by James Flynn
“What are you doing here?” Beltrano asked, the colour draining from his face.
Beltrano stood with his weapon drawn, aiming straight at Chung Su, but she was no longer stood alone, the young Carabinieri officer had appeared from nowhere and now had a huge arm wrapped around her.
Beltrano screwed us. How did I not see it? Luke aimed his weapon directly at the young officer’s head.
“Officer Delvechi, let go of her immediately; that is an order!” Beltrano barked at his junior officer. But Delvechi did not obey; instead he clenched his arm tighter around Chung Su.
“What’s going on, Beltrano?” Luke snapped.
“Officer Delvechi, what the hell are you doing here? Let Miss Chung go … that is an order!”
Luke kept his gun levelled. “What’s going on, Beltrano?”
Beltrano started toward his junior. “No further, Sir,” snapped Delvechi in English. He then whispered into Chung Su’s ear, “You are ok, I am not going to hurt you.”
Luke noted the tension in Delvechi. Why is Beltrano aiming his gun at Delvechi? Then, without warning, Delvechi brought his gun up to aim at Beltrano.
“Sir, lower your gun.” Delvechi’s voice was trembling.
Beltrano scoffed, “I am the senior officer here, you do not give me orders, boy.”
Delvechi moved Chung Su back a couple of steps. “Sir, I need answers … I saw the bodies …”
Beltrano calmed. “What bodies, Officer?”
“You know what bodies … the two Korean scientists … from OPERA.”
Chung Su knew immediately that he was talking about her countrymen, bodies. “Dead?” It escaped her mouth barely audibly.
Delvechi again whispered in her ear. “Please do not worry … you are safe.”
Luke wasn’t sure if he had misheard. Beltrano had told him only yesterday that the two North Korean scientists were being held in Rome. A sickening feeling began to spread.
“What two bodies? I have no idea what you are talking about. Now if you have found something relating to this investigation then …”
“Save it, Sir. I know you have already found them … weeks ago.”
“Are you questioning me?” Beltrano’s demeanor was shifting.
Luke was shocked at what he was hearing, and now Chung Su was stood right in the middle of it.
“Why didn’t you phone it in, Sir?’ asked Delvechi.
“Delvechi, I have been doing my job. I apologise for my silence but it was imperative. I see that you have been doing some work of your own … and good work too, I must say.” He took another step toward them.
“I said that’s far enough,” snapped Delvechi.
“It’s ok, son, you can put the gun away. Robert, you too. I give you my word. I can fill you both in.” Beltrano spoke calmly.
Delvechi was pumped. He could feel the gun shaking; he had been so shocked to see Beltrano walk out of the darkness he had been acting on autopilot.
“Delvechi, it’s ok, I can explain things, but right now is not the time.” He gestured to Luke. “Let’s not be stupid.”
“Stop lying! I am not letting her anywhere near you.” Delvechi dragged Chung Su closer to him.
Luke knew Delvechi did not know what to do; he was improvising. A Group 9 trainer’s words hit home: a man armed and scared is a chimp with a grenade.
Beltrano shook his head. “Officer Delvechi, please, we are on the same side. There are certain things that are above your clearance. Now if we can get Miss Chung and Mr Reid back with us we can clear all this up.”
Luke was beginning to worry; there was no way that he was going anywhere with the two Carabinieri, nor was he going to let them take Chung Su. But it also did not seem that the two Carabinieri were going anywhere together, and that worried him more, tension was building.
Delvechi kept the pistol trained on Beltrano. “The Iranians, Sir … what about the Iranians?”
Everyone looked to Beltrano.
“Wh ... wh … what are you talking about, Officer?’ Beltrano was starting to stumble.
Delvechi looked at Luke as he answered. “The Iranians … up at the gala, all over Teramo … where did they come from?”
Beltrano didn’t answer straight away; he tilted his head back and let out a sigh, blowing a warm air cloud into the cold. La Cattedrale di San Berardo fell silent; the winter cloud hung heavy across the sky. Beltrano dropped his gun to his side and rubbed his eyes; his dark skin was ashen in the orange light.
