Dan Brown,

Angels & Demons

Sequence Robert Langdon - part 1
Annotation
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code comes the explosive thriller that started it
all.
n ancient secret brotherhood. devastating ne! !eapon of destruction. n unthin"able target. #hen
!orld-reno!ned $arvard s%mbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to his first assignment to a S!iss research facilit%
to anal%&e a m%sterious s%mbol'seared into the chest of a murdered ph%sicist'he discovers evidence of the
unimaginable( the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood "no!n as the )lluminati*the most po!erful
underground organi&ation ever to !al" the earth. +he )lluminati has no! surfaced to carr% out the final phase of its
legendar% vendetta against its most hated enem%'the ,atholic ,hurch.
Langdon-s !orst fears are confirmed on the eve of the .atican-s hol% conclave/ !hen a messenger of the )lluminati
announces the% have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the ver% heart of .atican ,it%. #ith the countdo!n under
!a%/ Langdon 0ets to Rome to 0oin forces !ith .ittoria .etra/ a beautiful and m%sterious )talian scientist/ to assist the
.atican in a desperate bid for survival.
1mbar"ing on a frantic hunt through sealed cr%pts/ dangerous catacombs/ deserted cathedrals/ and the most
secretive vault on earth/ Langdon and .etra follo! a 233-%ear-old trail of ancient s%mbols that sna"es across Rome
to!ard the long-forgotten )lluminati lair*a clandestine location that contains the onl% hope for .atican salvation.
,ritics have praised the exhilarating blend of relentless adventure/ scholarl% intrigue/ and cutting !it found in
4ro!n-s remar"able thrillers featuring Robert Langdon. n explosive international suspense/ Angels & Demons mar"s
this hero-s first adventure as it careens from enlightening epiphanies to dar" truths as the battle bet!een science and
religion turns to !ar.
Angels & Demons
by Dan Brown
For Blythe
Acknowledgments
debt of gratitude to 1mil% 4estler/ 5ason 6aufman/ 4en 6aplan/ and ever%one at 7oc"et 4oo"s for their belief in
this pro0ect.
+o m% friend and agent/ 5a"e 1l!ell/ for his enthusiasm and unflagging effort.
+o the legendar% 8eorge #ieser/ for convincing me to !rite novels.
+o m% dear friend )rv Sittler/ for facilitating m% audience !ith the 7ope/ secreting me into parts of .atican ,it% fe!
ever see/ and ma"ing m% time in Rome unforgettable.
+o one of the most ingenious and gifted artists alive/ 5ohn Langdon/ !ho rose brilliantl% to m% impossible
challenge and created the ambigrams for this novel.
+o Stan 7lanton/ head librarian/ 9hio :niversit%-,hillicothe/ for being m% number one source of information on
countless topics.
+o S%lvia ,ava&&ini/ for her gracious tour through the secret Passetto.
nd to the best parents a "id could hope for/ ;ic" and ,onnie 4ro!n* for ever%thing.
+han"s also to ,1R</ $enr% 4ec"ett/ 4rett +rotter/ the 7ontifical cadem% of Science/ 4roo"haven )nstitute/
FermiLab Librar%/ 9lga #ieser/ ;on :lsch of the <ational Securit% )nstitute/ ,aroline $. +hompson at :niversit% of
#ales/ 6athr%n 8erhard and 9mar l 6indi/ 5ohn 7i"e and the Federation of merican Scientists/ $eimlich
.iserholder/ ,orinna and ;avis $ammond/ i&a& li/ the 8alileo 7ro0ect of Rice :niversit%/ 5ulie L%nn and ,harlie
R%an at =oc"ingbird 7ictures/ 8ar% 8oldstein/ ;ave >.ilas? rnold and ndra ,ra!ford/ the 8lobalFraternal <et!or"/
the 7hillips 1xeter cadem% Librar%/ 5im 4arrington/ 5ohn =aier/ the exceptionall% "een e%e of =argie #achtel/
alt.masonic.members/ lan #oole%/ the Librar% of ,ongress .atican ,odices 1xhibit/ Lisa ,allamaro and the
,allamaro genc%/ 5on . Sto!ell/ =usei .aticani/ ldo 4aggia/ <oah lire&a/ $arriet #al"er/ ,harles +err%/ =icron
1lectronics/ =ind% $oman/ <anc% and;ic" ,urtin/ +homas ;. <adeau/ <uvo=edia andRoc"et 1-boo"s/ Fran" and
S%lvia 6enned%/ Rome 4oard of +ourism/ =aestro 8regor%4ro!n/ .al 4ro!n/ #erner 4randes/ 7aul 6rupin at ;irect
,ontact/ 7aul Star"/ +om 6ing at ,omputal" <et!or"/ Sand% and 5err% <olan/ #eb guru Linda 8eorge/ the <ational
cadem% of rt in Rome/ ph%sicist and fello! scribe Steve $o!e/ Robert #eston/ the #ater Street 4oo"store in
1xeter/ <e! $ampshire/ and the .atican 9bservator%.
Fact
+he !orld@s largest scientific research facilit%'S!it&erland@s Conseil Europen pour la Recherche Nuclaire
>,1R<?'recentl% succeeded in producing the first particles of antimatter. ntimatter is identical to ph%sical matter
except that it is composed of particles !hose electric charges are opposite to those found in normal matter.
ntimatter is the most po!erful energ% source "no!n to man. )t releases energ% !ith 133 percent efficienc%
>nuclear fission is 1.A percent efficient?. ntimatter creates no pollution or radiation/ and a droplet could po!er <e!
Bor" ,it% for a full da%.
+here is/ ho!ever/ one catch*
ntimatter is highl% unstable. )t ignites !hen it comes in contact !ith absolutel% an%thing* even air. single
gram of antimatter contains the energ% of a C3-"iloton nuclear bomb'the si&e of the bomb dropped on $iroshima.
:ntil recentl% antimatter has been created onl% in ver% small amounts >a fe! atoms at a time?. 4ut ,1R< has no!
bro"en ground on its ne! ntiproton ;ecelerator'an advanced antimatter production facilit% that promises to create
antimatter in much larger quantities.
9ne question looms( #ill this highl% volatile substance save the !orld/ or !ill it be used to create the most deadl%
!eapon ever madeD
Authors Note
References to all !or"s of art/ tombs/ tunnels/ and architecture in Rome are entirel% factual >as are their exact
locations?. +he% can still be seen toda%.
+he brotherhood of the )lluminati is also factual.
rologue
7h%sicist Leonardo .etra smelled burning flesh/ and he "ne! it !as his o!n. $e stared up in terror at the dar"
figure looming over him. E#hat do %ou !antFE
Ea chia!e/E the rasp% voice replied. E+he pass!ord.E
E4ut* ) don@t'E
+he intruder pressed do!n again/ grinding the !hite hot ob0ect deeper into .etra@s chest. +here !as the hiss of
broiling flesh.
.etra cried out in agon%. E+here is no pass!ordFE $e felt himself drifting to!ard unconsciousness.
+he figure glared. ENe a!e!o paura. ) !as afraid of that.E
.etra fought to "eep his senses/ but the dar"ness !as closing in. $is onl% solace !as in "no!ing his attac"er !ould
never obtain !hat he had come for. moment later/ ho!ever/ the figure produced a blade and brought it to .etra@s
face. +he blade hovered. ,arefull%. Surgicall%.
EFor the love of 8odFE .etra screamed. 4ut it !as too late.
!
$igh atop the steps of the 7%ramid of 8i&a a %oung !oman laughed and called do!n to him. ERobert/ hurr% upF )
"ne! ) should have married a %ounger manFE $er smile !as magic.
$e struggled to "eep up/ but his legs felt li"e stone. E#ait/E he begged. E7lease*E
s he climbed/ his vision began to blur. +here !as a thundering in his ears. " must reach her# 4ut !hen he loo"ed
up again/ the !oman had disappeared. )n her place stood an old man !ith rotting teeth. +he man stared do!n/ curling
his lips into a lonel% grimace. +hen he let out a scream of anguish that resounded across the desert.
Robert Langdon a!o"e !ith a start from his nightmare. +he phone beside his bed !as ringing. ;a&ed/ he pic"ed up
the receiver.
E$elloDE
E)@m loo"ing for Robert Langdon/E a man@s voice said.
Langdon sat up in his empt% bed and tried to clear his mind. E+his* is Robert Langdon.E $e squinted at his digital
cloc". )t !as A(1G .=.
E) must see %ou immediatel%.E
E#ho is thisDE
E=% name is =aximilian 6ohler. )@m a discrete particle ph%sicist.E
E whatDE Langdon could barel% focus. Ere %ou sure %ou@ve got the right LangdonDE
EBou@re a professor of religious iconolog% at $arvard :niversit%. Bou@ve !ritten three boo"s on s%mbolog% and'E
E;o %ou "no! !hat time it isDE
E) apologi&e. ) have something %ou need to see. ) can@t discuss it on the phone.E
"no!ing groan escaped Langdon@s lips. +his had happened before. 9ne of the perils of !riting boo"s about
religious s%mbolog% !as the calls from religious &ealots !ho !anted him to confirm their latest sign from 8od. Last
month a stripper from 9"lahoma had promised Langdon the best sex of his life if he !ould fl% do!n and verif% the
authenticit% of a cruciform that had magicall% appeared on her bed sheets. The $hrou% o& Tulsa/ Langdon had called it.
E$o! did %ou get m% numberDE Langdon tried to be polite/ despite the hour.
E9n the #orld!ide #eb. +he site for %our boo".E
Langdon fro!ned. $e !as damn sure his boo"@s site did not include his home phone number. +he man !as
obviousl% l%ing.
E) need to see %ou/E the caller insisted. E)@ll pa% %ou !ell.E
<o! Langdon !as getting mad. E)@m sorr%/ but ) reall%'E
E)f %ou leave immediatel%/ %ou can be here b%'E
E)@m not going an%!hereF )t@s five o@cloc" in the morningFE Langdon hung up and collapsed bac" in bed. $e closed
his e%es and tried to fall bac" asleep. )t !as no use. +he dream !as embla&oned in his mind. Reluctantl%/ he put on his
robe and !ent do!nstairs.
Robert Langdon !andered barefoot through his deserted =assachusetts .ictorian home and nursed his ritual
insomnia remed%'a mug of steaming <estlH@s Iui". +he pril moon filtered through the ba% !indo!s and pla%ed on
the oriental carpets. Langdon@s colleagues often 0o"ed that his place loo"ed more li"e an anthropolog% museum than a
home. $is shelves !ere pac"ed !ith religious artifacts from around the !orld'an ekua'a from 8hana/ a gold cross from
Spain/ a c%cladic idol from the egean/ and even a rare !oven 'occus from 4orneo/ a %oung !arrior@s s%mbol of
perpetual %outh.
s Langdon sat on his brass =aharishi@s chest and savored the !armth of the chocolate/ the ba% !indo! caught his
reflection. +he image !as distorted and pale* li"e a ghost. (n a)in) )host/ he thought/ cruell% reminded that his
%outhful spirit !as living in a mortal shell.
lthough not overl% handsome in a classical sense/ the fort%-five-%ear-old Langdon had !hat his female colleagues
referred to as an EeruditeE appeal'!isps of gra% in his thic" bro!n hair/ probing blue e%es/ an arrestingl% deep voice/
and the strong/ carefree smile of a collegiate athlete. varsit% diver in prep school and college/ Langdon still had the
bod% of a s!immer/ a toned/ six-foot ph%sique that he vigilantl% maintained !ith fift% laps a da% in the universit% pool.
Langdon@s friends had al!a%s vie!ed him as a bit of an enigma'a man caught bet!een centuries. 9n !ee"ends he
could be seen lounging on the quad in blue 0eans/ discussing computer graphics or religious histor% !ith studentsJ other
times he could be spotted in his $arris t!eed and paisle% vest/ photographed in the pages of upscale art maga&ines at
museum openings !here he had been as"ed to lecture.
lthough a tough teacher and strict disciplinarian/ Langdon !as the first to embrace !hat he hailed as the Elost art
of good clean fun.E $e relished recreation !ith an infectious fanaticism that had earned him a fraternal acceptance
among his students. $is campus nic"name'E+he ;olphinE'!as a reference both to his affable nature and his legendar%
abilit% to dive into a pool and outmaneuver the entire opposing squad in a !ater polo match.
s Langdon sat alone/ absentl% ga&ing into the dar"ness/ the silence of his home !as shattered again/ this time b%
the ring of his fax machine. +oo exhausted to be anno%ed/ Langdon forced a tired chuc"le.
*o%+s people/ he thought. Two thousan% years o& waitin) &or their ,essiah- an% they+re still persistent as hell.
#earil%/ he returned his empt% mug to the "itchen and !al"ed slo!l% to his oa"-paneled stud%. +he incoming fax
la% in the tra%. Sighing/ he scooped up the paper and loo"ed at it.
)nstantl%/ a !ave of nausea hit him.
+he image on the page !as that of a human corpse. +he bod% had been stripped na"ed/ and its head had been
t!isted/ facing completel% bac"!ard. 9n the victim@s chest !as a terrible burn. +he man had been branded* imprinted
!ith a single !ord. )t !as a !ord Langdon "ne! !ell. .er% !ell. $e stared at the ornate lettering in disbelief.
E)lluminati/E he stammered/ his heart pounding. "t can+t 'e*
)n slo! motion/ afraid of !hat he !as about to !itness/ Langdon rotated the fax 1G3 degrees. $e loo"ed at the !ord
upside do!n.
)nstantl%/ the breath !ent out of him. )t !as li"e he had been hit b% a truc". 4arel% able to believe his e%es/ he
rotated the fax again/ reading the brand right-side up and then upside do!n.
E)lluminati/E he !hispered.
Stunned/ Langdon collapsed in a chair. $e sat a moment in utter be!ilderment. 8raduall%/ his e%es !ere dra!n to
the blin"ing red light on his fax machine. #hoever had sent this fax !as still on the line* !aiting to tal". Langdon
ga&ed at the blin"ing light a long time.
+hen/ trembling/ he pic"ed up the receiver.
"
E;o ) have %our attention no!DE the man@s voice said !hen Langdon finall% ans!ered the line.
EBes/ sir/ %ou damn !ell do. Bou !ant to explain %ourselfDE
E) tried to tell %ou before.E +he voice !as rigid/ mechanical. E)@m a ph%sicist. ) run a research facilit%. #e@ve had a
murder. Bou sa! the bod%.E
E$o! did %ou find meDE Langdon could barel% focus. $is mind !as racing from the image on the fax.
E) alread% told %ou. +he #orld!ide #eb. +he site for %our boo"/ The (rt o& the "lluminati.E
Langdon tried to gather his thoughts. $is boo" !as virtuall% un"no!n in mainstream literar% circles/ but it had
developed quite a follo!ing on-line. <onetheless/ the caller@s claim still made no sense. E+hat page has no contact
information/E Langdon challenged. E)@m certain of it.E
E) have people here at the lab ver% adept at extracting user information from the #eb.E
Langdon !as s"eptical. ESounds li"e %our lab "no!s a lot about the #eb.E
E#e should/E the man fired bac". E#e in!ente% it.E
Something in the man@s voice told Langdon he !as not 0o"ing.
E) must see %ou/E the caller insisted. E+his is not a matter !e can discuss on the phone. =% lab is onl% an hour@s
flight from 4oston.E
Langdon stood in the dim light of his stud% and anal%&ed the fax in his hand. +he image !as overpo!ering/
possibl% representing the epigraphical find of the centur%/ a decade of his research confirmed in a single s%mbol.
E)t@s urgent/E the voice pressured.
Langdon@s e%es !ere loc"ed on the brand. "lluminati/ he read over and over. $is !or" had al!a%s been based on
the s%mbolic equivalent of fossils'ancient documents and historical hearsa%'but this image before him !as toda%.
7resent tense. $e felt li"e a paleontologist coming face to face !ith a living dinosaur.
E)@ve ta"en the libert% of sending a plane for %ou/E the voice said. E)t !ill be in 4oston in t!ent% minutes.E
Langdon felt his mouth go dr%. (n hour+s &li)ht*
E7lease forgive m% presumption/E the voice said. E) need %ou here.E
Langdon loo"ed again at the fax'an ancient m%th confirmed in blac" and !hite. +he implications !ere frightening.
$e ga&ed absentl% through the ba% !indo!. +he first hint of da!n !as sifting through the birch trees in his bac"%ard/
but the vie! loo"ed someho! different this morning. s an odd combination of fear and exhilaration settled over him/
Langdon "ne! he had no choice.
EBou !in/E he said. E+ell me !here to meet the plane.E
#
+housands of miles a!a%/ t!o men !ere meeting. +he chamber !as dar". =edieval. Stone.
EBen!enuto/E the man in charge said. $e !as seated in the shado!s/ out of sight. E#ere %ou successfulDE
E$i/E the dar" figure replied. EPer&ectamente.E $is !ords !ere as hard as the roc" !alls.
End there !ill be no doubt !ho is responsibleDE
E<one.E
ESuperb. ;o %ou have !hat ) as"ed forDE
+he "iller@s e%es glistened/ blac" li"e oil. $e produced a heav% electronic device and set it on the table.
+he man in the shado!s seemed pleased. EBou have done !ell.E
EServing the brotherhood is an honor/E the "iller said.
E7hase t!o begins shortl%. 8et some rest. +onight !e change the !orld.E
$
Robert Langdon@s Saab K33S tore out of the ,allahan +unnel and emerged on the east side of 4oston $arbor near
the entrance to Logan irport. ,hec"ing his directions Langdon found viation Road and turned left past the old
1astern irlines 4uilding. +hree hundred %ards do!n the access road a hangar loomed in the dar"ness. large number
$ !as painted on it. $e pulled into the par"ing lot and got out of his car.
round-faced man in a blue flight suit emerged from behind the building. ERobert LangdonDE he called. +he man@s
voice !as friendl%. $e had an accent Langdon couldn@t place.
E+hat@s me/E Langdon said/ loc"ing his car.
E7erfect timing/E the man said. E)@ve 0ust landed. Follo! me/ please.E
s the% circled the building/ Langdon felt tense. $e !as not accustomed to cr%ptic phone calls and secret
rende&vous !ith strangers. <ot "no!ing !hat to expect he had donned his usual classroom attire'a pair of chinos/ a
turtlenec"/ and a $arris t!eed suit 0ac"et. s the% !al"ed/ he thought about the fax in his 0ac"et poc"et/ still unable to
believe the image it depicted.
+he pilot seemed to sense Langdon@s anxiet%. EFl%ing@s not a problem for %ou/ is it/ sirDE
E<ot at all/E Langdon replied. Bran%e% corpses are a pro'lem &or me. Flyin) " can han%le.
+he man led Langdon the length of the hangar. +he% rounded the corner onto the run!a%.
Langdon stopped dead in his trac"s and gaped at the aircraft par"ed on the tarmac. E#e@re riding in thatDE
+he man grinned. ELi"e itDE
Langdon stared a long moment. ELi"e itD #hat the hell is itDE
+he craft before them !as enormous. )t !as vaguel% reminiscent of the space shuttle except that the top had been
shaved off/ leaving it perfectl% flat. 7ar"ed there on the run!a%/ it resembled a colossal !edge. Langdon@s first
impression !as that he must be dreaming. +he vehicle loo"ed as air!orth% as a 4uic". +he !ings !ere practicall%
nonexistent'0ust t!o stubb% fins on the rear of the fuselage. pair of dorsal guiders rose out of the aft section. +he rest
of the plane !as hull'about C33 feet from front to bac"'no !indo!s/ nothing but hull.
E+!o hundred fift% thousand "ilos full% fueled/E the pilot offered/ li"e a father bragging about his ne!born. ERuns
on slush h%drogen. +he shell@s a titanium matrix !ith silicon carbide fibers. She pac"s a C3(1 thrustL!eight ratioJ most
0ets run at M(1. +he director must be in one helluva a hurr% to see %ou. $e doesn@t usuall% send the big bo%.E
E+his thing &liesDE Langdon said.
+he pilot smiled. E9h %eah.E $e led Langdon across the tarmac to!ard the plane. ELoo"s "ind of startling/ ) "no!/
but %ou better get used to it. )n five %ears/ all %ou@ll see are these babies'$S,+@s'$igh Speed ,ivil +ransports. 9ur
lab@s one of the first to o!n one.E
,ust 'e one hell o& a la'/ Langdon thought.
E+his one@s a protot%pe of the 4oeing N-OO/E the pilot continued/ Ebut there are do&ens of others'the <ational ero
Space 7lane/ the Russians have Scram0et/ the 4rits have $9+9L. +he future@s here/ it@s 0ust ta"ing some time to get to
the public sector. Bou can "iss conventional 0ets good-b%e.E
Langdon loo"ed up !aril% at the craft. E) thin" )@d prefer a conventional 0et.E
+he pilot motioned up the gangplan". E+his !a%/ please/ =r. Langdon. #atch %our step.E
=inutes later/ Langdon !as seated inside the empt% cabin. +he pilot buc"led him into the front ro! and
disappeared to!ard the front of the aircraft.
+he cabin itself loo"ed surprisingl% li"e a !ide-bod% commercial airliner. +he onl% exception !as that it had no
!indo!s/ !hich made Langdon uneas%. $e had been haunted his !hole life b% a mild case of claustrophobia'the
vestige of a childhood incident he had never quite overcome.
Langdon@s aversion to closed spaces !as b% no means debilitating/ but it had al!a%s frustrated him. )t manifested
itself in subtle !a%s. $e avoided enclosed sports li"e racquetball or squash/ and he had gladl% paid a small fortune for
his air%/ high-ceilinged .ictorian home even though economical facult% housing !as readil% available. Langdon had
often suspected his attraction to the art !orld as a %oung bo% sprang from his love of museums@ !ide open spaces.
+he engines roared to life beneath him/ sending a deep shudder through the hull. Langdon s!allo!ed hard and
!aited. $e felt the plane start taxiing. 7iped-in countr% music began pla%ing quietl% overhead.
phone on the !all beside him beeped t!ice. Langdon lifted the receiver.
E$elloDE
E,omfortable/ =r. LangdonDE
E<ot at all.E
E5ust relax. #e@ll be there in an hour.E
End !here exactl% is thereDE Langdon as"ed/ reali&ing he had no idea !here he !as headed.
E8eneva/E the pilot replied/ revving the engines. E+he lab@s in 8eneva.E
E8eneva/E Langdon repeated/ feeling a little better. E:pstate <e! Bor". )@ve actuall% got famil% near Seneca La"e.
) !asn@t a!are 8eneva had a ph%sics lab.E
+he pilot laughed. E<ot 8eneva/ New York/ =r. Langdon. 8eneva/ $wit/erlan%.E
+he !ord too" a long moment to register. ES!it&erlandDE Langdon felt his pulse surge. E) thought %ou said the lab
!as onl% an hour a!a%FE
E)t is/ =r. Langdon.E +he pilot chuc"led. E+his plane goes =ach fifteen.E
%
9n a bus% 1uropean street/ the "iller serpentined through a cro!d. $e !as a po!erful man. ;ar" and potent.
;eceptivel% agile. $is muscles still felt hard from the thrill of his meeting.
"t went well/ he told himself. lthough his emplo%er had never revealed his face/ the "iller felt honored to be in his
presence. 0a% it really 'een only &i&teen %ays since his employer ha% &irst ma%e contact1 +he "iller still remembered
ever% !ord of that call*
E=% name is 5anus/E the caller had said. E#e are "insmen of a sort. #e share an enem%. ) hear %our s"ills are for
hire.E
E)t depends !hom %ou represent/E the "iller replied.
+he caller told him.
E)s this %our idea of a 0o"eDE
EBou have heard our name/ ) see/E the caller replied.
E9f course. +he brotherhood is legendar%.E
End %et %ou find %ourself doubting ) am genuine.E
E1ver%one "no!s the brothers have faded to dust.E
E devious plo%. +he most dangerous enem% is that !hich no one fears.E
+he "iller !as s"eptical. E+he brotherhood enduresDE
E;eeper underground than ever before. 9ur roots infiltrate ever%thing %ou see* even the sacred fortress of our
most s!orn enem%.E
E)mpossible. +he% are invulnerable.E
E9ur reach is far.E
E<o one@s reach is that far.E
E.er% soon/ %ou !ill believe. n irrefutable demonstration of the brotherhood@s po!er has alread% transpired.
single act of treacher% and proof.E
E#hat have %ou doneDE
+he caller told him.
+he "iller@s e%es !ent !ide. En impossible tas".E
+he next da%/ ne!spapers around the globe carried the same headline. +he "iller became a believer.
<o!/ fifteen da%s later/ the "iller@s faith had solidified be%ond the shado! of a doubt. The 'rotherhoo% en%ures/ he
thought. Toni)ht they will sur&ace to re!eal their power.
s he made his !a% through the streets/ his blac" e%es gleamed !ith foreboding. 9ne of the most covert and feared
fraternities ever to !al" the earth had called on him for service. They ha!e chosen wisely/ he thought. $is reputation for
secrec% !as exceeded onl% b% that of his deadliness.
So far/ he had served them nobl%. $e had made his "ill and delivered the item to 5anus as requested. <o!/ it !as up
to 5anus to use his po!er to ensure the item@s placement.
+he placement*
+he "iller !ondered ho! 5anus could possibl% handle such a staggering tas". +he man obviousl% had connections
on the inside. +he brotherhood@s dominion seemed limitless.
2anus/ the "iller thought. ( co%e name- o'!iously. #as it a reference/ he !ondered/ to the Roman t!o-faced god*
or to the moon of SaturnD <ot that it made an% difference. 5anus !ielded unfathomable po!er. $e had proven that
be%ond a doubt.
s the "iller !al"ed/ he imagined his ancestors smiling do!n on him. +oda% he !as fighting their battle/ he !as
fighting the same enem% the% had fought for ages/ as far bac" as the eleventh centur%* !hen the enem%@s crusading
armies had first pillaged his land/ raping and "illing his people/ declaring them unclean/ defiling their temples and gods.
$is ancestors had formed a small but deadl% arm% to defend themselves. +he arm% became famous across the land
as protectors's"illed executioners !ho !andered the countr%side slaughtering an% of the enem% the% could find. +he%
!ere reno!ned not onl% for their brutal "illings/ but also for celebrating their sla%ings b% plunging themselves into
drug-induced stupors. +heir drug of choice !as a potent intoxicant the% called hashish.
s their notoriet% spread/ these lethal men became "no!n b% a single !ord'0assassin'literall% Ethe follo!ers of
hashish.E +he name 0assassin became s%non%mous !ith death in almost ever% language on earth. +he !ord !as still
used toda%/ even in modern 1nglish* but li"e the craft of "illing/ the !ord had evolved.
)t !as no! pronounced assassin.
&
Sixt%-four minutes had passed !hen an incredulous and slightl% air-sic" Robert Langdon stepped do!n the
gangplan" onto the sun-drenched run!a%. crisp bree&e rustled the lapels of his t!eed 0ac"et. +he open space felt
!onderful. $e squinted out at the lush green valle% rising to sno!capped pea"s all around them.
"+m %reamin)/ he told himself. (ny minute now "+ll 'e wakin) up.
E#elcome to S!it&erland/E the pilot said/ %elling over the roar of the N-OO@s misted-fuel $1;= engines !inding
do!n behind them.
Langdon chec"ed his !atch. )t read M(3M .=.
EBou 0ust crossed six time &ones/E the pilot offered. E)t@s a little past 1 7.=. here.E
Langdon reset his !atch.
