Citizen_Stu

"This had better be good David."

Harris stood in the run down building across the street from the university where Sarah had set up the equipment earlier. It had been David, one of the researchers (who had also gone along) that had called him.

The set up was good. Well hidden and put together but Harris would never tell Sarah that. Even now he was practically ignoring her. She had a talent but Harris was always weary of giving her assignments because she seemed to have a conscious too.

"I thought this might interest you that’s all. Remember that girl with the web cam who taped you?" David asked nervously.

Remembering the girl and the interview instantly annoyed him. "Of course I do you idiot."

"Well…… she is meeting with the Doc." David said.

"Really?" Harris was now interested and looked through the lens of the telescope into the office. "What are they talking about?"

"Something about Rikiti in the sewers.......in Kings Row. Some kind of new unknown device..... Science stuff." David told him.

"Hhhmmmmm. Could be interesting." Harris thought out loud as he watched students crowd around Girl Geniuse.

“So you’re happy I called you?” David smiled.

“What do you want a cookie? Stop kissing my *** David.” Harris replied and went back to looking through the telescope.

((OOC: Here is the first edition of Behind the Mask. All the quotes are taken from real posts on this forum thread. Of course their order and the questions between them have been edited to give a more bias opinion of heroes.))

Harris: "Welcome to tonight’s’ edition of Behind the Mask. I’m your host Steven Harris. Tonight we look at the work the heroes of Paragon City do to keep us safe and ask the question how safe are we really? We interviewed several heroes and eye witnesses of so called heroic acts."

"What you see may surprise and even shock you….."

Harris Voice Over (Several camera shots of Paragon civilians walking the streets):
“We go about our daily lives safe in the knowledge that the heroes of Paragon city are there to protect us no matter what happens. No matter how much life lets you down you know they will always be there putting your safety first above their own lives or something as frivolous as fame and glory. At least that is what we are told.”

[color=# brown] *Camera shows the hero WarHawk. Harris talks to him from off camera. Every now and then the camera will cut to Harris when he asks a question then back to WarHawk to hide an edit.* [/color]

Harris: “When you go into a dangerous situation you must worry about civilian getting injured. How do you deal with something like that?”

[ QUOTE ]
WarHawk: “I try not to dwell on the emotional aspect too much, at least not while there’s still a job to do. The best way to go is simply to concentrate on getting the job done……”

[/ QUOTE ]

[color=# brown] *Cut back to reaction from Steven then back to WarHawk to hide edit* [/color]

[ QUOTE ]
WarHawk: “….. I’ll worry about the rest later.”

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris: “But don’t you ever get in trouble for the damage you course when you’re fighting crime?”

[ QUOTE ]
WarHawk: “Only a little… “Secret identity” and all that. Unlike many of my contemporaries, I can remove my armor and blend into the background.”

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris Voice Over (Freeze frame on WarHawk):
“Was it true that in the ever lasting war on crime that was fought to protect us the people the very heroes fighting that war did not care what happened to us. Could this view be held by all heroes? My investigation was starting to show it might.”

[color=# brown] *Camera shows the hero Tribal Steel. Harris talks to him from off screen* [/color]

Harris: “When it comes down to your own safety and that of a civilian what goes through your head.”

[ QUOTE ]
Tribal Steel: “I just focus knowing either me or them will walk away from the fight.”

[/ QUOTE ]

[color=# brown] *Camera cuts to the hero Damaa* [/color]

[ QUOTE ]
Damaa: “Getting them out with minimal damage is hard…of course sometimes unavoidable.”

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris: “A few lawyers have voiced concerns that some heroes think of themselves as being above the law. Do you think it is true that they are?”

[ QUOTE ]
Damaa: “Of course it is, that lawyer *rolls her eyes* I’ve seen his posters around the city, I dread the day I ever have a run in with him…. Which is inevitable….”

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris Voice Over (Slow Mo shot of Damaa talking with the sound dubbed out):
“It was at the end of this interview when the hero by the name of Damaa said something I found truly disturbing.”

[ QUOTE ]
Damaa: “I’d like to say to all the parents out there, I’m watching over all the schools during the day so don’t worry about your children… and I can teleport so their all well and safe under my watchful eyes.”

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris Voice Over (Slow Mo shot of Damaa giggling with the sound dubbed out):
“The idea of someone who could teleport my children away didn’t make me fell very safe.”

[color=# brown] *Camera cuts back to the WarHawk Interview* [/color]

Harris: “What do you have to say about the damage heroes’ course when they are supposed to be protecting us?”

