Subj: The Working Man-part 4
Date: 12/26/99 1:49:16 PM Central Standard Time
From: Delilah Robbins
Trevor, backed up by Diabolos, beamed his infamous toothy grin as he dropped the bomb. "We're going to travel through time!"
There was a long pause as the bomb hit its target…Ross Miller. Then in a sound that could only compare to legions of birds taking flight, Margie jumped up and down as the cigarette seared her toes.
Taking in a deep breath and counting to ten, Ross let his tirade pass. He looked The Big D right in the eye. Boldly, his nemesis stared right back at him.
"Interesting idea!" He spouted through gritted teeth.
"I thought so." The Devil agreed smugly.
With as much professionalism as he could muster he challenged Big D. His tone biting, he flipped a long lick of hair out of his eyes. "So, that's it? Where do you take the characters with this, or have you thought that far ahead?"
Diabolos' grinned impishly. "As a matter of fact, I have it all written down. Would you like to see my notes?"
Ross snatched at his brief case. "Gladly, after I show you…mine!" To his chagrin, they were gone! He scratched his head, frustrated. "I swear they were right here. I packed them before I left this morning!"
Diabolos complacently handed his notes to Ross. They were identical to his, only much neater and handsomely written. The letters were almost calligraphic, with their sweeping san serifs.
Trevor laughed, clearly impressed and snowed beyond belief. "You keep this up Diabolos and you'll be vying for Ross' head writer spot."
Flustered, he tried to find a clever retort for Howdy Doody but instant rage had tied his tongue. Overcome, he stormed from the workroom, flying to his desk. As he started packing, he had the strangest feeling that he was being watched. Instinctively looking up, his eyes were assaulted by his red bedecked adversary.
Steamed, he furiously threw things into waiting crates until he was out of breath. When he couldn't take the suspense any longer, he boldly crossed to Big D.
"All right, how'd you do it? He asked, spitting as he spoke.
"Excuse me?" Eyebrows raised, Diabolos feigned a lack of comprehension. He shook his head furiously.
"Don't play dumb with me, how'd you get my notes and how'd you copy them so quickly?"
The Devil blew at his fingers, as if they were smoking guns. In a way they were. "Never mind." He crooked a red finger at him. "The question is what are you going to do about it?"
Tossing his treasured picture of Gina toward a crate, it missed and the glass shattered all over the floor. Stunned and in reverence, he paused momentarily and then continued. "I'm quitting this show. From now on, I'll be writing for Days of our Afterlives. The producers have been clamoring at my back for a dog's age now!"
"Don't be stupid Ross! I happen to know that you'd take a tremendous cut in salary if you worked for them."
"I'd get the respect I deserve." He snapped, nearly spent.
"True, true, but I know a better way to get what you want."
Ross stopped short for a moment bewildered. "What the Hell are you doing in my office anyway? I should throw you right out on that red can of yours!"
The Big D bit his tongue. As if the little whelp could, He thought to himself, as the steam started to escape from his red collar. Control yourself old boy! The Devil commanded his psyche. Remain in check. You're here to get back at Nicky. Don't forget your purpose. You're much more powerful than this little guttersnipe is. He regarded the underling challengingly. "Cut a little deal with me then."
Ross pursed his lips cocking his head cynically. "Yeah sure!"
Diabolos' smiled, his eyes, piercing. "I'll go back to Trevor and straighten it all out. He'll realize that the time travel idea and all the notes are really yours."
His heart leaped as his brilliant eyes shot open. "You'd really do that?"
"Sure I would." He promised, smiling compassionately, then adding shrewdly, "For a price."
"Name it!"
"Your soul." He was collecting them after all, and thought Ross might be game.
"What?" Ross blasted incredulously.
"Just kidding!" He interjected quickly. "I'll do it, if you use some of my ideas in the show. They're not all crap you know!" He blasted.
Ross winced as he thought of the obvious impact the big D's ideas would have with the censors. There was his lack of trustworthiness to consider too. "Why should I have faith in you?"
At that, Diabolos did what no one else did better. He gave options, making his prey feel as if he had complete control of the situation. "You weigh it all for yourself, my friend. You can go write for that second rate soap or you stay here and be part of the greatest writing team in all history. The choice is yours." He jabbed at Ross' gut with a red, gun-like finger for emphasis.
