', Miss Lane" - Mike's head popped up at the doorway - "Directions from God, Grace. Administration."
- "Oh ... that makes it kinda hard to find, isn't it?" - Grace's sharp gaze already scanned 'Corporations' section, quickly locating 'Psion Comics Inc.' She drew the metal drawer open, running swift fingers along the headings. "Looks like lots of stuff has been pulled out from this one, Mike." - She stated, her tone disappointed. The drawer was almost cleaned out ... Grace reached and picked up a bunch of Psion Comics magazines. "Well, I guess these are useless" - She said while going over them. Got nothing better to do now, anyway ... until hitching with Gabriel again at 08:00 pm.
Grace carried the pile of comic books to the desk, releasing them with a sigh of relief near the computer. She browsed through the multicolored images, trying to decipher the plots into hidden massages. Well these are just comics stories ... superficial, overly dramatic, fast food kind of comics stories. Her frustration drove her to start reading the cheesy advertisements that were dispersed between the stories. One recurring ad made her look twice ...
"Are you a true comics fan? Think you've read it all? Then boy, do we have some PSYCHIC stuff for you! Use Psion's free comics worldwide exchange service - no SURVEILLANCE, satisfaction guarantied! Trade INTERNATIONAL! Got 'how-to' questions? Our local exchange OPERATIVE would love to help ya put it all together! You won't find a better trading NETWORK. Contact us at http://www.psioncomics.com. Have a great day. Have Psion comics!"
The highlighted words seemed strange to Grace. She took out her notebook and copied them, side by side:
Psychic Surveillance International Operative Network.
Grace looked again, and wrote: P.S.I.O.N.
Damn ... this is a fake-ad ... that's no comics trade service, that's for sure. They're kind of offering their services to anyone who knows where to look ... But what are they offering, exactly - psychic mercenaries for hire? And I sent Gabriel straight to them ... F*ck!
Grace jumped out of her seat and sprang out of the archives. "Mike, save for me this painting I brought, will ya!" - She shoved ShadowChancer into his hands and skipped down the Tribune stairs, not waiting for an elevator.
Last update: October 25, 2007
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