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Tracey
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Warren Godby
Not available in all states.
Gordon Porlock
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Narrator
Hey, friends, season three is fast approaching, but while you wait, I'm sharing some shows I think you might like. Red Valley is one of those shows. I've been intrigued by Red Valley for a while. As I noticed podcast players were recommending our shows to our respective listeners as ones they might also like. And I think that's right on the money. Let me break it down. The story is about Warren Godby, who works for this huge tech corporation and starts to get in over his head as he's investigating research that is off the books. This story has drama, horror, and of course, what I probably enjoy the most. It's really, really funny, but in just the right measure, like the perfect ratio of chocolate chip to cookie ranch to pizza pickles to peanut butter. Don't let my weird food preferences deter you. This is truly an engrossing story that I think you'll love. Their fourth season just finished releasing, so. So this is the perfect time to jump in. Now, please enjoy the first episode of Red Valley.
Tracey
Red Valley is intended for mature audiences and contains scenes some listeners may find distressing. Please go to RedValleyPod.com for full content warnings on every episode. Do you want to continue?
Doug Holder
Is that it? Is it on?
Warren Godby
Wait, hang on a second. Wait. Yep, it's on.
Doug Holder
Okay.
Warren Godby
Okay, go ahead.
Doug Holder
Wait. Should we start this conversation again or what?
Warren Godby
No, no, let's just carry on.
Doug Holder
That doesn't sound very formal to me.
Warren Godby
Well, it isn't formal. It's private. I thought that was the point.
Tracey
What?
Doug Holder
I want you to take this seriously. Okay?
Warren Godby
I do. I am.
Doug Holder
I need you to.
Warren Godby
I promise you I'm taking this seriously. Come on. You asked me to record it. I went and got your Dictaphone. Go ahead, please.
Doug Holder
How much do you know about cryonic preservation?
Warren Godby
Cryonic Preservation.
Doug Holder
The preservation of human beings at extreme low temperature.
Warren Godby
You mean like. Like Walt Disney?
Doug Holder
I swear to God, if you say anything about Walt Disney's frozen fucking head, I'm hanging up this phone. Right.
Gordon Porlock
Sam.
Tracey
Good afternoon. Thanks for holding. You're through to Storage Solutions. How can I help?
Warren Godby
Oh, hi. I wonder if you can. I'm Warren Godby, I'm from accounts.
Tracey
Good afternoon, Mr. Godby. How can I help?
Warren Godby
Yes, I'm trying to find the department that looks after one of the company's facilities.
Tracey
Which facility would that be?
Warren Godby
It's a seed vault.
Tracey
What?
Warren Godby
Sorry, yeah, it sounded weird to me too. A seed vault? I think it's like a cold storage thing for keeping emergency crops, supplies.
Tracey
That doesn't sound like anything we have here.
Warren Godby
Oh, really? I thought Storage Solutions would be the right place.
Tracey
No, try Agric Solutions.
Warren Godby
Agriculture. Good idea. Well, thank you.
Tracey
Thank you, Mr. Godby. Have a great afternoon. Goodbye.
Warren Godby
Goodbye.
Tracey
Hello, Aggregate Solutions, this is Tracey speaking. How can I help?
Warren Godby
Hello, my name's Warren Godby, I'm from Accounts. I'm looking into a facility that we have on our books and I can't actually find the department it comes under.
Tracey
You can't find the department?
Warren Godby
No. It sounds daft, doesn't it?
Tracey
What facility is it?
Warren Godby
It's a seed vault for storing seeds. I was pointed towards you guys.
Tracey
Never heard of it.
Warren Godby
Oh, that is a shame.
Tracey
Is there anything else I can help you with today?
Warren Godby
Well, yeah, I really wouldn't mind speaking to you.
Tracey
Mr. Jacobs is on annual leave till the 17th.
Warren Godby
Who is Mr. Jacobs?
Tracey
Thank you for your call. Goodbye.
