Monte Pizzaro wrapped the black rosary gently in his palm and made the sign of the cross. He had been watching the designated window for an hour now. He sucked air into his nostrils in a controlled manner and exhaled after holding for a few seconds.This was a part of his preparation routine. Monte recalled how the events of the night had panned out. Not so bad he reasoned, except the prey had somehow found a way to survive despite the skills of the predator. He pulled his sleeves up and studied the engraving on his watch."If we are not monsters, then we are food"Tonight however, Monte knew he was no food. He remembered the numerous times in his past life when he had been weak. The times when he had been food to the hungry predators of the world."Not tonight", he thought, "Not forever".Science had to go. Science had been responsible for the loss of his young family. Science had made him weak, it had made him vulnerable, but not anymore. He looked around him at the unsuspecting pas
"Death smiles at us all, all a man can do is smile back.” — Marcus Aurelius. 1. In the quiet of the night, shadows clung to the edges of the scientist's house. The assassin, a silhouette of deadly intent, slipped through the darkness with a predatory grace. The air was thick with tension as he approached the target's residence, moving with a cat-like stealth. He had come all the way from Milan to perform this act of penance. "This is God's work", he thought. "I am nothing but the handmaid of the lord" Inside, the renowned scientist, Dr. Emily Turner, suspected nothing. She sat in her study, surrounded by shelves filled with scientific journals and the soft hum of the computer analyzing data from her latest experiment. The only sound was the tapping of keys and occasional murmurs of approval as she reviewed her findings. The assassin, clad in black, observed from the shadows, patiently waiting for the opportune moment. He had meticulously planned this mission, studying Dr. Turner
Twenty four hours earlier, Dr. Emily Turner had spoken at the International Conference On Science Technology And Management. Which was an annual scientific convention, organized by the International Academic of Science Technology Engineering and Management (IASTEM) in France.In the grand auditorium, bathed in the sterile glow of fluorescent lights, Dr. Emily Turner stepped up to the podium. The hum of anticipatory chatter among the attendees gradually hushed as all eyes turned toward the eminent researcher. The stage was set for a discourse that promised to transcend the boundaries of conventional scientific thought.Dr. Emily who was a distinguished figure in the field of evolutionary biology, began by acknowledging the intellectual curiosity that brought the diverse audience together. Her voice, measured and resonant, echoed through the hall, carrying a weight that demanded attention.Emily began, "As we stand on the precipice of an ever-changing future, we must confront the undeni
3.The grand auditorium in Paris echoed with the lingering applause as Dr. Emily Turner concluded her presentation. Among the enthralled audience was Dr. Alexis Monroe her long time friend and colleague who was equally versed in the mysteries of genetics. Dr. Alexis had flown out from England to attend this presentation by her friend and partner and she was more than impressed with tonight's presentation.As the audience dispersed, Emily and Alexis found themselves in the bustling corridor, surrounded by the murmur of excited discussions. Alexis, with an eager smile, approached Emily."Emily, that was an extraordinary presentation! You managed to illuminate evolution in a way that's both profound and accessible," Alexis exclaimed."Thank you, Alexis! I'm thrilled that it resonated with everyone," Emily replied, her eyes reflecting a mix of satisfaction and anticipation.The corridor buzzed with the energy of the convention, but Emily motioned for Alexis to join her in a quieter corner
“Dr. Turner?”Emily turned around, peeling her eyes from the monocular microscope she had been peering into over the past half hour. That was the voice of her assistant Toby. She gave him a weak smile. Toby had been Emily’s assistant for seven months now, and he had proved himself invaluable to her.Toby who started as a brilliant science intern, had seamlessly blended curiosity with intellect in the lab. His adept problem-solving and innovative approaches caught the attention of the research team. Recognizing his potential, Emily had swiftly recommended him to the board and they had offered him a permanent position. He had the unwritten duty of looking after her lab affairs which most times included telling her when to take a break from lab work.“You have been working too hard these past few weeks”, Toby said. Emily smiled again, but this time the smile was big and cheerful.“I know Toby, but all these will benefit mankind. These findings will be talked about for years to come”, Emi
5.The assassin from his black sedan had watched Emily exit her car and head for the entrance of the laboratory complex. He was satisfied that she did not suspect that someone had been trailing her as she had driven down to the lab.“It did not do for the prey to become suspicious too soon before the kill”, he mused to himself. The time frame from when the deer realized that a predator was stalking it to when life was stuffed out of its body in nature was most times too short. But that was the beauty of the hunt. Not that he had expected her to notice. He had taken down bigger predators in the past. Preys who had a heightened sense for danger, sixth sense as was normally referred to, and yet none of them had smelt death till he the predator had closed in. He was an artist that took pride in the process.He frowned at himself. Just moments ago, he had almost used the switch blade in his pocket for the kill. The lion didn’t need a weapon to subdue the deer, the lion itself was the weap
Thankfully, when the assassin entered the complex Emily was conversing with a colleague. He had been worried that by the time he managed to enter the complex, if he had managed to, Emily would have been out of sight. She began moving as soon as he had entered and he followed her closely. She entered an elevator and he paused, pretending to study the huge poster on the wall which had letters sprawled across it in a very huge font size.SCIENCE IS THE NEW RELIGION“sacrilege”, he thought.“Forgive them lord for they know not what they do.”He looked up at the small led display which indicated the floor the elevator was headed.Third floor.When the light changed to green, he quickly moved in and pushed the open button. He stepped in. As the doors were preparing to shut a young boy who he guessed was an intern rushed in blushing slightly. He eyed the assassin briefly before entering the elevator. The boy pushed the button and the doors hissed to a close.“Third floor ehn?”, he asked, but
Evading the receptionist was a matter of formality. The lounge was structured in a manner that the doors which led into Emily's lab was facing away from the reception stand. As the assassin exited the elevator, he walked up to the reception desk. A number of people were in the lounge presumably waiting for a scientist to come out of one of the huge doors. No one paid him any attention."Hello, waiting to see Dr. Thomas", he said flashing his best smile. The girl nodded absentmindedly as she punched something into a computer.He prayed that some stupid doctors name would be Thomas. He had made up the name at that instant. His prayer was answered when she replied."Wrong floor", she said and began giving him instructions on how to locate the imaginary Dr. Thomas. That was all he needed."Thank you", he replied and moved away. The girl barely looked up from her screen, apparently she was engrossed in some kind of movie playing on her phone. He was certain that she would not recognize his