Three

by William C. Oelfke

  Oliver joined the other pall bearers and Alice as the coffin was borne from the church to the hearse. The procession slowly wound its way through Chicago to the cemetery. Again Oliver felt some concern for the large number of reporters who followed them to the cemetery. He was comforted by the security guards at the entrance who prevented all but the designated family and friends to enter.

  The gravesite was in an isolated part of the cemetery next to that of Alice’s mother, Jane. Oliver again stood before the grave of Jane, and now watched as she was joined by Peter, his thoughts going back to their times together. My soul longs for both of you, Peter and Jane, as you are now together again. Tears welled up in his eyes as he put his arm around Alice. For a moment they stood together, each comforting the other. There beside their graves, Oliver made a silent pledge to Peter and Jane that he would be a good and steadfast father to Alice. As he thought of the three of them, he no longer found the darkness in his soul that had grown since he first learned of Peter’s death. Now the words of the requiem seemed to shine eternal light where the darkness had been, breaking its long hold on him. I have allowed my judgment to be overtaken by fear and grief. Here in the cemetery I now know my mission of solving Peter’s murder and the associated conspiracy is no longer about wrath and revenge, but about judgment and justice.

  Following the graveside service, the limousines, each with different members of the final service, drove in different directions away from the cemetery. Onlookers were unable to tell who was riding in which limo because of their darkly tinted windows. The one carrying Oliver, Alice, and Elizabeth took a circuitous route westward through Chicago and out toward Fermilab. It did not go to the lab, however, but drove north into Batavia and parked in front of a small house, set back from the street, on a tree-filled lot.

  As the three approached the front door, Elizabeth said to Oliver, “Welcome to my home; this will be Alice’s home-away-from-home and safe house for the time being. One of the agents, whom we met yesterday, will stay in the garage apartment and keep an eye on us, so you don’t have to worry so much.”

  Oliver was invited into the small living room and the three sat for a moment in silence as they each reflected on the events of the day. Oliver finally broke the silence, “Thank you, Elizabeth, your kindness to both Alice and to me gives me more comfort than you can know.”

  “Oliver, you would do the same for me. We’re all one family here, and especially at this time must look out for one another.”

  Alice stood and hugged Elizabeth and said, “Thank you, Elizabeth, for all you have done.” And then, hugging Oliver, said, “Uncle Oliver, you have always been here when I have needed your shoulder to lean, or cry on. It’s a comfort to know that both of you are here for me.”

  Oliver looked tenderly at Alice, as he held her, and said, “Alice, I know I can speak for Elizabeth; we both will always be here for you.”

  Alice again hugged Oliver and Elizabeth and said, “I’m very tired. Please excuse me; I’m going upstairs and getting ready for bed.”

  After Alice had left the room, Oliver turned to Elizabeth and once more thanked her for looking after Alice. He also complimented her on the warmth and compassion he had always noticed in her. “I’m amazed at how you have brought together your team, each of different and often mutually hostile faiths. How’ve you managed it?”

  Elizabeth smiled and replied, “These three different faiths also have found much to share over their histories. Years ago, in undergraduate school, I made a summer field trip to Spain. While visiting the Alhambra I learned that mathematics, my chosen major, existed primarily because of the mutual respect and cooperation expressed by Christians, Jews, and Muslims during the period of Moorish Spain. Arabic numerals, algebra, and the formal teaching of mathematics were all brought into Europe by the Moors and shared among all who wished to learn.

  “The palace courtyard of the 14th century sultan, Muhammed V, tells the story of the respect shared between these three great religions. The central fountain was donated by the Jewish community. It is surrounded by twelve stone lions, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The walls are tiled in the Spanish style of tessellation called Mudejar, contributed by Christian artisans. In recent years these tessellations have given rise to new concepts of symmetry in the latest models of space and time.”

  Oliver was amazed at this revelation. “I had no idea. Now I understand how such a strong bond has been built around not only common interest but great mutual respect.”

