Chapter 2: Hiro's Story
(Flashback, Hiro narrating)
It all started many years ago, in my home country of Japan. You see, I was not a very wealthy man, and I barely managed to get by. I was forced to borrow money from someone. Unfortunately, the man was a Yakuza crime lord, as I found out the hard way. He kept on adding interest onto the loan, making it impossible for me to pay him back. As punishment, I was forced into slavery.
For years, I suffered under his cruel treatment. If I did anything ever so slightly wrong he would beat me and refuse to give me any food. He told me that I was he owned me now, and that I should be grateful that he hadn't killed me yet. I wish that he had, for living with him was a fate worse than death. Then, several months ago, he sold me to an associate of his in Barrow-in-Furness. And despite how harsh he was, my new master was even worse.
His name was PT. Boomer, although we were told to call him master. His underlings would call him Diesel 10, although we never found out why, and thus we called him that behind his back. He would make us work in his chop shop from sun up to sundown, cutting up old cars and machinery. If we even stopped for a minute, he would be us until we "learned our lesson." Our food was barely enough to sustain us, and we were forced to sleep on cold hard floors. I knew that I could not last much longer under these conditions, and thus I planned my escape.
Several of his other slaves helped me escape. Whilst I climbed out a window, they distracted his lackeys so that they did not hear me. I had just managed to get out when a loud siren sounded, and his tracking dogs started barking. I knew that I had been caught, and although I feared what would happen to the souls that helped me escape, I knew that if I did not start running I would be worse off than them. I made it to the main yard, where I saw a train about to leave. Seeing my chance, I hopped into a van just as you left the station. I must have passed out from exhaustion along the way. And that is how I found myself here.
(End Flashback)
Sir Topham Hatt and the policeman stared in horror at the story they had been told.
"Oh my," remarked on of the policeman, "This is rather serious."
"Indeed," said Sir Topham Hatt, "Don't worry, Hiro. You are safe here."
"I wish that were the case," said Hiro, "But by now Diesel 10 is sure to have found out about my escape, and will be coming after me. And I guarantee you, he will stop at nothing until he has me."
"Not on our watch," said one of the policeman as he and his partners headed towards the door, "We'll make sure that he doesn't get you. It's high time that this man be put behind bars for his actions."
Before he left, Sir Topham Hatt turned to Hiro.
"Don't you worry, Hiro," he said, "We'll all make sure that this man be brought to justice for what he has done to you and many others. That I can promise you."
And with that he left, leaving Hiro to his thoughts.
(Meanwhile, on the mainland)
"WHAT!" A voice shouted inside an office. In front of him were the men from the other night. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN No. 34 ESCAPED!"
"Um, well, uh, you see boss- "
"We only turned our backs for a minute. He must be a magician or something."
"Yeah, a magician. Or he used an invisibility cloak."
The figure just facepalmed.
"Listen here, Splodge- "
"Uh, actually its Splatter."
"And Dodge."
"I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SAY BOTH NAMES! He must have gotten a ride to Sodor. The trains are the only things leaving this place that early in the morning."
The man stood up and got his coat.
"Get ready, boys. We're going on a trip. And when we get back, I'm going to have a little talk with that idiot about how we handle property."
