Dawn of the Epoch

Chapter XCVI - To Err

In front of the facility housing the elevators that dropped over three hundred feet down into the subterranean home of the ATLAS detector insider the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva on the French-Swiss border, a pale man in dark fatigues parked his obsidian low-riding, soft-suspension motorcycle. He pulled a thick Churchill cigar with a Maduro wrapper, a steel butane lighter, and a small strip of cedar from his breast pocket. He lit the cedar strip and then used the flame from the fragrant wood to ignite the tip of his cigar. After a few purposeful puffs, the cigar was burning smoothly and evenly. The pale, bald man approached the security station at the front of the building in a cloud of smoke. In the distance, he could see the tall bulb of the wooden Globe of Science and Innovation.

Rather than approach the security station, the man leaned up against the side of the building and vigorously blew smoke out across the parking lot. He waited, but not for long. Soon, a group of scientists, still tired from a long night of calculations, needing to reach the coffee machine as soon as possible, walked by.

“Good day mates.” The biker said in his cloying voice.

“Good day.” The woman in front scowled at the mangy-looking vagrant.

“Hey, hold on a second. Would you all like to have a smoke with me?” The biker asked.

“No.” The woman said, speaking on behalf of the group. She was very clearly annoyed.

Then, they walked through the cloud. They caught the odor. It had a chemical smell to it. The smoke particles touched nerves in their nostrils. Those nerves sent electric pulses to their brains. Then, the man bounced up off of the corner and stood in their way. He was big, broad-shouldered, and menacing. He blew smoke in their faces.

“Are you sure?” He said slowly.

He looked deep into their eyes. The woman thought that the piercing, ice-blue irises were peering into her soul. Then, she started dreaming. The small group approached the security station.

“Welcome Doctor Knutsen, Doctor Powell, and Doctor Rajan.” The guard said politely.

‘Who are you?” The guard said not-so-politely to the biker leading the pack.

“It’s okay Dominic. He’s our guest.” The woman said politely.

“Whose guest?” The guard asked.

“All of ours.” She said in a trance-like monotone. “He’s our guest and he’s your guest.”

Fragrant smoke began to fill the guard booth.

“Oh,” Dominic said. “Welcome, please come in… sir.”

“Thank you Dominic.” The biker said. “You are too kind.”

• • •

Hunter drove north like a bat out of hell.

“Dear, if we get pulled over, it will actually take us longer to get there.” Tiyana said.

“That’s what this baby is for.” Hunter said, patting his brand new radar detector.

“I don’t trust those things.” Tiyana said warily.

“They promised to reimburse me if I get a ticket. They believe in it that much.” Hunter said.

Tiyana smiled, “You only live once. Punch it.”

Hunter looked skeptical, “Really? From you?”

Tiyana just shook her head, “Really. I’m not a downer you know, just prudent.”

Hunter slammed on the gas and sped ahead.