  “Exactly!”

  “You have all worked so well together; will you be able to continue your work now that Peter is gone?”

  “We are just now beginning to work out how to restart our joint research.”

  “Was there anything on Peter’s laptop that could help you get started on his newest theories?”

  “I’m sorry to say that whatever information was on his laptop, when he last made entries, has been lost forever. But, I can tell you we all were aware he was piecing together a toy model of the underlying structure of the fundamental particles, and thought he had a lead on why each had the properties they reveal in their interactions.”

  “A toy model?” asked Oliver, somewhat puzzled.

  “Oh, sorry, that’s a term we use to describe intuitive work we are presently doing that’s not quite ready for the light of day. If we even discussed it with each other before we’d completed a thorough vetting of its mathematical tie to reality, we’d feel foolish if it turned out to contain an obvious fatal flaw. Peter did mention it was based on what he called prions and pixels, an obvious reference to the substructure of fundamental particles like electrons, and that these new pieces of matter could help explain the sudden change in the way they interacted that has given rise to inflation, the early rapid expansion of the universe. That is about all any of us know, however.”

  “I think I understand pixels, but not how they relate to fundamental particles. While Peter and I were roommates at Princeton, we spent one evening sitting in front of the old color TV in our room examining the picture screen with a jeweler’s eye-loop. Each pixel of the screen was in fact a triangle of three pixels: one red, one green, and one blue. By varying the amount of red, green, and blue light from this tiny triangle, the pixel could create any color or hue detectable by the human eye.”

  “Yes, this color generating scheme started back in the days of Kodachrome color film. Color negative film defined the negative or anti-colors to red, green, and blue: cyan, magenta, and yellow respectively. These anti-colors contain all colors but that of their anti-pair. If you begin mixing various combinations of these six colors of light, each at the same intensity, you discover that any color plus its anti-color produces white light, and the three colors or the three anti-colors when combined in a triad, also produce white light.”

  “That is what Peter and I discussed years ago. But what does this have to do with his toy model?”

  Elizabeth’s eyes brightened as she sensed Oliver was about to have an epiphany. “Oliver, the strongest force in the universe is the one that holds together protons and neutrons. This strong force is unlike the gravitational or electromagnetic forces, not only in strength but also in how it acts. There appear to be not one or two charges in the strong force, but three. They combine in the same way that our colored pixels combine to form white light. The heavy particles like protons and neutrons are made up of three ‘colored’ sub-particles so that the final ‘color’ is white. Similarly, lighter particles called mesons are made up of two sub-particles: a color and its anti-color. We call this part of the theory, of how the strong force acts, chromo dynamics.”

  “Wow! Chromo dynamics from the picture screen of an old color TV! Just how strong is this strong force?”

  “Let me put it this way: a conventional softball-sized chemical explosive releases the electric forces binding together its molecules, and can destroy part of a building; a nuclear explosive the size of a softball releases the strong forces binding tog
ether its protons and neutrons, and can destroy a city.”

  Oliver was indeed impressed. “Could this strong force be what Peter was developing in his toy model?”

  “I don’t think so. This theory of chromo dynamics has been in use for quite a long time. However, Peter may have linked chromo dynamics to the earliest moments of the universe when a sudden change in particle interaction led to inflation.”

  “What is inflation, and how was it caused by a sudden change in particle interaction?”

  “Well,” answered Elizabeth, “we think, in the earliest seconds of the universe, there was a sudden change in the symmetrical patterns that caused a release of energy and a sudden inflation or expansion of the universe.”

  “Peter and I once discussed symmetry breaking as it relates to patterns found in graphic art, but what do changes of symmetry have to do with the early universe? I don’t see the connection.”

