Mystery At The Museum

The quiet was the most challenging part.  The halls were vacant with no sound or movement.  The desk had no entertainment to keep Dylan awake.  The night shift pays more but is always the most boring job in the world.  The silence was welcoming at first, with the world at a standstill.  The museum was full of so many things, and all stood alone as the night arrived.  Dylan looked over the many screens that showed nothing. Even a shadow would be more interesting at this point.  The halls were cleaned for hours as the lights shone, but no real movement could be seen.  Each night was the same, with no more than an occasional shadow tripping the cameras. His eyes blurred as he sat at most of the screens were clear.  Even the basement rooms were clear, as they contained costly items, such as the Circum Diamond, one of the rarest in the world, in terms of both shape and color.   Dylan could just stare and wonder at such priceless items. 

One of the screens flickered, but only for a second. Dylan looked with only concern, but the diamond still seemed in place.  Only if this had not happened would he now have to walk the empty corridors to ensure everything was fine.  With his tablet in hand, he started for the dungeon of the museum with caution.   Dylan was flustered that he even had to get out of his seat, but it was part of his job.  The haunting, silent halls were only another discomfort after much effort to get to the employee elevator.  His badge was recognized, and he was allowed to ride.  It could just be a glitch, he thought.  The system was so old that it was prone to flickering.  Still, the echoing silence was not enough to stop falling asleep.  The night was uneventful, yet a minor glitch could cause some trouble.  The ride was still silent as Dylan tried to keep his eyes from closing. Finally, the ride to the basement descent was completed as Dylan had his gun on as he entered the safe room.  The diamond sat in the middle, all its glory on display, but at closer inspection, it was gone.  There was no entrance to the room except by the elevator.  Dylan called for support over the radio as the police were on their way. It was gone, but how did they even get into the room?  Dylan saw it much earlier, and the room was only occupied by him.  Dylan drew his gun as he searched for the thief.  The other items, including the rare paintings and the ancient artifacts, seemed intact.  Not another soul in the room to find or another way in or out. 

The elevator was opening as many others were excited to see the sight of the missing jewel.  It was less than an hour, and the place was already filled.  All of this for a small flicker on screen, then both the diamond and thieves disappeared in thin air. Dylan sweated as he did his job, and he was sure he would have to find another. Dylan could only stand stiff as his supervisor stormed towards him.   His red face was seen by all as he pushed Dylan to the ground, his anger palpable in the air, his voice booming through the silent halls.

"How did this happen in a safe room? You were watching the cameras," Supervisor Macks demanded.

"I was watching till the glitch and even came down without seeing anyone,"   Dylan replied.

"The alarm did not go off either despite you did not fall asleep," Macks demanded.

"No alarms or anything, I was awake the whole time and came as soon as possible," Dylan replied.

Macks started searching the room for other entrances as Dylan looked at the pillar that once held the diamond.   It was sleek, but the glass looked untouched with no marks on it.  His eyes pointed to the center of the display.  A round disk that was off-center.  It could have simply pushed down the pillar without even having anyone in the room.  The pillar was attached to another disk on the ground.  The systems might have been compromised, and the pillar rigged.  Dylan gently pushed the pillar, and it moved to a hole in the ground. The shock of this discovery was palpable, and Dylan could hardly believe what he was seeing. 

All the investigators were called over with the new information.  The sun had not even risen, and they were already discovering where the tunnel led.  Dylan was pushed aside to find this diamond before the museum could open.  Dylan returned to his desk as the others searched for the item, waiting to be fired.  Macks came back upstairs and fumed but never said anything.  It was a night of excitement for once, thought Dylan. He was glad to let the others take over as he sat at a hopefully tedious job.  The sun was coming up and shone through the doors. The night was long, but the mystery began with who stole the Circum Diamond. The anticipation of the upcoming investigation was palpable, and Dylan was ready to delve into the mystery.