Warren Godby
Hey, could I actually. Sorry, what did you say it was? A seed vault. What is. Is that geographical science?
Doug Holder
No, this is Bioscience.
Warren Godby
Sorry, do you have the extension?
Tracey
He wants to come in Wednesday.
Warren Godby
That's too long not to have a shower.
Tracey
That's all he can do. And he wants to do the cabinet doors.
Warren Godby
What's wrong with the cabinet doors?
Tracey
He wants to put those slow closing hinges on them so they don't slam.
Warren Godby
Why do we slam them too loudly?
Tracey
I don't know.
Warren Godby
Are people complaining that we slam our cabinets too loudly?
Tracey
He cares. It's his money.
Warren Godby
You tell him the shower's broken. He wants to change the hinges. The bloody cabinet.
Tracey
He said it'll extend their lifespan. You all right there?
Warren Godby
The lifespan.
Tracey
I know. He's such a dick.
Warren Godby
I'm sorry, Mr. Landlord. How many slams have these cabinet doors had? Two? 3,000? I'm sorry, honey, we can't move in here. There's just been too many slams. Per cabinet. It's false economy.
Tracey
And there's no shower.
Warren Godby
And there's no shower.
Tracey
You took your pills this morning.
Warren Godby
Doug. Hey, Warren.
Tracey
Just checking in.
Warren Godby
Yep. It's good to hear from you.
Tracey
Are you having fun?
Warren Godby
I. I am. Yeah. It is a goose chase, all right.
Tracey
No one's biting.
Warren Godby
I've been bouncing around all day long. I've still got some more to follow up on.
Tracey
You're getting an idea of the size of the company now?
Warren Godby
It's ridiculous. I'm sorry. It is.
Tracey
No, you're right.
Warren Godby
It is. I've never known anything like it.
Tracey
Welcome to Overhead. Keep digging. Gordon, this is Mr. Godby from Accounts. He's asked to see you.
Doug Holder
Oh, hi. I didn't have an appointment booked in.
Tracey
I've never booked an appointment for you before.
Doug Holder
Ah. Yeah. Okay. Well, thanks. Jenny, I. Oh, she's gone.
Warren Godby
Yeah. I'm glad it's not just me.
Doug Holder
What's that?
Warren Godby
Just. It seems really hard to talk to anyone around here. Everyone's so occupied.
Doug Holder
Well, don't take it personally. Probably just worried you're here to streamline their department or close it down completely. Something like that.
Warren Godby
Right. It's a shame. There's such a reputation that goes with accounts. I would like to change that if I could.
Doug Holder
Are you new?
Warren Godby
Yes. Three months in. Anyway, I really don't want to take up much of your time, so I'll just. Anyway, I've been around the houses a bit, looking for something. An account, obviously. I thought it was an ongoing project, but I can't find a trace of it anywhere, so I thought I'd Try yourselves in archives next. I know some departments get repurposed or maybe renamed, so.
Doug Holder
Right.
Warren Godby
What it is. Well, I think it's a seed bank or a seed vault, something like that. Like, they have one up in Svalbard in Norway. Like an end of the world resource of all the essential crops and seeds and whatever they call it. A doomsday vault. I'm starting to feel like this is a practical joke.
Doug Holder
You're talking about the Red Valley Seed vault.
Warren Godby
Sorry, the what?
Doug Holder
How long did you say you've been with the company?
Warren Godby
Three months. Sorry, what's Red Valley? Is that a name or a place.
Doug Holder
I have a card I could take?
Warren Godby
Oh, yeah.
Doug Holder
Yeah, I do.
Warren Godby
You're actually the first person to ask for one of these. There you go. That's me. This is.
Doug Holder
This is great.
Warren Godby
The Red Valley Seed Bowl.
Doug Holder
Right. You've definitely never heard of it?
