The Legend of the Alpha-Omega

Genuinely Family

Looking out the huge window overlooking the floor, she scans the wide open space, Kayla turns on and off the lights in every segment of the hangar. She sees her machinery, the lifts, one in the center of the opposing wall and one closer to the front desk, and the forge on the opposite side. While she studies the space, she sees her projects and the ones requested of her. The taping on the ground streaks across the floor in parallel lines from one side of the hangar to the other. Two of which split the center for actual aircraft work which does get filled from time to time. For now she uses the space for line ups, vehicles that are done and ready to be picked up by their owners. One section kept cars needing all types of things, whether they were cosmetic or parts which threatened to overwhelm another lot. There was a line of oil pits on the other which reminded her to handle them in a specific order she remembered, then rolled her eyes about. Next, she scanned the place landing on the closed and very clearly locked bay doors. And finally turned to the right to double check the front office she had built onto it. The windows, like her clock, suggested it was still nighttime but now she was up. While scanning, Kayla noticed a “Help Wanted” sign in the window and figured she’d ask what Roxi actually needed help with as she was most likely the one who did it. Kayla couldn’t actually believe they needed anyone else. They were powerhouses, unless the girls synced with each other’s cycles. Betas on their periods were nothing compared to what Kayla was while she was in Heat, but if they ever wound up having trouble together, the guys could attest to them riding in on the next apocalypse. It wasn’t good, and no one spoke of it...but it did begin happening on a more consistent basis. So if that was the reasoning behind it, it would be the one that stuck. 

Kayla’s business was busy and on normal days she could get out multiple projects a day which sat on top of her normal line of oil and break changes, as well as any other minor concern or routine check up Roxi penciled in throughout the day. But… shots were few and far between with everything going on, it became harder to remember, or remember to fill them. Roxi and Pedro had been hired along with other changes to what she knew to be her regular load to remember. And while Roxi handled all of the paperwork and Kayla didn't have to think about it, she still did. 

Chyanne got a job working for some healthcare place which she promised she was going to manipulate so that she could provide a regular standard of shots at a more affordable rate. Maker knows she must be a saint if she would really do that for her, she grins at the thought but it quickly fades with the fear they’d be caught with fraud somehow. 

Frank had been deployed on and off, and while he wasn’t out, he was going for his Masters as well as any other program the Air Force would pay for which set himself up for higher ranks and a better pay grade if he went for a job within the real job market outside of the military. He was a smart guy, Kayla nodded to herself then an additional thought popped into her mind about how lucky Roxi truly was.

Roxi’s employment with Kayla had her majorly helping with the front desk duties, paperwork, payroll, calling customers to let them know the work required was now completed or prepping them for a rundown with Kayla herself about the potential risks in not fixing something she found, or coming up with a suitable p*****t plan for the work if it went over a certain amount. She usually only did that with serious problems though. If everything was caught up, Roxi became her second in command, helping with minor jobs until she learned the ropes. She’d be in charge of helping Kayla mold parts and put them up on the rotating wall in inventory. It was one of Kayla’s favorite inventions. It had been a lift of sorts that would cycle through shelves and would ascend up the back wall, aligned with her room. Inventory would descend down a pulley system and back up within feet of it showing a shelving unit for every part she seemed to have needed the most. Rare parts had been added in the event that they would be called upon for maintenance on older machines and the like which had their own special shelving, spray painted gold so she wouldn't miss it as much as she had in the past which was also Roxi’s brilliant idea. The girl was full of them which made it far more fun to work alongside her.

To the left  of her rotating inventory was a door to go outside through, which led her to their pool, and on the inside of the door was another one of Roxi’s bright ideas. She had convinced Kayla to have a designated area for specific tools that weren’t specifically on her tool belt, any extras Kayla needed usually followed her around on tool cabinets she’d wheel around. Her method worked too, until a wheel would catch. Depending on how hard she’d tug it, the thing would topple over too. A designated area for them made sense. It did. But what also made sense was tools at every station. But Roxi had been right about a lot of things and this innovation made sure that everything had a place and that there was a place for everything...especially her tool belt before she went outside or to bed. 

Kayla is still having trouble breaking that habit, the one where she’s supposed to take her work belt off downstairs and commit to sleeping or hanging out with her friends without work on her mind, but it’s hard. Normal things like blow torches and welding irons go there, not her belt. Leaving her belt there was the equivalent of removing her bra and draping it over a hook on the peg board. Kayla still shakes her head at the concept. 

One day, she thinks, but not soon. 

She had to imagine that the concept of that particular bench was not so much for her as it was for Pedro who had a habit of taking things and never putting them back which grated on her nerves. Everyone knew not to do it. Why couldn’t he? 

At this moment, it didn’t really matter. 

What did matter were the projects that needed to be done and cleared out of her hangar. A swim was just going to have to wait, she finally agreed with herself.

Kayla went through her rounds, grabbing her coveralls, headphones, a piece of gum and the clipboard to see what the closest car needed done. Simple stuff came up like oil changes she rolled her eyes at, then tapped out a code on her remote to prime the lift in case it needed to be moved upon her elaborate inspection. The lifts were older now since the time that she’d machined them so it needed time to be prepped before moving them. It was only another thing she swore she was going to fix. There were oil pits, two in closer proximity to the doors so that an oil slick wasn't left in the middle of the room for her to fall on, and that was exactly where she was headed with the first car. 

Starting the engine and pulling onto the first platform she parks the car, gets out, jumps down in the next pit to make her way underground and to the first one to get to work. She marks the miles on it after and dates a sticker for the customer to return for another one on a windshield friendly sticker, wipes up and pulls the vehicle outside in her well lit lot to be picked up by the owner during the day. As she moves the first one outside, she realizes a line must have formed overnight. They all have small jobs, patching tires, battery replacements, oil changes, filter changes, ventilation checks and then there’s one at the very back that needs breaks. 

Kayla grumbles again about the pool needing to wait and continues on with her work load.

The cars and trucks are done within the remainder of the morning. Everyone is lined up, but all the keys are in the front for safe keeping. Kayla knows it’s not normal, but also knows people are ruthless and will steal anything, so keys remain under her own lock and key in a glass cabinet behind the counter. 

Dawn has neared and Kayla has left the floor to sit in her favorite place with breakfast in hand. Granola and an apple Roxi picked up for her yesterday. Apples were her favorite fruit for several reasons but one in particular made her look more like a wild animal than a person. It was hard to get up to the roof. Climbing a pull down ladder on a catwalk with food in her hands sounded like a death wish. Pocketing an apple in her bra proved to be much more painful than stuffing it with a granola bar, so Kayla learned to bite halfway into the flesh of the fruit, slurping up the juices that trickled down her face while untwisting the hatch with both hands, pulling down the heavy three rung beast of a ladder and climbing up the thing before comping down on its tart deliciousness. 

Kayla had been called feral before but this wasn’t that, this was using what she had to get where she wanted to go. Watching the stars fade to mere memories of where they had been as the sun rose was poetic and beautiful, she thought. Each day had the ability to erase what was known and give something new and today, Kayla imagined, today would be new.