– Alexei Norairovich, if we take the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva as an example of a fruit of human civilization, what could be its danger? After all, there are all sorts of assumptions, predictions and fears that the collider could be the cause of a global catastrophe.

– Indeed, concerns have existed and do exist. Whatever fears exist, science will not stand still. The Large Hadron Collider faces two fundamental tasks: the search for the so-called Higgs bosons – elementary particles responsible for the formation of mass – and the discovery of a supersymmetric world, the existence of which is still only a hypothesis.

Our Earth is, in fact, a graveyard of species: biologists estimate that about one billion species have evolved on Earth since the origin of life, and now there are only two million. Is not the mind also some hypertrophied, like body mass in dinosaurs, a function leading to inevitable death? But then the mind is just an unsuccessful invention of nature, a dead-end branch. What is the specific cause of doom? Atomic war, ecological disaster? Not likely. It is clear that with all the possible diversity of "local" conditions, the demise of different civilizations must occur for one universal reason. What is it? The universal reason for the death of mind in the Universe can be connected with the loss of its main function – the function of cognition. The forces preventing the development of the mind must be universal, independent of specific conditions. Accidents in this case can reach apocalyptic proportions. Technology is full of terrible traps, and a fatal end awaits those who enter it. Intelligent beings are able to recognize the danger, but when it is too late. Having got rid of the religious beliefs that entice the fulfillment of immediate desires, civilizations try to slow down their acceleration, but it is no longer possible.

– So should we be afraid or not? Is a global catastrophe possible?

– There has to be a scientific approach. We have to look at what the experiments show. If we know something's killing us, it doesn't make us more alive! That's it.

The presenter announced:

– Let me remind you once again that our guest was Academician Alexey Sisakyan, a Russian scientist in the field of elementary particle physics. This is the end of our program, please write to us at our e-mail address on the Internet.

***

The topic was promoted at the highest level. Recommendations and "requests" went to Russia's central channels. World agencies followed suit.

One of them reported: "The Russian Federation, represented by Arsen Kiselev, a Russian TV presenter of the program "Vesti Nedeli", said live on air about a possible nuclear strike on the territory of the United States of America by the Russian system "Perimeter". Arsen Kiselyov said on TV that Russia is the only country in the world capable of turning the United States into radioactive ash. We are talking about the so-called Russian system for controlling a massive retaliatory nuclear strike against the US called Perimeter. This is a system of a massive automatic nuclear strike by the entire nuclear arsenal of the Russian Federation against the United States of America."

After two months of daily broadcasting of information, the Perimeter system, the countries' nuclear potential, its power and possible consequences were known even in those parts of the world where television and radio were still a novelty. The primary goal was practically achieved.

When the topic was sufficiently promoted in the media, the "system" warned of the threat of nuclear war. The effect was achieved, the only thing left to do was to figure out "where the wind was blowing from. The clue was in the following: generals of the Russian Federation and the United States made a statement: "The danger of nuclear war is higher now than ever before".

It was like thunder, and not just for the public.

This statement was replicated in the media, and the following part stood out in particular: "In practice, this means that the decision to launch a retaliatory strike must be made on the basis of information received from early warning systems – from satellites and ground radars. The flight time of a strategic missile is 15 to 30 minutes. Thus, a decision on a retaliatory launch must be made in a matter of minutes. This is very dangerous, as any failure in the early warning system of a missile strike, any provocation can become a signal for the immediate start of a nuclear war. With the emergence of cyber threats, this danger increases manifold. This is why the White House and the Kremlin need to forget about confrontation and bilaterally abandon the principles of retaliatory strikes based on information from warning systems and the training of strategic nuclear forces to launch such strikes.

With this turn of events, Zero had a lot of work to do. It was necessary to send out dispatches to find out whether it was a personal initiative or a "recommendation initiative".

One morning Rutra was brewing his coffee out of habit. Chief Zhidkov came into his office and asked:

– Don't you think we're in a Groundhog Day situation?

– Why not?" said Ruthra, smiling slightly.

– Rutra Tigrovic, it's time to move on to a new phase.

– What, are we speaking at the USND? – Rutra asked jokingly, but realized that he was referring to something more important than the U.S. National Defense University, since Yuri Vasilyevich rarely addressed those younger than him by name and patronymic, much less by rank.

– No, something else. I must introduce you to one more (perhaps the last) secret.

– What is it?

– This is the station. Are you ready to visit it?

– You know, Yuri Vasilyevich, that I'm always ready.

– You need to spend at least a week on it.

– What are we going to do there? – Ruthra stared at Zhidkov questioningly.

– To be enlightened," Vasilyevich replied simply and briefly.

– Curious," Ruthra replied calmly. – What about my business trip? You told me to prepare my staff and family for a business trip of at least a week.

– And what, you got it ready?

– Oh, yeah.

– And how did the family react?

– My wife is already here, and I told the kids I'd come with presents. They are well aware that "Daddy can do it", as they say.

– Great, then let's go.

They descended to an even deeper level, the elevator doors opened at a narrow gauge, shabby station, boarded the car, and "rolled. Ruthra didn't see anything remarkable (except for the gray branches), though he was surprised at the depth of the level and the sheer number of branching routes whose names were indicated by numbers. At last the wagon came to a stop. To go on, in the other direction, it was necessary to make a change. Vasilievich was silent, and Ruthra tried not to ask unnecessary questions, waiting for the end of the journey. Again the stations began to pass before his eyes.

After a while they reached the gates of the most classified part of the tunnel. The gate opened, though Vasilievich had given no command. Rutra's curiosity was growing, peaking as they headed for the Capsule station.

– Now you're about to learn a secret that those who have been allowed into Metro 2 don't even know about.

– What's the mystery?

– There is a Metro-3. This is where you and I came down," said the colonel.

– Is there a Metro Four?" – Ruthra asked, trying not to give his question a tone of sarcasm.