Sam's Office: Explosive Revelations

[Kaliyah Shah]

Callie knocks on Sam's door, looking pretty calm for someone that was just linked to a radical bunch of anti-human bigots.

[Samantha McManus]

"Come in, Miss Shah."

[Kaliyah Shah]

Callie stepped inside, "You wanted to see me, Ms. McManus?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Have a seat," she said, regarding Callie coolly.

[Kaliyah Shah]

Callie sits down, raising her feet up and sitting cross-legged.

[Samantha McManus]

"I trust you know what this is regarding?"

[Kaliyah Shah]

"If this is about the whole thing at the Crown and Rose, I'll admit me and Victoria were a bit inappropriate," Callie says, "But I really think they overreacted about the whole thing."

[Samantha McManus]

"I'm afraid it isn't that."

"Tell me Miss Shah, what do you know about the Brotherhood of Mutants?"

[Kaliyah Shah]

"Pro-mutant group founded by Erik Lensherr. Linked with terrorist attacks and other criminal activities in the States," Callie says, "Have butted heads with the Xavier Institute with varying degrees of effectiveness."

"Oh, and there's a chapter her in Maldon that I finance and mentor."

[Samantha McManus]

"Considered a hate group in the European Union, and still on the SHIELD watch list for terrorist activities including but not limited to theft of at least one Soviet nuclear warhead."

"And thus more than a little concerning to your X-Corporation caseworker, even with the understanding that this local chapter appears... quite a bit more pedestrian."

[Kaliyah Shah]

"If it'll help, I promise we're not going to steal anything from the Soviets," Callie says.

[Samantha McManus]

"What contact have you had with the greater organization?"

[Kaliyah Shah]

"Hold on a second," Callie says, holding up her hand, "If this is going to be an interrogation, it's going to be a two way street."

"Does Xavier's make it a habit of sending thugs to the doors of people who make fun of them online?" Callie says, "Out of respect for the Institute, I haven't pressed any charges, but two of your students damaged private property and started a fight because someone was mean to them."

[Samantha McManus]

"May I remind you that the people you are 'mentoring' are currently wanted for questioning by the Maldon police with regards to them driving 'flatscans' out of a local public park?"

[Kaliyah Shah]

"I'm dealing with that issue," Callie says, "But none of those kids are going to be helped out by spending a night in prison. You know that just as well as I do."

[Samantha McManus]

"There's also the matter of someone calling herself 'Riot' attempting to break into our network to obtain the schematics for Cerebra and the Danger Room."

[Kaliyah Shah]

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Callie says, sounding exasperated. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Look, I'm not going to pretend these kids don't have issues, but what am I supposed to do? Most of them are either terrified of this place or wouldn't last a day here."

[Samantha McManus]

"And at the same time, your opening salvo was to blame the school for what students have done without official sanction."

"Now, I would appreciate it if you would address my question regarding your contact with the larger organization."

[Kaliyah Shah]

"I'm not the one with a multi-billion dollar facility and trained staff. I think we can hold you to a higher standard," Callie says, "But fine, point taken."

"I've had no contact with a larger organization," Callie says, "Beyond the few ex-Brotherhood members I met on Muir Island."

[Samantha McManus]

Ms. McManus gave Callie a look at that statement, and she seemed to loom larger in the room briefly as she determined the veracity of it.

"Then I'd say your choice of names is... unfortunate, wouldn't you?"

[Kaliyah Shah]

"First off, I didn't choose it," Callie says, "And second off, it's 'Shah'."

[Samantha McManus]

"Here is what we're looking at, Miss Shah. Your X-Corporation caseworker, an individual who I might remind you went to bat for you back in the States, is having kittens over this. In addition, the Maldon police are very pointedly hinting that if there is any real affiliation between these children you are mentoring and the actual Brotherhood, they'd be desirous of involving Interpol. This is further complicated by the fact that the terms of your release very strongly tie you to the school and thus, even moreso than with other students, there is significant pressure on us to do something about this."

[Kaliyah Shah]

"So, what? Are you going to send me back to mutant prison for treatment?" Callie says, perhaps a little more bitterly then she intended.

[Samantha McManus]

"Is it so difficult to disavow any Brotherhood affiliation and choose a different name for them?"

[Kaliyah Shah]

"You'll have to ask them," Callie says, "I'm not in the business of forcing labels and affiliations on them."

[Samantha McManus]

"You're more likely to get an answer out of them than I am, I think you'll agree."

[Kaliyah Shah]

"Probably, but I'm not the one that has a problem with their name," Callie says, "They're trying to build something with it. Something to help others. They're misguided and reactionary, even violent at times, but none of that is going to change if they change their name and I'm demanding that they do will undermine their trust in me."

[Samantha McManus]

"But at the same time, we agree that jail isn't the place for these children. That's going to become difficult if they keep going in this direction."

[Kaliyah Shah]

"If you know any way of keeping a group of teenage mutants from just doing whatever the hell they want, I'm open to suggestions, Ms. McManus," Callie says, sighing heavily, "I have a conspiracy theorist with OCD who thinks Xavier's is a SHIELD front, a radical social justice warrior who thinks that humans are naturally bigots, and a terrifying shut-in who can't seem to tell the internet from the real world on her good days. I feel lucky when I can keep them from killing each other."

[Samantha McManus]

"Would you be willing to issue a statement to the police?"

[Kaliyah Shah]

"Depends on the statement," Callie says.

[Samantha McManus]

"An assurance that there is no affiliation or contact with the actual Brotherhood would help immensely."

[Kaliyah Shah]

Callie looked thoughtful, "I think I can do something like that."

"Would it be helpful if the kids themselves delivered it?"

[Samantha McManus]

"If you think you can manage it. Still, as their mentor yours is the statement they'll likely want most."

[Kaliyah Shah]

"I'll see what I can do."

[Samantha McManus]

"Should make both our lives a little quieter, aye?"

[Kaliyah Shah]

"We'll see," Callie says, "I don't mean to be a bitch about this, but I don't have a whole ton of hope right now. I think there's a lot of anger on both sides."

[Samantha McManus]

"We'll do what we can, though."

[Kaliyah Shah]

"Just try to keep the Institute kids from dealing out vigilante justice again, alright? Even if they really, really, really deserve a good beating," Callie says, standing up, "These kids have been through enough."

[Samantha McManus]

"Not all of these altercations have been started by students, mind you."