Jamie sat in the director's chair as he waited for the cameras to get ready to film the next scene. He was surrounded by his clones, who were serving as go-fers and performing other menial tasks for him; one held an umbrella over his head to ward off the glare from the lighting, another carried a glass of lemonade on a tray, and a third was shining his shoes.

Jamie looked at his watch. They were supposed to start shooting 20 minutes ago, but Pietro and Scott were nowhere to be seen. "Where are they?" Jamie asked out loud as he looked at his watch in irritation.

Bobby walked up to Jamie to ask him something, but a fourth clone stepped in his path, holding a schedule book.

"Sorry, but you can't talk to him right now," said the Jamie clone. "He's booked solid for the rest of the, woah!" he yelped as Scott shoved him out of the way and walked up to Jamie.

Jamie looked up as he saw Scott approach. "Hey, how'd you get past my personal secretary?" he asked. "I told him I was busy today!"

Bobby ignored him. "Look, Jamie, Kitty's really ticked off," he said. "I think you need to apologize to her,"

"Apologize for what?" Jamie asked.

"Well, dragging her through the mud, filming her naked, ogling her on film, and that's just for starters," Bobby said.

"She needs to grow up and realize how things work in Hollywood, Bobby," Jamie said, taking a sip of lemonade.

"Well, why don't you try telling that to Lance?" Bobby said. "He heard about the last scene, and he's not too happy right now,"

"Where is he?" Jamie asked.

"Last I saw, he was headed over here, and he didn't look too thrilled,"

Just then, the door to the Danger Room slid open and Lance stormed in.

"Where is that little weasel?" he shouted angrily.

"Eek!" shouted Jamie, and dived behind a stack of film canisters to hide from the angry mutant. His clones scattered as Lance approached.

"Jamie, I know you're behind there!" Lance shouted. "Come out now!"

Jamie stood up meekly. "Look, Lance, there's a perfectly good explanation for this. We're trying to create some very high-quality art here, and, yike!" he started to say, but was cut off as Lance grabbed him by the shirt collar and lifted him off his feet.

"Listen up," said Lance. "If you want Kitty back, there's going to be some changes around here. First of all, find somebody else to play your stupid secretary!"

"But she's only in one more scene!" Jamie protested.

"I don't care! Get someone else or Kitty walks,"

"Ok, fine, I'll recast!" Jamie said.

"I'm not done! She and I both want a 15% take on all the sales and merchandising profits,"

"15%?" Jamie asked. "Are you mad? That'll bankrupt me!"

The room started to shake in response as Lance used his powers to get his point across.

"Ok, ok! 15% seems reasonable! And I'll apologize personally, too!" Jamie said, eager to be free of Lance's grip.

"Glad to hear you're cooperating," Lance said. "I'll let her know you've had a change of heart. Oh, and one more thing," he added. "You lay a finger on my girlfriend again, I'll kill you and all your little clones!"

With that, he walked out of the Danger Room to go get Kitty. Jamie breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he had both his life and his actress back.

As Lance walked out of the Danger Room, Pietro and Scott walked in.

"Finally!" Jamie shouted. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry!" Pietro apologized. "Todd Fan had us doing re-takes for Mutants in Tights,"

"We had to do the archery contest over again because Forge kept missing Logan's sniper arrow," Scott explained.

"Ew," Jamie said. "I hope Remy's all right, we'll need him in a few scenes,"

"Oh, he's fine," said Pietro. "He's just got a few holes in his neck. Nothing a little morphine won't take care of,"

"Oh, by the way, I hope you don't need to print extra scripts," said Scott. "Todd fan used up the whole printing budget for scene 11,"

"Grr!" Jamie growled. "That woman's going to be the end of me someday. Oh well, let's just get shooting while we have some daylight left,"

"Um, Jamie, we're inside a LIT studio. We have all the light we need," Pietro pointed out.

"Oh, just take your places," Jamie muttered. He was starting to realize how exhausting directing a picture can be.

X

Pietro sat behind his desk in his office as the camera focused in on him. He was trying to decide on the issue for the new sheriff for Bayville.

"A sheriff," he muttered as he turned his chair around. "But law and order is the last thing I want,"

He reached into a jar on his desk and pulled out a gumball, and put it in his mouth and began chewing on it.

"Maybe I can turn this into my advantage," he said. "If I can find a sheriff that so offends the people of Bayville that his mere appearance drives them out of town. But where can I find such a man?" he mused, looking straight at the camera. "And why am I asking you?"

Sam, who was working the camera for this scene, shrugged his shoulders.

Pietro suddenly remembered that it was Monday, and that something important was supposed to be happening today. He walked over to the window and took a look outside. Sure enough, Beast was preparing the gallows for Forge's hanging.

"Ah! Welcome to Hanging House!" Beast said as his executioners led Forge up the scaffold steps. He looked at Forge's drill arm and smiled.

"Not to worry," he said. "Everyone is equal in my eye!"

