"Fwoo.. hooh" Smoke came out of his mouth as he exhaled.

People gave him eying looks as they come and go. Of course they did, he was currently standing just outside the door of the Food Sanctuary fast food restaurant.

Nevertheless unaffected by their looks, he continued to smoke, A guard was about to shoo him away but another guard stopped him and whispered something in his ears. Surprise flashed through the guards eyes and he then ignored Alex.

Alex then continued to smoke in the middle of the walkway.

Eventually, a middle aged lady talked to the guards about him.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but he's doing a survey right now, I'm sorry for the inconvenience.." the guard said defending him.

The lady seemed unconvinced and tried to talk to Alex but at that part, his cigarette was burnt to the butt.

Finished with the cigarette he took a deep breath and finally decided to enter.

"Hey hey.. mister, I'm talking to you"

The lady tried to talk to him, annoyed Alex eyed the woman.

The lady was stunned by his eyes, maybe because he has been exploring the broken world, the darkness of his eyes seemed much deeper than normal stopping the lady from what she was about to say.

"Welcome to food sanctuary" a guard said to him as he entered the restaurant.

Finding a single person table, he sat down, not even bothering to order and waited.

As time passes, Alex's finger tap on the table got faster, finally when he was about to just go back.

A waitress came to him...

"Sir... Please come with me"

Alex immediately stood up and followed the lady.

They went into the employee's staircase and headed to an office.

Alex was led to a room, unlike the managers room this one has no windows.

The lady left after that. Alex stood still at the door tapping his feet.

Once again he was outside a door, hesitating whether to enter or not.

Wanting to smoke another cigarette, he grabbed a packet when...

"Let's go" His uncle suddenly appeared and pushed him while opening the door.

The door opened and a man was seen sitting at a desk.

His hair was bit white from his age and all the stress, brown eyes about 185cm tall and large buff body, even if his face had a few wrinkles already, he gave off a healthy glow.

The man turned his head towards the door and smiled when he saw Alex.

Standing up, he went closer to Alex, opened his arms...

"My son" George Morton, his father said..

Hearing this, Alex showed an obviously fake smile and said...

"Hey, dad.."

His Father hugged and patted him on his back and said laughingly.

"Hahaha it's been a while, how have you been? Haha"

"It's fine" Alex said with a deadpan face.

After hugging him for a few seconds his father let go, held his shoulders, and look at him.

"You look fine, hahah"

Alex rolled his eyes hearing that, just last night he had a near-death experience, of course he try not to think too much about it, otherwise he'll go crazy but there was no need for other people to know.

"Come sit, how's life been lately?" His father said as he took a sit at the desk...

"Got a job?"

Alex said simply "No"

"Any girlfriends you can introduce to me? Haha" Seemingly in a good mood, his father laughed...

"No.. not currently"

The conversation has gone back in forth for a while, with his father asking him about his life and Alex just answering with a nonchalant attitude.

He realized, sitting here, that there are indeed some things he couldn't easily forgive his father, even if the world was at stake. But nevertheless he tried to suppress it.

Not affected by his answers his father still had a smile on his face, then he asked a question Alex had been waiting for.

"So... I heard you have a new hobby?"

Alex tried to nonchalantly play it off as if it was nothing.

"Yeah... I discovered my passion for guns... just lately"

"Good good, passion is great, it drives people forward you know? It's nice to find one, some people don't even know what they want. Not knowing what you want to do is the worst thing ever" His father said giving advice.

After that, it was silent for a few seconds. Alex who was always straightforward decided to just say it...

"Can I get access to the armory??" He have no idea if his father even had one but somehow, it wouldn't be surprising if he did. No, he was sure... his father probably has one maybe two.

When his father heard that, he was stunned and then he cackled loudly...

"Hahahahah"

Alex was confused and did not know what to do so he looked at his uncle and saw him just shrugging.

After laughing for a while.

He stopped and said to him.

"Well then, how about this... I have a... Let's see.. a proposition, interested??"

His father asked while smiling.

Alex eyes narrowed as he asked...

"What proposition??"

His father stood up, goes around the table and sat at his chair then said...

"You see... Your little brother, Aron, is about to be in college next month"

Listening, Alex was confused why it was suddenly brought up.

"But you see, unlike you and your sister, he's.. a bit of a handful, energetic you know?" His father said while gesturing.

"I mean just last week, he nearly went to jail"

Alex eyebrows twitched hearing that, he barely stays in contact with his family so he didn't know that.

"I even said to him that I'll never give him allowances again, but you know... he's my son hahaha"

"However I said to him that there's a condition, is that he goes to college, luckily he passed the exams"

Alex sat still silently confused about where this was gonna go.

"He passed the Andbridge University college examinations"

Surprise flashed Alex's eyes and somehow he got a bad feeling by what's coming and as expected...

"I want him to live with you and you watch over him like a proper big brother"

"What?!" This time Alex jolted nearly standing up hearing that...

"Nooo.. why?? That kid is spoiled too rotten! Isn't he a grown man already?? Besides, why can't he just live in the university dorms??" He may not have in contact with him for a few years, but Alex saw what's he's been doing through his social media. Drinking... cars... Girls.

"It's exactly because of that that he needs to live with you. You know... Show him your ways, teach him as a big brother"

His father seemed eager for it.

"No way"

Alex simply denied it, moreover they were probably gonna live until graduation so there's no way he could stand that.

"Wait. I'm not done... In addition to that at least once every month, all of us, you, your sister and your little brother, and me must at least have dinner together, just to get in touch."

Not even letting him speak, his father continued saying...

"But in return....." Holding his index finger to Alex he said...

"I'm gonna give you access to all the guns and ammo you want"

Alex stopped his breathing when he heard that. Then he tapped his feet as he considered it.. finally he said.

"I can't control Aron" anyways, to have guns for free, it was a cheap price to pay so he agreed but he has some problems.

His father smiled deeply when he heard that..."Oh I know, that's why I said to him that I will cut off his allowance and give it to you, if he wants to have money, he must ask you first, oh and you can freely eject him of course, but I said to Aron that once his brother ejects him, then I will completely cut my support for him."

Hearing this Alex heaved a small sigh of relief, at least he got a leash on his brother, not only that, he gets money as well though he got a feeling his father probably just wanted to give him that knowing he'll never ask for it directly.

Since he was already asking for guns, he didn't deny the money.

"Alright" Alex agreed while heaving a sigh to let them know he was a bit reluctant.

"Good... Good..." His father said.

_______________

After a few chatters and how his father said at the end of the month, there was a little celebration for his little brother going to college. Alex agreed.

After that, he left his father's office while holding the note to where he could get the guns.

His father sat behind the desk, smiling and having a satisfied face while thinking about something.

"Sir... Is it okay to give him weapons??"

Finally, John questioned his boss.

"Of course" he simply said... Then added in a reminiscent voice saying...

"Ever since high school, he slowly distanced himself from me... Can't blame him, it was my fault. And through the years he rarely asked for my aid or even accept it... Now, he didn't deny my aid haha"

"As a father... I must provide for my children, now that one of my children is accepting my aid and even asking for what he wants then no matter what it is, I will provide"

"Just... I guess keep an eye on him, Besides..."

Then he look at the family at his desk as he said...

"I trust my son"