GA/Lucy/Work
From Create Your Own Story
The best idea for now seems to be just to go to work like any other day. Nobody's called to tell you otherwise and as far as you know, you'll still need money to keep your apartment. It couldn't hurt, at least.
When you get there, you can see that the current shift has been beefed up. Your coworkers from a shift before yours are patrolling the edges of the mall wearing kevlar vests with "NARCorp" emblazoned across the chest, and carrying what look like handguns in their holsters. Each also carries a baton that looks different from the usual. The business end of each baton looks to have rings of some kind of metal around it.
They stop you on your way in and let you through when you show them ID.
There are a few patrons of the mall, but they look nervous going from store to store. Even the employees in the stores look nervous at the increase in security.
You go back to the security station to change into your uniform. A vest and the new equipment, including the handgun, waits for you.
As you change the chief of security, Elizabeth Glass, walks into the room. She's a tall woman, taller with heeled boots on. She's usually pretty straightforward, seeming bored and tired on the best days. Irritable and angry on the worst. Today something is definitely different.
She looks happy. You didn't know she could do happy. Her uniform seems different as well. Her sleeves are rolled up, her blouse is unbuttoned a button or two lower than usual, and her clothes, in general, look tighter. She watches you while you change, giving you a slight uneasy feeling, before she speaks.
"Miss Roberts. I'm sure you've seen the rest of your comrades, you should know that some things are changing starting today. When you're finished in here, I'll be meeting with your shift in the conference room once everyone arrives." She says. She seems to be more talking at you than to you.
"Yes ma'am." You say. You hurry up and finish changing then head to the conference room.
You're fairly early, but soon the room fills up, some faces you recognize, some you don't. Once it looks like everyone is here, Ms. Glass walks to a podium at the front of the room.
"Good morning, everyone. Those of you who've worked here for a while may notice a few new faces. Corporate has seen fit to grace us with some new recruits to comply with their new security policies." She clears her throat. "Now, those policies are as follows. First off, nobody gets in or out of the property without being recorded. Second, for your safety and to increase your ability to hold this building, you've all been given bulletproof vests, handguns with live rounds, and a neat little thing called a stun baton."
"If you know how to use a taser, you know how to use a stun baton. Press the button on the handle and touch the metal contacts around the end to the person you need to incapacitate. But unlike a taser or a stun gun, these can also be used as a blunt weapon. They recharge by motion, so swinging them around or even just walking with one should charge it."
"You may be asking why these changes are necessary. Well, if any of you haven't caught the news, allow me to explain. The world's going to shit. We're not getting looters here yet, but corporate wants us to be ready. Wants all their locations ready. To do this, corporate is basically turning us into their police force and, to an extent, their military."
"Now you may also be asking, well what if I don't want to be police or military? Well, as much as I'd love to, I can't force any of you to stay here yet. So if you want to leave, leave now. Those of you who choose to stay will be essentially drafted and subject to court martial for desertion if you leave later."
