The Masked Hero (Beta story/ Director's Cut)

Chapter 16: Factory Workers

With the loud shouts reverberating through their heads, Vaati and Kuro stood up and followed behind the crowd of people forced into this labor down into a dark hallway. They stayed close, unwilling to take a step away from each other, else face whatever horrors might occur.

Vaati didn't like having to be bossed around like this, and was acting very aggressive towards any of the guards that came near them. Kuro tried to act quiet as to not attract attention towards himself. He knew these animals well: they were criminals, and he was afraid that if he was discovered, he'd be in serious trouble.

The darkness of the hallway was soon shattered as light shone through, showing the full extent of the factory. Layer after layer of machines piled up on top of each other, each level with its own particular set. This was separated by a large, 100-meter-long circle of empty space, where most labor was conducted. It was packed inside the somewhat small space, from movement of objects to breaking and separating of minerals.

Kuro was taken over to a small station where electricity was being pumped through a tall pole, while Vaati was taken to an above-ground mine. They weren't very far from each other, and were in decent earshot range.

Kuro's task was simple, just shock the pole at the directed time with the directed frequencies. Vaati's, however, was not. He and 9 other people were lined up in a row and forced to break open a rock with a pickaxe and retrieve the minerals from within. His hands were unrestrained, but only very temporarily, as they were soon covered in gloves with a special fabric mesh of some kind. He was forcibly given his pickaxe and told to work.

They worked for hours, breaking rocks, fueling the pole, basic stuff. But it was very tiring and straining, and they were given no breaks. It was only when the guard was distracted that Vaati would take a short breather and look up from his work. He didn't do this but three times until he saw something strange above him.

A group of figures moved just 3 stories above him, and Vaati couldn't make anyone out, until he saw the back of the group. Looking hard, he saw it was Trey. He was alive. But he was being closely followed by someone else in green clothing. "Could they be a guard?" He asked himself. Before he could look up any longer, he was shouted at. He jumped, and went back to working.