Chapter 17

Chapter 17

December 27th Geneva, Switzerland

A my could hardly control her excitement. For her, visiting the world-renowned science center was like a kid going to Disneyland. Unless you were a scientist, it was difficult to comprehend the importance of their work. Amy tried to describe the concept to Peter in layman's terms.

"It was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN. It's only the world's biggest, highest-energy particle collider."

She looked at him. His eyes hadn't glazed over yet, so she continued.

"It took ten years—from 1998 to 2008—and more than ten thousand scientists from hundreds of universities across more than one hundred countries to build it!"

He was still following her explanation, so she went on, "It was built to discover why matter has mass, and that might advance our understanding of other dimensions."

That's when he gave her a sideways glance.

"Stay with me," Amy said. "It was very controversial because it operates by smashing particles together."

"That much I can understand," Peter finally spoke.

"In fact, the Italian physicist Francesco Calogero wrote an essay in 2000 claiming that it could destroy the earth and send it into a black hole."

"Oh, boy." The color seemed to have drained from Peter's face.

Amy patted him on the arm. "Well, we're still here."

"That's a relief. But for how long?"

"Does anybody know the answer to that question?"

"Are we having an existential conversation now?" Peter just wanted this part of the trip to be over.

"Only if you want to."

"Not really."

"Okay. I get it." Amy smiled. She knew she could be very tiring when she went on one of her academic tangents. She changed the subject to the mountain ranges below the aircraft.

"Wow. You can see Mont Blanc in the distance. Too bad we won't be here long enough to really see it."

"We are seeing it." Peter leaned across to peek out the window.

"Oh, you know what I mean." Amy smushed her face.

Peter chuckled. "I do. Just teasing."

Geneva sits at the southern tip of Lake Geneva, surrounded by the Alps and Jura Mountains. From the window of the plane, it looked exactly like a picture postcard.

"Have you decided what you're going to do while I'm at the center?"

"It will depend on the weather. I thought about hiking, but I think it might be just a little colder than I'm used to. Look at all that snow." He pointed to the white-capped scenery as the plane made its final approach.

"I'm sure you'll find something you'll enjoy."

"How long is the tour?"

"They told me to be prepared to spend at least three hours there. I am going to meet with a few of the scientists after the tour. Oh, and I will have to leave my phone with security, so I will be out of pocket for most of the time."

"Alright. We'll pick a meet-up time and place before you leave in the morning."

"Sounds good. I want you to know how much I appreciate you humoring me." Amy batted her eyelashes.

"What, and let you loose in a foreign country?" Peter chuckled. "You could end up who knows where."

"Oh, stop." Amy gently slapped his arm again.

"You keep that up, and I'll be wearing a sling."

She was just about to do it again and then stopped herself. "Sorry. It's just that I'm so excited."

"I hadn't noticed," he teased again.

She slapped him again, then said, "I'll buy the sling for you." Then she gasped. "Oh, geez! Did I pack the scrapbooks?"

"No, you didn't." He paused. "I did."

Amy let out a huge gush of air. "Thank you. Thank you."

"I knew you were in too much of a tizzy to think of everything."

"You are very kind," Amy said fondly.

"As are you. You were already out the door when I did a once-around the house to be sure everything was intact. Cat food. Litter. Basket for the mail. A list of emergency numbers. And there was your little pile sitting on the chair in the dining room, so I stuffed them in my suitcase."

"What would I do without you, Peter?" Amy was very sincere.

"Probably leave the house without your shoes."

"Well, that I haven't done," she said, and smirked.

"Not yet."

She gave him another light tap on the arm. She seemed to dot almost every sentence with one. They had a playful relationship. An accountant and a scientist. A perfect example that stereotypes often do not apply.

The jet reached the gate, and they followed the crowd to immigration, then to baggage, and on to customs. They realized they were going to have to go through the same routine when they landed in Naples.

"Keep all your documents together. Better yet, give them to me," Peter instructed her.

"I'm going to need ID," Amy responded.

"Your driver's license should do. If you lose your passport, that would be a much bigger hassle."

"You're such a grown-up," Amy said.

"Good thing." He grabbed the tote bag from under Amy's seat, as she was about to forget it. "You may need this."

"Oops."

"Was that your quote in your yearbook?"

"Of course. What else would it be?" She grinned.

CERN was only fifteen minutes from the airport, with several nearby hotels, but they decided to stay at the Fairmont on the lake. They were too early to check in, so they asked the cab driver if he could take them on a short scenic tour. The man spoke with a French accent and said he was happy to oblige. He drove north, past the commune of Pregny-Chambésy, where there are a number of foreign missions due to the proximity to the United Nations. He then drove east toward the lake and stopped at Plage du Vengeron, a popular lakeshore swimming area in the summer, but also quite beautiful in the winter. From there, he drove south along the Rue de Lausanne, where parks and museums rested alongside the lake. As they approached the hotel, Jet d'Eau, the Geneva Fountain, was rising almost five hundred feet into the air. One of the largest fountains in Switzerland, it represents power, strength, and ambition. It was an unquestionable hub for banking and international politics.

