Chapter Twelve
Lefty’s Laboratory
The Beans slowly made their way down the long, creaky staircase. Nibbler walked lightly on his tiptoes, at full attention, ready to defend his friends. The staircase was longer than they had guessed it would be… it took what seemed to be quite some time, and quite a few steps, before they reached the concrete floor of the basement.
Once there, their eyes grew wide with wonder… their suspicions had been correct. This was no ordinary basement. This was Lefty’s Laboratory.
That cautious, shuffling gait that had slowly propelled the Beans down the stairs was now gone. It had given way to pure awe, as they marveled at what lay before them.
There were workbenches, filled to the gills with beakers, and test tubes, and glass flasks, most of which contained liquids of various colors. Some of these liquids were stagnant, and others bubbled from the heat of active Bunsen burners. Even more liquids yet traveled through clear plastic tubes, from one contraption to another, passing through loops as they went.
There were Rube Goldberg devices of curious design, some of which were in action, plodding through their various machinations and motions. Lights of all colors blinked, and machines burped and chirped.
There were cries of, “Look at this!”
And, “What on earth is that?”
And, “Holy macaroni!”
The laboratory was big. Real big. Every time the Beans thought they might have seen it all, something else caught their eye.
There was a massive device in one corner that resembled a huge, rabbit-ear antennae. A brief surge of blue electricity would periodically pass between the ears of the device. A hastily sketched note attached to the front of the contraption read: Lefty’s Ladder, Version 3.4.
There were several computers hooked up to printers, and servers, and other electronic devices. One of the monitors that was connected to these computers displayed complicated graphs and figures. Another showed what appeared to be a running tally of mathematical calculations, constantly spewing out new numbers and statistics.
Oddly, it appeared that several items in the laboratory had been severely damaged. Here and there, broken glass lay upon the concrete floor, surrounded by strange colored liquids and shattered pieces of machinery. It almost looked as if something may have gone on a rampage, randomly tearing its way through the laboratory in a whirlwind of violence.
As Jack studied the broken glass on the floor, he noticed a stainless steel bucket beneath a workbench. Curiously, it was filled with acorns… which, of course, made him recall their experience in the forest the previous night. He frowned in thought, and tried to sort out the confusing array of things that lay before him. It was a lot to absorb all at once!
Before he could give it much thought, however, Maria had summoned his attention to another apparatus that she had discovered, sandwiched between two overstuffed bookcases. It was big, and bold, and certifiably crackling with electric energy. This also had a note attached to the front, which read: Helios Tesla Coil, Mark V.
“Well, now,” Jack whispered in a low voice, as he stared into the device. “This is really something, isn’t it?”
He found himself drawn toward it, and might have even extended a hand to touch it, against his better judgment. Nibbler stood beside him, his snout working at the air prolifically. The Labradoodle’s apricot-colored fur began to stand up on end, drawn by the static electricity in the air, as did Jack’s unruly mop of dark hair.
But before Jack could touch this magnificent machine, his attention was once again diverted, as Neil found something new to gawk at.
“Hey, guys!” Neil called. He raised a hand, and pointed to a darkened corner of the basement. “Look. What… is… that?”
As one, the other three turned to where Neil had pointed. There, they saw the thing that had drawn his attention. It was a massive door, built from what appeared to be solid steel. Huge rivets and bolts were visible against the surface. It looked, upon further inspection, a whole lot like the door to a bank vault. Like something that was specifically engineered to keep people out.
Or perhaps, Jack thought, to keep something in. It was, quite possibly, an elaborate safeguard against some unknown thing.
But, as his friends knew all too well… Jack would always put adventure first, and caution at a far distant second.
The Green Beans, Volume 2: The Strange Genius of Lefty O'Houlihan Page 12