Thread: A Pyrrhic Victory (AE x Victiorian Virtue)

Sierra Simmons had never really experienced a moment where she truly dropped everything. She was a confident multitasker, and her life consisted more or less of reporting on the mundane processes of the local political machine. Despite living in a town full of scandal and intrigue, she had spent most of her last five years relegated to busywork. It seemed her fiery temperament and sharp wit was hardly conducive to the bureaucracy of local news. The luster of her dream job had faded fast when she realized the hurdles she would have to jump through in order to get the stories she deserved. After years under her far less talented seniors, she had finally struck a bargain with the devil, and tonight it seemed it would pay off. Sierra nearly dropped her phone as the tip was relayed to her. The veracity of her source was yet to be determined, their deal struck upon their first meeting in some hole in the wall restaurant, but if his information was good, Sierra would soon find herself on the express track to the top. As soon as she heard him disconnect, she dropped the phone on the bed of her small apartment. There was an urgency in her actions, even if she had about an hour to reach a bar only a few blocks away. Either way, she had to be dressed properly for such an event. This was her big break, and she planned to look smashing for the occasion, even if no one was there to witness her outfit. As per her usual standard, her flaxen locks hung below her shoulders, slightly wavy but worn without any sort of preparation besides that. Deciding that she couldnt exactly justify a ballroom gown without drawing more attention than she desired, Sierra instead settled on a blue cocktail dress that clung to her pale figure, a dark-colored affair that was only a few shades darker than her irises. Sierra had never been a model, but she was in good shape for a twenty eight year old. When dressing to impress, she tended to draw more attention to her bust than her behind, as the former drew far more attention than the latter. Nothing about Sierra approached the flawless perfection that models strove for, but any girl would be happy to have her features. With a little more than half an hour to spare after applying a generous layer of cherry-red lipstick and her usual array of makeups, only a short walk separated her from her big break. The whole journey to the bar, her black high heels clicking along the pavement, she could feel her heart beating against her chest. The thought crossed her mind that the arrangement she had made would have further implications than a simple exchange of information, the devil she had bargained clearly wanted more out of her than a weapon to take down his enemies through the press. However, Sierra quickly brushed it aside, confident that whatever he wanted she would be able to downplay or manage. Her train of thought was short for this world anyways. Her immediate entry into the bar revealed the exact information she had been seeking. The councilman, a man famous for his stone-cold stare and hard stance on crime, was seated on the lap of a man half his age. Councilman Jones grandiose and uncoordinated movements clearly indicated just how drunk he was. Sierra could hardly reach for her phone fast enough. With the advent of the digital age, news no longer waited until the morning to be reported. Her editor was practically salivating by the fourth or fifth shot, and the news was broken to the site, credited directly to her. Sierra Simmons had just broken the biggest news story of the year for the city. No doubt political allies and enemies were already jockeying to profit, or avoid disaster, off Frank Jones impending doom. The general public would be unaware until tomorrow, but the major players had already set their gears in motion Frank Jones was politically dead. As per her sources implicit request, she immediately texted him Frank Jones is no more. Assume youre still interested in meeting, like you specified at first meeting. Ill wait for you at the agreed spot. Let me know if plans change. Sierra Simmons walked out of the bar, the grin on her face unaffected by the looming meeting with her source. Today was a new beginning for the young-ish reporter, and almost nothing could ruin her spirits.