L'Hôtel Du Ciel, Paris, 7:00 am
Today wasn't the best of days for Professor Benjamin Sadowsky.
The 58 year old historian from Yale University, one of the most prestigious in the United States, realized that he had missed his flight back home. That's a thousand bucks gone wasted. And to add to the misery he'd have to book two more nights in this hotel. In disappointment he ran his fingers through his smooth, silky brown hair. He got out of his room and walked towards the elevator. There was a sign stuck to the elevator, the words were in bright red.
ELEVATOR UNDER MAINTENANCE.
SORRY FOR INCONVENIENCE.
"This is just great." He groaned. Only ten stories down, this should be fun. He was about to begin his tedious journey down the stairs when his iphone pinged. It was a text message from his old friend Andreas Del Piero. Andy. "What's he up to now?" he was talking to himself. He read text message he received.
Ben, this is an emergency situation, there's a private jet on its way to Geneva. Board it. Mr.Lorssen will guide you. Dangerous people after my research- Andy
"What the-" An emergency situation? Who on earth is Mr.Lorssen? Like never before, he made his way to lobby of the hotel as fast as he could and sent a text message back.
Got your message. On my way to the airport. Stay safe.-Ben
Sadowsky entered a taxi "Get to the airport and step on it!" The cabbie looked at Sadowsky. He had a perplexed expression on his face. He couldn't understand the rapid English of Sadowsky. He groaned "Charles De Gaulle Airport!" and the taxi was finally on its way.
Sitting in the taxi Sadowsky slowly recalled his previous meeting with his physicist friend.
"Ben! Thank god you made it!" Andreas had a huge grin on his face. Sadowsky comfortably walked into his best friend's house, where he had visited innumerable times.
"Coffee or tea?" asked Andreas.
"Tea" Sadowsky would never leave his friend's house without a beverage. While he waited for his beverage he helped himself to the view of valley and the Italian Riviera outside the window.
Sadowsky's tea arrived, "Thanks."
The two of them sat comfortably on the sofa. "So what was it that you wanted to tell me?"
Andreas' grin disappeared. "What I'm about to tell you is very important" he paused, "Follow me."
Andreas led Sadowsky to the basement of his house. In the large basement was a locked door. He typed in a code which was too complicated for Sadowsky to remember.
The room was pitch black until Andreas turned on the lights.
The bulb illuminated a black board with several complicated equations, a messed up desk with papers lying all over and a huge chart on the wall adjacent to the black board. It had photos of several people, men and women with crosses marked over them in a red marker.
Sadowsky's eyes caught a newspaper on the floor.
Renowned Physicist Killed in Crash.
Andreas seemed to have read Sadowsky's mind, "That's just one of them."
"What the hell is this?" Sadowsky was terrified. This was one side of his friend he had never seen before.
Andreas pointed towards the chart. "May 15th, 2009, professor Wolfgang Mueller said on a talk show that he was onto something that would revolutionize the world" he paused, "Two days later, he's found dead at his residence. Autopsy says that he died of heart failure."
Andreas pointed to the next picture of an elderly woman. "This one tweeted that she was also onto something big. The next day she's shot dead, police say that it was a robbery." He explained. His tone showed his concern for his own life and for the others close to him. If it was information they wanted to protect they could be after his loved ones. He looked at the chart once more, "And same goes for all the people on this chart!" he exclaimed.
Sadowsky slowly approached the chart and lifted his finger, "Hey, I know that guy. I met him at a conference in 2011" he said as he pointed at the picture of one the crossed victims."
"Yeah, well he died two years ago in his laboratory. He said he was close to modifying the characteristics of the human genome."
Sadowsky turned towards his friend, "You think that all these deaths are linked?"
"Ben, somebody is hunting us down. All these intellectuals in the field of physics, biology, computer engineering are all being hunted down." Andreas was clearly shaken up.
Andreas pulled out a grey, 16 GB, HP pen drive from his desk drawer and handed it over to Sadowsky. "This pen drive contains my life's work. Under no circumstances must you open this or even mention it" he explained. He had discussed many issues with his close friend but nothing was ever this much serious and life threatening.
Sadowsky was dumbstruck, "But why me?"
Andreas' answer was bold and clear. "Because I trust you."
Benjamin Sadowsky jolted upright. Holy-. "We come to airport," announced the driver. Sadowsky looked out the window. Sure enough. He got out of the taxi "Here, take this," and handed him a fifty euro bill. By the time the driver realized Sadowsky's counting error he had already left. "You overpay!" He shouted but he never minded it anyway. After all he did get a huge tip. Or at least he thought he did.
Sadowsky was waiting outside the airport. Come on! Where is this guy?! Ten minutes passed. He was getting really impatient, he had no tolerance when came to coming late, whatever the matter. He took out his iphone and called Andreas. The phone was ringing. No one picked up. "Goddamn!" he cursed out loud. He tried once again. Again no one answered. Three more times he called. Three more times no one answered.
Sadowsky felt a drop fall on his head, then another on his hand. It's raining. Great, just what I needed. The calm drizzle slowly morphed into a raging storm. Sadowsky took shelter under a taxi stand. The only person in there besides him was a blonde haired man in a brown coat. Sadowsky slumped beside the blonde man. Suddenly his pocket started vibrating. He reached into it and pulled out his iphone. The call was from Andreas. Finally. Before taking the call, he walked to an isolated corner within the stand and tried to cover his mouth. "If you can't pick your phone you might as well just throw it away!" Sadowsky barked.
Silence.
