"The
Metropolis Story…"
Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, www.buffyrebecca.com/met.html
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.
Metropolis, 2011…
Glorious, gleaming, sky-raking city on a hill to her
elite…Hellhole, but beloved hellhole…Whatsit to you,
buddy?...To many not so elite…
Some still arguing the Continental Congress of 1776
should never have changed the name from "New York" to end its ties
with royalty…
The offices of the least…No, Fox News, Metropolis
holds that title now…Second least reputable news outlet in
Metropolis…Independent News Service, Metropolis…
And specifically, just outside the large if rather
grimy office, of Tony Vincenzo, editor-in-chief…
Where the staff, primarily concerned with monitoring
the daily soaring, if disreputably-based ups and sudden, stunning downs-to-earth
of their news service, is startled to see Vincenzo in
a benevolent mood…
"There he is!...My
boy!..." Stepping forward with widely open arms for a dangerously powerful
hug…
Ah…But look whom it's aimed at…Collective glare…
The new fair-haired…Quite literally, too…Boy…
Walthrop…The Brit…Though some still insist the
accent's either phony or Australian…
A few incredible stories of the city's
underbelly…Impossible stories, many would say…Though until disproven, far too
lucrative to turn down…And the punk kid is on top…
And according to Harry in HR…Such HR as we got…The
kid's so-called credentials from LA and London stink like a 3
months old overfed baby's diaper…
And we don't mean the age of the kid…
The little, if surprisingly tough…If the report from
Karl…Our good, old, beloved Karl Kolchak…
Kolchak from his desk frowning equally at the
collective staff eyeing him sympathetically and Vincenzo…
Since when did this collection of freaks, geeks, and
news media losers ever give me the time of…See Lou's on his way further
down…Said new fired Dobbs passing down the corridor of desks wanly, bottle and
box of things in hand…Told Tony the guy was ruined goods and could never handle
an objective column…That "Lou's view is the real America's view"
crazy rant was to be expected…They say at Fox he claimed he had a direct line
to Murdoch's ear…
Guess everyone knew that but Rupert…
Though the real story…Awaiting confirmation…Involves
the Missus…Or "Tiger girl" as Lou called her…
Or so Dobbsie claimed…And
a few of my sources at Imitation News backed him up…
Still, is grating to see this kid…Whom I trained on
his first weeks here…Grabbing what little gratification and glory is to be had
here…He eyes young Walthrop…The young man (right…) clearly as embarrassed as
all round but Vincenzo and Margaret, the pale, gentle
and clearly smitten receptionist were annoyed…
I mean, one must give a world-saving Champion who
won back his soul on his own cahones his due...I
guess…And his work doesn't fully suck as much he does at certain times…
But if I hadn't owed Liam Angel a…Well, several
favors…For those times back in LA…
And come to think of it, I did go a long way out for
the other one…He eyes gentle, dark-haired, pale-skinned Margaret…Who smiles
warmly back…He briefly returning one of his very few reserved smiles…
Though, given her history…Who could turn down the
chance to help that poor kid…?
"Our brightest star!..."
Vincenzo bubbles, rocked the
embraced, embarrassed Walthrop… "Another scoop yesterday…We even beat out
the Planet!..."
On some crazy story that alien invaders had latched
on to the minds of the Mayor's and Police Commissioner's wives and they were
about to hatch open a nest of tiny jellyfish body-snatchers?...Various staff
members eyed each other…
And I put him on that story, Tony?...Remember?...The
one you rejected?...Kolchak glares at Vincenzo, still
overflowing with the milk of human greediness…
'Course, a downside is potentially there, given the
two ladies are in the hospital in comas…Not so bad, if one knew them before…But
crippling to our dear Mayor whose divorce plans must now remain in permanent
holding pattern, thanks to our ace and heroic reporter who managed to not only
save the city and the dear possessed ladies but prevented our noble
boys-in-blue from shooting the dear girls to ribbons…
Almost a pity in some ways…The Commish
told me he'd never had better sex or a more loving relationship with the Missus
than when a malevolent alien jellyfish's tentacles were buried deep within her
cerebral cortex…
"And Karl, too…" Margaret suddenly called
from her desk, clapping his way…
Hmmn… Vincenzo looked over
at the image of past glories and disasters…Oh, yeah…Good ole Karl…
"Right, great idea putting this guy on the
trail, Karl…" brief wave…Followed by renewed hug… "Oh, you wonderful
kid…!"
