Carrot and Stick

The timing of any kind of group division and upcoming conflict that was happening among the survivors was very important.

If it happened when Brick and others were away then they would be unable to control it and the balance of power may have shifted while they were away.

If things got serious enough then there may have been those that were more loyal to him that would have been pushed out, harmed or killed by the group that had the most power and influence.

It had not progressed to the point where there was any kind of major conflict that was taking place so the situation was still salvageable.

The timing of Brick and the others leaving had lined up with the division that was forming so it was the best time to make use of what was happening to find out who was still on his side.

There had been many harsh truths and details told about what they all would expect so that had helped to remove more people that could be a problem to the escape plan.

He only really wanted to take those that were brave enough to make the journey from the hotel and could potentially contribute to the group in some way.

There was no reason for him to keep supporting and giving what was his supplies to those that did nothing for him or the group.

There was no reason to help others stay alive only for them to stab him in the back later.

There was no reason was him to put up with the petty group conflicts when he had no real connection to most of them and was not a part of their group.

They were not related to him and he had already done more than enough for them already even if it had all been done for to make the escape from the hotel easier.

The people that were truly loyal to himself and Tanya were very few so the division within the hotel had created an opportunity to take in some more potential allies.

If there were some that had followed along for a short time being going their own way then it was still beneficial for Brick and Tanya if they were able to survive and grow to be someone noteworthy.

If they remembered those who helped them out in the early days then they would pay Brick and Tanya back at a later date or could be a big help to them in the future.

If they died upon leaving or forgot who had helped them escape the hotel then it was not that big of a loss for Brick and Tanya who had only helped to guide them outside safely and gave them very little.

Most supplies they would be able to take with them were their own or what they could find on their way out of the hotel and the only thing that they would be given was some car keys to help them gain access to a form of transportation.

Some supplies may have been taken from what had been gathered on the floor that Brick had helped to gather but the people remaining in the hotel would not be willing to part with much of it or divide it fairly.

Meanwhile in a small room, Tanya was seated on a couch and looked towards the girls in front of her.

Each of them were a member of the archery club that had survived and were once the people that she had most interacted with.

She thought to herself. 'Brick was very harsh in the way he was speaking but I guess many of them will not understand unless they are really exposed to the real threat and are faced with difficulties.

He has used the division to our advantage by pushing away those that could potentially betray later or would be unable to face these new realities while giving them all a reminder that in order to survive, we must take action ourselves.'

She was a little impressed that he handled the situation without using brute force or manipulation and had instead just used a carrot and stick method to let them all know how their future would be if they made certain decisions.

Brick had stated to her earlier that decisions needed to be made quickly and decisively in the new age so there was no room for regret later and one wrong decision or hesitation could lead to many deaths.

He had given her options and suggestions to choose from and he had done the same for the others.

Tanya did not yet know if her own decisions were correct or if Brick's were too but at least Brick had taken some form of action rather than cowering away from the threat.

The stick was the harsh truths and warnings that had been mentioned about how they would have to survive but the carrot was that they would be able to earn a means of survival.

Tanya had to admit that maybe it could have been done more diplomatically and handled better but considering how short of a time they had before they were leaving, perhaps his way was better suited.

If the people inside of the hotel could not make a quick decision then they would be left behind with fewer people that could face the zombies or provide a way to survive.

Brick had given them some advice on how to turn the hotel into a place that could be used to sustain their lives but it was only possible if they had enough people who were willing to take the risk.

More complicated thoughts went through her mind as she analysed and tried to understand the situation better.

After some time sitting in silence with many eyes watching her, Tanya coughed. "Ahem.. each of you are my club members so we have known each other the most out of everyone else in this place. If you come with me then I will extend the same offer as Brick did.

You should all know that my family has some power and that our main source of funds has always come from food production. I believe that this will be our greatest support in the coming days."

Buffy was very close to Tanya and was loyal to her but even she had some reservations and questions. "Um.. What about our families? Are you expecting us all to just go with you and help you without checking if our families are still alive or safe?"

Tanya had not really expected such a question to come from Buffy first since Buffy had always went along with a lot of what she had said.

Raising such a question could cause a major disturbance for the group right away if it was not handled appropriately.

She did not blame her friend too much since it was something that had to be addressed and it was likely weighing heavily on the minds of everyone inside the room.

There was a slight pause as she considered what had been said then answered. "Hmm.. you have made a good point. First we have to get out of here to even consider such things so we will take one step at a time. I will have to talk to Brick or someone else about this."