E$o! do %ou feelDE
$e rubbed his stomach. ELi"e )@ve been eating St%rofoam.E
+he pilot nodded. Eltitude sic"ness. #e !ere at sixt% thousand feet. Bou@re thirt% percent lighter up there. Luc"%
!e onl% did a puddle 0ump. )f !e@d gone to +o"%o )@d have ta"en her all the !a% up'a hundred miles. <o! that+ll get
%our insides rolling.E
Langdon gave a !an nod and counted himself luc"%. ll things considered/ the flight had been remar"abl%
ordinar%. side from a bone-crushing acceleration during ta"e off/ the plane@s motion had been fairl% t%pical'occasional
minor turbulence/ a fe! pressure changes as the%@d climbed/ but nothing at all to suggest the% had been hurtling through
space at the mind-numbing speed of 11/333 miles per hour.
handful of technicians scurried onto the run!a% to tend to the N-OO. +he pilot escorted Langdon to a blac"
7eugeot sedan in a par"ing area beside the control to!er. =oments later the% !ere speeding do!n a paved road that
stretched out across the valle% floor. faint cluster of buildings rose in the distance. 9utside/ the grass% plains tore b%
in a blur.
Langdon !atched in disbelief as the pilot pushed the speedometer up around 1M3 "ilometers an hour'over 133
miles per hour. 3hat is it with this )uy an% spee%1 he !ondered.
EFive "ilometers to the lab/E the pilot said. E)@ll have %ou there in t!o minutes.E
Langdon searched in vain for a seat belt. 3hy not make it three an% )et us there ali!e1
+he car raced on.
E;o %ou li"e RebaDE the pilot as"ed/ 0amming a cassette into the tape dec".
!oman started singing.
)t@s 0ust the fear of being alone*
No &ear here/ Langdon thought absentl%. $is female colleagues often ribbed him that his collection of
museum-qualit% artifacts !as nothing more than a transparent attempt to fill an empt% home/ a home the% insisted
!ould benefit greatl% from the presence of a !oman. Langdon al!a%s laughed it off/ reminding them he alread% had
three loves in his life's%mbolog%/ !ater polo/ and bachelorhood'the latter being a freedom that enabled him to travel
the !orld/ sleep as late as he !anted/ and en0o% quiet nights at home !ith a brand% and a good boo".
E#e@re li"e a small cit%/E the pilot said/ pulling Langdon from his da%dream. E<ot 0ust labs. #e@ve got
supermar"ets/ a hospital/ even a cinema.E
Langdon nodded blan"l% and loo"ed out at the spra!ling expanse of buildings rising before them.
E)n fact/E the pilot added/ E!e possess the largest machine on earth.E
EReall%DE Langdon scanned the countr%side.
EBou !on@t see it out there/ sir.E +he pilot smiled. E)t@s buried six stories belo! the earth.E
Langdon didn@t have time to as". #ithout !arning the pilot 0ammed on the bra"es. +he car s"idded to a stop
outside a reinforced sentr% booth.
Langdon read the sign before them.
'ecurite( Arrete)
$e suddenl% felt a !ave of panic/ reali&ing !here he !as. E=% 8odF ) didn@t bring m% passportFE
E7assports are unnecessar%/E the driver assured. E#e have a standing arrangement !ith the S!iss government.E
Langdon !atched dumbfounded as his driver gave the guard an );. +he sentr% ran it through an electronic
authentication device. +he machine flashed green.
E7assenger nameDE
ERobert Langdon/E the driver replied.
E8uest ofDE
E+he director.E
+he sentr% arched his e%ebro!s. $e turned and chec"ed a computer printout/ verif%ing it against the data on his
computer screen. +hen he returned to the !indo!. E1n0o% %our sta%/ =r. Langdon.E
+he car shot off again/ accelerating another C33 %ards around a s!eeping rotar% that led to the facilit%@s main
entrance. Looming before them !as a rectangular/ ultramodern structure of glass and steel. Langdon !as ama&ed b% the
building@s stri"ing transparent design. $e had al!a%s had a fond love of architecture.
E+he 8lass ,athedral/E the escort offered.
E churchDE
E$ell/ no. church is the one thing !e %on+t have. 7h%sics is the religion around here. :se the Lord@s name in vain
all %ou li"e/E he laughed/ E0ust don@t slander an% quar"s or mesons.E
Langdon sat be!ildered as the driver s!ung the car around and brought it to a stop in front of the glass building.
4uarks an% mesons1 No 'or%er control1 ,ach 15 6ets1 3ho the hell are these )uys1 +he engraved granite slab in front
of the building bore the ans!er(
C*+N
Conseil *uro,-en ,our la +echerche Nucl-aire
E<uclear ResearchDE Langdon as"ed/ fairl% certain his translation !as correct.
+he driver did not ans!er. $e !as leaning for!ard/ busil% ad0usting the car@s cassette pla%er. E+his is %our stop.
+he director !ill meet %ou at this entrance.E
Langdon noted a man in a !heelchair exiting the building. $e loo"ed to be in his earl% sixties. 8aunt and totall%
bald !ith a sternl% set 0a!/ he !ore a !hite lab coat and dress shoes propped firml% on the !heelchair@s footrest. 1ven
at a distance his e%es loo"ed lifeless'li"e t!o gra% stones.
E)s that himDE Langdon as"ed.
+he driver loo"ed up. E#ell/ )@ll be.E $e turned and gave Langdon an ominous smile. ESpea" of the devil.E
:ncertain !hat to expect/ Langdon stepped from the vehicle.
+he man in the !heelchair accelerated to!ard Langdon and offered a clamm% hand. E=r. LangdonD #e spo"e on
the phone. =% name is =aximilian 6ohler.E
.
=aximilian 6ohler/ director general of ,1R</ !as "no!n behind his bac" as 78ni)'6ing. )t !as a title more of
fear than reverence for the figure !ho ruled over his dominion from a !heelchair throne. lthough fe! "ne! him
personall%/ the horrific stor% of ho! he had been crippled !as lore at ,1R</ and there !ere fe! there !ho blamed him
for his bitterness* nor for his s!orn dedication to pure science.
Langdon had onl% been in 6ohler@s presence a fe! moments and alread% sensed the director !as a man !ho "ept
his distance. Langdon found himself practicall% 0ogging to "eep up !ith 6ohler@s electric !heelchair as it sped silentl%
to!ard the main entrance. +he !heelchair !as li"e none Langdon had ever seen'equipped !ith a ban" of electronics
including a multiline phone/ a paging s%stem/ computer screen/ even a small/ detachable video camera. 6ing 6ohler@s
mobile command center.
Langdon follo!ed through a mechanical door into ,1R<@s voluminous main lobb%.
The *lass Cathe%ral/ Langdon mused/ ga&ing up!ard to!ard heaven.
9verhead/ the bluish glass roof shimmered in the afternoon sun/ casting ra%s of geometric patterns in the air and
giving the room a sense of grandeur. ngular shado!s fell li"e veins across the !hite tiled !alls and do!n to the
marble floors. +he air smelled clean/ sterile. handful of scientists moved bris"l% about/ their footsteps echoing in the
resonant space.
E+his !a%/ please/ =r. Langdon.E $is voice sounded almost computeri&ed. $is accent !as rigid and precise/ li"e
his stern features. 6ohler coughed and !iped his mouth on a !hite hand"erchief as he fixed his dead gra% e%es on
Langdon. E7lease hurr%.E $is !heelchair seemed to leap across the tiled floor.
Langdon follo!ed past !hat seemed to be countless hall!a%s branching off the main atrium. 1ver% hall!a% !as
alive !ith activit%. +he scientists !ho sa! 6ohler seemed to stare in surprise/ e%eing Langdon as if !ondering !ho he
must be to command such compan%.
E)@m embarrassed to admit/E Langdon ventured/ tr%ing to ma"e conversation/ Ethat )@ve never heard of ,1R<.E
E<ot surprising/E 6ohler replied/ his clipped response sounding harshl% efficient. E=ost mericans do not see
1urope as the !orld leader in scientific research. +he% see us as nothing but a quaint shopping district'an odd
perception if %ou consider the nationalities of men li"e 1instein/ 8alileo/ and <e!ton.E
Langdon !as unsure ho! to respond. $e pulled the fax from his poc"et. E+his man in the photograph/ can %ou'E
6ohler cut him off !ith a !ave of his hand. E7lease. <ot here. ) am ta"ing %ou to him no!.E $e held out his hand.
E7erhaps ) should ta"e that.E
Langdon handed over the fax and fell silentl% into step.
6ohler too" a sharp left and entered a !ide hall!a% adorned !ith a!ards and commendations. particularl% large
plaque dominated the entr%. Langdon slo!ed to read the engraved bron&e as the% passed.
A+' */*CT+0N1CA A2A+D
For Cultural 1nno3ation in the Digital Age
Awarded to Tim Berners /ee and C*+N
4or the in3ention o4 the
20+/D21D* 2*B
3ell "+ll 'e %amne%/ Langdon thought/ reading the text. This )uy wasn+t ki%%in). Langdon had al!a%s thought of
the #eb as an merican invention. +hen again/ his "no!ledge !as limited to the site for his o!n boo" and the
occasional on-line exploration of the Louvre or 1l 7rado on his old =acintosh.
E+he #eb/E 6ohler said/ coughing again and !iping his mouth/ Ebegan here as a net!or" of in-house computer
sites. )t enabled scientists from different departments to share dail% findings !ith one another. 9f course/ the entire
!orld is under the impression the #eb is :.S. technolog%.E
Langdon follo!ed do!n the hall. E#h% not set the record straightDE
6ohler shrugged/ apparentl% disinterested. E pett% misconception over a pett% technolog%. ,1R< is far greater
than a global connection of computers. 9ur scientists produce miracles almost dail%.E
Langdon gave 6ohler a questioning loo". E,iracles1E +he !ord EmiracleE !as certainl% not part of the vocabular%
around $arvard@s Fairchild Science 4uilding. ,iracles !ere left for the School of ;ivinit%.
EBou sound s"eptical/E 6ohler said. E) thought %ou !ere a religious s%mbologist. ;o %ou not believe in miraclesDE
E)@m undecided on miracles/E Langdon said. Particularly those that take place in science la's.
E7erhaps miracle is the !rong !ord. ) !as simpl% tr%ing to spea" %our language.E
E=% languageDE Langdon !as suddenl% uncomfortable. E<ot to disappoint %ou/ sir/ but ) stud% religious
sym'olo)y')@m an academic/ not a priest.E
6ohler slo!ed suddenl% and turned/ his ga&e softening a bit. E9f course. $o! simple of me. 9ne does not need to
have cancer to anal%&e its s%mptoms.E
Langdon had never heard it put quite that !a%.
s the% moved do!n the hall!a%/ 6ohler gave an accepting nod. E) suspect %ou and ) !ill understand each other
perfectl%/ =r. Langdon.E
Someho! Langdon doubted it.
s the pair hurried on/ Langdon began to sense a deep rumbling up ahead. +he noise got more and more
pronounced !ith ever% step/ reverberating through the !alls. )t seemed to be coming from the end of the hall!a% in
front of them.
E#hat@s thatDE Langdon finall% as"ed/ having to %ell. $e felt li"e the% !ere approaching an active volcano.
EFree Fall +ube/E 6ohler replied/ his hollo! voice cutting the air effortlessl%. $e offered no other explanation.
Langdon didn@t as". $e !as exhausted/ and =aximilian 6ohler seemed disinterested in !inning an% hospitalit%
a!ards. Langdon reminded himself !h% he !as here. "lluminati. $e assumed some!here in this colossal facilit% !as a
bod%* a bod% branded !ith a s%mbol he had 0ust flo!n O/333 miles to see.
s the% approached the end of the hall/ the rumble became almost deafening/ vibrating up through Langdon@s soles.
+he% rounded the bend/ and a vie!ing galler% appeared on the right. Four thic"-paned portals !ere embedded in a
curved !all/ li"e !indo!s in a submarine. Langdon stopped and loo"ed through one of the holes.
7rofessor Robert Langdon had seen some strange things in his life/ but this !as the strangest. $e blin"ed a fe!
times/ !ondering if he !as hallucinating. $e !as staring into an enormous circular chamber. )nside the chamber/
floating as though !eightless/ !ere people. +hree of them. 9ne !aved and did a somersault in midair.
,y *o%/ he thought. "+m in the lan% o& 9/.
+he floor of the room !as a mesh grid/ li"e a giant sheet of chic"en !ire. .isible beneath the grid !as the metallic
blur of a huge propeller.
EFree fall tube/E 6ohler said/ stopping to !ait for him. E)ndoor s"%diving. For stress relief. )t@s a vertical !ind
tunnel.E
Langdon loo"ed on in ama&ement. 9ne of the free fallers/ an obese !oman/ maneuvered to!ard the !indo!. She
!as being buffeted b% the air currents but grinned and flashed Langdon the thumbs-up sign. Langdon smiled !ea"l%
and returned the gesture/ !ondering if she "ne! it !as the ancient phallic s%mbol for masculine virilit%.
+he heav%set !oman/ Langdon noticed/ !as the onl% one !earing !hat appeared to be a miniature parachute. +he
s!athe of fabric billo!ed over her li"e a to%. E#hat@s her little chute forDE Langdon as"ed 6ohler. E)t can@t be more
than a %ard in diameter.E
EFriction/E 6ohler said. E;ecreases her aerod%namics so the fan can lift her.E $e started do!n the the corridor
again. E9ne square %ard of drag !ill slo! a falling bod% almost t!ent% percent.E
Langdon nodded blan"l%.
$e never suspected that later that night/ in a countr% hundreds of miles a!a%/ the information !ould save his life.
5
#hen 6ohler and Langdon emerged from the rear of ,1R<@s main complex into the star" S!iss sunlight/ Langdon
felt as if he@d been transported home. +he scene before him loo"ed li"e an )v% League campus.
grass% slope cascaded do!n!ard onto an expansive lo!lands !here clusters of sugar maples dotted quadrangles
bordered b% bric" dormitories and footpaths. Scholarl% loo"ing individuals !ith stac"s of boo"s hustled in and out of
buildings. s if to accentuate the collegiate atmosphere/ t!o longhaired hippies hurled a Frisbee bac" and forth !hile
en0o%ing =ahler@s Fourth S%mphon% blaring from a dorm !indo!.
E+hese are our residential dorms/E 6ohler explained as he accelerated his !heelchair do!n the path to!ard the
buildings. E#e have over three thousand ph%sicists here. ,1R< single-handedl% emplo%s more than half of the !orld@s
particle ph%sicists'the brightest minds on earth'8ermans/ 5apanese/ )talians/ ;utch/ %ou name it. 9ur ph%sicists
represent over five hundred universities and sixt% nationalities.E
Langdon !as ama&ed. E$o! do the% all communicateDE
E1nglish/ of course. +he universal language of science.E
Langdon had al!a%s heard math !as the universal language of science/ but he !as too tired to argue. $e dutifull%
follo!ed 6ohler do!n the path.
$alf!a% to the bottom/ a %oung man 0ogged b%. $is +-shirt proclaimed the message( N0 67T, N0 6/0+89
Langdon loo"ed after him/ m%stified. E8utDE
E8eneral :nified +heor%.E 6ohler quipped. E+he theor% of ever%thing.E
E) see/E Langdon said/ not seeing at all.
Ere %ou familiar !ith particle ph%sics/ =r. LangdonDE
Langdon shrugged. E)@m familiar !ith general ph%sics'falling bodies/ that sort of thing.E $is %ears of high-diving
experience had given him a profound respect for the a!esome po!er of gravitational acceleration. E7article ph%sics is
the stud% of atoms/ isn@t itDE
6ohler shoo" his head. Etoms loo" li"e planets compared to !hat !e deal !ith. 9ur interests lie !ith an atom@s
nucleus'a mere ten-thousandth the si&e of the !hole.E $e coughed again/ sounding sic". E+he men and !omen of
,1R< are here to find ans!ers to the same questions man has been as"ing since the beginning of time. #here did !e
come fromD #hat are !e made ofDE
End these ans!ers are in a ph%sics labDE
EBou sound surprised.E
E) am. +he questions seem spiritual.E
E=r. Langdon/ all questions !ere once spiritual. Since the beginning of time/ spiritualit% and religion have been
called on to fill in the gaps that science did not understand. +he rising and setting of the sun !as once attributed to
0elios and a flaming chariot. 1arthqua"es and tidal !aves !ere the !rath of 7oseidon. Science has no! proven those
gods to be false idols. Soon all 8ods !ill be proven to be false idols. Science has no! provided ans!ers to almost ever%
question man can as". +here are onl% a fe! questions left/ and the% are the esoteric ones. #here do !e come fromD
#hat are !e doing hereD #hat is the meaning of life and the universeDE
Langdon !as ama&ed. End these are questions ,1R< is tr%ing to ans!erDE
E,orrection. +hese are questions !e are ans!ering.E
Langdon fell silent as the t!o men !ound through the residential quadrangles. s the% !al"ed/ a Frisbee sailed
overhead and s"idded to a stop directl% in front of them. 6ohler ignored it and "ept going.
voice called out from across the quad. E$+il !ous pla:t#E
Langdon loo"ed over. n elderl% !hite-haired man in a College aris s!eatshirt !aved to him. Langdon pic"ed up
the Frisbee and expertl% thre! it bac". +he old man caught it on one finger and bounced it a fe! times before !hipping
it over his shoulder to his partner. E,erci#E he called to Langdon.
E,ongratulations/E 6ohler said !hen Langdon finall% caught up. EBou 0ust pla%ed toss !ith a <oble pri&e-!inner/
8eorges ,harpa"/ inventor of the multi!ire proportional chamber.E
Langdon nodded. ,y lucky %ay.
)t too" Langdon and 6ohler three more minutes to reach their destination'a large/ !ell-"ept dormitor% sitting in a
grove of aspens. ,ompared to the other dorms/ this structure seemed luxurious. +he carved stone sign in front read
Building C.
"ma)inati!e title/ Langdon thought.
4ut despite its sterile name/ 4uilding , appealed to Langdon@s sense of architectural st%le'conservative and solid.
)t had a red bric" facade/ an ornate balustrade/ and sat framed b% sculpted s%mmetrical hedges. s the t!o men
ascended the stone path to!ard the entr%/ the% passed under a gate!a% formed b% a pair of marble columns. Someone
had put a stic"%-note on one of them.
This column is 1onic
Physicist )ra&&iti1 Langdon mused/ e%eing the column and chuc"ling to himself. E)@m relieved to see that even
brilliant ph%sicists ma"e mista"es.E
6ohler loo"ed over. E#hat do %ou meanDE
E#hoever !rote that note made a mista"e. +hat column isn@t )onic. )onic columns are uniform in !idth. +hat one@s
tapered. )t@s ;oric'the 8ree" counterpart. common mista"e.E
6ohler did not smile. E+he author meant it as a 0o"e/ =r. Langdon. "onic means containing ions'electricall%
charged particles. =ost ob0ects contain them.E
Langdon loo"ed bac" at the column and groaned.
Langdon !as still feeling stupid !hen he stepped from the elevator on the top floor of 4uilding ,. $e follo!ed
6ohler do!n a !ell-appointed corridor. +he decor !as unexpected'traditional colonial French'a cherr% divan/
porcelain floor vase/ and scrolled !ood!or".
E#e li"e to "eep our tenured scientists comfortable/E 6ohler explained.
E!i%ently/ Langdon thought. ESo the man in the fax lived up hereD 9ne of %our upper-level emplo%eesDE
EIuite/E 6ohler said. E$e missed a meeting !ith me this morning and did not ans!er his page. ) came up here to
locate him and found him dead in his living room.E
Langdon felt a sudden chill reali&ing that he !as about to see a dead bod%. $is stomach had never been particularl%
stal!art. )t !as a !ea"ness he@d discovered as an art student !hen the teacher informed the class that Leonardo da
.inci had gained his expertise in the human form b% exhuming corpses and dissecting their musculature.
6ohler led the !a% to the far end of the hall!a%. +here !as a single door. EThe Penthouse/ as %ou !ould sa%/E
6ohler announced/ dabbing a bead of perspiration from his forehead.
Langdon e%ed the lone oa" door before them. +he name plate read(
/eonardo Vetra
ELeonardo .etra/E 6ohler said/ E!ould have been fift%-eight next !ee". $e !as one of the most brilliant scientists
of our time. $is death is a profound loss for science.E
For an instant Langdon thought he sensed emotion in 6ohler@s hardened face. 4ut as quic"l% as it had come/ it !as
gone. 6ohler reached in his poc"et and began sifting through a large "e% ring.
n odd thought suddenl% occurred to Langdon. +he building seemed deserted. E#here is ever%oneDE he as"ed. +he
lac" of activit% !as hardl% !hat he expected considering the% !ere about to enter a murder scene.
E+he residents are in their labs/E 6ohler replied/ finding the "e%.
E) mean the police/E Langdon clarified. E$ave the% left alread%DE
6ohler paused/ his "e% half!a% into the loc". E7oliceDE
Langdon@s e%es met the director@s. E7olice. Bou sent me a fax of a homicide. Bou must have called the police.E
E) most certainl% have not.E
E#hatDE
6ohler@s gra% e%es sharpened. E+he situation is complex/ =r. Langdon.E
Langdon felt a !ave of apprehension. E4ut* certainl% someone else "no!s about thisFE
EBes. Leonardo@s adopted daughter. She is also a ph%sicist here at ,1R<. She and her father share a lab. +he% are
partners. =s. .etra has been a!a% this !ee" doing field research. ) have notified her of her father@s death/ and she is
returning as !e spea".E
E4ut a man has been murd'E
E formal investigation/E 6ohler said/ his voice firm/ E!ill ta"e place. $o!ever/ it !ill most certainl% involve a
search of .etra@s lab/ a space he and his daughter hold most private. +herefore/ it !ill !ait until =s. .etra has arrived. )
feel ) o!e her at least that modicum of discretion.E
6ohler turned the "e%.
s the door s!ung open/ a blast of ic% air hissed into the hall and hit Langdon in the face. $e fell bac" in
be!ilderment. $e !as ga&ing across the threshold of an alien !orld. +he flat before him !as immersed in a thic"/ !hite
fog. +he mist s!irled in smo"% vortexes around the furniture and shrouded the room in opaque ha&e.
E#hat the*DE Langdon stammered.
EFreon cooling s%stem/E 6ohler replied. E) chilled the flat to preserve the bod%.E
Langdon buttoned his t!eed 0ac"et against the cold. "+m in 9// he thought. (n% " &or)ot my ma)ic slippers.
:
+he corpse on the floor before Langdon !as hideous. +he late Leonardo .etra la% on his bac"/ stripped na"ed/ his
s"in bluish-gra%. $is nec" bones !ere 0utting out !here the% had been bro"en/ and his head !as t!isted completel%
bac"!ard/ pointing the !rong !a%. $is face !as out of vie!/ pressed against the floor. +he man la% in a fro&en puddle
of his o!n urine/ the hair around his shriveled genitals spidered !ith frost.
Fighting a !ave of nausea/ Langdon let his e%es fall to the victim@s chest. lthough Langdon had stared at the
s%mmetrical !ound a do&en times on the fax/ the burn !as infinitel% more commanding in real life. +he raised/ broiled
flesh !as perfectl% delineated* the s%mbol fla!lessl% formed.
Langdon !ondered if the intense chill no! ra"ing through his bod% !as the air-conditioning or his utter ama&ement
!ith the significance of !hat he !as no! staring at.
$is heart pounded as he circled the bod%/ reading the !ord upside do!n/ reaffirming the genius of the s%mmetr%.
+he s%mbol seemed even less conceivable no! that he !as staring at it.
E=r. LangdonDE
Langdon did not hear. $e !as in another !orld* his !orld/ his element/ a !orld !here histor%/ m%th/ and fact
collided/ flooding his senses. +he gears turned.
E=r. LangdonDE 6ohler@s e%es probed expectantl%.
Langdon did not loo" up. $is disposition no! intensified/ his focus total. E$o! much do %ou alread% "no!DE
E9nl% !hat ) had time to read on %our !ebsite. +he !ord "lluminati means Pthe enlightened ones.@ )t is the name of
some sort of ancient brotherhood.E
Langdon nodded. E$ad %ou heard the name beforeDE
E<ot until ) sa! it branded on =r. .etra.E
ESo %ou ran a !eb search for itDE
EBes.E
End the !ord returned hundreds of references/ no doubt.E
E+housands/E 6ohler said. EBours/ ho!ever/ contained references to $arvard/ 9xford/ a reputable publisher/ as
!ell as a list of related publications. s a scientist ) have come to learn that information is onl% as valuable as its source.
Bour credentials seemed authentic.E
Langdon@s e%es !ere still riveted on the bod%.
6ohler said nothing more. $e simpl% stared/ apparentl% !aiting for Langdon to shed some light on the scene before
them.
Langdon loo"ed up/ glancing around the fro&en flat. E7erhaps !e should discuss this in a !armer placeDE
E+his room is fine.E 6ohler seemed oblivious to the cold. E#e@ll tal" here.E
Langdon fro!ned. +he )lluminati histor% !as b% no means a simple one. "+ll &ree/e to %eath tryin) to e;plain it. $e
ga&ed again at the brand/ feeling a rene!ed sense of a!e.
lthough accounts of the )lluminati emblem !ere legendar% in modern s%mbolog%/ no academic had ever actuall%
seen it. ncient documents described the s%mbol as an am'i)ram<am'i meaning EbothE'signif%ing it !as legible 'oth
!a%s. nd although ambigrams !ere common in s%mbolog%'s!asti"as/ %in %ang/ 5e!ish stars/ simple crosses'the idea
that a wor% could be crafted into an ambigram seemed utterl% impossible. =odern s%mbologists had tried for %ears to
forge the !ord E)lluminatiE into a perfectl% s%mmetrical st%le/ but the% had failed miserabl%. =ost academics had no!
decided the s%mbol@s existence !as a m%th.
ESo !ho are the )lluminatiDE 6ohler demanded.
Yes/ Langdon thought/ who in%ee%1 $e began his tale.
ESince the beginning of histor%/E Langdon explained/ Ea deep rift has existed bet!een science and religion.
9utspo"en scientists li"e ,opernicus'E
E#ere murdered/E 6ohler inter0ected. E=urdered b% the church for revealing scientific truths. Religion has al!a%s
persecuted science.E
EBes. 4ut in the 1A33s/ a group of men in Rome fought bac" against the church. Some of )tal%@s most enlightened
men'ph%sicists/ mathematicians/ astronomers'began meeting secretl% to share their concerns about the church@s
inaccurate teachings. +he% feared that the church@s monopol% on Ptruth@ threatened academic enlightenment around the
!orld. +he% founded the !orld@s first scientific thin" tan"/ calling themselves Pthe enlightened ones.@ E
E+he )lluminati.E
EBes/E Langdon said. E1urope@s most learned minds* dedicated to the quest for scientific truth.E
6ohler fell silent.
E9f course/ the )lluminati !ere hunted ruthlessl% b% the ,atholic ,hurch. 9nl% through rites of extreme secrec% did
the scientists remain safe. #ord spread through the academic underground/ and the )lluminati brotherhood gre! to
include academics from all over 1urope. +he scientists met regularl% in Rome at an ultrasecret lair the% called the
Church o& "llumination.E
6ohler coughed and shifted in his chair.
E=an% of the )lluminati/E Langdon continued/ E!anted to combat the church@s t%rann% !ith acts of violence/ but
their most revered member persuaded them against it. $e !as a pacifist/ as !ell as one of histor%@s most famous
scientists.E
Langdon !as certain 6ohler !ould recogni&e the name. 1ven nonscientists !ere familiar !ith the ill-fated
astronomer !ho had been arrested and almost executed b% the church for proclaiming that the sun/ and not the earth/
!as the center of the solar s%stem. lthough his data !ere incontrovertible/ the astronomer !as severel% punished for
impl%ing that 8od had placed man"ind some!here other than at the center of $is universe.
E$is name !as 8alileo 8alilei/E Langdon said.