“Sir, I know you signed the documentation that allowed them to enter untouched into the country … I need to know why?”
Luke absorbed the words. He let the Iranians in? Was he hearing correctly?
“What’s he talking about, Beltrano?” Luke asked.
Beltrano ignored him and continued with Delvechi. “You went over to ENAC, didn’t you?” he sighed. “I explicitly told you not to …”
Delvechi nodded, his hand shaking profusely. “And Professor Brun? The explosion … I watched you interrogate him at the station … did the Iranians …” Delvechi trailed off.
Beltrano shook his head like a disapproving parent. “Have you told anyone else about any of this, Officer Delvechi?”
“No, not yet, Sir … I just want answers.”
Beltrano nodded and spoke softly. “And you will have them … Insha’Allah.”
With that, Beltrano raised his gun, aimed it at Delvechi and pulled the trigger. The bang of the chamber was followed by an explosion of blood.
75.
Before Delvechi’s body had hit the floor Luke had run through a thousand thoughts. His next move took no thought at all; gripping the Sig Sauer with both hands he turned it on Beltrano. Chung Su’s scream shook the world back into motion; Beltrano took two sharp steps, grabbed her and pressed his gun against her temple.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Robert … she is already very upset.”
Chung Su was sobbing; Luke could see Delvechi’s blood glistening in her hair and on her cheek.
“What the fuck is going on, Beltrano?” Luke barked.
Beltrano’s voice was calm and even. “It would appear that you are not the only one who is good at pretending.”
“The Koreans … they are dead?”
Beltrano gave a dramatic sigh. “Yes, they are dead.”
Chung Su let out a whimper.
“The Iranians … they bought you?”
Beltrano hardened. “I work for two masters, both of which are far beyond your grasp! They are far bigger than yours or my place in this world.”
Luke took a sidestep; he was trying to pull Beltrano’s aim.
“No moving. I do not need to explain the rules to you, Robert ...”
Luke stopped still; he kept his gun trained on Beltrano’s exposed left shoulder. He needed more information, but a more immediate danger came to mind. There is no way he is here alone.
“Two masters? That’s cryptic for someone who is meant to appreciate simplicity.”
Beltrano scoffed. “How would I ever make you understand? Discipline and faith, Robert, faith.”
Luke glanced around the vicinity. “Try me.”
“I’m afraid not. How can one be honest with you, when you are not honest with us? I do not know who you are, or where you came from. You were a troubling entity that I am thankful we can now dismiss into the bowels of hell.” Beltrano wore a smile which still carried an easy charm.
Chung Su was crying and trying to pull away from the Carabinieri. Luke was drowning in strands of thought, each one tangling with the next. Luke locked eyes with Chung Su, her tears were mixing with the deep red crimson trickling down her face. He looked down at the young officer’s body; the upper left quadrant of his skull was missing; a pool of darkness spread along the floor. Beltrano had played his part to perfection; Luke had not seen the shift coming and he felt a tinge of anger that stemmed from hurt pride. He knew he had to take action; he could take a shot at Beltrano but despite what the movies led people to
believe unless the bullet disconnected the brain stem to stop post-mortem nerve reactions the risk to Chung Su was too great.
“What do we do now?” Luke asked.
“We do nothing, you are going to put your gun down on the floor and kick it away.”
“Or perhaps I just shoot you in the head … are you confident that you are quicker than a bullet?” Luke was stalling.
“I think that is a greater risk to her than it is to me. The question is always how confident you are with your shot.”
Luke had to keep the bigger picture in focus; his only concern was the mission, and however much it had morphed and changed his work had always ultimately been to stop Vittorio’s discoveries falling into rogue hands.
“Was it you who killed Brun?”
Beltrano took a moment. “I’m afraid it was. It was a necessary evil.”
Chung Su gritted her teeth and let out a cry. Luke felt the danger intensify. Beltrano was giving straight answers, which meant he knew Luke wasn’t going to be able to tell anyone. “Killing innocents, what part of true and right does that fit under?”
