CERN Facility, Geneva, 8:45 pm
Dr.Andreas walked past his colleagues at the CERN lab. The 62 year old prayed that no one would ask him where he was headed, unfortunately for him, God didn't answer his prayer. An unfamiliar, hoarse voice called out to him. He stopped cold, bit his tongue and turned back.
The man introduced himself as Joseph Schneider. He continued "I have a little doubt and I was wondering if you could help me with it in your spare time." "Y-yes" The physicist struggled to get words off the tip of his tongue. Dammit! He cursed himself under his breath for failing to look inconspicuous. The German, who looked to be in his twenties, read the vague look on his face. Dr.Andreas pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He finally spoke up "Yes, uh-just-uh pay me a visit in my office between three and-uh four in the afternoon" Seriously! Is that best I can do?! Joseph nodded his head in response. Somewhere in Dr.Andreas' head, lied suspicion; something didn't feel right about Joseph Schneider.
The Italian physicist began strolling down the corridor when he heard the sound of footsteps in the distance. He turned around. No one. Abruptly, the footsteps' sound disappeared. As soon as he reached the door of his office, he typed in a code into the security system which he set up in his office and entered the darkness.
It was only minutes after he took out his laptop the power went out. He breathed out heavily in disappointment. All of a sudden, the sound of footsteps returned, this time they were getting louder and louder, as if someone was approaching. Then, without a warning they stopped, followed by beeps, which indicated that someone was typing in the security code to his office. Is someone trying to break into my office?! The door swung open. He couldn't see it, but he could feel the gush of the wind from outside and could hear the creaking. The physicist's body went cold. He stopped breathing. The darkness around him was no longer empty.
I'm not alone.
Dr.Andreas pulled out his iphone and turned it on. The screen's light illuminated the face of his stalker. His suspicions were right. It was none other than Joseph Schneider. The grim look on his face sent a chill down Andreas' spine.
Who the hell is this guy?!
The physicist began barking at his stalker "Get out of my office!" This guy must be desperate to clear his doubt. "Didn't you hear me?! Out!"
Only silence replied the frightened up physicist's commands.
Dr.Andreas cautiously walked backwards, he was getting more terrified with each passing second. He slowly drew out his Magnum 22. He had never used it in a real life situation before. I'll finally get to use this thing on someone. Ever since he began his research he had always been calculating the risks. He recalled a meeting with his close friend, historian Professor Benjamin Sadowsky. He was the only who knew about his research, he hoped it wouldn't come to an end today.
Joseph began walking towards the physicist, Dr.Andreas heard a gunshot. His eyes were closed, he felt no pain. Am I dead? Slowly, he opened his eyelids and saw a body lying down.
The body of Joseph Schneider. He ran towards him, Schneider began to blurt something out that sounded like "Mess with one of us, mess with all of us."
Their eyes locked for one second before Schneider drifted into a sleep from which he would never wake up.
* * *
Francois Sauvage, the 32 year old chauffer of respected physicist Dr.Andreas Del Piero, was anxious to know the whereabouts Mr. Del Piero. He got a call from him only minutes ago, he was out of breath and there were police sirens blaring in the background. Jesus! What is it with this guy?! Can't he just stay in his office and work?!
He had worked for many suspicious people but he had never encountered anyone like Dr.Andreas.
* * *
Five miles away at the CERN facility in Geneva, a gunshot disrupted the daily routine of the laboratory. The parking lot was flooded with police cars. At the door of her father's office, Lucia Del Piero, the 27 year old daughter of the accused Andreas Del Piero, stood heartbroken. Her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't believe that her father had murdered someone in cold blood. What was he thinking? But there was also one more thing, father would never allow her into his office, forget strangers. So how did he get in?
