open } if you're looking for that nice girl from the day before

[choosetruth]

Who: Georgia Mason, the crew of After the End Times, and YOU
Where: Republican National Convention
When: the year 2040. But also all through the event.
Rating: idk PG-13, will update if it gets higher.
Summary: Georgia Mason, head of After the End Times and well-known Newsie, is here at the Republican National Convention ready to make some NEWS.
The Story:

The Republican National Convention is a fucking madhouse, but Georgia's used to that. Weeks in on the campaign trail, she's working harder than ever and driving herself to near death trying to run a site and write and cover everything that happens during the election. She's got plenty of betas and interns, of course, and they help, but she still pushes herself to cover as much of everything as she can.

She's here, a vision of journalistic integrity in black and white, sunglasses firmly planted on her face and press pass clipped to her blazer. If she sees a politician or someone else that looks even mildly interesting, she's likely to approach, recorder in hand.

"Excuse me? Georgia Mason, After the End Times. Do you have time for a few words?"

[Come get interviewed, or reply one of the starters below! If none of them work poke me at antivillain and I can set something up.]

Comments

After the End Times "Office" Mingle

[choosetruth]

[When they were given the rooms they probably expected Shaun to room with Tim and Georgia to room with one of the female interns, but in practice, that doesn't work for them for a variety of reasons. Shaun and Georgia took over the biggest of the rooms and shoved the beds against the walls, set up a million servers and computers, and only tripped the fuses twice.

Now, it's an office, though presumably they sometimes sleep in there. During the day, though, there's usually at least one person there, writing up reports or editing footage or cleaning guns or simply taking a whole five minutes to sit down before the next event. It's the easiest place to find someone from the team, though odds are good you might have to wait a while. You don't get to be a part of After the End Times if you're not willing and eager to work damn hard.]

[dramatic]

( mj loves being where the action is no matter what version of her you're dealing with, so it's no surprise that she's been on the go, go, go. it almost doesn't feel adequate to say she's been working hard when she enjoys it and so much of it doesn't feel like work, but she really has been busting her ass.

now she's taking a small break in the makeshift office, alternating between looking over a report and fueling herself with a snack.

it's a protein bar. it's a bug protein bar. someone is going to be haunted when this event is over. )

[saved]

( peter stumbles into the office after a second, and his arms are full of technological stuff, because he's in the middle of working on something that he thinks will really help get the good stories, get the good information.

he smiles at the sight of his childhood best friend and crush, sitting there, taking a break when she ordinarily works pretty nonstop. his own hair's a bit of a mess, and he's pushing his glasses up his nose a bit. )

Hey, Red. Actually taking a break for once?

( he leans over to pick up her coke and have a quick sip of it as he sinks down beside her at the table. )

[choosetruth]

[That bug protein bar is fucking delicious admit it.

Georgia's not taking a break right now, at least, not intentionally, but it's the downtime between when she sent off her most recent article and getting back some information she needs for her next one, so she's running by the office to see if anything needs to be done. Something always needs to be done, of course, and that's why they have so many interns running around, but Georgia never can quite shake the fear that something is on fire at any given time.

When she sees Mary Jane, she stops herself from running to her laptop and instead approaches her. She's aware she's not the easiest boss to work for. No one who isn't prepared and eager to work their asses off for the truth is going to make it for long as a part of the the After the End Times staff. But goddamn, she is going to make sure her interns get fucking educated.]

How's the report looking?

(closed to interns/intern party)

[shorthair]

( ooc: no tag order !! go nuts, interns and honorary-intern. )

( clementine has been working on a report. her writing has improved so much since becoming an intern, and she was already top of her class. she's writing back to her mom who keeps checking in on her, demanding pictures from what she's doing. they're at the convention center too, and she's actually sharing her room with them, but she spends a lot of time up here. clementine's work as an intern keeps her busy. she's the youngest intern on the team, which means she's determined to prove herself.

they're all in the office. shaun and georgia are busy elsewhere ('busy').

and clementine's walking in to the office with some boxes of pizza in her arms. )

Shaun ordered pizza! You're all ordered to take a break or else you're fired.

