After confirming that the top brass of the Lightning Company had all "disappeared," the London Mayor ordered people to forcibly open the distillation workshop's doors.
The place was brightly lit but devoid of any human shadow, leaving only the retorts and other equipment with their metallic sheen lying there.
"Get them to start up!" Herbert turned his head and bellowed at the technicians.
The technicians looked at each other but indicated they had no idea how to operate the contraption.
By noon, two scholars from the Royal Society of the United Kingdom arrived at the Lightning Company.
After repeated verification and attempted operation, the older of the two said to Herbert, "I'm afraid, Mr. Mayor, that this thing appears to be nothing more than an empty iron can."
