There is a thin layer of snow on the grown and it is blowing a chilly wind. The facility lies on the banks of the river. It is a completely industrial area, with factories billowing black smoke from their chimneys. The site of Rhodes' lab used to be McMurphy meat packing plant, and a sign at the entrance still attests to this fact. McMurphy's was shut down by the Health Department, after failing a number of health inspections. The plant is now the epitome of industrial waste.

The grounds of the former meat packing plant facility are in a terrible condition. Many of the complex's buildings are now simply burnt-out husks, while others are practically coated with graffiti. The plant is surrounded by a rusty fence that is padlocked, and a sign on the fence still attests to the fact that this place was once McMurphy Meat Packing plant. After opening the lock with the key provided by Miskatonic, you are free to enter the now snow covered grounds of the plant. Though the cold of December is bitter, nothing can hide the stale stench that drifts through the facility, a memorial to a gone-by era. Walking through the plant towards the laboratory, a memorial to a gone-by era. Walking through the plant towards the laboratory of Professor Rhodes, you hear the dull banging of an open door in the wind. Arriving at the designating position of the Professor's lab, you are faced with a perplexing a mind-numbing sight. It seems that half of the physicist's lab is enveloped in complete darkness. The building's walls appear to just stop and then the utter blackness begins. There is no plausible explanation for such a phenomenon anywhere to be seen. It is as half of Rhode's lab has disappeared, leaving a tangible void in its place. Doc speaks up, "Very Interesting, I think we should go completely around the building and look at it from all angles." Natasha goes pale for a moment, then she says something unintelligible in French, finally she says "My, I have no idea what a hole in time looks like, but ...", she motions towards the blackness "Well ...". She seems somewhat shocked, but she recovers her composure quickly enough, she is after all both a Noblewoman and a Russian, and so must show more restraints than commoners. You go around the building and see nothing particular new, except for a back door into the part of the building, that is not engulfed. The back door is unlocked, though you do not enter the building yet. Doc finds a wood stick which he enters halfway into the void. After three seconds, he withdraws it. The part of the stick which was in the void is cracked and covered with ice. Doc is wearing gloves.

The Meat Plant area

Penny shivers at the sight of the withdrawn stick. "I wonder how cold it is within the darkness?" She pauses for a moment and adds, "Maybe we should experiment further. Perhaps pieces of a living plant or maybe we could use a piece of beef or such to place in the void? I think it also would be extremely helpful if we could find an industrial type thermometer. Also we could use a pail of water on the end of a pole or such and see how quickly it would freeze." Her mind seems to race through many such ideas as she awaits a reply from the others.

Charles says, "A good idea. Lady Natasha, maybe you have a bottle of perfume. Perfume has a low point of freezing. We could attach the ….."

Charles abruptly stop to talk because there is a short intensive light and the void has disappeared and the missing lab has taken its place. You can see the cracks in the structure where the returning lab adjoins the stable building. The lab is fully materialized and the door is slightly ajar. The windows are boarded up. The place is silent.

Natasha seems even more confused when the laboratory suddenly returns, she was saying "Yes, I have some ...", then suddenly it came back. Natasha blinks briefly, then she looks from the frozen stick to the laboratory and says "More devilry, I think we should be very careful". There is a slight worried frown on her face, as if she is beginning to realise that there might be more to this than she thought.

Doc speaks "Now, it looks like the lab was not affected by the instant freeze we saw on the stick. The effect could be a one-time effect or just alternative between the darkness and what we see now. I think we should study the exact border first." Doc goes over to where the darkness was without entering the area that it was in and examines the building. It would appear that the sphere has slized precisely in the building. Doc notes that the cut isn't clean any longer, since the edge on the permanent building has somewhat collapsed due to disappearance of the supporting walls.

Standing close to the building, Doc hears a low and nearly undetectable humming from inside the building. Doc retreats a few steps, deciding it isn't wise to stand intersection of the sphere, should it return. Doc speaks "Interesting, apparently whatever caused that sphere of darkness, sliced the sphere contained in it away, and something happened to bring it back. I have also noticed a hum coming from inside the lab. Possibly what caused it to happen. I do not know if it is a one-time effect or repeats. We had better watch a while and see what happens."

-----

As they wait Natasha huddles her fur coat around her tightly, and then she pulls out a cigarette and places it in an amber cigarette holder. She stands still for a moment waiting for someone to light it for. Penny gives Doc a little push in his side, before he notices and lights the cigarette.

