How to Train your Mechanic


    “The issue with any type of tech, even those with the most minor of gift, is when they get lost in the project. Catalysts tend to be better about it than the others, and Kit Bashers tend to require a blow to the head to distract from their work, but all of them will fall into the task at hand, and usually start overdoing it.


    “Lord help you if you have two working on something at the same time. Assuming they’re working methods can blend, which by definition requires one to be a Catalyst, they will feed on each other''s gift if not focused on something very specific.”


    “That, my dear readers, is how the Solar Knights ended up with a base on the moon before they had a reliable way of getting back and forth to it.”


    Hummingbird, aka Olivia St. Vincent in St. Nicks Journal of the Technical Sphere “Managing a Team with Super-techs”


    “If I shut her off, I’ll never get her started again! I’ve had to jump her twice already!”


    "That''s why I, oh never mind." He pulled off the battery cable and the car died. Then he pulled out the very broken and chewed serpentine belt. "This is what should have your alternator charging and a lot of other parts working. It broke, and the car was maybe going to go for another twenty minutes before leaving you stranded. Assuming it didn’t overheat and blow the radiator."


    "No!” She hissed. her head resting on her steering wheel. “Damn it. How much is that going to cost me to fix? I need this job.”


    "About twenty bucks." Levi said. "Marcus, take her on any other deliveries she has, and lend her the blue bug. It''s an ugly little car but it runs good. When you''re done working, come back and either I''ll have it running again or we can figure something else out."


    She wanted to argue. But if her Banana was broken so she didn''t have a lot of choice, not if she wanted to make enough cash for food and gas. "Fine, damn it." She got out of the car slamming the door twice to make sure it stayed closed. "I''ll take the ride."


    "I''ll go get the car, take her over to the shop." Marcus said. "The bugs kinda beat up but runs fine. Come on, let''s get you going, then you can come back and hopefully have your banana back."


    The other two boys watched them hurry down the driveway then drive off. "So, is it really just a belt?" Nahoa asked doubtfully.


    "Oh, no, this car needs help, but that was going to kill it in twenty minutes, not a few weeks. Let''s eat our food, then we can run to a parts store, get a belt and a few other things. Then we''ll talk her into bringing it to the shop so we can fix the real pressing issues. At least her breaks seemed to be working okay."


    Zoya was not thrilled that she was having to get help for work. She was proud of her independence. "How the heck did you manage to get a job out in Stepford Wife Land?” she asked


    "Got hired by a rich Super, someone Penny knows." he said, keeping it simple. "So, conned your mom into signing off on buying a car? Are you going home then?"


    "Fuck no, not while Captain asshole is there. she said dryly. "There is no point in living honest around him. He''s always going to assume the worst of me.


    "Right, figured. You know your mom isn''t to blame for your dad''s crap." he said, leading her to the Grand Marquis. "Get in, we’ll get you set up for all the Xanex moms who have got to be getting ready to order Panda Express to go with their wine."


    "Yeah, but the living doormat, won’t stop him either." she said, Pain in her voice. “I mean he completely ignored me until the one time I fucked up. Now I''m nothing but another criminal to him.”


    "It doesn''t help that I know you''ve committed a fair share of petty crimes recently." Marcus said bluntly. "I am not going to give you crap about them now, and you''re working a job so good on you, but it does kind of make your annoyance at his accusations a bit less credible."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "What''s the point of being a good girl, if he''s never going to believe me anyway. I gotta take care of me. I got Banana now, and as long as she''s working, I can do more legit stuff. Mom helped me get her registered and insured. " She admitted grudgingly.


    "Fine, I won''t say anything more. I wasn''t happy when you got sent to juvie, I''m going to be really pissed if you get sent to prison."


    She gave a half despondent shrug. “He’s the one, that overreacted to me shoplifting one time. HE made me a thief. I just wanted his attention, now I''m just trying to survive. I''m hoping things will be easier next month. I''ll be eighteen and he legally will have no more right to boss me around.”


    "Juvie disappears when you turn eighteen. Vanishes from your record, for all intents and purposes. Keep that in mind too." He started the car and drove them off, "The bug isn''t much, but it''ll let you do your job while Levi fixes yours. He''s really good, so don''t worry. Boss hired him as a mechanic for lots of projects."


