Buried Treasure by Vincent Madison

Chapter 9

Go West Young Man

November 29th 2004

  Tom was flying to British Columbia with the LOST Gunmen, heading to the Widmore Institute in Kamloops, following up on the lead that the Gunmen had found. As they could not handle this as an official case due to their suspicions about Lieutenant Becker, Tom was on a weeks 'vacation' and Kate was back in Ontario. Cleo was holding down the fort at the LOST Gunman and Steve, Malcolm and Robert were accompanying Tom.

  The Widmore Institute was a think-tank retreat created by Arthur Widmore in the late 1980's. Widmore was one of the powerful Widmore family, and he chose to use some of his wealth to provide an environment where scientists, thinkers and mathematicians could gather to exchange ideas, conduct research and utilize the extensive facilities provided free of charge.

  The Gunmen had managed to secure a trial membership at the Widmore Institute based on their submitted plan to study wormholes and time travel. Tom would tag along as one of their team, so they could spend some time at the institute and try to determine who owned the car that was tailing them, and exactly what they were up to.

  The plane touched down in Vancouver, and Tom and the Gunmen grabbed a rental car and headed north towards Kamloops. As they left the coast, the environment changed into a rain forest kind of climate, with the mountains starting to rise steeply and the foliage green and wet. At Hope, they headed to the newer and quicker route north to Kamloops, the Coquihalla Highway. The old highway followed the Fraser River north and then turned east, but the Coquihalla cut across the valleys and mountains. At this time of year it could be treacherous when the snow and wind blew down from the mountains.

  Robert Bond was driving the rental car, and was proceeding carefully as the road wound its way into the mountains. Tom was sitting in the front seat, trying to figure out exactly where they were on the map that the rental agency had given them. In the back seat, Steve and Malcolm were both snoring loudly.

  "Are you sure you know where we are?" Tom asked Robert, sounding concerned. There was light snow blowing around, but the road conditions were not too bad. Robert nodded and turned to Tom.

  "Once you are on this highway, there is really no other way to go." he said. Tom accepted his answer, but still looked concerned. Steve and Malcolm continued to snore. After what seemed like forever, Robert pointed at a sign for Kamloops.

  "There you go Tom. What did I tell you?"

  "Yeah - you're right." Tom replied. "I guess I am just eager to get there."

As they approached Kamloops, they headed north across the river, then turned onto the road that led to the Widmore Institute. It was a long winding road that climbed higher into the mountains. There was no traffic here, in winter the Institute was pretty much shut down, except for a few diehard researchers who liked the fact that it was so quiet. As they turned another corner, the Institute came into view - a modern three storey building with a large glass atrium at the front, nestled in the mountains. Robert pulled the rental car into the parking lot and shut off the engine.

  "Hey dummies!" he yelled back at Steve and Malcolm. "We're here. You can wake up now." Steve yawned and opened his eyes.

  "I'm hungry." he said. "Any good eats around here?" At the sound of that, Malcolm opened his eyes.

  "Did someone say something about eating?" Robert shook his head.

  "Come on guys. We can eat later. Now we start to get some answers." They headed to the front door, Robert in the lead, followed closely by Tom, and Malcolm and Steve bringing up the rear, Steve rustling in his backpack looking for a snack.

  They entered the atrium and at the front reception desk was an attractive young lady of about twenty-something with shoulder length brown hair. The nameplate at the desk read Helen Walker.

Helen looked up and smiled.

   "Good afternoon gentlemen. I'm Helen Walker. Mr. Bond I presume?" She smiled a little at the way it had sounded when she said 'Mr. Bond'. Robert extended his hand to her.

  "Yes. Robert Bond, and these are my colleagues Tom Reid, Steve Dorland and Malcolm Frommer." At his introduction, Malcolm leaped forward to grasp Helen's hand.

  "VERY pleased to meet such a gorgeous young woman." Malcolm gushed as he squeezed her hand and smiled from ear to ear. Helen smiled back graciously, not sure what to make of Malcolm's forward nature. She regained her composure quickly.

  "We have been expecting you gentlemen." She gave Malcolm a stern look as she said 'gentlemen'. He frowned a little. "I'm sorry we don't have anyone to show you to your rooms - most of the staff is off for the winter. She handed them some door cards. Your rooms are in Wing D. Rooms D230 and D232. Take the elevator to the second floor and turn right."

  Robert took the cards.

  "Thank you Miss Walker."

  "It's Helen. And welcome to the Widmore Institute. Feel free to use all the facilities. Your cards will give you access to the libraries and research areas as well as the pool and sauna. The only place that is restricted access is the Third Floor." Steve spoke up.

  "Oh yeah? Why is that?" he queried. Helen looked at him.

  "The Third Floor is reserved by a private group of researchers. They like their privacy."

  "And who might they be?" Steve pushed the issue in spite of a dirty look from Robert. Helen hesitated. Steve smiled. "Hey, just trying to be friendly." he said. "Don't worry about us, we respect people's privacy."

  "I'm sorry." Helen looked down. "It's just that some of our researchers here are kind of sensitive about that kind of thing. I know you mean well. You might see one of their team this week. If you do, you can't miss him. He is bald and pretty quiet. Keeps to himself. I wouldn't invite him for coffee if you know what I mean." she smiled a little at Steve and winked. "His name is Nikolas Voerserb. Goes by Nick, although I doubt that is his real name."

  "Thanks Helen." Steve was genuinely appreciative.

  "You guys seem like good people. I have a good gut feel for that kind of thing." Helen offered.

  "Yup, that's us. The Good Guys." Malcolm piped up, feeling a little jealous of Steve's success in warming up to Helen. Robert gestured to them.

