AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 119

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2017

 

"Now there can be no doubt... We're witnessing an unprecedented terrorist attack on the United States." -- Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

NEWS CENTER, MBS YEOUIDO HQ, SEOUL...

 

"We interrupt our regular newscast with breaking news from New York City... MBS Global News Network has exclusive video coverage..."

 

The male news anchor pauses, and in the News Center control room, PD Shin gives the order, "Cue the preview...now!"

 

The large TV wall monitor cuts to video as the anchor begins narrating...

 

"Just minutes ago, an American Airlines Boeing 767 jetliner collided with the 110 story, One World Trade Center..."

 

The TV monitor cuts back to the news desk, and the female co-anchor picks up the next line... "In a moment, we have a live report from the scene, as authorities in New York caution that..."

 

 

Hyung-Chul bursts into the News Center control room to find that President Kim Eun-Ki is already there, with Sun-Dal and PD Shin...

 

"How did we get that video so quickly?" Eun-Ki asks.

 

"GNN had a remote reporter on-site and got the satellite link up within minutes," PD Shin informs his superiors. "We're setting up for the live video feed right now."

 

"Good work!" Eun-Ki approves. "Who's the reporter on the scene?"

 

"Special Correspondent Jin Sun-Mi," Sun-Dal replies, pausing when he notes the immediate scowl crossing Eun-Ki's face.

 

"This could be the news story of the year, and we have a fashion reporter covering it?!" Eun-Ki expresses disbelief.

 

Seeing the anxiety shown by Hyung-Chul, Sun-Dal continues, "The PD reports that no one on the crew was seriously injured from the explosion…”

 

"Thank God everyone is all right," Hyung-Chul interjects in relief.

 

"We’re acting as re-transmitter to BBC's East Asian and ANZ affiliates, so the feed will be in English," PS Shin relays the information. "A translator is on standby for captions, or voiceover."

 

Sun-Dal gives a cursory nod, deciding, "Captions are sufficient."

 

"Here's the live feed," a tech directs their attention to the video monitor...

 

 

The streaming video shows an empty plaza littered with debris from the explosion. Fluttering sheets of paper rain down while a continuous wail of emergency vehicle sirens provides an audio backdrop. The camera slowly pans past small groups of people milling about under the overhang of the nearby building on the perimeter of the plaza, staring up at the burning tower.

 

The camera continues its sweep, moving past a black angular sculpture. Visible beyond that is a satellite truck emblazoned with the GNN logo, which by procedure had accompanied the remote production van from the Fashion Week venue. The truck is parked up on the sidewalk with its large round transmission dish oriented toward an invisible satellite overhead.

 

The view slowly elevates as the camera rotates and angles up, to focus on the dark cloud of dense smoke pouring out from the shattered floors of One World Trade Center.

 

From off screen, the PD directs the cameraman, "Camera! ... Mid-shot on Jin Sun-Mi... now!..."

 

The camera slowly pans down again, the zoom adjusting to show Sun-Mi from the waist up. She is wearing an oversized beige suit jacket buttoned up to her neck, holding her microphone and some papers in her hands, and looking directly into the camera as she waits for the cue to start talking.

 

 

As the male anchor wraps his brief monolog on the situation, in the control room PD Shin barks a warning into his headset mike: "Anchors! Ready for live feed on 15-second delay."

 

On the monitor, the off-screen PD sets up the cue, "Sun-Mi... ready..."

 

In the control room, PD Shin does the countdown, "Anchors, ready!... 3... 2... 1..."

 

At the news desk, the female co-anchor smoothly takes the cue, pacing her words to sync with the imminent cutover to the remote video feed... "Live on the scene in New York City is MBS Global News Network Special Correspondent, Jin Sun-Mi."

 

All eyes are on the broadcast monitor as it cuts to Sun-Mi, who does her lead in English, as subtitles in Korean Hangul appear at the bottom of the screen, "Hello, I'm Correspondent Jin Sun-Mi, reporting for Global News Network..."

 

"Why is Correspondent Jin's hair in her face?" Eun-Ki remarks critically at the brown locks combed down low over Sun-Mi's left brow, almost covering her eye. "And do you see her wardrobe? ... What kind of unprofessional operation is GNN running over there?"