Kolchak gave a second, unprecedented in one day,
smile to dear beaming Margaret…
Lord, to think two years that sweet kid was a
deranged two hundred year old killer…
"My responsibility…" Angel had told him…
And quickly washed his hands of her after restoring
her to Humanity and giving her a new name and new memories of a calm and
peaceful life that only resembled the human life she'd lost when he'd…
"But now…" Vincenzo
had relaxed his grip and allowed Walthrop to escape the fatal embrace…
Kolchak's and a fair number of colleagues' ears
perked up…
All, all-too-familiar with the sudden down-to-earth
at INS…
"We have to discuss a few…Matters…Karl!..." he looked over to Kolchak…
"In my office…"
Kolchak reluctantly rising…His
rumpled attire drawing the usual looks…
Stay on the job all night sometime, pantywaists, and
you might look like a reporter…He sauntered to the office and followed the
other two…Catching Margaret's apprehensive glance at Walthrop…
Poor kid…
But perhaps some memories never quite die…Or can be
physically purged…
Gotta give Walthrop credit though…He's not taken
advantage…And I accept that any threats I initially made on that subject were
not likely to discourage him, should he wish to trifle with the young lady's
affections…
Then again, may be the kid's gay…Always had my
doubts about Liam and he sure seemed obsessed with this one…Could be the
long-term effect of vampirism, oughta have Miss Emily look it up sometime in
the library…
He entered the office…
"Sit down, Karl…" Vincenzo,
already seated behind his littered desk, pointed to the less-comfortable
chair…Walthrop likewise already seated in the more comfortable of the two…
"Trouble in Paradise, Tony?..."
Kolchak took a seat… Nodding at Walthrop, who gave a sheepish
shrug back… Look, boss…Not my idea…
"Nah…Well…" Vincenzo
looked at each man… "We did get a little flak from the Mayor's office for
our 'unbelievable assertions'…And a request for any information we might have
on the aliens' physiology…" wink… "But the reason I brought you in is
that I've decided…With a little help from corporate above…That our ace ought to
try a less…Current…Field…Just for a bit…"
"Mayor Lindenquist
upset over having to hold his dear wife's comatose hand for the cameras for the
rest of his political life…?" Kolchak suggested…
"That didn't improve his attitude toward the
people who accused him of allowing a terrorist, if alien terrorist, plot to
destroy and enslave the city to take shape under his roof…" Vincenzo, drily…
"Pity it couldn't have ended with a big and
well-photographed funeral…Followed, after a reasonable mourning period, by a
very happy wedding…" Kolchak smiled…
"That was a shame…" Vincenzo
eyed Walthrop…
"I couldn't let them gun the poor woman
down…" William interjected…
"No, I guess not…" Vincenzo
perked up again… "And in any case, then the Mayor would've hushed
everything up and probably tried to pin his wife's death on you… And we got the
scoop…Left White and his Planet in the dirt…"
"Still, it leaves us here…Corporate feels
you're a white-hot property, Walthrop…But a little too-white-hot right now…They
want a little 'cooling-off' period…Give the Mayor a chance to see this could
still be an asset…As long as she remains in the coma…"
"So…Am I suspended…Laid-off?..."
Walthrop stared…
"No…Not at all…There's an important assignment
that has your name on it…Just not so current as some of the stuff you've been
doing…It's right up your and Kolchak's…As your editor…alley…A little history, a
little mystery...Glamour…" Vincenzo raised a
solemn finger… "And best of all, some travel…You're from Europe, right?..."
"Depends on which Englishman you talk to…"
William, drily…
Travel?...To
Europe?...Kolchak stared…
Just how angry is the Mayor?...And
since when did INS corporate ever spring for…?
Oh…Right…
Good ole Liam intervening once more…No doubt…
Well, so long as my protégé has a good Angel looking
out for him, why shouldn't one Kolchak also reap a bit
of the golden crop…
"Just what is this one, Tony?...And
do I get formal promotion to assistant editor?...Before we leave for
Europe…" hard stare…
Nonchalant return from Vincenzo…
So, It is Liam footing the
expense bills…Nice…
"It concerns the history of the film that took
its inspiration from this great city…" Vincenzo,
expansively… "Naturally when the time comes for research in Europe I want
the full team there in support of our boy…And yes, but no raise in pay…"
"I figured…Accepted…With an office…"
Kolchak, firmly…
"An office?...Well…I guess we could have that
one in back fumigated now that Dobbs is out…"
"Margaret as my help…She's been looking for
more to do…"
"You're killing me here, Karl…The man who
nurtured you all these years, accepted those crazy stories, protected
you…" Vincenzo frowned…Leaning forward in chair…
"Made a bundle off me and my 'crazy stories'
and hasn't given me a promised raise or office in 20 years…"
"What can I say?…You
know how the news business is these days…"
"Sir?…" Walthrop
cut in… "About this story…?"
