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At CERN, Sylvie Baudeloque remains at work because Maximilian Kohler has ordered her to stay late without explanation. Hungry and frustrated by Kohler’s habits and demands, Sylvie leaves a note at her desk and heads toward the staff dining commons.

On the way, Sylvie passes CERN’s recreation lounges and discovers employees crowded around televisions watching reports of the crisis at the Vatican. The headlines announce terror at the Vatican, and Sylvie hears news of an ancient brotherhood murdering cardinals.

In one lounge, young programmers react with excitement rather than horror, treating the Illuminati revelation like proof of a game or legend. As a Catholic among scientists, Sylvie is disturbed by their callous joy and reflects that the church has been a benign, meaningful presence in her life and her children’s lives.

Sylvie thinks about previous Vatican criticism of CERN research and wonders whether Kohler knows about the news, especially given an earlier call from the Vatican. She suspects Kohler would be more interested in documenting or exploiting the event than grieving it, but then finds another lounge where older CERN scientists watch in subdued silence.

Elsewhere at CERN, Kohler finishes reading Leonardo Vetra’s leather-bound journal in Vetra’s cold apartment, watches the television reports briefly, replaces the journal, and leaves. In Vatican City, Cardinal Mortati burns the latest conclave ballots; the smoke is black again, meaning two rounds have passed with no pope elected.