76: Chapter 76 Security Work 76: Chapter 76 Security Work “I finally know why you said you couldn’t solve everything,” Sieg admitted frankly.
“Duh, I’d drown in their spit if they each had a go at me.” Allen Zhang also swallowed hard.
They didn’t rush to fight over spots with the homeless squeezing into the shelter, but stayed far away.
Allen Zhang looked at the photo on his phone and then at the dense crowd, unable to recognize anyone.
These Black guys all look the same!
There are so many, I just can’t tell them apart.
It might also be because the other party hasn’t come over here yet.
Allen Zhang pulled out his phone to send a message to Rena.
Before long, he saw her appear on the second-floor balcony, waving at them and pointing towards the alley behind the door.
Allen Zhang got the hint and immediately took Sieg through a detour.
He knocked on the back door in the alley, and Rena opened it from the inside, glanced at the empty alley, and promptly invited the two men in.
This was Allen Zhang’s first time taking Rena’s back door.
Last time he came in through the front door, which was quite an adventure.
“The number of homeless outside is just too overwhelming, we’re swamped.
Thankfully we have you.
Thanks for coming to help me, Allen!” Rena warmly embraced Allen Zhang.
Sieg, expecting his turn, held out his arms, but Rena just tossed him a piece of bread from the table, “Fill your belly first, then you’ll have the strength to work!”
Sieg’s face bore a look of sorrow, but he dutifully started nibbling on the small bread, which tasted quite good.
He remarked, “It would be even better if there was some water!”
You really don’t see yourself as an outsider, do you, Sieg?
“I’m sorry, we ran out of bottled water yesterday, and the shelter’s storeroom is nearly emptied out!
All that’s left is the drinks and food prepared for the homeless, and a small box of milk reserved for the staff.”
Rena smiled, turned around, took out two pieces of sky-blue overalls and caps from the closet, each cap bearing the shelter’s logo, and a carton of milk for each to replenish their nutrients.
“Since you’re here, put on these clothes, and you’re our part-time workers!
Responsible for helping maintain order and doing odd jobs.”
“Miss Rena, we’re just here to help and not for any reward,” Sieg corrected.
“But I must find a legitimate reason to keep you two here, and I should still pay you an hourly wage, offer some compensation, right?” Rena asked back, then turned around, “Go ahead and change into the work clothes, boys.
I’ll give you two minutes of privacy.”
Leaving the two staring at each other.
“Boss, did you bring me here just to work?” Sieg was a bit speechless.
“Don’t say that, Sieg, what we’re doing is waiting for a hare by the stump.
Ensuring our friends’ safety while waiting for the lunatic to show up, and incidentally making some money is a win-win,” Allen Zhang didn’t mind at all, putting on blue overalls and cap.
Looking in the mirror, he looked sharp!
“You make sense.” Sieg stopped objecting; getting paid was of course a good thing, certainly better than collecting cans, and with his situation, it was hard to find a proper job in the first place.
Is this also part of your plan?
After breakfast, the two changed into their clothes and went out, coming to the employee hall on the second floor.
Rena was talking and discussing with colleagues, arranging the work content for the upcoming period, and there was a Caucasian supervisor.
“Supervisor, these are my friends.
They’ve heard that we are short-staffed and have come voluntarily to help us out,” Rena briefly introduced.
“You know I trust the people you know.
I hope everyone can calm down the homeless people’s emotions and avoid sparking a large-scale riot or conflict,” the supervisor said earnestly, having been frightened by the shooting incident in the Sixth District.
To think that I woke up to find the homeless riots topping the local trending searches, happening right next door?
Look at how terrifying that is!!
Fortunately, the homeless in the Fifth Street are easier to manage.
Then with a smile, he extended his hand, “Hello, I am Cooper, the supervisor of this shelter.”
“Hello, I’m Hanberger.
This is my friend, Sieg Campri, a distinguished veteran.
If you have any problems, just leave them to him!” Allen Zhang shook hands with him, with no intention of introducing his own abilities.
Without education, certification, or identity, if not necessary, he’d rather be a slacker.
Campri, I seem to have seen you somewhere,” Cooper said, looking at Sieg, feeling that he looked familiar.
“I just appeared in front of the media yesterday and even received a good citizen badge from the Southern Branch,” Sieg promptly showcased his qualifications, as well as his glittering medal, and gave a formal salute, “When I was discharged, I was a captain in the Marine Corps, ready to follow your orders, sir!”
Cooper immediately felt relieved and became much friendlier, warmly saying: “Ah, a veteran, that makes things easier!
I was a bit doubtful whether you could handle this, but in fact, I’ve already notified the security company and the police station in advance.
They’ve agreed to send people to maintain order, but obviously, the police department is short on available officers.
They need to be dispatched from other branches, but that also takes time.
The security company is just there for the money.
Their fee for hiring for just one day was exorbitantly high, and we haven’t even agreed on terms.”
“Sieg, you’ll be in charge of maintaining security today.
You’ll act as the head of our shelter’s security team,” Cooper approved Sieg’s abilities and immediately assigned him an official job, sparing him from doing menial tasks and instead focusing on security work.
As long as they can make do, the homeless outside just need to be well-fed and won’t likely cause any unrest.
Isn’t this also saving money on hiring a security company?
Cooper calculated carefully in his mind.
Sieg had no idea of his thoughts and thought the job would be a breeze, considering professional security companies much more specialized than them.
He readily agreed, “Leave it to me, sir!”
“Great, I’ll pay you 40 US dollars an hour!
Your friend, Hanberger?
I’ll give him 35 US dollars an hour!” Cooper said this, but in reality, he hardly paid attention to Allen Zhang.
In his eyes, Allen was just tagging along; Sieg’s abilities were the main asset.
Allen Zhang didn’t mind; he simply thought it was the right idea to bring Sieg along.
Otherwise, how could he possibly be earning 35 US dollars an hour?
To stand guard for security for 8 hours a day here would be an easy 280 US dollars.
“Rena, take them to the security room to collect their equipment.
If necessary, you may use firearms indoors for counterattacks.
But try not to fire shots, to avoid escalating disturbances!” Cooper allocated work to Rena as well.
Working at the shelter, which is under the Municipal Bureau, how is it not considered a quasi-official position?
On regular days, we also have the quota for security personnel, and we’re equipped with legal gun licenses and weapons for self-defense, but they’re hardly needed and the positions often remain unfilled.
The police patrol the streets, and the homeless come here for a meal.
If they destroy the place where they eat, then they’ll certainly go hungry in the future!
But times have changed; the homeless are now enduring hunger on the streets and being soaked by the rain, adding misery to families that are already not well-off, with no electricity or water.
If the shelter can’t deal with it promptly, it’s bound to provoke unrest!
Any carelessness could cause significant economic damage.