"Right, right…Ok, you know the film…
'Metropolis'…Our own beautiful name for our own beautiful city…Was recently
restored…"
One might say that if one hadn't seen the original
screening in 1927 as I did…William eyed Vincenzo…Though
they got most of it back…
"There's a mystery associated with this film,
boys…And to celebrate…"
Exploit…Kolchak corrected inwardly…
"…the history of our city's ties with its
greatest portrayal in film, I want my ace team to solve it…" Vincenzo beamed…
***
Offices of the leading Metropolis news organ, the
Daily Planet…
Just outside the office of the
editor-in-chief…Rather magnificent in comparison to those of his somewhat
disreputable rival at INS…
Newspaper flung from door…Several staffers nearby
glance and note that it is a copy of that INS ragsheet…A
picture of the Mayor and his wife and the Commissioner of Police and his wife,
each wife with what appeared to be a giant glob of jello
covering their heads…The women standing on a trampled city… "Conspiracy of
the Century Foiled!" the blaring headline…
One curious staffer hastily grabbed the paper up,
glancing nervously at the office door, then scanning the cover page…
William S. Walthrop on the byline…The staffer,
hearing an approaching storm, fled, dropping paper back onto floor…
"Kent!..." harsh
cry from open door of said office… "My office!..."
***
"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 II…
"Mr. White?..." Kent eyed the grey-haired, grim-and even to an
invincible superhero, rather formidable-looking middle-aged figure in chair…
Raising his glasses with a grunt, editor-in-chief
Perry White regarded his supplicant…
Clark Kent, ace reporter for the leading Metropolis
news organ, the Daily Planet, an amazing example of the power of suggestion…It
being impossible for any objective person to find this hulking, handsome fellow
as anything less than "Don Draper"-level material, yet all acquainted
with him accepting the young reporter's self-portrayal as a rather
mild-mannered, rather ingenuous, even geeky sort, though for all that a brilliant
and rising journalist. All except a very few in the know, either through love,
friendship, or enmity…
Mr. White not being one of them…He frowned at the
nervous young man…Still wet behind the ears for all his efforts…Though
undeniably a promising reporter…The most promising of the current lot…
Not that that was saying much in this age of
Internet twaddle and fluff passing as journalism…Just to find a reporter
willing to do some leg work and able to write a coherent sentence now seemed to
be taken as the Second Coming…
And, for the moment, this particular cub had failed
him…At least in anticipation of the enemy's efforts if not in the work itself…
"I assume you know we were scooped by INS
again, Kent?..." he eyed the reporter…
God, get some contacts one of these days, kid…He
regarded the heavy-framed glasses the young man now fumbled with…
"I've heard that, sir…On the alien conspiracy
story?..."
"That's the one…" White glared… "Nice
of you to read up on it now that's too late…Kent?...You
are aware that it's a part…A big part…Of a good reporter's job to keep up on
what the competition is doing…"
"It doesn't seem like much of a real story,
sir…" Kent tried…
"The Mayor's wife…The Commissioner's wife…Both
possessed and used by the terrorists, nearly adding their husbands and half the
city to their cause, left in comas?...That doesn't sound like a story to
you…?"
"Well, sir…Aliens?...Jellyfish
puppet masters controlling public officials' family members?...I mean, it
sounds like most of the stuff INS puts out…"
"Except that the facts remain…The two ladies
were affected…The city was in danger…And one Walthrop not only saved the day
and these two prominent ladies but scooped us!..."
"Well, the Mayor's office denies the story…And
NASA hasn't said a word since they collected specimens…"
"Kent?...NASA collected specimens…People saw
them collecting specimens…People saw the Mayor's wife demand Metropolis
surrender to their kind…That is a story, whether the government admits to it or
not…Kid, what do I have to do to teach you the ropes of this business?..."
"Sorry, Mr. White…Do you want me to follow up?..."
"Is there still a story?...Kent?..."
"Well…The two women are still in comas,
sir…"
"And…?"
"And NASA and the mayor's office haven't
admitted to the cause of their behavior and injuries…"
"And…Therefore…" falsely patient
smile…Wave of hand…
"There's still a story…" Kent nods…
"Very good…" frown… "Now, don't you
think someone from our institution should follow-up on your fine intuitive
stroke?..."
"Uh, yes, sir…"
"Wonderful…But it's not you…"
"Sir?..."