    "Kay, just let me know what I owe him. Hopefully it''s not too much, or he''ll take payments."


    "He''s offered to help; I don''t think he''s going to screw you. And Nahoa and I can help short term if you need it."


    She shook her head, running into Taco Bell to grab two huge bags, tucking them in her insulated bag and then grabbing the drinks.


    "Yeah, that''s the other issue." she slumped back in the car. "Dad heard me talking to mom after I got out of Juvie. I was telling her about my girlfriend breaking up with me after I got out and she didn''t. He didn''t take it well."


    "Ah. I see." Marcus shook his head. "Your dad''s always been kind of a dick, and I wasn''t one of the kids he snarled at. Probably because dad and him got along. Cop and Cape, natural friends if they aren''t pissed at each other."


    "Yeah, but your dad was cool, he wasn''t pushy, he''d even get my dad to take a day off every now and then so we could all do something together. I hate that the building got condemned.”


    "Yeah, well, that''s New York. Twice as nice, till you look under the floorboards."


    "No shit." she said dryly. "Congrats on the new job, must be paying pretty good to order seafood from a classy joint."


    "Doesn''t pay bad, no, and Grandma got the job of house manager. Which honestly, I think means more than I think it does, the boss is giving her free reign over the staff and maintenance. And not that it shows but she''s happy, and me and Thud are sharing that cabana thing at the gate. Nahoa got hired as security."


    "Shit you’re a regular pimp, getting everyone hired out.” she teased.


    "Hell, I think she’s planning on hiring a few more folks, too.” He laughed. “She’s got Elenore looking for some more people. The Boss, I get the impression she''s got plans she isn''t admitting to yet."


    “Hell, sounds better than working fast food.” She said, “Or, getting hooked up with a villain seeking world domination. In Juvie there were idiots who thought that sounded like a good idea! Though admittedly the better villains do offer good health insurance…


    "I did about as much the opposite as you can from hooking up with a black cape. The Boss is Solaris. I mean, the original World War II pick up aircraft carriers and hit that one German dude with a submarine, Solaris."


    “Shit, I saw the videos of her taking on the Walking Catastrophe! She must be a hell of a hard ass.”


    "Not really, but I wouldn''t mess with her if she got serious. She''s not as Order and Law as some of the white capes sound. Apparently, she also has crates of stuff she stole from the Axis during World War II. Penny showed me the pile of freaking machine guns."


    “That is kind of sick, but I mean, didn’t everybody’s great grand steal something Nazi if they were in the war?”


    "Yeah, I get the impression it’s how they all kept score. Hell, she says she has tanks in some storage facility near DC.”


    “Cool.” She hopped out of the car and ran the food to a door where an older half-drunk woman smiled taking the food. She headed back to the car “Yeah, Taco Bell mom for the win, 20 buck tip.”


    "Gotta love those day drinkers." he laughed as he pulled out, guiding the car to the highway, and towards the shop. "The car we''re going to lend you isn''t great, it''s an older modern bug, with some sort of weird gash looking dent in the side, but it runs and drives fine. I think the plan is to supe it up at some point but right now the shop crew are using it to run errands."


    She sighed. "Okay. I’ll borrow the car. I’m trying to save enough so I can get my own place when I turn eighteen. I can''t do that without a car.


    "No problem, just top it back off when you''re done. Bring it back to the house, and hopefully your banana will be running better. Don''t be shocked if he tells you to bring it to the shop later, though. For what you paid, you are kind of lucky it''s not actively on fire."


    “If it gets me from Point A to Point B I don’t care too much, as long as the fire isn''t too hot. Here is the number for my phone so you can get a hold of me.’


    "Will do. I''ll send you my info, and Levi''s if you need to ask him something." Marcus said, pulling up to the shop. He got the key from where it was locked up right inside the back door and tossed it to her. "Good luck, hope the tips are big. Enjoy the convertible."


    “Convertible?" she said looking back at him.


    "It''s that powder blue convertible bug. It''d be pretty if it weren’t for the gash on the passenger side. got it from the auto auction for really cheap."


    "It is really cute.” she said, rather liking the idea of a convertible. "I’ll have to try the top down after work. Gotta book, Chipotle calls!”


    He shook his head. "Well, at least this time she isn''t stealing stuff."