“I don’t think you are somebody to talk about killing innocents, or shall I ask the family of the police officer you shot?”
“Do you even know what you are fighting for?”
Beltrano flexed with anger, and his grip on Chung Su tightened. “Oh I know!”
“The next experiment, tomorrow evening, you are hijacking it?”
For the first time, Beltrano looked taken aback, and at first he did not answer. Then slowly he responded, “I see eliminating Brun was a good move.”
Chung Su wriggled and writhed, trying to break from Beltrano’s grip.
“Who are you working for, Beltrano?”
Beltrano regained his smile. “It does not matter. You are symptomatic of the whole failure of the West. I actually have more respect for her than you.”
“Then why kill her?” Luke asked.
Beltrano spoke into Chung Su’s ear. “Oh, this one is not going to be killed … not yet. There is still someone who wants to speak with her. You on the other hand. Robert, you will die.”
“And the technicians? You going to kill all of them as well? If no one is left alive then you have no witnesses.”
Beltrano turned his mouth up into a scowl. “They do not deserve to live … they must die.”
Chung Su found her voice and screamed, “You are crazy! This is not science, this is terrorism … you are nothing but a murderer!” She wriggled against his grip but Beltrano roughly suppressed her.
“It is progression, not insanity. We simply follow His will …”
Chung Su was frantic. “The reaction … so many people could be hurt or injured, like the last time ... the fake earthquake. You hide behind science but it is nothing but murder … evil murder.”
“I hide behind nothing! We will soon unveil ourselves to the world, and then thousands more will perish, Insha’Allah.” With that, he looked up at the cathedral clock. “Time waits for no man, and it seems we are no exception. We have somewhere very important to be. I do have one question though, Robert?”
Luke didn’t answer.
“Are you scared of burning in eternal damnation?”
The silent intensity between the two men fired across the cold space. Then out of nowhere another engine joined the motorbike, and a car burst from one side of the cathedral, tyres screeching on the paved floor as it rounded the corner and skidded to a stop just behind Beltrano.
“Our time together is up, Robert …” Beltrano began backing away toward the car. It was a blacked-out BMW. The front passenger door swung open and a tall, thin man appeared, aiming an automatic weapon at Luke. As Beltrano edged backwards with Chung Su toward the car, he passed under the orange light of the cathedral once more. At that moment, it hit Luke. Holy shit.
“They didn’t buy you ... you are Iranian!”
Beltrano roared a short laugh. “You are good at what you do, Robert, I will give you that. We are all one on God’s earth … or we soon will be.”
“And the man at Vittorio’s that you killed?” Luke flicked his pistol between Beltrano and the car.
“Sacrifices are necessary, Robert … as you will find out.”
As the car door shut with Beltrano and Chung Su inside, a glitter of metallic light flickered from the top of the arched building on the left of the dark garden. Before his brain had formed a rational appraisal Luke’s animal instinct kicked in and he set off sprinting in the direction of the front corner of the cathedral.
Less than a second later, La Cattedrale di San Berardo erupted with automatic gunfire.
76.
Luke didn’t take his gaze off the corner of the cathedral; that was his endpoint. The bullets were pinging and fizzing all around, chipping holes out of the old stone, a haze of moonlit dust rising into the night.
Just before he reached the cathedral corner the gunfire ceased … reloading, which means one shooter. The silence was now filled with the familiar ringing-in-the-ears of close-quarter battle. Without slowing Luke kept his legs pumping past the stepped frontage and out onto the other side. He rounded the corner just as the BMW was screeching west out of the top end of the square. Shit, don’t lose them, Luke. He span around full-circle, looking for options until he heard the café door ring as it was edged open; the Ducati driver was poking his head out, gingerly inspecting the commotion … the Ducati!
Luke set off toward the idling bike. With one wave of the Sig Sauer the man moved back inside and flicked off the lights. The engine roared and whined, propelling the bike forward; balance, throttle and feel.