The Head writer stared at the flames blazing in Big D's eyes, wondering from whence they reflected.
*************************************************************************************
Nicholas Blair shook his head ruefully. Lately he'd noted a serious setback, not just in his story line but in the motivations of Jules Burn, the character he was playing. Over the past few episodes Jules was becoming extremely pugilistic and sex crazed to boot.
"Jules Burn and Vampira on the set pronto!" The director bellowed.
Jules snuck up on Vampira as she gazed at his mirror and it's ever - changing view. "What are you doing!" He barked, scaring the living Hell out of her.
She was visibly shaken. "Nnnothing!"
He grabbed her by the chin. "You're lying! You can't see yourself in it, so you must have been looking for something else!" He circled her strutting around in his magnificent robe.
"I know what goes in that demented pea brain of yours. You want to be a part of that experiment don't you?" He raised her chin higher when her gaze diverted from his. "Don't you?!" He thundered.
"YES! Damn it! Vampira screamed. "Why did you have to tell me about the experiment in the first place, just to gloat?"
He regarded her in silence for a moment as his temper took a turn for the worse. "Don't take that tone with me!" He thundered. Then he slapped her hard across the face sending her careening into the furniture.
"What did you do that for?" She whined holding on to her reddened check.
Jules shook a finger at Vampira. "You ask stupid questions!"
Vampira looked at him fearfully and then swallowed hard. "Jules you're going to have to stop knocking me around like this!" She said anxiously.
"And why is that?"
"Because I'm going to have your bab…"
Nicholas waved his arms as if he were about to take flight."…Don't finish that statement!" He yelled, clearly out of character. He stared into the cloudy darkness. "Cut!" He shouted.
"Hey Nicholas that's my line!" The flabbergasted director announced.
Nicholas ran a hand through this glossy black mane. "What is going on here Mike? This is horrendous! Is Ross on vacation or something?"
Clearly abashed, the director explained the situation to his distraught star. "We have a new writer on staff."
From out of no where a chillingly familiar voice boomed.
"Hi ya Nicky!"
Nicholas' heart nearly sank to the floor as he recognized the earsplitting voice. There, smack dab in front of him stood his former boss, the one who nearly burnt him to a crisp.
The director scratched his head with recognition. "Wow! You guys look exactly alike!"
Diabolos was only too happy to explain. "Yeah, we're illegitimate twins!"
Mortified, Nicholas dropped his face in his hands.
"Only Nicky Blair gave himself a last name!" He clapped Nicholas on the back. "Long time no see!"
The director smiled at the little reunion. Brotherly love, he thought warmly. "Why don't we all take five. Then he addressed the lookalikes "I'm sure you two will want to reminisce."
Nicholas stared at Diabolos warily, while Big D regarded him nonchalantly. "So how do you like working Nicky?"
"I might ask you the same."
"Can't complain. You know, it's not so bad!" He nodded, gloating. "I've really got a knack for this writing stuff, if I do say so myself."
"You're turning my part to shambles! You've got me impregnating every female on the show, from the maid to the matriarch!"
"Just doing my part…doing my part! Making sure that Jules' jewels really do burn! He jabbed Nicholas in the chest for emphasis. Huh, huh?"
Nicholas shook his head. "Along with the rest of me. That is the general idea isn't it?"
Diabolos nodded. The look in his eyes made Nicholas want to run for his life. The tone of his voice caused gooseflesh to appear up and down his spine.
"No one leaves my service until I say so! Especially my number one guy!"
Nicholas backed off a little bit. "Ex number one guy!" He corrected.
Diabolos scowled. "Yeah!" Then he raked a red gloved hand against his chin. "Well it's not too late to come back…"
The ex warlock's eyes flew open. He'd figured it all out. "…So that's the idea is it? You'll exist to torment me until I do?"
The big D smiled wider than anyone in creation could. Giving his likeness a brisk pat on the side of the cheek he exclaimed, "Bingo Nicky! There are no flies on you, my friend!"