"Walthrop, Kent…Walthrop is your
competition…Olsen or Lois can do the follow-up, under your overall supervision
as chief reporter…But your task is to keep your eye on the competition while
your people see what juice is left in the original story…I want you on Walthrop
24/7…Where he goes, what he does…"
"But…There are other stories to ferret out, Mr.
White…"
"Oh?...Such as…?"
"Well…The city council scandal…"
"Did my city reporter take a
vacation?...Kent…If you find the story of a lifetime along the way, you call me
and I'll put Lois on Walthrop's tail…Until then, you are his shadow…He doesn't
breathe without Clark Kent knowing about it, cell in hand to report it to this
paper?..."
But he doesn't breathe…Kent sighs inwardly…
"Do you understand me, Kent?..."
"Yes, sir…"
"Excellent…You can go now, Kent…"
"Yes…Uh…Thanks, sir…"
"Door, Kent…"
"Yes, sir…" closes door…
Lovely…Following that blonde freak of nature about
the city till God knows when?...On stories that I'm
embarrassed to think could ever end up in the Planet…?
Even if some are true…
While real news is left to Lois, Jimmy, and even
those idiots at Fox?...
Geesh, if I'd just been able to confirm a vampiral
nature at our first contact that night and killed him then and there before his
friend got word out about him and his darned soul…Instead now I not only have
him competing with me on protecting the city from Evil, he's my up-and-coming
rival in the news wars…
And of course Lois likes him and that swing between
sensitive and swaggering manner…And that #$#! accent…And
that leather jacket…
God, of all rivals…Another vampire hero with
soul…Who lives in Metropolis, thanks to that brooding idiot in LA…
And soul he recovered on his own…For love…Even I
can't top that…
"Hey, Clark…Perry have anything to tell you?..." young photographer/cub reporter Jimmy Olsen
rushes up to him…A troubled Kent not aware of his presence at first…
Thank God Lois doesn't know anything about his other
worldly side…
I think…
And he does have a girl…Though…Sorry, Mom…
"Hmmn?
…Oh, hi, Jimmy…"
"Anything from on high?..."
Damn it…It's unrequited…They say…
Lovely…A poet hero who freed himself from a dreadful
curse for love of a woman who doesn't return his affections…Which he nobly
accepts…
And he's a first-rate reporter…Even if he works for
the second least reputable news outlet in town…
Damn it…
Sorry, Mom…
"Yes…Uh, Perry wants you and Lois to follow up
on the INS story about the Mayor's wife…The aliens?..."
"The mind-controlling
jellyfish?...Really?...Lois won't be too happy about that, Clark…You know they
were running her for ten minutes when we all went into that warehouse after
Walthrop phoned you…"
"It's how he wants it,
Jimmy…Not for us to question…Besides, the aliens or whatever they were, are
dead…So you can tell Lois she doesn't need to worry…"
"Worry about what?..."
a female voice, silky in tone yet firm…
"Tea, William?..."
Margaret offered…Setting down a tray on the battered desk…
"Yes, thanks…" William smiled, taking the
proffered cup…Repressing the urge to stare into that sweet face…Just to see if
anything…
No…For God and poor Dru's sake, leave it be…She's
fine…There are no clouds there, apart from the normal misery of human
existence…Don't argue yourself into becoming her second Angelus by killing with
good intentions…Let her be…
"And coffee for you, Karl…" Kolchak nodding, with what was for him, gallant pleasantry…Switching
from leaning in his new chair at dangerous angle to sitting up…
"Thanks, Maggie girl…"
Of course there is that mash on me…That's a bit
worrisome…Will thought…
But it's only natural, really…She liked me enough to
choose me 120 years ago, why shouldn't her human self find me attractive…
Just have to hope Angel's docs and occults got
everything right…Before he sent her off into the world to sink or swim on her
human lonesome…
What a guy…He and Buffy should open a "tough
love" clinic together...
"All set?..."
Margaret smiled at him… "I know you prefer just lemon…"
"Yes, please…And fine…Though if you've any of
those cookies you made yesterday…"
"Always…" she beamed… "Just a mo…Karl?..."
"Just leave me the plate, kiddo…I'll clean you
out…" he waved…
Dru and her perfect teas…Well, at least Miss Edith
is no longer invited…Nor a bleeding corpse or turned victim…
"Will?..." Will
blinked at Margaret eyeing him…
"Thanks, love…" he took the plate and set
it down in front of Kolchak…Who as good as his word, promptly grabbed three
large cookies…
Margaret hesitating…Clearly hoping for a bit more
from him…
Oh, love…Not a good idea, even if my heart weren't
elsewhere engaged…
Bit too cruel, bastards…Will thought,
addressing the unresponsive Powers That Be…
"Thanks, Maggie…Keep Tony and the other wolves
away, would you?..." Kolchak addressed her…She
nodding with smile, closing door as she left…
"Rather wish Liam had thought to provide a
boyfriend…" Will noted, staring at the closed door…
"No interest?..."