( clementine doesn't have this power, and they all know it. )

And maybe we can do something fun while we're eating? My brain hurts.

[cisskabob]

Oh, thank god. [Cissie jumps up to help Clementine with the pizza boxes. She's going cross-eyed editing the footage for her next post, and if she's honest... She can't remember when she ate last.]

I'm guessing that order didn't come from Georgia. [She says it with a smirk and a teasing tone, but she's also dead serious. She also isn't sure it came from Shaun either, but she's not going to turn down the opportunity for a brief pizza break.] What kind of fun were you thinking?

[mrsarcastic003]

[Tim is talking a whole five minutes to sit down between events. That and uploading all of his footage to the office servers, which is the real reason he's back in the office at all. He's out of space on his drives. He's an intern, which means that while he still does plenty of his own writing, he spends way more time getting as much raw footage and data for After the End Times as possible. He's been attending just about every event he can fit into his schedule between the occasional meal or nap, and in general trying to be as many places as possible. It's not all interesting, and plenty of it may not be useful at all, but you never know what you're going to need, and the more information they have available, the better off they are.]

[choosetruth]

[Georgia had big plans, when she hired interns, to give them a good education in working for a real news site and give them lots of supervision and review.

In practice, she keeps shoving the reviews off to the betas and can only give them so much direction. She knows she should delegate more, but there's no one she trusts to get everything down as much as herself.

Tim's been great, though. Kid's dedicated as hell and goes above and beyond without being asked. She appreciates that. They probably don't need all the footage he's gotten, but there's never been a time when she's wished they had less footage, and you never know if something important is going to happen at one of these events til it does. Having someone making the effort to get it all is priceless.]

Anything interesting happen today?

[She's only stopping in for a minute, grabbing some extra painkillers and dumping the data from her recorder, but it's worth at least making the attempt to check in. None of her interns seem to regret signing on with her. She still wishes she had the time to be a better mentor.]

[saved]

( it's such a busy event. they're all involved. they all have to be as involved as possible so they can get information they need. peter didn't really apply to be an intern, but mary jane's his best friend and they needed an extra hand. it was easy to lend one especially when he enjoys all this tech stuff. peter's currently carrying an arm load of caffeinated beverages to take to the office.

when he sees tim, he sinks down near him with a little smirk. )

Need a caffeine booster?

open - around the convention center

[choosetruth]

[Even journalists have to eat, and more importantly, stop for caffeine. Georgia's sitting down with a Coke and a sandwich, people-watching as she forces herself not to completely inhale the sandwich so she can just get back to work. It's a rare moment for an off-the-record conversation, though it might not stay that way if the information you have is good enough.]

[postictal]

[He's dealt with her before, is the thing. He's dealt with her plenty in the past, because if anyone would find out about his proclivity for leaking information to Merrick, it'd be a goddamn Mason. Tim's scowling when she inevitably corners him, shoulders creeping up to his ears in obvious uncertainty.]

I don't have anything for you, okay? No updates. Nothing.

[deadshapes]

[Mae really isn't technically a people person. She's sociable, but she's also prone to all that fun social anxiety. She's not usually one to approach people she doesn't know and strike up conversations. She's gotten by so far here by listening and eavesdropping, picking up tidbits she can use for her next batch of creepypasta.]

[Still, she knows about Georgia Mason. Everyone who's even remotely part of the blogosphere knows the Masons. Newsies and hardline Fictionals like Mae and her site don't really run in the same circles, so this might be the only chance to get to meet her.]

[She's eating, though, and no one likes being interrupted while they're eating, so Mae comes forward very tentatively. She's a short, stocky twenty-year-old with a shock of dark blue hair and eyes that are way too wide.]

Uhhh...hi.

[Great start!]

Sorry, I don't want to bother you or anything, but just, uhhh, you're Georgia Mason, right? With After the End Times? Badass name, by the way.

[beatupgrass]

[And in true Rocket fashion, he just comes up behind her and slaps a hand down on the back of her chair. And it killed me to write that, because that is an awful thing to do.]

