Chapter 8 - Finding Tampered Screws On The Ductwork Ceiling Covers
Continuing my inspection of the basement ducts, I climbed a sturdy metal stepladder near the main trunk line. My flashlight beam cut through the dusty air, illuminating the large galvanized steel joints overhead.
I noticed fresh tool marks on the insulation wrapping surrounding the nursery supply line. Someone had sliced open the fiberglass batting to install the secondary injection pump hidden inside the wall.
The sheet metal screws holding the inspection hatch in place were brand new PHILLIPS heads. Every other duct joint in the basement used older, rusted hexagonal bolts installed during original construction.
I reached out, testing the tension of the screws with my bare fingers. They spun easily, having been left un-torqued for quick, frequent access and maintenance refills.
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Inside the small access hatch sat a battery-powered pump module bearing a faded pharmaceutical serial number. The reservoir bag attached to the pump was half-full of a clear, viscous liquid.
This wasn't a medical treatment; this was a slow, calculated delivery system designed to mimic chronic illness. Every breath the twins took carried microscopic particles of this mysterious chemical compound.
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