Late-morning heat lies over the hardware owner Feed & Hardware, turning the gravel lot pale and bright. The last pallet settles into its stack as the hardware owner counts a thin fold of bills toward Adam.
A marked cruiser rolls in beside the storefront. Deputy the deputy, a broad-shouldered middle-aged man in a tan uniform, with close-cropped sandy hair and a pale scar along his jaw, steps out with a coffee cup and an observant, weathered face.
The Hardware Owner
That is forty-five. You earned it. Keep your boots on the dry side if you can.
The owner folds the cash once before offering it. Behind him, the cruiser door shuts, and the deputy crosses the lot without hurry, glancing from Adam to the empty roadside.
The Deputy
Morning. Emil Brooks, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. You working here today, or just passing through?
The Hardware Owner
He finished the pallet run. Name’s Adam, isn’t it?
The Deputy
Adam what?
The question rests between the stacked pallets and the cruiser’s cooling engine. The owner’s hand remains extended with the money; Brooks waits without reaching for a notebook.
Director's note
Adam's Facility Manners fault is coming into play immediately
“Adam takes the cash and looks at it with facinated curiosity. The seal, texture of the material, and minute features all interest him because it is the first piece of currency he's ever held. Thoughts of looking up what the icons mean is cut short as the Deputy approached and asked for his name. After a moment of hesitation, Adam says "Adam... Voxx. My name is Adam Voxx. I was working. Now I will be going to find a meal." After Adam answers in his direct and clear manner, he stands stiffly, the Deputy reminding him of the Annex guards and putting him on edge.”
FAILURE (Good Diplomacy, rolled +0)
Adam takes the forty-five dollars with careful fingers. The paper’s fibers, printed seal, and tiny engraved details hold his attention; it is his first currency, and the object feels like a lesson.
Adam
The symbols require explanation.
Adam
Adam... Voxx. My name is Adam Voxx. I was working. Now I will be going to find a meal.
He straightens, holding the bills rather than folding them further. The deputy’s uniform and measured approach recall the Annex guards enough to put Adam on alert, though his hands remain controlled and still.
The Deputy
All right, Adam Voxx. I hear you. I still need to know where you’re headed, and whether you have identification.
The formal answer lands too stiffly for casual passage, and the missing papers turn a simple departure into a question Brooks cannot ignore. He does not block the lot’s exit.
The Deputy
There’s a diner in Caliente, eleven miles north on 93. I can point it out. If you have no ID, don’t make this harder by vanishing into traffic.
✓ Quest Accepted
Reach the diner in Caliente
+ New Item Acquired
Forty-Five Dollars
Adam leaves Feed & Hardware behind and arrives at Caliente.
“The mention of identification reminds Adam of name badges used to unlock doors in the Annex. "I do not have ID," Adam says honestly, seeing no reason to withhold information at this junction. "May I request we speak while going to the diner? I wish to eat soon and it has been some time since my last meal." In Adam's mind, if he travels with the Deputy, then he wouldn't be vanishing into traffic so he wouldn't be making it harder.”
SUCCESS (Good Agility, rolled +1)
Caliente gathers around a low strip of sun-bleached buildings, with freight dust in the air and the diner’s red sign humming above a shaded entrance. Emil Brooks parks beside the curb and leads Adam inside.
Cool air, coffee, and frying onions meet them. A middle-aged woman behind the counter looks up from a stack of menus; she has a sturdy build, short gray-streaked hair, and a green apron over a black shirt.
The Deputy
We can talk while you eat. This is the Caliente Diner. Sit wherever you like, and I will explain what I need to know.
Marla
Booth by the window is open. Coffee, water, and menus are on the table. I am Marla, if either of you needs me.
Marla, with warm brown skin, a broad face, and a small silver hoop in one ear, sets two laminated menus on the nearest booth and points to the empty seat. Outside, the cruiser remains visible through dusty glass, while the town moves normally around it.
The Deputy
Order first. Then we will handle the identification question without making a public scene. Do you understand?
Marla
The breakfast special is still on, and it is filling. If you are hungry, I can bring one out quickly.
Quest Complete
Reach the diner in Caliente