If it isn't my favorite Newsie. I hope you interviewed that sandwich thoroughly- made sure it had enough mayo. Nobody likes a sandwich with misleading condiments.

[thisismadfreaky]

[Caffeine is practically a food group, especially at an event like this. There's too much to do and too many people to talk to, to bother with things like breaks and sleep unless utterly necessary.]

Well, well, if it isn't the Truth Warrior herself. [He may not know her personally, but is there really anyone that doesn't know of the Masons these days? He follows her blog pretty closely, actually. She's one of the few people's facts he trusts. She has yet to post anything that doesn't check out, so she gets bonus points for that at least.

He gives her a warm smile as he introduces himself:] Cisco Ramon, Bait and Switch.

[shorthair]

( Clementine's approaching Georgia with a coke only to frown to see her boss already has one to go with her sandwich. She steps up to her, moving and sitting down beside her. It's rare to see her boss ever taking a break at all. She's always all about the work, and who can blame her with how terrible keeps hitting the fan lately? They have to be on their toes. Clementine takes it seriously even if she smiles warmly. )

Here I was bringing you a coke, and you're already set.

[mettatonvevo]

[Mettaton has been melting through the crowd like butter, putting on the charm for his listeners and viewers. Of course he is livetweeting this shit, and live-snapping, and Facebook-living and almost every other version of live you can be on a social media. But even he has to take a break so eventually he sends his crew out on a break and Mettaton gets himself a spot of food and as he looks for a place to settle down he spots-]

Well well well! The famous, or should I say infamous? Georgia Mason! I am not at all surprised that you are here.

[This might be the first time they've ever spoken face to face, but he is well aware of After the End Times. Can't turn any corner without seeing them mentioned. Especially since they've beaten him out for the top spot a couple of times, something that both infuriates and invigorates him.]

open - later in the week, after the needle is found

[choosetruth]

This is fucking terrorism and... well, it's working. People are terrified. Hell, Georgia's terrified. She doubts the needle was meant for her—she's just a journalist, not someone who matters, but outbreaks don't exactly discriminate once they start. Security might stop it at just the first person, or it might rage out of control and take ten or even a hundred lives. There are enough rich and powerful people here that she doesn't think the CDC would firebomb it, but it wouldn't be unprecedented.

And here she is, giving into the terror as well. No, she's a goddamn journalist, and she has top of the line body armor, and while it wouldn't necessarily stop a needle, especially one shot at her face or neck or another exposed part, it provides her some degree of protection. It'll have to be enough. She has a job to do.

She can be found exploring the area where the needle was found, trying to figure out what trajectory it might have taken and where it could have been shot from. She also can be found analyzing security footage, frowning as she tries to figure out where and when the needle could have shown up as well as who it could be aimed at. There are so many options.

And there's still a goddamn convention to cover, assuming anyone's still coming when they can just cower in their rooms instead.

[fancylad]

It's easy to slip away from his parents at the start of the convention, where everything is going smoothly and security is only as tight as would be expected of any major event after the Rising. They track down important people to talk to, they mingle, they get caught up in any conversation at all and the second Angus finds himself starting to tune out the niceties and the attempts at being kid-inaccessible because no one really wants him around (which don't work, Angus has a college-level vocabulary and a lot of political know-how), he takes off. His parents either don't notice or don't mind, Angus isn't really sure which and doesn't need to be.

But, after the needle is found, security tightens up. Mrs. McDonald grows paranoid and is regularly checking that he's washing himself properly and not wandering off. He lets himself believe it's in the interest of his safety, but it's proving to be extremely annoying. He needs to get to the bottom of this act of terrorism. Frankly, it's huge, and whoever proves to be behind it could be capable of much worse. This was a needle that didn't hit anyone. They could be capable of causing the largest outbreak Sacramento has ever seen.

It takes a lot of kid-knowhow and subtle subterfuge, but eventually, Georgia may hear some slight pounding noises coming from the security room's air duct. Soon enough, a full-sized eleven-year-old comes tumbling out of it, landing on his back and punctuating his fall with a sneeze.