Once they checked into the hotel, they took a quick stroll along the lake, but after fifteen minutes, they realized they really weren't equipped for the weather. They were going to be there for two days and didn't want to overpack with bulky clothes. They hurried back to the warmth of the hotel and then had an early dinner.

When they got back to their room, Amy was wired and bursting with excitement. Peter didn't know what to do to keep her from bouncing off the walls. Maybe cognac? Brandy? He phoned room service to see what was available. "What do you recommend to help relax?"

The voice on the other end had a French accent. "Monsieur, I recommend a hot cup of Caotina with a snifter of cognac on the side. You can add it as you wish."

"Perfect."

"Shall I send two servings?"

"Yes, thank you." Peter realized he, too, was running on adrenaline, just not at the same octane as Amy.

Several minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Peter opened the door to a very tall, stern-looking man wearing a white jacket, with a tray propped up to his shoulder. Peter asked him to place the tray on the café table near the window. The man nodded, placed the tray down as instructed, pivoted, and walked out the door without saying a word.

Amy and Peter shrugged. "Must be a Swiss thing."

"With a dash of French," Peter said.

"They seem to be very nice, polite people, but I'm not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling," Amy commented.

"Maybe it's the cold weather," Peter joked as he poured the entire snifter into Amy's hot chocolate. "Here you go. This should help you relax."

"Thank you, Peter. You are so good at looking after me." She took the warm cup and wrapped both hands around it. "Smells delicious."

"They say it's the best hot chocolate in Switzerland."

"I guess they ought to know." She raised her cup in a toast. "Here's to colliding subatomic particles."

Peter almost spilled his cocoa. "Let's not tempt the fates."

Amy finally dozed off after tossing and turning for about an hour. Peter pulled the blanket up to cover her shoulders. He really loved his absent-minded professor. She was smart, kind, and quirky. He considered asking her to marry him but didn't know when. They never discussed it. Their relationship had been organic in the sense that it moved at a natural pace. So what was next? Maybe he'd get some advice from Giovanni and Richard. Perhaps they were having similar ideas? All three couples were going on three years. All three couples seemed to be pleasantly ensconced with their significant other, unless someone was doing a good job of pretending. He figured he'd find out in a day or so.

The following morning, Amy was up at the crack of dawn in anticipation of her big day at the science center. But that wasn't for another five hours. What to do until then? Peter was fast asleep. She didn't see the need to wake him, so she decided to get breakfast and maybe take another walk. It was a bright, sunny day. Then she remembered she didn't have the right wardrobe for Alpine weather. Instead, she decided to bring the information she had about the LHC with her and review it one more time before her tour and catch up on some factoids about Switzerland.

She thought it was rather perplexing they built it so close to civilization should anything go awry. She snickered to herself; maybe she wasn't the only absent-minded scientist. But why would the government allow it? She read on, hoping to glean an answer to her query.

The Swiss government is very stable. People have a direct say on issues rather than having representatives make decisions for them. She continued to read more about the country. It was rich, as in the average person's net worth was just under seven hundred thousand dollars, compared to the U.S., at eighty-three thousand. Amy blinked several times and reread the sentence. Then she read on. They were neutral in world affairs. They had little or no crime, and four languages were spoken. They were also considered very reserved people. She remembered one of her graduate school classmates was from Switzerland, and yes, she was very reserved. Maybe it was the climate . Amy decided Switzerland was an enigma and left it at that.

She checked her watch for the tenth time. She had two more hours to go. She went back to the room, where Peter was sitting by the window having coffee.

"I thought you ran off with a ski instructor," Peter teased.

"No, thank you. After last year's escapade, I don't think I'll be doing much skiing again. Quite honestly, I don't love it. But the idea of an instructor might convince me to do it again."

"Are you trying to make me jealous?" Peter eyed her.

"Never! Just kidding."

" ‘Just kidding,' never running off with an instructor, or never trying to make me jealous?"

"How about both?" She went over to him and gave him a side hug.

"Did you have breakfast?"

"If you call bread with butter and jam, yogurt, muesli, and orange juice breakfast, then yes. And coffee."

"Missing your blueberry muffin?" Peter teased.

"Kinda." Amy checked the time again. "Why is this morning moving so slowly?"

"Because you keep looking at the time every fifteen minutes."

Amy let out a huff. "I'm going to get changed. Maybe the clock will move a little faster."

A half hour later, Amy appeared wearing a burgundy, professional-looking pantsuit.

"You look very nice. Very professorial." Peter grinned.

"Thank you, sir. Can we go now?"

"Why not? We can take the scenic route again."

