Post by Anna Craven on Dec 8, 2020 23:03:13 GMT -7
She removed her earpods as the woman in front of her stepped aside to await her drink. Conversations washed over her. From people discussing in the line about what to order, to those at the scattered tables of the cafe, and even the talk between the baristas behind the register and bar as they organized and prepared drinks, it was a typical morning here. Anna stopped by here nearly every morning on her way into Gotham City proper: on her way to do the real work her job entailed: chasing leads. She knew what they said: news never slept and while she did require it, there was nothing better to chase away the last dregs of sleep than a nice cup from her favorite coffee joint.
“Anna,” the man at the register greeted with a smile, “let me guess, medium breakfast blend, shot of caramel?”
“How many times do you hear you’re a lifesaver,” she bounced on the balls of her feet and leaned forward. She stuffed her earpods into her pocket and pulled out her wallet and fetched her card.
He was already writing the order on her cup, but chuckled. “Enough, but always nice to hear from a lady.” She grinned. “Well, you are.” She ran her card the moment the total flashed on the screen and then stepped aside herself. Small talk was great, but this was a city, nothing like the laidback town she’d relocated from in Georgia. You didn’t often hold long conversations unless you wanted jeers or grumbles. Somedays that was fine, but others? Eh, and besides, she was looking forward to getting on the job today. So she once again quieted and let the atmosphere surround her. She’d always loved the smell of coffee. It reminded her of mornings when she was younger.
She was browsing the selection of pastries and breakfast offerings when she heard the tell-tale opening of Gotham City News coming on. The morning broadcast had come and gone earlier, but the cafe often stayed on the channel made for the reruns for those who got moving just a little later in the morning. Today, that was her. Last night had been a longer night than usual.
“Anna! Medium coffee with a shot of caramel!”
Her head shot up and she took the cup. She could almost taste the coffee now, but it wasn’t perfect. Not yet.
She moved to the station with pots of cream and sugar. She pulled the top from the coffee. She’d just begun to watch cream swirl into the darker coffee when the broadcast caught her attention.
“--Strikes again with incriminating evidence against a Gotham councilman.”
She glanced up at the television hanging on the wall closest to her. On the screen was one of the co-anchors with an image placed on the screen. It was funny, really, a picture of a blinding white computer monitor with a single, black feather. There were times she was tickled pink by the creativity of the morning crew. She picked up her drink, a stirrer, and several sugar packets and walked to a closer table to hear better.
“--Was released after a young man came forward at a campaign rally with sexual assault charges against the public figure Friday.” The anchor stared at the camera and Anna stared right back at him. “Police are investigating several envelopes of images dropped at their precinct late Sunday night. These images, which have only been described as lewd and lascivious seem to show proof of non-consensual and violent sexual acts perpetrated by renown Gotham Councilman Richard Getty...who has since been taken into custody. Officers say they’re sure the images are related to a leak of similar, though less explicit images that were released Friday night all over local social media feeds.”
A picture of Richard now replaced the cover image of the computer. It was the image of him taken when he was sworn in as City Attorney. He was put together, flawless. It was a pretty mask. Anna opened the sugar packets and dumped them into her drink. She stirred it together.
On the television the broadcast continued. “The person who released the information--a figure who goes by the name Lethe--hacked into several government social media feeds, including the police department’s and posted dozens of pictures as well as their signature black feather. Despite the evidence, which is clear and damning, Getty’s defense attorney says he’s ready to fight for him.”
The scene then went to a pre-recorded interview with said attorney, the subheader naming him Daniel Baskerfield. “This man has served Gotham loyally for over forty years not just in the council, but as a respected defense attorney for several high profile cases. Suddenly we’re going to start believing images that just show up on the internet or in the mail? They could have been doctored. We will get to the bottom of this and he’ll be seen as the upstanding man he is and this, hacker? They’ll be shown for the mudslinger they are.” Back in the newsroom once more, the anchor looked back through the camera lens. “While his attorney seems confident of a dismissal of charges, this comes after a leak of financial data from former Gotham Police Commissioner Alexander Harkins by the same Lethe revealed he was taking high bribes from prominent crime families as well as embezzling tens of thousands of dollars of police funds. These allegations, proven correct, throw doubt on the fallacy of Getty’s images. Less doubt too as as before, Lethe has left not just one calling card, but two. This time again in the form of a riddle pasted to the social media posts.”
Anna had already replaced the cap on the coffee and taken a sip. She was no longer even looking at the television, but even so she whispered under her breath, “I have billions of eyes, yet I live in darkness. I have millions of ears, yet only four lobes. I have no muscle, yet I rule two hemispheres. What am I?” The side of her mouth tilted into a smirk as she made her way out of the cafe, still talking softly. “Easy, still it seems he lacks it. Couldn’t even rule himself.”