  "OK, guys - time to go. We've taken up enough of Miss Walker's time." Helen tossed her head flipping her hair out of her face.

  "That's ok. You don't know how boring it gets here in the winter. Most of the researchers here are crusty old geezers that only talk to you to complain about something. Oops there I go running off at the mouth again." Tom smiled now.

  "Well now you've got us to talk to." he said.

  "You let me know if these guys are bothering you." Robert said to Helen assuming his role as the leader of the group.

  "No bother at all." she laughed. "It's nice to have some people who are not so stuffy."

  "Well, I'm sure we will see you around." Robert turned and started toward the elevator. "Thanks for your warm welcome." The others followed reluctantly.

As the elevator door closed behind them, Robert spoke.

  "OK, here is the plan. Stevie - you and Tom see if you can get into the 3rd Floor and see what you can find. Malcolm - you and I are going to have a talk with Mr. Voerserb. Meet us in the 2nd Floor library at 6pm and we'll see what we have found out. Remember, be careful and see if you can find any connection to Becker, but don't let on that we have even heard of him if it comes up." Tom smiled.

  "OK, will do." With that, the elevator opened on the 2nd Floor, and they all got out. Tom and Steve took Room D230 and Robert and Malcolm took D232. They synchronized their watches. It was 3:05pm.

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At exactly 6pm, Steve and Tom walked into the library. Robert and Malcolm were already there sitting in a couple of chairs. Robert looked up as Steve and Tom entered the room.

  "Well, I hope you guys had more luck than we did." Robert announced.

Malcolm looked glum as he spoke.  "Yeah - that Voerserb character is nowhere to be found."

Steve smiled.  "Do I ever let you guys down?" he said smugly. Robert and Malcolm perked up a bit.

  "Well? What did you find?" Malcolm asked. "Did you get into the 3rd Floor?"

  "Not yet..." Steve responded. "...but we will."

  "What do you mean?" Robert asked.

  "Well..." Steve said, "The entry to the 3rd Floor is accessed by a small touch screen, which is just a computer terminal. The access is the person's logon and password that they are given here at the Widmore Institute. Our new friend Helen let me play around with her computer a bit..." Steve smiled and Tom grinned too. "...so I know that the format for all logons is the same - first initial, last name for the logon and an eleven digit password, consisting of eight letters and three numbers. So Mr. Voerserb's logon is nvoerserb and his password is something with eight letters and three numbers." Malcolm rolled his eyes.

  "Well that's helpful." he sarcastically mumbled. Tom spoke up.

  "The name Voerserb is clearly not real. It is an anagram. It anagrams to the word Observer. So we figure his password is observer and then three digits. We're just not sure what those three digits are, but Steve assures me that that will take no time at all to crack."

  "Well then." Malcolm got up from the chair. "What the hell are we waiting for?"

____________________________________________________

  "Three One Three" Steve announced.

Malcolm repeated "313?"

  "Yup - 313. That's the password. Well actually observer313. I told you it would only take a few minutes. I mean there are only 1000 combinations of 3 numbers, and my handy cracker program works like a charm." Steve smiled, quite proud of his accomplishment.

  The LOST Gunmen and Tom were at the access console on the third floor. Steve had punched in the login - nvoerserb and the password - observer313, and the screen displayed: Access Granted. Robert opened the entry door and Tom, Steve and Robert headed in. Robert turned to Malcolm.

  "Malcolm - you stay here and watch for anyone. If you hear a squeak, then let us know." Steve had outfitted Malcolm with a tiny microphone and transmitter, and he had the corresponding earpiece and receiver so they could stay in touch.

There was a file room to the left and some conference rooms to the right. They headed for the file room. A row of wooden filing cabinets ran the length of the room, each labeled with letters, much like the cabinets on the First and Second Floors. Robert pulled open M-O, looking for Observer. Steve opened S-U, looking for Secret, and Tom opened V-Z, looking for Voerserb. Tom pulled a file out of the V-Z drawer.

  "Got it!" he announced. "Voerserb." He opened the file and found a blueprint of the Widmore Institute. "Now what would this be doing here?" he said. There were four pages. They detailed each floor of the institute, the first page was the first floor, the second was the second floor and the third page was the third floor. It was the fourth page that was the most interesting.

  "Guys...does this place have a basement?" Tom asked.

Steve responded - "Nope - not that I know of. There is certainly no button on the elevator for any other floor." Robert looked at the blueprint.

  "Well, it looks like an interesting place. Check out the tunnel leading to a classified area. I think we should try to find this missing basement."

Steve pulled out a small digital camera and snapped a photo of the plan.

  "Maybe Helen knows how to get there?" he said. "Let's go ask her." They put the plans back in the file, closed the drawer and headed for the door. Steve paused.

  "Hey maybe there is a lot of cool secret stuff up here. Let's check it out." Robert shot him a stern glance.

  "Maybe some other time Steve." We have a case to solve here." Steve's smiled slowly vanished, and he followed them out. Malcolm was waiting at the door.

  "Anything?" Tom asked him.

  "Not a peep." Malcolm replied. "It's kind of spookily quiet here."

____________________________________________________

  "No. There is no basement here." Helen replied with a quizzical look. "Whatever would give you the idea that there was one? I know this whole building. If there was a basement, I would know." Robert nodded.

  "Well thank-you Helen. I must be confusing this place with another research institute we were working at. My mistake." The Gunmen and Tom headed back to their rooms. As they got on the elevator, Tom stared at the buttons. 1, 2, 3.   3..2..1   3... "Hey, I have an idea" Tom mumbled. He reached out to the buttons, and instead of pressing 2 to get to their floor, he pressed - 3 then 1 then 3 again - 313. The elevator door closed, then it started to move....down.