[ QUOTE ]
WarHawk: “We do tend to be involved in a lot of situations that cause damage. I know I’d be unhappy with someone whose stray blast destroyed the restaurant I’d worked my whole life to establish, regardless of their intentions.”

“But I guess it can’t be helped. Comes with the job”

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris voice over (Freeze frame on WarHawk):
“We met with a member of the public who did not take the situation as lightly.”

[color=# brown] *Camera cuts to a balding man standing out side a destroyed building. He is very angry.* [/color]

[ QUOTE ]
“I been runnin' dis place fer ten years. Ten years! It ain't much, but it's mine, an' I worked hard fer it.”

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
“Heroes, my ***! [gestures to ruined store] You think da Warriors did dis? Dey was shakin' me down as usual and dis Marduk guy, covered in wierd armour like half da freaks in town, come shootin' in da door. Fills my store wit' smoke and while we're all gaggin' on da fumes plants a bomb right in da middle of da crooks. I'm lucky dat freak didn't send me to da hospital too! Not dat I got anything ta do now...”

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
“I'll tell ya one thing. If I ever get dis dump hauled out an' in workin' order again, ain't gunna be no freaks allowed within fifty feet. I got my rights!”

[/ QUOTE ]

[color=# brown] *Camera cuts to the Super Inferno Interview. Again Harris talks from off screen* [/color]

Harris: “What would you say to the people that are a little concerned about some of the damage you do when trying to save them?”

[ QUOTE ]
Super Inferno: “I'm custom ordering some t-shirts for them. They have big yellow letters on the back that read "Don't save me, please" I figure, that much less work for the rest of us.”

[/ QUOTE ]

[color=# brown] *Camera cuts back to Harris in the Studio* [/color]

Harris: “Could this all mean that having a City of Heroes does not make us as safe as we thought. Maybe the ones protecting us are also the ones putting us in harms way? Maybe they think we should just shut up and be thankful. I for one do not feel like doing that and will continue to show you the truth Behind the Mask. Till next time, Good Night.”

[color=# brown] *Credits roll with a message at the end which reads, “If you wish to discuss the topics raised on tonight’s program please call our studio.* [/color]

Meanwhile back at the studio:

"No, no, no. That's the part the part we want to take out and edit in the other *beep* question. For *beep* sake the edit has to be finished for tonight."

Harris was shouting at the editor was they re-edited the interview with WarHawk for part of the program that would be going out later that night. He didn't have enough stuff Dr Sanstad report yet so he was going with his back up plan for the show that would air later that day.

"Get it right this time," He shouted as he left the room.

((OOC: If you think you sound arrogant what must I sound like :P))

[ QUOTE ]
"Good luck on this one Harris. I'd love to see you get this guy after he flunked my son. I'll get back to you on the laywer issue."

Roberts quickly left and closed the door behind him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris looked at the file for a while trying to think. It was true. To pull this off he would have to be careful. There could be no back lash on him or his show, especially the legal kind.

He leaned forward and turned on the intercom.

"Sarah, I want you to send one of the camera crews down to Paragon University. Get them to ask the students how they feel about having super heroes as tutors. Tell them to keep the questions light hearted. We have to be careful with this one..... You can go along with them if you want."

He thought for a second.

"but first get me a coffee."

[ QUOTE ]
She put the file down on his desk. "She doesn't even accept advertising.... sorry."

[/ QUOTE ]

Harris had his feet up at the desk and flicked through the papers.

"Forget about that for now. I want you to get me the tape with the Dr Sanstad interview."

He put his hand behind his head and smiled at the idea he had had.

"We can't edit his interview how we want, then fine but wouldn't it be shame if his own radiation powers accidentally wiped out parts of the video."

He smiled to himself. The idea was gold, at least he thought so. All it would need was some careful editing and cleaver effects.

((OOC: No problem at all Jennifer. Really credit for whole thing should go to Damaa I kind of took...er.....got..... the idea her :P))

((Couldn't resist the following post as reply. However keep in mind as far as most people knows Harris is a nice guy))

Harris was pissed off. This was the side of him the public never saw and now back in the studio no one would see the out burst he was having. Only the people who knew him. His assistant Sarah Jenkins was getting the worse of it.

"For *beep* sake Sarah you didn't check that that little *beeping* jumped up hero was taping me.”

“I want you to get online and check want the *beep* she puts on that site. Then I want you to find out if she has copywrite on the idea for a hero reality show and if she hasn't you *beeping* well better get it. The *beep* thing could be a gold mine."