Nicholas smiled sadly. What made him think Diabolos would let him off easy? As a new member of humanity, he suddenly became painfully aware of the age-old struggle to keep one's soul unblemished. Only Nicholas' past association with the wellspring of all evil would make his reformation that much harder.
Diabolos pointed a gun-like finger in Nicholas' direction. "Every day, your dialogue and actions will get more and more insipid." He promised. "Until eventually you'll be written off the show."
"So, I'll get another job!"
The big D stuck his face right in Nicholas' face. "I'll follow you wherever you go. Eventually you'll see things my way and when you do, I'll be waiting!" He sneered.
He marveled at the Devil's persistence and his past actions. He'd even had surgery done to look like his number one guy. When a bewildered Nicholas inquired why, Diabolos just shrugged saying, "You're a handsome blade Nicky! I thought I'd share in the wealth!" Sometimes Nicholas seriously wondered if Diabolos wasn't in love with him.
"I must admit I've underestimated you Nicky! You've done pretty well for yourself. It'll be all the more delicious to see you come crawling back!"
Interrupting his threats, Stewie the properties man, broke up the reunion, giving Diabolos a mock punch in the arm. "…Hey Big D, how do you like them Tigers?'
"I don't!" He snapped. "The Cardinals are going to win, my friend!"
Stewie chuckled heartily. "No, no…The Tigers are a shoe in for the Series!"
Nicholas watched the steam spouting from Diabolos' collar and the flame dancing in his eyes. If he knew his former boss, and he did, there was a bet to be made.
"Would like to put your money where your mouth is?"
"Sure pal! How much do you have to lose?"
Diabolos looked the poor sap in the eyes and then answered him shrewdly. "How about a weeks pay, yours!"
Stewie looked away clearly hesitant.
"Not so confident now, are you my friend?"
The props man looked up again stubbornly. "You're on!"
Diabolos' eyes lit up as he smiled triumphantly.
Stewie continued. "Because the Cardinals will win when Hell freezes over!"
Few thoughts appalled the Devil as much as that. His face crumbled at the mere insinuation of it. Still horrified, he watched smug Stewie laugh all the way back to the set.
Nicholas savored the view of Diabolos, cringing, as it was a rare sight to witness. In an instant, the whole Stewie Diabolos interaction had given him an idea. Gloating, he whispered in his former boss' ear. "You're going to be fair about this, aren't you?"
The Big D looked up at him absentmindedly. "What?…"
"…You'd never fix the game in your favor, would you?"
"You know me better than that!"
This time it was Nicholas who grinned from ear to ear. "Precisely, I know you and fair play is not one of your virtues. When that poor fellow loses a weeks pay, your dirty work will be written all over it!"
Diabolos was lived. The red veins in his neck started to pulse. "Now see here!"
Nicholas was triumphant, he knew he'd hit the old goat where it hurt, poor sportsman though he was, he couldn't resist a challenge, that was the only time he played fair. This may be my trump card, the way to free myself of this millstone around my neck. Nicholas thought and bravely forged ahead.
"You forget, manipulating fate used to be one of my specialties. So, if you fix this in any way, I'll know it!
Diabolos glared at him. "What's your point?"
Nicholas smiled a half smile "I'd like to make a bet with you myself, actually it's more of a deal."
"I'm listening."
"If the Cardinals win, my soul is yours to do with what you will."
The flames licked at the Big D's pupils.
"However, if they lose and the Tigers win, you go back to Hell and I'm given the chance to make my new life work. Is it a deal?"
Diabolos took a sharp intake of breath. There was a lot at stake. As it stood, he had plenty of opportunity to make Nicholas fall. On the other hand however, he could make his number one guy singe that much quicker. The Cardinals were going to win with or without his intervention. He could feel it. Weighing all the odds he made his decision. "It's a deal hot pants!"
As they shook on it, Nicholas felt the heat emanating from Big D's palm as it seared his own.
Diabolos eyes narrowed as he smiled his broadest exposing every one of his pearly whites. Nicholas trembled, as the knot in his stomach kicked up a fear inspired rumpus.
He clapped his ex number one guy on the shoulder. "You know Nicholas, I'm really looking forward to watching you burn again!"
To be continued…