1964-03-16 - Investigating W-ILD TV Incident
Summary: Clark Kent, reporter with the New York Bulletin contacts Dazzler over the W-ILD television incident.
Related: Stay Tuned: The Island of Dr. Mojo
Theme Song: "Private Investigations" by Dire Straits - https://youtu.be/P9K27HvhDxA
clark dazzler 


Alison finds an unexpected message left for her through her agent, not often that people in the media actually want to talk to her. Usually they just make up whatever they want, without ever bothering with her. So she decided to take Clark Kent on this refreshing offer and call him back, "Mr. Kent? This is Dazzler, what did you want to talk about?" A rather rhetorical question, it was fairly obvious what was the most recent incident to have her name in headlines.

*

There's the sound of a fumbling handset as it's picked up, "I've got it." Naturally, it's his line. "Clark Kent, New York Bulletin." There's a pause as Dazzler identifies herself and he listens, nodding. "Oh! Well. Thank you for returning my call, Miss Dazzler. I was wondering if you had a few minutes for an interview. I'd like to talk to you about the recent events around the Wild television broadcast. I'm sure there's more to your story than what has been published and that.. was not terribly flattering."

*

There's a momentary silence on the other end of the line, The Bugle having published quite a bit about Dazzler during her short rise to fame. Some flattering, most, not even remotely so. None of it ever following any contact with her. "Ah, that…" she eventually says something, "sure, we can talk. Over the phone, or would you rather meet for a cup of coffee? A smoke?"

*

"Well, if you are amenable, I would prefer to talk in person." Clark offers, "It is much more.. personable." Dangit! Use your words, Clark! "I would be happy to pay for coffee or lunch.. wherever you would prefer so long as it's under ten dollars. I'm not a wealthy man." He smiles into the phone.

*

"I agree," Dazzler notes with a laugh, as she's pretty sure she can hear Clark being displeased with his choice of personable as a trait for a meeting in person. "A very generous offer, can you get to Cafe Wha? Say in about…30 minutes?"

*

A beat. "I'm sorry, I think there was a glitch in the line, Miss Dazzler." Clark replies apologetically. "Cafe, which?"

*

"You don't normally cover music, do you, Mr. Kent?" Dazzler asks, sounding surprised at the notion a non-music specific reporter is looking to speak with her. "It's the place I made my debut, the name is Cafe Wha? That is the name. It's on 115 MacDougal St in the Village."

*

"OH!" The lights go on in Clark's house. "I'm terribly sorry, Miss Dazzler. I honestly don't get out much.. though I did dance at my senior prom. That was swell." A beat. "I will be there in thirty minutes promptly. Thank you." Click.

*

For this outing, Dazzler isn't looking to dazzle, she is rather looking not to stand out too much. So she chooses a very casual v-neck pink blouse, yellow unbuttoned jacket over it, black capris and black flats with tipped toes. The final touch is a pair of catseye shades to cover her eyes. She is prompt, more than prompt, unless Clark made sure to arrive early himself, he'll find her signaling him on arrival, sitting at a corner booth reserved for the two of them. There are perks for being a rock star.

*

Clark arrives punctually. Five minutes early. Which is to say he's probably there after Dazzler. He really did have to look the place up after all. He gives a wave and nearly knocks over a guitar stand art display which he fumbles to catch and upright before it's damaged. There's an apology to the wait staff and he explains who he's here to see. As he walks over to the table, he takes off his hat and coat and tucks them into the booth before sitting. "Miss Dazzler, thank you for seeing me." He goes fishing into the jacket then pauses to look back to her. "Ahh, do you mind if I record this, prefer if I just take notes.. or are we off the record?" She has choices!

*

Dazzler nearly jumps out of her seat when Clark bumbles towards the booth and manages to nearly knock over one of the sacred artifacts that are scattered about the place. She visibly sighs in relief when Clark saves the day in the end, and eases back down in her seat. "That was a close one," she remarks when Clark arrives at the booth and takes off his hat and coat. In the meantime she reaches for her purse and extends a cigarette packet towards him, "care for a smoke?" She shrugs at the request to record the meeting, "you could if you wanted, though I don't see a need. Then again, you're the first reporter writing about me who actually sought to speak to me, so, I'm already impressed."

*

Holding up a hand, Clark shakes his head, "I don't smoke. It's bad for the lungs. And the voice. You really should consider quitting." But as she doesn't have a preference, he takes out a pad of paper and a pencil. "So, as I understand, you had scheduled to perform and.. subsequently cancelled that appearance for the.. unorthodox appearance of which we spoke. Would you be able to say why?"