The thought of money and ratings calmed him down.

"Now go and make me some *beeping* coffee or something."

Harris walked off slamming the door behind him. This was one of his better days.

He took out his phone and dialed a number.

"James, I want you to find out who booked Dr Sanstad on the show and have them fired.......(pause)......because I don't like being insulted by people on my own dam show. Besides the interview is useless. That guy has already got a team of dam lawyers on stand by to check how we air it....(pause)... On second thought... maybe there is a way around it. Keep a hold of that tape. It could be just what we are looking for.”

((OOC - I swear I'm nothing like Harris in real life :P ))

((OOC: ….and now for the civilian interview. Feel free to keep posting hero interviews but I though it would be cool to get some civilian interviews as well. That way I’ll have more to play with when I re-edit all together in the style of a documentary later. Same as before, just fill in the blanks. ))

Excuses me Sir/Madam. (Pause) Hi, I’m Steven Harris reporting for Behind the Mask. May I ask you a few questions for the program?

(Blank)

Harris: What is your view for the cities heroes?

(Blank)

Harris: Have you had any encounters with heroes?

(Blank)

Harris: Who do you think is to blame for the rise in cities crime rate?

(Blank)

Harris: What is your view of various anti heroes and anti mutant groups that believe heroes course more problems then they solve?

(Blank)

Harris: What do you think goes through a super heroes mind when they are in a dangerous situation?

(Blank)

Harris: What do you think you would do if you had super powers yourself?

(Blank)

Harris: Have you got anything else you would like to say to our viewers?

(Blank)

Thank you for your time

(Blank)

(OOC: I though it might be fun to interview some peoples characters and then edit the interview like I did in this topic: Interview with a norm . Imagine your hero is being interviewed by the reporter Steven Harris under the false pretense that he is doing a positive documentary on heroes. Just fill in the blanks between the questions and I'll re-edit them as Steven Harris for Behind the Mask later on to give them a different spin. ))

Harris: First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to appear on the program.

(Blank)

Harris: Could you tell the viewers at home a little bit about how and why you became a hero.

(Blank)

Harris: What would you say is the greatest reward for being a hero?

(Blank)

Harris: Have you ever found there is any drawback to being a hero?

(Blank)

What is going through your mind when you are in a dangerous situation that could lead to civilian casualties? That must be a scary situation.

(Blank)

Harris: How do you feel about people that use their powers for crime like the outcast or the super villains we starting to see around the city?

(Blank)

What do you think is going through these criminals minds when they commit these acts?

(Blank)

How do you feel about the various anti hero and anti mutant groups that believe heroes course more problems then they solve? Given the amount of work heroes do for the city this must be quite upsetting.

(Blank)

and finally, have you ever worked along side the Statesman? What is he like?

(Blank)

I would like to thank you for coming on the show and on behalf of the citizens of Paragon city thank you for keeping the streets safe

(Blank)

What follows is the Internection interview stolen from Eye on Paragon and re-edited for television by Steven Harris.

“Welcome back to Behind the Mask . We are about to cross over live to a hero currently working in The Faultline.”

“Good evening Internection.”

[ QUOTE ]
Hey

[/ QUOTE ]

“Can you tell us what you are up to at the moment?”

[ QUOTE ]
I’ve been fighting Vhazilok for a few days now.

[/ QUOTE ]

“Who would you say is to blame for the rise in crime in the area?”

[ QUOTE ]
No one else to blame really other than the…..

[/ QUOTE ]

*Camera quickly cuts back to the studio to hide an edit*

[ QUOTE ]
…..Paragon Police Department.

[/ QUOTE ]

“But isn’t the Paragon City Police Department doing the best it can with the budget it has been given?”

[ QUOTE ]
You’re kidding me right?

[/ QUOTE ]

“How do you feel about reports that the Statesman and other heroes like him may view themselves as being above the law?”

[ QUOTE ]
I think he deserves some respect for what he does.

[/ QUOTE ]

‘So are you saying that you believe the Statesman along with other heroes are above the law?”

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, yes I am.

[/ QUOTE ]

“But don’t you think he should still answer to the same law he up holds?”

[ QUOTE ]
The Statesman protects you for years; this is the thanks he gets?

[/ QUOTE ]

“But can’t he, like the rest of us still work with in the guide lines set down by society to do his job?”

[ QUOTE ]
He is doing the best with what he has…..

