- Nils Madsen: Welcome to the Skjaldm r International Seed Vault.
- Desi: This is a pretty impressive structure.
- Nils Madsen: We take security very seriously. Every door requires a different key. There are three doors alone before we get into this tunnel, all needing a swipe card and a code.
- Riley Davis: I didn't see any guards posted outside.
- Nils Madsen: We don't have any. The vault was built as a peace imitative with global cooperation. Armed guards would send a bad signal.
- Angus MacGyver: And realistically, with polar bears outnumbering humans to one, and a remote location closer to the North Pole than any civilization, I doubt there was ever a need for a guard station.
- Nils Madsen: You sound like your dad. He's a good man. Always the smartest in the room. He's very proud of you. I'm sure he tells you that all the time.
- Angus MacGyver: That's always very nice to hear.
- Nils Madsen: I have to say, I'm relieved that you were all able to come on such short notice to help us.
- Desi: So what can you tell us about your missing employee?
- Nils Madsen: Last Thursday, Karl showed up for work, used his card to enter the vault at the start of his shift, and never swiped to leave. We thoroughly searched the vault, even tried to track his phone, still no sign of him. It's as of he just, uh, disappeared.
- Desi: We'll need to talk with whoever else was working that day.
- Nils Madsen: Karl was alone. Other than the few days a year when countries make deposits, this facility is mostly unmanned.
- Angus MacGyver: Well, can you show us to the vault?
- Nils Madsen: Of course. You'll have to put this on. Resting temperature inside the vault is negative ten degrees Celsius to protect the seeds.
- Desi: Think warm thoughts.
- Nils Madsen: This is our main seed room, where every deposit is stored. The vault is built into an old mine. Everything is fortified with permafrost walls. The entrance where you came in is also the only exit out of here.
- Riley Davis: So somewhere in this room, Karl disappeared. Not many places he could've gone.
- Nils Madsen: This facility was built for one purpose only: to store seeds. Not a lot of need for other rooms.
- Angus MacGyver: So the exterior is literally a mountain, the only entrance is that door, and we know Karl didn't use it, so where'd he go?
- Riley Davis: What about access tunnels? Ventilation shafts?
- Nils Madsen: No access tunnel. All ventilation is too small for a person to fit through.
- Desi: It's like Karl just disappeared into the mountain.