Minutes before the expected arrival of the black car, Sadie discreetly entered the slaughterhouse using the butcher's key that Big Mac had managed to snatch. Once inside, she surveyed her surroundings.
The lighting was unevenly distributed due to the hanging nature of the inspection lights. These LED linear lights were connected to the ceiling by cable suspension systems, creating sizable gaps of darkness above them.
The sterile illumination was focused primarily on the slaughter zones where carcasses underwent processing, casting a concentrated brightness. This resulted in pockets of darkness that enveloped the corners, creating ideal hiding spots for Sadie's stealthy wait.
"The simpler choice might involve crouching in these shadows; The lights are blinding enough that it might just work." Sadie's conviction wavered a bit after she said the plan out loud, finding the idea almost too straightforward. She was also concerned that if she were to be noticed, she'd be already cornered in a vulnerable position.
So she scanned her surroundings until her gaze fell upon a coiled chain, which gave her an idea as she looked up to the ceiling.
"If I manage to elevate myself above the light level, my concealment would be even more effective." Her conclusion was reached, and she made her way to grab the chain. After a few twists, she hurled it until it hung on either side of a steel support beam.
Raising her arms in a stretch, Sadie cracked her knuckles. Then, using every ounce of her strength, she propelled herself upward, progressing one powerful thrust at a time.
Eventually, she found herself suspended within the shadows, her impressive sloth-like strength allowing her to maintain a perfect stillness and balance.
After remaining suspended in that position for a while, the eucalyptus leaves took effect, rendering her invisible. But since she had no confidence in how effective her recently acquired powers were, the darkness gave her even more reassurance.
The white steel door emitted a creak, heralding the entrance of three armed men. The central figure, clad in a high end suit and evidently in control, gestured for one bodyguard to watch the entrance while him and the other man proceeded into an adjacent room.
Sadie's heart raced as she observed the men's movements. Her breath was shallow as she clung to the hooks, her patience being tested the more she observed them. "These are the men who believe they can terrorize people at their whim, without ever fearing retribution," she thought.
The man in charge was already beyond her reach, engrossed in a discussion with his bodyguard in the adjacent room, their voices barely audible.
So Sadie directed her full attention towards the guard posted at the entrance. Her strategy involved eliminating the guards one by one until the man in the suit was vulnerable and under her control.
The guard by the door had one hand resting on his AR-15, hanging from its straps. His expression conveyed boredom and restlessness, as if he anticipated no trouble as usual.
He glanced at the adjoining room, observing his boss gesticulating fervently with a heated expression directed at the other guard.
Taking advantage of the moment, he discreetly retrieved a cigarette from his tactical vest pocket. As he exhaled a puff of smoke between hooked fingers, he chuckled to himself and remarked, "That's how you smoke beef."
Sadie started to slowly manipulate the chain, and began to descend towards her victim. The guard blew out a third puff of smoke, only to notice that it dispersed in both directions, almost as if it had hit an invisible barrier.
Intrigued, he peered closer and saw a pair of amber eyes emerging from the void. Suddenly, ten-inch clawed hooks jutted out, piercing his brawny neck and reaching all the way to his brain.
Suffering from brain damage, his eyes began darting uncontrollably as if he had a seizure. Sadie used the opportunity to hook him to the chain by the neck. She then jumped stealthily to the ground and started pulling on the other end, lifting his lifeless corpse out of sight.
"One man down, two remain," she muttered to herself, ascending yet another set of chains. The two remaining men reentered the room shortly after. Noticing their missing companion, a sense of alarm gripped them. They combed the premises, guns held ready.
"If I eliminate one, I'll be a sitting target for the other. Maybe I can leverage the suited man as a hostage?" Doubt lingered as Sadie questioned her ability to approach without detection. In that moment, a sensation stirred in her pants, reminding her of the rat she had brought along for the mission.
And Big Mac emerged from her pants, sniggering as he looked at the hanging corpse, and he gave Sadie an idea.
"But of course!" Sadie whispered. "Tossing you into the suited man's face could create enough chaos. The bodyguard wouldn't risk shooting his boss in the face over a rat, and I can seize the opportunity to incapacitate him. Such a brilliant idea, Mac. How come I didn't think of that?"
The rat knew he had no choice, but he didn't want to be handled by a clumsy hero. So, he descended the chains out of his own volition and got ready to leap at the suited man's face.
Just as the rat leapt to gnaw at the boss's face, a stout man entered the slaughterhouse, aroused by the commotion. His blood-soaked apron dripped, and his steel-covered heels clanged on the cold floor.
Ignoring the two men struggling with the rat, he surveyed the area. His eye glinted when he noticed chains trembling inexplicably and his nose picked up the scent of fresh meat.
He grasped a chain, lashing it across the ceiling with force, causing the hooks to sway. The echoing whip of impact resounded as the lash struck Sadie's side, breaking her ribs. Despite the devastating blow, she clung to the beam, but her camouflage ability started to falter until she was exposed for the eyes to see.
Upon spotting her, the butcher's grin widened, reaching his ears. He hurled his chain again, this time using the hooked end. The claws dug into Sadie's leg, yanking her to the floor, and he started dragging her closer to his massive frame.
She struggled, trying to crawl backwards with her arms to regain composure, but a blow to the back of her head by the guard caused her to lose consciousness.
When she awoke, Sadie found herself tied to a chair, right beneath the intense light of the slaughter spot and with a bloodied cloth shoved in her mouth to muffle her screaming.
Then she saw a cow being led by the butcher right next to her, with fear apparent in her big, begging eyes. The cow kicked and bellowed as the butcher started shoving his hooks in its hind legs, before pulling on chains to sprawl her up in a gruesome display that inspired terror in Sadie's chest.
Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape despite the unfolding gruesome scene. In the dim corner, she spotted her rat standing there. With widened eyes, she silently implored for help, but the rat remained in place.
Big Mac stood frozen, paws immobile and tail tucked beneath his legs. As soon as he regained the ability to move, he dashed toward the exit, leaving his mistress behind.
The focused butcher began to saw at the cow's hefty neck with his corroded blade, suffocating the groans as blood bubbled from severed veins. Sadie watched with undescribable shock as the torturous process lasted for many minutes before the animal was drained of its life essence.
The butcher then directed his attention at Sadie, squeezing her jaw forcefully between his bloodied fingers. "You dare to sneak onto my property like some filthy animal, do you know what we do to trespassers here?"
The stench of his words kept her from fainting as his hand forced her to stare into his disturbing face. And she understood, there was no escape.
He positioned himself behind Sadie, taunting her with revelations about the criminal operation they were running.
"Since you won't be leaving these four walls," he began, his hands rubbing two blades together with a sinister scraping sound. "Allow me to enlighten you on how I skillfully run my enterprise. The suits pay generously, controlling the key segments of our operation.
They use my establishment to conceal their dirty little secrets before using the docks to funnel them into Arkinson city. They take them younger now I admit, but it isn't any of my business. They offer payment and protection, and I am smart enough to not ask questions."
Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "And on occasion, I'm even entrusted with eliminating nuisances."
And upon saying these words, pain ripped through his stomach as he felt cold claws penetrate his guts. The butcher grunted, taking steps back. His belly was ripped open and his intestines were exposed, hanging like sausages to the outside.
His bulbous belly got too close to Sadie's tied hands, and her vengeful spirit triggered the appropriate response.