  “Rather than a graphical example, let me give you a physical one Peter has used in his public lectures. When water vapor in the atmosphere is cooled below its dew point temperature, it spontaneously changes its state, or symmetry, by condensing into liquid cloud droplets, reducing the number of ways the water molecules can hold thermal energy, and thus causing heat energy to be released to the surrounding air. This process is what drives thunderstorms and causes them to expand and release energy in the form of lightning and tornados. It is thought that, in the earliest moments of the universe, as the extremely high temperature began to fall, a similar condensation or spontaneous change in the form of matter allowed particles and forces to take on the forms that now exist in the universe. The sudden release in energy caused the rapid growth in the early hot universe we call inflation.”

  “I must say, I don’t understand just how cosmic thunderstorms created the physical properties of the universe, but I do see just how important such a theory could turn out to be. That’s why I find it hard to believe Peter could’ve been so careless as to let all his work be destroyed. Surely he must have saved these files on a flash drive or notes that are now hidden somewhere.”

  “The FBI agents have carefully searched all of our desks and file cabinets at the lab and at Peter’s home and have found nothing. We’re at a loss at this point to recover Peter’s work.”

  “Peter’s toy model seems to me to be extremely important to the work you three are doing.”

  “It’s critical. If we can’t find some copy or rough drafts of his work, we may be unable to continue our research. His work has been at the leading edge of the ‘theory of everything’, and is of critical importance to the entire field of particle physics”.

  “Elizabeth, I’ve been warned to not interfere with this FBI investigation, but I promise you, I’ll do everything in my power to help in the search for Peter’s work. If I think of anywhere we should look for notes or rough drafts of this work, I’ll call you.”

  Oliver gave Elizabeth a warm hug and bid her goodbye as he left the living room and walked to the street. He entered the limo and was driven back to Chicago and his apartment. During the drive Oliver thought about what Elizabeth had told him concerning her view of religion. This history of respect and cooperation between the three great world religions stood in stark contrast to his personal view of religious intolerance and violent conflict.

  The driver, who had remained silent during all the trips, finally said to Oliver as he got out at his apartment, “Mr. Swift has asked me to tell you to call him as soon as possible.”

  “Thanks,” Oliver said, closing the limo door. As he approached his apartment he immediately noticed the damaged door frame and lock had been repaired. He now knew his personal security was also being looked after by Swift’s team of FBI agents. In the comfort of his apartment Oliver changed into slacks and a soft sport shirt, gathered his notes together on the desk in front of him, and called Agent Swift.

  “Oliver, we were able to locate the church, but there was little there to process. The place had obviously been wiped clean of fingerprints. Even the dirt parking lot had been swept of tire tracks. It’s obvious that Benton Spencer is part of this murder plot. The only thing we found that didn’t match up with what you said about those two Bible verses was that they were not written on the marquee. Instead, there was a verse we’ve been unable to find in any versions of the Bible.”

  “What did Dr. Spencer write on the marquee?”

  “’I am become death, the destroyer of worlds’.”

  “That’s not Biblical. It comes from an ancient Sanskrit writing called the Bhagavad Gita. It looks to me like he’s admitting his role in Peter’s death. I just hope there are no more deaths. You might talk to Maxine. She did a background on Spencer and may now have some useful information that could lead you to him.”

  “We’re working on that, but you must realize, once a culprit is flushed and has gone to ground, covering his tracks, he’s very hard to find. I’ll let you know if we get a lead on either Forrest Pierce or Benton Spencer.”

  Oliver thanked Swift for this new information and signed off. Adding these new facts to his expanding set of notes, he sat puzzling over what it all meant. Why had Spencer deviated from his Biblical references, and as he abandoned his church, quoted an ancient Hindu text?

  Oliver felt exhausted after the past two days of discovery, coupled with the somber proceedings of Peter’s funeral. His role as Godfather to Alice now required him to examine his responsibilities to her as a close family member. He sat reflecting on his own family ties and his impressions of the closeness of Peter’s team: Elizabeth, Khalil, and Benjamin.

  He had promised to call Maxine following the funeral to go over the details of his Waxahachie findings, but as he reached for the phone, he felt the need to discuss with her his inner feelings regarding faith and family. He was unsure what her reactions might be but now he just needed to talk. “Max, I’ve decided to fax you the details of my notes up to the present, but, right now, I just need someone to talk to. Do you have a moment?”

