Powder

The smell of it was intoxicating. It coated the factory air, where workers filled bullets, tested weapons and put them together. They also made other objects. Hammers, saws and work utensils. And you owned all of it, almost. The owner, a man with one foot in the grave, had been convinced somehow to make you the director of the company. He kept 20% of the profit, the rest was yours and a Mel had already mentioned that he had no family to pass the factory to, when the unfortunate occurred.

You'd love to say he was a good man, but you hadn't met him. Mel sent a car the next morning and you were driven to the factory where the manager had explained everything. She was a eighteen, the same age as Jinx and a year younger than you. She had curly red hair and round glasses, she was also the palest woman you had ever seen.

Mel had also invited you to dinner tonight.

You couldn't know why she had chosen you for this... perhaps she thought you could mend together top and bottom side, with both your connections. But you disagreed.

Silco would get you killed, maybe the rebels would also rip or to shreds and of course the Enforcers would find a way to make you disappear. But you were ready to leave, what was the real difference between running away and dying? Probably the mentality that drove you there. But if you could put the money away and if you could become powerful... you could be more than a liability to your loved ones.

The gears and machines roared to life, steam flying from them. You had no idea how to run a factory but Elie the manager, had promised you that she had single handedly run the place for years. You wondered what connections and misfortune had let her to work here.

"Have you worked in management before? Or in trading?"

"I've worked in transport, importing and exporting goods, but none that I owned."

"So you have experience, that's great!" said Elie, and she seemed relieved. The workers had a good schedule, and the pay was decent. The higher ranked workers even had living quarters beside the factory. "Everyone is excited for a change." she said. "Most of the workers have been here since they were old enough. There is a sense of loyalty to the company, but honestly speaking we have lacked leadership for a while now."

"Good leaders are hard to find," You responded. "How many weapons are produced and the income, who is in charge of the accounting?"

"Shen, our accountant, I will ask her to report to your office." She looked to you for a nod or recognition. "I have been working as a manager but please, think of me as a personal assistant and if there were ever opportunities for a promotion, I would be honored to give you my opinion and dedicate myself, even more, to the company." She went running off, a ledger in her hands, and soon all you could here was the clacking of her heels on the metal floor.

You continued to look at the metal factory, listening to the machines labor and watching as workers, dirty from smoke and powder, put together the merchandise.

It was important to check how much was being made. Then you could really begin to make plans here. You needed to connect to the undercity. It was essential, and you refused to lose this opportunity. Pilotover was a big place. If you could amass enough business deals, then you wouldn't need to be dependent on Mel and she would lose her control over you.

Not that she made you feel that way, she treated you like a prince, but you knew she would cut you down if you couldn't deliver.

The accounts were even better than you expected. You could amass a small fortune here.

It was essential now that you formed connections.

Mel would introduce you to the people you needed in topside, but to gain Silco's trust and access to the bottom city, you would need an ally close to him.

And you knew who that needed to be.

You needed Jinx.