When we got downstairs Eric told me to chat with Tom. Tom explained the numbers on the corners where one corner stood for your skill in investigation, another in interrogation, another was surveillance and the final one indicated if you were a company or corporate auditor, a regional auditor, or a national auditor and indicated your rank. The last one was interesting because ranks 1 to 99 was for a corporate auditor, ranks 100 to 199 was for regional auditors, and the remaining ranks of 200 to 300 was for national auditors.

My badge had a one in all positions except the one for corporate auditor which showed a twenty. When I asked how I had so much rank Tom indicated it was because of my various special statuses.

Carl and Eric proceeded to give a quick talk about the worries that microchips, parts, code, and other aspects may have leaked out and that we were going to do both an in-depth inventory of everything but also an electronic and interview-based audit. The expected time span shocked me as they said they would work for two weeks on this audit but apparently by the way everyone responded this was expected.

Part of me wondered why they did not think of this when the original executives were arrested but I kept that to myself. Carl issued assignments to certain green card wearing leaders and then assigned others to support those leaders. For example, a computer forensic auditor was assigned four men and a woman to examine all the files, logs, and software on the computers, another green card auditor was assigned to scan every receipt and purchase order for a much larger forensic accounting group to process off site. My name was called, and I was surprised that Eric indicated I was to work with Tom as an “indiscriminate auditor team”. Tom gave me a look that made me know he would explain afterward the meeting was done.

As the others left when Carl finished, some following Carl and some following Eric I was held back by Tom.

“So, our job is the best of the lot, which is the prize for the one who found the potential problem. We get to question everyone, examine all the evidence, check all the computers, we can literally do what we want in there. The only rule is that we do this as a team. This is so that I can use my trained skills while you use your local knowledge, well at least in theory. To be honest you probably know less of this secret project than I do, though only barely.

A few people came out wearing outfits like you would expect a nurse to

wear. They were unceremoniously escorted back inside by Carl who then

directed a team of auditors to start interrogating them.

Tom kept going until we reached an area clear of workers. Auditors were

streaming past us as he pulled me over.

“Where do you think we should go first?” he asked while looking me directly

in the eyes.

“Umm,” I said lamely as I started to think, “one second.” I rushed very

fast to think. I literally needed to think like a spy, which of course I

really was. The resistance would want hardware schematics, software, and if

possible would want access to a top person or two...

I also started thinking about software code when Tom waved his hand in front of my face “Yo space man, let's go somewhere and you can do this sitting down and we can compare notes”

I nodded to Tom and followed him as he went to an office. Upon entering he showed his badge and said “I need paper, a good pen, and for you to then get out” to both the agents and the man they were questioning.

The office worker, because it was so obviously an office with filing bins for reports and such, opened a drawer, withdrew a leather covered notebook of paper, opened the center and withdrew three stylish pens, and then the two agents escorted him out post haste.

Tom proceeded to rip the top five pages off and when he saw I was watching he said, “Could have some sort of evidence, we will send these off to get tested for indents in the paper from previous writing and someone will make sure it is added to the investigation”. He then put them to the side and put on top of them a small slip of paper that said in big bold words “Evidence”. Then he looked at me and said “Now where were you” as he slipped the pen onto the pad.

“Well,” I said “I think that they would want one, some, or all of three things...”

Tom gestured impatiently for me to continue.

“The first would be a person inside here. It seems we are looking for such a person right now with the” and then I hesitated for a second before rushing out the word “audits”. I guess the word still causes me issues. Tom nodded and wrote down “persons” after a number 1. He then wrote down lower a 2 and looked at me expectantly.

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“The second one would be computer stuff. Emails, specifications, diagrams, parts lists,” and I continued as I somewhat slipped into a list of what mom would want if she were telling me what to do, “payroll documents, shipping manifests, receipt's and reimbursements for them, images, encrypted files, compressed files, and even just the locations of access points and user names and passwords.” I sat there to think for a second and looked at Tom.

Tom appeared to be impressed with this list and was busy writing as fast as he could. I continued “I think we prevent any electronic devices?” and a nod was given by Tom to that “so then they need to smuggle out information via paper documents or even old-style photographs. I did not see a way to screen things coming in so maybe they got an old camera style that printed out pictures on the spot for their efforts?” and I looked askance at Tom.

