To his delight, it was indeed a tool store. Inside there was a myriad of cutting tools; knives, pliers, screwdrivers, scissors, pretty much anything else someone might need. He selected several different scalpels of varying blade width, considering each one in turn. Then he discovered one was so thin, the blade was like a hair. As he pulled it from the cupboard, the blade glittered in the light. Oliver realized it must be made of diamond. Diamond was known to be the best cutting tool in the world. This was definitely the knife for his task!

Overjoyed by his first success, Oliver closed the cupboard doors carefully and began to search for a microscope. Hed definitely seen one during Armandos tour but he couldnt quite recall where it had been. The tour had been scant at best. And he definitely wasnt going to ask Lucas. The bitter old man would probably send him in the wrong direction just for his own amusement.

Oliver retraced his steps through the factory, heading for the place he knew Armando had begun, then following the most logical route he could. There were several rooms that Armando had poked his head into before deciding there was nothing of importance inside, so Oliver ignored those, because he hadnt even looked in them. Then there was the room with the Birds Eye View invention and another room full of half-finished automatons, but neither contained the microscope.

Oliver stood in the corridor, baffled. The factory had so many strange corridors and side rooms it was impossible to orient himself.

He began to wander a little aimlessly. Soon, he found himself standing outside the black-and-yellow-striped steel door. He looked at it curiously, and wondered again what might be inside. Probably the most incredible invention ever, Oliver reasoned, letting his imagination go wild. Whatever it was, it was something that only Armando had ever seen. Even Lucas had not been trusted to look inside. Oliver wondered if one day he might be allowed inside. Perhaps if he cracked the invisibility coat, Armando would reward him with a peek inside the secret room.

Oliver needed to get back to the task at hand. He turned. To his surprise, Horatio the bloodhound was standing behind him.

What are you doing here? Oliver asked, bending down to rub the old dog behind the ears.

Horatio let out a whine. He turned and trotted, in an arthritic kind of way, to the end of the corridor and stopped there. He looked back expectantly, as if waiting for Oliver. Shrugging, Oliver followed the old dog. But before he reached him, Horatio took off in a trot again, disappearing around the corner. Curiously, and with the distinct impression he was being led somewhere, Oliver turned the corner also. And sure enough, Horatio was waiting for him, looking back at him with droopy, sad eyes.