On 12 December 1901, he was on an archaeological expedition to Babylon when he stumbled across an unearthly silver road that led him to Babylon in 570 B.C. There he met Professor Bernice Summerfield, who had travelled there from 2595. She was on a desperate quest to save Babylon from being eradicated from history. (PROSE: Walking to Babylon, AUDIO: Walking to Babylon) Family tradition held that the Lafayettes had "the second sight." John, at least, was time-sensitive, being able to detect objects or people that had been displaced in time.