"Hello?" Sadowsky was getting worried. All he heard at the other end was a deep breath. A chill ran down his spine. "Andy?" he was getting really anxious at this point. "Greetings Professor Sadowsky" the accent was not the familiar Italian one. The man at the other end had a deep British accent. It sounded hostile as if preparing to issue a threat. "Who the hell is this?! And where is Alex?!" he was panicking. "I'm afraid Mr.Del Piero is dead, professor." No way, that's nonsense. "That's impossible!" Sadowsky was still trying to digest the fact the he had lost his close friend. "Anything's possible Professor" replied the caller.
"What do you want me for?!"
The callers answer was deep, mellifluous whisper "You are here Mr.Sadowsky because I want you here."
Is this some sort of joke?! But something in the man's voice told Sadowsky that he was telling the truth. A very dark truth. Something he wished would never happen. "I'm sure you've noticed Mr.Lorssen, Professor." He whirled around. The blonde haired man waved at him and got up. "Mr.Lorssen will guide you to a private jet bound for Geneva, Switzerland. Over there we will be waiting for you."
Sadowsky was filled with anger. He burst out, "You're crazy! I'm hanging-"
"I'm not sure if that's the best of ideas, professor" said the man, cutting him off abruptly. "And why is that?" he took a while to answer.
"Because your life depends on it," simultaneously Mr.Lorssen drew out a gun from his pocket. Sadowsky's eyes widened, as if they were going to pop out. He was gripped by fear.
He was now in their hands. This can't be happening.
* * *
Pearl Residences, Geneva, 10:45 am
"We have him" confirmed Peter Giggs, the 39 year-old smiled cunningly and ran his hands through his bright orange beard. "He probably knows the password to the folder" Giggs was unsure. After all, his latest victim was very secretive but they still had a chance. If he was clean, he would be executed like the others. "Probably?" said Mohammed in his Arabic accent, he wanted Giggs to be one-hundred percent sure.
"Well it has been accessed seven times before" informed Giggs. He narrowed his eyes and bent down to lean towards the laptop screen. "Can't you just hack it?" asked Mohammed pulling out a thread off his blue turban. Giggs shook his head "hopefully we won't need to".
Mohammed jumped and landed straight into his chair, where he sat anxiously, "How long before the boss arrives?" he asked. Giggs backed away from the screen "Tomorrow" he turned towards the Arabian, "the day after if we're lucky". He stretched his arms and yawned "I'm going to get some shut eye".
Mohammed picked his phone and skimmed through the contacts till he found who he wanted to call.
"Lorssen, what's the status?" he asked as soon as the phone was picked up. "We should reach within two or three hours" he answered.
"And the Professor?"
"He's with me, refusing to talk".
Mohammed cut the phone. Nothing can go wrong now.
* * *
Cointroin Airport, Geneva, 2:05 pm
"Act normal" commanded Lorssen as he and Sadowsky made their way through the busy crowd of the Cointroin Airport. Sadowsky could smell the sweet Swiss chocolates in the air. He had always wanted to try those but unfortunately for him today wasn't his day.
Lorssen put his hand on Sadowsky's chest and stopped him in his tracks.
"If you don't answer our questions correctly, the consequences will be much worse than just killing you" he gave Sadowsky a grim look as he issued the threat, "Understood?"
Sadowsky nodded his head and gulped simultaneously, thinking of all the possible consequences.
As they exited the terminal, they reached a black Mercedes, "Get in" Lorssen ordered as he pushed Sadowsky into the back seat. Sadowsky banged his shins against the edge and was pushed inside by the door.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he screamed as he got up. He wasn't used to being treated like this. Being a highly respected professor and historian, he was used to luxurious and posh conditions.
Lorssen didn't bother to reply. He gunned the engine and began his journey towards his intended destination.
Four miles into the journey, just two miles away from the Pearl Residences Sadowsky sat confined in the back seat of the black Mercedes. He leaned backwards and brought his legs inward as if preparing for attack. Please let this go right. He knew that his chances were slim just like his thin and weak body, but he had to take the risk.
In the driver's seat Lorssen took a quick glance at the mirror while switching gears.
Goddamn.
He turned back and simultaneously held his gun.
He saw it coming but could only stare.
Within a fraction of a second Sadowsky thrust his legs into his captor. Lorssen was thrown back and smashed into the windshield. What the-?!
The Mercedes spun out of control as soon Lorssen was thrown towards the windshield. The car entered the opposite lane. As if out of nowhere, two meters before them was an oncoming truck speeding at over a fifty miles per hour. Sadowsky tumbled around in the back, inertia continuously tossed him from end to the other. This cannot get any worse.
Unfortunately for him it did.
The driver of the truck slammed on the brakes but the heavy vehicle's momentum threw it forward ramming into the back end of the Mercedes. The windshield shattered due to the truck's gargantuan impact. Glass shards spread in all directions, some of them scarring him. The trunk was crushed between the truck and the main part of the car.
A huge burst was heard as one of the tires blew up and went spiraling into the horizon.
Sadowsky's head spun along with the car.
As the Mercedes was thrown off the road, the truck's container emerged from behind, jack-knifing a pedestrian on the other end of the lane.
Sadowsky slowly emerged from the wreckage with his palm placed on his head. He felt something liquid and brought his hands in front of his eyes.
He saw blood.
Ignoring his own injury he looked up at the crowd that had gathered on the other side of the lane. One of the civilians in the crowd shouted orders in French. Following the man, the rest of the crowd moved back, giving Sadowsky a crystal clear view.
The scene was horrifying.
* * *