The basement was huge, and it was where the work within C.E.C.I.L. took place. It was the heart of the compound. Ceiling lights flickered at half-power in several rooms while our flashlight lit up the rest. In the centre of the lower level a stairwell ascended to the two greenhouses on the main floor. To the left were accommodations for staff, examination rooms, labs, offices, infirmary, and an operating theatre. Signs in black lettering pointed out these facilities and included more dismal ones such as Quarantine and Morgue. On the right a large cafeteria, kitchen, and laundry facility filled the space. A corridor ran around the perimeter. And below the first level chambers of the north and south wings, laundry chutes opened into bins waiting for soiled linens and clothing. The hallway be
