Author's note: I got the seed of an idea for a story. As an exercise, I wrote it down. I have no expectation of returning to this; I have a larger writing project I care about more. But, it was fun to write, so maybe you'll find it fun to read.
"Dr. Passo, thank you for coming."
The young man extended a slender hand from his wrinkled, grey suit. Alex took it, taking care not to crush it with his callused mitts.
"I'm Johnson. Been working with the Firm for a few months now. How was your flight from Bologna? Sorry we couldn't get you a seat in first class."
Alex muttered something unintelligible about how it was fine.
"Well, if you're ready to get started, follow me."
Johnson led Alex to an elevator at the far end of the empty warehouse. The kid used a key card to open the elevator. Once they were inside, Johnson placed his hand on a scanner. The elevator beeped and closed. Alex's stomach jumped as the car descended quickly.
"So, just what is it you want me to look at?" asked Alex.
"All in good time, Dr. Passo. We can discuss specifics once we're in the Cage."
After what felt like an eternity, the elevator beeped again and the door opened. Two armed guards stood before a smooth, metal door.
"ID," said the one on the left.
Johnson flashed his badge. The guard looked at Alex. Not sure what to do, Alex pulled out his passport and held it up. The guard nodded and seemed satisfied. The other guard reached back, pressed a button, and the door slid open.
Johnson led Alex inside to a narrow room where they met another guard standing behind a small table. There was something that looked like a metal detector and another door at the far end.
"Empty your pockets and leave everything out here. If you try to smuggle anything inside the scanner will pick it up. I'll give you a ticket so you can reclaim your stuff when you leave."
Alex thought this was all a bit much to look at an artifact, but he complied. He didn't know much about Halstead Holding Firm, but so far had gathered that they were wealthy and secretive. Given they were paying him more than he could make in five years at the University, he figured it best to get along and not ask too many questions.
"Pockets empty?" asked Johnson, already knowing the answer. "Right this way then."
Johnson's outstretched arm pointed Alex towards the scanner. Alex stepped through it. Nothing happened. Then the door opened.
"Go on through, Dr. Passo. One of my associates will meet you inside. I have matters to attend to topside. I'll see you when you leave."
Alex stepped through the door. He was in a hallway illuminated by small blue lights along the joints between wall and ceiling. It reminded him of the late night club Lizzy had taken him to when they were dating.
A door he couldn't see slid open on the wall a few feet down from him.
"This way," called an airy, feminine voice from the other side.
Alex took a few steps down the hall and through the door. He stepped into a warm, dimly-lit room with a lighted table in the middle. There was a tall, blonde woman in a lab coat standing across the room from him with a box in her hands.
"Thank you for coming all this way, Doctor. I'm Abigail, one of the curators. I'll be assisting your analysis today."
Alex grunted hello.
"I'm sure you're quite ready to get started. If you please."
She motioned for him to step toward the table. At the same time, she placed the box down on it. It had a digital lock of some kind. Abigail pressed a few keys on the box's small display, and it hissed open.
She handed Alex a pair of gloves and pulled out a pair for herself. Once on, she opened the box and pulled out a small hunk of sandstone.
"We found this deep in the desert of Algeria," said Abigail.
"May I?" asked Alex.
Abigail handed him the rock. Alex took it in his hands and turned it over several times, examining each of its surfaces. At first it just looked like a regular rock, but as he peered closer he started to make out patterns. He noticed small squiggles that, on closer inspected, looked like wires. There were a couple faint square shapes that could easily be mistaken for buttons. And on one side there was something that looked like a slot, either to put something in or put something out.
"Strange. What is it?" asked Alex.
"We have our theories, but we'd like to know what you reckon," said Abigail. "Would you care to see the scans we took of it?"
"Of course!"
Alex was doing his best to hide his excitement, but seeing the rock had piqued his interest. He thought this was going to be another boring exercise in dating Carthaginian pottery or Islamic jewelry that fell off a caravan. Instead it was something more. Something of the sort he had dreamed of discovering when he was twelve, reading conspiracy theories online.
Abagail pushed some unseen buttons. A blue holographic projection appeared above the table.
"This is the best resolution image we could muster. We can't quite make our all the details, but there's enough there to get a sense of it."
Alex stared in wonder at the floating image of the artifact. It was a small, rectangular object with tangled wires running through it. In the middle there was a roller and a few gears hooked up to a cylinder that looked like a small motor. The roller sat against a chamber that opened to a slot on one side. On top what could only be described as four buttons could be made out.
"I'm out of my depth," said Alex. "Perhaps you need an electrical engineer, not a man who digs up thousand year old garbage."
"Oh, we have other experts, Dr. Passo. Your instincts are right: this is an electronic device. We've estimate it to be approximately 13,500 years old."
"Incredible. What does it do?"
"We've figured out that it was for reading small chips that contained data, like an ancient floppy disk drive."
"Amazing. But if you already know what it is, what do you need me for?"
"That depends. What do you know about the Green Sahara."
"Just that the Sahara desert wasn't always a desert. That 5000 or more years ago it received regular rain and could support farming. Undiscovered ancient peoples probably lived out their lives where there is now only sand."
"Is that all? Disappointing."
Abagail flipped off the projection. She picked up the artifact and put it back in the box, sealing it shut.
"Well, perhaps you weren't the right man for the job," said Abagail matter-of-factly. "We'll pay you all the same, so long as you maintain discretion about what you've seen here today. We don't want our discoveries getting out until we've confirmed what we've found."
"And what do you think you've found?" asked Alex.
"If you have to ask, I can't tell you. If you already know, I need say nothing more."
Alex's chest burned with fear. His stomach twisted itself in a knot. The idea had already flashed into his mind, but he'd dare not say it. He remembered all the times he was laughed at when he spoke the word in school. He'd not allowed himself to speak the name in nearly a decade.
A battle raged in his throat, fighting between his urge to speak and his need to remain in good standing. He caught another glimpse of the box, and his desire won.
"Atlantis," whispered Alex.
Abagail nodded.
She knew. Somehow she knew. She knew about his secret life posting on backwater internet forums. She knew about his late nights in the museum looking for shreds of evidence. She knew the secret passion he told no one of, not even Lizzy.
"Would you like to see more?" asked Abagail.
"There's more?" wondered Alex.
Abagail nodded again.
"Can I telephone my wife? I think I'm going to be here longer than expected."