NOVEL WEB Chapter 29: Dealership
Rayne put her phone away and quickly got out of bed. She still felt the adrenaline coursing through her, making her feel rushed in all of her movements.
She took a quick shower and pulled out a bagel from her toaster to eat as she made her way to the table.
Opening the laptop that was already on the table, she began to make a long list of necessary items she would need for survival. The internet was a great tool, as she found posts from people discussing hypothetical apocalyptic situations and how to counter them.
Opening a text editor, she began typing out her list, starting with major categories:
Hydration
Food and Cooking
Shelter and Warmth
Medicine and Hygiene
Tools and Gear
Security and Protection
Navigation and Communication
Miscellaneous and Entertainment Items
She looked at her list and decided to start from the top. Today, she would begin to tackle the hydration category, but first, she needed a vehicle.
Closing the laptop, Rayne felt a lot better after having a game plan and stood up to get ready.
She picked her outfit carefully, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible while choosing clothing that would provide more coverage.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she was happy with her choice. She wore black leggings with a matching black top and a long trench coat made of a lighter material. This coat would help her block any line of sight if she bent over slightly.
She put on her white sneakers and an all-black baseball cap before grabbing her keys and purse.
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When she arrived at Deal Street, the day was only just starting. Rayne saw many shop owners and businesses putting out their signs and turning on their "welcome" lights.
The reason she chose to come to Deal Street was that it had the largest car dealership location in all of the surrounding cities. There were more than 100 car dealerships packed into this long street, allowing Rayne to find exactly what she wanted.
She leisurely walked down the street, allowing the workers time to set up their stores for the day's business.
When Rayne passed the dealership that specialized in luxury sports cars, she couldn't help but slow her steps. But after admiring the sleek design of the shiny sports cars, she turned her head and continued to walk.
Her destination was the dealership that sold rugged, off-road, and durable vehicles. After about 15 minutes of walking, she finally arrived at her location.
Rayne walked through the large parking lot that displayed shiny new cars and trucks. They all looked very rugged—with large wheels and steel frames.
"Hello, welcome to Duke's," said a younger-looking man behind the counter.
Rayne smiled and greeted him. "Hello, I'm here to buy a vehicle. I'm looking for something top-of-the-line with off-road capabilities. Price is not an issue."
The young man behind the counter beamed at Rayne's words. He had just recently been hired as a salesperson and, due to his low seniority, rarely got high-paying customers. His monthly commission had always been the lowest at the dealership because of this.
If it weren't for his passion for off-road vehicles, he would have left to work for another dealership.
"Awesome! Let me show you a few vehicles I think you would like!" he said enthusiastically as he walked out from behind the counter.
Rayne followed him into the parking lot, listening to his tour of the different kinds of cars as they made their way all the way back to a large warehouse.
The man explained that this was where they kept all of the top-of-the-line vehicles.
The moment they entered the warehouse, a strong scent of cigarettes assaulted Rayne's nose, making her wave her hand in front of her face.
The young salesman saw Rayne's reaction and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Miss! This warehouse is one of the only places without cameras, and a lot of the guys take advantage of it, secretly smoking here."
Rayne lifted an eyebrow at this information. A warehouse with no cameras could be beneficial for her!
She walked around the large warehouse, looking at the various trucks, jeeps, motorcycles, quads, and even snowmobiles.
Rayne's mind went into overdrive, coming up with ways she could take advantage of the lack of cameras and store some of these vehicles.
"Here we are! This SUV here is the one I personally recommend! It's this year's model and has already broken all the records for off-road capabilities! It can easily drive over rocks and other obstacles, as well as deep water!"
Rayne listened carefully while inspecting the car. It was rather large, with big, durable tires. The frame was somewhat boxy, but that seemed typical of off-road vehicles.
The salesman opened the door to reveal a black leather interior.
"Now here is why I think this is the best option that money can buy! You see these screens? While this one is your standard feature like radio/music/GPS... this other one is a sonar location radar! This is the only car that has this, so if you're in the woods hunting, any larger animals will show up on the radar! Isn't that cool?"
Rayne was surprised! A sonar for large animals could be very useful in the apocalypse.
"Would humans be picked up on the sonar as well?" Rayne asked.
The young man nodded. "Yes, anything larger than an average-sized dog will be picked up. Of course, there are always some exceptions."
He continued to explain the features of the SUV in great detail until Rayne cut him off.
"I'll take it," she said.
The young salesman was shocked at how quickly she made her decision.
"Are you sure, Miss? We haven't even discussed the price... and I'll be honest, it's very expensive."
Rayne smiled at the man's honesty. "Yes, I'll take it at asking price."
His face bloomed into a huge smile! This sale alone would bring him to the top of this month's commission, granting him a huge bonus to his pay.
"Okay, if you can follow me back to the main office, we can begin the paperwork," he said.
Rayne looked at him calmly. "Would you mind bringing the paperwork here? I wish to look at the car a bit more while you prepare everything."
Scared to lose this huge sale, the young man agreed right away. "Yes, sure thing. If you wait for me here, I will be back in about 15 minutes!"
Rayne nodded and pretended to continue checking out the car, waiting until he left the warehouse.