Richard suspected Quinn was working on something big, otherwise he wouldn’t have turned down the next semester of lectures at Stanford. Instead, Quinn took a leave of absence. That wasn’t like him. Quinn had been a workaholic since their first meeting back in grade school.
Richard and Quinn couldn’t have been more different in their work ethics. Quinn was diligent, resourceful and committed, whereas Richard preferred to let others do all the work and then take the credit for himself. He’d been riding on Quinn’s coat-tails for years. And Quinn was always so willing to assist Richard, to a point where Quinn was doing the work for him.
Quinn was incessantly working on some project or other. Never idle, persistently inquiring, trying new theories or sometimes trying to prove old ones. He stubbornly used the same process: testing, evaluating, retesting, re-evaluating and testing again, until he was satisfied with the results and had covered all eventualities. The same endless set of procedures, never deviating. It drove most of his colleagues to the brink of despair from sheer frustration. Never had Richard known Quinn to take a shortcut.
Exactly what Quinn was working on now was a mystery. Quinn had been distant and secretive about his work, even keeping Richard at arm’s length. This recent behaviour was odd, considering they had been lab partners and colleagues for years.
Richard had to know the reason behind Quinn’s request for a leave and the only way to do that was to get into Quinn’s lab on the Delaney estate, undetected of course. He couldn’t risk jeopardizing his relationship with Quinn or his family; their relationship went back to their high school days.
Richard took a quick look around before moving from cover. He spotted Daric checking out his boat and saw Dani and Bear farther down the shore at the beach. He decided he could make it to the lab without detection, so slipping from the shelter of the trees he quickly made his way to the lab’s front door.
Quinn had installed a security system that required an access code to gain entry. Fortunately for Richard, Quinn used the same code for everything: the date his children were born and the number of minutes apart. Quinn may have had a high I.Q., but, when it came to security, he was inept. Richard punched in 031723 and the door silently opened. Richard slipped inside and quickly closed it behind him.
From the exterior, to anyone passing by, the lab looked like a gazebo, in the well-treed end of the private peninsula, overlooking the glistening waters of Lake Ontario. The windows were a specially treated glass, concealing the interior, but mostly used for regulating the temperature inside.
Richard noticed there were only two items in the room: a six-by-eight-foot computing island in the middle of the spacious room; and on the rear wall, a tinted projection surface. Quinn conducted his quantum physics lectures from there via satellite for the University of Stanford, Richard reasoned.
“This doesn’t look like a lab; it looks more like a projection room. There has to be more to this place,” Richard surmised. While impressed with the set-up, Richard was there for a specific reason and what he currently saw wasn’t telling him what he needed to know.
After examining the computer island and finding nothing out of the ordinary, he searched along the walls, running his hands over the surface, looking for any irregularities. After what seemed like hours, but was in fact only minutes, his hand ran over a small bump on the wall. Upon closer examination, he found a small, rectangular-shaped port, behind the projection area. It was covered with a plate, which was painted the same color as the wall. If he hadn’t been running his hand over the wall surface, he never would have found it.
Richard had found what he was looking for, he hoped. It had to be an access point to another part of Quinn’s lab. What else could it be? he thought. Now all he had to do was get it open.
Prior to venturing out to the Delaney Estate, Richard’s experience told him he would come across some very sophisticated technology. So he called in a favor from a hacker he had caught and failed to turn in to the authorities, anticipating that someday this young man’s talents would come in handy. The lad was quite clever with breaking security codes. He used viruses to infiltrate and override the existing security systems, before they even knew what was happening, so no warnings or alarms were triggered. It was brilliant, really. And in a few seconds he’d see whether his hunch paid off.
Richard inserted a USB device into the port. A red light immediately flashed on, followed a few seconds later by a green light and then a clicking sound. Part of the wall and the floor receded: a three foot wide piece of the wall rose from the floor three-feet in height, while the same width of floor pulled back from the wall three feet, both combined created an opening which led downward.
Clever, he thought. It was the only way to conceal another doorway in a gazebo that had windows all the way around.
The opening revealed a set of stairs going down to a second level. “Yes,” he muttered as he hunched down and entered the opening.
He groped the inner wall looking for a light switch. He found one just inside the doorway and flipped it on. Richard quickly descended the stairs. His breath caught as he beheld what lied in front of him. He took a minute as his eyes scanned the entire room. If he could have designed a lab, this was exactly what he would have created. It was magnificent.
A central computer station, similar to the one on the upper level, sat in the center of the room. It appeared to be the control center for a bank of display screens that ran the entire length of one wall. In the far left corner stood a five-by-five-foot square platform; its purpose eluded him and but he didn’t have time to figure it out.
There wasn’t a single piece of paper anywhere; nothing like a regular lab. No notes, no pens, no pencils, not even reference material; everything was electronic.
The only thing in the lab that seemed a little out of place was to the left of the island. There, sat a small metal table, on which were three open jewellery cases, each lined with blue velvet and containing what appeared to be bracelets. Two held one bracelet each: the third held two, smaller than the others.