Warren Godby
This is the first time I've heard anything about it. There's Just the usual, you know, loose ends in the budget review. And my line manager asked me to follow up on it.
Doug Holder
Your line manager?
Warren Godby
Doug Holder. Nice guy.
Doug Holder
Red Valley was a small holding next to a very small mountain called Bay and Bag, affectionately known as Bean Bag. Only no one's got any affection for it, so we just called it Ball Bag. Ball Bag, Yeah, indeed.
Warren Godby
You were there. You worked there yourself?
Doug Holder
No, I was just part of the redevelopment team. The land was snatched up by the government during the Cold War and they built a small missile tracking base on it. A tiny unit, a skeleton crew. People had been throwing around the idea of an emergency crop resource in the event of a nuclear incident. And as the site was already militarized and isolated, they started working on a vault.
Warren Godby
Then the Cold War, and then I guess the. The money stopped.
Doug Holder
Yeah, it did. It stood empty until Overhead acquired the company that had built the vault for the government. They bought it out entirely. And that's when I was put on the team to modernize the vault. To improve it to the highest standard.
Warren Godby
So why wasn't it finished?
Doug Holder
Well, you tell me. Accounts swooped in and killed it before we ever got the plans approved.
Warren Godby
I'm sorry, I. I wish I had an answer for that.
Doug Holder
If. If you want to see, I've still got the file for those plans on my screen right here.
Warren Godby
Yeah, yeah, that would actually be great.
Doug Holder
Just come around here then.
Warren Godby
Oh, yeah, yeah, that's it.
Doug Holder
Just scoot around here. Here we go.
Warren Godby
This is just a bunch of adverts for tortoises.
Doug Holder
I know. I'm buying a tortoise.
Gordon Porlock
Why?
Doug Holder
Swear to God, me? You've never heard of the Red Valley sea boat until I just told you.
Warren Godby
What? Why?
Doug Holder
Swear to me or we're gonna have a problem.
Warren Godby
I swear.
Doug Holder
You've never heard of it.
Warren Godby
I'm learning a lot today.
Doug Holder
You swear?
Warren Godby
I swear.
Doug Holder
You swear?
Warren Godby
Could you take your hand off my knee?
Doug Holder
Look, Warren, if they're sending the Butterwoodn't melt new boy looking for Red Valley, it'll be for a reason. And not a happy, touchy feely, smiley reason. A creepy, suspicious, nasty one. Trust me.
Warren Godby
Look, Mr. Porlock, you've been really helpful. I'm very grateful. I said I wouldn't take up much of your valuable time and neither of us have blinked for about 30 seconds, so down.
Doug Holder
Are you recording this, Warren?
Warren Godby
Am I what?
Doug Holder
Recording this. You should be. I am.
Warren Godby
You're recording this conversation right now?
Doug Holder
You bet I am. Right?
Warren Godby
This. This. This is very funny. This is a very fine joke. I'm Sorry if the counts have treated you badly in the past.
Doug Holder
I'm not making fun of you, Warren. If I wanted to do that, I'd draw attention to your puby beard and your little toddler hands.
Warren Godby
Oh, nice. I feel so much better now.
Doug Holder
Stationary is just down the corridor. There's Dictaphones in there. Go in and help yourself. I want you to tape every conversation you have now, Warren. You might need it.
Warren Godby
Righty ho. Will do.
Doug Holder
I know how many are in there. I'll count them once you're gone.
Warren Godby
It's been wonderful meeting you, Mr. Porlock.
Doug Holder
Call me Gordon.
Warren Godby
I sure will.
Doug Holder
Warren. Yes? Have you streamlined any other department yet?
Warren Godby
Yes, I did a meat printing project.
Doug Holder
Meat printing?
Warren Godby
Yeah, like organic 3D printing. It was a terrible project. We closed the whole department.
Doug Holder
How did that feel?
Warren Godby
It was awful. Don't get a tortoise.
Doug Holder
Why not?
Warren Godby
They never love you back.
