Quantum

69

‘Hello,’ Kelsey called out from the base of the barn’s spiral staircase. ‘Is anybody home?’

‘Morning, Kelsey,’ Nolan answered. ‘C’mon up. I’m in the kitchen.’

The loft smelled of bacon and brewing coffee. Nolan cracked the last egg into a bowl, dropped the shell into the sink, and then stopped to listen to the rhythmic patter of Kelsey’s ascent up the metal stairs. He turned just as she reached the landing, backlit by the morning sun pouring through the east windows. She wore a light denim short-sleeved shirt over a white tank top and a pair of white cotton shorts. A waterfall of blond hair cascaded past her shoulders, shimmering as she walked. Though he’d spoken with her on the phone several times since her release, this was the first time they had seen each other.

‘Aren’t you going to meet me halfway?’ Kelsey asked as she approached the kitchen.

‘No. I’m just gonna stand here and watch you walk toward me, while I mentally undress you each step of the way.’

‘Why do it all in your head?’

‘Because I still have a couple of houseguests who’ll be back from their morning run any minute now.’

Kelsey wrapped her arms around Nolan’s neck, careful of his injured arm, and kissed him hungrily. ‘More than enough time.’

‘Kelsey, my love,’ he said as his free hand roamed the length of her back, pressing her body into his, ‘for what I have in mind, we’ll need the rest of the day.’

‘Oooo,’ she purred. ‘I like the sound of that.’

They kissed again, patiently savoring the sensation. The fears of the past few days evaporated with the reality that they were both back where they belonged.

Below, they heard the door to the stair tower open; Dawson and Gates were back from their five-mile run.

‘Yo, Nolan,’ Dawson shouted loudly from below. ‘I see Kelsey’s car out there. Is it safe for us to come up?’

‘We’re decent, Jack,’ Nolan shouted back.

Dawson and Gates began thundering up the staircase.

‘I don’t know that I’d ever use the word decent in describing you, Nolan,’ Gates said, his voice echoing up the stairwell, ‘even if you are fully dressed.’

‘Very funny, Max. You wanted that omelette burned, right?’

‘Something smells good,’ Dawson said appreciatively.

‘Hit the showers, guys. I’ll have my world-famous one-handed Mexican omelettes ready in five minutes.’

Both Dawson and Gates snagged a slice of bacon before heading off to clean up.

Kelsey glanced over at Nolan’s table and saw five places set. ‘Who else is dining with you and the guys?’

‘My dad and Lara Avvakum, the physicist I brought back from Moscow. She bunked down in one of my dad’s spare bedrooms last night. He called just before you arrived, and they should be over in a few minutes. You eat yet?’

‘I had a bagel before I drove over. You don’t have to make me anything, I’ll just steal some of your omelette.’

‘Fair enough, you can squeeze another chair in next to mine. Is Elli over at my grandparents’?’

‘Yes, they’re finalizing arrangements for the memorial service tomorrow. After all these years, she can finally lay Johann to rest knowing that he always loved her.’

‘I’ll bet that means more to her than the truth about what he did during the war, or even his notebooks.’

‘It does. Speaking of the notebooks, your father negotiated a deal on Elli’s behalf with the university. She’s granted MARC development rights to the intellectual property, and the notebooks themselves will eventually go to the library.’

‘What did my dad get for Elli in return?’

‘MARC paid her a nominal amount, one dollar, for the development rights.’

‘A buck? You’re kidding.’

‘No. Elli isn’t rich, but she has enough to live out the rest of her life in comfort, so she’s not interested in money. She wanted something else.’

‘What, then?’

‘A building. If Wolff’s notebooks turn out to be as valuable as we think they are, then the university stands to make a lot of money through the patents it’ll hold jointly with MARC. If that happens, then the university is to erect a new physics building and name it in Wolff’s honor.’

Following their late-morning breakfast, Sean Kilkenny and Lara volunteered to clear the dishes as Nolan and Kelsey walked Dawson and Gates out to their waiting cab.

‘It’s a shame you guys can’t stick around longer,’ Nolan said.

‘That would be fun, but if Max and I don’t report back in, we’ll be listed as AWOL.’

‘Can the navy really do that to an admiral?’ Kelsey asked.

‘It’s not the navy we’re worried about,’ Gates answered. ‘It’s our wives.’

‘Yeah, well, be sure to give Marcy and Julia my best.’

‘Will do, Nolan.’

‘And guys’ — Nolan’s voice tightened with emotion —‘thanks for everything.’

‘Not necessary, Nolan,’ Dawson replied, ‘but you’re welcome.’

