Geronimo Stilton: INTERPOL-The Christmas Chase

"We're Live In 5, 4, 3, 2!"

TV Studio, The Rodent's Gazette
Wednesday, January 1, 2014, New Year's Day
8.55 a.m., 5 minutes before live news broadcast

I was waiting for Geronimo and Thea to show up on set while drinking a mug of coffee. I was sitting at the producer's desk behind the cameras, because I was the producer. I locked my eyes on my headset and mic on the desk, blankly daydreaming about things. That was interrupted by Pandora who came to me with a clipboard in her arms.

"Oh hey! I was just about to call you," I began. Pandora was my assistant for the day.

"So, all the blocks and segments are all set, Trap's finally here for the weather, Benjamin's got the Metamouse in the air about five minutes ago for the traffic report, and our special guests are in the lobby," she reported.

"Great. Oh, how's Geronimo and Thea? Are they done practicing their lines?"

"I'll go check..."

"If they are, get them here for their last minute makeup, and get Leo the technician here to do a quick equipment check. I want everything in working condition, the lights, the cameras, the teleprompter, everything."

"Roger that." Then she scampered away to attend her duties.
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1 minute before broadcast

As the clocked ticked for 9 a.m., everyone in the studio was rushing to get to their assigned stations for the live broadcast to make sure the whole thing runs in good flow.

"Alright! Sixty seconds till broadcast!" I announced from behind the producer's desk. "Cameramice! To your stations! Pandora, fire up the teleprompter! I want all unnecessary personnel off the green screen set! Except the makeup artists," I excluded them as they applied the cosmetics on the two news anchors. "G, Thea, you're good?" I asked, peering over the cameras.

On the set, they responded by raising a thumb as they were puffed by the makeup artists, signaling that they were fine and ready.

I held up the mic from the headset I was wearing closer to my mouth. "Benjamin, you're up once I give you the signal, okay?" I told.

"Affirmative," he acknowledged from inside the Metamouse, piloting the aircraft by remote control above New Mouse City.

"Where are the Specters?" I demanded.

"Over here!" Hussein shouted from the entrance with his team standing behind him, waving. They were all wearing casual.

"Guys! Great!" I said, asking them to come to me. "I need you to sit in the interview set until your segment comes," I directed them, pointing to where the set was.

"Sure," replied the 6-feet tall man. He and his team marched toward the set decorated with Italian furniture.

"And hey," I halted them. "Thanks for coming."

"No prob..." said Hussein.

I returned my attention to the preparation, and looked up at Leo, the technician. "Leo! How's our equipment?" He threw me a thumbs up and a wide smile. "Cameras?"

"Rolling and ready for broadcast," one of them told.

I took a quick glimpse at my watch. "Alright, people! We've got thirty seconds! Makeup artists off the set, fire up the green screens effects and...uh...Pandora, how's the teleprompter?"

"The scrolling rate is set and the words are typed," she squeaked.

"Good," I praised. "Oh! One thing I almost forgot!"

"What?"

"Did the marketing department sent the station manager the ads we were gonna insert?"

"They did."