Sunshine Agnes/Chapter 2


 * -|English= Chapter 2 - The Eaton News Agency

Anchorville was a large city in the Republic of Calvard. Though it was smaller than the capital, Anchorville had managed to accrue its fair share of business. With the city proper backed by the mountains and the market and harbor districts by the river, it created a sweeping view to behold.

Rounding the market's corner, Edwin pedaled his bike hard down Sunset Street. The Eaton News Agency, the office of a small local publication, laid just ahead.

The newsroom was a frenzy, as nearly half the staff were out of their seats. A veteran reporter, Royce, gestured at a draft and didn't notice Edwin's arrival. The business editor, Clef, held a telephone to his ear. He looked as if he hadn't slept all night. The copy editor, or rather, editor-in-chief, Chang, nodded along with a stern expression. From what Edwin could glean, there had been a delay with covering a recent traffic accident. He kept to himself, slipped into his seat, and took out his trusty, worn-out bag.

The voice that cut through the commotion came from Brandon, a middle-aged man with peppered hair and the editor of the culture column. Upon seeing his supervisor, Edwin wasted no time and shoved his draft in Brandon's face.

'Today's article is perfect. Please, submit it at the editorial meeting!'

'There better not be any spelling mistakes this time. Unless you're looking to get scolded again.'

Edwin's broad smile appeared again. 'Everything is going to be great today! I guarantee it!'

'What...?' Carly's brow furrowed. 'At 5AM? Yes, yes...'

Carly stood and waved an arm through the air. The editorial department, which had just been as noisy as a train platform, fell silent. After putting the phone down, Carly turned her gaze to Chang.

'Mr. Chang, apparently Weber Hart is dead.'

A loud clap suddenly rang out. 'I need all the political columnists to gather up, ASAP!'

'Right!' yelled the reporters as they clambered to their feet.

'That guy, huh?'

'Hmm... This'll be a big domestic story.'

The crowd continued to murmur as more than ten reporters formed a mob around the editor-in-chief's desk.

'Who was this Hart guy again?'

'Seriously? He was a big-shot around here.'

'He was a famous intellectual. How do you not know him?'

'This is going to need to be a special feature,' Brandon muttered amidst the other comments. He tossed Edwin's draft back to him.

'The afternoon editorial meeting's canceled, Ed. You're going to be assisting on this story.'

'Huh?! But why?'

'Don't 'why' me. We've got our orders from the chief.'

Edwin unconsciously scowled. He was suddenly overcome with a sense of vertigo. It felt as if the ground was shaking, and he staggered. The others in the newsroom reacted in kind.

Next came the shrieking sound of metal crumpling in on itself followed by the grating roar of said metal grinding across the concrete outside the news agency.

The cacophony ended in a bang, and through the trembling window, an overturned burning orbal bus billowed smoke into the sky. Edwin ran out of the newsroom, bag in hand, as fast as he could. It wasn't his instinct as a reporter that made him move, but the fact that he could have sworn he saw Agnes among the panicking public. |-|Japanese= 第２回　イートン通信社にて 

アンカーヴィルといえば、カルバード共和国でもそこそこの大都市と言っていい. さすがに首都ほどではないものの、それなりの企業が集まり、また山あいに向かって順序よく立ち並ぶ白い街並みや、大河に面した港や市場たちがこの街を大きく見せている.

その市場の一角を抜けたエドウィンは、自転車のペダルを勢いよく踏み込んでサンセット通りの交差点を折れた. その先に小さなローカル誌を出す『イートン通信社』はある.

半数近い記者が席を立って、何かをやかましく話し合っていた. 入ってきたエドウィンに気付かず原稿をバシバシと叩くベテラン記者のロイス. いかにも徹夜明けの顔で通信機を取るのは経済面担当のクレフだ. デスク──つまり編集長──のチャンは気難しい顔で何度も頷いている. ……漏れ聞こえる言葉から、どこかであった交通事故の取材に手間取っているようだ. それを尻目に堂々と、かつ素早く自分の席に滑り込んだエドウィンは、愛用のボロカバンを手繰り寄せてにんまりした.

「調子よさそうじゃねえか、遅刻のくせによ」白髪の目立ち始めた頭が突き出てきて、喧騒の中でも聞き取り易い声で嗜める. ブランドンは文化面のチーフでエドウィンの監督役でもある中年親父だ. 待ってましたとばかりにその鼻先に原稿を突き出すエドウィン. 「今日の記事はばっちりですよ. 編集会議、よろしくお願いします！」

「またスペルミスがない事を祈っててやるよ」お前何度叱られれば気が済むんだよ、とブランドン. それを聞いてエドウィンはまたニヤリと笑った. 今日は大丈夫です、絶対に！

その時また別の通信機がけたたましく鳴って、通りがかった女性記者のカーリーが取った. イートン通信社には４台の通信機がある──

「えっ……？」カーリーの眉が大きく歪んだ. 「……今朝の５時ですね. ……はい……はい………」立ち上がったカーリーは手を高く挙げた. それを慎重に、けれどもしっかりと左右に振ってみせる. 途端に駅のホームみたいに騒がしかった編集部は静かになった. 割れ物を扱うのと同じくらいそっと通信機を置いたカーリーは、チャンに視線を投げた. 「デスク、ウェーバーハルト氏が死んだそうです」

「……政治班〜、集合〜っ！」誰かが大きく２つ手を叩いて、うーっすと声を合わせた記者たちがバタバタと立ち上がる. あの人が死んだか、うちは地元だしなぁ. そんな呟き声とともに、デスクの前にはあっという間に１０人を超える人だかりができていく.

「誰ですかね、ウェーバーハルト氏って」

「誰ですかじゃねぇよ、大物じゃないか」大のつく文化人だぞ、一般常識もねえのかお前. 集まった政治班の連中のダミ声に耳を傾け、ありゃ特集記事をだすなと呟いて、ブランドンは手の中の原稿をエドウィンにつっかえした.

「午後の会議は中止だ、エド. お前取材の手伝いに行ってこい」「ええっ……！！なんでですかっ！？」

「なんでじゃねえよ」チーフの命令は絶対なんだよ. そのしかめっ面に、思わず立ち上がったエドウィンは、何だか地面がぐらりと揺れた気がしてよろめいた.

……いや、みんなよろめいた. 窓の外からは何か金属の潰れる音と、巨大な質量が引きずられる音が響いてくる. ……ガリガリガリガリ、ズドドン.

そしてドン、と窓ガラスを震わせて、横転した導力バスが火を吹き上げるのが見えた. 交通事故だ……. とっさにボロカバンに手を伸ばしたエドウィンは、もう全力で駆け出していた. ただ記者魂が命じたというわけじゃない. ……気のせいかもしれないけれど、叫び声を上げる雑踏の中にアニエスの姿が見えた気がした.