6ohler loo"ed up. E8alileoDE
EBes. 8alileo !as an )lluminatus. nd he !as also a devout ,atholic. $e tried to soften the church@s position on
science b% proclaiming that science did not undermine the existence of 8od/ but rather rein&orce% it. $e !rote once that
!hen he loo"ed through his telescope at the spinning planets/ he could hear 8od@s voice in the music of the spheres. $e
held that science and religion !ere not enemies/ but rather allies't!o different languages telling the same stor%/ a stor%
of s%mmetr% and balance* heaven and hell/ night and da%/ hot and cold/ 8od and Satan. 4oth science and religion
re0oiced in 8od@s s%mmetr%* the endless contest of light and dar".E Langdon paused/ stamping his feet to sta% !arm.
6ohler simpl% sat in his !heelchair and stared.
E:nfortunatel%/E Langdon added/ Ethe unification of science and religion !as not !hat the church !anted.E
E9f course not/E 6ohler interrupted. E+he union !ould have nullified the church@s claim as the sole vessel through
!hich man could understand 8od. So the church tried 8alileo as a heretic/ found him guilt%/ and put him under
permanent house arrest. ) am quite a!are of scientific histor%/ =r. Langdon. 4ut this !as all centuries ago. #hat does it
have to do !ith Leonardo .etraDE
The million %ollar =uestion. Langdon cut to the chase. E8alileo@s arrest thre! the )lluminati into upheaval. =ista"es
!ere made/ and the church discovered the identities of four members/ !hom the% captured and interrogated. 4ut the
four scientists revealed nothing* even under torture.E
E+ortureDE
Langdon nodded. E+he% !ere branded alive. 9n the chest. #ith the s%mbol of a cross.E
6ohler@s e%es !idened/ and he shot an uneas% glance at .etra@s bod%.
E+hen the scientists !ere brutall% murdered/ their dead bodies dropped in the streets of Rome as a !arning to others
thin"ing of 0oining the )lluminati. #ith the church closing in/ the remaining )lluminati fled )tal%.E
Langdon paused to ma"e his point. $e loo"ed directl% into 6ohler@s dead e%es. E+he )lluminati !ent deep
underground/ !here the% began mixing !ith other refugee groups fleeing the ,atholic purges'm%stics/ alchemists/
occultists/ =uslims/ 5e!s. 9ver the %ears/ the )lluminati began absorbing ne! members. ne! )lluminati emerged.
dar"er )lluminati. deepl% anti-,hristian )lluminati. +he% gre! ver% po!erful/ emplo%ing m%sterious rites/ deadl%
secrec%/ vo!ing someda% to rise again and ta"e revenge on the ,atholic ,hurch. +heir po!er gre! to the point !here
the church considered them the single most dangerous anti-,hristian force on earth. +he .atican denounced the
brotherhood as $haitan.E
E$haitan1E
E)t@s )slamic. )t means Padversar%@* *o%+s adversar%. +he church chose )slam for the name because it !as a
language the% considered dirt%.E Langdon hesitated. E$haitan is the root of an 1nglish !ord*$atan.E
n uneasiness crossed 6ohler@s face.
Langdon@s voice !as grim. E=r. 6ohler/ ) do not "no! ho! this mar"ing appeared on this man@s chest* or !h%*
but %ou are loo"ing at the long-lost s%mbol of the !orld@s oldest and most po!erful satanic cult.E
!;
+he alle% !as narro! and deserted. +he $assassin strode quic"l% no!/ his blac" e%es filling !ith anticipation. s
he approached his destination/ 5anus@s parting !ords echoed in his mind. Phase two 'e)ins shortly. *et some rest.
+he $assassin smir"ed. $e had been a!a"e all night/ but sleep !as the last thing on his mind. Sleep !as for the
!ea". $e !as a !arrior li"e his ancestors before him/ and his people never slept once a battle had begun. +his battle had
most definitel% begun/ and he had been given the honor of spilling first blood. <o! he had t!o hours to celebrate his
glor% before going bac" to !or".
$leep1 There are &ar 'etter ways to rela;
n appetite for hedonistic pleasure !as something bred into him b% his ancestors. $is ascendants had indulged in
hashish/ but he preferred a different "ind of gratification. $e too" pride in his bod%'a !ell-tuned/ lethal machine/ !hich/
despite his heritage/ he refused to pollute !ith narcotics. $e had developed a more nourishing addiction than drugs* a
far more health% and satisf%ing re!ard.
Feeling a familiar anticipation s!elling !ithin him/ the $assassin moved faster do!n the alle%. $e arrived at the
nondescript door and rang the bell. vie! slit in the door opened/ and t!o soft bro!n e%es studied him appraisingl%.
+hen the door s!ung open.
E#elcome/E the !ell-dressed !oman said. She ushered him into an impeccabl% furnished sitting room !here the
lights !ere lo!. +he air !as laced !ith expensive perfume and mus". E#henever %ou are read%.E She handed him a
boo" of photographs. ERing me !hen %ou have made %our choice.E +hen she disappeared.
+he $assassin smiled.
s he sat on the plush divan and positioned the photo album on his lap/ he felt a carnal hunger stir. lthough his
people did not celebrate ,hristmas/ he imagined that this is !hat it must feel li"e to be a ,hristian child/ sitting before a
stac" of ,hristmas presents/ about to discover the miracles inside. $e opened the album and examined the photos.
lifetime of sexual fantasies stared bac" at him.
,arisa. n )talian goddess. Fier%. %oung Sophia Loren.
$achiko. 5apanese geisha. Lithe. <o doubt s"illed.
7anara. stunning blac" vision. =uscular. 1xotic.
$e examined the entire album t!ice and made his choice. $e pressed a button on the table beside him. minute
later the !oman !ho had greeted him reappeared. $e indicated his selection. She smiled. EFollo! me.E
fter handling the financial arrangements/ the !oman made a hushed phone call. She !aited a fe! minutes and
then led him up a !inding marble staircase to a luxurious hall!a%. E)t@s the gold door on the end/E she said. EBou have
expensive taste.E
" shoul%/ he thought. " am a connoisseur.
+he $assassin padded the length of the hall!a% li"e a panther anticipating a long overdue meal. #hen he reached
the door!a% he smiled to himself. )t !as alread% a0ar* !elcoming him in. $e pushed/ and the door s!ung noiselessl%
open.
#hen he sa! his selection/ he "ne! he had chosen !ell. She !as exactl% as he had requested* nude/ l%ing on her
bac"/ her arms tied to the bedposts !ith thic" velvet cords.
$e crossed the room and ran a dar" finger across her ivor% abdomen. " kille% last ni)ht/ he thought. You are my
rewar%.
!!
ESatanicDE 6ohler !iped his mouth and shifted uncomfortabl%. E+his is the s%mbol of a satanic cultDE
Langdon paced the fro&en room to "eep !arm. E+he )lluminati !ere satanic. 4ut not in the modern sense.E
Langdon quic"l% explained ho! most people pictured satanic cults as devil -!orshiping fiends/ and %et Satanists
historicall% !ere educated men !ho stood as adversaries to the church. $haitan. +he rumors of satanic blac"-magic
animal sacrifices and the pentagram ritual !ere nothing but lies spread b% the church as a smear campaign against their
adversaries. 9ver time/ opponents of the church/ !anting to emulate the )lluminati/ began believing the lies and acting
them out. +hus/ modern Satanism !as born.
6ohler grunted abruptl%. E+his is all ancient histor%. ) !ant to "no! ho! this s%mbol got here.E
Langdon too" a deep breath. E+he s%mbol itself !as created b% an anon%mous sixteenth-centur% )lluminati artist as
a tribute to 8alileo@s love of s%mmetr%'a "ind of sacred )lluminati logo. +he brotherhood "ept the design secret/
allegedl% planning to reveal it onl% !hen the% had amassed enough po!er to resurface and carr% out their final goal.E
6ohler loo"ed unsettled. ESo this s%mbol means the )lluminati brotherhood is resurfacingDE
Langdon fro!ned. E+hat !ould be impossible. +here is one chapter of )lluminati histor% that ) have not %et
explained.E
6ohler@s voice intensified. E1nlighten me.E
Langdon rubbed his palms together/ mentall% sorting through the hundreds of documents he@d read or !ritten on
the )lluminati. E+he )lluminati !ere survivors/E he explained. E#hen the% fled Rome/ the% traveled across 1urope
loo"ing for a safe place to regroup. +he% !ere ta"en in b% another secret societ%* a brotherhood of !ealth% 4avarian
stone craftsmen called the Freemasons.E
6ohler loo"ed startled. E+he =asonsDE
Langdon nodded/ not at all surprised that 6ohler had heard of the group. +he brotherhood of the =asons currentl%
had over five million members !orld!ide/ half of them residing in the :nited States/ and over one million of them in
1urope.
E,ertainl% the =asons are not satanic/E 6ohler declared/ sounding suddenl% s"eptical.
Ebsolutel% not. +he =asons fell victim of their o!n benevolence. fter harboring the fleeing scientists in the
1M33s/ the =asons un"no!ingl% became a front for the )lluminati. +he )lluminati gre! !ithin their ran"s/ graduall%
ta"ing over positions of po!er !ithin the lodges. +he% quietl% reestablished their scientific brotherhood deep !ithin the
=asons'a "ind of secret societ% !ithin a secret societ%. +hen the )lluminati used the !orld!ide connection of =asonic
lodges to spread their influence.E
Langdon dre! a cold breath before racing on. E9bliteration of ,atholicism !as the )lluminati@s central covenant.
+he brotherhood held that the superstitious dogma spe!ed forth b% the church !as man"ind@s greatest enem%. +he%
feared that if religion continued to promote pious m%th as absolute fact/ scientific progress !ould halt/ and man"ind
!ould be doomed to an ignorant future of senseless hol% !ars.E
E=uch li"e !e see toda%.E
Langdon fro!ned. 6ohler !as right. $ol% !ars !ere still ma"ing headlines. ,y *o% is 'etter than your *o%. )t
seemed there !as al!a%s close correlation bet!een true believers and high bod% counts.
E8o on/E 6ohler said.
Langdon gathered his thoughts and continued. E+he )lluminati gre! more po!erful in 1urope and set their sights
on merica/ a fledgling government man% of !hose leaders !ere =asons'8eorge #ashington/ 4en Fran"lin'honest/
8od-fearing men !ho !ere una!are of the )lluminati stronghold on the =asons. +he )lluminati too" advantage of the
infiltration and helped found ban"s/ universities/ and industr% to finance their ultimate quest.E Langdon paused. E+he
creation of a single unified !orld state'a "ind of secular New 3orl% 9r%er.E
6ohler did not move.
E <e! #orld 9rder/E Langdon repeated/ Ebased on scientific enlightenment. +he% called it their Luciferian
;octrine. +he church claimed Lucifer !as a reference to the devil/ but the brotherhood insisted Lucifer !as intended in
its literal Latin meaning''rin)er o& li)ht. 9r "lluminator.E
6ohler sighed/ and his voice gre! suddenl% solemn. E=r. Langdon/ please sit do!n.E
Langdon sat tentativel% on a frost-covered chair.
6ohler moved his !heelchair closer. E) am not sure ) understand ever%thing %ou have 0ust told me/ but ) do
understand this. Leonardo .etra !as one of ,1R<@s greatest assets. $e !as also a friend. ) need %ou to help me locate
the )lluminati.E
Langdon didn@t "no! ho! to respond. ELocate the )lluminatiDE 0e+s ki%%in)- ri)ht1 E)@m afraid/ sir/ that !ill be
utterl% impossible.E
6ohler@s bro! creased. E#hat do %ou meanD Bou !on@t'E
E=r. 6ohler.E Langdon leaned to!ard his host/ uncertain ho! to ma"e him understand !hat he !as about to sa%. E)
did not finish m% stor%. ;espite appearances/ it is extremel% unli"el% that this brand !as put here b% the )lluminati.
+here has been no evidence of their existence for over half a centur%/ and most scholars agree the )lluminati have been
defunct for man% %ears.E
+he !ords hit silence. 6ohler stared through the fog !ith a loo" some!here bet!een stupefaction and anger. E$o!
the hell can %ou tell me this group is extinct !hen their name is seared into this manFE
Langdon had been as"ing himself that question all morning. +he appearance of the )lluminati ambigram !as
astonishing. S%mbologists !orld!ide !ould be da&&led. nd %et/ the academic in Langdon understood that the brand@s
reemergence proved absolutel% nothing about the )lluminati.
ES%mbols/E Langdon said/ Ein no !a% confirm the presence of their original creators.E
E#hat is that supposed to meanDE
E)t means that !hen organi&ed philosophies li"e the )lluminati go out of existence/ their s%mbols remain*
available for adoption b% other groups. )t@s called trans&erence. )t@s ver% common in s%mbolog%. +he <a&is too" the
s!asti"a from the $indus/ the ,hristians adopted the cruciform from the 1g%ptians/ the'E
E+his morning/E 6ohler challenged/ E!hen ) t%ped the !ord P)lluminati@ into the computer/ it returned thousands of
current references. pparentl% a lot of people thin" this group is still active.E
E,onspirac% buffs/E Langdon replied. $e had al!a%s been anno%ed b% the plethora of conspirac% theories that
circulated in modern pop culture. +he media craved apocal%ptic headlines/ and self -proclaimed Ecult specialistsE !ere
still cashing in on millennium h%pe !ith fabricated stories that the )lluminati !ere alive and !ell and organi&ing their
<e! #orld 9rder. Recentl% the New York Times had reported the eerie =asonic ties of countless famous men'Sir
rthur ,onan ;o%le/ the ;u"e of 6ent/ 7eter Sellers/ )rving 4erlin/ 7rince 7hilip/ Louis rmstrong/ as !ell as a
pantheon of !ell-"no!n modern-da% industrialists and ban"ing magnates.
6ohler pointed angril% at .etra@s bod%. E,onsidering the evidence/ ) !ould sa% perhaps the conspirac% buffs are
correct.E
E) reali&e ho! it appears/E Langdon said as diplomaticall% as he could. End %et a far more plausible explanation is
that some other organi&ation has ta"en control of the )lluminati brand and is using it for their o!n purposes.E
E#hat purposesD #hat does this murder proveDE
*oo% =uestion/ Langdon thought. $e also !as having trouble imagining !here an%one could have turned up the
)lluminati brand after 233 %ears. Ell ) can tell %ou is that even if the )lluminati !ere still active toda%/ !hich ) am
virtuall% positive the% are not/ the% !ould never be involved in Leonardo .etra@s death.E
E<oDE
E<o. +he )lluminati ma% have believed in the abolition of ,hristianit%/ but the% !ielded their po!er through
political and financial means/ not through terrorists acts. Furthermore/ the )lluminati had a strict code of moralit%
regarding !ho the% sa! as enemies. +he% held men of science in the highest regard. +here is no !a% the% !ould have
murdered a fello! scientist li"e Leonardo .etra.E
6ohler@s e%es turned to ice. E7erhaps ) failed to mention that Leonardo .etra !as an%thing but an ordinar%
scientist.E
Langdon exhaled patientl%. E=r. 6ohler/ )@m sure Leonardo .etra !as brilliant in man% !a%s/ but the fact
remains'E
#ithout !arning/ 6ohler spun in his !heelchair and accelerated out of the living room/ leaving a !a"e of s!irling
mist as he disappeared do!n a hall!a%.
For the lo!e o& *o%/ Langdon groaned. $e follo!ed. 6ohler !as !aiting for him in a small alcove at the end of the
hall!a%.
E+his is Leonardo@s stud%/E 6ohler said/ motioning to the sliding door. E7erhaps !hen %ou see it %ou@ll understand
things differentl%.E #ith an a!"!ard grunt/ 6ohler heaved/ and the door slid open.
Langdon peered into the stud% and immediatel% felt his s"in cra!l. 0oly mother o& 2esus/ he said to himself.
!"
)n another countr%/ a %oung guard sat patientl% before an expansive ban" of video monitors. $e !atched as images
flashed before him'live feeds from hundreds of !ireless video cameras that surve%ed the spra!ling complex. +he
images !ent b% in an endless procession.
n ornate hall!a%.
private office.
n industrial-si&e "itchen.
s the pictures !ent b%/ the guard fought off a da%dream. $e !as nearing the end of his shift/ and %et he !as still
vigilant. Service !as an honor. Someda% he !ould be granted his ultimate re!ard.
s his thoughts drifted/ an image before him registered alarm. Suddenl%/ !ith a reflexive 0er" that startled even
himself/ his hand shot out and hit a button on the control panel. +he picture before him fro&e.
$is nerves tingling/ he leaned to!ard the screen for a closer loo". +he reading on the monitor told him the image
!as being transmitted from camera QGR'a camera that !as supposed to be overloo"ing a hall!a%.
4ut the image before him !as most definitel% not a hall!a%.
!#
Langdon stared in be!ilderment at the stud% before him. E#hat is this placeDE ;espite the !elcome blast of !arm
air on his face/ he stepped through the door !ith trepidation.
6ohler said nothing as he follo!ed Langdon inside.
Langdon scanned the room/ not having the slightest idea !hat to ma"e of it. )t contained the most peculiar mix of
artifacts he had ever seen. 9n the far !all/ dominating the decor/ !as an enormous !ooden crucifix/ !hich Langdon
placed as fourteenth-centur% Spanish. bove the cruciform/ suspended from the ceiling/ !as a metallic mobile of the
orbiting planets. +o the left !as an oil painting of the .irgin =ar%/ and beside that !as a laminated periodic table of
elements. 9n the side !all/ t!o additional brass cruciforms flan"ed a poster of lbert 1instein/ his famous quote
reading(
6od Does Not lay Dice 2ith the 7ni3erse
Langdon moved into the room/ loo"ing around in astonishment. leather-bound 4ible sat on .etra@s des" beside a
plastic 4ohr model of an atom and a miniature replica of =ichelangelo@s =oses.
Talk a'out eclectic/ Langdon thought. +he !armth felt good/ but something about the decor sent a ne! set of chills
through his bod%. $e felt li"e he !as !itnessing the clash of t!o philosophical titans* an unsettling blur of opposing
forces. $e scanned the titles on the boo"shelf(
The 6od article
The Tao o4 hysics
6od< The *3idence
9ne of the boo"ends !as etched !ith a quote(
+rue science discovers 8od !aiting behind ever% door.
Pope Pius XII
ELeonardo !as a ,atholic priest/E 6ohler said.
Langdon turned. E priestD ) thought %ou said he !as a ph%sicist.E
E$e !as both. =en of science and religion are not unprecedented in histor%. Leonardo !as one of them. $e
considered ph%sics P8od@s natural la!.@ $e claimed 8od@s hand!riting !as visible in the natural order all around us.
+hrough science he hoped to prove 8od@s existence to the doubting masses. $e considered himself a theo-ph%sicist.E
Theo>physicist1 Langdon thought it sounded impossibl% ox%moronic.
E+he field of particle ph%sics/E 6ohler said/ Ehas made some shoc"ing discoveries latel%'discoveries quite spiritual
in implication. Leonardo !as responsible for man% of them.E
Langdon studied ,1R<@s director/ still tr%ing to process the bi&arre surroundings. ESpiritualit% and ph%sicsDE
Langdon had spent his career stud%ing religious histor%/ and if there !as one recurring theme/ it !as that science and
religion had been oil and !ater since da% one* archenemies* unmixable.
E.etra !as on the cutting edge of particle ph%sics/E 6ohler said. E$e !as starting to fuse science and religion*
sho!ing that the% complement each other in most unanticipated !a%s. $e called the field New Physics.E 6ohler pulled a
boo" from the shelf and handed it to Langdon.
Langdon studied the cover. *o%- ,iracles- an% the New Physics'b% Leonardo .etra.
E+he field is small/E 6ohler said/ Ebut it@s bringing fresh ans!ers to some old questions'questions about the origin
of the universe and the forces that bind us all. Leonardo believed his research had the potential to convert millions to a
more spiritual life. Last %ear he categoricall% proved the existence of an energ% force that unites us all. $e actuall%
demonstrated that !e are all ph%sicall% connected* that the molecules in %our bod% are intert!ined !ith the molecules
in mine* that there is a single force moving !ithin all of us.E
Langdon felt disconcerted. (n% the power o& *o% shall unite us all. E=r. .etra actuall% found a !a% to %emonstrate
that particles are connectedDE
E,onclusive evidence. recent $cienti&ic (merican article hailed New Physics as a surer path to 8od than religion
itself.E
+he comment hit home. Langdon suddenl% found himself thin"ing of the antireligious )lluminati. Reluctantl%/ he
forced himself to permit a momentar% intellectual fora% into the impossible. )f the )lluminati !ere indeed still active/
!ould the% have "illed Leonardo to stop him from bringing his religious message to the massesD Langdon shoo" off the
thought. ('sur%# The "lluminati are ancient history# (ll aca%emics know that#
E.etra had plent% of enemies in the scientific !orld/E 6ohler !ent on. E=an% scientific purists despised him. 1ven
here at ,1R<. +he% felt that using anal%tical ph%sics to support religious principles !as a treason against science.E
E4ut aren@t scientists toda% a bit less defensive about the churchDE
6ohler grunted in disgust. E#h% shoul% !e beD +he church ma% not be burning scientists at the sta"e an%more/ but
if %ou thin" the%@ve released their reign over science/ as" %ourself !h% half the schools in %our countr% are not allo!ed
to teach evolution. s" %ourself !h% the :.S. ,hristian ,oalition is the most influential lobb% against scientific
progress in the !orld. +he battle bet!een science and religion is still raging/ =r. Langdon. )t has moved from the
battlefields to the boardrooms/ but it is still raging.E
Langdon reali&ed 6ohler !as right. 5ust last !ee" the $arvard School of ;ivinit% had marched on the 4iolog%
4uilding/ protesting the genetic engineering ta"ing place in the graduate program. +he chairman of the 4io ;epartment/
famed ornithologist Richard aronian/ defended his curriculum b% hanging a huge banner from his office !indo!. +he
banner depicted the ,hristian EfishE modified !ith four little feet'a tribute/ aronian claimed/ to the frican lungfishes@
evolution onto dr% land. 4eneath the fish/ instead of the !ord E5esus/E !as the proclamation EDarwin9E
sharp beeping sound cut the air/ and Langdon loo"ed up. 6ohler reached do!n into the arra% of electronics on his
!heelchair. $e slipped a beeper out of its holder and read the incoming message.
E8ood. +hat is Leonardo@s daughter. =s. .etra is arriving at the helipad right no!. #e !ill meet her there. ) thin"
it best she not come up here and see her father this !a%.E
Langdon agreed. )t !ould be a shoc" no child deserved.
E) !ill as" =s. .etra to explain the pro0ect she and her father have been !or"ing on* perhaps shedding light on
!h% he !as murdered.E
EBou thin" .etra@s work is !h% he !as "illedDE
EIuite possibl%. Leonardo told me he !as !or"ing on something groundbrea"ing. +hat is all he said. $e had
become ver% secretive about the pro0ect. $e had a private lab and demanded seclusion/ !hich ) gladl% afforded him on
account of his brilliance. $is !or" had been consuming huge amounts of electric po!er latel%/ but ) refrained from
questioning him.E 6ohler rotated to!ard the stud% door. E+here is/ ho!ever/ one more thing %ou need to "no! before
!e leave this flat.E
Langdon !as not sure he !anted to hear it.
En item !as stolen from .etra b% his murderer.E
En itemDE
EFollo! me.E
+he director propelled his !heelchair bac" into the fog-filled living room. Langdon follo!ed/ not "no!ing !hat to
expect. 6ohler maneuvered to !ithin inches of .etra@s bod% and stopped. $e ushered Langdon to 0oin him. Reluctantl%/
Langdon came close/ bile rising in his throat at the smell of the victim@s fro&en urine.
ELoo" at his face/E 6ohler said.
ook at his &ace1 Langdon fro!ned. " thou)ht you sai% somethin) was stolen.
$esitantl%/ Langdon "nelt do!n. $e tried to see .etra@s face/ but the head !as t!isted 1G3 degrees bac"!ard/ his
face pressed into the carpet.
Struggling against his handicap 6ohler reached do!n and carefull% t!isted .etra@s fro&en head. ,rac"ing loudl%/
the corpse@s face rotated into vie!/ contorted in agon%. 6ohler held it there a moment.
ES!eet 5esusFE Langdon cried/ stumbling bac" in horror. .etra@s face !as covered in blood. single ha&el e%e
stared lifelessl% bac" at him. +he other soc"et !as tattered and empt%. E+he% stole his eyeDE
!$
Langdon stepped out of 4uilding , into the open air/ grateful to be outside .etra@s flat. +he sun helped dissolve the
image of the empt% e%e soc"et embla&oned into his mind.
E+his !a%/ please/E 6ohler said/ veering up a steep path. +he electric !heelchair seemed to accelerate effortlessl%.
E=s. .etra !ill be arriving an% moment.E
Langdon hurried to "eep up.
ESo/E 6ohler as"ed. E;o %ou still doubt the )lluminati@s involvementDE
Langdon had no idea !hat to thin" an%more. .etra@s religious affiliations !ere definitel% troubling/ and %et
Langdon could not bring himself to abandon ever% shred of academic evidence he had ever researched. 4esides/ there
!as the e%e*
E) still maintain/E Langdon said/ more forcefull% than he intended. Ethat the )lluminati are not responsible for this
murder. +he missing e%e is proof.E
E#hatDE
ERandom mutilation/E Langdon explained/ Eis ver%* un')lluminati. ,ult specialists see desultor% defacement from
inexperienced fringe sects'&ealots !ho commit random acts of terrorism'but the )lluminati have al!a%s been more
deliberate.E
E;eliberateD Surgicall% removing someone@s e%eball is not deliberateDE
E)t sends no clear message. )t serves no higher purpose.E
6ohler@s !heelchair stopped short at the top of the hill. $e turned. E=r. Langdon/ believe me/ that missing e%e
does in%ee% serve a higher purpose* a much higher purpose.E
s the t!o men crossed the grass% rise/ the beating of helicopter blades became audible to the !est. chopper
appeared/ arching across the open valle% to!ard them. )t ban"ed sharpl%/ then slo!ed to a hover over a helipad painted
on the grass.
Langdon !atched/ detached/ his mind churning circles li"e the blades/ !ondering if a full night@s sleep !ould ma"e
his current disorientation an% clearer. Someho!/ he doubted it.
s the s"ids touched do!n/ a pilot 0umped out and started unloading gear. +here !as a lot of it'duffels/ vin%l !et
bags/ scuba tan"s/ and crates of !hat appeared to be high-tech diving equipment.
Langdon !as confused. E)s that =s. .etra@s gearDE he %elled to 6ohler over the roar of the engines.
6ohler nodded and %elled bac"/ EShe !as doing biological research in the 4alearic Sea.E
E) thought %ou said she !as a physicistFE
EShe is. She@s a 4io 1ntanglement 7h%sicist. She studies the interconnectivit% of life s%stems. $er !or" ties closel%
!ith her father@s !or" in particle ph%sics. Recentl% she disproved one of 1instein@s fundamental theories b% using
atomicall% s%nchroni&ed cameras to observe a school of tuna fish.E
Langdon searched his host@s face for an% glint of humor. Einstein an% tuna &ish1 $e !as starting to !onder if the
N-OO space plane had mista"enl% dropped him off on the !rong planet.
moment later/ .ittoria .etra emerged from the fuselage. Robert Langdon reali&ed toda% !as going to be a da% of
endless surprises. ;escending from the chopper in her "ha"i shorts and !hite sleeveless top/ .ittoria .etra loo"ed
nothing li"e the boo"ish ph%sicist he had expected. Lithe and graceful/ she !as tall !ith chestnut s"in and long blac"
hair that s!irled in the bac"!ind of the rotors. $er face !as unmista"abl% )talian'not overl% beautiful/ but possessing
full/ earth% features that even at t!ent% %ards seemed to exude a ra! sensualit%. s the air currents buffeted her bod%/
her clothes clung/ accentuating her slender torso and small breasts.
