Introducing Our Very Own Jean Grey
Summer 2021, Week 1
Monday morning
Sloane's House, Lakeview
Sloane Whittier
Sloane stood in front of the mirror, pulling her pinstripe jacket into place over her blouse. Her black hair still had the deep purple low lights, but it looked professional at least. She paid her hairdresser top dollar for such reasons. Today I will find a job. Just look at me! No one is going to turn this down. Her face was smug. Spinning on her stiletto heel, she headed toward the kitchen and made herself a coffee. One sugar, splash of milk. The sugar and milk appeared out of nowhere and added themselves to the coffee. Okay, another splash of milk. Sipping on it she headed into her office as the things were put away and cranked up her laptop, turning some music on in the background. Let's do this. She searched and applied and searched and applied. Tedious, ya know? When it came to lunch, she made herself a chicken Caesar salad and sat on her couch for a few. Flipping on the news to keep her company, she caught Ms. May's broadcast. She about dropped her fork and flung lettuce and creamy dressing all of herself as she heard that the Mayor was looking for Evos... But I'm not out yet... Ugh. Well, that complicates things. If I get the job, then everyone knows I'm some flavor of Evo. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that. But then again, it's the flipping Mayor's office. Couldn't ask for a better starting gig...[x1 Basic, 0 EP]
Pulling up the city's website, Sloane quickly found the link for the ESI Equal Evo Opportunity Employment Program application. She filled out all of the boxes and checked off all of the requirements. She attached her resume espousing her various accomplishments, organizations, completed education, and a long list of internships and volunteering she'd done. Accompanied was the following cover letter:Greetings Mayor Sims, I recently moved to New Virginia after completing my BA in Business Management with a Minor in Finance at the esteemed Rice University. I'm looking for a good place to get my feet wet so that one day I can make a difference in the world. I happened to catch your broadcast on New Vic News and I think I would make the best addition to your team. I happen to be an Evo, though my abilities have been heretofore unknown. I can promise you that they will be a benefit. I'd rather not put them in writing just yet, but I am more than happy to show you in person. I do hope you consider me to be an outstanding applicant, as I believe myself to be. I will do anything I can to make this department succeed. You can count on that. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Sloane WhittierThere, that'll do it. She shut the laptop and decided that was enough for the day. What now? Hmm... Well, I guess I could hop over to City Centre and check out one of the museums. It is the reason I chose this neighborhood... Yeah alright. Let's do it. Sloane headed to her closet to change out of her work attire and into something more appropriate for an outing in the city.
Phone Call
Mayor Sims
She just finished reading through the cover letter and accompanying material for a second time. A tug on her lips signaling a small smile wished to escape from her stoic prison. Confidence bordering on cocky. I can work with that. She wasn't at all surprised by the young woman's reluctance to discuss her abilities over some correspondence, but no one in their right mind would claim to be an Evo and not have the skills to show it as the truth. No one smart anyways. "Charlotte. See if you can get Ms. Whittier on the line." Ring ring. Sloane's phone would start to signal a call coming in. The area code suggested it was local to the New Victoria area. Ring ring.Sloane Whittier
Pulling a cute top over her head, she heard the phone ringing in the other room. Oooo. I wonder if it's one of the apps I did this week. The phone hopped off its cradle and flew into her hand. "Hello, Sloane speaking." Her voice was strong and clear.[x1 Basic, 0 EP]
Mayor Sims
"Ms. Sloane Whittier? Good afternoon. This is Mayor Monica Sims." The voice coming back over the phone was friendly and familiar, but it carried that unspoken weight of seriousness that calls like these often did. "I was wondering if you had a moment to talk about the resume you submitted for the open position at my office?"Sloane Whittier
"Yes, ma'am I do!" Well shit, that was quick. Couldn't have been more than 30 minutes since I submitted that one. "Thank you for taking the time to call me personally."Mayor Sims
"I make it a personal goal of mine to call every potential member of my staff personally to get a feel for them. As for the speed, well, we don't like to dawdle in my office." The sound of papers shuffling could be heard for a brief moment. "I must say I'm very impressed by your resume and recommendations. More than enough to move you past the submission step and to an actual interview, should you be available. What are some times and days you have open?"Sloane Whittier
"I've only been in the city for about a week, so my schedule is pretty flexible at the moment. I can come to your office whenever works best for you, ma'am."Mayor Sims
"Excellent. Then let's say you come around 5pm. I have an event tonight at 6:30pm, but there's an hour opening if you can make it."Sloane Whittier
"Absolutely. I will see you soon, Mayor Sims." Third outfit change of the day, commence!Mayor's Office, City Centre
Sloane Whittier
Arriving 10 minutes early to the appointment, Sloane checked in with the visitor's desk at the Mayor's office. She was offered a water and a seat while they contacted Mayor Sims regarding her arrival.Mayor Sims
The secretary welcomed Ms. Whittier and showed her into the office. Sitting behind the elegant desk was Mayor Sims, eating a light meal of chicken and vegetables. Looking up from her computer, she gave the young woman a smile. "Ms. Whittier. Welcome. Please, take a seat. I'm sorry, I usually eat a meal prior to an engagement. So, I take it you're interested in the applied position. Let's cut to the chase. Tell me why."Sloane Whittier
"I'm going to be honest with you, Mayor Sims. I am a go getter. I see myself in a position of influence when I reach my pinnacle. I hadn't known what I was looking for exactly in New Victoria until I saw your broadcast. Your initiative would give me the unique ability to assist Evos, such as myself, at a time when I think we can use all the help we can get. If it means outing myself to do it, then I'm willing to take that chance."Mayor Sims
