3205/The Daily Grind at The Daily Planet

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The Daily Grind at The Daily Planet
Date of Scene: 20 November 2017
Location: The Daily Planet, Metropolis
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Silk, Lois Lane




Silk has posed:
    Cindy Moon, humble paid news intern for the media company that owns the Daily Planet had been told that the Planet was low on staff, and she'd be taking shifts a few times a week in Metropolis as one of the floor interns.

    As an intern, her most important duty (As far as the full-time employees are concerned) is coffee and lunch runs. Since its morning, she's scrambling around delivering the orders to the various desks. Finally, she reaches Lois Lane's desk, "And finally, we have a black and sweet for Ms. Lane!" she announces.

    The astute among the coffee drinking crowd might notice that the young woman hadn't written down a single order, and yet, there wasn't a single mistake. "Okay! Now what? Danish, maybe? Perhaps a Norway, or a Swedish since we're going Scandinavian?"

Lois Lane has posed:
    Lois looks harrowed, to say the least. There's some rumor that she slept on the couch in the break room last night, but that's what a lot of the interns and lowers say in some strange attempt to keep the mythos of the great, loyal, powerful, driven reporter Lois Lane! You don't win a Pulitzer going home to sleep, after all! Still, she looks like she could certainly use more of the coffee this morning as she blinks at Cindy through slightly bloodshot eyes.

"...What...and...you are? Thank you...yes. Coffee. Is it fresh? I think the coffee in the breakroom is about to grow sentience." The husky voiced woman rasps flatly, grabbing at her coffee and downing a good gulp of it with no regard for how hot it might be. "And cheese Danish."

Silk has posed:
    "Extremely fresh, its from the cart downstairs. The guy with the portable espresso machine. Ernesto, really nice guy!" A pause, Cindy nodding again. "Right! Cindy Moon, really spiffed to meet you, Ms. Lane!" Cindy offers, "And I'll be right back with that Danish!" Enthusiasm, Cindy's got it- although, she's not really able to hide the quiver of nervousness in her voice.

    And then she's off! Dancing through the busy aisles of the Daily Planet to snatch a cheese danish from the break room before returning- its on a plate, comes with a napkin, and a plastic fork.

    "Okay, um, its my first day here- so I don't know the pulse of the office. Is there..." she pauses, getting a good look at Lois. "Ms. Lane, are you feeling okay?" Genuine concern. One look and one could tell that Cindy is a terrible liar.

Lois Lane has posed:
    "...Spiffed?" Lois blinks at the entirely too energetic young woman. Her mind is still catching up with someone who has THAT much energy this time of the morning, much less uses words like spiffed, "What year is it? 1952?...Should introduce you to Smallville one of these days...you'd get along great." Lois mostly mutters that under her breath, not wanting to insult the new intern even if that headache she has is slightly growing just for the amount of energy the woman has.

    "Is there... what? THe office is an office. It's a news room. Digital first, of course, so... things are a bit different than when we were chasing the printing press deadlines, but you get the shit up, get your articles posted, drink coffee when you can, pretty much same shit different day until some big news thing hits then it's all chaos to get the fastest coverage out."

Silk has posed:
    "Yeah, spiffed." Cindy says again, with a nod of her head. "You know, meeting *THE* Lois Lane. One of the best journalists in the industry? Its really exciting... I mean, as an intern. A chance to learn from someone on the top of their game!" Cindy continues, with a smile.

    "So, that still leaves the two questions- One, what should I be doing right now... and two, are you feeling okay? " A pause, "And third question: Is there anything I can do to help?"
Well, Cindy seems to have the 'noticing an evaded question' part of being a reporter down.

Lois Lane has posed:
    As the woman repeats her question, Lois' lips pull into a rather flat smirk and she gives Cindy a levelled glare. She's both annoyed and impressed. "...Well, at least you don't give up on the questions. That's a point in your favor." She mutters. It's high praise coming from the hard-ass, senior reporter Lois Lane. Bloodshot ice eyes then flicker up and down the young woman's frame, taking in every detail for a moment. It's a comprehensive exam conducted of her body language alone. Lois really does look like someone who can pick someone else apart just with their eyes.

    "I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well. It happens a lot. So... what do you think you SHOULD be doing? And why did you get into this mess in the first place?"

Silk has posed:
    Cindy is wearing clothing appropriate to the office- although with some thought given to the approaching winter and ever colder north-eastern weather. She has a youngish look to her- it might just be her heritage, though. Some sort of South-East Asian. Mainland, some sharper eyes might recognize. Her expression is one of genuine concern for her fellow human being- although there's a hefty dose of discomfort and nervousness thrown in there. It could be first-day jitters- but, it could just be something else- its a difficult sort of nervousness to place.

    "Well, Mister Jameson wants me to find evidence on a heroine in New York who's recently appeared. I was trying to make the argument that she's good, and she does really nice things for people. He said I could get a byline if I could prove it to him.... but, that's what I'm doing in New York, and I'm not in New York right now... so, honestly, I don't know what I should be doing."

