Issue Eight ~ Bio-Hazard
Chapter One
"CHASE GET THE HELL IN HERE!"
Starling cringed hearing Ed shouting for her. He had been pretty happy with her after the favorable reviews, and spike in sales her
Compromised Heroes
article had brought the River Run. His current tone relayed the clear message that that happiness had passed.
The red-haired reporter got up and walked into the editor's office. Lacey Stewart, the publication's gossip writer and Starling's only real friend, was already in there. The brunette was wearing blue jeans and a black blazer over a green T-shirt. She had a slightly concerned look on her pretty face.
"What's going on?" Starling asked.
"Shut the door," Ed instructed. "Sit down."
Starling did as she was told, smoothing out her loose navy skirt as she sat. Her top was a lighter blue, hugging the curves of her ample chest, sporting a modest neckline. Her scarlet hair was down as usual, and she had taken the time to meticulously straighten it that morning.
"You oughta see this?" Ed said, sliding a magazine across the desk to her.
Starling picked it up. It was a copy of the Whole Truth, a trashy tabloid that lived up to all the stereotypes. The cover headline read: "Billionaire Playboy Slums It With River Run Reporter!" The picture underneath was of her with her top down and her breasts pressed against the window in Pierce Ashton's penthouse suite! Her naked chest had been censored of course, but there was no question what was happening behind the pixilation.
The young reporter's emerald eyes widened in horror and she frantically opened the magazine and flipped to the actual story. It was terribly written, amounting to little more than calling her a "whore" in the most convoluted wording possible. There were more pictures as well, a few of her on his arm at the Summit party from that same night, and others of her in the window; one that featured her completely naked, with her dress in a rumpled heap around her ankles. And another poorly focused shot of her on her knees in front of Pierce.
A flood of emotions washed through the young woman, as tears of humiliation and anger filled her eyes and began to spill down her soft, round cheeks. She looked from Ed to Lacey as if for answers.
"I'm sorry, Star," Lacey said. "I just saw it on the news stand this morning, I had no idea."
"The Daily Weekly is covering it too," Ed said, his tone walking a line between sympathy and perturb.
He slid her a copy of the rival newspaper. Its piece was at least well written, although no more favorable to her character, eloquently indicting her as a "golddigger" on top of being a whore. That article only mentioned that the racier pictures existed, rather than printing them. Although, to her further dismay, the article claimed that the online pornography company Vivid had posted copies of the un-censored photos.
"But...but...but how!" Starling stammered. "How can they...I didn't...I mean...I haven't given...how can they..." she trailed off into incoherent sobbing.
That had been such a wonderful night, and subsequent morning with Pierce. They had even text back and forth a few times in the days since. She'd even begun to imagine they might be building towards a real relationship. Now this? How quickly the dream seemed to become a nightmare.
"Don't worry," Lacey said putting her hand on Starling's shoulder. "We'll sue those motherfuckers! Right, Ed?"
"Shit, Stewart," the editor cleared his throat. "You know how these things go...once they're out, they're out."
Starling looked at the editor through her tears. "You're saying I can't do anything?" she sobbed. "They took naked pictures of me without my consent and there's nothing I can do?"
For the first time, ever, Ed seemed to feel guilty about seeing a woman crying in his office. "I mean, we'll get the RR legal team on it obviously, they'll get retractions for sure! These bastards all said some pretty nasty things about you..."
"...what about the pictures?"
"I mean, what are they going to do?" he said guiltily. "Go around to people's houses and demand all the copies back? And if they're on the internet..."
"We're going to do everything we can, honey!" Lacey cut him off. "We'll make them pay! Right, Ed?"
"Yeah, yeah...of course!"
The brunette hugged the bawling red head tightly. Starling leaned into her arms, finding more strength and comfort there than she expected. Lacey pulled her close and whispered a few bits of encouragement.
"So, uh, Chase maybe you should take the rest of the day," Ed suggested. "I'll call down to legal and we'll do some kind of meeting tomorrow so they can let you know what to expect."
The sniffling reporter looked up, and nodded. It was not helpful or comforting at all, but she appreciated that he was trying to be.
