Chasing The Dawn (Luke Temple - Book 2) (Luke Temple Series) Read Free

sure you will be accommodating.”
    Officer Nestor fought to repress his obvious discomfort, but there was nothing he could do, the piece of paper was a government decree stating that Carabinieri Beltrano was now leading the investigation. He couldn’t possibly fathom what interest the government or military had with it all, but he knew better than to question it.
    Beltrano watched Professor Brun, who was now busying himself at a computer screen. He strolled over.
    “I shall talk in English, Mr Brun, as yours is so impeccable.”
    Brun eyed Beltrano. “And who might you be?”
    Beltrano extended his hand. “I am Carabinieri Beltrano, I will be taking over from Officer Nestor.”
    “Taking over in the loosest sense, I assume, as he has left you nothing to take over from.”
    Beltrano managed a smile and noted Nestor eyeing them suspiciously.
    Brun continued without taking his eyes off the screen, “I knew it wouldn’t be long until you lot arrived.”
    “And why would that be?”
    Brun looked at the two other officers then turned his head toward Beltrano’s, “Mr Beltrano, I am fully aware that we can only continue our discoveries because of the funding that arrives from many government bodies, including several from this very country. I do not have time for this. I have been asked questions for the last two days, I do not know anything.”
    “Of course.” Beltrano walked over to the window. “Fantastic view.”
    Brun grunted.
    “You seem very busy, Professor.”
    “I am, I am.”
    Beltrano walked slowly across to the police tape. “You don’t seem very concerned for Professor Vittorio.”
    “Should I be? My job is now to make sure things keep happening; discovery is the only importance.”
    “Of course. It is true that you are head technician on the OPERA experiment?”
    Brun raised his head. “Yes that’s correct. Is that a problem?”
    “Well that depends. Am I right in thinking that Professor Vittorio was heading up OPERA?”
    “Yes, that is correct, is there a point to this?”
    “Just strikes me as odd that a man you worked with day and night for the last ten years goes missing and all you can think about is work?”
    Brun stood up from his computer. He stared at Beltrano, then his gaze drifted again to the other two officers. He raised his voice so everyone could hear. “Mr Beltrano, I am incredibly worried about Ernesto, but he would want us to continue, to push forward, not to collapse.” He took off his glasses and sunk back into the desk chair with a resounding sigh.
    Beltrano suddenly turned on his heels and approached Officer Nestor. ‘I need to know everything you have so far …”

3.
    Luke pulled the Audi A3 out of the queue of cars lining up to collect people from Rome’s Fiumicino airport. He wouldn’t be getting the chance to soak up the historically charged atmosphere of Rome, he would be skirting anti-clockwise around the south west of the city joining the Autostrada up to Teramo. If he could avoid the famous Roman traffic he should be there within two hours.
    The Audi’s engine was sharp and responsive; it had been left for collection at the long stay car park, all engine serial numbers would have been removed, but Luke had learnt the hard way that no one could be trusted. He would have to change cars regularly whilst in the country, paying cash for rentals, that way even his Group 9 handlers wouldn’t know his vehicle details . Sometimes the most dangerous enemy is the one within.
    Luke mulled over the operation objectives; Ernesto Vittorio, a prominent professor of particle physics, had gone missing. He was a fellow at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, and had been working on a new range of experiments that had been shortened to the acronym OPERA. Luke had only two objectives; first, gain as much information as possible around Vittorio’s disappearance and, second, if the target was alive, locate him and get him onto German soil.
    Luke never questioned his