Secret Cow Level
Secret Cow Level
A couple of weeks ago I went to get on the internet terminal and there
was someone on it. I remembered of another one in the front lobby of
building one. Seems no one ever is up there. Its an old part of the
building that used to house the developed department but who knows
what goes on up there now. As I walked the corridor I could see the all
the doors where labeled SA stuff all but one. After surfing a bit I was
heading back and I saw someone recognized but I could not remember
his name. I had once attended a presentation at which he spoke.
Before we had DUV lasers they where looking into doing some gas plasma
thing. I can't even remember what it was about. Whatever, I saw
him badge the unmarked door and go in. I was a bit to far away to
see in side. As I passed the door I stopped and took a real close
look at it. This is strange... Here's a badged door with no sign
label or nothing on it. I had passed this door many times before in
the past and never though nothing about it. I do remember that once
there was a SEM or something in there. The wall had yellow glass in
it and you would sometimes see someone in a bunny suit working in
there. But now there was just this door. I looked around to see if someone
could see me standing there. Not much walking traffic around these
parts. So I wiped out my badge and .... Beep red dot Denied.
Ever since I complained about not having clean room access my
badge has worked on every door in every building. Why was this door
different? O well back to work. But I couldn't stop thinking about
what was in there. After thinking about it all afternoon I had a
plan. 5:00 surely there all gone in building one. So I grabbed
some stuff and went to the door. The door opens inward so the hinges
are on the inside with only a paper thin space between the door and its
frame. So all i needed was two pieces of paper. I used white post
it notes the small ones about an inch square. The door is
white so they will blend right in. I taped about ten of them in the
upper left corner of the door bowed in the middle and the untaped side
in the gap. The plan is when the door opens the paper will slide in
and keep the door from closing all the way. The next day 5:00 good
news and bad news. Good news the paper slipped in just as I planed and
no one noticed it. Bad news the paper was not thick enough to keep
the door open. This time... more post its. Next day was a weekend.
Monday 5:00 as I walked up to the door Just as I was about to stop I
heard a footsteps from around the corner. So I just kept walking when
I passed the person walking the other way they did not notice how
nervous I was. I just walked up to the drinking fountain and
pretended I was thirsty until I heard the footsteps disappear down
the hall. I did however get a glimpse of the door. I couldn't
tell for certain but it sure looked like it had worked. As I
leaned over the drinking fountain I had second thoughts. What if
someone sees me, What if there's someone still in there, What if
there dangerous chemicals in there, What if there's some hidden lab
with secret development stuff in there, Maybe: x-ray, scalpel,
Ion Beam, Bio Tech logic in test tubes. Fuck it I'm goin in...
Part II
I walked over to the door. Just as I thought the paper had kept the door
from latching. A bit to obvious I think. I will use a few sheets
less next time. One quick look around to make sure no one was around
and in I go. In one motion I push open the door grab the post it notes
and close the door behind me. I was half expecting some alarm to go off
and men in black suits to jump out and club me over the head. I would
wake up in a dark smoky room with a spot light on my face. There would
be people watching me through a two way mirror. Over a loudspeaker.
I would hear an interrogator shout questions in a foreign language. I'd
be drugged and unable to answer. Soon a woman would appear from a
side door with something behind her back. I'd go to stand up but
couldn't partly from the drugs partly because my hands where tied
to the chairs arms. Soon I would see what she was hiding. As she
passed between me and the bright light. I would see light glisten
from its surgical steel tip. She'd move behind me. Frozen in fright
I'd feel a sharp pain as the hypodermic needle pierced my neck. And
in my ear she whispers "time to die"...
But there was no alarm. I was standing in a change room. Suits hanging,
box of white booties, shoe racks. Just like the one in every building.
Luckily there was no one in there so I could look around. There was
something odd, no exit door. And the suits were not normal bunny suits.
They had the boots and gloves attached and a zipper around the collar.
The material was thicker and more plasticy. Hmm no visitor hangers. I
did put on booties and climb over the bench that divides the room. On
the other side against the back wall there was a rail. As I approached
I could see stairs, stairs leading down. Most fabs had sub flours but
I've never seen one here. Now standing at the top of the stairs looking
down, I can see another door. This door is all glass and behind it
I can just see the bottom of another door. This leaves a small room
just large enough for two people to stand in there. On the outside of
the first door there is a panel with some colored lights on it. Its
not a keypad or a touch screen but some kind of display. I take my 1st
step down there the stairs. Then slowly another step I can now see more
of the other door, it has a small oval window in it that runs from just
above the handle to about shoulder level. From my angle I can't see
through the window but it dose shine of faint light. Not yellow light
like normal but a kind of blue purple glow. It must have some form of
seal around it because the light dose not leak around the door and
can only be seen in the oval window. Wait! I think I hear something.
I quickly hop back over the bench. My mind races with the possibility
that there in a security camera in the room. I've been in here just long
enough for the guard in his office to see me and walk from there to
here. Maybe he's speaking into his radio as he rushes down the hall.
They'd have all the exits covered by now. I frantically look around
the room for a camera, as the foot steps from outside approach.
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. I just stand frozen wishing I was invisible.
I hear the footsteps as they pass outside and down the hall. No
guard, no camera. Freaked I slip out into the hall walking like nothing had
happened. As I walked down the hall I look down and notice I'm
wearing booties. I quickly pull them off before anyone noticed.
4:00 next day. I begin to plan a return visit. I can't stop thinking
about what might be down there. Even though I was able to make it in
and out undetected will I be able to do it again?
