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Episode #5: "The Paparazzi"  Outside, in an alley behind C*E*A headquarters, two men dressed in jeans and t-shirts were rummaging through the trash dumpsters. You might have mistaken them for homeless scavengers were it not for the fact that they were carrying expensive cameras with bag fulls of extra lenses and film. Norris and Kupek were freelance photographers sent by Richard O'Brien to snap candid photographs of Francesca or any other C*E*A employees. If no photo ops presented themselves, they would try to dig up anything else they could get on the C*E*A. Though they loved to refer to themselves as 'The Paparazzi', the men were known to C*E*A staffers by other names. "Hey, you bloodsucking leeches! Have you not even one small shred of dignity between you?" shouted Dirk, taking them by surprise. Francesca's bodyguard, Dirk was not only big, strong, and extremely handsome, but he was an expert in seven different martial arts. The Paparazzi despised and feared him because he knew how to make them feel pain without making it LOOK LIKE he was doing anything at all. Photographs of Dirk applying holds to Norris and Kupek always showed the photographers wincing in pain while Dirk smiled easily into the camera. "Come on, guys! I can't use THIS! He's smiling like he's trying to be your friend and you look like a couple of wussies crying for your mama!" O'Brien would say after seeing the pictures. The tabloid sleazemerchants scrambled out of the dumpster and fled quickly on foot, covered with banana peels, Slurpee cups and other garbage. Later, catching their breath a block away, Norris eyed Cathie walking Macintosh, Francesca's beloved dog, and had an idea. "Kupie baby, if we don't come up with something hot for the Dickmeister soon, he's going to have our balls on a plate." "So why don't you go up and smack Dirk a good one then, Norris?" snapped Kupek. They both knew that doing something like that would be worse than facing O'Brien empty handed again. "I'll snap your pic while he's shoving your camera up your ... " "I have an idea." interrupted Norris. "Come on!" he yelled over his shoulder as he bounded off towards Cathie. Just as Cathie was about to enter the C*E*A office building, Norris grabbed Macintosh from the sidewalk, unhooked his leash and took off running. Kupek was running far behind Norris when he scooped the dog. After the grab, Cathie hurriedly stepped out onto the sidewalk to get a better look at the fleeing man, putting herself directly into Kupek's path. He collided with her, knocking Cathie to the ground. Kupek spilled camera gear all over the sidewalk, and was trying to put it all back into his bag when he glanced up and saw Dirk coming from inside the building to see what all the excitement was about. Panic sent a quart of adrenelin coursing through his veins, and Kupek dashed away like he'd just seen death reaching out to grab him. He knew if Dirk caught him there with Cathie laying hurt on the sidewalk, he'd find himself waking up in a hospital wishing he were dead.Next Episode: "The Ransom" |
