As the crew chief moved his men out to fetch their cleanup equipment, Silas Ek phoned the fire department and told them to call back their engines.
When Ek hung up, Jupe suggested, “Now why don’t you phone downstairs for the head of your virus control team?”
Ek’s eyebrows shot up. “Now you look here, young fellow. I don’t… ”
But Jupe went on. “I read in Science magazine about a virus that interfered with the scan controls on two monitors and set one of them on fire. Maybe whoever planted the virus in your graphics computers also planted another one in your video security system.”
Ek’s severe face suddenly paled as he realized what Jupiter was saying. He picked up his phone. “Send Natalie Jordan up. I want her to do an autopsy on my video monitors.” He explained about the fire and Jupiter’s virus theory, and he hung up.
“Look, Mr. Ek,” Jupiter said sincerely. “I understand your problem. When companies are hit by a virus, they don’t want any publicity about it.”
Ek nodded his bald head and sighed. “Yes. It’s especially bad for a company that relies heavily on computers, like us. It could hurt our image. Investors might lose faith in us, and that could make our stock plunge.”
“You can trust us not to talk,” Jupiter assured him.
“Right, guys?”
“Right!” Pete said.
“Not even if someone bribes us!” Bob exclaimed.
“How about if it’s a foxy girl?” Pete inquired.
“Wel-l-l,” Bob said, pretending to think.
Ek started to look upset.
Jupiter whacked Bob’s back. “Ignore them, Mr. Ek. They’re always making dense jokes.”
Silas Ek tried to smile, but he was too worried. Just then the maintenance crew hustled in with mops and buckets.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ek said. Now that he had admitted to the guys about the virus, he seemed more relaxed. “Let me give you a real tour of Oracle. After you risked your lives, the least I can do is trust you to keep our corporate secret about the virus.”
“Hey, great,” Pete said. “Does this mean I can tell Kelly?”
“Sorry, Charlie,” Silas Ek said, grinning. “That far I don’t go.”
The security chief led the Investigators down the stairs and into another corridor that extended beyond the computer graphics one. Again one side was lined with glass windows.
“These are production rooms,” Ek explained. “This first one is the Matte Room, where our artists paint fake backgrounds to use in some of the movies and commercials we do.”
On the other side of the glass, painters were creating a black outer-space sky with silver stars and planets, a golden sunset that looked very real until the guys noticed that two suns were setting, and the pearly interior of a nautilus shell.
“That looks like the Forest of Mythology from Cosmic Trek!” Pete said excitedly as he studied a ceiling-high canvas. Populated with vegetation that grew naturally to resemble ancient Roman gods and goddesses, the forest had appeared in the first two Trek films. “Didn’t you guys win a visual-effects Oscar for the Cosmic Trek movies?”
“Yup,” Silas Ek said. “We’re getting the forest ready for a spin-off we’re shooting now, and we hope to win Oscars for it and for this year’s Cosmic Trek, too.” He led them to the next room, “Here’s the Model Shop.”
Inside, workers designed, carved, sewed, and painted miniature spaceships, cars, swords, and even fruit.
“Why do you have to make them so small?” Bob asked. He leaned over to stare at a cluster of tiny musical instruments — guitar, bass, drums, and sax.
“Because they’re going to have to move through space. The car and swords levitate in a movie, while the fruit flies through time in a TV commercial.”
“You do a lot of commercials?” Jupe asked curiously.
“They’re a big part of our business,” Ek said. “To give you an idea, the U.S. spends about two billion dollars annually making commercials, and more are filmed here in the L.A. area than anywhere else, including New York.”
“So we’re top banana instead of the Big Apple,” Bob joked as they moved on.
“Hey, scope this out!” Pete said, amazed, as he gazed into the last room.
Bob feasted on the sight of fabulous monsters, extraterrestrials, and other nonhumans of every size and shape. He told Ek, “No wonder you had problems with people breaking in to steal stuff!”
“It’s a real fantasyland,” Ek agreed. “We call it the Creature Room. Here’s where our artists create monsters and grotesques.”
“There’s the Grim Speaker,” Jupiter said. “See him, guys? He’s behind the gorilla with the parrot’s beak.”
Fascinated, the Investigators studied the popular environmental spokesman. Tall and angular, the Grim Speaker wore his usual long green cobweb robe. He had big strong human hands and a cat’s soft whiskery face.
“He looks alive,” Pete said. “Like he could talk any minute!”
“Good,” Ek said, pleased. “That means we’re doing our job. Now I’ve got a real treat for you.” He led them outside onto a sidewalk that wound around sheds, garages, and film lots.
“Check it out!” Pete said as he looked up at a bullet-smooth spaceship nearly three stories tall. It was coated with silver metallic paint and shimmered invitingly in the sun. Encircled by a low fence, the ship stood at the back of the Oracle lot. Tall, thick trees hid it from the street.
Just then a loudspeaker boomed. “Silas Ek! Silas Ek! Please return to your office!”
Ek smiled at the guys. “Maybe Natalie Jordan has some news for me about the monitors. You three go on into the spaceship. We built it for that spin-off we’re filming. See if you can figure out what its role will be!”
Ek walked briskly back toward the warehouse, and the Investigators continued on past a shack to the beautiful ship. Workers passed by carrying costumes and pushing dollies stacked with lumber.
“You know, Pete,” Bob said, “I think Jupe’s losing his marbles.”
“Whoever said he had any in the first place?”
“Okay, guys,” said Jupe. “What’s your problem?”
“Norton Rome,” Bob said, “I thought we came here to find him. How come you let Ek off the hook about Rome?”
“I didn’t.” Jupiter corrected him. “I’m reeling Ek in right now. Look, it was a big deal for him to admit Oracle’s infected with a virus.”
“True,” Pete agreed.
“And now Ek’s taking us on this tour not just to thank us but because he wants information from us.”
“What can we tell him?” Bob asked.
“Not much, but he doesn’t know that,” Jupe said. “I’m hoping we’ll learn something from him instead. Don’t you see?” He looked at them, his eyes shining. “Ek fits the description the apartment manager gave us for one of the guys who was asking about Rome.”
“Right!” Bob smacked his forehead. “Man, am I dumb. Business suit, baldheaded, and a severe face. I forgot! But why is he looking for Rome?”
“That is the question.” Jupe said.
“Probably worried just like us,” Pete suggested. “I mean, Rome works for the company.”
“Maybe,” Jupe said as they tromped up the ramp to the rocket ship.
“What else could it be?” Bob asked.
The guys stepped inside the tall silvery craft.
“Major disappointment!” Bob said as the Investigators gazed up the hollow wood interior. “Where’s the high-tech equipment, the laser guns, the holograms?”
The walls were unfinished wood, and the only structure inside was a narrow wood staircase that zigzagged up to an open loft.
“Good question,” said Pete. “But shooting interiors here would be a nightmare. There’s no room.” He looked up. “There still might be a control panel or something in the loft.” He took the stairs two at a time, Bob right behind and Jupe trailing.
But as they neared the top, the stairs seemed to shudder. The guys quit climbing and held on to the rail.