"Where is George Ayers."

"Oh, he's been on sabbatical for ages. As long as I've been teaching here."

"On sabbatical where?"

He shakes his head. "I don't keep track of where people I've never met are. Probably he's off studying the cannibals of Papua New Guinea and leaving his grad students to do all the teaching."

"Is there anyone else around here who might keep track? Someone who was teaching here when he was?"

"The anthropology department secretary is Samantha Burnish," Dr. Roman says. "She should know." His voice has a tone of deep skepticism that Samantha Burnish knows anything.

They locate the front desk. "Hello, we're looking for a George Ayers? Are you the person to ask about that?"

"Yes," she says. "And you won't be able to find him, he's on sabbatical."

"We have a plane. Do you know where the sabbatical is taking place."

"I think... probably in Africa?" she says. "I'm sorry, it was ten years ago."

"He's been on sabbatical for ten years?"

"Yes," she says. "I have no idea why he never returned."

"Do you know where in Africa? There's a lot of Africa."

"I don't remember, I'm sorry, I arrange a lot of sabbaticals. Dr. McDunn is the head of the History Department, perhaps if you talked to him."

"We were told he maybe had grad students teaching here? Can you point us towards any of them?"

"It's been ten years, all of his actual grad students have graduated by now. We just assign some grad students to him because that horrible woman over at the registrar's office refuses to update the university directory."

"I guess we should go talk to Dr. McDunn."

"As the department secretary, I am the one that schedules appointments for Dr. McDunn," the secretary says. She looks at them suspiciously. "...why are you interested in Dr. Ayers again?"

"We're looking into a former student of his. -- I'm a journalist, they're my colleagues."

"All right." She checks the calendar. "He actually just got out of a meeting right now, shall I take you to him?"

"That would be lovely."

A few minutes later--

"Hello," says Dr. McDunn. "I'm Dr. McDunn, head of the Anthropology Department. And you are?"

"Mordred Orkney, journalist. We were hoping you could tell us where we might find George Ayers, we're looking into a former student of his."

"George Ayers... George Ayers..." He shakes his head. "I am not sure I recall the name. Refresh my memory?"

"He's apparently been on sabbatical in Africa."