And that’s when she bumped into someone.
It wasn’t a hard shove. It was maybe just a shoulder brush. She was able to keep her coffee and herself steady, but she stopped and looked at the person she’d collided with nonetheless.
“Goodness, I’m sorry. I didn’t make you drop anything did I? I was lost in thought, silly me.”
“Anna,” the man at the register greeted with a smile, “let me guess, medium breakfast blend, shot of caramel?”
“How many times do you hear you’re a lifesaver,” she bounced on the balls of her feet and leaned forward. She stuffed her earpods into her pocket and pulled out her wallet and fetched her card.
He was already writing the order on her cup, but chuckled. “Enough, but always nice to hear from a lady.” She grinned. “Well, you are.” She ran her card the moment the total flashed on the screen and then stepped aside herself. Small talk was great, but this was a city, nothing like the laidback town she’d relocated from in Georgia. You didn’t often hold long conversations unless you wanted jeers or grumbles. Somedays that was fine, but others? Eh, and besides, she was looking forward to getting on the job today. So she once again quieted and let the atmosphere surround her. She’d always loved the smell of coffee. It reminded her of mornings when she was younger.
She was browsing the selection of pastries and breakfast offerings when she heard the tell-tale opening of Gotham City News coming on. The morning broadcast had come and gone earlier, but the cafe often stayed on the channel made for the reruns for those who got moving just a little later in the morning. Today, that was her. Last night had been a longer night than usual.
“Anna! Medium coffee with a shot of caramel!”
Her head shot up and she took the cup. She could almost taste the coffee now, but it wasn’t perfect. Not yet.
She moved to the station with pots of cream and sugar. She pulled the top from the coffee. She’d just begun to watch cream swirl into the darker coffee when the broadcast caught her attention.
“--Strikes again with incriminating evidence against a Gotham councilman.”
She glanced up at the television hanging on the wall closest to her. On the screen was one of the co-anchors with an image placed on the screen. It was funny, really, a picture of a blinding white computer monitor with a single, black feather. There were times she was tickled pink by the creativity of the morning crew. She picked up her drink, a stirrer, and several sugar packets and walked to a closer table to hear better.
“--Was released after a young man came forward at a campaign rally with sexual assault charges against the public figure Friday.” The anchor stared at the camera and Anna stared right back at him. “Police are investigating several envelopes of images dropped at their precinct late Sunday night. These images, which have only been described as lewd and lascivious seem to show proof of non-consensual and violent sexual acts perpetrated by renown Gotham Councilman Richard Getty...who has since been taken into custody. Officers say they’re sure the images are related to a leak of similar, though less explicit images that were released Friday night all over local social media feeds.”
A picture of Richard now replaced the cover image of the computer. It was the image of him taken when he was sworn in as City Attorney. He was put together, flawless. It was a pretty mask. Anna opened the sugar packets and dumped them into her drink. She stirred it together.
On the television the broadcast continued. “The person who released the information--a figure who goes by the name Lethe--hacked into several government social media feeds, including the police department’s and posted dozens of pictures as well as their signature black feather. Despite the evidence, which is clear and damning, Getty’s defense attorney says he’s ready to fight for him.”
The scene then went to a pre-recorded interview with said attorney, the subheader naming him Daniel Baskerfield. “This man has served Gotham loyally for over forty years not just in the council, but as a respected defense attorney for several high profile cases. Suddenly we’re going to start believing images that just show up on the internet or in the mail? They could have been doctored. We will get to the bottom of this and he’ll be seen as the upstanding man he is and this, hacker? They’ll be shown for the mudslinger they are.” Back in the newsroom once more, the anchor looked back through the camera lens. “While his attorney seems confident of a dismissal of charges, this comes after a leak of financial data from former Gotham Police Commissioner Alexander Harkins by the same Lethe revealed he was taking high bribes from prominent crime families as well as embezzling tens of thousands of dollars of police funds. These allegations, proven correct, throw doubt on the fallacy of Getty’s images. Less doubt too as as before, Lethe has left not just one calling card, but two. This time again in the form of a riddle pasted to the social media posts.”
Anna had already replaced the cap on the coffee and taken a sip. She was no longer even looking at the television, but even so she whispered under her breath, “I have billions of eyes, yet I live in darkness. I have millions of ears, yet only four lobes. I have no muscle, yet I rule two hemispheres. What am I?” The side of her mouth tilted into a smirk as she made her way out of the cafe, still talking softly. “Easy, still it seems he lacks it. Couldn’t even rule himself.”
And that’s when she bumped into someone.
It wasn’t a hard shove. It was maybe just a shoulder brush. She was able to keep her coffee and herself steady, but she stopped and looked at the person she’d collided with nonetheless.
“Goodness, I’m sorry. I didn’t make you drop anything did I? I was lost in thought, silly me.”