Turk

Disclaimer: While place descriptions and news events may coincide with the real world, all characters and the plot are fictional. 
== Biography ==
=== Independent Journalist ===
Turk is an independent journalist, who posts tweets and video clips live from events. 
==== Book 1: Stories We Tell ====
According to Corey Washington, Turk started reporting at the time of the Occupy ICE PDX protest in June 2018. They also covered Don't Shoot PDX, a Portland community action group. Corey considers Turk to be objective, smart and careful observer and their tweets are mostly descriptive. What they tweet is what they see, rather than quoting sources. They are often right in the thick of things, and have 25k followers on Twitter.
The Witch introduces Cage Washington to Turk during the march from Peninsular Park on Friday May 29, 2020. Unable to get back to their cars, Turk and Cage are picked up by Ryan at Lan Su Gardens, and Turk asks to be dropped off at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Turk meets up with Cage again when he returns to the protest later that evening. When police declare a riot, Turk and the Witch urge Cage to leave. To evade police, Turk and Cage hide in Keller Fountain Park under the waterfall. Turk tells Cage of being arrested at an ICE protest, and explains about the use of gender-neutral pronouns. As they try to reach their cars, Turk is splattered by police tear gas. Cage cleans Turk's eyes with water. and they head to EWN together instead. Cage directs Turk to the bathrooms on the second level to clean up. After they shower, Cage asks Ryan if Turk can stay 'upstairs', as public transport is shut down. Ryan agrees, and asks Turk to call him the following day.
Late on Monday evening June 1, Turk meets Cage at the downtown protest, and tells him he shouldn't be there without protective gear: gas mask, stab vest, cap, and gloves. As well as his camera bag, Turk also carries a 'safety' bag, with a first aid kit and other basic equipment - enough to get them to an ambulance or hospital. They tell Cage that anyone coming from EWN to the protests should carry similar equipment, and know how to use it. Cage reminds Turk of the offer of sanctuary for independent journalists.
Wednesday evening Turk warns Cage, and then help him return to EWN after a cop fires a non-lethal shot at him. After Cage is safely at EWN, Turk heads home.
==== Book 2: Choose ====
Late afternoon on Monday October 12, 2020, Turk is with Cage Washington, and a handful of independent journalists outside the Multnomah County Justice Center. They see J.J. nearby and realizing he is a newbie holding an EWN camera kit, and point him out to Cage.
When Turk buzzes EWN's front door at midnight, Jake and The Witch are carrying Carroll. Cage meets them at the door. Turk says they were heading home when a van pulled up grabbing Jake. The group of independents grabbed back, and then another truck with a bunch of white men pulled up and beat them. Turk says the truck was 'pure white boy' - muffler, Confederate flag decals, Trump logos, Bud Light in cans. As they go up to the Crow's Nest in the elevator, Turk says the group was targeted. Cage and Turk help Carroll back down to shower on the second floor. When they reach the bathroom door, Carroll fights away from Cage, and only lets Turk help them into the shower. Afterwards, Cage helps Turk support Carroll and takes them both back up in the elevator, reminding them of the 'rules'.
The following afternoon, Turk goes down in the elevator to use the bathroom and sees Emily and Sarah. They tell them they work on the literary magazine. but Sarah recognizes Turk as someone she follows on Twitter - she thinks they're really good. When Turk returns to the newsroom, Emily is telling Sarah about the Crow's Nest, and how the EWN editors decided to extend sanctuary to independent journalists. Turk tells Emily that Carroll is in rough shape physically, and nearly hysterical at the thought of leaving. Jake and the Witch want to go home, but Turk needs to stay with Carroll. Emily offers to walk Jake and the Witch out. Sarah asks what's wrong with Carroll, and Turk says they were abducted and beaten by cops in June that year, and they haven't been the same since. Sarah offers to examine and talk to Carroll, as she's had some medic training in the Army, and understands PTSD. Sarah joins Turk in the elevator and they go up to the Crow's Nest together. Turk introduces Sarah to the others, and tells Jack and the Witch that Emily will walk them out. When Turk asks if the men said anything to Carroll, they become hysterical saying "No! No! I won't talk! I said I won't! I won't!" Sarah assures Carroll they didn't, and they won't, that what is happening now is real, their friend Turk is there, and Sarah would like to be a friend too. With more reassurance from Turk, Carroll allows Sarah to examine their mouth, throat, and eyes.
That evening, J.J. approaches Cage while he is talking to Carroll and Turk downtown. They introduce themselves and praise J.J. for his article the previous night.
On Thursday evening Miguel Garcia helps Turk and Carroll leave the protests, and hides with them at Keller Fountain park. Miguel calls out as Cage passes to let him know the rest of the EWN team are safely headed back, and that he has Turk and Carroll hidden near the fountain. Carroll is hysterical, screaming 'won't talk', Turk can't calm them. Turk sees Cage approach, and tells Carroll that Cage has come to take care of them. Cage helps Turk get Carroll up, and asks Turk if they can walk to EWN. Turk says he's injured and will be slow, but tells them to go on ahead. When Ryan arrives in his Prius, Miguel walks back to EWN. Cage puts Turk and Carroll in the back seat. Ryan says the roads are blocked, so they have to go the long way around. Carroll tells Cage they saw the van again, it had the same plates. When they arrive at EWN, Miguel and Sarah are already in the Crow's Nest waiting for them. Sarah helps Turk get Carroll settled, then Turk goes down to the newsroom and offers their camera's footage as well, as he hadn't been able to stream live. Cage asks Miguel to get a voiceover from Turk as well. When the news broadcast ends, Turk returns to the Crow's Nest to check on Carroll and Sarah.