E=s. .etra is a !oman of tremendous personal strength/E 6ohler said/ seeming to sense Langdon@s captivation.
EShe spends months at a time !or"ing in dangerous ecological s%stems. She is a strict vegetarian and ,1R<@s resident
guru of $atha %oga.E
0atha yo)a1 Langdon mused. +he ancient 4uddhist art of meditative stretching seemed an odd proficienc% for the
ph%sicist daughter of a ,atholic priest.
Langdon !atched .ittoria approach. She had obviousl% been cr%ing/ her deep sable e%es filled !ith emotions
Langdon could not place. Still/ she moved to!ard them !ith fire and command. $er limbs !ere strong and toned/
radiating the health% luminescence of =editerranean flesh that had en0o%ed long hours in the sun.
E.ittoria/E 6ohler said as she approached. E=% deepest condolences. )t@s a terrible loss for science* for all of us
here at ,1R<.E
.ittoria nodded gratefull%. #hen she spo"e/ her voice !as smooth'a throat%/ accented 1nglish. E;o %ou "no! !ho
is responsible %etDE
E#e@re still !or"ing on it.E
She turned to Langdon/ holding out a slender hand. E=% name is .ittoria .etra. Bou@re from )nterpol/ ) assumeDE
Langdon too" her hand/ momentaril% spellbound b% the depth of her !ater% ga&e. ERobert Langdon.E $e !as
unsure !hat else to sa%.
E=r. Langdon is not !ith the authorities/E 6ohler explained. E$e is a specialist from the :.S. $e@s here to help us
locate !ho is responsible for this situation.E
.ittoria loo"ed uncertain. End the policeDE
6ohler exhaled but said nothing.
E#here is his bod%DE she demanded.
E4eing attended to.E
+he !hite lie surprised Langdon.
E) !ant to see him/E .ittoria said.
E.ittoria/E 6ohler urged/ E%our father !as brutall% murdered. Bou !ould be better to remember him as he !as.E
.ittoria began to spea" but !as interrupted.
E$e%/ .ittoriaFE voices called from the distance. E#elcome homeFE
She turned. group of scientists passing near the helipad !aved happil%.
E;isprove an% more of 1instein@s theoriesDE one shouted.
nother added/ EBour dad must be proudFE
.ittoria gave the men an a!"!ard !ave as the% passed. +hen she turned to 6ohler/ her face no! clouded !ith
confusion. E<obod% knows %etDE
E) decided discretion !as paramount.E
EBou haven@t told the staff m% father !as mur%ere%DE $er m%stified tone !as no! laced !ith anger.
6ohler@s tone hardened instantl%. E7erhaps %ou forget/ =s. .etra/ as soon as ) report %our father@s murder/ there
!ill be an investigation of ,1R<. )ncluding a thorough examination of his lab. ) have al!a%s tried to respect %our
father@s privac%. Bour father has told me onl% t!o things about %our current pro0ect. 9ne/ that it has the potential to
bring ,1R< millions of francs in licensing contracts in the next decade. nd t!o/ that it is not read% for public
disclosure because it is still ha&ardous technolog%. ,onsidering these t!o facts/ ) !ould prefer strangers not po"e
around inside his lab and either steal his !or" or "ill themselves in the process and hold ,1R< liable. ;o ) ma"e m%self
clearDE
.ittoria stared/ sa%ing nothing. Langdon sensed in her a reluctant respect and acceptance of 6ohler@s logic.
E4efore !e report an%thing to the authorities/E 6ohler said/ E) need to "no! !hat %ou t!o !ere !or"ing on. ) need
%ou to ta"e us to %our lab.E
E+he lab is irrelevant/E .ittoria said. E<obod% "ne! !hat m% father and ) !ere doing. +he experiment could not
possibl% have an%thing to do !ith m% father@s murder.E
6ohler exhaled a rasp%/ ailing breath. E1vidence suggests other!ise.E
E1videnceD #hat evidenceDE
Langdon !as !ondering the same thing.
6ohler !as dabbing his mouth again. EBou@ll 0ust have to trust me.E
)t !as clear/ from .ittoria@s smoldering ga&e/ that she did not.
!%
Langdon strode silentl% behind .ittoria and 6ohler as the% moved bac" into the main atrium !here Langdon@s
bi&arre visit had begun. .ittoria@s legs drove in fluid efficienc%'li"e an 9l%mpic diver'a potenc%/ Langdon figured/ no
doubt born from the flexibilit% and control of %oga. $e could hear her breathing slo!l% and deliberatel%/ as if someho!
tr%ing to filter her grief.
Langdon !anted to sa% something to her/ offer his s%mpath%. $e too had once felt the abrupt hollo!ness of
unexpectedl% losing a parent. $e remembered the funeral mostl%/ rain% and gra%. +!o da%s after his t!elfth birthda%.
+he house !as filled !ith gra%-suited men from the office/ men !ho squee&ed his hand too hard !hen the% shoo" it.
+he% !ere all mumbling !ords li"e car%iac and stress. $is mother 0o"ed through tear% e%es that she@d al!a%s been able
to follo! the stoc" mar"et simpl% b% holding her husband@s hand* his pulse her o!n private tic"er tape.
9nce/ !hen his father !as alive/ Langdon had heard his mom begging his father to Estop and smell the roses.E +hat
%ear/ Langdon bought his father a tin% blo!n-glass rose for ,hristmas. )t !as the most beautiful thing Langdon had ever
seen* the !a% the sun caught it/ thro!ing a rainbo! of colors on the !all. E)t@s lovel%/E his father had said !hen he
opened it/ "issing Robert on the forehead. ELet@s find a safe spot for it.E +hen his father had carefull% placed the rose on
a high dust% shelf in the dar"est corner of the living room. fe! da%s later/ Langdon got a stool/ retrieved the rose/ and
too" it bac" to the store. $is father never noticed it !as gone.
+he ping of an elevator pulled Langdon bac" to the present. .ittoria and 6ohler !ere in front of him/ boarding the
lift. Langdon hesitated outside the open doors.
E)s something !rongDE 6ohler as"ed/ sounding more impatient than concerned.
E<ot at all/E Langdon said/ forcing himself to!ard the cramped carriage. $e onl% used elevators !hen absolutel%
necessar%. $e preferred the more open spaces of stair!ells.
E;r. .etra@s lab is subterranean/E 6ohler said.
3on%er&ul/ Langdon thought as he stepped across the cleft/ feeling an ic% !ind churn up from the depths of the
shaft. +he doors closed/ and the car began to descend.
ESix stories/E 6ohler said blan"l%/ li"e an anal%tical engine.
Langdon pictured the dar"ness of the empt% shaft belo! them. $e tried to bloc" it out b% staring at the numbered
displa% of changing floors. 9ddl%/ the elevator sho!ed onl% t!o stops. 6round /e3el and /=C.
E#hat@s L$, stand forDE Langdon as"ed/ tr%ing not to sound nervous.
ELarge $adron ,ollider/E 6ohler said. E particle accelerator.E
Particle accelerator1 Langdon !as vaguel% familiar !ith the term. $e had first heard it over dinner !ith some
colleagues at ;unster $ouse in ,ambridge. ph%sicist friend of theirs/ 4ob 4ro!nell/ had arrived for dinner one night
in a rage.
E+he bastards canceled itFE 4ro!nell cursed.
E,anceled !hatDE the% all as"ed.
E+he SS,FE
E+he !hatDE
E+he Superconducting Super ,olliderFE
Someone shrugged. E) didn@t "no! $arvard !as building one.E
E<ot $arvardFE he exclaimed. E+he :.S.F )t !as going to be the !orld@s most po!erful particle acceleratorF 9ne of
the most important scientific pro0ects of the centur%F +!o 'illion dollars into it and the Senate sac"s the pro0ectF ;amn
4ible-4elt lobb%istsFE
#hen 4ro!nell finall% calmed do!n/ he explained that a particle accelerator !as a large/ circular tube through
!hich subatomic particles !ere accelerated. =agnets in the tube turned on and off in rapid succession to EpushE
particles around and around until the% reached tremendous velocities. Full% accelerated particles circled the tube at over
1G3/333 miles per secon%.
E4ut that@s almost the speed of light/E one of the professors exclaimed.
E;amn right/E 4ro!nell said. $e !ent on to sa% that b% accelerating t!o particles in opposite directions around the
tube and then colliding them/ scientists could shatter the particles into their constituent parts and get a glimpse of
nature@s most fundamental components. E7article accelerators/E 4ro!nell declared/ Eare critical to the future of science.
,olliding particles is the "e% to understanding the building bloc"s of the universe.E
$arvard@s Poet in Resi%ence/ a quiet man named ,harles 7ratt/ did not loo" impressed. E)t sounds to me/E he said/
Eli"e a rather <eanderthal approach to science* a"in to smashing cloc"s together to discern their internal !or"ings.E
4ro!nell dropped his for" and stormed out of the room.
$o CERN has a particle accelerator1 Langdon thought/ as the elevator dropped. ( circular tu'e &or smashin)
particles. $e !ondered !h% the% had buried it underground.
#hen the elevator thumped to a stop/ Langdon !as relieved to feel terra &irma beneath his feet. 4ut !hen the doors
slid open/ his relief evaporated. Robert Langdon found himself standing once again in a totall% alien !orld.
+he passage!a% stretched out indefinitel% in both directions/ left and right. )t !as a smooth cement tunnel/ !ide
enough to allo! passage of an eighteen !heeler. 4rightl% lit !here the% stood/ the corridor turned pitch blac" farther
do!n. damp !ind rustled out of the dar"ness'an unsettling reminder that the% !ere no! deep in the earth. Langdon
could almost sense the !eight of the dirt and stone no! hanging above his head. For an instant he !as nine %ears old*
the dar"ness forcing him bac"* bac" to the five hours of crushing blac"ness that haunted him still. ,lenching his fists/
he fought it off.
.ittoria remained hushed as she exited the elevator and strode off !ithout hesitation into the dar"ness !ithout
them. 9verhead the flourescents flic"ered on to light her path. +he effect !as unsettling/ Langdon thought/ as if the
tunnel !ere alive* anticipating her ever% move. Langdon and 6ohler follo!ed/ trailing a distance behind. +he lights
extinguished automaticall% behind them.
E+his particle accelerator/E Langdon said quietl%. E)t@s do!n this tunnel someplaceDE
E+hat@s it there.E 6ohler motioned to his left !here a polished/ chrome tube ran along the tunnel@s inner !all.
Langdon e%ed the tube/ confused. EThat+s the acceleratorDE +he device loo"ed nothing li"e he had imagined. )t !as
perfectl% straight/ about three feet in diameter/ and extended hori&ontall% the visible length of the tunnel before
disappearing into the dar"ness. ooks more like a hi)h>tech sewer/ Langdon thought. E) thought particle accelerators
!ere circular.E
E+his accelerator is a circle/E 6ohler said. E)t appears straight/ but that is an optical illusion. +he circumference of
this tunnel is so large that the curve is imperceptible'li"e that of the earth.E
Langdon !as flabbergasted. This is a circle1 E4ut* it must be enormousFE
E+he L$, is the largest machine in the !orld.E
Langdon did a double ta"e. $e remembered the ,1R< driver sa%ing something about a huge machine buried in the
earth. But'
E)t is over eight "ilometers in diameter* and t!ent%-seven "ilometers long.E
Langdon@s head !hipped around. E+!ent%-seven "ilometersDE $e stared at the director and then turned and loo"ed
into the dar"ened tunnel before him. E+his tunnel is t!ent%-seven "ilometers longD +hat@s* that@s over sixteen milesFE
6ohler nodded. E4ored in a perfect circle. )t extends all the !a% into France before curving bac" here to this spot.
Full% accelerated particles !ill circle the tube more than ten thousand times in a single second before the% collide.E
Langdon@s legs felt rubber% as he stared do!n the gaping tunnel. EBou@re telling me that ,1R< dug out millions of
tons of earth 0ust to smash tin% particlesDE
6ohler shrugged. ESometimes to find truth/ one must move mountains.E
!&
$undreds of miles from ,1R</ a voice crac"led through a !al"ie-tal"ie. E9"a%/ )@m in the hall!a%.E
+he technician monitoring the video screens pressed the button on his transmitter. EBou@re loo"ing for camera QGR.
)t@s supposed to be at the far end.E
+here !as a long silence on the radio. +he !aiting technician bro"e a light s!eat. Finall% his radio clic"ed.
E+he camera isn@t here/E the voice said. E) can see !here it !as mounted/ though. Somebod% must have removed
it.E
+he technician exhaled heavil%. E+han"s. $old on a second/ !ill %ouDE
Sighing/ he redirected his attention to the ban" of video screens in front of him. $uge portions of the complex !ere
open to the public/ and !ireless cameras had gone missing before/ usuall% stolen b% visiting pran"sters loo"ing for
souvenirs. 4ut as soon as a camera left the facilit% and !as out of range/ the signal !as lost/ and the screen !ent blan".
7erplexed/ the technician ga&ed up at the monitor. cr%stal clear image !as still coming from camera QGR.
"& the camera was stolen/ he !ondered/ why are we still )ettin) a si)nal1 $e "ne!/ of course/ there !as onl% one
explanation. +he camera !as still inside the complex/ and someone had simpl% moved it. But who1 (n% why1
$e studied the monitor a long moment. Finall% he pic"ed up his !al"ie-tal"ie. Ere there an% closets in that
stair!ellD n% cupboards or dar" alcovesDE
+he voice repl%ing sounded confused. E<o. #h%DE
+he technician fro!ned. E<ever mind. +han"s for %our help.E $e turned off his !al"ie-tal"ie and pursed his lips.
,onsidering the small si&e of the video camera and the fact that it !as !ireless/ the technician "ne! that camera
QGR could be transmitting from 0ust about anywhere !ithin the heavil% guarded compound'a densel% pac"ed collection
of thirt%-t!o separate buildings covering a half-mile radius. +he onl% clue !as that the camera seemed to have been
placed some!here dar". 9f course/ that !asn@t much help. +he complex contained endless dar" locations'maintenance
closets/ heating ducts/ gardening sheds/ bedroom !ardrobes/ even a lab%rinth of underground tunnels. ,amera QGR
could ta"e !ee"s to locate.
But that+s the least o& my pro'lems/ he thought.
;espite the dilemma posed b% the camera@s relocation/ there !as another far more unsettling matter at hand. +he
technician ga&ed up at the image the lost camera !as transmitting. )t !as a stationar% ob0ect. modern-loo"ing device
li"e nothing the technician had ever seen. $e studied the blin"ing electronic displa% at its base.
lthough the guard had undergone rigorous training preparing him for tense situations/ he still sensed his pulse
rising. $e told himself not to panic. +here had to be an explanation. +he ob0ect appeared too small to be of significant
danger. +hen again/ its presence inside the complex !as troubling. ?ery troubling/ indeed.
To%ay o& all %ays/ he thought.
Securit% !as al!a%s a top priorit% for his emplo%er/ but to%ay/ more than an% other da% in the past t!elve %ears/
securit% !as of the utmost importance. +he technician stared at the ob0ect for a long time and sensed the rumblings of a
distant gathering storm.
+hen/ s!eating/ he dialed his superior.
!.
<ot man% children could sa% the% remembered the da% the% met their father/ but .ittoria .etra could. She !as
eight %ears old/ living !here she al!a%s had/ 9r&anotro&io %i $iena/ a ,atholic orphanage near Florence/ deserted b%
parents she never "ne!. )t !as raining that da%. +he nuns had called for her t!ice to come to dinner/ but as al!a%s she
pretended not to hear. She la% outside in the court%ard/ staring up at the raindrops* feeling them hit her bod%* tr%ing
to guess !here one !ould land next. +he nuns called again/ threatening that pneumonia might ma"e an insufferabl%
headstrong child a lot less curious about nature.
" can+t hear you/ .ittoria thought.
She !as soa"ed to the bone !hen the %oung priest came out to get her. She didn@t "no! him. $e !as ne! there.
.ittoria !aited for him to grab her and drag her bac" inside. 4ut he didn@t. )nstead/ to her !onder/ he la% do!n beside
her/ soa"ing his robes in a puddle.
E+he% sa% %ou as" a lot of questions/E the %oung man said.
.ittoria sco!led. Ere questions badDE
$e laughed. E8uess the% !ere right.E
E#hat are %ou doing out hereDE
ESame thing %ou@re doing* !ondering !h% raindrops fall.E
E)@m not !ondering !h% the% fallF ) alread% "no!FE
+he priest gave her an astonished loo". EBou %oDE
ESister Francisca sa%s raindrops are angels@ tears coming do!n to !ash a!a% our sins.E
E#o!FE he said/ sounding ama&ed. ESo that explains it.E
E<o it doesn@tFE the girl fired bac". ERaindrops fall because e!erythin) fallsF E!erythin) fallsF <ot 0ust rainFE
+he priest scratched his head/ loo"ing perplexed. EBou "no!/ %oung lad%/ %ou@re right. 1ver%thing %oes fall. )t
must be gravit%.E
E)t must be whatDE
$e gave her an astonished loo". EBou haven@t heard of )ra!ityDE
E<o.E
+he priest shrugged sadl%. E+oo bad. 8ravit% ans!ers a lot of questions.E
.ittoria sat up. E#hat@s gravit%DE she demanded. E+ell meFE
+he priest gave her a !in". E#hat do %ou sa% ) tell %ou over dinner.E
+he %oung priest !as Leonardo .etra. lthough he had been an a!ard-!inning ph%sics student !hile in universit%/
he@d heard another call and gone into the seminar%. Leonardo and .ittoria became unli"el% best friends in the lonel%
!orld of nuns and regulations. .ittoria made Leonardo laugh/ and he too" her under his !ing/ teaching her that
beautiful things li"e rainbo!s and the rivers had man% explanations. $e told her about light/ planets/ stars/ and all of
nature through the e%es of both 8od and science. .ittoria@s innate intellect and curiosit% made her a captivating student.
Leonardo protected her li"e a daughter.
.ittoria !as happ% too. She had never "no!n the 0o% of having a father. #hen ever% other adult ans!ered her
questions !ith a slap on the !rist/ Leonardo spent hours sho!ing her boo"s. $e even as"ed !hat her ideas !ere.
.ittoria pra%ed Leonardo !ould sta% !ith her forever. +hen one da%/ her !orst nightmare came true. Father Leonardo
told her he !as leaving the orphanage.
E)@m moving to S!it&erland/E Leonardo said. E) have a grant to stud% ph%sics at the :niversit% of 8eneva.E
E7h%sicsDE .ittoria cried. E) thought %ou loved *o%FE
E) do/ ver% much. #hich is !h% ) !ant to stud% his divine rules. +he la!s of ph%sics are the canvas 8od laid do!n
on !hich to paint his masterpiece.E
.ittoria !as devastated. 4ut Father Leonardo had some other ne!s. $e told .ittoria he had spo"en to his superiors/
and the% said it !as o"a% if Father Leonardo adopted her.
E#ould %ou like me to adopt %ouDE Leonardo as"ed.
E#hat@s a%opt meanDE .ittoria said.
Father Leonardo told her.
.ittoria hugged him for five minutes/ cr%ing tears of 0o%. E9h %esF BesFE
Leonardo told her he had to leave for a !hile and get their ne! home settled in S!it&erland/ but he promised to
send for her in six months. )t !as the longest !ait of .ittoria@s life/ but Leonardo "ept his !ord. Five da%s before her
ninth birthda%/ .ittoria moved to 8eneva. She attended 8eneva )nternational School during the da% and learned from
her father at night.
+hree %ears later Leonardo .etra !as hired b% ,1R<. .ittoria and Leonardo relocated to a !onderland the li"es of
!hich the %oung .ittoria had never imagined.
.ittoria .etra@s bod% felt numb as she strode do!n the L$, tunnel. She sa! her muted reflection in the L$, and
sensed her father@s absence. <ormall% she existed in a state of deep calm/ in harmon% !ith the !orld around her. 4ut
no!/ ver% suddenl%/ nothing made sense. +he last three hours had been a blur.
)t had been 13 .=. in the 4alearic )slands !hen 6ohler@s call came through. Your &ather has 'een mur%ere%.
Come home imme%iately. ;espite the s!eltering heat on the dec" of the dive boat/ the !ords had chilled her to the bone/
6ohler@s emotionless tone hurting as much as the ne!s.
<o! she had returned home. But home to what1 ,1R</ her !orld since she !as t!elve/ seemed suddenl% foreign.
$er father/ the man !ho had made it magical/ !as gone.
@eep 'reaths/ she told herself/ but she couldn@t calm her mind. +he questions circled faster and faster. #ho "illed
her fatherD nd !h%D #ho !as this merican EspecialistED #h% !as 6ohler insisting on seeing the labD
6ohler had said there !as evidence that her father@s murder !as related to the current pro0ect. 3hat e!i%ence1
No'o%y knew what we were workin) on# (n% e!en i& someone &oun% out- why woul% they kill him1
s she moved do!n the L$, tunnel to!ard her father@s lab/ .ittoria reali&ed she !as about to unveil her father@s
greatest achievement !ithout him there. She had pictured this moment much differentl%. She had imagined her father
calling ,1R<@s top scientists to his lab/ sho!ing them his discover%/ !atching their a!estruc" faces. +hen he !ould
beam !ith fatherl% pride as he explained to them ho! it had been one of ?ittoria+s ideas that had helped him ma"e the
pro0ect a realit%* that his %au)hter had been integral in his brea"through. .ittoria felt a lump in her throat. ,y &ather
an% " were suppose% to share this moment to)ether. 4ut here she !as alone. <o colleagues. <o happ% faces. 5ust an
merican stranger and =aximilian 6ohler.
,a;imilian 7ohler. @er 78ni).
1ven as a child/ .ittoria had disli"ed the man. lthough she eventuall% came to respect his potent intellect/ his ic%
demeanor al!a%s seemed inhuman/ the exact antithesis of her father@s !armth. 6ohler pursued science for its
immaculate logic* her father for its spiritual !onder. nd %et oddl% there had al!a%s seemed to be an unspo"en
respect bet!een the t!o men. *enius/ someone had once explained to her/ accepts )enius uncon%itionally.
*enius/ she thought. ,y &ather @a%. @ea%.
+he entr% to Leonardo .etra@s lab !as a long sterile hall!a% paved entirel% in !hite tile. Langdon felt li"e he !as
entering some "ind of underground insane as%lum. Lining the corridor !ere do&ens of framed/ blac"-and-!hite images.
lthough Langdon had made a career of stud%ing images/ these !ere entirel% alien to him. +he% loo"ed li"e chaotic
negatives of random strea"s and spirals. ,o%ern art1 he mused. 2ackson Pollock on amphetamines1
EScatter plots/E .ittoria said/ apparentl% noting Langdon@s interest. E,omputer representations of particle collisions.
+hat@s the S-particle/E she said/ pointing to a faint trac" that !as almost invisible in the confusion. E=% father
discovered it five %ears ago. 7ure energ%'no mass at all. )t ma% !ell be the smallest building bloc" in nature. =atter is
nothing but trapped energ%.E
,atter is ener)y1 Langdon coc"ed his head. $oun%s pretty Aen. $e ga&ed at the tin% strea" in the photograph and
!ondered !hat his buddies in the $arvard ph%sics department !ould sa% !hen he told them he@d spent the !ee"end
hanging out in a Large $adron ,ollider admiring S-particles.
E.ittoria/E 6ohler said/ as the% approached the lab@s imposing steel door/ E) should mention that ) came do!n here
this morning loo"ing for %our father.E
.ittoria flushed slightl%. EBou didDE
EBes. nd imagine m% surprise !hen ) discovered he had replaced ,1R<@s standard "e%pad securit% !ith
something else.E 6ohler motioned to an intricate electronic device mounted beside the door.
E) apologi&e/E she said. EBou "no! ho! he !as about privac%. $e didn@t !ant an%one but the t!o of us to have
access.E
6ohler said/ EFine. 9pen the door.E
.ittoria stood a long moment. +hen/ pulling a deep breath/ she !al"ed to the mechanism on the !all.
Langdon !as in no !a% prepared for !hat happened next.
.ittoria stepped up to the device and carefull% aligned her right e%e !ith a protruding lens that loo"ed li"e a
telescope. +hen she pressed a button. )nside the machine/ something clic"ed. shaft of light oscillated bac" and forth/
scanning her e%eball li"e a cop% machine.
E)t@s a retina scan/E she said. E)nfallible securit%. uthori&ed for t!o retina patterns onl%. =ine and m% father@s.E
Robert Langdon stood in horrified revelation. +he image of Leonardo .etra came bac" in grisl% detail'the blood%
face/ the solitar% ha&el e%e staring bac"/ and the empt% e%e soc"et. $e tried to re0ect the obvious truth/ but then he sa!
it* beneath the scanner on the !hite tile floor* faint droplets of crimson. ;ried blood.
.ittoria/ than"full%/ did not notice.
+he steel door slid open and she !al"ed through.
6ohler fixed Langdon !ith an adamant stare. $is message !as clear( (s " tol% you the missin) eye ser!es a
hi)her purpose.
!5
+he !oman@s hands !ere tied/ her !rists no! purple and s!ollen from chafing. +he mahogan%-s"inned $assassin
la% beside her/ spent/ admiring his na"ed pri&e. $e !ondered if her current slumber !as 0ust a deception/ a pathetic
attempt to avoid further service to him.
$e did not care. $e had reaped sufficient re!ard. Sated/ he sat up in bed.
)n his countr% !omen !ere possessions. #ea". +ools of pleasure. ,hattel to be traded li"e livestoc". nd the%
understood their place. 4ut here/ in 1urope/ !omen feigned a strength and independence that both amused and excited
him. Forcing them into ph%sical submission !as a gratification he al!a%s en0o%ed.
<o!/ despite the contentment in his loins/ the $assassin sensed another appetite gro!ing !ithin him. $e had "illed
last night/ "illed and mutilated/ and for him "illing !as li"e heroin* each encounter satisf%ing onl% temporaril% before
increasing his longing for more. +he exhilaration had !orn off. +he craving had returned.
$e studied the sleeping !oman beside him. Running his palm across her nec"/ he felt aroused !ith the "no!ledge
that he could end her life in an instant. #hat !ould it matterD She !as subhuman/ a vehicle onl% of pleasure and
service. $is strong fingers encircled her throat/ savoring her delicate pulse. +hen/ fighting desire/ he removed his hand.
+here !as !or" to do. Service to a higher cause than his o!n desire.
s he got out of bed/ he reveled in the honor of the 0ob before him. $e still could not fathom the influence of this
man named 5anus and the ancient brotherhood he commanded. #ondrousl%/ the brotherhood had chosen him. Someho!
the% had learned of his loathing* and of his s"ills. $o!/ he !ould never "no!. Their roots reach wi%e.
<o! the% had besto!ed on him the ultimate honor. $e !ould be their hands and their voice. +heir assassin and
their messenger. +he one his people "ne! as ,alak al>ha='the ngel of +ruth.
!:
.etra@s lab !as !ildl% futuristic.
Star" !hite and bounded on all sides b% computers and speciali&ed electronic equipment/ it loo"ed li"e some sort of
operating room. Langdon !ondered !hat secrets this place could possibl% hold to 0ustif% cutting out someone@s e%e to
gain entrance.
6ohler loo"ed uneas% as the% entered/ his e%es seeming to dart about for signs of an intruder. 4ut the lab !as
deserted. .ittoria moved slo!l% too* as if the lab felt un"no!n !ithout her father there.
