As much as she fit Todd's criteria, picking up a hooker was a last resort. As he walked the harsh streets, littered and worn, he came across a dark alley where it was clear somebody had set up a shelter. Old wooden boards were set up to make a lean-to while the soft glow of a fire flickered within. Curious, Todd tiptoed down the alley and stuck his head inside the structure to find a grubby dark haired woman. She looked like she was in her late 40's, her face was covered with grime, and she was dressed in rags. She was standing over top of a rain barrel filled with burning papers, warming her hands over the blaze below.
She saw Todd and immediatly grabbed a baseball bat in the corner. "Hey!" She screamed. "Fuck off! You want a jump, go see one of the whores!"
Todd backed up slightly and went wide eyed. "I'm sorry, miss! I'm sorry! I'm just passing through this part of town... was curious who lived here."
The homeless woman sighed heavily and put the bat to the side, shaking her head. "Well, take a good look. It's just me."
Todd stuck his head in again and saw the woman staring back at him. "And... who's 'me' exactly?"
"Liz." She said simply. "You?"
"Todd." He replied, offering a weak smile. "Listen, I don't know if you want it, but I have a proposition for you. And now the kind that the hookers out there would like."
"And what's that, kid?"
Todd stepped into the 'doorway' slightly and held out the remote. "I'm a man of science." Todd explained evenly. "Some say mad science, but I think it's for the good of all of us. If you help me test some of my inventions, I'll give you a roof over your head, food in your belly, and an honest day's pay."
Liz's eyes widened as she examined the strange black remote in Todd's hand, and she stepped forward to examine it. "What does it do?" She asked gently, the offer clearly enticing her.