Bennett lets out a deep sigh. "Right... If you say so."

Then he turns to Benjamin, with a bit of a nasty look on his face. "I suppose teamwork makes the dream work, but I don't know how comfortable I'd be listening to the opinions of some of the people here..." Bennett quickly glances around the cave, apparently eyeing some people, but it isn't obvious who.

"Plus, I sure ain't down for listening to the cop if he's gonna rush us to our deaths like with the bridge."

Benjamin clapped his hands before beginning. “Prison was a hellhole of misery and boredom, but there were some useful... ‘unwritten rules’ that made our way of life much easier for everyone.”

His smile dropped and he raised a finger. “I propose a no gossip rule. People can feel free to exchange secrets about themselves, but not rumors about each other. If something is so important that it’s best the group knows, an announcement should be made. The amount of deaths I’ve seen due to lies or misunderstandings is... well even one would be too many. Either way, I’m obviously voting for my own proposal and I think this will make everyone much happier if implemented.”

He leaned back against the cave wall, apparently done with his presentation.

...

Ivan aimed his baton at Benjamin. "You are a prisoner, no..? This rule seems like a way to protect yourself from our speculation."

...

Ivan aimed his baton at Benjamin. "You are a prisoner, no..? This rule seems like a way to protect yourself from our speculation."

"I'm all for democracy and stuff," Charlie added, sitting down with her back to the cave's wall, probably trying forget her little panic attack back there, "but we can still have a leader. And we have the perfect leader with us right there!"

She pointed at Brandy. "Mother Hen! Brandy Henn in the flesh! Who else could lead an expedition better? Some backwater small town cop?"

She pointed at Brandy. "Mother Hen! Brandy Henn in the flesh! Who else could lead an expedition better? Some backwater small town cop?"

"I'm all for democracy and stuff," Charlie added, sitting down with her back to the cave's wall, probably trying forget her little panic attack back there, "but we can still have a leader. And we have the perfect leader with us right there!"

She pointed at Brandy. "Mother Hen! Brandy Henn in the flesh! Who else could lead an expedition better? Some backwater small town cop?"

"I'm all for democracy and stuff," Charlie added, sitting down with her back to the cave's wall, probably trying forget her little panic attack back there, "but we can still have a leader. And we have the perfect leader with us right there!"

She pointed at Brandy. "Mother Hen! Brandy Henn in the flesh! Who else could lead an expedition better? Some backwater small town cop?"

"...Do you take issue with our home?" Ivan asked eerily.

"Oh, um," Brandy began, a tad embarrassed, "well, I'm flattered you'd like me in charge, Charlie, but I think we should just stick to makin' decisions as a group. Oh, and, don't insult the town too much. It may not be the best, but it is home to most of us."

"Yes, I'm sure she's adept at avoiding dangerous situations, no injuries will befall us if we follow her lead," Seb said, deliberately not-quite looking at her missing arm. "I think at this point we know too little about one another to put our safety in the hands of anyone in particular. We can consider electing a leader later, perhaps, when our capabilities have actually been made clear."

"...I will not tolerate anyone to sully the great Rattlewater," Ivan glared to Charlie. "...Not from the likes of you, particularly."

He thought about grabbing his baton, but decided against it. "...No matter. Should there be an issue with you, it will be resolved in due time."

"...I will not tolerate anyone to sully the great Rattlewater," Ivan glared to Charlie. "...Not from the likes of you, particularly."

He thought about grabbing his baton, but decided against it. "...No matter. Should there be an issue with you, it will be resolved in due time."

"That's a good point," Seb said in response to Micah. He seemed more comfortable talking with reference to her than he had Benjamin. "These caves go pretty deep; for all we know they might go on for miles. Enola had a headstart on us, we might have quite a long trek before us."

"Alright, alright, no fighting, I get it. I'll stop trash talking Rattlewater, okay?" Charlie agreed, seeing Ivan back down. "And, uh, I guess I vote no gossip? I mean, kind of a weird rule, how are we gonna enforce that?"

"The hell counts as gossip to you?" Bennett loosely points towards Matt. "If I say that Carrie smells more rancid than a corpse, would you hurl your wrench at me?"

Matt proceeded to grab his wrench and point it at Bennett.
"Sounds like a good reason as any to throw it at ya in my opinion, now any more lip from ya and ill throw it."