*

Dazzler shrugs and returns the packet to her purse, not taking a cigarette herself, seeing how Clark refused one. "It's what?" She gives him an odd look, "how do you figure it's bad for the lungs?" Clearly, she did not really bother with the shocking report released on January of this year. "Oh…I was kidnapped, right when I was about to take the stage too…" Dazzler is rather adamant about it. "I would never cancel a show for a stupid appearance on a sick show. I'm not even sure it was a show, it felt real enough."

*

Clark was about to start writing then.. snaps the lead. "I'm sorry, did you say kidnapped?" He goes fishing into his pocket for a little box sharpener and sets about getting a new point on the pencil. "By whom?" He sits upright now and looks to her with rapt attention. He adjusts his glasses just to be sure he's got a good focus upon her.

*

Dazzler grins at Clark's reaction, as she reaches for a sip from a daiquiri glass that was already half empty. "Not quite like the Bugle told it, is it?" She shrugs at the question about the culprit's identity, "somebody with powers. One moment I was about to take the stage, the next, I was surrounded by white light, then I was on that strange place with the fighting arena and weird wolves made of metal. It was like a trip, but much, much worse."

*

"White light.." Clark scribbles notes. "So no one in particular but.. possibly teleportation.. or a gate.. or perhaps you were simply mind controlled into a blank state only to come to.." He's clearly speculating. "Now, you can understand that it would be difficult to print such a thing without some sort of corroborating detail. To accuse the producers of Wild-TV of kidnapping.. do you recall anything else? Perhaps anyone else in the arena?"

*

"Howard Stark is pretty famous, he was there…in a bath robe no less, I would suggest he was kidnapped when he was about to take a shower," Dazzler offers, before furrowing her brow, "there were others, but I didn't know any of them…I kind of lost consciousness when the brutal fighting started. I thought I was going to die…"

*

Clark nods, taking more notes. "I will be sure to speak to him about this. If you both had similar events, then this.. well.. clearly it is serious.." But his editor may just print it. "I am glad to see that you are alive and well, Miss Dazzler." He taps the eraser on his pad a moment. "Now, you mentioned wolves of metal. Can you describe them to me?"

*

Dazzler nods at the suggestion it's serious, and mutters, "I'm sure Howard Stark will have a similar story," but she pauses to think when asked about the metallic wolves, "well, they were silver…they have 4 sharp claws on each paw…their mouths are like a raptor's beak. They are fast and most of all, scary," she finishes her attempt at recollection. "When you talk to Howard, tell him I asked about his promise to get me a new dress, it got torn when I had to run for my life. He promised me a new one."

*

Clark makes a note. Torn dress. Stark. Dollar sign. "Now.. you say you were knocked unconscious shortly after arriving in the arena." Scribble. "When and where were you when you regained consciousness?"

*

"I believe I fainted…there was an arena full of tribesmen, and they were all chanting for Crusher Creel, who was there, I can't fight a boxer. Let along a criminal! I was supposed to sing…" Dazzler mopes, getting bitter just thinking back about that unpleasant incident. "I don't know why W-ILD TV took me…"

*

Clark continues making notes. "Who is Crusher Creel? I'm sorry but I'm new to New York and any help you can give me with the nuances would be.. delightful." Very helpful? "You say tribesmen. What made them tribal? Was there a particular manner of dress? Describe them for me."

*

"You never heard of Crusher Creel? Was a boxer, turned to crime, was jailed, escaped…and now he has some crazy powers? He was fighting the Winsome Wasp a few weeks ago and damaged an entire city block." Asked about the tribesmen, she shakes her head, "I'm sorry, but this is getting very stressful for me…" she reaches back for her purse, taking the cigarette she didn't take last time, and lights it up. She takes a puff and savors it for a moment, before muttering, "look, the key issue is I didn't bail on my fans…I didn't want to be on that…whatever they call it. I didn't agree to be on television, I didn't agree to be on a show and I never had any communication with W-ILD TV. It's really criminal, what happened. I hope they get shut down."

*

Clark nods affirmatively to Dazzler. "Oh I quite agree, Miss Dazzler. You seem like quite the committed woman who was truly traumatized by this event. I'm merely trying to garner the facts." He also takes fastidious notes, flipping page after page with neat block print. "If you like we can pause." He gives a wave to get the attention of a waitress.

*

"That I was," Dazzler concurs with Clark's observation, and as she lets out a swirl of smoke, she nods, "I think I'd like that. Maybe Howard Stark can offer more, he's the sharp science guy, I just perform. I sing, I play guitar, I do my light shows…that's about it. I'm really confused by what happened…"

*

As promised, Clark reaches into his jacket and gets out his wallet, putting a ten spot on the table. "Lunch is on me, Miss Dazzler. Thank you for your time and I'm sorry if this was disturbing to you. The interview that is." He coughs a little at the swirl of smoke. "I will be sure to speak to Mister Stark."

*

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