Tonya looked at Dana’s stiff back disappearing up the stairs, then to the sheaf of notes in her hand, the results of two days of negotiating on the phone with Dana’s sponsors.  She walked back to the desk and, one by one, tore them into strips and let them flutter into the trash.  Then she picked up her keys and walked out of the house, not particularly caring whether she would return or not. The Dana Fairbanks ship was going to sink, and she was not going to be on board when it happened.

~*~*~*~*~*

            Unable to handle the exchange of blatant sexual energy between Susan and Doyle, Alice had left the future home of Coffee ‘n Cuffs, heading back to work.  The hot looks, the wanton smiles, it had been too much.  Doyle was sweet, sexy and fucking blonde!  Then there was those eyes, that made you feel like you were floating on thin air when she dared look at you.  Alice had felt like a pauper next to the princess the whole time, wanting to just kiss Susan to make sure she was still in this little adventure they were having together.  She hadn’t done that; instead, she’d left.

            She walked into the offices of LA Magazine and went straight to the back room.  It was a research room and she wanted to find Becky.  She pushed the door open and saw the woman with thick glasses sitting at not one, not two, but three computers in a U shaped station.

            “Beck?”  Alice said and Becky’s dark blue eyes met Alice’s,

            “Look who’s here.  Hello stranger.”  Becky said with her monotone voice and Alice moved to her, sitting on the edge of the desk.  Alice wrung her hands.

            “I need some help.”  Alice began, and Becky gave her a knowing look.  Alice was always in need of something.

            “Uh huh.” Becky said in her normal monotone voice.

            “There were some paparazzi called on Dana Fairbanks a lil bit ago….”

            “Uh huh.”   She uttered again.

Alice sighed.  “I need to know who placed the call.”

            “Date, time and location?”  Becky asked as if saying, ‘Name, Rank and Serial Number’.  Alice slipped her the paper she’d written all the information on.