i_report_truth Photographer needed (tag Peter)
Lois had squatted on that rooftop for hours before finally making her way home, completely in shock. When she finally made it home, she'd leaned against her doorway and tried to calm her nerves as she tried to wrap her mind around what she'd just seen.
What she did know was that next time, there would be proof.
And yes, she could very well just bring her own camera around, but the pictures would be so much better with a professional. She needed Jimmy.
Unfortunately, Jimmy wasn't here.
And so, she needed to find the next best thing. Someone who was willing to follow her around in pursuit of this story. Someone who wouldn't be completely skeptical when she explained why she was following the Mayor around. Someone who worked cheaply.
The question was... who fit that bill?
She had scanned through all the staff photographers for the City Voice, even interviewed a few of them. She couldn't see herself working with a single one of them.
Finally, she'd come across a list of photographers who had at one time freelanced for the Voice.
After wading through several wrong numbers for the photographers on the list, she came to a Peter Parker.
Picking up the number, she dialed, praying that this would be it. She was losing time on the story with all this time she'd put into finding a photographer.
"Hello?" Lois cringed as a very old woman answered the phone. Most likely another false number. What was it with freelancers?
"Hello. This is Lois Lane. I'm looking for Peter Parker?" she couldn't keep the question out of her voice.
"Peter? Oh. I'm not sure if he's home. Let me check for you Ms-"
"Lane," Lois supplied, inwardly sighing a breath of relief as she heard the woman set down the phone and call for Peter.
From: [info]i_thwip Date: 03/06/2006 14:02:52
Hot breath against the receiver.
Parker had leapt down the stairs as though the entire building was about to crumble. No one called for him on the telephone. Not in this city. This meant money.
He closed his eyes. Self-control. He’d been a teacher once. That was the voice he greeted the receiver with. Parker talked as though he was talking to a classroom.
Lois blinked in surprise. She could only hope he meant photography, and not any other type of shooting.
But... enthusiasm was good. He also seemed a little desperate for work, which would mean he would be more inclined to go along with the story, even if it sounded a little weird.
"Lois Lane. It's nice to speak with you Peter. I understand you're a freelance photographer?"
From: [info]i_thwip Date: 03/06/2006 14:58:33
Parker leaned into the wall. His arms crossed and the phone found a good resting spot against his temple.
”PLEASURE IS ALL MINE, MS. LANE. I THINK I’VE READ A FEW OF YOUR ARTICLES BEFORE. I SHOULDN'T REALLY SAY I THINK. I KNOW I HAVE. BUT YES, I’VE BEEN KNOW TO TAKE PHOTOS. FOR MONEY. IT'S VERY RISQUE.”
He tried to remember the last one he’d read. She had a striking style. He could remember that but what the exposé was about – he drew a blank.
Lois couldn't help but grin at the fact that he knew of her.
"Good to know you're familiar with my work. Where I came from, I actually had a photographer that I worked with on most stories, and the Voice seems to have an absence of talented, open-minded photographers. Which brings me to the reason for this call." she paused, taking a breath before continuing.
"You see, I'm looking for someone to assist me with a story. I'll have to warn you that this is big. And a bit unbelievable if you're just hearing it. Hence my need for pictures to support this story. At any rate, if you're interested, perhaps we could meet for coffee to discuss the details?"
From: [info]i_thwip Date: 03/06/2006 16:09:47
There are situations where you’ve struck gold. Peter hadn’t hit any of those here. He had in his career back in New York. In fact, Spidey had provided him more gold and rewards than most men would ever collect.
”I DIDN’T USE TO DO BIG BUT I’M GETTING OLDER. YOU HAVE TO LOWER YOUR STANDARDS. I ALSO DO COFFEE. YOU NAME THE TIME AND PLACE. I’LL PROVIDE THE ME.”
Peter wouldn’t push it. He wouldn’t talk about payment because he remembered how much that scared. It was like being at square one all over again. He felt so old because of it.
She bit her lip to conceal a small laugh at the 'lowering-your-standards' comment. She only hoped he was really willing to lower his standards here. Or rather, to suspend disbelief.
"There's a Starbucks, well, on every corner. But I know there's one on the corner of Main and 10th St. Is two hours to short-notice for you?"
From: [info]i_thwip Date: 03/07/2006 15:54:29
”MAIN AND TENTH”, he repeated, ”I CAN GET OVER THERE IN ABOUT TWO HOURS. DID YOU WANT ME TO BRING MY PORTFOLIO? UNLESS YOU FEEL THIS EDGY WORK WOULDN’T REALLY NEED TO BE – COMPARED WITH COMMERICAL WORK.”
At least this reporter was treating him to a coffee-house. His last client must have been in a universe where Cats were still Gods. The cats had the run of the house. She’d screech at each of them by their cutesy name if they did something wrong. She’d been a painter. Very abstract art but Pete left better men to judge art. He thought it looked like it would have been fun to make. He also felt a lot of the cats could have made the very same art with loose stool. Cat-woman had demanded to see his portfolio before settling on his I can barely keep Aunt May in new socks bottom-market price for her stuff.
Pete hoped that she’d say she didn’t want to see it. He didn’t want to lug it across town. Especially if she didn’t like him; there had been plenty of times that he’d been rejected and he almost burnt that case of photos. Sometimes the idea of baptism of fire and maybe going back to being a scientist or teacher seemed easier. However, that wasn’t easier for the hero lifestyle. Spidey couldn’t get around as easy if he was as ground as that.