Switchback

Chapter 41

The room was round and enormous. Large lights ran the circumference, starting at the floor and rising to the ceiling. They lit the space with a sharp white glow. There was technology everywhere. Boxes, crates, gadgets and parts overflowed from industrial shelving that disappeared into the distance. Any items that were too big to fit had been piled wherever there was free space on the ground.

Besides a slight hum of activity that came from somewhere to the far right, the room was silent.

"What is this place?" Richard asked.

"Lab," said Morris.

Richard's gaze wandered over the mess. "That would have been my guess after garbage dump."

Morris stepped out of the elevator. When his boot touched the floor it lit up and the hum stopped.

Another noise, a whoosh, sounded to their left. Before Richard could search for the source a robotic eye was floating in front of him.

It was a white orb with eyelids and a sophisticated digital eyeball. It blinked while regarding both men. How it managed to stay in the air was a mystery – there was no sign of propulsion.

"Any trouble getting here?" asked the eye. Its voice was flat and mechanical.

"None," said Morris.

"No one followed you?"

"Of course not."

"The yellow box worked well?"

"It did everything you said it would."

"That's exciting news!" said the voice. "Follow the path to my location. It's time I met Richard Sobel."

The floor lights shut off - with the exception of a single line that wound its way through the piles of technology and then among the shelving. Morris started forward and Richard followed. The eye floated along beside them. As they moved deeper the condition of the shelves changed – shifting from a haphazard mess to more organized.

Every so often they would come to a break. At these spots there would be huge items. From Husks in giant clear tubes, to enormous suits of high tech armour or bizarre vehicles - the technology was humbling. They were impossible creations straight out of a dream.

None of it affected Morris. This clearly wasn't his first visit. But some of the things seemed hard to ignore. The real nightmare stuff – like heads floating in clear tubs, limbs with mechanical modifications and jars upon jars of blood.

Most unsettling to Richard were the piles of neatly folded clothing. He couldn't help but wonder if they once belonged to the former owners of the modified limbs or floating heads.

After some time the shelving stopped. What lay beyond was a large open area. In the middle was a raised white platform. On it was a cluttered desk and a chair. The tall back faced them, blocking out whoever might be working.

"Welcome Richard Sobel!" said a voice. It was the same one that came from the floating eye but less mechanical. "Were you impressed by the journey to my workspace?"

"It was interesting," Richard replied.

The voice chuckled. "Do you know where you are?"

"Not at all."

"Hardly the effort of a curious mind," said the voice. It held a note of disappointment.

"Actually – just no desire to play guessing games," said Richard. "At this point trying to deal with a fucked up life demands my full attention. Three days in and I've had enough."