Will goes up to interview Carroll about what happened, about the van and why they thought it was the same one. Carroll explains about the plate. Turk says he's not sure - while it looked the same as Tuesday night, they're pretty common, although not usually carrying men in tactical gear. Both Turk and Carroll remember more details as Will gently prods them with questions. Will then asks Carroll about what happened to them in June. Turk asks if he can tell what he saw first. Carroll says they'd like to hear it, they've never really talked about it. Turk briefly reviews Portland's history with protests, then goes on to talk about the night Carroll was abducted. The police had sprayed the crowds with teargas. Sarah comments that the police are using and doing stuff that would have led to a court-martial in the Army, stuff that's considered a human rights violation if done overseas. Turk, Carroll, Jake and a couple of others had run, heading for Keller Fountain park; vans with no identification were chasing protesters; men would jump out and demand they stop but show no ID. The men were dressed like federal agents, but white militia were imitating the feds. The men grabbed a couple of protestors including Carroll. Turk had called an attorney to bail Carroll out, but forty minutes later, the lawyer called back to say Carroll was not at the courthouse, there was no record of arrest or incident report. The next day, Carroll was dumped outside the emergency room with lots of bruising, a rope burn around the neck, a concussion. Miguel comes up in the elevator saying Ryan sent him to get Cage and Will. Sarah stays with Turk and Carroll.
While the others are downstairs, Sarah has Turk move boxes from the divider wall to build a fake wall in front of the elevator. Turk checks his phone and says EWN are streaming their security footage out over the public access channel. Jake has spotted it and re-sent it over his Twitter feed, and it's trending, and not just in Oregon either. Carroll has their phone, so they watch Twitter on one phone, and the EWN channel on the other. Turk notices the broadcast is delayed, and Sarah says they probably didn't put it on air til after Cage went down, but Corey must have been recording from the beginning. And the men have no clue that thousands of people are watching them make fools of themselves. Carroll points to one man, and said that's the one who questioned them. Carroll takes a screenshot and sends it to their mother, with a link to the feed. When Cage returns to the Crow's Nest to give the all clear, Sarah shows him Twitter and Turk says there's been more white militia push-back on Facebook. Turk tells Cage to go home, but Cage says he'll stay downstairs monitoring the feed. Cage leaves with Sarah while Turk stays with Carroll.
Turk and Carroll arrive at EWN the following evening to tell Emily that Sarah Gilligan will speak on stage downtown at 9pm. J.J. is the only videographer not at the Loft party. so Emily tells him to go, but to return by 10pm so he can edit the clip to go live by the end of the broadcast. Turk assures Emily he will bring J.J. back safe, even if Carroll stays with their mother. Turk and Carroll leave with J.J. and head downtown. Turk says they have to look out for each other because no one else is going to. They get close to the speakers and Turk warns J.J. to put on his safety gear. Carroll introduces them to their mother for a sound bite before the speech starts. When police start using pepper spray, Turk jerks up their mask and grabs J.J's camera, keeping it steady and filming while J.J. gets his own mask in place. Turk and Carroll are tweeting on their phones, when Carroll drops their phone and screams. Turk grabs the phone, looks at it and pulls Carroll into a hug. Turk yells at they have to get out of there, police are arresting people. As Rep. Gilligan is being handcuffed, J.J. grabs Turk and Carroll and they head north to the transit mall. They all catch the light rail back to PSU. Turk hands Carroll's phone to J.J., who takes one look at the screen and hands it back, saying he shouldn't see those pics. As they walk toward EWN. Turk asks what Carroll is thinking of doing, and Carroll says they will talk when they get to EWN. After Ben leaves for the Loft party, Carroll shows Emily the six photos that had been DM'd to Carroll's Twitter account. Carroll says they want to make the photos public, as if they're in the public domain, they can't be used as blackmail. Carroll asks if EWN will do it? Carroll and Turk agree to return for the editor's meeting the following afternoon
On Saturday afternoon, Turk and Carroll arrive for the editor's meeting to overhear Sarah and Emily talking about Cage. When the meeting starts, Ryan runs through minor agenda items, then introduces discussion on the protests, the attempted raid, and what happens next. Ryan asks J.J. to team with Carroll and Turk that night in reporting the protests. Ryan introduces the issue of the blackmail photos sent to Carroll, and after discussion the decision to publish is unanimous.
That evening, Turk, Carroll and J.J. go to the downtown protest, with Cage is roaming separately to them. Shortly before 10pm, police try to disperse the crowd. laughing while using pepper spray and paint balls and it becomes chaotic. Turk tells Carroll and J.J. to return to EWN, but Carroll wants them to all stay together. They argue while J.J. continues to film the chaos. Carroll gets shoved down on one knee, and J.J. pulls them up. Turk yells at him to get Carroll out, so the cops can't get their hands on Carroll. Turk is arrested and zip-tied.
The following day Turk is at EWN for the broadcast of Carroll's story, after having been released from jail - no charges were pressed.
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* By Jan 2021, they have 30k followers.
== Physical Appearance ==
Turk is about 5-foot 9, with a sturdy build.
== Personality ==
Turk doesn't miss much. They're always looking, and they see what they're looking at.
Cage considers Turk has a built-in desire to protect those weaker than them.
== Relationships ==
Turk's pronouns are they/them. Unlike Carroll, Turk's use of these pronouns are a political statement - he doesn't think it's anyone's business what his gender/sexuality/orientation is, not online anyway. This is in part a safety measure, as social media can be brutal to non-heterosexual, gender conforming people, and as an independent journalist they would be risking assault in public.
== Residence ==
In December 2020, Turk lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Cedar Hills, a suburb about 7 miles west of downtown Portland. They are vegetarian.
Category:Independent