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rainbowfic2019-06-22 05:02 pm
ilthit) wrote in rainbowfic2019-06-22 05:02 pm
Entry tags:
Canary Yellow #4: Media (A Tragedy) (The Quality of Mercy)
Name: Media (A Tragedy)
Story: The Quality of Mercy (Peccadillo Parlour)
Colors: Canary yellow #4: Spies were kept in advance and strict diligence observed in the duty of sentinels.
Supplies and Styles: n/a
Word Count: 640
Rating: PG
Characters: Prudence Gao, Hugh Gordon, Jimmy Banks, Violet Holmes
Warnings: n/a
Summary: Prudence is in trouble.
“Well, this is a turnaround,” said Jimmy Banks. Pru could have punched him right in his smug face. She would’ve made it count, too. Make a tight little fist, angle her knuckles just right to hurt him more than she hurt herself. She might even crack something.
Jimmy never sat but he lounged, his short legs kicked out long, that sleek perfect suit and impeccable hair framing a face that, even past forty, had a boyish charm. Jimmy would have boyish charm at seventy, with that edge of mischief that let him get away with murder with just a wink and a grin. But Pru knew him better than that.
Not that she could claim a higher moral ground than him, these days. Not by much, anyway. Especially today. Her leg bounced up and down under the table, her arms folded across her chest. “It was over a decade ago, Gordon. What’s it got to do with me now?”
“Don’t act dim,” Gordon snapped. “You know why. The fucking press.” There was nothing fatherly in his manner now. Hugh Gordon may have been her Aunt Amelia’s old colleague and the connection that had shot Pru up the chain, but he was also a pot-bellied 80s relic, and next to Violet Holmes he seemed more like a clown than an authority. Pru voiced none of these thoughts, but stared her boss down across the meeting room table.
Gordon wasn’t backing down. “This Cadfield story is making you look like an incompetent and us like idiots for hiring you. Either that, or you’re a mercenary who callously went with a defense she knew was bullshit. You need to fix that.”
Jimmy leaned both elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands. Pru had rarely seen him happier. The memory of her many lectures on discretion must have been forefront of his mind. She did not exactly appreciate being the butt of the joke—whether that joke was voiced or not.
Cadfield’s book had come out three months ago and made a small splash in the thriller market. It had not taken long at all for a retired cop to put two and two together, and even less for Cadfield to start bragging to his family about his book. Sales had shot up, all copies sold out, and new ones were at the printers as they spoke. Meanwhile Cadfield had been detained for questioning, and the department was pushing up against a deadline to either charge him or let him walk.
Pru had read the novel, titled My Year of Rage. She hadn’t exactly come off well on the pages, though he had been complimentary about her modest chest.
“All right,” Prudence snapped. “What do you want me to do? It’s the media.”
“I don’t fucking care. Just fix it.”
“If I may make a suggestion,” said Violet in a soft voice that somehow managed to command the room. All eyes turned to her. “What Prudence here needs is a spin. Maybe, rather than shouting about it, we give her the means for finding one that works? Such as our very best spin doctor.”
“But you’re off to Canada next week,” said Gordon.
“Mmm, yes. Perhaps I meant the second best.”
Gordon’s finger pointed uncertainly, incredulously, at himself, but heads turned towards Jimmy Banks. Jimmy’s eyes widened, and he grinned as he sat up straight.
“Oh, no,” Pru breathed.
“Oh, yes,” said Jimmy. “This is going to be fun.”
“Play nice together, children,” said Violet, finished her glass of sparkling water, and stood up.
The final word had been said. Even Gordon was quiet as they filed out of the room, leaving Prudence stranded alone with her new partner.
“Have I ever told you how much I like you?” said Jimmy.
“Go sit on a dick,” said Prudence.
“That’s the spirit.”
Story: The Quality of Mercy (Peccadillo Parlour)
Colors: Canary yellow #4: Spies were kept in advance and strict diligence observed in the duty of sentinels.
Supplies and Styles: n/a
Word Count: 640
Rating: PG
Characters: Prudence Gao, Hugh Gordon, Jimmy Banks, Violet Holmes
Warnings: n/a
Summary: Prudence is in trouble.
“Well, this is a turnaround,” said Jimmy Banks. Pru could have punched him right in his smug face. She would’ve made it count, too. Make a tight little fist, angle her knuckles just right to hurt him more than she hurt herself. She might even crack something.
Jimmy never sat but he lounged, his short legs kicked out long, that sleek perfect suit and impeccable hair framing a face that, even past forty, had a boyish charm. Jimmy would have boyish charm at seventy, with that edge of mischief that let him get away with murder with just a wink and a grin. But Pru knew him better than that.
Not that she could claim a higher moral ground than him, these days. Not by much, anyway. Especially today. Her leg bounced up and down under the table, her arms folded across her chest. “It was over a decade ago, Gordon. What’s it got to do with me now?”
“Don’t act dim,” Gordon snapped. “You know why. The fucking press.” There was nothing fatherly in his manner now. Hugh Gordon may have been her Aunt Amelia’s old colleague and the connection that had shot Pru up the chain, but he was also a pot-bellied 80s relic, and next to Violet Holmes he seemed more like a clown than an authority. Pru voiced none of these thoughts, but stared her boss down across the meeting room table.
Gordon wasn’t backing down. “This Cadfield story is making you look like an incompetent and us like idiots for hiring you. Either that, or you’re a mercenary who callously went with a defense she knew was bullshit. You need to fix that.”
Jimmy leaned both elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands. Pru had rarely seen him happier. The memory of her many lectures on discretion must have been forefront of his mind. She did not exactly appreciate being the butt of the joke—whether that joke was voiced or not.
Cadfield’s book had come out three months ago and made a small splash in the thriller market. It had not taken long at all for a retired cop to put two and two together, and even less for Cadfield to start bragging to his family about his book. Sales had shot up, all copies sold out, and new ones were at the printers as they spoke. Meanwhile Cadfield had been detained for questioning, and the department was pushing up against a deadline to either charge him or let him walk.
Pru had read the novel, titled My Year of Rage. She hadn’t exactly come off well on the pages, though he had been complimentary about her modest chest.
“All right,” Prudence snapped. “What do you want me to do? It’s the media.”
“I don’t fucking care. Just fix it.”
“If I may make a suggestion,” said Violet in a soft voice that somehow managed to command the room. All eyes turned to her. “What Prudence here needs is a spin. Maybe, rather than shouting about it, we give her the means for finding one that works? Such as our very best spin doctor.”
“But you’re off to Canada next week,” said Gordon.
“Mmm, yes. Perhaps I meant the second best.”
Gordon’s finger pointed uncertainly, incredulously, at himself, but heads turned towards Jimmy Banks. Jimmy’s eyes widened, and he grinned as he sat up straight.
“Oh, no,” Pru breathed.
“Oh, yes,” said Jimmy. “This is going to be fun.”
“Play nice together, children,” said Violet, finished her glass of sparkling water, and stood up.
The final word had been said. Even Gordon was quiet as they filed out of the room, leaving Prudence stranded alone with her new partner.
“Have I ever told you how much I like you?” said Jimmy.
“Go sit on a dick,” said Prudence.
“That’s the spirit.”
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