With no obvious questions left, the four of them opened their menu and found the store option easily. In addition, there was contact and storage. This is where David checked first and found his soulbound items there. Satisfied he moved over to the shop as well. This is when he heard a new voice beside him as Rick stood and embraced the new addition. Both David and John looked over with smiles on their faces.

“ Hi Marry.”

“Hello, Marry.”

The five foot ten redhead with an obvious baby bump looked around the big man who was her ex-husband and looked at his two friends.

“ Should have known you two idiots would be here. I would almost say you arranged this mess just to piss me off.”

The two laughed gently as the one behind them coughed to catch their attention.

“ I hate to break up the reunion, but I got a favor to ask...”

“ How much?”

The abruptness of David’s response caught Jake off guard. Nerving himself afterward he bowed his head.

“ Six million.”

David could see the other’s jaws dropping as David turned serious.

“ Credits or Dollars?”

Jake took a look at his menu again.

“ Credits.”

David in return fiddled with his own menu. The first thing he did was check his wallet for the store and noticed it was eleven figures long. So six million credits was pocket change. Taking a moment to look for something, he quickly found what he was looking for as he switched to his storage and took out dozens of silver-looking coins. Counting out ten of them, he moved them toward Jake. He then counted out another ten and moved it in front of John and a third ten for Rick.

“ Consider these sign-on bonuses. I will work out regular paychecks and back pay later.”

{contract} is in effect

David then turned to Marry.

“ Look Marry, I don’t...”

Before he could continue, Marry put her hands on her hips.

“ I’m in.”

David just blinked, not sure what to say. That is when a young girl's voice distracted him.

“ Daddy!”

They all turned to face Jake as he was on his knees holding a clearly scared little girl in his arms.

“ Shh, shh now my gem. Everything is alright. Daddy is here. Let me bring your mother here as well.”

Nobody could say anything as they all felt the love the stranger had for his daughter. When Jake’s wife showed up, David suddenly had a worrying thought.

“ Jake, don't call anyone else here.”

Jake turned toward him and so did everyone else. The one to speak however is the new addition.

“ And why should my husband listen to you?”

David took a very deep breath hoping she was not one of those people that he had to explain everything to down to the littlest detail. Like Marry is.

“ Because the way I see it. The world we once knew is no more. I mean that in a quite literal way. By what I took from our guide...” David gestures to Four sitting and watching with a humored look on his face. “ Not only is the government we know to be the United States of America no more, but I would guess the actual country does not even exist. More than likely the whole of Earth is gone or in pieces or what have you.”

Four gave a sharp laugh, which everyone ignored.

“ Very astute.”

David ignored him and moved on.

“ Now, I can see us being left on our own after the scavenging portion of the update. And I, as the financier, of our group can not ignore the possibility of someone wanting their decrepit old parents who require a handful of pills to live to the next morning, to join us as a condition.

If I allow one then I must allow others like that to join us. Which will end with a huge drain on resources, time, and manpower that might lead to the deaths of hundreds or even thousands under me. Just so you can spend a few more days or even hours with an elderly loved one.”

The woman realized David was done and opened her mouth to speak but stopped to think about what he said. Was David being an asshole, yes. He would admit that in a second. But he would stand by his reasons too. After an awkward silence, she looked toward her husband still holding their daughter. She was told the day before her daughter was dead and seeing her alive now could only be explained by David making it happen. Seeing the coins on the table, she could guess what really happened.

“ I see, perhaps I should begin by introducing myself. Jasmine Bates, I am a district manager for Walmart... or was. By the sounds of it, you sound like you are going to restart civilization from scratch and someone with middle and upper management experience is a must.”

David gave a sigh and went back to his pile of coins. He originally got sixty out but realized that might not have been enough as he took two groups of five and handed one to Jasmine and the other to a surprised Marry.

“ Don’t give me that look. You are a gossip and I know I am going to need someone with an ear to the people.”

Privately, David just hoped she did not screw anything up.

{contract} is in effect