Definitely only the kind of maneuver a scrawny child could pull off. An adult would never fit into that duct.

near where the needle was found

[burntvideocassette]

There's someone else poking around the area where the needle was found, and if Georgia has been keeping a careful eye on the press so far, she might notice that she hasn't seen him around during the previous days.

He doesn't quite look like he belongs here either, with bleach-streaked brown hair he forgot to couldn't afford to decided not to dye and a ratty, ill-fitting blazer over a rumpled button-down. A close, deliberate look might reveal the shine of a small swarm of cameras, each one at least 5-10 years out of date.

He's focused on getting footage of the crime scene and the surrounding area, but there a visible tension to the way he moves. It's clear he doesn't want to stay there long, and given that the blue medical gloves he's wearing are the only visible protection he has, that might actually be reasonable.

[saved]

Peter has been working on easily hidden mini-cameras for awhile. They'd come in handy to pick up information without anyone knowing that information is being picked up. It'd be actual video record while people remain oblivious to the recording, and they're still a prototype (it's stuff that can be disguised in house plants or watches). He's thinking it might be time to test them out if there are fucking needles everywhere. It's why he's bringing along his investigative gadgets too, because this is a mystery, and he has to solve it.

Most kids- most teenagers might be told to stay in at this point. Ordinarily, Peter might listen, but both his parents are dead and his Uncle Bed is dead, and he is not going to let it happen to Mary Jane (she's digging into trouble, searching for truth in a way Peter used to before his Uncle died 'mysteriously') or anyone else he cares about. He can help figure out information. It's his responsibility to try.

It's why he shows up to the place where the needle was found after Georgia is there. He's got a backpack on his shoulders as he enters the area, wondering if she might want to kick him out. He's technically still a high school-er even if he's also kind of intern-ing honorarily with her team if only because he's following Mary Jane around wherever she goes.

"Find anything useful?"

[normandysbest]

Shepard wasn't a huge fan of this convention as a whole; she's here mostly because there's very few opportunities for tons of people to meet up, and a press pass is a press pass.

Now, of course, she's wondering how much of a setup that was. Not that she thinks she's the target, here, but Irwins put themselves in danger for the greater good, so she's here, poking around where the needle was found, eyes alert to danger and ready to spring at a moment's notice.

When she sees Georgia, she crooks an eyebrow-- she's high profile, and might have more information that she doesn't necessarily need to dig up herself.

"Found anything fun yet?"

closed to Shaun - After the End Times "offices"

[choosetruth]

The time is late enough that it really should be considered early, and everyone is finally out of the office. Except Shaun and George, since the office is technically their bedroom.

George is still trying to put down a few more words, but her headache is getting worse and worse with every passing minute, and an argument can be made that she should eventually let her eyes actually close. Maybe. She groans, leaning back in her chair, but can't quite bring herself to actually close the laptop. She still has so much to do.

"I sort of thought success would be fun. Was that stupid of me?"

[adaptiveimmunities]

There's not a lot for an Irwin to do at a political convention that has been so sanitized that the only chance of finding zombies is the fucking terrorists, but he's been keeping busy. Running herd on the interns, taking the baby Irwins out for nature walks, entertaining other Irwins... All that and making sure their betas have the forums under control and the speculation doesn't get too wild and far-fetched. He gives George a quick grin. "Mom and Dad are successful. Do they ever look like they're having fun?" Not calling you stupid, George, but did you really think this through? "How's your head?"

Designated Escort Point (TM)

[morework]

Cullen checks his watch, dutifully. Five minutes later he checks his watch again, displeased. Five more, concerned. One radio conversation later, annoyed. She is fine, she is on her way. He does not check his watch anymore.

Only frowns down at the recorded as she shoves it at him.

"Did you do that to everyone on the way? No wonder you're late."

[choosetruth]

"If they're going to make me go through this ridiculous charade, the least I can do is get something out of it." And it is absolutely a charade. She understands that there's danger, she just doesn't think she's particularly safer with a bodyguard. Needles change the game. One bodyguard can't defend against that, and more than one is just fodder for a full outbreak.

Then again, one bodyguard can keep her from going places she's not supposed to be. She kind of suspects that's more the point.