    And then a pause, "Well....its kind of complicated." Cindy begins, "And, I'm really not sure *how* to explain it." She's being evasive- but, she's not particularly good at evasive. Even someone barely trained in the art of ferreting out the truth would see that.

Lois Lane has posed:
    The dodging of her question definitely intrigues Lois, far more than the rumors of a new heroine in town. She nods towards the chair across from her desk, where interviewees are supposed to sit or Jimmy used to when he was taking notes. "Sit." She states it flatly, definitely not a question but a command. Once the woman is down and Lois has taken another deep gulp of her coffee, she leans a bit more over her desk, elbows on her blotter and laptop now shut as she looks over the young intern.

    "Print publishing is dying. This is a digital first world where click bait gets as much attention, if not more, than important breaking stories. We're expected to do ten times the work on half the budget and no one thinks anything is wrong. This is not an easy industry to get into, much less survive. So, I ask again, why are you here? Why did you get into this?" Lois' eyes look like they could hold truth serum in just her pale blue gaze -- intense and focused, meant to inspire discomfort and earnesty in whomever she's speaking with.

Silk has posed:
    Cindy sits down, as ordered. She looks into Lois' eyes as she's spoken to, "Well..." she begins. "DBC has a lot of information." she admits, "And I'm trying to find my family, because its like they've totally fallen off the grid and *no one* remembers them, or remembers me back in our old neighborhood- which, I mean, kind makes sense. I was fifteen the last time any of them saw me- and now that I'm back, and its eight years later... well, they're gone." Her voice gets a little quieter. "And I can't just sit and wait for someone else to find them. I need to do it. Be proactive, you know?" Again, there are pieces missing- but she is telling the truth.

Lois Lane has posed:
    That pauses Lois for a moment, listening to the honest words, her head tilting a touch to the side. She considers Cindy for another heartbeat or two, across her coffee mug, before exhaling quietly. "... So, you're not actually looking for a career in journalism. Probably smart." Lois admits with a half smirk. Then she shakes her head quietly, "That's most of the story, but not all of it. Come on, I can sniff you out or you can talk to me. You want to learn stuff and be a trusted member of staff, or you want to keep acting like a scared little rabbit? Spill."

Silk has posed:
    Cindy frowns quietly. She's quiet a long moment, trying to figure out how to best say it. She can't just blurt out 'I lived in a bunker completely alone without any human contact for 8 years because of inter-dimensional monsters who were, and now are, wanting to kill me in some bizarre ritual'. That would be a tad much, and waaay crazy.

    "Its kind of hard to talk about." Again, true. "But, I sorta..." She takes a deep, slow breath. "I spent the last eight years in this bunker...alone. Without human contact..." Total truth. 100% unadulterated truth.

And now, Cindy braces herself, just waiting for the worst.

Lois Lane has posed:
    The black haired senior reporter just stares at Cindy for a few moments, trying to wait for the punchline to it all, but there is something in her reporter's instincts which tells her that the younger woman is telling the truth. Which just makes it more strange. She stares, unblinking for another heartbeat or two before just shaking her head quietly, "You tell most other people that, they'll think you're crazy. But... I've heard enough weird shit in my day..." Lois sighs out.

    She then leans back in her chair, kicking her feet up on her desk. She's wearing mismatched argyle socks beneath her wide legged, old fashioned pants. "...So...why the bunker? How the hell are you this sane just getting out? Might as well spill it all. I'm not going to print it... not unless you really want it out there, then MAYBE I could twist a human interest piece, but probably not."

Silk has posed:
    "I'd rather people not know, generally." Cindy replies, a little morose in tone. Its clearly not a pleasant subject. "And I know people will think I'm crazy if I tell them." she looks up pointedly to Lois. "I didn't want to tell you, either." she points out.

    "I can't really explain the why, Ms. Lane. It was a witness protection kind of thing... As for how am I this sane, I had a lot of activities to keep me occupied. Movies. Music. Computer with a lot of videogames." she offers, explaining as best she can.

    "And honestly, I'd like to try and put that part of it behind me and focus on the current issue which is my missing family."

Lois Lane has posed:
    A slight nod from the older woman, processing it all and then pulling down her feet as quickly as she put them up. "Alright, then. We can start the investigation. Together. Tell me what research you've done so far. Who have you interviewed? Where were their last known whereabouts? Did they leave you any notes, anything? You're working on being a reporter, you might as well use the tools you're trying to learn here!" Lois states almost gruffly, with the tone of a football coach cheering on an intimidated player.

Silk has posed:
    "I started, first, with last known locations and canvasing the old neighborhood." Cindy states, "You know, going around and trying to see if anyone knew anything." Another pause....she then begins to speak in detail. And what vivid detail: Almost down to the minute, entire conversations, routes taken.

    "After that, I went to where they used to work. They told me they quit, and moved away seven years ago." A year after Cindy went into that bunker. The trail is very cold. "I'm trying to run through associates, but, I don't have access to company records where my parents worked... I was hoping to sort of work backwards, and use picture and news evidence to find anything I could find."