Pietro began to laugh wickedly as he looked down at Forge. This was perfect!, he thought. Suddenly, he began to choke as the gumball slid down his throat. He started coughing to clear the chewy obstruction and managed to hack the thing up and spit it out after a few tries.

Pietro cleared his throat and walked out of his office. He had found his man.

X

A short while later, Pietro walked into Jamie Lepetomaine's office, leading Forge behind him. The governor was absent, but Pietro saw a pair of drapes covering the rear of the office. He heard the sounds of delightful laughter coming from behind them.

"Ow! Not in the ear, not in the ear!" Jamie protested from behind the curtains as Jubilee laughed. She had been very willing to stand in for Kitty for this scene, which confirmed Jamie's hunch that either she had a crush on him or she was very serious about pursuing an acting career of her own someday.

"Governor!" Pietro called out.

"Ugh, he has horrible timing!" Jamie muttered silently, and stuck his head out through the curtains.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Official business, sir," Pietro said.

"Is it important?" Jamie asked.

"It's very crucial," Pietro urged.

Jamie sighed and looked at Jubilee. "Throw something on and stay in that position," he said. Jubilee gave him a wink as he reached for his pants.

Pietro and Forge exchanged a suspicious glance as Jamie walked out from behind the curtains a few moments later, zipping his pants up.

"Forgive me, gentlemen," he said. "I was just, uh, walking the parapet, having a, er, look around. What can I do for you?"

"Governor, as per instructions, I'd like you to meet the new sheriff of Bayville," Pietro said, gesturing at Forge with a wave of his hand.

"I'd be delighted," Jamie said, extending his hand. Then he saw the drill where Forge's right arm should have been. "Wow!" Jamie said and wheeled around quickly. "I've got to talk to you," he said, motioning for Pietro to follow him. Instead, Forge did, and Jamie placed his arm around Forge's shoulder.

"Have you gone berserk?" he asked, not realizing who he was talking to. "Can't you see that that man is a mut." he said, then looked and saw that Forge was standing next to him instead of Pietro.

"Sorry, wrong person," Jamie said with a nervous laugh, and walked back to Pietro. Forge walked over to Jamie's desk and sat down in his chair.

"Have you gone berserk?" he asked, leading Pietro aside. "Can't you see that that man is a mutie?"

"Don't worry, sir," Pietro said confidently.

"Pietro, I've always trusted your judgment," Jamie said. "But haven't you taken a giant leap away from your good senses?"

Pietro grabbed Jamie by the shoulders. "Don't fly off the handle, sir. I am about to make you an historic figure! Maybe even get you a cabinet post!"

"A cabinet post! Did you say that?" Jamie asked.

"I said that,"

"Wonderful!

"Yes! The first man ever to appoint a mutant sheriff! Just think, sir! Washington, Jefferson,"

"Lincoln," interjected Forge, chewing on one of Jamie's cigars.

"Lepetomaine!" Pietro said triumphantly. Jamie jumped back so far that he smacked his head on the wall. He slowly sunk to the floor, clutching his head in pain.

"Sir, you have the seeds of greatness in you," Pietro said, kneeling down beside Jamie. "Nurse them, arrest them, pour water on them. Don't shortchange yourself, sir!"

"It'll never work," Jamie said. "They'll kill him dead in one day,"

Exactly!, thought Pietro. "One day will be all we need, sir, to secure your name in the annals of western history, and secure you a nomination for, dare I say?"

"Dare, dare!" Forge said.

"The presidency!" Pietro shouted.

"Wow!" Jamie said and started to stand up, but hit his head on the wall again.

"Hail to the chief! Hail the chief!" Pietro said, dragging Jamie to his feet. He led Jamie back and forth around the office, singing triumphantly.

Jamie stopped at a bust of Lincoln sitting on a pedestal. "Four score and seven years ago," he began, taking out his pocket watch and swinging it around his fingers. "Our forefathers brought forth,"

"Sir?" Jubilee asked, opening the curtains. "Aren't you coming back?"

"Oh!" said Jamie, remembering more urgent business. "In a moment, dear," He turned to Forge and Pietro.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, uh, affairs of state must take precedence over, uh, the affairs of state," he said, walking back to his desk as Pietro led Forge over to the door.

"Will you make all the arrangements?" Jamie asked.

"Of course sir, I'll make all the arrangements," Pietro said, opening the door.

"Especially the funeral!" Jamie called after him. The camera caught Forge looking back nervously as Pietro led him out of the office.

"Good luck, good luck boys!" Jamie called, undoing his pants again. "Wonderful working with you, good luck!" he said, and walked back to the curtains, whistling as he went.

As Jamie reached for the curtains, Sam called out to him. "Hey, Jamie, we just ran out of film! We can't do the rest of this scene today!"

"Oh, rats!" Jamie said. "Sorry, Jubilee," he called. "We'll have to finish this scene another time!"

Jubilee walked out from behind the curtains with a pout on her face.

"Oh, don't be sad, honey! You'll get your break someday!" Jamie reassured her as she walked off, and tried to figure out where he could find more film for a private screening.