 

 

"... It's less than fifteen minutes since American Airlines Flight 11 hit the One World Trade Center tower," Sun-Mi continues her report in a practiced, level voice, "Dozens of emergency first responders arrived on the scene within minutes of the crash, and are coordinating evacuation of both towers with local Port Authority officers... But given the total destruction of several floors, there is speculation hundreds were killed in the initial blast, while thousands more could be trapped in the building, above the fire, and... and...... and......"

 

Sun-Mi's voice fades off as tears overflow her eyes...

 

"I'm sorry," she apologizes weakly to the viewers, her voice hoarse with emotion, "But... this is a desperate situation... if everyone watching from around the world... could come together for one moment... and offer up a prayer... for these helpless people and their loved ones..."

 

 

The bustling control room falls quiet, with some people gazing in astonishment at the monitors, while others pray with closed eyes and bowed heads, until Eun-Ki speaks up loudly, interrupting the moment of silence...

 

"What kind of news reporting is that? Does she even know the basics?" he scoffs derisively, then addresses the control room crew loudly. "What are you all doing! This isn't a church! Get back to work!"

 

 

On the monitor, Sun-Mi wipes at her eyes with the back of the hand holding her notes, preparing to go on... "Authorities are speculating if what happened is an accident, or if this is a deliberate repeat of the 1983 World Trade Center bombing..."

 

As she is talking, a bright red drop appears from under her hair at the outside corner of her left eye. It trickles down her cheek, leaving a red trail before falling in spots onto her jacket...

 

"Cut!" the PD commands, sounding irritated. "Sun-Mi, you're bleeding again," he tells her, then softens his voice. "Are you sure you're all right?"

 

Sun-Mi touches her face, sees the blood smeared on her fingertips, and replies stoically, "It's nothing, I'm fine. We can continue."

 

 

Staring at Sun-Dal, Hyung-Chul is livid, "What's going on?! I thought you said no one was seriously hurt!"

 

PD Shin quickly orders the video tech, "Cut the feed in three... two..."

 

But before the feed is cut, Eun-Ki overrides him. "No, let it run..."

 

Hyung-Chul blusters, "We can't show this!"

 

"Yes, we can," Eun-Ki disagrees, pulling rank, and reinforces his order. "Do it!"

 

 

On the monitor, in New York, the PD calls from off-screen, "Where's makeup? ... Someone get a clean jacket..."

 

Rebecca appears on-screen with her makeup kit. She pushes Sun-Mi's hair back, exposing a blood-soaked bandage, which she starts to remove... "I told you this bandage was too small..." she scolds, oblivious that the camera is still running, and her words are being heard around the world.

 

 

Hyung-Chul protests again, "This is unconscionable! How can we broadcast this?"

 

Eun-Ki calmly defends his decision. "We have a responsibility to the public, to show the truth. This is a desperate situation, as Correspondent Jin so aptly phrased it. What better way to convey that sense than showing news reporters are affected, too?"

 

 

On the monitor, the bandage is off, revealing an ugly purplish-black bruise with a ragged red gash at the center. Rebecca daubs at the blood with alcohol-soaked gauze, while behind Sun-Mi, a crew member slips her jacket off...

 

 

In the control room, surprise spreads instantly when they see Sun-Mi's one-shouldered, sequined blue mini-dress, but only Eun-Ki snickers at the incongruity, remarking sarcastically, "Is she trying to get attention by coming to a tragic disaster, dressed for a party?"

 

Hyung-Chul shoots a dark scowl at Eun-Ki. His attention is not on the dress, but the large bandage on Sun-Mi's bare shoulder, and the splotches and streaks of blood that discolor the shimmery blue fabric.

 

 

On the monitor, responding to a silent cue, the camera leaves Sun-Mi, moving up to show the two towers and the blazing fire overhead again.

 

Then the microphone picks up someone off-screen, screaming, "Oh my God! Not another...!"

 

A jetliner appears at the edge of the screen, flying directly at the undamaged Two World Trade Center tower...

 

From off-screen, Sun-Mi's voice is tense but composed, anticipating the impending strike, as she narrates the impending disaster, "...Now there can be no doubt... We're witnessing an unprecedented terrorist attack on the United States..."

 

A huge fireball bursts with a billowing cloud of smoke, and the front of the jet's fuselage emerges from the near side of the building, shearing the concrete columns like matchsticks and hurtling past the camera, almost directly overhead... Then a loud crash sounds, and the monitor goes black...