Dr.Lucia was suddenly approached by a tall man, who looked as if he was in his forties. He was dressed in a police uniform. His grey oily hair reflected the light from the CFL above his head making it look silver. "Constable Gerard Silvestre with the Geneva Police Force. May I take you in for questioning?" Lucia didn't feel like talking to anyone at this point, she took one glance at the lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. She stared into his cold, dark eyes. That's definitely not my father.
Lost in thoughts about the whereabouts of her father, Lucia didn't reply the question asked to her, "Madam! I need to ask you a few questions!" this time the constable was annoyed and had lost his cool. He finally gained her attention. She responded "Y-yes, I just want to get this over with." "Me too" said Silvestre in agreement. Finally.
* * *
Dr.Andreas was sitting in the passenger seat of his white Audi, which was unusual as he usually sat in the back. "Where to?" asked Sauvage "The Silver Stars Hotel." Sauvage was perplexed, he was desperate for answers. He held his curiosity. For now.
Dr.Andreas sunk into his seat. He was horrified by his own actions. What have I done? He couldn't go home now, that would be the first place where the police would check. Lost in his own world, the police now became the least of his worries. Through his eyes he spotted a black Mercedes on their tail. Goddamn! The windshield was tainted. He struggled to make out the faces of the two figures trailing them. Then, he noticed the car plate number.
GE · 90657
The Mercedes was now out of his sight, he started to breathe a little easier. The car came to a sudden stop, inertia threw him forward, his face slammed the dashboard and his glasses fell off. "I'm sorry sir" his chauffer apologized. Sauvage bent down to pick up Dr.Andreas' glasses and handed them over to him. Dr.Andreas grabbed his laptop bag and got out of the car without thanking his chauffer. "Why are you spending the night at a hotel sir?" asked Sauvage. Andreas paused for a moment. "Meeting" he wasn't looking straight into Sauvage's eyes "Go home and take a break for a few days" he suggested. His tone indicated anxiety.
Francois Sauvage knew that Dr.Andreas wasn't being straight with him. His curiosity got the better of him. He parked the Audi and got out.
Dr.Andreas was strolling through the lobby of the Silver Stars Hotel and then all of a sudden he stopped. Ten feet in front of him, outside the hotel, in the parking lot was black Mercedes. He hoped that it wasn't them. Now, he was unsure of booking a room in this hotel, moreover his chauffer had left. This is a huge risk.
* * *
Sauvage glanced at his wristwatch. 10 pm. He was wondering why Andreas didn't go home and why he had a meeting at around ten in the night. His anxiety also led Sauvage to investigate. Police sirens, out of breathe, anxiety, Silver Stars Hotel, something is definitely up. Ignorant of the actual world around him, he was putting his life on the line. As if out of nowhere a black Mercedes screeched to halt in front of him. He didn't know anything about what was going on. In reaction to the sudden stop, he recoiled and slammed to the floor. Jesus Christ! He raised his head and blinked his eyes. The scene around him was blurred.
A man got out of the sedan and helped him up. "Keep your eyes open my friend; you never know when death could strike." The man warned cryptically. "People and their secrets, they make you wonder huh?" Sauvage replied, still lost in his own world. The man kept silent. Just outside the lobby, another man dressed in a white suit and a blue turban called out to the driver of the black Mercedes. It was in a language he couldn't understand. The blue turbaned man, then, walked into the lobby. People and their attires. Sauvage thought.
Francois Sauvage was dusting his coat when he stopped cold.
A bloodcurdling scream shattered the silence.
He ran in full sprint towards the lobby of the Silver Stars hotel. He took a quick glance at the black Mercedes. The man was behaving normally as if these things occur on a daily basis. Continuing towards the lobby, he finally reached there. A huge crowd was blocking his view. Making his way through the panicked crowd he stopped in his tracks. He had a clear view of the reason of panic. His day couldn't get any stranger. Five feet in front of him, was a body lying in a pool of blood.
It was the body of Dr.Andreas Del Piero.
* * *
A/N: Hope that this prologue has got you hooked to the book! Please don't forget to vote and comment! And follow at your own will.