Langdon@s ga&e landed immediatel% in the center of the room/ !here a series of short pillars rose from the floor.
Li"e a miniature Stonehenge/ a do&en or so columns of polished steel stood in a circle in the middle of the room. +he
pillars !ere about three feet tall/ reminding Langdon of museum displa%s for valuable gems. +hese pillars/ ho!ever/
!ere clearl% not for precious stones. 1ach supported a thic"/ transparent canister about the si&e of a tennis ball can.
+he% appeared empt%.
6ohler e%ed the canisters/ loo"ing pu&&led. $e apparentl% decided to ignore them for the time being. $e turned to
.ittoria. E$as an%thing been stolenDE
EStolenD 0ow1E she argued. E+he retina scan onl% allo!s entr% to us.E
E5ust loo" around.E
.ittoria sighed and surve%ed the room for a fe! moments. She shrugged. E1ver%thing loo"s as m% father al!a%s
leaves it. 9rdered chaos.E
Langdon sensed 6ohler !eighing his options/ as if !ondering ho! far to push .ittoria* ho! much to tell her.
pparentl% he decided to leave it for the moment. =oving his !heelchair to!ard the center of the room/ he surve%ed
the m%sterious cluster of seemingl% empt% canisters.
ESecrets/E 6ohler finall% said/ Eare a luxur% !e can no longer afford.E
.ittoria nodded in acquiescence/ loo"ing suddenl% emotional/ as if being here brought !ith it a torrent of
memories.
*i!e her a minute/ Langdon thought.
s though preparing for !hat she !as about to reveal/ .ittoria closed her e%es and breathed. +hen she breathed
again. nd again. nd again*
Langdon !atched her/ suddenl% concerned. "s she okay1 $e glanced at 6ohler/ !ho appeared unfa&ed/ apparentl%
having seen this ritual before. +en seconds passed before .ittoria opened her e%es.
Langdon could not believe the metamorphosis. .ittoria .etra had been transformed. $er full lips !ere lax/ her
shoulders do!n/ and her e%es soft and assenting. )t !as as though she had realigned ever% muscle in her bod% to accept
the situation. +he resentful fire and personal anguish had been quelled someho! beneath a deeper/ !ater% cool.
E#here to begin*E she said/ her accent unruffled.
Et the beginning/E 6ohler said. E+ell us about %our father@s experiment.E
ERectif%ing science !ith religion has been m% father@s life dream/E .ittoria said. E$e hoped to prove that science
and religion are t!o totall% compatible fields't!o different approaches to finding the same truth.E She paused as if
unable to believe !hat she !as about to sa%. End recentl%* he conceived of a !a% to do that.E
6ohler said nothing.
E$e devised an experiment/ one he hoped !ould settle one of the most bitter conflicts in the histor% of science and
religion.E
Langdon !ondered !hich conflict she could mean. +here !ere so man%.
E,reationism/E .ittoria declared. E+he battle over ho! the universe came to be.E
9h/ Langdon thought. The %e'ate.
E+he 4ible/ of course/ states that 8od created the universe/E she explained. E8od said/ PLet there be light/@ and
ever%thing !e see appeared out of a vast emptiness. :nfortunatel%/ one of the fundamental la!s of ph%sics states that
matter cannot be created out of nothing.E
Langdon had read about this stalemate. +he idea that 8od allegedl% created Esomething from nothingE !as totall%
contrar% to accepted la!s of modern ph%sics and therefore/ scientists claimed/ 8enesis !as scientificall% absurd.
E=r. Langdon/E .ittoria said/ turning/ E) assume %ou are familiar !ith the 4ig 4ang +heor%DE
Langdon shrugged. E=ore or less.E +he 4ig 4ang/ he "ne!/ !as the scientificall% accepted model for the creation
of the universe. $e didn@t reall% understand it/ but according to the theor%/ a single point of intensel% focused energ%
erupted in a catacl%smic explosion/ expanding out!ard to form the universe. 9r something li"e that.
.ittoria continued. E#hen the ,atholic ,hurch first proposed the 4ig 4ang +heor% in 1KCM/ the'E
E)@m sorr%DE Langdon interrupted/ before he could stop himself. EBou sa% the 4ig 4ang !as a Catholic ideaDE
.ittoria loo"ed surprised b% his question E9f course. 7roposed b% a ,atholic mon"/ 8eorges LemaTtre in 1KCM.E
E4ut/ ) thought*E he hesitated. E#asn@t the 4ig 4ang proposed b% $arvard astronomer 1d!in $ubbleDE
6ohler glo!ered. Egain/ merican scientific arrogance. $ubble published in 1KCK/ t!o %ears a&ter LemaTtre.E
Langdon sco!led. "t+s calle% the 0u''le Telescope- sir<"+!e ne!er hear% o& any ema:tre Telescope#
E=r. 6ohler is right/E .ittoria said/ Ethe idea belonged to LemaTtre. $ubble onl% con&irme% it b% gathering the hard
evidence that proved the 4ig 4ang !as scientificall% probable.E
E9h/E Langdon said/ !ondering if the $ubble-fanatics in the $arvard stronom% ;epartment ever mentioned
LemaTtre in their lectures.
E#hen LemaTtre first proposed the 4ig 4ang +heor%/E .ittoria continued/ Escientists claimed it !as utterl%
ridiculous. =atter/ science said/ could not be created out of nothing. So/ !hen $ubble shoc"ed the !orld b%
scientificall% proving the 4ig 4ang !as accurate/ the church claimed victor%/ heralding this as proo& that the 4ible !as
scientificall% accurate. +he divine truth.E
Langdon nodded/ focusing intentl% no!.
E9f course scientists did not appreciate having their discoveries used b% the church to promote religion/ so the%
immediatel% mathematici&ed the 4ig 4ang +heor%/ removed all religious overtones/ and claimed it as their o!n.
:nfortunatel% for science/ ho!ever/ their equations/ even toda%/ have one serious deficienc% that the church li"es to
point out.E
6ohler grunted. E+he sin)ularity.E $e spo"e the !ord as if it !ere the bane of his existence.
EBes/ the singularit%/E .ittoria said. E+he exact moment of creation. +ime &ero.E She loo"ed at Langdon. E1ven
toda%/ science cannot grasp the initial moment of creation. 9ur equations explain the early universe quite effectivel%/
but as !e move bac" in time/ approaching time &ero/ suddenl% our mathematics disintegrates/ and ever%thing becomes
meaningless.E
E,orrect/E 6ohler said/ his voice edg%/ Eand the church holds up this deficienc% as proof of 8od@s miraculous
involvement. ,ome to %our point.E
.ittoria@s expression became distant. E=% point is that m% father had al!a%s believed in 8od@s involvement in the
4ig 4ang. 1ven though science !as unable to comprehend the divine moment of creation/ he believed someda% it
woul%.E She motioned sadl% to a laser-printed memo tac"ed over her father@s !or" area. E=% dad used to !ave that in
m% face ever% time ) had doubts.E
Langdon read the message(
Science and religion are not at odds.
Science is simpl% too %oung to understand.
E=% dad !anted to bring science to a higher level/E .ittoria said/ E!here science supported the concept of 8od.E
She ran a hand through her long hair/ loo"ing melanchol%. E$e set out to do something no scientist had ever thought to
do. Something that no one has ever had the technolo)y to do.E She paused/ as though uncertain ho! to spea" the next
!ords. E$e designed an experiment to prove 8enesis !as possible.E
Pro!e *enesis1 Langdon !ondered. et there 'e li)ht1 ,atter &rom nothin)1
6ohler@s dead ga&e bore across the room. E) beg %our pardonDE
E=% father created a universe* from nothing at all.E
6ohler snapped his head around. E#hatFE
E4etter said/ he recreated the 4ig 4ang.E
6ohler loo"ed read% to 0ump to his feet.
Langdon !as officiall% lost. Creatin) a uni!erse1 Recreatin) the Bi) Ban)1
E)t !as done on a much smaller scale/ of course/E .ittoria said/ tal"ing faster no!. E+he process !as remar"abl%
simple. $e accelerated t!o ultrathin particle beams in opposite directions around the accelerator tube. +he t!o beams
collided head-on at enormous speeds/ driving into one another and compressing all their energ% into a single pinpoint.
$e achieved extreme energ% densities.E She started rattling off a stream of units/ and the director@s e%es gre! !ider.
Langdon tried to "eep up. $o eonar%o ?etra was simulatin) the compresse% point o& ener)y &rom which the
uni!erse suppose%ly spran).
E+he result/E .ittoria said/ E!as nothing short of !ondrous. #hen it is published/ it !ill sha"e the ver% foundation
of modern ph%sics.E She spo"e slo!l% no!/ as though savoring the immensit% of her ne!s. E#ithout !arning/ inside the
accelerator tube/ at this point of highl% focused energ%/ particles of matter began appearing out of no!here.E
6ohler made no reaction. $e simpl% stared.
E,atter/E .ittoria repeated. E4lossoming out of nothing. n incredible displa% of subatomic fire!or"s. miniature
universe springing to life. $e proved not onl% that matter can be created from nothing/ but that the 4ig 4ang an%
8enesis can be explained simpl% b% accepting the presence of an enormous source of energ%.E
EBou mean *o%DE 6ohler demanded.
E8od/ 4uddha/ +he Force/ Bah!eh/ the singularit%/ the unicit% point'call it !hatever %ou li"e'the result is the
same. Science and religion support the same truth'pure ener)y is the father of creation.E
#hen 6ohler finall% spo"e/ his voice !as somber. E.ittoria/ %ou have me at a loss. )t sounds li"e %ou@re telling me
%our father create% matter* out of nothingDE
EBes.E .ittoria motioned to the canisters. End there is the proof. )n those canisters are specimens of the matter he
created.E
6ohler coughed and moved to!ard the canisters li"e a !ar% animal circling something he instinctivel% sensed !as
!rong. E)@ve obviousl% missed something/E he said. E$o! do %ou expect an%one to believe these canisters contain
particles of matter %our father actuall% create%D +he% could be particles from an%!here at all.E
Ectuall%/E .ittoria said/ sounding confident/ Ethe% couldn@t. +hese particles are unique. +he% are a t%pe of matter
that does not exist an%!here on earth* hence the% ha% to be created.E
6ohler@s expression dar"ened. E.ittoria/ !hat do %ou mean a certain type of matterD +here is onl% one t%pe of
matter/ and it'E 6ohler stopped short.
.ittoria@s expression !as triumphant. EBou@ve lectured on it %ourself/ director. +he universe contains two "inds of
matter. Scientific fact.E .ittoria turned to Langdon. E=r. Langdon/ !hat does the 4ible sa% about the ,reationD #hat
did 8od createDE
Langdon felt a!"!ard/ not sure !hat this had to do !ith an%thing. E:m/ 8od created* light and dar"/ heaven and
hell'E
E1xactl%/E .ittoria said. E$e created ever%thing in opposites. S%mmetr%. 7erfect balance.E She turned bac" to
6ohler. E;irector/ science claims the same thing as religion/ that the 4ig 4ang created ever%thing in the universe !ith
an opposite.E
E)ncluding matter itself/E 6ohler !hispered/ as if to himself.
.ittoria nodded. End !hen m% father ran his experiment/ sure enough/ two "inds of matter appeared.E
Langdon !ondered !hat this meant. eonar%o ?etra create% matter+s opposite1
6ohler loo"ed angr%. E+he substance %ou@re referring to onl% exists elsewhere in the universe. ,ertainl% not on
earth. nd possibl% not even in our galax%FE
E1xactl%/E .ittoria replied/ E!hich is proof that the particles in these canisters had to be create%.E
6ohler@s face hardened. E.ittoria/ surel% %ou can@t be sa%ing those canisters contain actual specimensDE
E) am.E She ga&ed proudl% at the canisters. E;irector/ %ou are loo"ing at the !orld@s first specimens of antimatter.E
";
Phase two/ the $assassin thought/ striding into the dar"ened tunnel.
+he torch in his hand !as over"ill. $e "ne! that. 4ut it !as for effect. 1ffect !as ever%thing. Fear/ he had learned/
!as his all%. Fear cripples &aster than any implement o& war.
+here !as no mirror in the passage to admire his disguise/ but he could sense from the shado! of his billo!ing
robe that he !as perfect. 4lending in !as part of the plan* part of the depravit% of the plot. )n his !ildest dreams he
had never imagined pla%ing this part.
+!o !ee"s ago/ he !ould have considered the tas" a!aiting him at the far end of this tunnel impossible. suicide
mission. #al"ing na"ed into a lion@s lair. 4ut 5anus had changed the definition of impossible.
+he secrets 5anus had shared !ith the $assassin in the last t!o !ee"s had been numerous* this ver% tunnel being
one of them. ncient/ and %et still perfectl% passable.
s he dre! closer to his enem%/ the $assassin !ondered if !hat a!aited him inside !ould be as eas% as 5anus had
promised. 5anus had assured him someone on the inside !ould ma"e the necessar% arrangements. $omeone on the
insi%e. "ncre%i'le. +he more he considered it/ the more he reali&ed it !as child@s pla%.
3aha% tintain thalatha ar'aa/ he said to himself in rabic as he neared the end. 9ne two three &our
"!
E) sense %ou@ve heard of antimatter/ =r. LangdonDE .ittoria !as stud%ing him/ her dar" s"in in star" contrast to the
!hite lab.
Langdon loo"ed up. $e felt suddenl% dumb. EBes. #ell* sort of.E
faint smile crossed her lips. EBou !atch $tar Trek.E
Langdon flushed. E#ell/ m% students en0o%*E $e fro!ned. E)sn@t antimatter !hat fuels the B.$.$. EnterpriseDE
She nodded. E8ood science fiction has its roots in good science.E
ESo antimatter is realDE
E fact of nature. 1ver%thing has an opposite. 7rotons have electrons. :p-quar"s have do!n-quar"s. +here is a
cosmic s%mmetr% at the subatomic level. ntimatter is yin to matter@s yan). )t balances the ph%sical equation.E
Langdon thought of 8alileo@s belief of dualit%.
EScientists have "no!n since 1K1G/E .ittoria said/ Ethat two "inds of matter !ere created in the 4ig 4ang. 9ne
matter is the "ind !e see here on earth/ ma"ing up roc"s/ trees/ people. +he other is its inverse'identical to matter in all
respects except that the charges of its particles are reversed.E
6ohler spo"e as though emerging from a fog. $is voice sounded suddenl% precarious. E4ut there are enormous
technological barriers to actuall% storin) antimatter. #hat about neutrali&ationDE
E=% father built a reverse polarit% vacuum to pull the antimatter positrons out of the accelerator before the% could
deca%.E
6ohler sco!led. E4ut a vacuum !ould pull out the matter also. +here !ould be no !a% to separate the particles.E
E$e applied a magnetic field. =atter arced right/ and antimatter arced left. +he% are polar opposites.E
t that instant/ 6ohler@s !all of doubt seemed to crac". $e loo"ed up at .ittoria in clear astonishment and then
!ithout !arning !as overcome b% a fit of coughing. E)ncred* ible*E he said/ !iping his mouth/ Eand %et*E )t seemed
his logic !as still resisting. EBet even if the vacuum worke%/ these canisters are made of matter. ntimatter cannot be
stored inside canisters made out of matter. +he antimatter !ould instantl% react !ith'E
E+he specimen is not touching the canister/E .ittoria said/ apparentl% expecting the question. E+he antimatter is
suspended. +he canisters are called Pantimatter traps@ because the% literall% trap the antimatter in the center of the
canister/ suspending it at a safe distance from the sides and bottom.E
ESuspendedD 4ut* howDE
E4et!een t!o intersecting magnetic fields. $ere/ have a loo".E
.ittoria !al"ed across the room and retrieved a large electronic apparatus. +he contraption reminded Langdon of
some sort of cartoon ra% gun'a !ide cannonli"e barrel !ith a sighting scope on top and a tangle of electronics dangling
belo!. .ittoria aligned the scope !ith one of the canisters/ peered into the e%epiece/ and calibrated some "nobs. +hen
she stepped a!a%/ offering 6ohler a loo".
6ohler loo"ed nonplussed. EBou collected !isi'le amountsDE
EFive thousand nanograms/E .ittoria said. E liquid plasma containing millions of positrons.E
E=illionsD 4ut a fe! particles is all an%one has ever detected* anywhere.E
ENenon/E .ittoria said flatl%. E$e accelerated the particle beam through a 0et of xenon/ stripping a!a% the electrons.
$e insisted on "eeping the exact procedure a secret/ but it involved simultaneousl% in0ecting ra! electrons into the
accelerator.E
Langdon felt lost/ !ondering if their conversation !as still in 1nglish.
6ohler paused/ the lines in his bro! deepening. Suddenl% he dre! a short breath. $e slumped li"e he@d been hit
!ith a bullet. E+echnicall% that !ould leave*E
.ittoria nodded. EBes. ots of it.E
6ohler returned his ga&e to the canister before him. #ith a loo" of uncertaint%/ he hoisted himself in his chair and
placed his e%e to the vie!er/ peering inside. $e stared a long time !ithout sa%ing an%thing. #hen he finall% sat do!n/
his forehead !as covered !ith s!eat. +he lines on his face had disappeared. $is voice !as a !hisper. E=% 8od* %ou
reall% did it.E
.ittoria nodded. E=% &ather did it.E
E)* ) don@t "no! !hat to sa%.E
.ittoria turned to Langdon. E#ould %ou li"e a loo"DE She motioned to the vie!ing device.
:ncertain !hat to expect/ Langdon moved for!ard. From t!o feet a!a%/ the canister appeared empt%. #hatever
!as inside !as infinitesimal. Langdon placed his e%e to the vie!er. )t too" a moment for the image before him to come
into focus.
+hen he sa! it.
+he ob0ect !as not on the bottom of the container as he expected/ but rather it !as floating in the center'suspended
in midair'a shimmering globule of mercur%li"e liquid. $overing as if b% magic/ the liquid tumbled in space. =etallic
!avelets rippled across the droplet@s surface. +he suspended fluid reminded Langdon of a video he had once seen of a
!ater droplet in &ero 8. lthough he "ne! the globule !as microscopic/ he could see ever% changing gorge and
undulation as the ball of plasma rolled slo!l% in suspension.
E)t@s* floating/E he said.
E)t had better be/E .ittoria replied. Entimatter is highl% unstable. 1nergeticall% spea"ing/ antimatter is the mirror
image of matter/ so the t!o instantl% cancel each other out if the% come in contact. 6eeping antimatter isolated from
matter is a challenge/ of course/ because e!erythin) on earth is made of matter. +he samples have to be stored !ithout
ever touching an%thing at all'even air.E
Langdon !as ama&ed. Talk a'out workin) in a !acuum.
E+hese antimatter trapsDE 6ohler interrupted/ loo"ing ama&ed as he ran a pallid finger around one@s base. E+he% are
%our father@s designDE
Ectuall%/E she said/ Ethe% are mine.E
6ohler loo"ed up.
.ittoria@s voice !as unassuming. E=% father produced the first particles of antimatter but !as st%mied b% ho! to
store them. ) suggested these. irtight nanocomposite shells !ith opposing electromagnets at each end.E
E)t seems %our father@s genius has rubbed off.E
E<ot reall%. ) borro!ed the idea from nature. 7ortuguese man-o@-!ars trap fish bet!een their tentacles using
nematoc%stic charges. Same principle here. 1ach canister has t!o electromagnets/ one at each end. +heir opposing
magnetic fields intersect in the center of the canister and hold the antimatter there/ suspended in midvacuum.E
Langdon loo"ed again at the canister. ntimatter floating in a vacuum/ not touching an%thing at all. 6ohler !as
right. )t !as genius.
E#here@s the po!er source for the magnetsDE 6ohler as"ed.
.ittoria pointed. E)n the pillar beneath the trap. +he canisters are scre!ed into a doc"ing port that continuousl%
recharges them so the magnets never fail.E
End if the field failsDE
E+he obvious. +he antimatter falls out of suspension/ hits the bottom of the trap/ and !e see an annihilation.E
Langdon@s ears pric"ed up. EnnihilationDE $e didn@t li"e the sound of it.
.ittoria loo"ed unconcerned. EBes. )f antimatter and matter ma"e contact/ both are destro%ed instantl%. 7h%sicists
call the process Pannihilation.@ E
Langdon nodded. E9h.E
E)t is nature@s simplest reaction. particle of matter and a particle of antimatter combine to release t!o new
particles'called photons. photon is effectivel% a tin% puff of light.E
Langdon had read about photons'light particles'the purest form of energ%. $e decided to refrain from as"ing about
,aptain 6ir"@s use of photon torpedoes against the 6lingons. ESo if the antimatter falls/ !e see a tin% puff of lightDE
.ittoria shrugged. E;epends !hat %ou call tin%. $ere/ let me demonstrate.E She reached for the canister and started
to unscre! it from its charging podium.
#ithout !arning/ 6ohler let out a cr% of terror and lunged for!ard/ "noc"ing her hands a!a%. E.ittoriaF re %ou
insaneDE
""
6ohler/ incredibl%/ !as standing for a moment/ teetering on t!o !ithered legs. $is face !as !hite !ith fear.
E.ittoriaF Bou can@t remove that trapFE
Langdon !atched/ be!ildered b% the director@s sudden panic.
EFive hundred nanogramsFE 6ohler said. E)f %ou brea" the magnetic field'E
E;irector/E .ittoria assured/ Eit@s perfectl% safe. 1ver% trap has a failsafe'a bac"-up batter% in case it is removed
from its recharger. +he specimen remains suspended even if ) remove the canister.E
6ohler loo"ed uncertain. +hen/ hesitantl%/ he settled bac" into his chair.
E+he batteries activate automaticall%/E .ittoria said/ E!hen the trap is moved from the recharger. +he% !or" for
t!ent%-four hours. Li"e a reserve tan" of gas.E She turned to Langdon/ as if sensing his discomfort. Entimatter has
some astonishing characteristics/ =r. Langdon/ !hich ma"e it quite dangerous. ten milligram sample'the volume of a
grain of sand'is h%pothesi&ed to hold as much energ% as about t!o hundred metric tons of conventional roc"et fuel.E
Langdon@s head !as spinning again.
E)t is the energ% source of tomorro!. thousand times more po!erful than nuclear energ%. 9ne hundred percent
efficient. <o b%products. <o radiation. <o pollution. fe! grams could po!er a ma0or cit% for a !ee".E
*rams1 Langdon stepped uneasil% bac" from the podium.
E;on@t !orr%/E .ittoria said. EThese samples are minuscule fractions of a gram'millionths. Relativel% harmless.E
She reached for the canister again and t!isted it from its doc"ing platform.
6ohler t!itched but did not interfere. s the trap came free/ there !as a sharp beep/ and a small L1; displa%
activated near the base of the trap. +he red digits blin"ed/ counting do!n from t!ent%-four hours.
CDEFFEFF
CGE5HE5H
CGE5HE5I
Langdon studied the descending counter and decided it loo"ed unsettlingl% li"e a time bomb.
E+he batter%/E .ittoria explained/ E!ill run for the full t!ent%-four hours before d%ing. )t can be recharged b%
placing the trap bac" on the podium. )t@s designed as a safet% measure/ but it@s also convenient for transport.E
E+ransportDE 6ohler loo"ed thunderstruc". EBou ta"e this stuff out of the labDE
E9f course not/E .ittoria said. E4ut the mobilit% allo!s us to stud% it.E
.ittoria led Langdon and 6ohler to the far end of the room. She pulled a curtain aside to reveal a !indo!/ be%ond
!hich !as a large room. +he !alls/ floors/ and ceiling !ere entirel% plated in steel. +he room reminded Langdon of the
holding tan" of an oil freighter he had once ta"en to 7apua <e! 8uinea to stud% 0anta bod% graffiti.
E)t@s an annihilation tan"/E .ittoria declared.
6ohler loo"ed up. EBou actuall% o'ser!e annihilationsDE
E=% father !as fascinated !ith the ph%sics of the 4ig 4ang'large amounts of energ% from minuscule "ernels of
matter.E .ittoria pulled open a steel dra!er beneath the !indo!. She placed the trap inside the dra!er and closed it.
+hen she pulled a lever beside the dra!er. moment later/ the trap appeared on the other side of the glass/ rolling
smoothl% in a !ide arc across the metal floor until it came to a stop near the center of the room.
.ittoria gave a tight smile. EBou@re about to !itness %our first antimatter-matter annihilation. fe! millionths of a
gram. relativel% minuscule specimen.E
Langdon loo"ed out at the antimatter trap sitting alone on the floor of the enormous tan". 6ohler also turned to!ard
the !indo!/ loo"ing uncertain.
E<ormall%/E .ittoria explained/ E!e@d have to !ait the full t!ent%-four hours until the batteries died/ but this
chamber contains magnets beneath the floor that can override the trap/ pulling the antimatter out of suspension. nd
!hen the matter and antimatter touch*E
Ennihilation/E 6ohler !hispered.
E9ne more thing/E .ittoria said. Entimatter releases pure energ%. one hundred percent conversion of mass to
photons. So don@t loo" directl% at the sample. Shield %our e%es.E
Langdon !as !ar%/ but he no! sensed .ittoria !as being overl% dramatic. @on+t look %irectly at the canister1 +he
device !as more than thirt% %ards a!a%/ behind an ultrathic" !all of tinted 7lexiglas. =oreover/ the spec" in the
canister !as invisible/ microscopic. $hiel% my eyes1 Langdon thought. 0ow much ener)y coul% that speck possi'ly'
.ittoria pressed the button.
)nstantl%/ Langdon !as blinded. brilliant point of light shone in the canister and then exploded out!ard in a
shoc" !ave of light that radiated in all directions/ erupting against the !indo! before him !ith thunderous force. $e
stumbled bac" as the detonation roc"ed the vault. +he light burned bright for a moment/ searing/ and then/ after an
instant/ it rushed bac" in!ard/ absorbing in on itself/ and collapsing into a tin% spec" that disappeared to nothing.
Langdon blin"ed in pain/ slo!l% recovering his e%esight. $e squinted into the smoldering chamber. +he canister on the
floor had entirel% disappeared. .apori&ed. <ot a trace.
$e stared in !onder. E8* 8od.E
.ittoria nodded sadl%. E+hat@s precisel% !hat m% father said.E
"#
6ohler !as staring into the annihilation chamber !ith a loo" of utter ama&ement at the spectacle he had 0ust seen.
Robert Langdon !as beside him/ loo"ing even more da&ed.
E) !ant to see m% father/E .ittoria demanded. E) sho!ed %ou the lab. <o! ) !ant to see m% father.E
6ohler turned slo!l%/ apparentl% not hearing her. E#h% did %ou !ait so long/ .ittoriaD Bou and %our father should
have told me about this discover% immediatel%.E
.ittoria stared at him. 0ow many reasons %o you want1 E;irector/ !e can argue about this later. Right no!/ ) !ant
to see m% father.E
E;o %ou "no! !hat this technolog% impliesDE
ESure/E .ittoria shot bac". ERevenue for ,1R<. lot of it. <o! ) !ant'E
E)s that !h% %ou "ept it secretDE 6ohler demanded/ clearl% baiting her. E4ecause %ou feared the board and ) !ould
vote to license it outDE
E)t shoul% be licensed/E .ittoria fired bac"/ feeling herself dragged into the argument. Entimatter is important
technolog%. 4ut it@s also dangerous. =% father and ) !anted time to refine the procedures and ma"e it safe.E
E)n other !ords/ %ou didn@t trust the board of directors to place prudent science before financial greed.E
.ittoria !as surprised !ith the indifference in 6ohler@s tone. E+here !ere other issues as !ell/E she said. E=%
father !anted time to present antimatter in the appropriate light.E
E=eaningDE
3hat %o you think " mean1 E=atter from energ%D Something from nothingD )t@s practicall% proof that 8enesis is a
scientific possibilit%.E
ESo he didn@t !ant the religious implications of his discover% lost in an onslaught of commercialismDE
E)n a manner of spea"ing.E
End %ouDE
.ittoria@s concerns/ ironicall%/ !ere some!hat the opposite. ,ommercialism !as critical for the success of an% ne!
energ% source. lthough antimatter technolog% had staggering potential as an efficient and nonpolluting energ% source'
if unveiled prematurel%/ antimatter ran the ris" of being vilified b% the politics and 7R fiascoes that had "illed nuclear
and solar po!er. <uclear had proliferated before it !as safe/ and there !ere accidents. Solar had proliferated before it
!as efficient/ and people lost mone%. 4oth technologies got bad reputations and !ithered on the vine.