"I like honesty." Sims said as she took a bite of her meal before finishing her reading of the papers and looking at the younger woman. "What help do you think you can provide to my office? Bear in mind we deal with multiple agencies and have no superiors besides the President of the United States. There will be time where you are asked where you are required to tackle an issue well above what you are employed to deal with." Closing her computer, her stoic eyes focused on the woman's, "Can you handle that?" "But first thing is first. I need a proof of your powers." If you have anything. Sims sat there, closing the computer behind her desk. "I'm sure you understand. The initiative has had a few people faking their position in hopes of playing the program."Sloane Whittier
"Yes, ma'am, I do have something." The small items on the woman's desk, such as her phone, keyboard, mouse, pens, etc., all begin to float off of the desk. "And I am more than capable of handling tasks of all levels, even if it's above my pay grade. Telekinesis is my Rank 3 ability, but I also have a Rank 2 in telepathy and empathy. It helps that I can play to an individual's feelings and thoughts in the moment. Do I qualify?"[Minor, -1 EP]
Mayor Sims
The Mayor's eyes scanned the floating objects and sat for a moment as she confirmed that the young woman did in fact have fine control over each of the objects independently. Useful, very useful. She thought to herself, before coming replying. "That you do, Ms. Whittier. If you're agreeable to it, I'll list out the conditions and then requirements or obligations of employment here in my office for you to consider. Because I find so far, you're more than a qualified candidate, you're someone I'd like to employ." Pulling out a folder from a desk drawer, she gently slid it across the desk. It contained most of the information, forms to fill out, etc. for any new potential employee. Then Sims dove into it. "The conditions are simple. Empath abilities I have no issue with you using. But under no circumstances are you to read anyone's mind unless I give you explicit permission to do so." The woman behind the desk used a tone that bore no objection. "My mind you may read during meetings to see if I give you permission. I've had enough training on hiding my thoughts that I think it's a useful practice, rather than us working out some sort of signal." "And that is the only condition. Besides obvious ones like don't telekinetically throw a stapler at a co-workers head." Taking out another piece of paper, she set this on the desk as well. It was a schedule. A jam-packed schedule. Her schedule. "The position I'm offering you is titled 'Assistant to the Mayor's Office.' Basically, you would be one of the many people who follow me around or get sent off to handle something. It's not the actual Assistant to the Mayor, as that's Charlotte, who you met when you first arrived. We'd start you off small, on a normal schedule. But I will warn you that the more responsibilities you earn the more unorthodox a schedule you'll have. All the pay and benefit information is in that folder. I encourage you to take the time to read it and get back to us. But do you have any questions now?"Sloane Whittier
The floating items settle back down as the Mayor began talking over the terms of her employment. "That's understandable, Mayor. I agree your terms. I don't make it a habit of invading a person's thoughts as it is, without reason. So, I'll keep an ear out when we're in meetings together, but otherwise lock it down. And I promise, no launching office equipment at fellow coworkers." Taking the schedule and the folder from the desk, she continued. "I will review these and get back to you with any questions or concerns I may have. As it stands, the duties sound in line with what I would expect for the title you explained. I do have questions, of course. Starting with will anyone but the two of us know I am an Evo? Will I have any opportunities to assist fellow Evos as I work with you? It is a matter that is important to me, for obvious reasons."Mayor Sims
"You, me, Charlotte, and your fellow Evo co-worker when I hire them. The Chief of Police might know too. Beyond that, we're hiring 6 other individuals to the same position at the same time. Obviously, they will know some of their coworkers are Evos given the announcement, but we will not be identifying who they are. So that's up to you if you tell them. But the goal is to have 8 new hires in the office so no one else can put two and two together without effort and a severe abundance of time I don't typically tolerate." The Mayor responded to the first question Sloane gave her. "As for helping your fellow Evos, yes. Or better put, eventually. I am putting together a department for Evo Affairs to liaison with the Police, Emergency Response, our Employment and Residential Offices, etc. The goal is to have a department focused on managing the AERI's, working with the legal system to ensure dangerous Evos are firmly but justly punished--as we need to curb some of those vile procedures that were in practice--and working on helping Evos get stable jobs and homes. Does that all interest you?"Sloane Whittier
"Yes, ma'am, that very much interests me. I look forward to having the chance to helping wherever and however possible. Thank you very much for extending me this opportunity. I'll review all of these materials tonight and get them back to Charlotte tomorrow morning. I don't expect I'll have any issues with what's inside the folder. You seem very straight forward and not one to treat your employees unfairly. Do you have any further questions for me, Mayor?"Mayor Sims
"Not at this time, Ms. Whittier. I look forward to hearing from Charlotte that you're all set to join the team. I think you'll mesh in nicely with everyone." She gave Sloane a politicians smile that looked like it maybe had a hint of truth to it as she stood and held out her hand for her to shake.Sloane Whittier
"Wonderful. Thanks again for meeting with me so quickly. I really appreciate it and I look forward to getting started. It's going to be refreshing not having to hide part of me." She shook the Mayor's hand and as she let go, she spied a stress ball nearby. She mentally tossed it up in the air (lightly of course) and smiled mischievously. "Catch!"Mayor Sims
A strange thing happened right then. Technically two strange things, with the first being overshadowed by the latter. The first was the stress ball vanished during its flight and reappeared in the open hand of the Mayor. The second was she gave Sloane a sly, emotion filled smile, before putting a finger to her lips in a Shh, Secret gesture. "It's an amazing time to be alive, for every Evo, Ms. Whittier. I'll see you soon."Sloane Whittier
"Why, yes. Yes, it is!" She couldn't help but let her eyes go wide as she stood to leave. "I will see you soon indeed, ma'am. Have a good evening."
Type
Record, Historical
Medium
Digital Recording, Text
Authoring Date
June 21, 2021
Authors
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