by James Flynn
99.
Luke was screaming with every pull of his arms. His feet were braced against the side of the shaft, his neck was bent. He had made his way out of the fan room and back through the narrow metal tunnel, this time crawling in the darkness without a torch. He had made it back to the vertical ventilation shaft, the cold air had hit him and he could smell the night above. He was now scaling the rope he had left in place; the pain in the rest of his body was only numbed by the agony in his shoulder. He could feel the warm blood running down from his wound. He was frustrated that he was moving so slowly; waiting for the inevitable blast to overtake him, he willed himself upwards.
Then, he felt a slight vibration that ran through his feet. It was slight, but noticeable.
I’m still too far away. He desperately needed to quicken his ascent, but he simply did not have the energy. The vibrations then became unmistakable; the shaft was shaking, accompanied by the eerie creak of buckling metal.
Luke knew the explosions had begun. His mind wandered to the neutrino … such a tiny unfathomable particle can cause so much destruction. Chung Su would be lost with the experiment, and Luke felt an unnatural pang of sadness. In the end, she had given her life. She should never have been here in the first place.
He continued his climb. Sweat fell from his face, his thoughts a dizzying haze. A terrifying rumble was growing below. Death was coming and he was ready.
He tilted his head back and stared up the shaft into a beautifully clear night sky. The moonlight was starting to penetrate the darkness. Then he saw a shadow flicker across the bright sky. It flickered back and forth and then formed into a solid shape. It was a woman staring down.
Luke kept climbing toward the shape. There was a rhythmic thump coming from the earth below as the laboratory began to collapse and burn.
The female was bathed in light … Sarah. Screaming in pain and determination he forced his hands higher and higher up the rope. The shaft was flexing and the heat was now starting to rise from below. He looked up into the sky and fixed his eyes on the stars.
I am ready for death …
***
The countryside around the western edge of the Gran Sasso just north of L’Aquila came alive with a deep rumble. The white-coated land shivered above the burning earth below. Smoke and steam erupted from the ground, giant pyres of heat lurching into the sky.
The snow melted away in the face of the intense heat. Birds flew from their branches. Animals were spooked into bolting, letting out cries as they scattered. Without warning the earth sank in great patches, dipping and undulating, creating a new dramatic landscape. The whole earth bristled with life.
Then, as suddenly as the violence had erupted, it ceased. Wisps of steam were the only evidence of the destruction below. The earth had covered over the evils of the world.
Epilogue
The top story this morning: a range of leading names in the physics community have come out today to debunk the claims made by OPERA scientists Professor Ernesto Vittorio and Professor Roland Brun in regards to measuring a particle that travels faster than the speed of light. Only two weeks ago the pair are said to have indicated to the scientific community that they had seen the “neutrino” particle travelling through rock from CERN to Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso faster than the speed of light, a discovery that would have rewritten the laws of physics. However, a range of reputable scientists have now stated that this is a false claim, and in fact the reading was the result of an error in calibration of the measuring equipment. CERN themselves have come out and backed the claims of calibration error.
This news adds a further twist to a tragic and mysterious fortnight for the Swiss-based research and technology giant. Last Saturday evening, one of their underground laboratories which was based near the Italian town of L’Aquila at the foot of the Gran Sasso national park suffered a catastrophic explosion. At first CERN denied the existence of the laboratory which only served to heighten the mystery, but they have since admitted the underground facility was the site of an advanced area of the OPERA experiment. The explosion sent panic through the region as the horrific earthquake of 2009 is still fresh in local memory. More terrifying is the thirty-kilometre exclusion zone that has been imposed around the site until tests confirm the area is safe.
Professor Vittorio, who was recently reported missing, has of yet still not been located, whilst Professor Brun was the tragic victim of a gas explosion days before the laboratory disaster.
Government officials are frustrated at the lack of detail coming from CERN and OPERA, who as of yet have only stated that they are undertaking a full investigation into the matter and will release their findings shortly. It is unknown at this stage how many lives have been lost, but some have estimated that upwards of thirty scientists and technicians perished in the explosion. The local community is already rallying round in response to the devastation that has befallen them, including houses lost, and farms and countryside ripped apart.
Yesterday morning the Prime Minister of Italy, David Piliggio, stated that the relevant forces have investigated matters and are not treating the events as suspicious. He said: “Although these events are a tragedy, and one felt by the whole country, at this stage the evidence is not pointing to anything suspicious. The relevant forces are investigating every aspect and collating all evidence available so full and proper findings can be released shortly. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families involved.”
