"Oh! Well, he never told me about you, but welcome! Always good to have someone else who wants to help. Honestly? If it's food, just put it down over there. Everything goes into the pot, and calories are calories. If it's money or something else, Sammy's the one in charge of scheduling and logistics. The cybergoth over there, wearing welding goggles on top of her head."

"I was thinking food, I'm not at this moment as liquid as I'd like to be."

"Well, you'll be doing a good thing by it. Lots of people just need a little bit to get back on their feet!" She gives a wide smile.

"Is that so? I was imagining it'd mostly be, like, lots of people need... food... to not be hungry... but if you're actually seeing a lot of feet getting under a lot of folks here that's very cool."

"Well, there are a few success stories... That kind of thing appeals to people who are considering donating, you know. And if you don't have to go to a loan shark to not starve, things are a lot easier, right? We can't help people with rent or addictions so much, but food is a start. And we try to connect people to work or safe places to rent, when we can."

"Neat! Anyway, I'll go get some donations."

Off he goes to be unobserved somewhere and come back with a dolly and boxen.

He sure is getting a lot of stuff from random unobserved caches, huh. It's like people are starting to notice and try and tail him or something. He's seeing a few drones lingering near him, and a few faces following behind.

Well, he's not going to make stuff in front of any of those. He's going to take the motorcycle back to his garage, if people are going to follow him like that, and come out with a trailer - probably can't get away with a pickup truck right off - and motor it back over.

The stall operator parked right in front of the gate into the garage waves him down as he approaches. "Hey, name's Red. So the deal I had with Roland is that I'm sort of unofficially part of the security system, and he'll pass me junk or scrap metal or random excess components or first aid kits or whatever else he's got spare once in a while, ten or twenty bucks a day's worth. I look nice and normal, just part of the landscape, you dig head? In exchange I counted the drones poking around, see if anyone's spying, let him know if someone tries the door or seems to be casing the place."

"Oh, cool, cheap at the price. Do you prefer scrap to cash?"

"Yeah scrap, 's less obvious. Cause I give you a buck for the scrap and turn it around for five, ten, twenty, so you're just a sucker, not my boss."

"Ah, I see. I'm sure I'll turn up something for you soon."

"Yep, see ya soon!"

The garage is empty save for anything Cam has put into it. It is also bug-free. He might want to put the security stuff Roland took out back in, or his own versions, anyway.

Yeah, he does a quick pass putting his own bugs in places and then he comes out with a motorcycle trailer. Nobody saw him put it in, well, they must have missed something! Back to the soup kitchen he goes.

The mood is more subdued and one of the bulkier cooks is sporting a black eye.

"Whoa," says Cam, pulling in his dolly, "what'd I miss?"

"Couple heads tried to bring their outside grievances in here. Nothing we couldn't handle."

"Sometimes de-escalation doesn't work" Ann adds. "We try our best. It's not like calling Tower Group would help."

"I guess not! You want an ice pack for that eye? I've got some stuff on ice in here." Didn't a second ago but that's because he didn't actually have to transport it very far.

Sure why not. They're grateful for the stuff and offer to unload for him.

Does he happen to be hiring? One of the muscle-y volunteers heard something about that. She claims she has a level head and watchful eye and is good at intimidation. (The action heroine looking scars, punk outfit, and direct stare seem to make the last claim not an idle one.)

"I'm hiring! Do you drive?"

"...I can drive, like, a Sedan or a pickup. But I wouldn't call myself an expert. Certainly no courier or racer."

"So a tanker's a no? Well, probably I'll have pickup-sized deliveries to make at some point. What's your name?"

"I could probably figure it out, if that's what needs doing, but I'm used to guard detail. There's a lot of subtle things that go into guarding stuff, even if it doesn't sound like it, and I've supervised teams for it before. And I'm going by Mackie lately."

"My lawyer did recommend that I pick up bodyguards! What's the going rate for that, and do you have anyone you'd recommend as a teammate for you?"

"It depends on the bodyguard. But not pennies, since they're expected to be between you and harm. Two to four hundred a day at my level, with hazard pay if there's action. Paying in gear or stuff tends to be fine. You should ask around and conform that I'm a decent heavy if you're seriously considering it, just so there aren't any doubts. Mackie, to repeat the name. If you're looking to put together a whole crew, I'd like to bring in a few people I know, one John Ellingham and Eddie Chavez, but I also won't object if you already have some guys. We'd have to talk about what I'm protecting and what the expectations are. I don't wanna make you do that in front of everyone here- Ann, Jimmy! Can we borrow the office?"

There are two thumbs up from the named people.