The Aftermath

44

Teri has her first copy out on the wire at 4:20am. Everyone knows there is a story, but they aren't sure what that story is, or who was involved besides Charlie Davis. Teri's copy is the first one on the wire that has the answers to the questions.

Teri switches the angle to Tom being the hero, and in twenty minutes she has another out there on the line. She also has chief editor Henry at her share-desk. "Where the hell did you get this? Is it clean? No question this is what happened?"

"No question. I got it from Tom Blake. Right on the phone at three in the morning."

"Shit. He called you? Why?"

"You know why, because I've been working with him. He trusts me."

"We are running this front page."

Teri turns around and gets back on her laptop, "You and everyone else on the west coast."

"I want to talk to you about a job, a contract. Two years."

"I want to talk to you about an office, full time. Not this share-desk stuff."

"The only offices I have are shit."

"I'll take it."

"What about the contract?"

"I'll let you know tomorrow morning." She finishes the copy and puts it on the line. Another angle hits her between the eyes and she flashes a new document on the screen.

"I'm serious about this, maybe tomorrow will be too late." Henry grumbles.

Teri shrugs, "Maybe I'll be on a plane to Australia. Have you seen the copy I'm selling right now. Shit, I won't have to work for three months, maybe more."

"Your bluffing. You wouldn't leave a story like this, not when it is this hot." He grinned at her.

"Don't bet on it." But she knew he was right. There was a ton of copy-line in this story and she had the exclusive with the man in the middle. It was way too good to walk away from.

Besides, I might be supporting a baby soon. Shit!

A contract, two years, that was huge. Seventy, maybe eighty a year? Shit! No more scrapping for two years? Of course all of her stories go to the Trib, but fuck it, for that money they could have them. She could work on a book. She could finally make a hole for herself in this racket.

She finished that story and sat back in her chair looking at the time. It was just after five in the morning. Coffee sounded good again. What I need to do is go to the hospital and meet this Kemp guy. That sounded good.

Packing up her laptop, she went to the break room, grabbed a bagel, filled her cup and left the Trib building.

#

When Teri arrives at the hospital, the Press are being held at bay. Teri snatches her Press badge off her neck and stuffs it into her laptop bag. She gets up to the guards who ask why she's here, "I'm Charlie Davis' assistant." It's not really a lie, she was her assistant in Oceanside, for a day, but the guard didn't need to be burdened with that detail.

He waves her in and she gets on the phone and calls Tom, "Where are you?"

"The waiting room in the ICU, fifth floor." He sounds tired and drained.

"I'm in the lobby, I'm coming up."

Off the elevator she looks around and spots Tom sitting with a monster of a man. Kemp? That's got to be Kemp. Damn is he built.

She walks to Tom who stands and she hugs him with out preamble. Breaking the hug she looks up in his eyes, "She's going to be alright?"

Tom shrugs and sits back down. Kemp introduces himself and she shakes his hand and gives him a quick smile. "She's not out of the woods yet. The major worry is infection, which could kill her in this state."