E=% interests/E .ittoria said/ E!ere a bit less loft% than uniting science and religion.E
E+he environment/E 6ohler ventured assuredl%.
ELimitless energ%. <o strip mining. <o pollution. <o radiation. ntimatter technolog% could save the planet.E
E9r destro% it/E 6ohler quipped. E;epending on !ho uses it for !hat.E .ittoria felt a chill emanating from 6ohler@s
crippled form. E#ho else "ne! about thisDE he as"ed.
E<o one/E .ittoria said. E) told %ou that.E
E+hen !h% do %ou thin" %our father !as "illedDE
.ittoria@s muscles tightened. E) have no idea. $e had enemies here at ,1R</ %ou "no! that/ but it couldn@t have
had an%thing to do !ith antimatter. #e s!ore to each other to "eep it bet!een us for another fe! months/ until !e !ere
read%.E
End %ou@re certain %our father "ept his vo! of silenceDE
<o! .ittoria !as getting mad. E=% father has "ept tougher vo!s than thatFE
End you told no oneDE
E9f course notFE
6ohler exhaled. $e paused/ as though choosing his next !ords carefull%. ESuppose someone %i% find out. nd
suppose someone gained access to this lab. #hat do %ou imagine the% !ould be afterD ;id %our father have notes do!n
hereD ;ocumentation of his processesDE
E;irector/ )@ve been patient. ) need some ans!ers no!. Bou "eep tal"ing about a brea"-in/ but %ou sa! the retina
scan. =% father has been vigilant about secrec% and securit%.E
E$umor me/E 6ohler snapped/ startling her. E#hat !ould be missingDE
E) have no idea.E .ittoria angril% scanned the lab. ll the antimatter specimens !ere accounted for. $er father@s
!or" area loo"ed in order. E<obod% came in here/E she declared. E1ver%thing up here loo"s fine.E
6ohler loo"ed surprised. EBp hereDE
.ittoria had said it instinctivel%. EBes/ here in the upper lab.E
EBou@re using the lo!er lab tooDE
EFor storage.E
6ohler rolled to!ard her/ coughing again. EBou@re using the $a&-=at chamber for storageD Storage of whatDE
0a/ar%ous material- what else# .ittoria !as losing her patience. Entimatter.E
6ohler lifted himself on the arms of his chair. E+here are other specimensD #h% the hell didn@t %ou tell meFE
E) 0ust did/E .ittoria fired bac". End %ou@ve barel% given me a chanceFE
E#e need to chec" those specimens/E 6ohler said. E<o!.E
ESpecimen/E .ittoria corrected. ESingular. nd it@s fine. <obod% could ever'E
E9nl% oneDE 6ohler hesitated. E#h% isn@t it up hereDE
E=% father !anted it belo! the bedroc" as a precaution. )t@s larger than the others.E
+he loo" of alarm that shot bet!een 6ohler and Langdon !as not lost on .ittoria. 6ohler rolled to!ard her again.
EBou created a specimen lar)er than five hundred nanogramsDE
E necessit%/E .ittoria defended. E#e had to prove the inputL%ield threshold could be safel% crossed.E +he question
!ith ne! fuel sources/ she "ne!/ !as al!a%s one of input vs. %ield'ho! much mone% one had to expend to harvest the
fuel. 4uilding an oil rig to %ield a single barrel of oil !as a losing endeavor. $o!ever/ if that same rig/ !ith minimal
added expense/ could deliver millions of barrels/ then %ou !ere in business. ntimatter !as the same !a%. Firing up
sixteen miles of electromagnets to create a tin% specimen of antimatter expended more energ% than the resulting
antimatter contained. )n order to prove antimatter efficient and viable/ one had to create specimens of a larger
magnitude.
lthough .ittoria@s father had been hesitant to create a large specimen/ .ittoria had pushed him hard. She argued
that in order for antimatter to be ta"en seriousl%/ she and her father had to prove t!o things. First/ that cost -effective
amounts could be produced. nd second/ that the specimens could be safel% stored. )n the end she had !on/ and her
father had acquiesced against his better 0udgment. <ot/ ho!ever/ !ithout some firm guidelines regarding secrec% and
access. +he antimatter/ her father had insisted/ !ould be stored in $a&-=at'a small granite hollo!/ an additional
sevent%-five feet belo! ground. +he specimen !ould be their secret. nd onl% the t!o of them !ould have access.
E.ittoriaDE 6ohler insisted/ his voice tense. E$o! large a specimen did %ou and %our father createDE
.ittoria felt a !r% pleasure inside. She "ne! the amount !ould stun even the great =aximilian 6ohler. She
pictured the antimatter belo!. n incredible sight. Suspended inside the trap/ perfectl% visible to the na"ed e%e/ danced
a tin% sphere of antimatter. +his !as no microscopic spec". +his !as a droplet the si&e of a 44.
.ittoria too" a deep breath. E full quarter of a gram.E
+he blood drained from 6ohler@s face. E#hatFE $e bro"e into a fit of coughing. E quarter of a gramD +hat
converts to* almost five "ilotonsFE
7ilotons. .ittoria hated the !ord. )t !as one she and her father never used. "iloton !as equal to 1/333 metric
tons of +<+. 6ilotons !ere for !eaponr%. 7a%load. ;estructive po!er. She and her father spo"e in electron volts and
0oules'constructive energ% output.
E+hat much antimatter could literall% liquidate ever%thing in a half-mile radiusFE 6ohler exclaimed.
EBes/ if annihilated all at once/E .ittoria shot bac"/ E!hich nobod% !ould ever doFE
E1xcept someone !ho didn@t "no! better. 9r if %our po!er source failedFE 6ohler !as alread% heading for the
elevator.
E#hich is !h% m% father "ept it in $a&-=at under a fail-safe po!er and a redundant securit% s%stem.E
6ohler turned/ loo"ing hopeful. EBou have additional securit% on $a&-=atDE
EBes. second retina-scan.E
6ohler spo"e onl% t!o !ords. E;o!nstairs. <o!.E
+he freight elevator dropped li"e a roc".
nother sevent%-five feet into the earth.
.ittoria !as certain she sensed fear in both men as the elevator fell deeper. 6ohler@s usuall% emotionless face !as
taut. " know/ .ittoria thought/ the sample is enormous- 'ut the precautions we+!e taken are'
+he% reached the bottom.
+he elevator opened/ and .ittoria led the !a% do!n the diml% lit corridor. :p ahead the corridor dead-ended at a
huge steel door. $S-=+. +he retina scan device beside the door !as identical to the one upstairs. She approached.
,arefull%/ she aligned her e%e !ith the lens.
She pulled bac". Something !as !rong. +he usuall% spotless lens !as spattered* smeared !ith something that
loo"ed li"e* 'loo%D ,onfused she turned to the t!o men/ but her ga&e met !axen faces. 4oth 6ohler and Langdon
!ere !hite/ their e%es fixed on the floor at her feet.
.ittoria follo!ed their line of sight* do!n.
E<oFE Langdon %elled/ reaching for her. 4ut it !as too late.
.ittoria@s vision loc"ed on the ob0ect on the floor. )t !as both utterl% foreign and intimatel% familiar to her.
)t too" onl% an instant.
+hen/ !ith a reeling horror/ she "ne!. Staring up at her from the floor/ discarded li"e a piece of trash/ !as an
e%eball. She !ould have recogni&ed that shade of ha&el an%!here.
"$
+he securit% technician held his breath as his commander leaned over his shoulder/ stud%ing the ban" of securit%
monitors before them. minute passed.
+he commander@s silence !as to be expected/ the technician told himself. +he commander !as a man of rigid
protocol. $e had not risen to command one of the !orld@s most elite securit% forces b% tal"ing first and thin"ing second.
But what is he thinkin)1
+he ob0ect the% !ere pondering on the monitor !as a canister of some sort'a canister !ith transparent sides. +hat
much !as eas%. )t !as the rest that !as difficult.
)nside the container/ as if b% some special effect/ a small droplet of metallic liquid seemed to be &loatin) in midair.
+he droplet appeared and disappeared in the robotic red blin"ing of a digital L1; descending resolutel%/ ma"ing the
technician@s s"in cra!l.
E,an %ou lighten the contrastDE the commander as"ed/ startling the technician.
+he technician heeded the instruction/ and the image lightened some!hat. +he commander leaned for!ard/
squinting closer at something that had 0ust come visible on the base of the container.
+he technician follo!ed his commander@s ga&e. 1ver so faintl%/ printed next to the L1; !as an acron%m. Four
capital letters gleaming in the intermittent spurts of light.
ESta% here/E the commander said. ESa% nothing. )@ll handle this.E
"%
$a&-=at. Fift% meters belo! ground.
.ittoria .etra stumbled for!ard/ almost falling into the retina scan. She sensed the merican rushing to help her/
holding her/ supporting her !eight. 9n the floor at her feet/ her father@s e%eball stared up. She felt the air crushed from
her lungs. They cut out his eye# $er !orld t!isted. 6ohler pressed close behind/ spea"ing. Langdon guided her. s if in
a dream/ she found herself ga&ing into the retina scan. +he mechanism beeped.
+he door slid open.
1ven !ith the terror of her father@s e%e boring into her soul/ .ittoria sensed an additional horror a!aited inside.
#hen she leveled her blurr% ga&e into the room/ she confirmed the next chapter of the nightmare. 4efore her/ the
solitar% recharging podium !as empt%.
+he canister !as gone. +he% had cut out her father@s e%e to steal it. +he implications came too fast for her to full%
comprehend. 1ver%thing had bac"fired. +he specimen that !as supposed to prove antimatter !as a safe and viable
energ% source had been stolen. But no'o%y knew this specimen e!en e;iste%# +he truth/ ho!ever/ !as undeniable.
Someone had found out. .ittoria could not imagine !ho. 1ven 6ohler/ !hom the% said "ne! ever%thing at ,1R</
clearl% had no idea about the pro0ect.
$er father !as dead. =urdered for his genius.
s the grief strafed her heart/ a ne! emotion surged into .ittoria@s conscious. +his one !as far !orse. ,rushing.
Stabbing at her. +he emotion !as guilt. :ncontrollable/ relentless guilt. .ittoria "ne! it had been she !ho convinced
her father to create the specimen. gainst his better 0udgment. nd he had been "illed for it.
( =uarter o& a )ram
Li"e an% technolog%'fire/ gunpo!der/ the combustion engine'in the !rong hands/ antimatter could be deadl%. .er%
deadl%. ntimatter !as a lethal !eapon. 7otent/ and unstoppable. 9nce removed from its recharging platform at ,1R</
the canister !ould count do!n inexorabl%. runa!a% train.
nd !hen time ran out*
blinding light. +he roar of thunder. Spontaneous incineration. 5ust the flash* and an empt% crater. 'i) empt%
crater.
+he image of her father@s quiet genius being used as a tool of destruction !as li"e poison in her blood. ntimatter
!as the ultimate terrorist !eapon. )t had no metallic parts to trip metal detectors/ no chemical signature for dogs to
trace/ no fuse to deactivate if the authorities located the canister. +he countdo!n had begun*
Langdon didn@t "no! !hat else to do. $e too" his hand"erchief and la% it on the floor over Leonardo .etra@s
e%eball. .ittoria !as standing no! in the door!a% of the empt% $a&-=at chamber/ her expression !rought !ith grief
and panic. Langdon moved to!ard her again/ instinctivel%/ but 6ohler intervened.
E=r. LangdonDE 6ohler@s face !as expressionless. $e motioned Langdon out of earshot. Langdon reluctantl%
follo!ed/ leaving .ittoria to fend for herself. EBou@re the specialist/E 6ohler said/ his !hisper intense. E) !ant to "no!
!hat these )lluminati bastards intend to do !ith this antimatter.E
Langdon tried to focus. ;espite the madness around him/ his first reaction !as logical. cademic re0ection. 6ohler
!as still ma"ing assumptions. )mpossible assumptions. E+he )lluminati are defunct/ =r. 6ohler. ) stand b% that. +his
crime could be an%thing'ma%be even another ,1R< emplo%ee !ho found out about =r. .etra@s brea"through and
thought the pro0ect !as too dangerous to continue.E
6ohler loo"ed stunned. EBou thin" this is a crime of conscience/ =r. LangdonD bsurd. #hoever "illed Leonardo
!anted one thing'the antimatter specimen. nd no doubt the% have plans for it.E
EBou mean terrorism.E
E7lainl%.E
E4ut the )lluminati !ere not terrorists.E
E+ell that to Leonardo .etra.E
Langdon felt a pang of truth in the statement. Leonardo .etra had indeed been branded !ith the )lluminati s%mbol.
#here had it come fromD +he sacred brand seemed too difficult a hoax for someone tr%ing to cover his trac"s b% casting
suspicion else!here. +here had to be another explanation.
gain/ Langdon forced himself to consider the implausible. "& the "lluminati were still acti!e- an% i& they stole the
antimatter- what woul% 'e their intention1 3hat woul% 'e their tar)et1 +he ans!er furnished b% his brain !as
instantaneous. Langdon dismissed it 0ust as fast. +rue/ the )lluminati had an obvious enem%/ but a !ide-scale terrorist
attac" against that enem% !as inconceivable. )t !as entirel% out of character. Bes/ the )lluminati had "illed people/ but
in%i!i%uals/ carefull% conscripted targets. =ass destruction !as someho! heav%-handed. Langdon paused. +hen again/
he thought/ there !ould be a rather ma0estic eloquence to it'antimatter/ the ultimate scientific achievement/ being used
to vapori&e'
$e refused to accept the preposterous thought. E+here is/E he said suddenl%/ Ea logical explanation other than
terrorism.E
6ohler stared/ obviousl% !aiting.
Langdon tried to sort out the thought. +he )lluminati had al!a%s !ielded tremendous po!er through &inancial
means. +he% controlled ban"s. +he% o!ned gold bullion. +he% !ere even rumored to possess the single most valuable
gem on earth'the )lluminati ;iamond/ a fla!less diamond of enormous proportions. E=one%/E Langdon said. E+he
antimatter could have been stolen for financial gain.E
6ohler loo"ed incredulous. EFinancial gainD #here does one sell a droplet of antimatterDE
E<ot the specimen/E Langdon countered. E+he technolog%. ntimatter technolog% must be !orth a mint. =a%be
someone stole the specimen to do anal%sis and R and ;.E
E)ndustrial espionageD 4ut that canister has t!ent%-four hours before the batteries die. +he researchers !ould blo!
themselves up before the% learned an%thing at all.E
E+he% could recharge it before it explodes. +he% could build a compatible recharging podium li"e the ones here at
,1R<.E
E)n t!ent%-four hoursDE 6ohler challenged. E1ven if the% stole the schematics/ a recharger li"e that !ould ta"e
months to engineer/ not hoursFE
E$e@s right.E .ittoria@s voice !as frail.
4oth men turned. .ittoria !as moving to!ard them/ her gait as tremulous as her !ords.
E$e@s right. <obod% could reverse engineer a recharger in time. +he interface alone !ould ta"e !ee"s. Flux filters/
servo-coils/ po!er conditioning allo%s/ all calibrated to the specific energ% grade of the locale.E
Langdon fro!ned. +he point !as ta"en. n antimatter trap !as not something one could simpl% plug into a !all
soc"et. 9nce removed from ,1R</ the canister !as on a one-!a%/ t!ent%-four-hour trip to oblivion.
#hich left onl% one/ ver% disturbing/ conclusion.
E#e need to call )nterpol/E .ittoria said. 1ven to herself/ her voice sounded distant. E#e need to call the proper
authorities. )mmediatel%.E
6ohler shoo" his head. Ebsolutel% not.E
+he !ords stunned her. E<oD #hat do %ou meanDE
EBou and %our father have put me in a ver% difficult position here.E
E;irector/ !e need help. #e need to find that trap and get it bac" here before someone gets hurt. #e have a
responsibilit%FE
E#e have a responsibilit% to think/E 6ohler said/ his tone hardening. E+his situation could have ver%/ ver% serious
repercussions for ,1R<.E
EBou@re !orried about ,1R<@s reputationD ;o %ou "no! !hat that canister could do to an urban areaD )t has a
blast radius of a half mileF <ine cit% bloc"sFE
E7erhaps %ou and %our father should have considered that before %ou created the specimen.E
.ittoria felt li"e she@d been stabbed. E4ut* !e too" ever% precaution.E
Epparentl%/ it !as not enough.E
E4ut nobod% knew about the antimatter.E She reali&ed/ of course/ it !as an absurd argument. 9f course somebod%
"ne!. Someone had found out.
.ittoria had told no one. +hat left onl% t!o explanations. 1ither her father had ta"en someone into his confidence
!ithout telling her/ !hich made no sense because it !as her &ather !ho had s!orn them both to secrec%/ or she and her
father had been monitored. +he cell phone ma%beD She "ne! the% had spo"en a fe! times !hile .ittoria !as traveling.
$ad the% said too muchD )t !as possible. +here !as also their 1-mail. 4ut the% had been discreet/ hadn@t the%D ,1R<@s
securit% s%stemD $ad the% been monitored someho! !ithout their "no!ledgeD She "ne! none of that mattered
an%more. #hat !as done/ !as done. ,y &ather is %ea%.
+he thought spurred her to action. She pulled her cell phone from her shorts poc"et.
6ohler accelerated to!ard her/ coughing violentl%/ e%es flashing anger. E#ho* are %ou callingDE
E,1R<@s s!itchboard. +he% can connect us to )nterpol.E
E+hin"FE 6ohler cho"ed/ screeching to a halt in front of her. Ere %ou reall% so naiveD +hat canister could be
an%!here in the !orld b% no!. <o intelligence agenc% on earth could possibl% mobili&e to find it in time.E
ESo !e do nothin)DE .ittoria felt compunction challenging a man in such frail health/ but the director !as so far out
of line she didn@t even "no! him an%more.
E#e do !hat is smart/E 6ohler said. E#e don@t ris" ,1R<@s reputation b% involving authorities !ho cannot help
an%!a%. <ot %et. <ot !ithout thin"ing.E
.ittoria "ne! there !as logic some!here in 6ohler@s argument/ but she also "ne! that logic/ b% definition/ !as
bereft of moral responsibilit%. $er father had li!e% for moral responsibilit%'careful science/ accountabilit%/ faith in
man@s inherent goodness. .ittoria believed in those things too/ but she sa! them in terms of karma. +urning a!a% from
6ohler/ she snapped open her phone.
EBou can@t do that/E he said.
E5ust tr% and stop me.E
6ohler did not move.
n instant later/ .ittoria reali&ed !h%. +his far underground/ her cell phone had no dial tone.
Fuming/ she headed for the elevator.
"&
+he $assassin stood at the end of the stone tunnel. $is torch still burned bright/ the smo"e mixing !ith the smell of
moss and stale air. Silence surrounded him. +he iron door bloc"ing his !a% loo"ed as old as the tunnel itself/ rusted but
still holding strong. $e !aited in the dar"ness/ trusting.
)t !as almost time.
5anus had promised someone on the inside !ould open the door. +he $assassin marveled at the betra%al. $e !ould
have !aited all night at that door to carr% out his tas"/ but he sensed it !ould not be necessar%. $e !as !or"ing for
determined men.
=inutes later/ exactl% at the appointed hour/ there !as a loud clan" of heav% "e%s on the other side of the door.
=etal scraped on metal as multiple loc"s disengaged. 9ne b% one/ three huge deadbolts ground open. +he loc"s crea"ed
as if the% had not been used in centuries. Finall% all three !ere open.
+hen there !as silence.
+he $assassin !aited patientl%/ five minutes/ exactl% as he had been told. +hen/ !ith electricit% in his blood/ he
pushed. +he great door s!ung open.
".
E.ittoria/ ) !ill not allo! itFE 6ohler@s breath !as labored and getting !orse as the $a&-=at elevator ascended.
.ittoria bloc"ed him out. She craved sanctuar%/ something familiar in this place that no longer felt li"e home. She
"ne! it !as not to be. Right no!/ she had to s!allo! the pain and act. *et to a phone.
Robert Langdon !as beside her/ silent as usual. .ittoria had given up !ondering !ho the man !as. ( specialist1
,ould 6ohler be an% less specificD ,r. an)%on can help us &in% your &ather+s killer. Langdon !as being no help at all.
$is !armth and "indness seemed genuine/ but he !as clearl% hiding something. +he% both !ere.
6ohler !as at her again. Es director of ,1R</ ) have a responsibilit% to the future of science. )f %ou amplif% this
into an international incident and ,1R< suffers'E
EFuture of scienceDE .ittoria turned on him. E;o %ou reall% plan to escape accountabilit% b% never admitting this
antimatter came from ,1R<D ;o %ou plan to ignore the people@s lives !e@ve put in dangerDE
E<ot we/E 6ohler countered. EYou. Bou and %our father.E
.ittoria loo"ed a!a%.
End as far as endangering lives/E 6ohler said/ Eli&e is exactl% !hat this is about. Bou "no! antimatter technolog%
has enormous implications for life on this planet. )f ,1R< goes ban"rupt/ destro%ed b% scandal/ e!ery'o%y loses. =an@s
future is in the hands of places li"e ,1R</ scientists li"e %ou and %our father/ !or"ing to solve tomorro!@s problems.E
.ittoria had heard 6ohler@s Science-as-8od lecture before/ and she never bought it. Science itsel& caused half the
problems it !as tr%ing to solve. E7rogressE !as =other 1arth@s ultimate malignanc%.
EScientific advancement carries ris"/E 6ohler argued. E)t al!a%s has. Space programs/ genetic research/ medicine'
the% all ma"e mista"es. Science needs to survive its o!n blunders/ at an% cost. For e!eryone@s sa"e.E
.ittoria !as ama&ed at 6ohler@s abilit% to !eigh moral issues !ith scientific detachment. $is intellect seemed to be
the product of an ic% divorce from his inner spirit. EBou thin" ,1R< is so critical to the earth@s future that !e should be
immune from moral responsibilit%DE
E;o not argue morals !ith me. Bou crossed a line !hen %ou made that specimen/ and %ou have put this entire
facilit% at ris". )@m tr%ing to protect not onl% the 0obs of the three thousand scientists !ho !or" here/ but also %our
father@s reputation. +hin" about him. man li"e %our father does not deserve to be remembered as the creator of a
!eapon of mass destruction.E
.ittoria felt his spear hit home. " am the one who con!ince% my &ather to create that specimen. This is my &ault#
#hen the door opened/ 6ohler !as still tal"ing. .ittoria stepped out of the elevator/ pulled out her phone/ and tried
again.
Still no dial tone. @amn# She headed for the door.
E.ittoria/ stop.E +he director sounded asthmatic no!/ as he accelerated after her. ESlo! do!n. #e need to tal".E
EBasta %i parlare#E
E+hin" of %our father/E 6ohler urged. E#hat !ould he doDE
She "ept going.
E.ittoria/ ) haven@t been totall% honest !ith %ou.E
.ittoria felt her legs slo!.
E) don@t "no! !hat ) !as thin"ing/E 6ohler said. E) !as 0ust tr%ing to protect %ou. 5ust tell me !hat %ou !ant. #e
need to !or" together here.E
.ittoria came to a full stop half!a% across the lab/ but she did not turn. E) !ant to find the antimatter. nd ) !ant to
"no! !ho "illed m% father.E She !aited.
6ohler sighed. E.ittoria/ !e alread% "no! !ho "illed %our father. )@m sorr%.E
<o! .ittoria turned. EBou !hatDE
E) didn@t "no! ho! to tell %ou. )t@s a difficult'E
EBou know !ho "illed m% fatherDE
E#e have a ver% good idea/ %es. +he "iller left some!hat of a calling card. +hat@s the reason ) called =r. Langdon.
+he group claiming responsibilit% is his specialt%.E
E+he groupD terrorist groupDE
E.ittoria/ the% stole a quarter )ram of antimatter.E
.ittoria loo"ed at Robert Langdon standing there across the room. 1ver%thing began falling into place. That
e;plains some o& the secrecy. She !as ama&ed it hadn@t occurred to her earlier. 6ohler had called the authorities after
all. The authorities. <o! it seemed obvious. Robert Langdon !as merican/ clean-cut/ conservative/ obviousl% ver%
sharp. #ho else could it beD .ittoria should have guessed from the start. She felt a ne!found hope as she turned to him.
E=r. Langdon/ ) !ant to "no! !ho "illed m% father. nd ) !ant to "no! if %our agenc% can find the antimatter.E
Langdon loo"ed flustered. E=% agenc%DE
EBou@re !ith :.S. )ntelligence/ ) assume.E
Ectuall%* no.E
6ohler intervened. E=r. Langdon is a professor of art histor% at $arvard :niversit%.E
.ittoria felt li"e she had been doused !ith ice !ater. En art teacherDE
E$e is a specialist in cult s%mbolog%.E 6ohler sighed. E.ittoria/ !e believe %our father !as "illed b% a satanic cult.E
.ittoria heard the !ords in her mind/ but she !as unable to process them. ( satanic cult.
E+he group claiming responsibilit% calls themselves the )lluminati.E
.ittoria loo"ed at 6ohler and then at Langdon/ !ondering if this !as some "ind of perverse 0o"e. E+he )lluminatiDE
she demanded. Es in the Ba!arian )lluminatiDE
6ohler loo"ed stunned. EBou@ve hear% of themDE
.ittoria felt the tears of frustration !elling right belo! the surface. EBa!arian "lluminatiE New 3orl% 9r%er. Steve
5ac"son computer games. $alf the techies here pla% it on the )nternet.E $er voice crac"ed. E4ut ) don@t understand*E
6ohler shot Langdon a confused loo".
Langdon nodded. E7opular game. ncient brotherhood ta"es over the !orld. Semihistorical. ) didn@t "no! it !as in
1urope too.E
.ittoria !as be!ildered. E#hat are %ou tal"ing aboutD +he )lluminatiD )t@s a computer gameFE
E.ittoria/E 6ohler said/ Ethe )lluminati is the group claiming responsibilit% for %our father@s death.E
.ittoria mustered ever% bit of courage she could find to fight the tears. She forced herself to hold on and assess the
situation logicall%. 4ut the harder she focused/ the less she understood. $er father had been murdered. ,1R< had
suffered a ma0or breach of securit%. +here !as a bomb counting do!n some!here that she !as responsible for. nd the
director had nominated an art teacher to help them find a m%thical fraternit% of Satanists.
.ittoria felt suddenl% all alone. She turned to go/ but 6ohler cut her off. $e reached for something in his poc"et. $e
produced a crumpled piece of fax paper and handed it to her.
.ittoria s!a%ed in horror as her e%es hit the image.
E+he% branded him/E 6ohler said. E+he% branded his goddamn chest.E
"5
Secretar% S%lvie 4audeloque !as no! in a panic. She paced outside the director@s empt% office. 3here the hell is
he1 3hat %o " %o1
)t had been a bi&arre da%. 9f course/ an% da% !or"ing for =aximilian 6ohler had the potential to be strange/ but
6ohler had been in rare form toda%.
EFind me Leonardo .etraFE he had demanded !hen S%lvie arrived this morning.