[/ QUOTE ]

*Cut back to studio to hide edit*

[ QUOTE ]
…..and yet this area seems lost.

[/ QUOTE ]

“Thank you for your time Internection.”

We’ve all heard these stories. Stories of lose, stories of pain. But why do they still happen with a city full of heroes?

I’m Steven Harris and tonight on Behind the Mask we ask the question are the heroes of Paragon City really doing their job or are they coursing more problems then they solve?

It was in the early 20th century that heroes first started to appear. Since then the problems of Paragon City have grown. The fifth column, The Outcast and of course The Rikti to name but a few.

Tonight we will be hearing interviews from eye witnesses of so called heroic acts like the one you have just heard. As well as interviews from several heroes who have fallen on hard times and bad habits.

We will be talking to several members of Hero Corp and asking are they just in it for the money. We will also be interviewing some of the cities so called anti hero groups and we will be trying to get an interview with the allusive States Man.

What you hear may shock you for it is a story of greed, corruption and power.

((OOC – Steven Harris is a very bias report who dislikes heroes. He will bend facts and sometimes even lie to try and discredit them.))

Shadow Marshal looked out the large window of the office onto the crowd in the night club below. All manner of Super Heroes filled the place. Some had better dress sense then others. He was trying to figure out why there was a toastier on the bar when he spotted the girl again, walking out of the toilets. She was still wearing her coat with all the pockets.

“Raymond, can you take a look at something here for a sec.”

He waited for Raymond to walk over.

“Do you know who that girl is?” He said pointing at her. “There is something very strange about her. I saw her come in with someone….I think. This is going to sound strange but I think the person she is with is not real.”

At that moment the girl looked up at the office window, looking right at Shadow and Raymond.

"Well, I came here from England a few years back myself."

He was not sure what to say. He was trying to think as he spoke.

"I came here to study. I was just a normal person....before."

He knew he could not lie. Anyone with basic mind powers would see through it. He had not been a hero long enough to shield his thoughts that well.

"But...well...you know how these things go."

He decided a half truth was safer then a lie and not as dangerous as the truth.

"I was jumped by a Skull gang member one night and killed."

He wasn't sure if he was talking too casually.

"I was trapped for a while as a ghost but soon became stronge enough to take over his body and well....here I am now."

Yes, way too casual. No one should talk about there death and afterlife as lightly. He'd only lied about one fact. Two if he was truthful with himself. Then there was the stuff he left out and........

"So what's your story. Why did your family drive you out?.....If its alright me asking."

Shadow Marshal found himself distracted by the scream of a small child coming from the dance floor. However he was suppressed to see it was in fact a very scared looking man.
The man holding the battle axe that he seemed to be afraid of was scanning the room as if looking for some one.

"Does anyone know where the owner of Shades of Grey is?"

"That might be him up there." Shadow said pointing up at the man behind the large windows over looking the club. "I think I would like to talk to him myself as well."

Shadow Marshal sat at the bar thinking about the dumb mistake he had almost made. When he went to sign the guest book he almost signed it with his real name.
That would have been so stupid. Imagine it, the signature of the Paragon Stalker Serial Killers 12th victim shows up in a night club guest book. Then his whole secret would be out. Come to think of it they probably would have thought it was just a sick joke.

He turned away from the bar and looked around the room. He could feel there was a lot of history in this place. Ever since his murder he could feel and sometimes even see a lot of things like that.

He watched a strange looking girl wearing a jacket with a lot of pockets walk into the club. She seemed to be talking to herself. He turned back to the bar to pick up his drink. When he turned back he could suddenly see she was talking to someone. That was strange, there was no one there before. Must have been imagining it but there was something strange about the girl she was now talking to. He couldn't put his finger on it. It was almost like...........
He was distracted by the fact his drink had run out and decided to order another.

A little later Shadow Marshal was starting to get a little drunk when the girl with the pockets sat next to him. Her friend was sitting in a booth talking to some guy that he sensed was not fully human. But the girl, there was still something strange about the girl he was talking to.

The girl with the pockets ordered a drink. As she reached for it he could see she had cut her hand. The girl looked at him and gave him a nervous smile. Suddenly he sensed something was wrong, very wrong. He received a flash of memory, not his own and it hit him like a train. He couldn't make out what it was but it was strong.
The girl with the pockets must have seen the look on his face because she suddenly looked worried and left, heading for the toilets. Shadow looked over at the booth again and could see this time the man was chatting to himself. He blinked and suddenly the girl he was talking to was there again.

What the hell was going on.