Part IV
Due to my intense work load I was unable to return to my adventure for a
few days. But I kept thinking about it. There is a company
advertising poster on the wall of my office. It depicts a scene of an alien
space craft over the factory. A purple tractor beam carries systems in it.
The caption reads "For the most demanding customers". But are the
systems coming from the factory? Or going to it? I imagine another
scene: In a high security part of the building a secret meeting takes place.
A boardroom with company executives on one side of a large fancy oak and
black table. On the other side, tall, thin, chalk white aliens. There large
black eyes blinking randomly. The executives all in fine suits shuffle through
papers and discus amongst themselves. While the aliens seem to be
communicating telepathically as there leader types into a translator. The
chairman looks at a monitor under glass in the table. Then responds by
typing in to a similar device. Soon the negotiation is over and both sides
of the table stand and smiling they node to each other. A door opens in
the back of the room and in walks severely frightened people. An alien
hands over a book labeled with technical symbols to the chairman. The alien
leader holds a similar book in its hands labeled "To Serve Man". A beam
of light appears and the frightened people are quickly guided into it and
disappear. As the aliens leave into the light the leader looks back and again
nodes at the chairman. Each of them holding their book. One is full of
schematics and formulas of alien technology, the other a cookbook.
I begin to think of more serious things like getting another look at what's
down those stairs. 5:00 I return to the change room. I've replaced the post
it notes with a more reliable and hidden way of propping the door. Easy to
do now that the door is open. Inside I look around. No people, no cameras,
no hoods for the strange suites. There are some lockers on the wall that
might contain the suit head pieces but the ones I checked were locked. These
cheap small cabinet locks should be no problem to get through. But I did
not come prepared for this. I decide a look through the oval window will
be good enough for this trip. I need to make it quick. Slip on booties and
over to the stairs I go. Standing in front of the glass door I get a better look
at that display its purpose is still unclear to me. Its not a keypad, this is for
sure. Through the glass door I can see what is clearly a keypad. This would
mean that the glass door in unlocked. I reach out to see if I can open the
door and BEEP the display panel changes states. Startled I let go of the door.
Relax I tell myself this is probably normal. Eager to see what is causing the
blue purple glow I continue. I slowly open the door and step inside careful
that the door dose not shut behind me. I stretch to get a look through the oval
window. Finally I get a clear look at what is causing the light…
It's a screen saver. On the other side of the door up against the wall (on side
of the room I can see) is a piece of equipment that is clearly not semiconductor.
In the dimly lit room the monitor attached to the equipment has a purple screen
saver that flashes the name Cartesian Technologies. I stretch but can not make
out anything else in the room. I then focus my attention on the keypad. It has
a flat square piece of glass with lighted numbers under it. I reach out and press
the seven. Beep. I now realize that this was a big mistake. The lighted number
seven has my smeary finger print on it. Duh… Most people are wearing gloves
in here. I try to wipe it off with my sleeve but with my foot keeping the door open
combined with the fact I’m wearing a short sleeve shirt, I doesn’t reach. Franticly
I unbutton and un tuck my shirt in an attempt to use my shirt tail. Beep Beep Beep.
The keypad complains as I accidently press all the keys as I buff the seven. If
someone was to enter the room at that moment…
Part V
This gives me an Idea. After shinning up the keypad I go back up to the change
room. There is a small hand washing sink there. Off to one side of the sink is
a soap dispenser . I dab some soap on my finger. It is just slightly milky in
appearance but mostly translucent. I step over to the hanging suits and touch my
finger to both index fingers of one of the suits. “Just in case he’s left handed” I
think to myself. I then give the lockers one last inspection and leave. I’ll
need to do a bit of prep work before I return.
5:00 next day. As I walk through building one to the door. I notice a lot of new
construction going on. New carpet, some walls removed some added. I am able
to step around the building materials but it looks as if the entrance to the door
might soon change. Once inside the change room I head down stairs to the key
pad. Just as I had hoped four faint but distinct smudge marks. One on four different
numbers. The three, the seven, the nine and the zero. That makes sixteen possible
combinations. I already accidently tested the theory that nothing bad happens if you
type in the wrong code. I must have pushed every key five times the last time I was
down here. I write down the numbers and go back up. I sit down on the bench
in front of one of the lockers. From my shirt pocket, I pull out two specially made
tools made from two hair pins one big one small. The large one I’ve cut to 5 cm with
l cm of the cut end bent at a right angle. The small one is cut to the same length but
only the last 1 mm is bent up. I place the larger hair pin in the bottom part of the
keyhole and apply a small rotating force. I stick the smaller tool in the middle of
the keyhole and apply a gentle upward force to the first pin of the lock. When the
pin is at the height that the real key would bring it to (click) and the lock rotates a few
degrees. I do the same to each pin of the lock . Then the last pin is raised the lock
completely rotates and the door is open. Inside is a suit helmet like I have never
seen. Its like an astronaut might where, round Plexiglas with a hose off the back
and a zipper around the neck. There is also a belt with a small battery powered fan
and filter pack on it. Now if I was only brave enough to put it on and go in. I feel
like I’m pushing my luck. This time I’ve been in much longer than previous. So I
leave.
That was a Friday and my plane ticket home was the next week. I left on Tuesday
and friends had stuff planed for my last night in town. I never got a change to put
on the suit and try the code that leads to the secret room. Now I’m back in the states
and I can only think that its still there and someday I will return.