Omega Lab

The World As We Know It

Chapter 2 The World as We Know it.

The moon was rising high over the city. The lights of the city went by in a blur as Bashir rode in the back of the car. He loosened his tie and looked at the illuminated screen of his phone. At a stop light, two men walked across the street linked arm in arm. The taller one bent down and kissed his partner on the cheek. Bashir raised an eyebrow.

"A gamma and a beta?" He smiled and went back to his phone. "Good for them."

At some point after World War IV, a terrorist group from one of the losing countries weaponized a sterility drug into a virus and released it into the atmosphere during a space rocket launch. The goal was to make it so their enemies would die out due to low population. The idiots didn't factor in wind and currents in the upper atmosphere and over time, every country was affected.

The virus targeted the human reproductive system. Humans became classed based on their reproductive ability rather than gender, race, color, ethnicity, financial status, political affiliation, or religion. They became known as Alphas, Betas, Gammas, and Omegas.

The majority of alpha and beta females became incapable of carrying a child but could impregnate their partner if he or she were a gamma or omega. Many others-males included-had mutations in their reproductive systems including their organs. They possessed male and female parts that changed depending on their partner's preferences. They could also reproduce with others but not each other. They became gammas. Omegas are specially ordered, genetic clones created for procreation. If they wanted, an omega could have anywhere from one child to up to five in one birth cycle.

Omegas don't have a 'heat' cycle like animals per se. It is more like an ovulation cycle. Their body temperature rises and their smell becomes stronger. Scientist still haven't figured out why but on the first night of the new and full moons, they and alphas are more sexually aggressive. Most people say that's a natural effect of the moon anyway and not exclusive to alphas and omegas.

Suppression drugs so far are ineffective so alphas are usually taught to control their urges through mindfulness training and other meditation techniques. Omegas are simply told to stay indoors from sunset to sunrise during the full and new moon. Neither of these is 100% effective.

The car cruised to a stop in front of the apartment building and Bashir got out. His shoes splashed in the small puddles on the sidewalk as he entered the marbled foyer. The staff greeted him as he headed to the elevator. He undid a button on his shirt and sighed.

You can tell who is who, though. Alphas are your typical aggressive, powerful, energetic, physically fit type. They are usually athletically built no matter their height or age. They also tend to be competitive and egotistical in nature. They have a faint citrusy smell that intensifies during the moon. Betas are your laid back, down to earth, every day Joe. Not overly ambitious and not a complete slacker either. They aren't overly muscular or physically active like their alpha counterpart. They have an earthy smell like basil or parsley.

He fished the keys out of his pocket and padded down the hall. Gammas can be cocky and bold and their height can vary due to their partner's wishes. They are usually slender but not so that you want to take them and give them a heaping burger. They can be headstrong and mischievous like a spoiled kid. Their smell is spicier like nutmeg or cloves.

The keys jingled in the lock and the door whisked open. A petite red-head with wavy shoulder length hair and bright green eyes smiled at him.

"Welcome home, Bashir."

He smiled. Then there are omegas. Smaller, submissive, pleasing and optimistic. They have a soft soothing smell like pink roses. Unlike other societies where omegas are shunned and mistreated, omegas are considered a premium because of their high fertility. At times they do garner the animosity of females unable to carry a child. But violence and outward hatred of them is rare.

He kissed Sena softly and hung up his coat. "Where's Tenpo?"

"Tenpo?" Sena looked over his shoulder. "In the back...sulking."

Bashir kicked off his shoes. "Again?"

Sena waved his phone. "I sent you a text. You broke your promise."

"What!?" Bashir pulled his phone out and scrolled through the messages. There were four he'd missed. Three from Tenpo and one from Sena. He groaned and smacked himself in the head with the phone. I did it again!

Sena walked into the living room and flopped on the couch. "I told him it wasn't a big deal since the work you do is so important." He picked up a book. "You know how gammas can be."

"Is he angry?"

Sena looked up and smiled. "Nuclear."

"That bad, huh?" Bashir sighed heavily. "How could I forget?"

The pages rustled in Sena's hand and he shrugged. "You're busy."

So understanding. But still, this is not right. I have to make it up to them. He walked over and rubbed Sena's cheek. "I should never be too busy for my two most important people."

Sena blushed. He gasped as Bashir grabbed his hand pulling him off the sofa, and lead him down the hall.