Richard spotted a shelf underneath the table that contained a small metal chest, which he picked up. It was much heavier than he thought it should have been. He was eager to see what was inside that made the chest so heavy. He tried the latch, but it was locked. He looked under the table again for something that might open it, but there was nothing. He inspected the locking mechanism. He’d never seen anything like it; he was intrigued, his curiosity piqued. He might have to call on the special services of his ‘friend’ again, if he wanted to get a look at the contents.
Bear’s yowl and the echo of distant voices abruptly interrupted his pondering. He had run out of time and still hadn’t discovered what Quinn was working on.
Richard knew he couldn’t go out the same way he came in. Frantically looking around, he needed to find an alternate exit. He spotted a smaller door at the far end of the room. “Hope this leads out of here,” he prayed.
Unconsciously clutching the chest, Richard headed for the small door. Halting suddenly, Richard realized he had left the door open to the lower level. Too late, he thought. Besides what could be the harm.
5
The shower faucets were turned off; the sound of running water ceased. An arm snaked out from behind the frosted glass door to retrieve a towel. Professor Quinn Delaney felt it was a fairly successful day. He’d achieved more today than he thought he would. Then he hit a roadblock.
Quinn frequently appeared to be slightly disheveled, unless of course, he had just emerged from a shower. He didn’t spend a lot of time on his appearance, especially when he was immersed in a project.
By all outward appearances, he looked like a nerd. But don’t let that fool you; he’s no slouch. Quinn’s six-foot-one-inch muscular physique, hidden beneath his lab coat, was a result of a lot of hard physical work. Even with his busy academic schedule, Quinn found time for his labou
r of love—his family’s estate. By building docks, cutting down trees, splitting firewood, and hauling rocks, Quinn had maintained his youthful build.
Quinn decided he needed an early break from his work and his stomach applauded that decision. He planned on returning to his lab after dinner, to see if he could move his project along. He was so close now; just a little further.
After his refreshing shower, he put on a pale blue golf shirt and denim shorts, and then headed downstairs for dinner. He could tell Sandra was in the kitchen preparing dinner from the aroma that was wafting up the staircase.
Quinn sidled up behind Sandra, who was stirring spaghetti in the boiling water so it wouldn’t stick together.
Quinn reflected on when they first met and marveled at how Sandra still looked as beautiful now as she did then. She had developed into a self-assured beauty, in her five-foot-six-inch statuesque form with the no-nonsense personality her position at the hospital demanded. Except of course when it came to Quinn; she still kept that playful side that he had first fallen so deeply in love with.
Quinn quietly slipped his arms around his wife’s waist and nibbled on her neck. “I thought I smelt something good. It tastes even better,” he said tenderly.
“Where have you been?” Sandra asked softly, enjoying the attention.
“I hit a roadblock today, so I decided I’d take a break and go back at it again after dinner. Speaking of which, when’s dinner? I’m starved.” Quinn plucked the spoon from the sauce and stole a quick taste. “Mmmm. Perfect, as usual.”
Sandra, with a gentle scold, grabbed the spoon from Quinn’s hand and placed it back in the sauce. “Where’re Daric and Dani? Aren’t they with you?”
“No. I haven’t seen them since lunch,” Quinn answered nonchalantly.
“I sent Daric to get you and Dani for dinner over half an hour ago,” Sandra stated, slightly annoyed, knowing dinner was about to be spoiled. “Why can’t he follow a simple request?”
“When?” Quinn questioned uneasily, uncertain he heard correctly.
“Daric went looking for you over half an hour ago,” Sandra restated, still stirring the contents of the pot.
Quinn grabbed Sandra’s arms and spun her around to face him. “Did you send him to the lab?” Quinn asked anxiously.
“Where else? You’ve been spending every day there for weeks now. It was the first place I thought he should look,” Sandra stated matter-of-factly.
“He should have been back by now.” Quinn dashed from the kitchen, throwing open the back door as he raced across the lawn toward his lab.
“Wait, Quinn! What’s wrong? Where are you going?” Sandra yelled.
Not sure what had Quinn in such a panic, Sandra turned off the burners on the stove and raced out the back door, calling him as she desperately tried to narrow the growing gap between them.
Quinn knew that, given enough time, Daric could discover the access port to the lower level, and this terrified him. Even with the separate access system, Daric was a genius when it came to anything technical. He would eventually figure it out.
6
Daric reached the lab just behind Bear, who was anxiously waiting to enter.
“Give me a sec, Bear. I have to unlock the door first,” Daric said.
He entered the access code, grabbed the door handle, and pulled open the door to the lab. Bear raced in, followed by Dani and Daric.
Bear ran around the lab in search of Quinn. She stopped in the center of the lab and sniffed the floor, then moved toward the back of the lab.
“Dad’s not here. Let’s go back to the house; he’s probably already there,” Dani said flatly.
“Come on, Bear,” she ordered as she turned to leave.
Daric noticed Bear slowly making her way to the back of the lab, her nose to the ground, as if she were following a scent or trail. “Hang on,” Daric directed toward his impatient sister.
