WENN the World Falls. Part I
by Jenny Immich

Disclaimer: Remember WENN and the characters belong to Rupert Holmes, AMC, etc. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: This is set on an alternate timeline at about the same that "Happy Homecomings" would have taken place.  I warned you...

"Scott!" Betty begged frantically. "You can't go now! We need you here at WENN!"

Scott picked up his suitcase. "Betty, you don't understand," he said apologetically. "My Aunt Agatha is very sick. I have to go take care of her. She sent me a telegram this morning telling me to come. I have to go."

Betty threw her hands up in exasperation as Scott began to walk out the studio. "Great! Now what are we going to do? Mackie can't do all the voices. Do you want Mr. Eldridge to do your parts?"

Scott whirled around and gave Betty THE look. "Betty, I don't think you understand. In my family, as corrupt as it may be, when some tells you that they are sick and they need help, it means that they are dying. Aunt Beatrice, I mean Aunt Agatha is dying and she needs to talk to me. What would you do if this happened to you?"

Betty crumbled under the thought of not seeing a family member before they died. "Okay," she spoke softly. "When do you think you could be back by?"

"I've got to get going. My train leaves in twenty minutes. I'll call the station tonight. Good-bye, Betty."

"Bye, Scott. Tell your Aunt Agatha...and Aunt Beatrice that we are all thinking of them here at the station."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Late that evening, Betty was busy working on the bills in Mr. Pruitt's office. Maple was on the air, filling in for Hilary, reading the late night stock report, a rather boring repetitive program. Suddenly, the door swung open and Victor stepped in the room. He closed the door with a bang, startling Betty as he locked the door behind him.

"Victor!" Betty exclaimed, running to give him a hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Germany posing as Jonathan Arnold?"

"Well, they gave me a three-day pass to get my swollen appendix taken out. Little did they know! Those stupid Nazi doctors!" Victor chuckled. "I already have had my appendix out! So I when I insisted on an American doctor, it gave me an excuse to come back to WENN...and you."

The doorknob rattled as someone tried to enter the room. 'Knock-knock.' "Uh, Betty?" Maple inquired. "I think something is wrong with the station. The mikes just went dead."

Betty pushed her way out of Victor's arms and shoved him underneath her desk. She ran over to the door and quickly unlocked the door. She stepped out into the hall and asked, "Did you check the controls?"

"Yeah, I did," Maple answered. "They look the same as they did when C.J. left."

"There must be something wrong with the cables on the roof. With the violent winds tonight, something must have happened. I'll have to go up there and investigate. Maple, why don't you go home? We should be off the air in a few minutes anyway."

Maple agreed and went to the green room to pick up her things before leaving the station. Victor emerged from underneath the desk and said, "That was close. Would you like me to check the cables on the roof?"

"Oh would you?" Betty breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm really afraid of heights. Thanks, Victor. You're my lifesaver tonight!"

Betty impulsively planted a kiss on Victor's cheek. He smiled and walked up the stairs to the roof. He stuck his head like a gopher on the roof and looked for a faulty cable.

On the roof, Victor noticed a radio connection link was loose. As soon as he started to walk over to it, he felt the sticky roof tar ruining his new alligator shoes. He placed the connection link back in the cable. He thought to himself, The things I get myself into for Betty. Victor then began to ponder Betty's astounding beauty.

Down one floor in WENN, Betty pulled out more bills and silently cursed to herself. WENN spends too much money. We really need to cut back... Then she thought of Scott. Then of Victor. Then Scott. Then Victor. Stop! she thought to herself. Who's here now? Who came back time and time again for me? Victor! She started to drool when she thought of his lanky frame...his passionate voice......his balding head. What?! Why would I want a man like that? Then Betty thought of Scott. His firm cute butt...his, well, unique acting ability......his psychotic lies. Hell, who needs them? Betty thought as she returned to her work.

Meanwhile, Victor was still monkeying with some cables and thinking of Betty when... What's that noise? Victor thought to himself.

BOOM!!!

Having little time to react, Victor was hit with the bomb. The whole building imploded in a matter of seconds. Everyone inside was terribly mangled and dead.

As WENN and the entire building were being consumed by the flames, a taxi pulled up to the curb. Jeffrey Singer stepped out the cab and surveyed the damage. "HIILLAARRRRYY!" he screamed in his best Stanley Kowalski style. Jeff hopped back into the cab and instructed the driver to take him home, hoping that his "Mittens" wasn't hurt.

After repeated knocking, Hilary finally opened the door. "Who over this is," she said as she opened the door, "you have just woken me up from two hours of sound sleep. Enter at your own risk."

"Hilary!" Jeff exclaimed happily. "You're alive!" He went to embrace her when...

"Get the hell out of here," Hilary ordered, slamming the door shut in his face.

Jeff stared at the door. Now that he knew that his "Mittens" was okay, he decided that reporting the incident would be a good idea. Shortly afterwards, the police arrived at the scene and declared everyone dead.

After stating his position to the police, Jeff decided to share this terrible news. The first place he went was Betty's apartment. He arrived and opened the front door, using the key from underneath the mat, and stepped inside. 'Click.' Jeff flipped on the lights only to be greeted with two luminated shrines - one of Scott and one of Victor. That woman needed help, he thought to himself.

Jeff called Betty's close family in Indiana from the phone in the hallway and then returned to look around Betty's apartment. Stopping in her bathroom for a quick relevance of himself, Jeff noticed her hairbrush sitting on the sink. He gathered the hair of it, thinking about the plan the army was working on when he left. Hmmm, maybe they finished those tests. It's worth a try. Jeff quickly gathered himself and left.

Once back on the streets of Pittsburgh, Jeff hailed a cab and directed the driver to the army base on the west side of town. While making small talk with the driver, Jeff noticed that the sky was turning a shade of pink as night became morning.

"Thanks. Keep the change." Jeff hurried out of the cab and walked up to the heavily armed fence. Pulling off his jacket, he tossed it up onto the barbed wire. First checking for guards, Jeff scaled the fence and dropped silently onto the grass. Grabing his jacket and checking his pocket for Betty's hair, he dashed across the empty lot.

The rusty door opened with ease as Jeff slid into the dark storage shed. Wandering through the silent overstocked shed, he wondered how he would ever find the right case.

"What are you doing here?" a voice asked, scaring Jeff silly. He felt something warm drip down his pants leg as he turned towards the voice.

"Dear Saint Josephine! You scared me to death!" Jeff let out a sigh of relief as he faced only Mr. Foley and his henchmen.

"Once again... What are you doing here?" the henchman to Mr. Foley's left asked again in his loud booming voice.

Jeff stepped forward, hoping that they wouldn't notice the puddle underneath him. "I was wondering about the experiment you were working on when I left the army. You know, the one that you needed test subjects for?"

Mr. Foley moved his head and the henchman to his right answered, "Come with us. We, of course, will also supply you with a new pair of slacks since you seem to have spoiled your own."

Mr. Foley stepped into a little car. Soon Jeff, Mr. Foley, and the two henchmen were on their way into the deep, vast storage area.

Why is Jeff in a secret army warehouse with Betty's hair in his pocket? What is Mr. Foley doing with two evil henchmen? And will he ever talk? All these questions and more will be answered in "WENN the World Falls." Part II. Coming soon!

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