Gathering herself, barely, she headed back to her desk. Immediately, she felt as if something had shifted. Suddenly she couldn't shake the feeling that all eyes were on her. Everyone in the office was looking at her...looking right through her clothes!
She got back to her cubicle, and snatched up her purse. After a flustered moment of rummaging, she dumped the purse out on her desk and grabbed her phone. She dialed Pierce's number immediately...surely he'd know what to do!
He answered. "Hey Star, not a great-"
"Have you seen them? Do you know?" Starling snapped cutting him off and making no attempt to quell her anger.
"Seen what?"
"Someone was spying on your penthouse the other night and took naked pictures of me!" She was gripping the phone so tight her knuckles began to whiten. "They're all over the city in that rag the Whole Turth! The Daily Weekly is reporting that it's apparently all over the internet! We have to do something!"
Silence on the other end of the phone. Starling felt as if she were going to lose her mind waiting for him to say something.
"Pierce!"
"Yeah yeah, okay, calm down," he said at last.
"Calm down!?"
"Yes!" he said firmly. "Calm down..."
"Pierce! They took naked pictures of me and..."
"Yes, I get that!" he snapped. "Look I'm sorry but this kind of thing happens..."
"It happens?!" she exploded. "It happens?!"
"Yeah, remember I'm rich and famous," he sighed. "Everybody's looking for any chance to drag my name through the mud..."
"Not your name! Mine!" she snarled. "My body...my naked body!"
"What are you so worried about," he asked. "It's a great body anyway..."
"It's a...that's not the...!" she stammered. "I can't believe you don't care at all!"
"I told you, this kind of thing happens... it'll blow over in a few..."
Starling's phone smashed onto the floor, splintering the screen and sending a piece of the backing flying across the room. Now everyone really was staring at her. Her tear streaked cheeks were burning hot and her eyes were brimming. She blinked back tears, gathered up the important parts of her purse, then headed for the elevator.
How can this be happening,
she thought angrily punching the down button.
I'm just a piece of meat to those assholes, put on display to boost their sales! And Pierce and Ed, they could care less...it's like I've been thrown to the wolves!
By then the red head was marching out of the building onto the street. She momentarily thought of hailing a cab, but instead turned and started walking. She needed to burn off some energy, and maybe be able to approach the situation with a bit more of a level head.
As she headed up Adams, her heels clicking angrily on the concrete Starling began to get the feeling she was being followed. At first she dismissed it, still feeling as if everyone on street was watching her anyway. "There goes that whore from the cover of the Whole Truth," they must be whispering. "Her tits look even better jiggling down the street!"
Crossing her arms around her chest, Starling began to walk a little faster. However, the feeling of being followed persisted. It cut through the haze of anger and shame filling her head and after a few blocks, and some turns, she began to glance around for anything suspicious. One of the good qualities she'd inherited from Sara Chase was a particularly perceptive women's intuition, and a keen faith in it.
"Been a while, Star!" said a voice from the alley she was passing.
The startled young reporter jumped, stifling a shriek. She whirled on the speaker, who was half concealed in the shadows.
"Baker!" she spat. "Why the hell are you following me?"
"Haven't heard from you in a while," the skinny dealer stepped out into the light. He was wearing a plain T-shirt and the same dirty jeans he always did. His dirty blond goatee had grown out into a patchy 5 o'clock shadow.
"By design, you asshole," she replied. "I didn't lose your number."
"You still mad 'bout last time?" Baker asked. "Cause the way I see it, that's as much your fault as..."
"You think I give a shit the way you see it?" she snarled, then turned and began to walk away. "Believe it or not Baker I have other things going on in my life!"
"Like them pictures on the internet?" Baker called, following after her.
Starling found herself unable to form a reply. A fresh flood of humiliation washed over her, unable to keep from picturing Baker huddled in front of a computer screen, zooming in ever closer on the image of her naked breasts. His jeans around his ankles. She sped up a little.
"Kinda fucked up if you ask me," he said. "Bet you didn't even get paid..."
"Paid!?" Starling spun on him. "What do you think I am some kind of prostitute?"
