Chapter 112

Alvin and Fred soon found their way into the storage room, where the entrance to the underground storage was. With them already knowing the location through the supervisor Jose's dreams, they quickly locate the trapdoor, which was under a huge machine. They could barely open it a tiny bit, as it was under a huge machine that looked to be out of service.

"This is a machine that can quickly pack powder into small packets. I am guessing paper packets would be used, and they would be placed in specific locations of different materials to make the firecrackers" said Fred, placing his arm on the machine.

"But this machine has been out of service for a few years. It is an older model too. There is a much better model that can nearly double the packing speed, and that one is placed outside" he continued.

Alvin looked around, and it seemed impossible to move the machine.

"These kinds of machines can be disengaged and moved as smaller pieces. The part above the trapdoor can be moved away this way. But as Jose said, it would cause a hell lot of noise. It even seems that a portion of the internal mechanics has been loosened by someone to increase the sound it produced when it is moved. If it was moved, the sound would be heard throughout the factory" said Fred.

"Well, I am guessing an Apprentice can sneak in. So could someone who could dissolve their bodies into shadows or something. It could be a Sealed Artifact corresponding to either. But would they be able to transport the large number of gunpowder barrels out?" wondered Alvin.

Fred crouched down next to the trapdoor and held it open. His face then turned into a frown as he sunk into contemplation.

"Something the matter?" asked Alvin.

"From what we learned from the supervisor, this door opens only twice a month, once when the shipment comes in, and the other when the Baccardi Gang orders some stock. The last time this door was opened was a week ago, and it hasn't been opened since. But analysing the air here, it doesn't correspond to an area with no circulation of air for a week" said Fred.

"Are you sure?" asked Alvin.

"Trust me. I am the one who designed the Hivemind under your bar. I know everything about tunnels" said Fred.

"Maybe the Beyonders who the factory's higher-ups sent accessed it sometime. The first may be still here because they used a different method to enter the trapdoor" said Alvin.

"Or maybe there is another entrance in there. That entrance may be a secret method for the higher-ups to eliminate evidence of their illegal activities should it come to it. And maybe someone else discovered it" finished Fred.

"I thought the whole point of building a storage deep underground, other than secrecy, was to make sure it doesn't catch on fire due to the lack of air in case of an accident" said Alvin after a pause.

"So did I. This storage is right in the centre of the factory. It's very difficult to build a tunnel from outside till in here, especially without making a big noise or causing the collapse of some structures" said Fred.

"So the entrance may very well be in some different areas of the factory" concluded Alvin.

Fred nodded, and pulled out a small and flat but complicated-looking device from his pocket, and dropped it into the small crack that was there in the trapdoor. He then pulled out a small flat sheet, and hooked it up to a small rectangular box and started looking at it"

"That device emits a very low-frequency sound which is impossible to hear with our ears. This device can capture them. We frequently use this to find directions in complicated mazes and tunnels" explained Fred, seeing Alvin's bewildered expression.

Alvin had to fight back the urge to ask if this was the sonar invested by Emperor Roselle.

After a few moments, Fred seemed to pick up something, and he beckoned at Alvin and walked to the side. On the way, they came across a few workers, but Alvin skillfully put them to sleep, convinced them they were daydreaming, and woke them up after they passed them.

Soon, Fred led him to the door of what seemed to be the room of a manager of the factory. As Fred was about to push the door open, Alvin stopped him. He then skillfully disarmed a tripwire, disconnected the power source of a warning device, put a cloth on the light-sensitive silver plate at the side that would swing to the front if triggered, and removed the bottle of acid that would splash down on whoever opened the door.

He then walked in, beckoning Fred to follow him.

Fred cleared his throat embarrassedly am followed him in. As soon as he entered the room, he looked around cautiously.

"No one would put traps where they can accidentally trigger them. Places where the rest is on the top of that list" said Alvin.

Fred nodded, and wandered around the room.

The room looked to be that of someone who enjoyed art, as there were several paintings and exquisite silverware all around. There was nothing that indicated the identity of the occupant of the room. The furniture and carpets were also elegant and comfortable. Alvin spotted a safe hidden on the wall, hidden behind a painting.

As Alvin was contemplating whether to try and open the safe, he heard Fred say, "Here" as he pulled down a painting of a man falling steep ravine off the wall. There was a door behind it, fixed with a mechanical lock. Fred quickly cracked its workings, and they saw a tunnel leading downwards, approximately in the direction of the trapdoor they saw earlier.

"This must be it" said Fred as he went into the tunnel. Alvin glanced behind him, put a few measures to detect if anyone came by, and followed Fred into the tunnel.