Scene 2: Dinner and a Show

The waitress comes back for Echo's refill, "Is there anything else I can get for anyone? By the way, I saw some of what happened to you today on the television by the bar. It was impressive watching you work, up until they got away... She realizes what she ust said and turns bright red with embarrassment. "Crap," she whispers under her breath. "I mean it happens to everyone starting out. Bad guys sometimes get away...well, not from The Warden...but you're all low ranked, people expect it sometimes." Her words might sting a little, but the are true enough.

With dinner over, you head over to the studio where the evening Hero Report is filmed. You arrive and are almost mobbed by fans and paparazzi asking for autographs and snapping pictures. You hear several shouted questions asking for comments about the day's action. "Are you all teaming up?" "Care to comment on your failures today?" "Why were you three first at the scene? Are any of you dating? Is romance in the air?"

Two men in with ear pieces sticking out of their collars and dark sports coats emblazoned with the network logo come out the front door with flanking a woman with short dark hair in a cream power suit (the business kind, not the hero kind) and a deep plum silk blouse come out to speak to you and the crowd. "Sorry folks, we get them first. They can answer your questions, if they want to, AFTER our broadcast. We've got half an hour to air, so I don't mean to be rude but we need to get you on set and screen test your costumes." Her tone is curt but professional. She turns around and enters the building while the two security guards stand aside and hold the doors for all of you.

Inside the lobby you turn several heads and get stares as you pass. Some mild hero worship seems to be taking place. A third security guard holds open an elevator door for all of you to enter. Once you do he reaches in and presses the button for the third floor then retracts his arm as the elevator doors close, leaving him on the first floor.


The elevator comes to a stop and the doors open to reveal a studio set. You see four cameras, several monitors, all the various technical equipment that you expect to see in a television studio...except seeing it in person it diminishes it somehow. On television it seems like such a big open space, the background is usually an abstract geometric pattern of light and color, but now you can see that it is all green screen trickery. The "set" itself only about 10'x15' total.

There are people milling about all around you apparently getting ready for the show. The woman leads you to a far corner near the edge of the stage. You can see a series of slightly darker green "X" markings on the floor showing as many as six people where they should stand so they appear on camera and in the proper place once the virtual set is overlaid by the computer. You are shown to three directors chairs with your hero names written on them, which are also placed next to vanity mirrors.

"Alright, Echo, honey, and Mr. Rodriguez...I mean El Toro, if you could step onto one of the x's there for me. Vitrius, you are fine, your costume won't offer any problems to the computer. DAVE! Camera 3!" Across the room you see a man sitting at what looks like a giant switchboard. He presses some buttons and a red light turns on above the camera pointed at Echo and El Toro. All the monitors in the room now show the pair standing in the familiar background. It might come off as a little disorienting to see.

[b]"Ok, great. Didn't think there would be a problem, but you gotta check. MAKEUP! We are ready for you! Echo, babe, you look great, we won't touch a thing. Gentlemen, it's just stage makeup. Trust me you, want to look your best. We broadcast in 4K theses days. The fans will pick up on the slightest flaw and your popularity will plummet if you don't let us work our magic." She leaves without waiting for a response. Suddenly, a man and two women appear pushing what appear to be tool boxes on carts, except instead of tools, there are pallets of makeup and brushes and hair-styling equipment.

They set to work without a word. Even though the other woman said they wouldn't do much to Echo, she is the last one out of the chair again. They applied heavy foundation, rouge, eye shadow, lipstick. In the end you still look like you did when you came in, but they have really pushed your features around. Your cheekbones have been contoured and your eyes have a really good smoky-eye. It's you, just more flat and washed out. The men are in similar if more bland in appearance. The makeup artists whip out their phones and snap a picture of each of you, then wheel their carts back to the other side of the room.

A moment later a young man with a clipboard and a headset places himself next to you. "I'm Kevin. I'm going to cue you when it's time. Seconds later the lights go out and the stage lights up. Standing in the center of the room are the show's hosts, Candy Briggs and Ray Jarvis. Somebody starts counting down from ten and then the anchors get into their script detailing the super events of the day. Several times they stop to remind viewers to log on to their website and vote for the rankings. After 9 minutes they cut to their first commercial, teasing the appearance of special guests when they return.

Kevin then directs you where to stand. He arranges you in order with Echo flanked by El Toro and Vitrius , then seems to listen to something through his headset, then rearranges you into a different order. This goes on until you have been arranged in every other possible order at least twice before apparently settling on the order he had the first time. With seconds to spare your makeup is touched up and the cameras for live again. Cindy and Ray cross the green screen set and start the interview.

"So, Vitrius, El Toro, Echo! It is a pleasure to have you on. In'it Candy."

"It is, it is Ray. Some real rising stars, bright shining stars, on our set today." Her tone seems a little dead, like she doesn't mean what she's saying exactly.

"So, what happened out there today, guys? I hear it was wild." Ray arches an eyebrow looking at no one in particular for a response.

"That is true, that no one got hurt and you deserve praise for that. Any word on what was in the armored vehicle that was attacked? asks Ray.

Off camera there seems to be something happening. The crew start milling about and Candy cocks her head and seems to be listening to someone through her earpiece before she smiles real big. Ray's eyes dart off camera, but he doesn't break his focus on you for more than a moment, but you see one eyebrow twitch.

"Well, I suppose we can't cry over spilled milk, can we?" Candy interjects.

"Indeed," Ray says, "but let's shift gears to the backlash of today. Putting aside the missing criminals, 2 out of 5 isn't so bad, but Echo, do you have anything to say regarding your...slip up? And El Toro Caliente, you destroyed a city utility box with your antics. Care to comment?"

With the stage lights in your eyes, it is hard to make out exactly what is going on off camera, especially if you aren't looking away from the news casters. However you can see a large figure standing next to the current active camera that was not there when you came in. It appears to be a man of hulking size. He is standing there with his arms crossed, passively watching the interview play out.