Chapter 19

11 .10A.M

PONTIFICIA ACADEMIA DELLE SCIENZE, ROME.

Prof. Werner Arber paced about the emergency mobile pod, lost in deep thought. His assistant, Noble laureate holder, Vera Sicera sat across him on one of the only two seats in the pod, thumbing through sheets of confidential reports they could salvage during the emergency evacuation from the Academy of Science.

The events of today had obviously shattered his nerves. His cell rang.

"Hello Pique, have the hard disks been secured?" He asked. "That's not exactly the answer I was expecting. We are talking about over two hundred years of research work, and I need a positive response. How long do we have until the detonation?"

"Thirty minutes, professor." Pique answered from the other end.

Situated at the heart of the magnificent Vatican gardens, the Academy of Sciences once known as Accademia Pontificia dei Lincei Pontifical Academy of the Lynxes, dates back to 1603 when it was founded by Federico Cesi, a young Roman prince.