After a rushed, absurd five minute interview, Marcus Reed officially became an employee of the Red Dragon Restaurant.
"You report to the restaurant at ten every morning, change into your uniform, and start work on time. You can come earlier if you want breakfast and lunch are available at the staff cafeteria. From two in the afternoon, you get a two hour break. Your duties include greeting guests, taking orders, serving dishes, and cleaning tables. You're off at ten at night. Hourly wage is twenty five dollars, five days a week."
"Around here, the restaurant occasionally runs into… incidents. You don't need to do anything special just stay calm, reassure the guests, and don't let things escalate. Someone will arrive shortly to handle the problem."
A supervisor strolled leisurely through the restaurant with Marcus, showing him every corner.
"Stay sharp. There's a lot you need to learn here. If guests ask about the menu, you need to answer immediately. Even requests outside the menu do your best to accommodate them."
"Any request?" Marcus asked.
"That depends on who's asking," the supervisor replied calmly. "If 'Romans' or other big shots show up, and they ask you to lick their shoes you'd better do it. But if some clueless nouveau riche tries to cause trouble, you can shoot him after he leaves."
"Just remember don't get blood on the storefront."
"That seems… excessive."
The supervisor glanced at the grinning new hire. "The boss told me to say a bit more to you, so I will. Practice your shooting. In Gotham, people without beast instincts don't survive."
He handed Marcus a card. "Call this number. Restaurant staff get a fifty percent discount on shooting practice. Of course, if you've got the guts or the connections, you can find cheaper options in the East End."
Great. Basic benefits at a high end Gotham restaurant: discounted gun training. Marcus accepted the card silently.
"One more thing," the supervisor continued. "Once you get your first paycheck, find yourself some transportation. The boss asked me to pass this on before joining the restaurant, riding that bus wasn't considered dangerous. Now that you're staff, change how you commute. As soon as possible."
Perfect. Second employee benefit: passive taunt aura. Anyone who wants trouble with the restaurant might start with him.
"Can I get a month's pay in advance?" Marcus asked.
The supervisor frowned. "You haven't lived here before, have you? We pay biweekly. The boss allows an advance on the first two base payments four weeks total. Five thousand dollars pre tax. You've got a bank account?"
"Yes."
"Finish onboarding paperwork and we'll transfer it. After tax. Or cash your choice."
Nice. Marcus couldn't help but think: Gotham really does match its reputation. Violent, yes but definitely not poor.
In reality, with corporate monopolies and gang exploitation, Gotham's wealth gap was extreme. The East End was truly brutal but the Diamond District was genuinely luxurious. Taken as a whole, Gotham ranked near the top economically across the U.S.
And the four thousand plus dollars after tax wasn't even all his income. As a waiter, his pay was base wage plus tips and tips made up the majority. Since tips were cash, they weren't taxed.
Aside from working twelve hours a day, ten hours on duty, and the danger of walking home with cash tips at night, this job was nearly perfect. At least, for now.
Marcus also considered his housing problem once Drake left, so he asked whether he could stay overnight at the restaurant. The supervisor gave him a meaningful look and smiled faintly.
"There is a night shift. You just don't qualify for it yet."
Clearly, the restaurant's night clientele were not the kind Marcus wanted to meet. He didn't ask further.
Since work officially started the next day, Drake took Marcus away from the Red Dragon Restaurant. The priority now was transportation or finding housing nearby. Riding the East End bus was no longer an option.
Drake actually knew quite a bit about rentals near Otisburg. After all, it had been the collaboration site between Mr. Freeze and the pharmaceutical company, and it was where Drake had first settled in Gotham.
But juggling caring for his wife, searching for Dr. Victor, and surviving had left him with poorly paid jobs. Without progress on Victor's whereabouts, Otisburg's rent quickly became unbearable.
Drake believed Marcus could easily rent a small place near the restaurant safe and convenient. Marcus, however, wasn't enthusiastic.
They calculated living costs. Americans relied on credit, but Marcus didn't. Renting here would burn through most of the four thousand dollars, leaving him living on debt. Money aside, the abandoned Ferris wheel and the company that ruined Mr. Freeze made his skin crawl. He even confirmed that the chemical plant nearby had a history of people falling into chemical vats.
Then there was the botanical district. He could only mutter, "Insane."
Joker. Mr. Freeze. Poison Ivy. Mob bosses dining at Red Dragon. Possibly Penguin or Falcone. Nothing happened most days but when something did happen, it exploded beyond control.
He'd already checked the system shop. Gun skills and disposable save points were available. They wouldn't help against costumed lunatics but they'd work fine on regular East End troublemakers.
"I've thought it through," Marcus said firmly, waving at Drake. "Drug addicts, thugs, prostitutes, gangs, and thieves suit my lifestyle better. I'm not living in Otisburg. Let's go."
Drake had no choice but to accept it. Since it was still early, they skipped the bus and went to pick Marcus's ride.