[NEWS STORY + followup network post, backdated to 9/20]

[greenisthenewblack]

Media Coverage

[A few days after this incident at Locke High School, a news story breaks during primetime on a popular local station. And gets snapped up quickly, so anyone who misses the initial story might see it (or similar broadcasts) online, on other news stations, in print news, and even a few tabloids. And since it concerns the numbered, it will likely even get some attention in Vegas.]

Earlier this week, a local high school teacher was confronted with evidence that she was part of the organization that calls themselves the 'Numbered'. Her reaction - recorded by an onlooker - has brought new urgency to the questions we've already been asking. Are these people safe? Stable? How many of them are working among us and our children undetected?

[They play the scene, recorded by what is almost certainly a smartphone camera, with a few appropriate comments from the spectators - bleeped out expletives, mostly, although one voice wails "my locker!" at a certain point.]

No one was reported injured during this incident, partially due to the brave efforts of students Daniel Fenton and Robyn Lyre in distracting and restraining the agitated and destructive former faculty member. Police arrived quickly on the scene, but the men shown escorting her out are none other than the deputy superintendent and the homicide supervisor. It's unclear how they're related to this case - neither position would normally respond to a call like this one - but they clearly seem to be familiar with the perpetrator. Could the numbered be influencing the local police? We've brought some experts in to discuss.

[The 'experts' are well-known anti-numbered advocates, and the discussion revolves mostly around how dangerous and volatile the numbered are. They emphasize what a threat numbered might be to children. Ideas about how they need to be tracked and locked up are bandied about. Danny and Robyn are talked up as heroes, and Nick and Karl as either co-conspirators or victims of manipulation. Later reports - especially the tabloids - take these rumors and run with them. The teens are celebrated, and Nick and Karl are accused of sleeping with the Numbered - and each other - more than once, labelled as obvious sympathizers.]

((OOC: All PCs mentioned in this post were added with full permission from their respective players.))

-----

Network Post, video

[Before the first broadcast is even finished, Sheila opens the network. To video, because why not. It can't get any worse. Can it? She's in sweats and has her head buried in her hands at her kitchen table.]

Yes. That's me.

What they didn't say is that I was fired on suspicion of being numbered, right before the video starts.

Comments

[Not Here]

[scramasax]

[Well, that's... depressing news.

He would like to say something, he really would, but he's at a complete loss in right and otherwise. Everything only keeps getting so much pointlessly worse...]

video;

[purestambition]

Unwarranted persecution or not, that's little excuse for such a display.

video;

[greenisthenewblack]

Oh, right, because it didn't occur to me until just now that losing my temper like that was a bad thing.

I'm not an idiot. I know I brought this on my own head. But there isn't a whole fucking lot I can do about it now, lady.

[video]

[scarlet_devil]

[Well, that's Locke High confirmed for not being Numbered friendly at all.]

What is this câcat? They're going after people that might be Numbered now?

[video]

[greenisthenewblack]

I was afraid of this when they fired Lyall after he tried to peaceably come out of the numbered closet. And he had way more seniority than I did. But yes, before I... uh... provided evidence, they basically were prepared to fire me because somebody spotted my green skin.

[She's not wearing makeup right now, so it's obvious that her skin's a little too greenish to be natural]

At least, that's all I can figure. I tried to be careful. I really fucking needed that job.

video

[abhero]

[Welp. This Locke High student knows of the incident, of course, but now it's on the news, and hearing those "experts"...]

This is bullshit.

video

[greenisthenewblack]

I responded... poorly. [She's still mad enough about the whole thing to spit nails, but she's trying to discourage anyone from making similar scenes. Especially the kids.]

But overall, yes. Yes, I agree.

[voice]

[ruleorserve]

Just on a suspicion?

[He'd hoped that things hadn't gotten quite that bad, just yet. Not that he's been anything less than aware of the turning tide of the opinions, but if this how things are turning out he's not certain what to make of it.

He's not pleased about it, though.]

[video]

[greenisthenewblack]

[Huh. That voice is familiar, though she's a little too stressed to pinpoint why, just now.]

The best I can figure is someone saw the green skin at some point when I had to take my gloves off. Pegging me as numbered from that isn't too far-fetched, and they'd already set a precedent by firing Lyall. But they sure as hell didn't seem concerned with confirming what I was, before giving me the boot.

[Not that there's any doubt, now.]

[text]

[gogoghostpowers]

[He wants to say something but he doesn't know what. So he just settles for something simple.]

I'm sorry.

[Video]

[greenisthenewblack]

Not as sorry as I am that you and Robyn got involved.

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

Miss Go...

[Well, Rakka had already suspected the school to be not in favor of the numbered. This just confirmed her suspicions.]

I'm sorry...

[Video]

[greenisthenewblack]

It was probably inevitable. I'm not so hot on the publicity, though. [If she pretends to be taking it well, maybe it'll become true.]

[Video]

[boxingbuff]

Quite the situation you've gotten yourself into.

[Video]

[greenisthenewblack]

What a keen observation. You must be a detective.

[She's a little cranky.]

video

[buildyourworld]

[ Well, it's as if they are not infamous enough as it is. Unlike Sheila, Eugen's ex-colleagues from LCU seems to have a better impression on the Numbered due to their close proximity to the FBI unit posted in their campus. But even so, he understands the frustration she felt and could only frown at the backlash this video will have on other employed Numbered. ]

What's done is done. Hopefully, other industries wouldn't start the same prosecution with the rest of us.

Are you alright? What are you planning to do now?

video

[greenisthenewblack]

Forgive me if I'm not feeling too optimistic about that right now. [She did wish she was wrong. But she said that about Lyall coming out, too, and look how that wound up?]

I'm not planning anything. I hadn't exactly prepared for something like this. [Yes, she's avoiding the other question.]

[Cellphone]

[gobybessie]

[ Yeah, he's calling her rather than going with the network. Patiently waits for her to pick up, tapping his fingers against his desk. ]

[Cellphone]

[greenisthenewblack]

[Thank goodness for caller ID. Otherwise, Sheila probably would've avoided picking up. As it is, it takes a few rings to get an answer.]

Hi John. Bet I know what this is about.

voice

[stopinthenameofawe]

[damnit Sheila. But there's no going back on that now, and it's probably not the best time for her to make a joke about those sex rumors right now.]

Are you ok?

video

[greenisthenewblack]

Are you kidding? The camera didn't come close to getting my good side.

Private

...in all seriousness, no. I'm really not.

video.

[flamberge]

How are you holding up?

[Not even commenting on the sex scandal stuff. Not with a fifty foot pole.]

video.

[greenisthenewblack]

Been better. Please tell me you guys aren't catching flack about this at work.

[Good. Maybe she'll be up to joking about it later, but... not now.]

[Text]

[oncedevil]

This just keeps getting better and better. And there's no way we can go underground again now, not like before. Too many people know we exist, they'll be hunting us like dogs before long.

[Text]

[greenisthenewblack]

Wouldn't the mafia just love that? Hopefully we can find a way to turn this around before we hit full-on witch hunt territory.

[onecream_fivesugar]

Give me a break, I hardly did any restraining! ...It was pretty much the opposite of heroic!

I'm sorry Ms. Go.

[greenisthenewblack]

I'm just glad they haven't pegged you kids as Numbered. [...yet.] They're just trying to sensationalize the story.

And none of this is your fault. I'll muddle through.