‘Anytime,’ Gates said as he clasped Kilkenny’s hand in his bearlike paw.

Kelsey gave both the admiral and the chief a warm embrace, knowing she owed them her life.

As the cab disappeared down the long gravel drive, Avvakum and Nolan’s father emerged from the barn.

‘Thanks for breakfast, Nolan,’ Sean said. ‘Now, I think it’s time you introduced Dr Avvakum to Ted Sandstrom.’

On their way to the hospital, they stopped by the MARC building, where Nolan retrieved the latest output from Grin’s decoding program. Most of the first notebook was now deciphered, and Avvakum devoured each page as if it were a well-written novel.

‘Hi, Kelsey,’ Sandstrom said excitedly when she entered his room. ‘Nolan, how’s the shoulder?’

‘Fine, Ted. It just went pop. We’ve brought along someone I’d like you to meet.’ Nolan stepped away from the door. ‘Come on in, Lara.’

Avvakum entered the sterile room nervously, her eyes aimed at the floor.

‘Ted, I’d like to introduce Dr Lara Avvakum, formerly of the Russian Academy of Sciences.’

‘Doctor,’ Sandstrom said, ‘pardon me if I don’t rise, but it is truly a pleasure to finally meet you.’

Avvakum smiled slightly and looked up at Sandstrom. She didn’t flinch when she saw his injuries.

‘I don’t know what to say,’ Avvakum bubbled.

‘Well, I do,’ Sandstrom replied. ‘I understand that you sent Nolan the message that helped him recover my research.’

‘Da.’

Sandstrom stared directly into her eyes. ‘Lara, in a sense you’ve saved my life. Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’

‘I understand you’ve had a chance to review my work?’ Sandstrom asked.

‘Yes,’ Avvakum replied.

‘What do you think?’

‘I think it’s beautiful. Your work has taken you to the very threshold of creation; I could envision the delicate balance of order and chaos.’

‘You see it the way I do,’ Sandstrom said, pleased that he’d found a kindred spirit.

‘Lara,’ Kelsey spoke, ‘why don’t you show him what we picked up at MARC.’

Avvakum pulled out a thin sheaf of papers from her shoulder bag and handed them to Sandstrom. He studied the pages for a moment, baffled, then looked up at his visitors.

‘Are these from Wolff’s notebooks?’

‘Yes,’ Kilkenny replied. ‘We’re in the process of decrypting them.’

‘It looks like they’re in German. How soon before we can get a translation?’

Kilkenny leaned up against the windowsill. ‘It’s funny you should ask that. Not only is Dr Avvakum a very competent scientist with a strong interest in quantum physics, she also happens to be multilingual. Two of the foreign languages in her repertoire are German and English. While you’re recuperating, MARC has hired Lara to translate the notebooks. She will, of course, pay you regular visits to report on what she’s learned. If those first few pages are any indication of what’s in the rest of the notebooks, you’re both in for some very interesting reading. Once you’re ready to restart your lab, I think you’ll find Lara to be a very capable collaborator.’

Sandstrom looked at Kilkenny dubiously, knowing full well that he was being railroaded. Avvakum picked up on it immediately.

‘Dr Sandstrom, I know how important it is to have the right people working in your lab. All I ask is that you give me a chance to prove my worth to you. After studying your research notes, I want to work on this project more than anything else in the world.’

‘While she’s here, you might as well give her a shot,’ Nolan said.

Sandstrom nodded, disappointed at his momentary bout of selfishness. ‘You’re absolutely right. I can’t do this alone; I’m going to need good help. You’re on the team, Lara. Heck, you and I are the team. So, from now on, call me Ted.’

‘Wonderful,’ Avvakum replied. ‘Would you like to know what is in the first notebook?’

‘Yes!’ Sandstrom said excitedly, handing her back the files.

‘I skimmed through them on our way over to see you. You are, of course, familiar with Maldacena’s work on M theory?’

‘Of course.’

‘I believe Wolff was pursuing a similar approach, and in the first notebook he’s developed it quite extensively.’

‘What do you mean by extensively?’

‘I think his approach may successfully unify the four primary forces of nature.’

‘Are you sure?’ Kelsey asked.

‘A workable theory of everything,’ Sandstrom said slowly, his mind staggering with the possibility that someone could attain the physicist’s version of nirvana.

‘That’s what I am seeing in here,’ Avvakum said. ‘We won’t know if he actually put it all together and made it work until the rest of the notebooks are decoded, but what I see of his approach so far is absolutely brilliant. If Wolff’s theory works, he’ll be hailed as one of the greatest minds of all time.’