  “Sure, Oliver, I know how hard the last few days have been for you.”

  “Thanks for your concerns for me and for Peter’s extended family. I’ve been thinking about my changing role now with Alice and also with Peter’s team. Last week, when I named our A&I project The Father Abraham Conspiracy, I saw only what I wanted to see in the conflict between the three great world religions. I was not honest with you or myself in assuming that conflict naturally arises from religious zeal. Alice has been stronger than I have been since Peter’s death, and I know her inner strength has come from her faith. Similarly, Peter’s team is bound together by their mutual respect for their different faiths. I’ve let my own spiritual demons shape my feelings about the role religion plays in people’s lives. I confess, I was seeking to recapture my own faith in prayer when I stumbled on Benton Spencer’s ghost town church.”

  “Oliver, I grew up watching this kind of inner struggle in my own father. Before I was born, Dad had a falling out with my grandfather over religion. He wanted to follow the Bible but thought some of his father’s beliefs were based on witchcraft. I’ve never learned why he felt this way, but I’ve always been aware of his inner conflict. Each time I visited my grandparent’s home in Northern Illinois, Grandfather would find time to take me aside and read to me out of the old family Bible. I always had the feeling that he loved my father, but knew he himself would have to pass the family heritage within the Society of Friends on to me. Grandfather taught me almost everything I know about the Bible, but never said a thing about why Dad had broken his ties with the family religion.”

  “Do you attend any kind of formal worship?”

  “I’ve found a ‘waiting worship’ group here in Washington, D.C. but have only attended a few times since returning from Iraq. The meetings are mostly silent, and I don’t find the comfort within this group of strangers I find with Grandfather.”

  “Does your grandfather know of your work as a field agent with CIA?”

  “A
bsolutely not! Like your colleagues in Chicago, he thinks I hold a faculty position at American University. He’s very proud of me and hopes I’ll continue to stay in the Society of Friends.”

  “Max, we both seem to be leading double lives. Thanks for listening and caring.”

  “Oliver, this is the first time I’ve discussed my family with anyone since leaving college. Thank you for caring about me.”

  “Max, I’ll fax you my notes when I’ve finalized them. We can go from there in our search for the other two conspirators.” Oliver put down his cell phone and sat looking around his study, thinking about Maxine. She had again shared with him some small part of her personal life. Last week Max was withdrawn and contrite. I think her body armor is beginning to crack. Now we’ll be working side by side to find the three.

  The past few days had been exhausting. Oliver sat thinking to himself that he needed some quiet retreat from the intensity of this investigation, not so much for rest, but for careful reflection. He was sure he was not seeing some things that were obvious. He thought of Peter, when in the midst of his most intense work, he retreated to the lake house so he could think. Oliver suddenly realized this was one place that had not been discussed by Robert Swift during his investigation. Of course! The lake house! We need to look there for some hidden copy of Peter’s work, as well as documents that may lead to those responsible for Peter’s death!

  Oliver, now re-energized in his search for Peter’s lost work, decided to call Swift and suggest looking in the one place no one had yet tried. He knew Swift was tasked to find Forrest Pierce and had little interest in Peter’s lost work. But Oliver suspected Pierce had his own agenda and may still be trying to find and destroy all traces of Peter’s final theory.

  When Swift answered, Oliver said, “I originally thought Pierce was acting in a state of fanaticism when he murdered Peter, and that the careful premeditated acts with the pen and computer virus were strictly the work of Spencer. Now I’m not so sure. Forrest played a large part in bankrolling the entire operation and may have been part of the brains behind all the plans. I’m concerned that Forrest Pierce may be operating under his own unknown scenario and may still be trying to carry out some aspect of destroying what’s left of Peter’s work. As yet we’ve no lead on Pierce, and no idea what he might do next.”