Chapter 9

The announcer said, "Tonight introduces a new format for our station. The evening news will be presented by co-anchor persons Velvet Larkin and Tony Sims."

The screen faded down and came up with the news logo, then faded again to Velvet's smiling face.

"Welcome to the news at six. At the top is..." She read through the news competently and well, getting her cues just right and passing it along to Tony, who was a little more nervous, never having been in front of the camera in this way before. But Velvet worked well with him and her small experience as a weather reporter helped them both. When the broadcast was over, Tony came over and kissed her square on the lips.

"Wow, that's worth all the nervous strain to get!" she exclaimed.

"It's worth it. God, were we ever great! This is going to push the news ratings right up through the ceiling."

"The hell it will!" bellowed Williamson, storming over to stand in front of them. He glared at the now not-so-happy couple, turned and motioned away all the stage crew. The cameramen smirked as they left. With Tony on the set, they didn't dare bait Velvet like they had before. Now they knew that both Tony and Velvet were going to be in for a world of trouble.

"I never authorized this!" shouted Williamson. "Where the hell's that shithead Carlton? Ben, get your ass out here!"

Ben came out from the control booth, staring at the station manager. "What's wrong with you, Walt?" he asked. "Why've you got a hair up your ass all of a sudden?"

"All of a sudden I find my star newscaster has been fired and these two upstarts put in his place. That's what's got me so damned upset. Where do you get off firing Jim Elliot?"

"He showed up for work drunk once too often. I complained a dozen times about it to you. And you said for me to take care of it, so I did. I canned him this morning."

"And you put these two in his place? Hell, man, it'd take a dozen of them to even come close to replacing an experienced man like that."

"I doubt it. I got a rating off our service. We went up three percentage points, gaining off both other stations. If this trend keeps up, we'll have a show the sponsors will put commercials on again."

"Don't give me any lip, you shithead."

"Don't call me names, Walt. I'm doing my job and doing it well. I've got to be responsible for the programming and directing and..."

"And you're fired. Out, dammit, out!"

Ben stood for a moment staring at the infuriated man, then spun and stalked off without another word.

"Now wait a goddamn minute," blazed Tony. "It's true he put us on without telling you, but he didn't have to. And we proved ourselves tonight. Just because you hate my guts and are raping Velvet doesn't mean you can put your own feelings ahead of the good of the station."

Williamson exploded. "You're both fired! Goddammit, you'll never find jobs anywhere again."

"You can't fire us, Mr. Williamson," said Velvet slowly, her mind racing. She thought she had the details all straight. "We signed a contract this morning when we were hired. It requires us to put in no fewer than three months on the anchor position. If you fire us, you have to pay us regardless!"

"Bullshit. I never signed any such paper."

"Ben did. And he was still working here then. He was empowered to sign contracts for the station - and he did," said Tony, rubbing it in.

Williamson's eyes narrowed as he said, "I know the type of contract. If you read the fine print, it says I can't fire you, but it doesn't say anything about leaving you on as anchor for the news. I'll have you cleaning toilets the whole time till I can fire your ass!"

"Fine," said Velvet. "We'll be the highest paid toilet cleaners in the city. That contract is for a lot."

"How much?"

When Velvet told him, Williamson went pale. "I..." he began, then sank down to support himself on the desk. "All right," he said finally getting a rein on his emotions. "I'll have you out on the streets reporting. And if you don't perform the duties to my satisfaction, you're fired for nonperformance. How's that grab you?"

"Fine," said Tony before Velvet could stop him. "We can deliver any goddamn story you want."

"The city manager is going to go up on trial for misappropriation of city funds. Get the dope on it and be ready to present it tomorrow night for the news. If you don't, don't bother even coming back. I'll mail your paycheck to you. And your severance, too."

Williamson stomped off in the direction of his office, leaving the pair on the now deserted set.

"He sure handed us a stacked deck," said Velvet. "That's an impossible story. The District Attorney doesn't dare give out his evidence before he takes the case to trial. It'd ruin his whole case if it gets out."

"Yeah," said Tony, dejected. "Maybe I stuck my foot in our mouths. There's no way we can deliver. And if we do, the city manager will probably get off scot free. I want to see that clown up the river for a long time for what he's done to the city."

"Let's get on it. We might be able to do something."

"What?"

"I don't know. But I know where we can get some first rate advice," Velvet said, smiling at her idea. "He'll be more than willing to help us out. Come on."