“Bear, what is it?” Daric followed Bear to the back of the lab.
“Come on, Daric, dinner’s ready. You know Mom will be annoyed if we’re late,” Dani cautioned.
“Dani, come here and look at this. There’s something back here,” Daric said excitedly.
“What?” Dani’s curiosity was getting the better of her as she made her way over to Daric and Bear.
There, hidden behind the projection panel, was an opening in the wall and floor that created an entranceway, with a set of stairs heading toward a brighter light source. Bear raced, with abandon, through the opening into the unknown below.
Daric realized they had discovered a hidden entrance. Why would dad have to hide his work, especially from us? Daric thought. One way to find out.
“Come on,” Daric said excitedly, making his way through the door, following Bear’s lead.
“Wait, Daric,” Dani warned. “I don’t think we should go down there.”
“Why? What could happen? It’s Dad’s lab, not Dracula’s lair,” Daric retorted.
Dani nervously followed her brother to the lower level. She was still apprehensive about their intrusion into their father’s inner sanctum. When she emerged from the stairwell, she was astounded by what she saw.
“Hey, Dani, look at these.” Daric drew Dani’s attention to the table to the left of the central console.
Daric reached for one of the objects in the velvet-lined cases and examined it. The metal band was a little heavier than he thought it would be. The inside and outer edges of the band were gold in color. The inner portion was black, looking very much like onyx. On the black surface on either side of the clasp, was a golden symbol; the caduceus—a short staff entwined by two serpents, topped with a pair of wings. It was the symbol of the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The clasp was a gold letter ‘H’.
“Cool. Wonder if these are gifts for us from Dad,” he murmured. Daric, taking no time to figure out how to open the clasp, twisted the ‘H’ sideways, opening the band, and placed it on his right wrist.
Dani walked up behind Daric. “Hey, you shouldn’t be doing that.”
Daric lifted the second band from its resting place, grabbed Dani’s wrist and put the second band on his sister.
“Daric, these aren’t ours. We need to take them off,” she admonished.
“Look.” Daric held both of their wrists together to compare the bracelets. There was a faint click and then everything went black.
Bear looked around the lab, but couldn’t see Daric or Dani. Not sure where they went, she sniffed around the entire lower level. After several minutes of searching and finding no trail, Bear lay on the floor in the exact place where Daric and Dani were last standing. Her front paws stretched out in front of her. She placed her chin on top of her outstretched limbs. “Roo,” Bear moaned sorrowfully.
7
Quinn, reaching the front door of his lab, quickly punched in the access code—nothing. “Damn,” he muttered. He tried again. Nothing. “Slow down,” he scoffed. Quinn entered the code for the third time—click, the door unlatched. “Finally!”
Quinn flew through the door; everything looked as it had when he left earlier that day. There was also no sign of Daric. A faint light from the back of the lab caught his attention, and he immediately realized the hatchway to the lower level was open. “Damn,” he muttered, running to the back of the lab. He raced down the stairs, taking two at a time.
Sandra will never forgive me, he thought.
When the lab was originally built, Quinn had a second, lower level created thirty feet below the water level for his special research projects. He promised Sandra that their two young children would never have access to this lower level. So he installed two separate security systems. The main door was a simple key code entry. Once the children were old enough, they could get access to the main level if they ever needed to reach him.
However, access to the
lower level was next to impossible, or so he believed. Quinn had installed an automatic sensory system, which could be activated only by Quinn’s personal command. The entrance to the lower level was cleverly concealed, too; if you didn’t know it was there, you’d never find it.
The lower level had state-of-the-art technology; some that had never been seen before and that Quinn had developed personally. There were computer glass surfaces everywhere, again accessible only upon Quinn’s command. The system was so intelligent that it would open to the precise place where he had last finished his work prior to leaving the lab. It was an efficiency tool, really: he hated wasting time.
Quinn quickly scanned the lab. Behind the table, he found Bear lying on the floor with her head on her outstretched paws.
“Hey, Bear, what are you doing down here? I thought you were with Dani.” Quinn walked to Bear, bending down to scratch behind her ears. Bear raised her head briefly to lick Quinn’s hand and sadly put it back down on her paws. This was unusual behaviour for her, Quinn reflected. Bear was usually excited to see all the members of her family.
Quinn stood up and took a more detailed look around his lab. Right in front of him, on the table, were two empty cases. Quinn grabbed the cases, frantically looking all around the table, hoping that his worst nightmare wasn’t about to become a reality.
Too late, the bands were gone.
“NO!!”
Still on the lab’s upper level, Sandra heard a guttural moan resonating from the bowels of Quinn’s lab. She ran down the stairs and saw Quinn on his knees, sobbing, clutching two empty blue velvet cases.
8
Richard made a hasty ascent up the steep back staircase of Quinn’s lab. The stairs were narrow and set close together, almost like a step ladder perched at a sixty-five-degree angle. Handrails were set into the walls on either side to aid in the climb. The walls, cold and damp, felt as if they were carved out of rough-cut stone. The passageway itself could not have been more than three-and-a-half feet in diameter.
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