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Jun. 6th, 2006 09:37 amDecember 22, 1989...
Three days till Christmas. The Globe's offices were of course decked out for the holiday, which meant a tree in the lobby and fairly cheesy decorations in the newsroom. The place was busy as always, with the foreign desk especially overwhelmed in its efforts to say something new about the US invasion of Panama. CNN was there, the Daily Planet was there, and the Globe was barely able to find one qualified and sober reporter anywhere in Central America.
Not that this concerned Knox. Oh, he was following the story - Noriega would have been right at home among the great corrupt mayors of Gotham - but he regarded world news as something that happened to other people. Even the notion - raised by Sergeant Wells at the Bar - of Iraq invading Kuwait was not quite something that grabbed him as a newsman. Though if he could learn the day and date, that would be some scoop (not that anyone would believe him).
No, "news" meant Gotham, and so he was busy following leads on Batman, on Mayor Borg's presumed re-election campaign, on a wild story that a second man named Harvey Dent - this one a transplanted Texan with a lifetime in corporate law - was considering a run against the Harvey Dent the Gotham native who had been made DA just a year earlier. That, Knox thought, would be really confusing.
"Knox..." The reporter looked up to see Kathy Turpin. The stocky but chipper redhead from Payroll was wearing a Santa cap, which didn't match her winter tan business suit but went well with a big grin.
"Hey there, Kathy. How's Dad?"
"The same. Keeps telling me to come home to a safe town like Metropolis."
"Yeah, that's him. He ready to retire yet?"
"Dad? I think they'll have to force him." Knox had met Dan "Terrible" Turpin" a couple of times, once in Metro and once when he visited his daughter and family. The man was known as Metro's toughest cop, and Knox wished Gotham had a dozen like him. "I think Mom would kill him if he were home all day, anyway."
"So what can I do for you, Kathy?" They were friendly, but she wasn't usually in his circle at the paper.
"It's that time again."
"Oh, my. Bonus time. When the we see what wonderfully tiny extra bundles of cash are dropped in our laps by Santa Globe. And you came to me personally to spread the cheer." Kathy suppressed a frown. She didn't really enjoy being the brunt of the annual rite of frustation. But she knew that at least Knox was jsut being himself.
"Actually, Alex, this year, you're in for a surprise." Kathy handed Knox the envelope. Thinking that this might be legit - Kathy didn't play pranks - he found his letter opener and tore in.
"Good lord," he whispered. "This is real money." He studied it again. More than an extra paycheck. Even after taxes, this was something. "OK, what's the catch?"
"No catch, Knox. Guess the bosses really do read your work. Or maybe Vale put in a good word."
"Vale? What's she have to do with this?"
"Knox, you know the rumors. About Wayne."
"About her dating him? That's no rumor."
"No, silly. About his connection to the paper. He knows half the board, I hear. His dad was friends with their dads. There's even some who say he's a silent partner." Kathy smiled as she began to move on to the next desk. "Either way, Alex, you earned it. Have a merry!"
"Yeah. Thanks." Knox looked at the check some more before placing in his wallet.
Did Vale whisper this in Wayne's ear? If so, should that bother him? He wasn't sure. But he had to wonder now. Was Bruce Wayne, the oddball playboy, really paying attention to the the Globe?
Knox recalled the night he met Wayne. He asked for a grant, and Wayne told his butler to make it happen. Knox thought that was a joke.
Maybe it wasn't one after all.
No matter. With this kind of cash, Knox could enjoy himself. Take some time off. Even get away for a few days and still be home for the holidays...
Three days till Christmas. The Globe's offices were of course decked out for the holiday, which meant a tree in the lobby and fairly cheesy decorations in the newsroom. The place was busy as always, with the foreign desk especially overwhelmed in its efforts to say something new about the US invasion of Panama. CNN was there, the Daily Planet was there, and the Globe was barely able to find one qualified and sober reporter anywhere in Central America.
Not that this concerned Knox. Oh, he was following the story - Noriega would have been right at home among the great corrupt mayors of Gotham - but he regarded world news as something that happened to other people. Even the notion - raised by Sergeant Wells at the Bar - of Iraq invading Kuwait was not quite something that grabbed him as a newsman. Though if he could learn the day and date, that would be some scoop (not that anyone would believe him).
No, "news" meant Gotham, and so he was busy following leads on Batman, on Mayor Borg's presumed re-election campaign, on a wild story that a second man named Harvey Dent - this one a transplanted Texan with a lifetime in corporate law - was considering a run against the Harvey Dent the Gotham native who had been made DA just a year earlier. That, Knox thought, would be really confusing.
"Knox..." The reporter looked up to see Kathy Turpin. The stocky but chipper redhead from Payroll was wearing a Santa cap, which didn't match her winter tan business suit but went well with a big grin.
"Hey there, Kathy. How's Dad?"
"The same. Keeps telling me to come home to a safe town like Metropolis."
"Yeah, that's him. He ready to retire yet?"
"Dad? I think they'll have to force him." Knox had met Dan "Terrible" Turpin" a couple of times, once in Metro and once when he visited his daughter and family. The man was known as Metro's toughest cop, and Knox wished Gotham had a dozen like him. "I think Mom would kill him if he were home all day, anyway."
"So what can I do for you, Kathy?" They were friendly, but she wasn't usually in his circle at the paper.
"It's that time again."
"Oh, my. Bonus time. When the we see what wonderfully tiny extra bundles of cash are dropped in our laps by Santa Globe. And you came to me personally to spread the cheer." Kathy suppressed a frown. She didn't really enjoy being the brunt of the annual rite of frustation. But she knew that at least Knox was jsut being himself.
"Actually, Alex, this year, you're in for a surprise." Kathy handed Knox the envelope. Thinking that this might be legit - Kathy didn't play pranks - he found his letter opener and tore in.
"Good lord," he whispered. "This is real money." He studied it again. More than an extra paycheck. Even after taxes, this was something. "OK, what's the catch?"
"No catch, Knox. Guess the bosses really do read your work. Or maybe Vale put in a good word."
"Vale? What's she have to do with this?"
"Knox, you know the rumors. About Wayne."
"About her dating him? That's no rumor."
"No, silly. About his connection to the paper. He knows half the board, I hear. His dad was friends with their dads. There's even some who say he's a silent partner." Kathy smiled as she began to move on to the next desk. "Either way, Alex, you earned it. Have a merry!"
"Yeah. Thanks." Knox looked at the check some more before placing in his wallet.
Did Vale whisper this in Wayne's ear? If so, should that bother him? He wasn't sure. But he had to wonder now. Was Bruce Wayne, the oddball playboy, really paying attention to the the Globe?
Knox recalled the night he met Wayne. He asked for a grant, and Wayne told his butler to make it happen. Knox thought that was a joke.
Maybe it wasn't one after all.
No matter. With this kind of cash, Knox could enjoy himself. Take some time off. Even get away for a few days and still be home for the holidays...