When lit you notice that the smoke smells much stronger than that from American cigarettes. As the countess stands there she comments "If this is a time-machine imagine what could be done ...", she has a dreamy expression of her face. She then shakes it off and says "Well, that black sphere has not returned, and it does not seem like what was inside there was injured so maybe ..." She hesitates, then she says "Gentlemen, I hope you do not think me too forward, but if you do not go in there I think I will". She seems quite determined, and unless someone prevents her, or goes in before her, she will indeed go inside to investigate.

Penny's face shows mild surprise as the Countess begins to enter the area of the former void. The young student makes no movement towards it and remains transfixed on the 'crack' in the floors and walls where the boundary of the sphere once was. "Doc," she says. "Should we tie a rope or something similar around her before she enters? Just in case the void returns or the floor falls away under her feet." Penny points to the areas of the walls and floor that caved in due to the sphere. "There could be structural damage that may make the floor and ceiling unstable."

Doc replies, "It would not work across the sphere, it would be severed if it returned. However, it does make sense to those who go in together so that if the floor collapses, serious harm may be averted. I would recommend proceeding slowing and checking floors and walls for stability before trusting them. I believe that we need to find out what that humming is coming from. I am prepared to go in with the Countess. Anyone else?"

Natasha nods, then she says "Yes that does make sense Doctor", she smiles slightly and slowly exhales the smoke from her cigarette while holding it and the amber cigarette holder gently in her right hand, then he says "Ah yes quite an adventure, I must say this is exciting". She then gently pushes the door open and says "Doctors, I think that there is some rope in the trunk of my automobile, you can ask my chauffeur for it"

"Wait, until we are roped before entering, I will go get my chest and you rope as well." Doc turns and walks toward where the car was parked.

When Doc fetches the rope, the chauffeur asks, "What is going on?" "I am getting supplies." Doc answers.

"Do you need my assistance?" "Help me get the supplies out from the car. I can manage from there."

The chauffeur does as he is told and then, again, asks, "Should I call for help?" "We are checking out the laboratory and decided to take some precautions. We do not need help at this time."

"Will you be long?" "I expect that we should be done within an hour", Doc answers

-----

Whatever else you can say about her she certainly has courage, if no one else objects Lady Boyarova walks up to the door, open it (although she will pull out a handkerchief to touch the doorknob, just in case) and look inside. Then she shouts (sort of) "Hello, anyone there?" She is met with silence, except from the humming, which she also can hear now.

"Perhaps only one person should go inside, after all the structure has been weakened", Lady Boyarova looks at Dr Cochroft and Doc Slade, with an inquisitive glance. She is also smoking heavily throughout, she however says, "This is quite fascinating", she seems to be excited by this adventure, yet somewhat numbed by the succession of impossible events.

Doc says, "Wait, let me first attached this rope to you. We'll stand in the door opening holding on to it. Take care lady."

Countess Boyarova enters the room, but all of you have a full view of it from the doorstep. The main feature of the lab is a large brass globe with pipes and wires protruding from it. These pipes and wires are connected to gauges and meters of all sorts; a very mind-boggling array. The globe is roughly five feet in circumference. Though it doesn't deem to be connected to any power source, you can barely hear a low humming sound emanating from the globe. There is a control panel in front of the globe with switches and buttons, though none are marked.

Six large symbols have been painted at various points along the walls of the building. They are strange, mystic symbols. Each rune is about two feet wide and three feet tall. There is a large desk near the wall. It is covered with all sorts of papers. There is a heavy door set in the right wall.

Countess Boyarova says to the others, "I think the structure is robust, you can come in." Doc is the next to enter the room, treading carefully, ready to flee the lab immediately at first sign of any anomalousity. Countess Boyarova unfasten herself from the rope and open the heavy door, leading to was once a large freezer. She has no trouble doing this as the hinges have been noticeably oiled. In this room you find a small bed, a lamp, an ice box, and a small tub of water. This is the professor's living quarters.

Charles is the first to point out the obvious fact, "It appears that the professor is not here. I suggest that we search this place thoroughly as to discover any clues that he may have left behind. Doc, you will go over his notes, and try to find a diary or a journal. Penny, you will investigate globe, or that machine, and try to establish whether that, thing, is still working. Lady Boyarova, you and I will search the rest of this room and the lab for any items or clues."

Charles and Countess Boyarova, begins to search the professor's quarters. Obviously, he spent little time sleeping, because these humble arrangements looks unused. Under the bed is a small supply of canned food as some bottled water. Also, a portable stove and some pots and pans can be found along with some miscellaneous utensils. The walls of this room appear stained with a dark brown substance.

Please wait for the Journey to the Tower, or go back to the table of contents.