They arrive at a supermarket just in time for Sparky to finish explaining, in great detail, too, how the cash register and safe both worked, and also how to break into them without triggering any failsafe.
Tussle never wanted to know, but he wasn't about to cut off her excited ramblings. Not to mention that it could come in useful someday. He instead commits it to memory. If she brings it up again, he'll have the information to converse better. If he needs it, he has the information for himself.
"Oh, also, the fuel gauge either doesn't work or we have infinite fuel."
"If we can get a canister or tank of some sort, and stick close to places with options, we'll manage for the first. If it's the second, no harm having gasoline."
"Does the van run on gasoline?"
"Sparky, I don't know how the van works. It's meant to have autopilot. It currently has no place to autopilot to, so I am at a loss. You lot are lucky I learned to drive."
She gives him a look at that, which he knows is because the younger folks tend to think of certain skills as, well, everyday ones. He doesn't drive everyday, nor even having often enough opportunities to warrant having learned. He learned because Max made it clear it wasn't an option anymore, and he didn't want to face Pearl and Len dragged into lecturing him.
He gets out, with the van's back opening now that the vehicle has completely stopped. The boys rush out, tossing apple cores and rushing to the nearest trash to drop cans off.
Tussle is waiting for the next realization, but who knows if it'll even happen. What you don't need to remember, you often don't. The obvious is the best at hiding things.
Who looks at the bushes and sees the berries when out for a walk? If the walk is peaceful and in safety, perhaps they will. If the walk is through a place with no strong protection or fallback, their eyes will focus more on the rustling of leaves than the red of berries. Even if they see the berries, they'll be unlikely to think to look closer and ponder if the berries are edible.
He's craving berries now.
"Alright, huddle!"
The interns move in without missing a beat. A little part of Tussle cheers at that, and he quietly pats it on the back and sends it off to play with its toys.
"Here's the plan: we go in, each with a cart. You fill the cart with what you think we absolutely need. When one is full, drop it at the front, grab another. When it's no longer needed, you get a new cart, and you put it in a separate group. That way, when it comes to logistics, we are aware of what is priority. Understood?" They nod at him. "Great. SPLIT!"
All three dash into the store, grabbing carts. Thrasher immediately starts riding it, nearly toppling the empty thing. He then shouts he'll be going to the camping supplies, which is obviously so he can start riding the cart properly, once it's loaded down with lots of heavy gear.
Tussle smiles at the enthusiasm, going towards the very far side of the building.
There, there are all sorts of things meant for vehicles. It's not particularly good for them, given it's mostly tires and fuel, but there are several things he wants.
Namely the roof stuff. If they can get that on top of the van, it will be much easier to load up. Not to mention maybe change the tires to better ones.
Thrasher likes cars more than Sparky, and Snow hasn't said either way. He can ask all three, but he expects only the first will actually be able to tell what type of tires they need.
He knows that tires can be sturdier or bigger or hold better pressure, but he has no clue about how any vehicle works.
Beyond, of course, being able to drive them.
~
Three hours pass and he thinks maybe, just maybe, he might've misjudged the effects of his pep talk.
The supermarket is laid out in a highly conducive way for efficiency, which is nice to see in a store, for once. Instead of trying to draw you in circles to buy more things, it seems whoever arranged this store wanted people to come for the positive effects on their wallets.
He's been told he's bad at shopping, because he either has a list and rushes through it while complaining about the set-up, or he won't leave until he's spent all the money he brought. He thinks that it's a misunderstanding. He only pays in cash and therefore doesn't ever bring more than he wants to spend.
Which means either the rough cost plus buffer, or the spending money.
Now, looking at the kids, they have systematically made their way through the various areas that contain daily nonperishables, looped through clothing, doubled back to head further in, before finally looping again to get to the food. With only one door, the arrangement allows someone who needs groceries to grab nonperishables, walk straight across at the halfway point, grab the most time-sensitive items. (such as milk or other refrigerated products), and be at the checkout.
So the initial carts are full of hygiene products, clothes, bags, blankets, and basic medications. Then, after three carts of those, it's camping gear, survival supplies, and knives. He doesn't know why they decided all the knives are now necessary, but he understands why he heard a bunch of glass shattering and them calling out that they were fine.
At least they didn't go for any guns. That would've been really difficult to talk them out of.
The next few carts are all preserved foods, primarily snacks. Jerkies, dried fruits, nut mixes, several different types of granola or oat products, and a bag of something that looks suspiciously gelatinous. Then there's also the general not-snacks like pickled things, dried things, flours and noodles and so on.
And a bottle of vodka, but he ignores that. They're all of age.
On the opposite side of the entrance, there are... so many carts.
A cart full of cash registers. A cart full of fishing gear. A cart full of things from the toys section. A cart full of electronics. One of appliances, one of make-up, one of gardening supplies, even one of craft supplies.
And that's just the stuff that he doesn't expect. He fully expected the unneeded snacks, the drinks, the books, and the potted plant carefully placed atop a mini-fridge, where both clearly didn't fit in other carts but weren't going to be put in their own.
"Okay, we... don't exactly have the room for all this."
"Didn't you radio it was fine?"
He stares for a very, very long moment.
"No. No, I did not."