Where are the Blueprints? (6)

Steve:  Could you get me a list of the departments and who works in each one?

Webb:  Yes, Human Resources should have that information; I can give it to you tomorrow.

Steve:  Good! Now the graph on page two shows the research and design that resulted in amazing medical products. "In 1992, the first modern integrated open heart surgery suites were designed and installed."

Webb:  Yes, for the next two years the company also researched a way to make surgery minimally invasive. Then the following year, the company received an award for designing the "Operating room of the Future."

Turner:  There was so much business after that award; we contemplated building a new facility! But we decided to buy this structure instead.

Steve:  (reading) The next development a year later with the design of "flat-panel monitors and touch-screen operating room control technology."

Phillips:  Yes, the company started having financial problems shortly after that.

Webb:  The lights started flashing off and on; the heating and electric bills increased and employees began quitting in droves.

Steve:  Let's go through the rest of the agenda and meet again tomorrow.

They continue the meeting for another hour and agree to meet again in the morning at Ten o'clock. Steve calls for his driver. In the car, he asks to be driven to Cy's apartment.

There he cautiously enters; finding no intruders, her packs some clothes for Cy and leaves. The driver takes him back to Omega. The parking lot is empty. Steve asks the driver to come back for him in one hour. Looking around, Steve quickly punches the code into the key pad and enters the building. As per the instructions, he waits for the second door to release the lock. Steve then turns right and goes downstairs.

Steve is muttering to himself: What am I getting myself into? What will I do if someone else is in the building: How would I explain being here? Careful Steve, you're getting paranoid, he scolded himself.

Moving slowly down the hallway he passed the women's restroom. How strange that there's a key pad next to the maintenance closet….maybe there are dangerous chemicals….but why not just a lock and key? He entered the code again and the door clicked open. Walking slowly inside, he heard the muffled sounds of two people talking.

Steve put his ear to the wall and heard:

"I'm not going to stay much longer. It's my bowling night and I need to change my clothes before going to the lanes."

"Just be sure you go out the hospital doors this time. Remember how mad the boss got when you forgot and went out through Omega."

"I won't forget. See Ya' "

"Hey, wait a minute; I'm going to quit too. I'll walk out with you."

"O,K. You got the flashlight?"

"Yes, let's go, we've got two more days before this shipment goes out.; plenty of time to finish tomorrow. I set the timer to turn the burners off in 10 more minutes."

Silence. Steve waited a few minutes, and then began examining the walls of the room. He pushed high and low on the wall. Nothing. Frustrated, he turned on the faucet to clean his hands. No water came out, but a door in the wall opened.

As Steve moved into the room, he noticed how bright and hot it was. There was a strange smell… something like cat urine… He looked to the right and saw the missing 60 feet that were on the blueprint. And he saw the reason for the strange smell… rows and rows of tables held flasks being slowly heated over Bunsen burners. Steve had stumbled into an underground meth lab.