Tracey
You have three new messages. First new message received today at 1534 hours.
Doug Holder
Warren, I very much enjoyed our meeting this afternoon. Yeah, right. I'd be happy to help. My mobile number is 077-966-Sky-16.
Tracey
To listen again. Message deleted. Next new message received today at 1615 hours.
Doug Holder
Hi, Warren. I'm sending you something to your house. I hope you don't mind. I got your address from payroll. I just pretended to be you on the phone. It's funny, actually.
Tracey
To listen again, press 1. To save, press. Message deleted. New message. It received today at 1618 hours.
Doug Holder
Playing this back in my mind. I'm probably really creeping you out, aren't I? I am sorry I don't get to talk about this stuff very much. I'm sorry I pretended to be you on the phone to payroll and shouted at them to give me your address. Probably sounded weird when I just blurted that out in my last message. Anyway, call me when you get my package. I sent an overhead courier, actually, so you should.
Warren Godby
Hey.
Tracey
Hey, where are you?
Warren Godby
I got stuck on the M4. I'm sorry. I'm just past Newbury.
Tracey
Where are you going? To miss tea.
Warren Godby
I know. I'm sorry.
Tracey
Well, there's a package for you. Korea. Delivered it a while ago.
Warren Godby
How the fuck did he do that?
Tracey
Who?
Warren Godby
Don't worry. I've got some calls to make, babe. I'm really sorry.
Tracey
Okay. I'll see you when you're back.
Doug Holder
Warren Godby, Mr. Porlock. Gordon, please.
Warren Godby
Right. Gordon it is.
Doug Holder
Did you get my package?
Warren Godby
I did. You got that here really fast.
Doug Holder
The item wasn't with me. It was at a storage locker in a facility. We Have Near Chepstow. Nearer to you than it was to me. No one knows what it is. It's just another box with another barcode on it. You've opened it?
Warren Godby
Yes, I have. It's an old Dictaphone cassette.
Doug Holder
You haven't listened to it yet?
Warren Godby
No, I wanted to speak to you first. You know, the voicemails you left me earlier, the whole getting my address thing.
Doug Holder
Yes, yes, yes, yes. Sorry about that. I just wanted to move quickly, throw you right in, so to speak.
Warren Godby
Throw me into what?
Doug Holder
Are you recording this conversation?
Warren Godby
No.
Doug Holder
It's the one thing I asked you to do. If you're not being careful enough, even at this stage. I don't know if I want to take this any further, Gordon.
Warren Godby
The only purpose of my visit was to understand the use of our funds in and around a seed vault facility, Red Valley, whatever that is. To answer an inquiry from my line manager, Doug. This is all really.
Doug Holder
Please turn on your recorder, hold it up to the phone and record it.
Warren Godby
Fine. Hang on.
Doug Holder
You're alone, I take it?
Warren Godby
Sorry, Say that again.
Doug Holder
You're alone.
Warren Godby
Yes. It's late. My wife's in bed already.
Doug Holder
Is that it? Is it on?
Warren Godby
Wait, hang on a second. Wait. Yep, it's on.
Doug Holder
Okay.
Warren Godby
Okay, go ahead.
Doug Holder
Wait. Should we start this conversation again or what?
Warren Godby
No, no, let's just carry on.
Doug Holder
That doesn't sound very formal to me.
Warren Godby
Well, it isn't formal. It's private. I thought that was the point. What?
Doug Holder
I want you to take this seriously, okay?
Warren Godby
I do. I am.
Doug Holder
I need you to.
Warren Godby
I promise you I'm taking this seriously. Come on. You asked me to record it. I went and got your Dictaphone. Go ahead, please.
Doug Holder
How much do you know about cryonic preservation?
Warren Godby
Cryonic preservation? Um. I. I don't know. Is. Is that like cryogenics?