;utifull%/ S%lvie paged/ phoned/ and 1-mailed Leonardo .etra.
<othing.
So 6ohler had left in a huff/ apparentl% to go find .etra himself. #hen he rolled bac" in a fe! hours later/ 6ohler
loo"ed decidedl% not !ell* not that he ever actuall% loo"ed well/ but he loo"ed !orse than usual. $e loc"ed himself in
his office/ and she could hear him on his modem/ his phone/ faxing/ tal"ing. +hen 6ohler rolled out again. $e hadn@t
been bac" since.
S%lvie had decided to ignore the antics as %et another 6ohlerian melodrama/ but she began to get concerned !hen
6ohler failed to return at the proper time for his dail% in0ectionsJ the director@s ph%sical condition required regular
treatment/ and !hen he decided to push his luc"/ the results !ere never prett%'respirator% shoc"/ coughing fits/ and a
mad dash b% the infirmar% personnel. Sometimes S%lvie thought =aximilian 6ohler had a death !ish.
She considered paging him to remind him/ but she@d learned charit% !as something 6ohlers@s pride despised. Last
!ee"/ he had become so enraged !ith a visiting scientist !ho had sho!n him undue pit% that 6ohler clambered to his
feet and thre! a clipboard at the man@s head. 6ing 6ohler could be surprisingl% agile !hen he !as piss.
t the moment/ ho!ever/ S%lvie@s concern for the director@s health !as ta"ing a bac" burner* replaced b% a much
more pressing dilemma. +he ,1R< s!itchboard had phoned five minutes ago in a fren&% to sa% the% had an urgent call
for the director.
E$e@s not available/E S%lvie had said.
+hen the ,1R< operator told her !ho !as calling.
S%lvie half laughed aloud. EBou@re "idding/ rightDE She listened/ and her face clouded !ith disbelief. End %our
caller ); confirms'E S%lvie !as fro!ning. E) see. 9"a%. ,an %ou as" !hat the'E She sighed. E<o. +hat@s fine. +ell him
to hold. )@ll locate the director right a!a%. Bes/ ) understand. )@ll hurr%.E
4ut S%lvie had not been able to find the director. She had called his cell line three times and each time gotten the
same message( E+he mobile customer %ou are tr%ing to reach is out of range.E 9ut o& ran)e1 0ow &ar coul% he )o1 So
S%lvie had dialed 6ohler@s beeper. +!ice. <o response. =ost unli"e him. She@d even 1-mailed his mobile computer.
<othing. )t !as li"e the man had disappeared off the face of the earth.
$o what %o " %o1 she no! !ondered.
Short of searching ,1R<@s entire complex herself/ S%lvie "ne! there !as onl% one other !a% to get the director@s
attention. $e !ould not be pleased/ but the man on the phone !as not someone the director should "eep !aiting. <or
did it sound li"e the caller !as in an% mood to be told the director !as unavailable.
Startled !ith her o!n boldness/ S%lvie made her decision. She !al"ed into 6ohler@s office and !ent to the metal
box on his !all behind his des". She opened the cover/ stared at the controls/ and found the correct button.
+hen she too" a deep breath and grabbed the microphone.
":
.ittoria did not remember ho! the% had gotten to the main elevator/ but the% !ere there. scending. 6ohler !as
behind her/ his breathing labored no!. Langdon@s concerned ga&e passed through her li"e a ghost. $e had ta"en the fax
from her hand and slipped it in his 0ac"et poc"et a!a% from her sight/ but the image !as still burned into her memor%.
s the elevator climbed/ .ittoria@s !orld s!irled into dar"ness. Papa# )n her mind she reached for him. For 0ust a
moment/ in the oasis of her memor%/ .ittoria !as !ith him. She !as nine %ears old/ rolling do!n hills of edel!eiss
flo!ers/ the S!iss s"% spinning overhead.
Papa# Papa#
Leonardo .etra !as laughing beside her/ beaming. E#hat is it/ angelDE
E7apaFE she giggled/ nu&&ling close to him. Es" me !hat@s the matterFE
E4ut %ou loo" happ%/ s!eetie. #h% !ould ) as" %ou !hat@s the matterDE
E5ust as" me.E
$e shrugged. E#hat@s the matterDE
She immediatel% started laughing. E#hat@s the matterD E!erythin) is the matterF Roc"sF +reesF tomsF 1ven
anteatersF 1ver%thing is the matterFE
$e laughed. E;id %ou ma"e that upDE
E7rett% smart/ huhDE
E=% little 1instein.E
She fro!ned. E$e has stupid hair. ) sa! his picture.E
E$e@s got a smart head/ though. ) told %ou !hat he proved/ rightDE
$er e%es !idened !ith dread. E;adF <oF Bou promise%FE
E1U=,CFE $e tic"led her pla%full%. E1U=,CFE
E<o mathF ) told %ouF ) hate itFE
E)@m glad %ou hate it. 4ecause girls aren@t even allowe% to do math.E
.ittoria stopped short. E+he% aren+tDE
E9f course not. 1ver%one "no!s that. 8irls pla% !ith dollies. 4o%s do math. <o math for girls. )@m not even
permitte% to tal" to little girls about math.E
E#hatF 4ut that@s not fairFE
ERules are rules. bsolutel% no math for little girls.E
.ittoria loo"ed horrified. E4ut dolls are boringFE
E)@m sorr%/E her father said. E) could tell %ou about math/ but if ) got caught*E $e loo"ed nervousl% around the
deserted hills.
.ittoria follo!ed his ga&e. E9"a%/E she !hispered/ E0ust tell me quietl%.E
+he motion of the elevator startled her. .ittoria opened her e%es. $e !as gone.
Realit% rushed in/ !rapping a frost% grip around her. She loo"ed to Langdon. +he earnest concern in his ga&e felt
li"e the !armth of a guardian angel/ especiall% in the aura of 6ohler@s chill.
single sentient thought began pounding at .ittoria !ith unrelenting force.
3here is the antimatter1
+he horrif%ing ans!er !as onl% a moment a!a%.
#;
J,a;imilian 7ohler. 7in%ly call your o&&ice imme%iately.E
4la&ing sunbeams flooded Langdon@s e%es as the elevator doors opened into the main atrium. 4efore the echo of
the announcement on the intercom overhead faded/ ever% electronic device on 6ohler@s !heelchair started beeping and
bu&&ing simultaneousl%. $is pager. $is phone. $is 1-mail. 6ohler glanced do!n at the blin"ing lights in apparent
be!ilderment. +he director had resurfaced/ and he !as bac" in range.
E@irector 7ohler. Please call your o&&ice.E
+he sound of his name on the 7 seemed to startle 6ohler.
$e glanced up/ loo"ing angered and then almost immediatel% concerned. Langdon@s e%es met his/ and .ittoria@s
too. +he three of them !ere motionless a moment/ as if all the tension bet!een them had been erased and replaced b% a
single/ unif%ing foreboding.
6ohler too" his cell phone from the armrest. $e dialed an extension and fought off another coughing fit. .ittoria
and Langdon !aited.
E+his is* ;irector 6ohler/E he said/ !hee&ing. EBesD ) !as subterranean/ out of range.E $e listened/ his gra% e%es
!idening. E3ho1 Bes/ patch it through.E +here !as a pause. E$elloD +his is =aximilian 6ohler. ) am the director of
,1R<. #ith !hom am ) spea"ingDE
.ittoria and Langdon !atched in silence as 6ohler listened.
E)t !ould be un!ise/E 6ohler finall% said/ Eto spea" of this b% phone. ) !ill be there immediatel%.E $e !as
coughing again. E=eet me* at Leonardo da .inci irport. Fort% minutes.E 6ohler@s breath seemed to be failing him
no!. $e descended into a fit of coughing and barel% managed to cho"e out the !ords/ ELocate the canister
immediatel%* ) am coming.E +hen he clic"ed off his phone.
.ittoria ran to 6ohler@s side/ but 6ohler could no longer spea". Langdon !atched as .ittoria pulled out her cell
phone and paged ,1R<@s infirmar%. Langdon felt li"e a ship on the peripher% of a storm* tossed but detached.
,eet me at eonar%o %a ?inci (irport. 6ohler@s !ords echoed.
+he uncertain shado!s that had fogged Langdon@s mind all morning/ in a single instant/ solidified into a vivid
image. s he stood there in the s!irl of confusion/ he felt a door inside him open* as if some m%stic threshold had 0ust
been breached. The am'i)ram. The mur%ere% priestKscientist. The antimatter. (n% now the tar)et. Leonardo da .inci
irport could onl% mean one thing. )n a moment of star" reali&ation/ Langdon "ne! he had 0ust crossed over. $e had
become a believer.
Fi!e kilotons. et there 'e li)ht.
+!o paramedics materiali&ed/ racing across the atrium in !hite smoc"s. +he% "nelt b% 6ohler/ putting an ox%gen
mas" on his face. Scientists in the hall stopped and stood bac".
6ohler too" t!o long pulls/ pushed the mas" aside/ and still gasping for air/ loo"ed up at .ittoria and Langdon.
ERome.E
ERomeDE .ittoria demanded. E+he antimatter is in RomeD #ho calledDE
6ohler@s face !as t!isted/ his gra% e%es !atering. E+he S!iss*E $e cho"ed on the !ords/ and the paramedics put
the mas" bac" over his face. s the% prepared to ta"e him a!a%/ 6ohler reached up and grabbed Langdon@s arm.
Langdon nodded. $e "ne!.
E8o*E 6ohler !hee&ed beneath his mas". E8o* call me*E +hen the paramedics !ere rolling him a!a%.
.ittoria stood riveted to the floor/ !atching him go. +hen she turned to Langdon. ERomeD 4ut* !hat !as that
about the $wissDE
Langdon put a hand on her shoulder/ barel% !hispering the !ords. E+he S!iss 8uard/E he said. E+he s!orn
sentinels of .atican ,it%.E
#!
+he N-OO space plane roared into the s"% and arched south to!ard Rome. 9n board/ Langdon sat in silence. +he
last fifteen minutes had been a blur. <o! that he had finished briefing .ittoria on the )lluminati and their covenant
against the .atican/ the scope of this situation !as starting to sin" in.
3hat the hell am " %oin)1 Langdon !ondered. " shoul% ha!e )one home when " ha% the chance# ;eep do!n/
though/ he "ne! he@d never had the chance.
Langdon@s better 0udgment had screamed at him to return to 4oston. <onetheless/ academic astonishment had
someho! vetoed prudence. 1ver%thing he had ever believed about the demise of the )lluminati !as suddenl% loo"ing
li"e a brilliant sham. 7art of him craved proof. ,onfirmation. +here !as also a question of conscience. #ith 6ohler
ailing and .ittoria on her o!n/ Langdon "ne! that if his "no!ledge of the )lluminati could assist in an% !a%/ he had a
moral obligation to be here.
+here !as more/ though. lthough Langdon !as ashamed to admit it/ his initial horror on hearing about the
antimatter@s location !as not onl% the danger to human life in .atican ,it%/ but for something else as !ell.
(rt.
+he !orld@s largest art collection !as no! sitting on a time bomb. +he .atican =useum housed over R3/333
priceless pieces in 1/23M rooms'=ichelangelo/ da .inci/ 4ernini/ 4otticelli. Langdon !ondered if all of the art could
possibl% be evacuated if necessar%. $e "ne! it !as impossible. =an% of the pieces !ere sculptures !eighing tons. <ot
to mention/ the greatest treasures !ere architectural'the Sistine ,hapel/ St. 7eter@s 4asilica/ =ichelangelo@s famed
spiral staircase leading to the ,usLo ?aticano'priceless testaments to man@s creative genius. Langdon !ondered ho!
much time !as left on the canister.
E+han"s for coming/E .ittoria said/ her voice quiet.
Langdon emerged from his da%dream and loo"ed up. .ittoria !as sitting across the aisle. 1ven in the star"
fluorescent light of the cabin/ there !as an aura of composure about her'an almost magnetic radiance of !holeness. $er
breathing seemed deeper no!/ as if a spar" of self-preservation had ignited !ithin her* a craving for 0ustice and
retribution/ fueled b% a daughter@s love.
.ittoria had not had time to change from her shorts and sleeveless top/ and her ta!n% legs !ere no! goose-bumped
in the cold of the plane. )nstinctivel% Langdon removed his 0ac"et and offered it to her.
Emerican chivalr%DE She accepted/ her e%es than"ing him silentl%.
+he plane 0ostled across some turbulence/ and Langdon felt a surge of danger. +he !indo!less cabin felt cramped
again/ and he tried to imagine himself in an open field. +he notion/ he reali&ed/ !as ironic. $e had been in an open field
!hen it had happened. Crushin) %arkness. $e pushed the memor% from his mind. (ncient history.
.ittoria !as !atching him. E;o %ou believe in 8od/ =r. LangdonDE
+he question startled him. +he earnestness in .ittoria@s voice !as even more disarming than the inquir%. @o "
'elie!e in *o%1 $e had hoped for a lighter topic of conversation to pass the trip.
spiritual conun%rum/ Langdon thought. That+s what my &rien%s call me. lthough he studied religion for %ears/
Langdon !as not a religious man. $e respected the po!er of faith/ the benevolence of churches/ the strength religion
gave to man% people* and %et/ for him/ the intellectual suspension of disbelief that !as imperative if one !ere trul%
going to EbelieveE had al!a%s proved too big an obstacle for his academic mind. E) want to believe/E he heard himself
sa%.
.ittoria@s repl% carried no 0udgment or challenge. ESo !h% %on+t %ouDE
$e chuc"led. E#ell/ it@s not that eas%. 0a!in) faith requires leaps of faith/ cerebral acceptance of miracles'
immaculate conceptions and divine interventions. nd then there are the codes of conduct. +he 4ible/ the 6oran/
4uddhist scripture* the% all carr% similar requirements'and similar penalties. +he% claim that if ) don@t live b% a
specific code ) !ill go to hell. ) can@t imagine a 8od !ho !ould rule that !a%.E
E) hope %ou don@t let %our students dodge questions that shamelessl%.E
+he comment caught him off guard. E#hatDE
E=r. Langdon/ ) did not as" if %ou believe !hat man sa%s about 8od. ) as"ed if %ou believed in 8od. +here is a
difference. $ol% scripture is stories* legends and histor% of man@s quest to understand his o!n need for meaning. ) am
not as"ing %ou to pass 0udgment on literature. ) am as"ing if %ou believe in *o%. #hen %ou lie out under the stars/ do
%ou sense the divineD ;o %ou feel in %our gut that %ou are staring up at the !or" of 8od@s handDE
Langdon too" a long moment to consider it.
E)@m pr%ing/E .ittoria apologi&ed.
E<o/ ) 0ust*E
E,ertainl% %ou must debate issues of faith !ith %our classes.E
E1ndlessl%.E
End %ou pla% devil@s advocate/ ) imagine. l!a%s fueling the debate.E
Langdon smiled. EBou must be a teacher too.E
E<o/ but ) learned from a master. =% father could argue t!o sides of a =Vbius Strip.E
Langdon laughed/ picturing the artful crafting of a =Vbius Strip'a t!isted ring of paper/ !hich technicall%
possessed onl% one side. Langdon had first seen the single-sided shape in the art!or" of =. ,. 1scher. E=a% ) as" %ou a
question/ =s. .etraDE
E,all me .ittoria. =s. .etra ma"es me feel old.E
$e sighed in!ardl%/ suddenl% sensing his o!n age. E.ittoria/ )@m Robert.E
EBou had a question.E
EBes. s a scientist and the daughter of a ,atholic priest/ !hat do you thin" of religionDE
.ittoria paused/ brushing a loc" of hair from her e%es. EReligion is li"e language or dress. #e gravitate to!ard the
practices !ith !hich !e !ere raised. )n the end/ though/ !e are all proclaiming the same thing. +hat life has meaning.
+hat !e are grateful for the po!er that created us.E
Langdon !as intrigued. ESo %ou@re sa%ing that !hether %ou are a ,hristian or a =uslim simpl% depends on !here
%ou !ere bornDE
E)sn@t it obviousD Loo" at the diffusion of religion around the globe.E
ESo faith is randomDE
E$ardl%. Faith is universal. 9ur specific methods for understanding it are arbitrar%. Some of us pra% to 5esus/ some
of us go to =ecca/ some of us stud% subatomic particles. )n the end !e are all 0ust searching for truth/ that !hich is
greater than ourselves.E
Langdon !ished his students could express themselves so clearl%. $ell/ he !ished he could express himself so
clearl%. End 8odDE he as"ed. E;o %ou believe in 8odDE
.ittoria !as silent for a long time. EScience tells me 8od must exist. =% mind tells me ) !ill never understand
8od. nd m% heart tells me ) am not meant to.E
0ow+s that &or concise/ he thought. ESo %ou believe 8od is fact/ but !e !ill never understand $im.E
E0er/E she said !ith a smile. EBour <ative mericans had it right.E
Langdon chuc"led. E=other 1arth.E
E*aea. +he planet is an organism. ll of us are cells !ith different purposes. nd %et !e are intert!ined. Serving
each other. Serving the !hole.E
Loo"ing at her/ Langdon felt something stir !ithin him that he had not felt in a long time. +here !as a be!itching
clarit% in her e%es* a purit% in her voice. $e felt dra!n.
E=r. Langdon/ let me as" %ou another question.E
ERobert/E he said. ,r. an)%on makes me &eel ol%. " am ol%#
E)f %ou don@t mind m% as"ing/ Robert/ ho! did %ou get involved !ith the )lluminatiDE
Langdon thought bac". Ectuall%/ it !as mone%.E
.ittoria loo"ed disappointed. E=one%D ,onsulting/ %ou meanDE
Langdon laughed/ reali&ing ho! it must have sounded. E<o. =one% as in currency.E $e reached in his pants poc"et
and pulled out some mone%. $e found a one-dollar bill. E) became fascinated !ith the cult !hen ) first learned that :.S.
currenc% is covered !ith )lluminati s%mbolog%.E
.ittoria@s e%es narro!ed/ apparentl% not "no!ing !hether or not to ta"e him seriousl%.
Langdon handed her the bill. ELoo" at the bac". See the 8reat Seal on the leftDE
.ittoria turned the one-dollar bill over. EBou mean the p%ramidDE
E+he p%ramid. ;o %ou "no! !hat p%ramids have to do !ith :.S. histor%DE
.ittoria shrugged.
E1xactl%/E Langdon said. Ebsolutel% nothin).E
.ittoria fro!ned. ESo !h% is it the central s%mbol of %our 8reat SealDE
En eerie bit of histor%/E Langdon said. E+he p%ramid is an occult s%mbol representing a convergence up!ard/
to!ard the ultimate source of )llumination. See !hat@s above itDE
.ittoria studied the bill. En e%e inside a triangle.E
E)t@s called the trinacria. $ave %ou ever seen that e%e in a triangle an%!here elseDE
.ittoria !as silent a moment. Ectuall%/ %es/ but )@m not sure*E
E)t@s embla&oned on =asonic lodges around the !orld.E
E+he s%mbol is =asonicDE
Ectuall%/ no. )t@s )lluminati. +he% called it their Pshining delta.@ call for enlightened change. +he e%e signifies
the )lluminati@s abilit% to infiltrate and !atch all things. +he shining triangle represents enlightenment. nd the triangle
is also the 8ree" letter delta/ !hich is the mathematical s%mbol for'E
E,hange. +ransition.E
Langdon smiled. E) forgot ) !as tal"ing to a scientist.E
ESo %ou@re sa%ing the :.S. 8reat Seal is a call for enlightened/ all-seeing changeDE
ESome !ould call it a <e! #orld 9rder.E
.ittoria seemed startled. She glanced do!n at the bill again. E+he !riting under the p%ramid sa%s No!us*
9r%o*E
ENo!us 9r%o $eculorum/E Langdon said. E)t means <e! Secular 9rder.E
ESecular as in non religiousDE
E<onreligious. +he phrase not onl% clearl% states the )lluminati ob0ective/ but it also blatantl% contradicts the phrase
beside it. "n *o% 3e Trust.E
.ittoria seemed troubled. E4ut ho! could all this s%mbolog% end up on the most po!erful currenc% in the !orldDE
E=ost academics believe it !as through .ice 7resident $enr% #allace. $e !as an upper echelon =ason and
certainl% had ties to the )lluminati. #hether it !as as a member or innocentl% under their influence/ nobod% "no!s. 4ut
it !as #allace !ho sold the design of the 8reat Seal to the president.E
E$o!D #h% !ould the president have agreed to'E
E+he president !as Fran"lin ;. Roosevelt. #allace simpl% told him No!us 9r%o $eculorum meant New @eal.E
.ittoria seemed s"eptical. End Roosevelt didn@t have an%one else loo" at the s%mbol before telling the +reasur% to
print itDE
E<o need. $e and #allace !ere li"e brothers.E
E4rothersDE
E,hec" %our histor% boo"s/E Langdon said !ith a smile. EFran"lin ;. Roosevelt !as a !ell-"no!n =ason.E
#"
Langdon held his breath as the N-OO spiraled into Rome@s Leonardo da .inci )nternational irport. .ittoria sat
across from him/ e%es closed as if tr%ing to !ill the situation into control. +he craft touched do!n and taxied to a private
hangar.
ESorr% for the slo! flight/E the pilot apologi&ed/ emerging from the coc"pit. E$ad to trim her bac". <oise
regulations over populated areas.E
Langdon chec"ed his !atch. +he% had been airborne thirt%-seven minutes.
+he pilot popped the outer door. En%bod% !ant to tell me !hat@s going onDE
<either .ittoria nor Langdon responded.
EFine/E he said/ stretching. E)@ll be in the coc"pit !ith the air-conditioning and m% music. 5ust me and 8arth.E
+he late-afternoon sun bla&ed outside the hangar. Langdon carried his t!eed 0ac"et over his shoulder. .ittoria
turned her face s"%!ard and inhaled deepl%/ as if the sun@s ra%s someho! transferred to her some m%stical replenishing
energ%.
,e%iterraneans/ Langdon mused/ alread% s!eating.
ELittle old for cartoons/ aren@t %ouDE .ittoria as"ed/ !ithout opening her e%es.
E)@m sorr%DE
EBour !rist!atch. ) sa! it on the plane.E
Langdon flushed slightl%. $e !as accustomed to having to defend his timepiece. +he collector@s edition =ic"e%
=ouse !atch had been a childhood gift from his parents. ;espite the contorted foolishness of =ic"e%@s outstretched
arms designating the hour/ it !as the onl% !atch Langdon had ever !orn. #aterproof and glo!-in-the-dar"/ it !as
perfect for s!imming laps or !al"ing unlit college paths at night. #hen Langdon@s students questioned his fashion
sense/ he told them he !ore =ic"e% as a dail% reminder to sta% %oung at heart.
E)t@s six o@cloc"/E he said.
.ittoria nodded/ e%es still closed. E) thin" our ride@s here.E
Langdon heard the distant !hine/ loo"ed up/ and felt a sin"ing feeling. pproaching from the north !as a
helicopter/ slicing lo! across the run!a%. Langdon had been on a helicopter once in the ndean 7alpa .alle% loo"ing at
the Na/ca sand dra!ings and had not en0o%ed it one bit. ( &lyin) shoe'o;. fter a morning of space plane rides/
Langdon had hoped the .atican !ould send a car.
pparentl% not.
+he chopper slo!ed overhead/ hovered a moment/ and dropped to!ard the run!a% in front of them. +he craft !as
!hite and carried a coat of arms embla&oned on the side't!o s"eleton "e%s crossing a shield and papal cro!n. $e "ne!
the s%mbol !ell. )t !as the traditional seal of the .atican'the sacred s%mbol of the 0oly $ee or Ehol% seatE of
government/ the seat being literall% the ancient throne of St. 7eter.
The 0oly Chopper/ Langdon groaned/ !atching the craft land. $e@d forgotten the .atican o!ned one of these
things/ used for transporting the 7ope to the airport/ to meetings/ or to his summer palace in 8andolfo. Langdon
definitel% !ould have preferred a car.
+he pilot 0umped from the coc"pit and strode to!ard them across the tarmac.
<o! it !as .ittoria !ho loo"ed uneas%. EThat+s our pilotDE
Langdon shared her concern. E+o fl%/ or not to fl%. +hat is the question.E
+he pilot loo"ed li"e he !as festooned for a Sha"espearean melodrama. $is puff% tunic !as verticall% striped in
brilliant blue and gold. $e !ore matching pantaloons and spats. 9n his feet !ere blac" flats that loo"ed li"e slippers.
9n top of it all/ he !ore a blac" felt beret.
E+raditional S!iss 8uard uniforms/E Langdon explained. E;esigned b% =ichelangelo himself.E s the man dre!
closer/ Langdon !inced. E) admit/ not one of =ichelangelo@s better efforts.E
;espite the man@s garish attire/ Langdon could tell the pilot meant business. $e moved to!ard them !ith all the
rigidit% and dignit% of a :.S. =arine. Langdon had read man% times about the rigorous requirements for becoming one
of the elite S!iss 8uard. Recruited from one of S!it&erland@s four ,atholic cantons/ applicants had to be S!iss males
bet!een nineteen and thirt% %ears old/ at least A feet R inches/ trained b% the S!iss rm%/ and unmarried. +his imperial
corps !as envied b% !orld governments as the most allegiant and deadl% securit% force in the !orld.
EBou are from ,1R<DE the guard as"ed/ arriving before them. $is voice !as steel%.
EBes/ sir/E Langdon replied.
EBou made remar"able time/E he said/ giving the N-OO a m%stified stare. $e turned to .ittoria. E=a@am/ do %ou
have an% other clothingDE
E) beg %our pardonDE
$e motioned to her legs. EShort pants are not permitted inside .atican ,it%.E
Langdon glanced do!n at .ittoria@s legs and fro!ned. $e had forgotten. .atican ,it% had a strict ban on visible
legs above the "nee'both male and female. +he regulation !as a !a% of sho!ing respect for the sanctit% of 8od@s cit%.
E+his is all ) have/E she said. E#e came in a hurr%.E
+he guard nodded/ clearl% displeased. $e turned next to Langdon. Ere %ou carr%ing an% !eaponsDE
3eapons1 Langdon thought. "+m not e!en carryin) a chan)e o& un%erwear# $e shoo" his head.
+he officer crouched at Langdon@s feet and began patting him do!n/ starting at his soc"s. Trustin) )uy/ Langdon
thought. +he guard@s strong hands moved up Langdon@s legs/ coming uncomfortabl% close to his groin. Finall% the%
moved up to his chest and shoulders. pparentl% content Langdon !as clean/ the guard turned to .ittoria. $e ran his
e%es up her legs and torso.
.ittoria glared. E;on@t even thin" about it.E
+he guard fixed .ittoria !ith a ga&e clearl% intended to intimidate. .ittoria did not flinch.
E#hat@s thatDE the guard said/ pointing to a faint square bulge in the front poc"et of her shorts.
.ittoria removed an ultrathin cell phone. +he guard too" it/ clic"ed it on/ !aited for a dial tone/ and then/
apparentl% satisfied that it !as indeed nothing more than a phone/ returned it to her. .ittoria slid it bac" into her poc"et.
E+urn around/ please/E the guard said.
.ittoria obliged/ holding her arms out and rotating a full OR3 degrees.
+he guard carefull% studied her. Langdon had alread% decided that .ittoria@s form-fitting shorts and blouse !ere
not bulging an%!here the% shouldn@t have been. pparentl% the guard came to the same conclusion.
E+han" %ou. +his !a% please.E
+he S!iss 8uard chopper churned in neutral as Langdon and .ittoria approached. .ittoria boarded first/ li"e a
seasoned pro/ barel% even stooping as she passed beneath the !hirling rotors. Langdon held bac" a moment.
