The Perils of Social Media

"I don't even understand why we have to interview this guy, he's a joke"

Joey was sat in the passenger seat next to Dawn, complaining to her as she drove them both to a meeting with one Alec Wilson, a conspiracy theorist and xenophobic shit stirrer masquerading as a 'Political Commentator' who 'tells it like it is'.

"I wish everyone felt that way" Dawn sighed "An awful lot of people take what he says extremely seriously, which gives him a scary amount of power. I found that out the hard way"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I wrote a piece he didn't like last time we met. I thought I'd gone easy on him, to be honest, but apparently he disagreed and set his followers on me - millions of angry lunatics from all around the globe. I was still getting **** threats several weeks later, not to mention **** threats, **** threats and all sorts of other horrible shit. He even had my address on his feed at one point - the host **** him to take it down eventually. but it was already out there for anyone who wanted it by that point. Check out my phone, the access code is 3919. You should be able to find a file of screen grabs I took as evidence, not that it did me any good."

A concerned looking Joey did as Dawn suggested and picked up her mobile from the dashboard, quickly locating the folder she had been talking about and reading through just some of what was in there. As he did so, he found himself struggling to contain the intense physical anger he was suddenly experiencing.

"Holy shit Dawn, this is vile! He could have easily gotten you killed! It's a miracle that nothing happened to you"

"All part of the job these days I guess" she shrugged "Those were just the tip of the iceberg. I don't think I would have enough memory on my phone for all the **** I got sent"

"Did he take his posts down when he saw the reaction they were getting? Did you get an apology from him for endangering your life?"

Dawn just laughed at the notion.

"Of course not, that was exactly what he wanted to happen. I'm not the first person he's pulled that shit on and I won't be the last. Whenever anyone criticises him for doing it he hides behind his trusty shield of free speech. Apparently that's a huge deal to him, unless anyone uses it to say something he doesn't personally like"

Dawn was taking this way more in her stride than Joey ever could.

In a weird way, it was like Alec had the same power as he did. It didn't work on everyone, but it affected enough people that it could be used for significant evil. Unlike this guy, Joey had tried to be relatively responsible with his bullshitting ability. He had used it to disgrace Senator White, partly as a favour to Kayleigh, partly to impress Dawn and partly as the guy just rubbed him up the wrong way. But he had not come across anyone he was willing to use his powers to seriously harm.

Not until now.

"Dawn, I was thinking maybe during this interview you could leave the room for ten minutes. You know, like you did with Senator White"

"Huh? You're going to try your magic trick again?"

"Maybe. I can be pretty persuasive one on one"

"I've noticed that about you" Dawn side-smiled at him flirtatiously before shrugging "Sure, why not!"

---

It truly sickened Joey to see just how rich Alec had made himself by spreading hate and dangerous misinformation across the world. It was almost funny how he had tried to position himself as a man of the people - this was practically a palace he was living in, and he had literal servants toiling to satisfy his every whim like he was a fucking emperor.

A member of the hosts waiting staff was sent to escort Joey and Dawn to meet Alec, who was sat behind his desk and didn't bother standing up to greet them.

"Ah Miss Fraser" he smirked "I hope you'll endeavour to write a fairer article this time. I understand some of my followers weren't too impressed with the quality of your last effort. I'm sure you'd prefer to avoid the same fallout from this one."

That was a clear attempt to threaten a distinguished journalist and compromise her impartiality with his very first sentence. Joey was seething at this point. It was the first time in his life he had both a superpower and someone he wanted to seriously hurt. Kayleigh would be urging him to keep a cool head and not sink to this guy's level if she were here, while Charlie would most likely tell him to let the fucker have what was coming to him. He wasn't sure how far he was going to go yet - he just knew he was going to do something bad to the guy.

Joey could barely even bring himself to listen to the shit coming out of Alec's mouth as Dawn interviewed him - the former Senator White was practically saintly compared to this cunt. Alec seemed to have it in for every minority group going, and wanted to make their lives as hard as possible, while he sat on his fat ass being waited on and doing nothing but harm. Joey doubted Alec even believed what he was saying, more likely seeing it as the simplest, crudest route to making himself rich and influential. Rarely had he come across anyone who was so clearly due a comeuppance.

Eventually, Dawn made an excuse and left the room.

"Seriously fuckable isn't she?" Alec smirked at Joey, with the calculated cockyness of someone who felt he was untouchable, the second Dawn was out of earshot "Probably how she got the job"

"She got the job because she's one of the most talented journalists in the country, you disgusting, bloated cretin!"

Joey knew he had lost control now. That remark about his partner had been one step too far. Dawn would have laughed the jibe off, no doubt.

But Joey wasn't Dawn

"How dare you! Do you know who you're talking to, you fool?"

From the shock and outrage in his voice, it had clearly been a long time since anyone had dared to speak to Alec like that, even after such deliberate and obvious provocation. But Joey had no reason to feel intimidated.

"Yeah, I'm talking to the prick who's about to post everything I tell him to on all his social media feeds word for word because, if he doesn't, I'm going to detonate this bomb I have strapped to me and blow this whole fucking place and everything in it to smithereens."

Joey pushed his jacket back to reveal his belt.

"Don't test me, dipshit. You know full well I'll do it!"

A look of terror spread across Alec's face and he began to visibly sweat. He raised his hands in a gesture of complete submission.

"Okay kid, lets not do anything hasty here. I was only making a joke about your colleague. It wasn't one of my best. I'm sorry!"

"Just shut the fuck up and type whatever I tell you to, and then show me you've done it, or this whole place goes bang, got it?"

"Got it" Alec nodded obediently.

"Okay first text. 'To all you hopeless, brain dead, basement dwellers who follow me. How could you be so moronic as to think I would ever give a shit about losers like you? You are worth less than the dirt on the heels of my Versace boots which, by the way, your stupidity pays for. I just tell you what I want you to think because your tiny little minds are so easy to manipulate."

"Please" Alec begged Joey, his hands trembling as he typed "I can't post this. Some of my followers are dangerous, unhinged people. Almost all of them are angry enough already. I won't be able to leave the house if I put this out there"

"There won't be much of a house left to leave if you don't" Joey warned "Send it now, alongside a time stamped picture of your ugly mug so you can't claim you've been hacked"

Alec did as he was told and meekly showed Joey the evidence.

"Good, next text 'You don't like that, huh? Come at me then you stupid pricks. I'll even let you know where to find me if you're feeling brave' - and then type whatever the address for this fucking mansion is. If you put in anything fake, I'll immediately know, and they'll be cleaning bits of you off what's left of the walls for days to come"

A still visibly terrified Alec once again complied.

"Okay, and just as a bit of fun. Let's finish off with a dick pic"

"Please..."

"Just do what I fucking tell you. Dick out, and post it for all your fans to admire. Caption it 'suck on it, losers. It's how I got the job'"

Alec was just unzipping his jeans when.

"Joey!"

He turned to see Dawn standing behind him. She had her phone in her hand, Alec's latest social media posts loaded onto it. She was standing in open mouthed shock, not an emotion he had ever seen from her before. How much of that had she been there to witness?

"Please, Miss Fraser" Alec begged, tears streaming down his face "I'm truly sorry for what I've put you through in the past, and for threatening you earlier, I get just how bad that was now. Could you kindly persuade your friend here to disarm the bomb he has strapped to him and let me delete the posts he made me send before they get me killed?"

"Bomb?"

Dawn looked at her colleague in complete bemusement.

"Joey, I need you to explain to me whatever the fuck this is you are doing and how you are doing it, right this second!"