Doug Holder
No, no, it's not like that at all. Everyone knows the word cryogenics. That's not what this is. I mean, that is part of it. Maybe that's where it started. I. I don't know. That there isn't a cryogenics division anymore. I mean, that I know of. Who knows, right? But cryogenics is not the term I'm trying to explain. Cryogenics deals with the production of extreme low temperature and the effects of those temperatures. I'm talking about cryonics. And that deals very specifically with one thing, okay? Human beings.
Warren Godby
Human beings.
Doug Holder
The preservation of human beings at extreme low temperature.
Warren Godby
You mean like. Like Walt Disney?
Doug Holder
I swear to God, if you say anything about Walt Disney's frozen fucking Head. I'm hanging up this phone right now.
Warren Godby
I don't know what you mean.
Doug Holder
Don't fucking laugh at me.
Warren Godby
I'm not laughing at you. I just don't know what you're trying to tell me.
Doug Holder
Fine. You want to save the backstory for later? We'll do it that way. Some people have their bodies frozen at the point of death in the hope that one day they can be brought back to life. A handful of very optimistic and very rich people. We own one of the companies that do that. Okay, yes, okay. That's all legal. That's all above board. People can spend their money on whatever they want. Liposuction, buy to rent housing, a National Trust membership. Fine. You want all your blood drained out in exchange for a cryoprotectant compound that will preserve your organs and tissues in the chance you might be resuscitated one day and live in the future, be my guest. But no one wants to talk about how we get to that future, Warren.
Warren Godby
What are you talking about?
Doug Holder
These people imagine it'll be like the movies. They'll wake up like Sigourney Weaver in Alien. Peaceful, in her little hypersleep pod years from now, looking fabulous. Some of them, they don't even want to wait till they die. That's much more grisly and complicated. They'd like to be frozen right now while they're fit and healthy, ready to see the future. But they're not interested in the cost. And I don't mean money, Warren, hard as that might be for someone like you to understand. Look, Gordon, there's not a lot of seeds in the Red Valley seed vault. Warren, listen to the tape. Don't tell Doug Holder and record everything you do.
Tracey
Red Valley was written by Jonathan Williams and directed by Alan Mandel and Jonathan Williams. All recording, editing, music and sound design by Richard Campbell at Orpheus Studio London with Carol Pestridge as creative consultant. Performances by Jonathan Williams, Alan Mandel, May Cunningham, John Cook Lynch, Carol Pestridge, Chloe Gardiner, Richard Campbell, the Macass Hunt and Lee Bowers. For more information and content, you can find us on social media. RedValleyPod. If you like what you heard, please rate, review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. The Fable and Folly Network where fiction producers flourish.
Gordon Porlock
The first thing you need to know about the Vegas Sci Fi Adventure podcast is that you're not just listening to someone tell you a story. You are stepping into a world. And Vega Rex, the woman at the center of this saga, is the currently sitting at the top of it. This is not by accident. For millennia, the country Vega calls home has been carefully honing the skills of its state contracted killers, and these so called holy warriors have gotten real good at taking down the world's worst criminals, or as they would call it, cleansing. 400 kills into her career, Vega is the most decorated hunter there has ever been, and likely would have stayed that way if it had not been for him. An explosive encounter with the terrorist sets Vega on a path of revenge that is so thoroughly illegal that before this story is done, she will have risked it all, life, limb and love to satisfy her vengeance and keep her record of righteous kills perfect. My name is Evoma Okoro and I have so much more to tell you about this. Check out Vega, a Sci Fi Adventure podcast anywhere. You listen to them because, baby, I'm just getting started.
In the "Desert Skies Presents: Red Valley" episode, listeners are immersed in a gripping narrative that intertwines corporate intrigue, mysterious projects, and the dark underbelly of corporate operations. The episode primarily focuses on Warren Godby, an employee from the Accounts department, as he delves into the enigmatic Red Valley Seed Vault project.