Tom looked pale and worried.” That...” he almost stuttered even! “That would be quite ingenious and would work, damn... One second”. And with that Tom slipped out a phone and started texting asap to someone.

“What was number three” he suddenly asked me.

“Oh, that would be hardware. They would want any parts they could get, memory cards, an example of what it looks like, and more. In fact, if the item is shipped, they would probably want the shipping information so they could grab one”.

“Well, none have been shipped anywhere and in theory we have never transmitted anything from in here to the outside world, the only thing is paperwork delivered by hand of the results of each new version of the device.”

“Are we certain?” I asked, then pondered a way to get them to waste time. Then I remembered a book I was allowed to quote, one which I got from the company library, rather than our advanced methods.” What about morse code through the exterior lights, or indestructible's passed through the toilets? Is all trash and refuse burned? Maybe someone thought of something that resists heat higher than the local furnace?”. It was reaching but it was methods the resistance had considered and discarded because each could be detected if the government actually put in effort at checking everything thoroughly during an audit. That might be why that book was allowed because it would allow auditors a way to detect amateurs using those methods and not realizing the risks of using it.” We probably need to inventory everything in this building entirely just to be sure there is not something we would not want in the building?” I looked at him with what I hoped was an inquisitive look to see his opinion.

“Oh, the old camera thing actually makes sense, if you were trying to get something past chemical sniffers it might not work if they were able to smell it, but this place does not have any of those... The security methods were seen as very adequate. In fact,” and Tom continued, “a rubber band around paper would work to get that information out if not checked well enough”.

I sat there thinking of how I might try to get past security and a couple of ideas came up. I considered if I should mention them but the idea of slowing or even stopping the research was so important to me that I decided to give away a couple of them and see where it went.” Could they write inside their clothes? Or use lasers to etch the inside of their shoes with the information? What about those pens that detect where they are on a surface and spray ink as appropriate, could they use ultraviolet or other inks to hide information on clothes or even their bodies?”

I knew that being forced to undress every day to enter and to discard clothes everyday would become wearisome to the staff and that it would also affect their performance and even possibly make some despise the government they currently were happily working for. It was a gamble but one I thought would work to give the resistance time to plan to get something out or even for me to do something... anything...

Alarmingly at first, I saw Tom collapse in his seat.” Shit” he said as he sagged.” No one, I mean no one, is going to like this and yet, and yet...” Tom paused...” The fuckery of it is this all is plausible. And it won't be something any of them want to hear.”

Tom's language was quite different than the normal , in fact I thought I never had heard him swearing like that before and I sort of pulled back from the desk I was sitting next to. His body language was also vastly different than normal, and my training kicked in... He was afraid.

“Sorry,” said Tom, “the circumstances mean bad news is about to get passed on and in a way that will probably cost someone in our ranks his life. The problem now is personal survival for all of us as you really are hitting this nail on its head. So, there is two routes, the first is not going to work for long and that is to bury the problem under paperwork or to just ignore it. This is a babied program, and the Elites are definitely wanting it to be completed. The second is to pick one of our auditors to take the blame and make sure the buck is fully passed onto him. That usually never happens to the top guys but instead would usually hit a guy like you and me. I wish I had a flask right now; I could use a hard drink because I really do not want to go down that road.”

This of course alarmed me.” Am I... I mean we... In danger?” I asked. I may be a bit worried, and my voice may have cracked a bit there...

“Yes, no, maybe?” He shrugged.” All I do know is that we need to track down any and all escaped materials and anyone who pulled a fast one on us. It may be the only way to resolve this with few issues.”

So, it seemed we needed a supposed traitor and we needed proof that we could use. We also needed to actually get some of the technology or at least an understanding of the weaknesses of it. I could do none of this just sitting here and with my life on the proverbial line for both being resistance and for being an auditor with a story the elites would not like I needed to get busy. Shuddering past my fears and feelings of inadequacy I pulled a deep breath.

Then I calmly said, “Okay how about we start touring this place to get a feel for the big picture while everyone else is busy checking things out?”

Tom nodded and we started the tour.