"So," said Ben, "it's not all that bad. The DA has to take his case in tomorrow, but the defense probably knows most of it anyway. There aren't going to be any surprises. You just go on and get the story. Show that bastard you can deliver."

"Thanks for the advice, Ben," said Tony. "But we need more."

"I don't work for the station anymore. He fired me."

"I know, Ben," said Velvet, her slender fingers imploringly clutching at his sleeve. "We need you. Williamson's going to can us as soon as he can find a good reason. Whether it's this story or the next, it doesn't matter. But he'll get us."

"But you want to go out in a blaze of glory, is that it?" chuckled Ben. "All right. I'll use my connections to get you an appointment with the DA. That's the least I can do. But I'd love to see Williamson's face when you air the news tonight. God, would I ever!"

"We'll have it videotaped for you," promised Tony.

Ben didn't hear. He was already speaking urgently on the phone, his voice low. Then a slow smile spread across his lips and he said to Velvet, "Get that perky ass of yours up to the DA's office right now. You can squeeze in a few minutes. And good luck!"

Tony and Velvet made it to the District Attorney's office in record time and immediately ran into a snag. The secretary seemed to think they should wait.

Sitting and chafing at the delay, Velvet leaned over and spoke to Tony quietly. "Remember how we worked it with the bank president and the cashier?

"Sure!"

"Same thing'll go here. Except you can get into the act. That poor girl is simply starved for affection. Go lavish some on her. Who knows? You might get lucky."

"Being with you is luck enough," he said, rising and going to the woman. Velvet watched for a few minutes as the secretary blushed, then smiled shyly. Within another five, Tony and the secretary left, mumbling something about getting a cup of coffee.

Velvet didn't hesitate. She was through the door and into the DA's office in a flash.

The man looked up, startled. He put down the dictating microphone and asked, "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Velvet Larkin. Ben called and said you'd see me."

"When I was ready. Not instantly. Hell, you're not..." The man's voice trailed off as Velvet came across the room. She had unbuttoned one of the buttons on her blouse. As she swung across the room another came undone. Her lavish tits swelled up white and delectable, threatening to come tumbling out at any instant. That caught the man's eye.

Velvet perched on the edge of the desk, one of her slender, well-formed legs swinging so that he could see it clearly. As she crossed her legs, she gave him a glimpse all the way up to her crotch. The way he swallowed hard told her the battle was half- won. Now all she needed to do was melt his resolve a little more.

"The case against the city manager is going to be a big one politically. There's no reason why you shouldn't get all the coverage possible on it."

"And you want an, uh, an exclusive?" the man mumbled, obviously more interested in seeing if Velvet would recross her legs in the other direction.

She did.

"It won't hurt. The defense knows what you've got. You always prepare a good case. And the public should know what a great job you're doing. It is election year, after all, and this could be a real boost to you for reelection."

"Yeah, it could," said the DA. "Uh, look, Miss, uh..."

"Just call me Velvet."

"Velvet," he said, allowing the name to roll off his tongue. His eyes darted back and forth from her stocking-clad legs to her tits, still bobbling about and almost ready to come bursting forth from her blouse. "I shouldn't give it to just anyone."

"I'm not just anyone," she said, leaning forward. This time her tits did come spilling out. "Oh, my!" she said with coy alarm. "Would you help me? I seem to be in some trouble."

"Help?" he said dully. She reached out and took his hands and pulled them to her tits. The feel of his hands closing on her boobs sent shivers of delight through her chest. She sighed deeply and moved closer to the DA.

"So nice," she cooed. "I could spend the rest of the day like this. But I can't, not really."

"Why not?"

"Because my poor little pussy is so hungry. It needs to be fed."

"Your pussy? Your pet?"

Velvet laughed and moved even closer, her feet resting on either arm of the man's chair. She kept his hands moving all over her tits, fondling them, crushing the life out of them, making them quiver with the promise of more to come.

"Not my pet. My pussy. My pussy needs to be fed. And it's carnivorous. It only likes meat, manmeat, and lots of it. I bet you could feed it, couldn't you?"

She opened her legs even more causing her skirt to hike up. She wiggled on the desk and got the fabric under her ass. This wantonly exposed her snatch to the man. He couldn't take his eyes off the bikini briefs she wore. They were bright red and made from flimsy nylon material that could be seen through. Her dark furry bush poked above the top and her pink, damp pussy lips were outlined by the thin fabric.