Many are screaming cover-up, and these events have intensified claims by activists that CERN and the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso carry far too much power with governments and high-ranking officials across the globe. Many call for more transparent procedures, especially those who live with CERN-funded institutes on their doorstep.
We will bring you all the latest as it develops.
He closed the internet window down, shutting off BBC World Service. Pulling out his earphones, he switched off his tablet, watching the screen go black. He shook his head in wonderment at the power in motion.
The low winter sun was beating through the glass frontage of the airport. There was not an intense heat at that time of year, but the sky was bright and clear. The airport was modern; the tiled floor still had its shine, and giant pillars reached from the floor to the second-floor ceiling. Travellers walked back and forth, cramming the escalators and shops. Up to his left were large letters spelling out Imam Khomeini Airport.
The man stretched his back. He had been sat on a plane from Berlin for the past four and a half hours.
“Mr Lawrence ... Mr Lawrence?”
A suited gentleman with sweat on his forehead and a very well-kept moustache was holding a sign and calling the name.
“I am Mr Lawrence.”
The suited man came striding over and gave a sheepish bow. “My apologies for the delay. Please follow me.”
There was an injection of heat as they exited the air-conditioned airport. The suited man led them towards a blacked-out Mercedes 4x4. He opened the rear door and ushered his passenger inside, the traveller limped ever so slightly as he shifted his weight to climb in. The suited man then jumped in the front. “How was your flight?”
“Fine.”
“I am pleased to hear it. I have to say, these are strange times we are living through but I always welcome more workers like you, Mr Lawrence. God would approve of any man trying to make the world a better place.”
The traveller said nothing.
“How long have you worked for Amnesty International?”
Again, the traveller didn’t answer.
The driver then took out a photograph. “My apologies but I have procedure to follow.” He began comparing the picture to the man sat in front of him. “You can never be too careful these days.” Brown, feline eyes, a break in the nose, five feet eleven tall, thin frame … the only thing different was the lack of short dark wavy hair; it was now neatly shaved. He brushed his moustache, gave a beaming smile, and guided the car smooth
ly out of its parking space.
“Well … welcome to Iran, Mr Lawrence.”
Also by James Flynn
The Shadow of Medea (Luke Temple Series Book 1)
Table of Contents
CHASING THE DAWN
About the Author
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1.
Chapter 2.
Chapter 3.
Chapter 4.
Chapter 5.
Chapter 6.
Chapter 7.
Chapter 8.
Chapter 9.
Chapter 10.
Chapter 11.
Chapter 12.
Chapter 13.
Chapter 14.
Chapter 15.
Chapter 16.
Chapter 17.
Chapter 18.
Chapter 19.
Chapter 20.
Chapter 21.
Chapter 22.
Chapter 23.
Chapter 24.
Chapter 25.
Chapter 26.
Chapter 27.
Chapter 28.
Chapter 29.
Chapter 30.
Chapter 31.
Chapter 32.
Chapter 33.
Chapter 34.
Chapter 35.
Chapter 36.
Chapter 37.
Chapter 38.
Chapter 39.
Chapter 40.
Chapter 41.
Chapter 42.
Chapter 43.
Chapter 44.
Chapter 45.
Chapter 46.
Chapter 47.
Chapter 48.
Chapter 49.
Chapter 50.
Chapter 51.
Chapter 52.
Chapter 53.
Chapter 54.
Chapter 55.
Chapter 56.
Chapter 57.
Chapter 58.
Chapter 59.
Chapter 60.
Chapter 61.
Chapter 62.
Chapter 63.
Chapter 64.
Chapter 65.
Chapter 66.
Chapter 67.
Chapter 68.
Chapter 69.
Chapter 70.
Chapter 71.
Chapter 72.
Chapter 73.
Chapter 74.
Chapter 75.
Chapter 76.
Chapter 77.
Chapter 78.
Chapter 79.
Chapter 80.
Chapter 81.
Chapter 82.
Chapter 83.
Chapter 84.
Chapter 85.
Chapter 86.
Chapter 87.
Chapter 88.
Chapter 89.
Chapter 90.
Chapter 91.
Chapter 92.
Chapter 93.
Chapter 94.
Chapter 95.
Chapter 96.
Chapter 97.
Chapter 98.
Chapter 99.
Epilogue
Also by James Flynn