[02:22] Warren Godby initiates his quest by reaching out to different departments within the company to gather information about the Red Valley Seed Vault. His initial attempts with Storage Solutions and Agric Solutions yield little to no information, indicating the project's obscurity within the organization.
Warren Godby: "It's a seed vault. I think it's like a cold storage thing for keeping emergency crops, supplies."
Timestamp: [04:37]
Undeterred, Warren contacts Aggregate Solutions, only to find that the department is unaware of the seed vault's existence.
Warren Godby: "It's a seed vault for storing seeds. I was pointed towards you guys."
Timestamp: [05:27]
Warren's investigation leads him to Doug Holder, who appears evasive and uncooperative. Their conversation reveals deeper layers of secrecy surrounding the Red Valley project.
Doug Holder: "You're here to streamline their department or close it down completely."
Timestamp: [07:54]
As the dialogue unfolds, it's evident that Doug Holder possesses critical information about the seed vault but is reluctant to share it freely.
In a pivotal moment, Doug Holder introduces Warren to the historical context of the Red Valley Seed Vault, originally established during the Cold War as an emergency crop repository.
Doug Holder: "Red Valley was a small holding next to a very small mountain called Bay and Bag, affectionately known as Bean Bag. Only no one's got any affection for it, so we just called it Ball Bag."
Timestamp: [09:39]
He explains how the project was halted by the Accounts department before it could be fully realized, hinting at internal corporate conflicts and possible ulterior motives.
Doug Holder's demeanor becomes increasingly suspicious as he urges Warren to record their conversations, emphasizing the need for discretion.
Doug Holder: "I want you to tape every conversation you have now, Warren. You might need it."
Timestamp: [12:20]
This directive raises alarms about the true nature of the Red Valley project and Doug Holder's intentions, suggesting that there are significant stakes involved.
A turning point in the episode occurs when Doug Holder introduces the concept of cryonics to Warren, revealing a connection between the seed vault and the preservation of human beings at extreme low temperatures.
Doug Holder: "Some people have their bodies frozen at the point of death in the hope that one day they can be brought back to life."
Timestamp: [17:25]
This revelation deepens the mystery, linking the seed vault to potentially nefarious activities involving human preservation and future resurrection.
The interaction between Warren and Doug escalates as Doug becomes more confrontational, mocking Warren's professionalism and urgency.
Doug Holder: "You should be. I am."
Timestamp: [17:08]
Warren's frustration grows as he grapples with the unsettling information and the lack of transparency from his superiors.
The episode culminates with Warren receiving a mysterious package containing a Dictaphone cassette, further entangling him in the convoluted web of corporate secrecy surrounding Red Valley.
Warren Godby: "You've recorded this conversation right now?"
Timestamp: [15:43]
The introduction of the Dictaphone serves as a narrative device, hinting at upcoming twists and the potential for Warren to uncover deeper secrets within the company.
Warren Godby: "I've been bouncing around all day long. I've still got some more to follow up on."
[06:58]
Doug Holder: "If they're sending the Butterwoodn't melt new boy looking for Red Valley, it'll be for a reason. And not a happy, touchy feely, smiley reason. A creepy, suspicious, nasty one."
[11:16]
Doug Holder: "You’ve got any other questions?"
[18:14]
The episode delves into themes of corporate espionage, the ethical implications of cryonics, and the lengths individuals might go to uncover hidden truths within powerful organizations. Warren Godby's journey mirrors the classic detective motif, where his persistence leads him into morally gray areas and exposes the dark secrets of his employer.
"Desert Skies Presents: Red Valley" masterfully combines elements of drama, horror, and dark humor to create a compelling narrative that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats. Through Warren Godby's investigation, the episode explores the complexities of corporate secrecy and the human desire to uncover the truth, all while maintaining a tense and engaging storyline.
For those intrigued by corporate mysteries and the ethical dilemmas surrounding advanced technologies like cryonics, this episode offers a thought-provoking and entertaining experience.