A Furious Chick

Legacy

Katherine

I stood on the balcony, overseeing my facility and my workers as they stared up at me. I was nauseous and irritated and I wanted to eat but this meeting must be held. Alina was the last to walk in with a coffee in her hand. Kaleb immediately got irritated.

"We have some new ground rules." I began.

They all waited.

"Relationships stay out of the office." I pushed my hair back. "Whatever you do outside of this facility is your business. Whoever you screw outside of this facility is your business. You can screw each other for all I care but when you step into this building, I will not know of it."

Everyone stayed silent. I didn't look at Alina. She was torn up.

"We're starting drug and alcohol tests. Surprised ones. You'll never know when it's coming. You shall not be intoxicated on the job, you shall not smell or carry any sort of enhancement with you while roaming these halls. Again, do whatever you want outside of this facility but as long as you are here, it'll be a dead end."

Kaleb eyed me angrily.

"If these rules are broken in anyway, suspension will take affect for up to three weeks with no pay and no benefits. If it happens a second time, termination will follow and you will be stripped of your license and of your badge. You will no longer be able to get a government official job. If there are any questions regarding these two additions, please come see me. A sign sheet will go around shortly. If you agree with these terms, sign. If you don't agree, then get out. Immediately."

Everyone stayed where they were.

"We need order again. No more free passes. No more games. It's time this place lives up to the standards my hero set." I continued. "Good day."

I turned and walked to my office, shutting the door. I grabbed my pager out of my pocket and pressed Dom's number. I sat down in my chair and took off my heels. He came in minutes later and sat in my leather chair in front of my desk.

"No relationships at work, huh?" Dom sounded amused. "How'd Brian take that? How'd Kaleb take the drinking rule?"

"Didn't really discuss it with them. We need order and this is my territory. I make the rules." I shrugged.

Dom nodded softly. He understands. Thank God because I know I'm going to hear about this sooner or later.

"But it can be yours, Dom." I whispered. He paused. "The job, this desk, this office. It all can be yours. It'll only take a signature and a hand on a bible."

"Why?" Dom frowned. "This company is your baby."

"No. It was Nobody's baby. It is my step child." I sat back in my seat. "And I am choosing to pass it on. I'm pregnant. I have three children at home with a husband I want and need to appreciate more. Fighting, organizing case loads....going through files on missions that ended with blood...I don't want to do it anymore. In my years on this Earth I've known little except blood and guts. It's almost as if I was created for one thing which is carrying on the legacy. And it's a legacy I'm ending. I heard stories of my parents when I was just a young girl. Other parents were going to work behind a desk for six hours and come home to a nice meal at a family table. My parents were gone for weeks at a time and came home with bruises and cuts. I can't allow that to be my children's memories of me. I can't. And perhaps I need this for myself. Huh. That's funny isn't it? Katherine Howard saying I can't do something when I can do and have done anything. My fists aren't putting up a fight anymore."

Dom listened. "Are you sure you're ready to give up everything you've worked for? Trained for?"

I sat back for a long time. I stayed quiet as I played with a pen cap.

"I feel like I've been ready for a long time, Dom. I'm just now being honest to myself about it."