The corridor beyond the side gate was darker than the areas they had passed through before. Industrial lamps hung sparsely overhead, casting a feeble yellow glow that flickered as though it were about to die at any moment. Along both walls, metal pipes twisted together like tangled intestines, their surfaces slick with moisture and gleaming blackly in the dim light.
The procession of workers marched on at a steady pace, their metal feet and stuffed paws striking the metal floor with a rhythm that was unnervingly precise.
Clunk... clunk... clunk...
Lulu covered its face with both hands, leaving only its button eyes exposed. Through the gaps between its fingers, it watched the mascot workers around them. They marched like puppets, not a single one turning its head or showing the slightest hint of curiosity.
"Adrian..." Lulu whispered, its voice barely audible over the deafening machinery. "What... what are we supposed to do? Are we... are we going to catch the real people?"
