Chapter 10

"More tomorrow evening on this major news-making story," said Tony. Velvet smiled at him from off-camera. The story had been great. There was no doubt that dozens of people around City Hall were scurrying for cover, trying to protect their own asses now that the evidence against the city manager was in the open.

Velvet signed off and immediately threw her arms around Tony, kissing him on the lips.

"Great stuff, Velvet," he said after they'd finished the kiss. "And the story wasn't bad either."

She laughed delightedly. This was the type of thing she had hoped to do all through college. To go out and land the big stories, to make them ready for the public and crack down on the crooked politicians. And she was doing it on television!

"Let's go celebrate. I figure it'll take an hour or so for the ratings to come in on the show, but with the lead-ins we gave it during the soap operas this afternoon, we probably had a hell of a big audience."

"They tuned in just to ogle you," laughed Tony. "The men's tongues would be hanging out and the women would all hate and envy you at the same time. You're gorgeous!"

"Hold it, you two," came Williamson's cold voice. They turned and saw the station manager standing in the doorway.

"What is it?"

"I didn't like the format at all. All wrong. I'm going to downgrade both of you for imcompetence."

"But you'll still have to pay us what Ben agreed on. We've got the contracts, remember." Tony was feeling too good to let a shit-for-brains like Williamson bug him now.

The station manager's words chilled both Tony and Velvet.

"I read the fine print. If I think you're doing a sloppy job, that's grounds for firing. But I'm not going to do that. I'm just downgrading you both to scripters."

"You mean you don't want us to do anything but write the copy that someone else's already put together?"

"Just pretty it up, keep the grammar close to conversational and that's all. And I don't have to pay you those inflated salaries this way, either. You're both on minimum wage again."

"But..."

Velvet's protest fell on deaf ears. The man had gone off, chuckling to himself.

"Is he for real?" asked Tony, stunned. "Can he do that?"

"He's been with the station lawyer all afternoon," said Velvet. "While we were out busting our butts to get this story, he's been plotting how to get rid of us. Yeah, I'll bet that everything he says is possible. Legal, even. You know contracts. They're for screwing the people who can't afford a high-priced lawyer."

"We'll fight," raged Tony. "We can go to the college and get someone out of the law clinic."

"Those are students, Tony," said Velvet. "Against an experienced lawyer they wouldn't have a chance. No, we've got to fight back in a different way. Not play Williamson's game. We've got to figure out a way of playing out this so we'll win."

"Good luck. Come on, let's go and get drunk."

"And screw?" she added, smiling.

"Not a bad idea, now that you mention it."

"Go on, Tony, and I'll join you in a while. I've got an idea that just might keep us around for a while - in jobs we can stomach."

"You're not going to let that sack of shit fuck you, are you?"

"No, that's over. He just uses people. His promises don't mean a damned thing. No, I've got another idea. Now you run along and I'll meet you in an hour or so."

"Okay. But don't be much longer. I've got a lot of nervous tension to work off - and I'll bet you do, too."

Velvet only smiled and lightly kissed the man. She didn't want to tell him her pussy still had a warm feeling in it from the fucking she had gotten that afternoon. If all stories were as pleasurable to get as that one, she would be a top reporter in nothing flat and enjoying every instant of it.

Tony left and Velvet worried for a moment if she was doing the right thing. Then she decided that things couldn't be worse. If she didn't go straight to the owner of the station, Williamson would have both her and Tony chewed up and spat out before she knew it.

Velvet knocked on Mr. Power's door, hardly expecting him to be in at this time of the evening. She had never seen the man. Few of the "hired help" around the station had. Rumors had it he only spoke with God - and then only if God had made an appointment.

"Come in," came a querulous voice. Velvet took a deep breath and went in, not knowing what to expect. The man behind the desk wasn't as old as she'd expected. He was in his early fifties, perhaps, starting to go bald and not caring about it.

Somehow, that made him all the more attractive to her. It accentuated his masculinity. The hard eyes told her this wasn't a man to fool around with. He had gotten to the top by clawing and fighting and yet there was something about him that attracted her greatly.

"I'm Velvet Larkin," she started. He cut her off.

"I know. The sexpot on the evening news. So?"

"So I'm not the sexpot on the evening news any more. The station manager demoted both Tony Sims and me to copywriters."

"So?"

"So it's not fair." She saw this had no effect at all on the man. And then she knew what would. "It's losing your audience ratings. We've had two of the top stories of the year. Ones we ferreted out on our own. We're young, attractive and we can build up the audience. That gets you reporters. You had a lush anchoring the news. We can do better - if we have the chance."

"Why'd Williamson bounce you?"

"Personal reasons. He'd been fucking me, blackmailing me into it. He said he'd fire me from the weather position if I didn't put out. When Ben Carlton promoted me up and I delivered, he made me co-anchor. Williamson fired Ben and now he's trying to get rid of me."

"He fired Ben?" Powers wrinkled his forehead, deep in thought. "I hadn't heard that. A mistake. So what do you want me to do?"

"You own the station. All the real power comes from here. Do something or you're going to lose every sponsor you've got on the news."

"Not likely, but gaining more would be nice. Making money is always nice. But what are you willing to do to make me overrule Williamson? Would you let me fuck you?"

"No," said Velvet. "I've been that route and it is degrading. Better to be out sitting on the curb than to put out for someone simply to keep a job."

"Did you fuck Ben?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation. "We were attracted to each other. We still are. He's back with his wife and we all get along fine. But that's personal and none of your business."

Powers laughed. "I can't remember when anyone had the balls to tell me something wasn't my business. And I like you being honest. Hate it when people sneak around lying their fool heads off." He leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers behind his head and stretching like a lithe, trim cat. "Tell me, am I attractive to you?"

"Yes!"

"You're about the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You realize that I'd be stupid in a business sense to ever go to bed with you."

"Business and pleasure don't mix, is that it?"

"That's it. Look, Ms. Larkin, I'll look into all this and get back to you. Why don't you just run along and let me get to work."

Velvet started to speak but the man's attention had returned to a stack of papers in front of him. Without another word, she turned and left. Finding Tony in the bar was the only thing left for her in the world.