Lois Lane has posed:
    A slight nod from Lois, as she gets the details in almost shocking order. Her expression is all approving, if a touch worried. "Well, it sounds like you have a good start. If you want to give me a copy of the file, I'll do what asking around I can do as well. Maybe... for whatever reason you were hidden, it was just too hard for them to live without you. So they picked up, moved on, tried to make a new life. I know that's hard, but..." She murmurs softly, actually some humanity beneath her steely voice now.

Silk has posed:
    "F..file?" Cindy asks, "I don't have a file- I've got an eidetic memory." she says next, "I can write one up for you, if you'd like... I mean, I'd sure appreciate your help." she continues, "I can make that up really quick! I can add in the pictures and stuff I have, too. Copies, I mean. So you have the most recent available photograph."

    Cindy pauses at what Lois says. Its clear, looking at her face, the thought hadn't ever occurred to her. She shakes her head quietly, "No... I don't think that's the case here. They wouldn't abandon me." She's absolutely certain, "I know it, Ms. Lane. Maybe some families would do that sort of thing- but not my family."

Lois Lane has posed:
    "Ah...Editic memory. That must be nice, if annoying, sometimes. That'd explain your nack for dates. Yes, well... SOme of us have to do it the old fashioned way through files, notes and recordings. So, get me what you can and I'll start keeping my eyes open. See if I know anyone in that area, see what my sources could get to me." Lois offers earnestly, perhaps the mystery piquing her curiosity enough that she's now bloodhounding on this all, story or not.

    "...They didn't abandon you... no, but they couldn't stay here without you. That might be an act of love, really. But... the fact they left no note. Nothing? Did they have any reason to believe you might return ever?" The older woman is trying to keep her voice gentle, almost motherly, now that they talk through this difficult issue. She might be a hard ass on the outside, but it's clear the tired, blue eyed woman does care.

Silk has posed:
    "Ms. Lane, personally, I wish I could forget more often than remembering everything. The problem with remembering everything is that you never, ever forget anything." Cindy sits a moment, more relaxed than she was before. More relaxed with Lois, and her company. "One of the last things I said to my Mother was that I hated her." she whispers, that memory there. As bright as the day it happened.

    "They were looking for a way to get me out, so it be safe." Cindy states, "You don't know my Mom and Dad, Ms. Lane. They'd *never* give up on me. Not on me, or on my little brother."

    And then another little bit of realization. "He'd be just about eighteen right now...." Cindy is quiet. "Do.. do you think he ever wished he had a big sister to help him? To ask questions about girls to, or.. just be his big sister?"

Lois Lane has posed:
    There are just a few moments of silence from Lois there, listening about this family, half remembering her own. Could she have ever said such things with such certainty about her father? The dark haired woman takes in a slow, deep breath and just gives a slight shake to her head, "If they loved you that much and they knew why you were gone, I'm sure he understood. Of...of course siblings want their siblings. But I'm sure he understood. I..." Lois allows a tired smile to flicker across her face, "I'll look into it. Just get me the information, Miss...?" Only now does Lois realize she didn't even really get the girl's full name. Or, if she did, it's gone out of her exhausted mind by now.

Silk has posed:
    "Okay, you'll have it by the end of the day." Cindy assures Lois. She had introduce herself when they first started, "I should probably get around to a second coffee run." she says, "Black and Sweet, right? Do you want anything else, Ms. Lane?" Cindy asks, then, curious. "Although, if you don't mind my saying... maybe you should go get some sleep. You look like hell." Cindy isn't used to being around people- she's not sure if that was rude or not.

    "But, you're the boss, so, you just let me know how you want it to go."

Lois Lane has posed:
    "..Wait...shit. Cindy. You said that. Cindy. Yeah, maybe I should sleep..." Lois mutters, dragging one hand across her eyes for a moment. Cindy's got a sharp eye, no doubt, and a brain for details, so she might see the thick file that is half opened on Lois' desk. Francis Fanelli, a mobster Lois helped put away ten years ago. The quiet pieces going out about him now is that he's getting out of prison this week so, clearly, Lois has reopened the case. Perhaps why she pulled an all nighter, but she's not actually brought it up. "Black and sweet. But no, nothing else... I'll get a nap on lunch. It was good meeting you, Cindy."

Silk has posed:
    Cindy had seen that- and she'd seen the computer screen. Not just Lois' screen, but every screen she'd passed. "Oh, and one more thing, Ms. Lane- Mr. Larson over there is trying to scoop your Francis Fanelli thing." she states, "I saw his screen when I brought him his coffee." she remarks, "Once I get back, I can tell you what he wrote." she says, before she goes to get the orders for everyone else- pausing only a moment near Mr. Larson's desk, eyes flicking to the side, and then heading onward to coffee-up this office!

Lois Lane has posed:
    "What? Oh...f*ckin' Larson..." Lois half growls, murder in her eyes for the moment. She arches a brow to Cindy and gives a brief, conspiratorial nod, which is probably the only thing that is saving Larson from having his head bitten off at this second. "Thanks... Be safe out there." She gives a wave to the younger woman and then she settles back down in her desk, going back to her file and research, a bit more fire under her now.