Peter finished his coffee and grabbed his jacket, and they made their way to the elevators, down to the lobby, and hailed a cab.

The drive along the lake was as beautiful in the morning as it had been in the afternoon, with the light coming from a different direction.

"It's really pretty here," Peter commented.

Amy was unusually quiet.

"You okay?" Peter noticed the sudden change in her mood.

"Yes. Just a little nervous, I suppose."

"Well, you're not going to have to do anything. You're not making a presentation, and it's not an interview. You will be a guest."

Amy grabbed his hand. "You're right, as always."

Peter asked the cab driver to wait as he escorted her to the entrance. As they approached the world-famous complex, they were greeted by Swiss agents. Amy showed them her ticket for a private tour, and they escorted her to an area opposite where the general public was heading. "Your private tour will consist of several other scientists, and a guide from the facility. I am going to have to ask you for your mobile phone, please. The area where you will be visiting does not allow for them." He spoke with a German accent.

She handed it to him without question.

"Please wait here," he said, then turned and left.

"Are you okay? Are you less nervous?" Peter asked, knowing that Amy was probably freaking out even more.

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine. I'll see you later." She gave Peter a quick kiss goodbye and squeezed his arm. It would be fine, she figured; she would be introduced to the others shortly. She smiled weakly as she watched Peter go back to the taxi.

Several minutes later, a half-dozen people arrived; all were speaking German. She didn't understand a word of it and wondered if the tour were going to be in German. She raised her hand but then quickly put it down. She felt like she was in grammar school. But she didn't have to worry. The guide spoke fluent English and German and instructed everyone to follow her.

As they moved through the center, she explained that the first accelerator was installed in 1957, long before home computers and digital cameras existed. She then showed them a 3D-video mapping of the first synchrocyclotron. As the group moved ahead, she explained the Higgs boson particle while they toured the control center of the ATLAS experiment. From there, they walked through an interactive exhibition.

For Amy, it was all the basic information that she already knew, but she was thrilled to be immersed in it.

She thought it was odd that the tour only lasted ninety minutes, instead of the two hours she was expecting. The guide led the group to an outside area, where they were met by a transport bus. Amy thought the bus would be taking them to another area of the facility but soon discovered the bus was leaving the complex! She got up from her seat to talk to the driver. He understood English but did not understand how she ended up as one of his passengers.

Meanwhile, the private tour guide was frantically looking for Amy within the visitors' waiting area. Where could she have gone? She alerted security that a visitor was unaccounted for. They located her cell phone in the security center, but no Amy. After an hour of searching the premises, it occurred to one of them that Amy may have gotten confused and ended up with the wrong group. But which one?

The transport driver phoned the security center. He wasn't sure if Amy was telling the truth that she probably got with the wrong group. It wasn't a normal occurrence. After few exchanges, he handed his phone to Amy.

"Hello?" There was a slight bit of panic in her voice. "I'm on a bus, and I don't know why."

The voice on the other end was calm and patient. "You will have to let the driver bring his passengers to their next tour or they will be late. Please bear with him, and he will return you to the facility in approximately three hours."

"Three hours?" Amy knew that Peter would be waiting long before that, and what about meeting with the scientists? She was trying to remain calm. "Can somebody get in touch with my boyfriend and let him know I took a wrong turn, and he should come fetch me at four o'clock?" Amy gulped. "He's on my speed dial. Peter Sullivan."

"We will need your PIN."

Amy gulped again and gave the person her password. At that point, she thought she was going to throw up her muesli.

"Just one moment," the woman said kindly. She could hear the angst in Amy's voice.

In the background, Amy could hear the woman speaking to Peter. The woman chuckled. Amy didn't think any of this was funny, but if it got her back to the complex unscathed, she would be ecstatic.

The woman turned her attention to Amy. "He will be here at four o'clock. Until then, I'm afraid you are going to have to go along for the ride."

Amy shook her head. How could she have joined the wrong group? She had to do something about her lack of focus outside the confines of the university where she taught and studied.

"Okay. Thank you."

Amy was deflated when she realized she missed her special private tour and got the usual visitor tour. Then, in typical Amy fashion, she realized half a loaf was better than none and put it in astrophysics speak: "Half a quark is better than none!"

She settled into her seat, resigned to the idea she was a hostage on a bus with a bunch of German tourists. The ride in the passenger van wasn't as horrible as she feared. She got to see the lake again from a different perspective, and once the other passengers understood her predicament, they were kind, and offered her candy bars and nuts.

Three hours later, she was deposited back at the facility, no worse for the wear, with the exception of embarrassment.

When she saw Peter, she ran toward him and jumped into his arms. "Am I ever so glad to see you!" She buried her face in his jacket.

"Same here. When I got that call, my first thought was that something terrible had happened to you. Maybe you fell into a black hole or something."

She gave him one of her affectionate taps on the arm. "Let's get out of here."