"I was expecting a bit more... No, it doesn't really matter. Shall we talk about the deal we're about to close?" Nelson wasn't a naive man; the teenager in front of him was about to reach adulthood, so his concerns weren't of much importance.
"First of all, I want to give you a reward." Dominic pulled out a USB drive from his jacket and placed it on the table in front of Nelson, who didn't take it immediately.
"I would like to stay under the radar; soon, I'll find someone who will be the dialogue man among the people I'll guide because that's not a job I'm particularly good at." Dominic stood up after revealing that he was behind all these constructions.
Nelson observed how Dominic's personality was fierce and willing to do anything. He knew better than anyone about people like him, controlling individuals who, from a very young age, knew how to manipulate situations and easily read people, finding not only their weaknesses but also their aspirations to always be in control.
"I would like to ask, what's on the drive?" Nelson referred to the USB drive that Dominic had handed him.
"Very useful information that is much more valuable in these times than anything else you can imagine; after all, our lives are linked to the information we can gather." Dominic had let himself be influenced by the control of his meticulous plans; there shouldn't be any errors or variations.
Taking a strategic pause, Dominic pointed to the computer on the side and said, "Go ahead; you can see the contents of that USB drive."
Nelson nodded, took the drive, and inserted it into the computer to see if this would be of significant benefit in his future.
As he began to review the content, his calm expression changed to one of unease. "How is this possible?"
"I always wondered what an apocalypse where the undead walk in the world would be like, but now I suppose that's precisely what we'll find out for ourselves."
Dominic turned to Nelson and said, "I'll need your help to do what's necessary to survive. From what I see, we're all infected; we just need to die to become one of the undead."
"I don't know how you see it, but I don't want to die just because the world is going to hell. If you want to follow me, I'll allow you to bring your entire family to this place. I would recommend that you spend all your fortune on food for the warehouse; it will be hard to get later."
Nelson, who couldn't take his eyes off the video of an undead creature trying to free itself from the restraints of a metal chair, asked, "How much time do we have?"
"Our time is running out, but I advise you to believe me; you won't have a chance to escape when the crisis arrives." Dominic needed smart people like Nelson; maybe he could take care of the inventories.
Nelson didn't want to believe it; he would like to think that this was all staged and that nothing Dominic said was true. But news of strange infections in more than one state had even reached him; it's not possible for all of this to be a mere coincidence.
"Are all the nearby warehouses filled with food?" Nelson wiped sweat from his forehead as he asked with a trembling voice.
Dominic shook his head and said, "Not all; I plan to fill one warehouse with chickens and some animals like horses. Pigs and cows are important too, as is controlled fish farming. But it will take me much more time, and experts say it would be more challenging to sustain."
"I have contacts, many contacts; I can call them, and they'll inject large amounts of money into this place if you can keep it secure." Nelson had many important clients, so just selling the information was more than enough to take charge.
Dominic was surprised by this and said, "We care about medicines, food, and weapons. If it's possible to get armored vehicles, that would be great; they could also buy manufactured homes and place them in the designated areas. Space is the only thing we're short on, but first, bring your family to this place to avoid infections."
Taking care of the wealthy locals was not at all worrying; if they have money, it's better to use it in the early days than to forget about it later. Right now, money still holds value, but not for much longer because when the situation becomes unsustainable, even the most needy people will care more about their lives than money.
"I'll take care of it." Nelson stood up and began making calls. He knew when it was and wasn't a golden opportunity. In times like these, going to a military shelter with the possibility of an outbreak isn't convenient for the wealthy. If Dominic knows more than anyone else, he'll also know about the protocols.
"By the way, my nickname will remain the same."
"I understand."