"I conduct some measurements in the area," Atlan explained. "And I look at old records and recent records, and I talk to people who have lived in the area to find out when and in context of which events things changed, if at all. And how far the anomaly goes out."

He pointed to a thick folder that was lying on his desk. "That's what I have so far."

His notes were all in code, so even if she had gone to snoop she would not have been able to read any of them.