To get round to the other side of the cathedral where the BMW had driven out of the square Luke had no choice but to drive back past the gunman’s position. Without thought he took the bike back past the small garden, lowering himself against the expectant barrage.
It never came.
Luke throttled the engine and moved round the cathedral, passing Delvechi’s stiffening corpse and the clock tower.
Without warning a man came crashing out of a doorway to Luke’s right. The man dived onto one knee and took aim with what looked like a Tavor bullpup assault rifle; its short frame and thick holding were easy to spot.
Luke was travelling fast. In a fluid motion he pulled up the Sig Sauer and let off a shot, but his speed caused it to travel high. He leaned the bike slightly away in an arc and let off another shot. This time it passed straight through the man’s heart, throwing him backwards onto the cold floor. Luke gunned the engine and tore across the square.
A few moments later, he flew out onto a wide space that was covered in temporary building cabins and orange barriers. The BMW was now pulling away north along a tree-lined road.
He followed them but the faster he went the more the cold bit hard at his extremities.
His presence was no secret, it was gone midnight and there was no one else on the roads. The BMW flicked on its brakes and a familiar thud of automatic fire came hurtling towards him, creating a metallic symphony as the bullets sprayed all over the railings. Luke pulled out the Sig Sauer and began returning fire until finally he heard nothing but an empty click. Shit.
Process and reassess. Now his only option was to close the distance and see if he could take the car off the road.
Suddenly the car’s rear window shattered and a hail of bullets filled the air. A millisecond later a bullet buried itself into the motorbike’s gold and black casing. Luke could feel his control disappear and he knew he was in trouble. Trying to minimise impact he made the split-second decision to roll the bike and slide onto the ground. The heat was the most vivid sensation; the world was whipping around him. Sparks from the bike shot out in all directions as it careered out of the alleyway and ploughed into the wall, swiftly followed by a rolling Luke Temple.
Luke’s leg shot with pain, but as he regained his bearings he was amazed that all he carried were a few scratches. He thanked the cold for numbing his body. He
looked around in the direction of the BMW but saw nothing. Luke knew these guys were professionals; they would want to confirm he was dead – he needed to move.
No sooner had he had the thought than he saw headlights turning back onto the road. The nearest place to hide was a green silo bin stood against the wall. Luke climbed up and threw himself inside, sliding the lid shut.
Tiny holes let in the headlights as the car slowly cruised past. It stopped and a door opened. The footsteps walked around slowly, inspecting the scene. Luke was convinced the lid would fly open any second. After much walking, he heard the door shut and the car sped away, heading south.
Move Luke, move!
Pulling back the lid, he dropped onto the road, gritting his teeth against the pain in his leg. He couldn’t lose them. Moving over to a small white Fiat, he threw his elbow through the window and yanked open the door. Outmanned and out-armed the odds were fully stacked against him, but he slammed the accelerator to the floor and steadied his breathing.
77.
Chung Su glanced out of the window. She caught the moon through a rare break in the cloud; it was a brilliant white circle covering the exquisite natural beauty of the Gran Sasso in a pale light. They were driving along a motorway that was leading them directly to the heart of the range.
A beautiful image of home … Chung Su’s grandfather was walking beside her across the field. They were walking with nowhere in mind, wandering the rich lush greenery of the southern provinces, a beautiful moon lighting their path, a strong wind rolling unobstructed from the North Pacific and the Sea of Japan. Her grandfather held her hand tight as he looked around and took a deep breath, his slight frame and tattered clothes not detracting from the fire in his eyes, the gateway to his curiosity and love of life … the curiosity instilled in Chung Su.
Beltrano barked an order to the man sat on Chung Su’s left. Setting the gun down on the floor the man leant under the empty passenger seat and produced a black case, resting it on his lap. The case was sleek with no markings. The man pressed down on two metallic clasps and the case flicked open. The interior was lined with thick black plastic, hardened and shaped into two separate compartments. Chung Su audibly gasped at the contents … in one compartment sat a large medical syringe; in the other sat three test-tube-sized capsules.