Kolchak eyed him…
"Come on, Karl…" he frowned back…
"You know as well as Liam did when he arranged my gig here, I love her, in
the best of ways…But even if I felt that particular sort of feeling for her, I
wouldn't endanger her happiness by pressing things…"
One thing to do a quickie with Harmony, career girl
vamp and Wolfram Hart mole in our ranks, to check out the ole equipment…Quite
another to selfishly risk the sanity and happiness of a…Yes, a dear and
innocent, friend…
"She'll find someone, a sweet kid like
that…" Kolchak noted…
Hopefully, at last, a decent someone, if she
wishes…Though…Will thought…I can at least be glad the genuine feeling was there
for a time…I can try to tell myself my other self helped, not tormented, in Just one case…
Until many years later…
"Ok…So?...What do we
have?..." Assistant editor/chief reporter Kolchak,
rather pleased with his new chair, (even if it was thirty years old and
probably rat-gnawed, judging from the marks), leaned back to eye 'his' ace
reporter…
At last I get a bit of recognition, as well as an
office and the first new (to me) furniture I've seen in 20 years…
And, even the good chance of perhaps scooping my own
star reporter…
After all only one of us can go out in daylight for
all his restored soul jazz…
"Our subject…" William pulled out a glossy
studio portrait of a young blonde-haired actress in 20s era dress… "Ms.
Brigitte Helm, actress, star…"
"Nice…" Kolchak nodded at the portrait…
Will looking at the portrait carefully…
You know…I never quite realized…
Not exactly Summers, but…
"And here she is at work in her greatest
triumph…As Maria/Futura in 'Metropolis'…" Will pulls out two more photos from the heavy envelope he'd
placed on Kolchak's battered (but mine, all mine) desk…
Ms. Helm in heavy, plain dress looking solemnly at
camera, an earnestly soulful expression…
And Ms. Helm in same dress, slyly
leering at camera…
"She's good…Or was…" Kolchak eyed the
shots… "Good and evil in one performance, eh?..."
"More than that, Karl…She played Hitler in
several scenes…Before he was Hitler…Based on what the director, Lang had seen
of him…When she addresses the workers as false Maria to rile them up…Unbelieveable…"
"Hmmn…Ok…Take your word for it…You saw her,
after all…"
"I was on set once during production…And I saw
the premiere…" Will nodded…
"And now the mystery…After 'Metropolis' makes
the kid a star at 19, she dominates German film until 1933 when the Nazis take
over and by 1935, she's so fed up with their tentacles round the German film
industry that she gives it all up and leaves…"
"Worried about Goebbels' tentacles too, I'd
say…And she had married a Jewish doctor…And stuck by him…" Will, tentatively
taking up a photo…Leering false Maria…
Saint and monster, all in one…Those lessons poor ole
Dru gave her in that dungeon certainly worked…
"Brave girl…" shrug… "But…What's the
mystery?...She took her husband and ran for
Switzerland and never looked back…"
"But she never worked in films again…Never
agreed to a single interview…Not even long after the war when Lang and
'Metropolis' were considered master and masterpiece…" Will tapped the photo before him…
"And Tony Vincenzo
figures this is a mystery that's worth pulling his only worthwhile reporting
team off real news?..."
"I think he figures it'll keep us out of
trouble…Especially if we have to do the research in Europe…Still…It is a
mystery…" William pondered the photographs spread out before him on the
desk…
God…What is this fatal attraction blondes have for
me?...That certain type of blonde…
Not twins but they could be sisters…
Kolchak, staring as well…
"You meet this girl?...Back
then…?"
"Yes…" William nodded… "The time I
visited the set…And ten years later…"
"Any?…You know…"
shrug… "Anything I should know about?..."
"We didn't shag if that's what you mean…"
"But you really do think there's a mystery to
this?..."
"There was…" hard stare…
"Slayers don't give up their profession that
often…Even when they're movie stars…And I've never heard tell of one who was
allowed to retire and live to ripe old age…Their Council puts Humanity's safety
well ahead of any regard for the life of an individual Slayer…"
"Except…?" Kolchak eyed the photos…
"Except…" Will touched
the nearest photo gently…
***