E<o chance of a carDE he %elled/ half-0o"ing to the S!iss 8uard/ !ho !as climbing in the pilot@s seat.
+he man did not ans!er.
Langdon "ne! that !ith Rome@s maniacal drivers/ fl%ing !as probabl% safer an%!a%. $e too" a deep breath and
boarded/ stooping cautiousl% as he passed beneath the spinning rotors.
s the guard fired up the engines/ .ittoria called out/ E$ave %ou located the canisterDE
+he guard glanced over his shoulder/ loo"ing confused. E+he !hatDE
E+he canister. Bou called ,1R< about a canisterDE
+he man shrugged. E<o idea !hat %ou@re tal"ing about. #e@ve been ver% bus% toda%. =% commander told me to
pic" %ou up. +hat@s all ) "no!.E
.ittoria gave Langdon an unsettled loo".
E4uc"le up/ please/E the pilot said as the engine revved.
Langdon reached for his seat belt and strapped himself in. +he tin% fuselage seemed to shrin" around him. +hen
!ith a roar/ the craft shot up and ban"ed sharpl% north to!ard Rome.
Rome* the caput mun%i/ !here ,aesar once ruled/ !here St. 7eter !as crucified. +he cradle of modern
civili&ation. nd at its core* a tic"ing bomb.
##
Rome from the air is a lab%rinth'an indecipherable ma&e of ancient road!a%s !inding around buildings/ fountains/
and crumbling ruins.
+he .atican chopper sta%ed lo! in the s"% as it sliced north!est through the permanent smog la%er coughed up b%
the congestion belo!. Langdon ga&ed do!n at the mopeds/ sight-seeing buses/ and armies of miniature Fiat sedans
bu&&ing around rotaries in all directions. 7oyaanis=atsi/ he thought/ recalling the $opi term for Elife out of balance.E
.ittoria sat in silent determination in the seat beside him.
+he chopper ban"ed hard.
$is stomach dropping/ Langdon ga&ed farther into the distance. $is e%es found the crumbling ruins of the Roman
,oliseum. +he ,oliseum/ Langdon had al!a%s thought/ !as one of histor%@s greatest ironies. <o! a dignified s%mbol
for the rise of human culture and civili&ation/ the stadium had been built to host centuries of barbaric events'hungr%
lions shredding prisoners/ armies of slaves battling to the death/ gang rapes of exotic !omen captured from far -off
lands/ as !ell as public beheadings and castrations. )t !as ironic/ Langdon thought/ or perhaps fitting/ that the ,oliseum
had served as the architectural blueprint for $arvard@s Soldier Field'the football stadium !here the ancient traditions of
savager% !ere reenacted ever% fall* cra&ed fans screaming for bloodshed as $arvard battled Bale.
s the chopper headed north/ Langdon spied the Roman Forum'the heart of pre-,hristian Rome. +he deca%ing
columns loo"ed li"e toppled gravestones in a cemeter% that had someho! avoided being s!allo!ed b% the metropolis
surrounding it.
+o the !est the !ide basin of the +iber River !ound enormous arcs across the cit%. 1ven from the air Langdon
could tell the !ater !as deep. +he churning currents !ere bro!n/ filled !ith silt and foam from heav% rains.
EStraight ahead/E the pilot said/ climbing higher.
Langdon and .ittoria loo"ed out and sa! it. Li"e a mountain parting the morning fog/ the colossal dome rose out of
the ha&e before them( St. 7eter@s 4asilica.
E<o! that/E Langdon said to .ittoria/ Eis something =ichelangelo got right.E
Langdon had never seen St. 7eter@s from the air. +he marble faWade bla&ed li"e fire in the afternoon sun. dorned
!ith 123 statues of saints/ mart%rs/ and angels/ the $erculean edifice stretched t!o football fields !ide and a staggering
si; long. +he cavernous interior of the basilica had room for over R3/333 !orshipers* over one hundred times the
population of .atican ,it%/ the smallest countr% in the !orld.
)ncredibl%/ though/ not even a citadel of this magnitude could d!arf the pia&&a before it. spra!ling expanse of
granite/ St. 7eter@s Square !as a staggering open space in the congestion of Rome/ li"e a classical ,entral 7ar". )n front
of the basilica/ bordering the vast oval common/ CG2 columns s!ept out!ard in four concentric arcs of diminishing
si&e* an architectural trompe %e l+oiel used to heighten the pia&&a@s sense of grandeur.
s he stared at the magnificent shrine before him/ Langdon !ondered !hat St. 7eter !ould thin" if he !ere here
no!. +he Saint had died a gruesome death/ crucified upside do!n on this ver% spot. <o! he rested in the most sacred of
tombs/ buried five stories do!n/ directl% beneath the central cupola of the basilica.
E.atican ,it%/E the pilot said/ sounding an%thing but !elcoming.
Langdon loo"ed out at the to!ering stone bastions that loomed ahead'impenetrable fortifications surrounding the
complex* a strangel% earthl% defense for a spiritual !orld of secrets/ po!er/ and m%ster%.
ELoo"FE .ittoria said suddenl%/ grabbing Langdon@s arm. She motioned franticall% do!n!ard to!ard St. 7eter@s
Square directl% beneath them. Langdon put his face to the !indo! and loo"ed.
E9ver there/E she said/ pointing.
Langdon loo"ed. +he rear of the pia&&a loo"ed li"e a par"ing lot cro!ded !ith a do&en or so trailer truc"s. $uge
satellite dishes pointed s"%!ard from the roof of ever% truc". +he dishes !ere embla&oned !ith familiar names(
Tele3isor *uro,ea
Video 1talia
BBC
7nited ress 1nternational
Langdon felt suddenl% confused/ !ondering if the ne!s of the antimatter had alread% lea"ed out.
.ittoria seemed suddenl% tense. E#h% is the press hereD #hat@s going onDE
+he pilot turned and gave her an odd loo" over his shoulder. E#hat@s going onD Bou don@t "no!DE
E<o/E she fired bac"/ her accent hus"% and strong.
E"l Concla!o/E he said. E)t is to be sealed in about an hour. +he !hole !orld is !atching.E
"l Concla!o.
+he !ord rang a long moment in Langdon@s ears before dropping li"e a bric" to the pit of his stomach. "l Concla!o.
The ?atican Concla!e. $o! could he have forgottenD )t had been in the ne!s recentl%.
Fifteen da%s ago/ the 7ope/ after a tremendousl% popular t!elve-%ear reign/ had passed a!a%. 1ver% paper in the
!orld had carried the stor% about the 7ope@s fatal stro"e !hile sleeping'a sudden and unexpected death man% !hispered
!as suspicious. 4ut no!/ in "eeping !ith the sacred tradition/ fifteen da%s after the death of a 7ope/ the .atican !as
holding "l Concla!o'the sacred ceremon% in !hich the 1RA cardinals of the !orld'the most po!erful men in
,hristendom'gathered in .atican ,it% to elect the ne! 7ope.
E!ery car%inal on the planet is here to%ay/ Langdon thought as the chopper passed over St. 7eter@s 4asilica. +he
expansive inner !orld of .atican ,it% spread out beneath him. The entire power structure o& the Roman Catholic
Church is sittin) on a time 'om'.
#$
,ardinal =ortati ga&ed up at the lavish ceiling of the Sistine ,hapel and tried to find a moment of quiet reflection.
+he frescoed !alls echoed !ith the voices of cardinals from nations around the globe. +he men 0ostled in the candlelit
tabernacle/ !hispering excitedl% and consulting !ith one another in numerous languages/ the universal tongues being
1nglish/ )talian/ and Spanish.
+he light in the chapel !as usuall% sublime'long ra%s of tinted sun slicing through the dar"ness li"e ra%s from
heaven'but not toda%. s !as the custom/ all of the chapel@s !indo!s had been covered in blac" velvet in the name of
secrec%. +his ensured that no one on the inside could send signals or communicate in an% !a% !ith the outside !orld.
+he result !as a profound dar"ness lit onl% b% candles* a shimmering radiance that seemed to purif% ever%one it
touched/ ma"ing them all ghostl%* li"e saints.
3hat pri!ile)e/ =ortati thought/ that " am to o!ersee this sancti&ie% e!ent. ,ardinals over eight% %ears of age !ere
too old to be eligible for election and did not attend conclave/ but at sevent%-nine %ears old/ =ortati !as the most senior
cardinal here and had been appointed to oversee the proceedings.
Follo!ing tradition/ the cardinals gathered here t!o hours before conclave to catch up !ith friends and engage in
last-minute discussion. t M 7.=./ the late 7ope@s chamberlain !ould arrive/ give opening pra%er/ and then leave. +hen
the S!iss 8uard !ould seal the doors and loc" all the cardinals inside. )t !as then that the oldest and most secretive
political ritual in the !orld !ould begin. +he cardinals !ould not be released until the% decided !ho among them !ould
be the next 7ope.
,onclave. 1ven the name !as secretive. ECon cla!eE literall% meant Eloc"ed !ith a "e%.E +he cardinals !ere
permitted no contact !hatsoever !ith the outside !orld. <o phone calls. <o messages. <o !hispers through door!a%s.
,onclave !as a vacuum/ not to be influenced b% an%thing in the outside !orld. +his !ould ensure that the cardinals
"ept $olum @um prae oculis* onl% 8od before their e%es.
9utside the !alls of the chapel/ of course/ the media !atched and !aited/ speculating as to !hich of the cardinals
!ould become the ruler of one billion ,atholics !orld!ide. ,onclaves created an intense/ politicall% charged
atmosphere/ and over the centuries the% had turned deadl%( poisonings/ fist fights/ and even murder had erupted !ithin
the sacred !alls. (ncient history/ =ortati thought. Toni)ht+s concla!e will 'e uni&ie%- 'liss&ul- an% a'o!e all* 'rie&.
9r at least that had been his speculation.
<o!/ ho!ever/ an unexpected development had emerged. =%stif%ingl%/ four cardinals !ere absent from the
chapel. =ortati "ne! that all the exits to .atican ,it% !ere guarded/ and the missing cardinals could not have gone far/
but still/ !ith less than an hour before opening pra%er/ he !as feeling disconcerted. fter all/ the four missing men !ere
no or%inary cardinals. +he% !ere the cardinals.
+he chosen four.
s overseer of the conclave/ =ortati had alread% sent !ord through the proper channels to the S!iss 8uard alerting
them to the cardinals@ absence. $e had %et to hear bac". 9ther cardinals had no! noticed the pu&&ling absence. +he
anxious !hispers had begun. 9f all cardinals/ these &our should be on timeF ,ardinal =ortati !as starting to fear it
might be a long evening after all.
$e had no idea.
#%
+he .atican@s helipad/ for reasons of safet% and noise control/ is located in the north!est tip of .atican ,it%/ as far
from St. 7eter@s 4asilica as possible.
ETerra &irma/E the pilot announced as the% touched do!n. $e exited and opened the sliding door for Langdon and
.ittoria.
Langdon descended from the craft and turned to help .ittoria/ but she had alread% dropped effortlessl% to the
ground. 1ver% muscle in her bod% seemed tuned to one ob0ective'finding the antimatter before it left a horrific legac%.
fter stretching a reflective sun tarp across the coc"pit !indo!/ the pilot ushered them to an oversi&ed electric golf
cart !aiting near the helipad. +he cart !his"ed them silentl% alongside the countr%@s !estern border'a fift%-foot-tall
cement bul!ar" thic" enough to !ard off attac"s even b% tan"s. Lining the interior of the !all/ posted at fift%-meter
intervals/ S!iss 8uards stood at attention/ surve%ing the interior of the grounds. +he cart turned sharpl% right onto .ia
della 9sservatorio. Signs pointed in all directions(
ala))io 6o3ernatorio
Collegio *thio,iana
Basilica 'an ietro
Ca,ella 'istina
+he% accelerated up the manicured road past a squat building mar"ed +adio Vaticana. +his/ Langdon reali&ed to
his ama&ement/ !as the hub of the !orld@s most listened-to radio programming'Ra%io ?aticana'spreading the !ord of
8od to millions of listeners around the globe.
E(tten/ione/E the pilot said/ turning sharpl% into a rotar%.
s the cart !ound round/ Langdon could barel% believe the sight no! coming into vie!. *iar%ini ?aticani/ he
thought. +he heart of .atican ,it%. ;irectl% ahead rose the rear of St. 7eter@s 4asilica/ a vie!/ Langdon reali&ed/ most
people never sa!. +o the right loomed the 7alace of the +ribunal/ the lush papal residence rivaled onl% b% .ersailles in
its baroque embellishment. +he severe-loo"ing 8overnatorato building !as no! behind them/ housing .atican ,it%@s
administration. nd up ahead on the left/ the massive rectangular edifice of the .atican =useum. Langdon "ne! there
!ould be no time for a museum visit this trip.
E#here is ever%oneDE .ittoria as"ed/ surve%ing the deserted la!ns and !al"!a%s.
+he guard chec"ed his blac"/ militar%-st%le chronograph'an odd anachronism beneath his puff% sleeve. E+he
cardinals are convened in the Sistine ,hapel. ,onclave begins in a little under an hour.E
Langdon nodded/ vaguel% recalling that before conclave the cardinals spent t!o hours inside the Sistine ,hapel in
quiet reflection and visitations !ith their fello! cardinals from around the globe. +he time !as meant to rene! old
friendships among the cardinals and facilitate a less heated election process. End the rest of the residents and staffDE
E4anned from the cit% for secrec% and securit% until the conclave concludes.E
End !hen does it concludeDE
+he guard shrugged. E8od onl% "no!s.E +he !ords sounded oddl% literal.
fter par"ing the cart on the !ide la!n directl% behind St. 7eter@s 4asilica/ the guard escorted Langdon and
.ittoria up a stone escarpment to a marble pla&a off the bac" of the basilica. ,rossing the pla&a/ the% approached the
rear !all of the basilica and follo!ed it through a triangular court%ard/ across .ia 4elvedere/ and into a series of
buildings closel% huddled together. Langdon@s art histor% had taught him enough )talian to pic" out signs for the .atican
7rinting 9ffice/ the +apestr% Restoration Lab/ 7ost 9ffice =anagement/ and the ,hurch of St. nn. +he% crossed
another small square and arrived at their destination.
+he 9ffice of the S!iss 8uard is housed ad0acent to )l ,orpo di .igilan&a/ directl% northeast of St. 7eter@s 4asilica.
+he office is a squat/ stone building. 9n either side of the entrance/ li"e t!o stone statues/ stood a pair of guards.
Langdon had to admit/ these guards did not loo" quite so comical. lthough the% also !ore the blue and gold
uniform/ each !ielded the traditional E.atican long s!ordE'an eight-foot spear !ith a ra&or-sharp sc%the'rumored to
have decapitated countless =uslims !hile defending the ,hristian crusaders in the fifteenth centur%.
s Langdon and .ittoria approached/ the t!o guards stepped for!ard/ crossing their long s!ords/ bloc"ing the
entrance. 9ne loo"ed up at the pilot in confusion. E" pantaloni/E he said/ motioning to .ittoria@s shorts.
+he pilot !aved them off. E"l coman%ante !uole !e%erli su'ito.E
+he guards fro!ned. Reluctantl% the% stepped aside.
)nside/ the air !as cool. )t loo"ed nothing li"e the administrative securit% offices Langdon !ould have imagined.
9rnate and impeccabl% furnished/ the hall!a%s contained paintings Langdon !as certain an% museum !orld!ide !ould
gladl% have featured in its main galler%.
+he pilot pointed do!n a steep set of stairs. E;o!n/ please.E
Langdon and .ittoria follo!ed the !hite marble treads as the% descended bet!een a gauntlet of nude male
sculptures. 1ach statue !ore a fig leaf that !as lighter in color than the rest of the bod%.
The *reat Castration/ Langdon thought.
)t !as one of the most horrific tragedies in Renaissance art. )n 1GAM/ 7ope 7ius )N decided that the accurate
representation of the male form might incite lust inside the .atican. So he got a chisel and mallet and hac"ed off the
genitalia of ever% single male statue inside .atican ,it%. $e defaced !or"s b% =ichelangelo/ 4ramante/ and 4ernini.
7laster fig leaves !ere used to patch the damage. $undreds of sculptures had been emasculated. Langdon had often
!ondered if there !as a huge crate of stone penises someplace.
E$ere/E the guard announced.
+he% reached the bottom of the stairs and dead-ended at a heav%/ steel door. +he guard t%ped an entr% code/ and the
door slid open. Langdon and .ittoria entered.
4e%ond the threshold !as absolute ma%hem.
#&
+he 9ffice of the S!iss 8uard.
Langdon stood in the door!a%/ surve%ing the collision of centuries before them. ,i;e% me%ia. +he room !as a
lushl% adorned Renaissance librar% complete !ith inlaid boo"shelves/ oriental carpets/ and colorful tapestries* and %et
the room bristled !ith high-tech gear'ban"s of computers/ faxes/ electronic maps of the .atican complex/ and
televisions tuned to ,<<. =en in colorful pantaloons t%ped feverishl% on computers and listened intentl% in futuristic
headphones.
E#ait here/E the guard said.
Langdon and .ittoria !aited as the guard crossed the room to an exceptionall% tall/ !ir% man in a dar" blue
militar% uniform. $e !as tal"ing on a cellular phone and stood so straight he !as almost bent bac"!ard. +he guard said
something to him/ and the man shot a glance over at Langdon and .ittoria. $e nodded/ then turned his bac" on them
and continued his phone call.
+he guard returned. E,ommander 9livetti !ill be !ith %ou in a moment.E
E+han" %ou.E
+he guard left and headed bac" up the stairs.
Langdon studied ,ommander 9livetti across the room/ reali&ing he !as actuall% the ,ommander in ,hief of the
armed forces of an entire countr%. .ittoria and Langdon !aited/ observing the action before them. 4rightl% dressed
guards bustled about %elling orders in )talian.
EContinua cercan%o#E one %elled into a telephone.
EPro'asti il musLo1E another as"ed.
Langdon did not need fluent )talian to discern that the securit% center !as currentl% in intense search mode. +his
!as the good ne!s. +he bad ne!s !as that the% obviousl% had not %et found the antimatter.
EBou o"a%DE Langdon as"ed .ittoria.
She shrugged/ offering a tired smile.
#hen the commander finall% clic"ed off his phone and approached across the room/ he seemed to gro! !ith each
step. Langdon !as tall himself and not accustomed to loo"ing up at man% people/ but ,ommander 9livetti demanded it.
Langdon sensed immediatel% that the commander !as a man !ho had !eathered tempests/ his face hale and steeled. $is
dar" hair !as cropped in a militar% bu&& cut/ and his e%es burned !ith the "ind of hardened determination onl%
attainable through %ears of intense training. $e moved !ith ramrod exactness/ the earpiece hidden discreetl% behind one
ear ma"ing him loo" more li"e :.S. Secret Service than S!iss 8uard.
+he commander addressed them in accented 1nglish. $is voice !as startlingl% quiet for such a large man/ barel% a
!hisper. )t bit !ith a tight/ militar% efficienc%. E8ood afternoon/E he said. E) am ,ommander 9livetti'Coman%ante
Principale of the S!iss 8uard. )@m the one !ho called %our director.E
.ittoria ga&ed up!ard. E+han" %ou for seeing us/ sir.E
+he commander did not respond. $e motioned for them to follo! and led them through the tangle of electronics to
a door in the side !all of the chamber. E1nter/E he said/ holding the door for them.
Langdon and .ittoria !al"ed through and found themselves in a dar"ened control room !here a !all of video
monitors !as c%cling la&il% through a series of blac"-and-!hite images of the complex. %oung guard sat !atching the
images intentl%.
EFuori/E 9livetti said.
+he guard pac"ed up and left.
9livetti !al"ed over to one of the screens and pointed to it. +hen he turned to!ard his guests. E+his image is from a
remote camera hidden some!here inside .atican ,it%. )@d li"e an explanation.E
Langdon and .ittoria loo"ed at the screen and inhaled in unison. +he image !as absolute. <o doubt. )t !as
,1R<@s antimatter canister. )nside/ a shimmering droplet of metallic liquid hung ominousl% in the air/ lit b% the
rh%thmic blin"ing of the L1; digital cloc". 1eril%/ the area around the canister !as almost entirel% dar"/ as if the
antimatter !ere in a closet or dar"ened room. t the top of the monitor flashed superimposed text( /i3e Feed>Camera
?5&.
.ittoria loo"ed at the time remaining on the flashing indicator on the canister. E:nder six hours/E she !hispered to
Langdon/ her face tense.
Langdon chec"ed his !atch. ESo !e have until*E $e stopped/ a "not tightening in his stomach.
E=idnight/E .ittoria said/ !ith a !ithering loo".
,i%ni)ht/ Langdon thought. ( &lair &or the %ramatic. pparentl% !hoever stole the canister last night had timed it
perfectl%. star" foreboding set in as he reali&ed he !as currentl% sitting at ground &ero.
9livetti@s !hisper no! sounded more li"e a hiss. E;oes this ob0ect belong to %our facilit%DE
.ittoria nodded. EBes/ sir. )t !as stolen from us. )t contains an extremel% combustible substance called antimatter.E
9livetti loo"ed unmoved. E) am quite familiar !ith incendiaries/ =s. .etra. ) have not heard of antimatter.E
E)t@s ne! technolog%. #e need to locate it immediatel% or evacuate .atican ,it%.E
9livetti closed his e%es slo!l% and reopened them/ as if refocusing on .ittoria might change !hat he 0ust heard.
E1vacuateD re %ou a!are !hat is going on here this eveningDE
EBes/ sir. nd the lives of %our cardinals are in danger. #e have about six hours. $ave %ou made an% head!a%
locating the canisterDE
9livetti shoo" his head. E#e haven@t started loo"ing.E
.ittoria cho"ed. E#hatD 4ut !e expressl% heard %our guards tal"ing about searching the'E
ESearching/ %es/E 9livetti said/ Ebut not for %our canister. =% men are loo"ing for something else that does not
concern %ou.E
.ittoria@s voice crac"ed. EBou haven@t even 'e)un loo"ing for this canisterDE
9livetti@s pupils seemed to recede into his head. $e had the passionless loo" of an insect. E=s. .etra/ is itD Let me
explain something to %ou. +he director of %our facilit% refused to share an% details about this ob0ect !ith me over the
phone except to sa% that ) needed to find it immediatel%. #e are exceptionall% bus%/ and ) do not have the luxur% of
dedicating manpo!er to a situation until ) get some facts.E
E+here is onl% one relevant fact at this moment/ sir/E .ittoria said/ Ethat being that in six hours that device is going
to vapori&e this entire complex.E
9livetti stood motionless. E=s. .etra/ there is something %ou need to "no!.E $is tone hinted at patroni&ing.
E;espite the archaic appearance of .atican ,it%/ ever% single entrance/ both public and private/ is equipped !ith the
most advanced sensing equipment "no!n to man. )f someone tried to enter !ith an% sort of incendiar% device it !ould
be detected instantl%. #e have radioactive isotope scanners/ olfactor% filters designed b% the merican ;1 to detect
the faintest chemical signatures of combustibles and toxins. #e also use the most advanced metal detectors and N-ra%
scanners available.E
E.er% impressive/E .ittoria said/ matching 9livetti@s cool. E:nfortunatel%/ antimatter is nonradioactive/ its
chemical signature is that of pure h%drogen/ and the canister is plastic. <one of those devices !ould have detected it.E
E4ut the device has an energ% source/E 9livetti said/ motioning to the blin"ing L1;. E1ven the smallest trace of
nic"el-cadmium !ould register as'E
E+he batteries are also plastic.E
9livetti@s patience !as clearl% starting to !ane. E7lastic batteriesDE
E7ol%mer gel electrol%te !ith +eflon.E
9livetti leaned to!ard her/ as if to accentuate his height advantage. E$i)norina/ the .atican is the target of do&ens
of bomb threats a month. ) personall% train ever% S!iss 8uard in modern explosive technolog%. ) am !ell a!are that
there is no substance on earth po!erful enough to do !hat %ou are describing unless %ou are tal"ing about a nuclear
!arhead !ith a fuel core the si&e of a baseball.E
.ittoria framed him !ith a fervent stare. E<ature has man% m%steries %et to unveil.E
9livetti leaned closer. E=ight ) as" exactl% who %ou areD #hat is %our position at ,1R<DE
E) am a senior member of the research staff and appointed liaison to the .atican for this crisis.E
E1xcuse me for being rude/ but if this is indeed a crisis/ !h% am ) dealing !ith you and not %our directorD nd !hat
disrespect do you intend b% coming into .atican ,it% in short pantsDE
Langdon groaned. $e couldn@t believe that under the circumstances the man !as being a stic"ler for dress code.
+hen again/ he reali&ed/ if stone penises could induce lustful thoughts in .atican residents/ .ittoria .etra in shorts
could certainly be a threat to national securit%.
E,ommander 9livetti/E Langdon intervened/ tr%ing to diffuse !hat loo"ed li"e a second bomb about to explode.
E=% name is Robert Langdon. )@m a professor of religious studies in the :.S. and unaffiliated !ith ,1R<. ) have seen
an antimatter demonstration and !ill vouch for =s. .etra@s claim that it is exceptionall% dangerous. #e have reason to
believe it !as placed inside %our complex b% an antireligious cult hoping to disrupt %our conclave.E
9livetti turned/ peering do!n at Langdon. E) have a !oman in shorts telling me that a droplet of liquid is going to
blo! up .atican ,it%/ and ) have an merican professor telling me !e are being targeted b% some antireligious cult.
#hat exactl% is it %ou expect me to doDE
EFind the canister/E .ittoria said. ERight a!a%.E
E)mpossible. +hat device could be an%!here. .atican ,it% is enormous.E
EBour cameras don@t have 87S locators on themDE
E+he% are not generall% stolen. +his missing camera !ill ta"e da%s to locate.E
E#e don@t have %ays/E .ittoria said adamantl%. E#e have six hours.E
ESix hours until !hat/ =s. .etraDE 9livetti@s voice gre! louder suddenl%. $e pointed to the image on the screen.
E:ntil these numbers count do!nD :ntil .atican ,it% disappearsD 4elieve me/ ) do not ta"e "indl% to people tampering
!ith m% securit% s%stem. <or do ) li"e mechanical contraptions appearing m%steriousl% inside m% !alls. ) am
concerned. )t is m% 6o' to be concerned. 4ut !hat %ou have told me here is unacceptable.E
Langdon spo"e before he could stop himself. E$ave %ou heard of the )lluminatiDE
+he commander@s ic% exterior crac"ed. $is e%es !ent !hite/ li"e a shar" about to attac". E) am !arning %ou. ) do
not have time for this.E
ESo %ou ha!e heard of the )lluminatiDE
9livetti@s e%es stabbed li"e ba%onets. E) am a s!orn defendant of the ,atholic ,hurch. 9& course ) have heard of
the )lluminati. +he% have been dead for decades.E
Langdon reached in his poc"et and pulled out the fax image of Leonardo .etra@s branded bod%. $e handed it to
9livetti.
E) am an )lluminati scholar/E Langdon said as 9livetti studied the picture. E) am having a difficult time accepting
that the )lluminati are still active/ and %et the appearance of this brand combined !ith the fact that the )lluminati have a
!ell-"no!n covenant against .atican ,it% has changed m% mind.E
E computer-generated hoax.E 9livetti handed the fax bac" to Langdon.
Langdon stared/ incredulous. E$oaxD Loo" at the s%mmetr%F Bou of all people should reali&e the authenticit% of'E
Euthenticit% is precisel% !hat %ou lac". 7erhaps =s. .etra has not informed %ou/ but ,1R< scientists have been
critici&ing .atican policies for decades. +he% regularl% petition us for retraction of ,reationist theor%/ formal apologies
for 8alileo and ,opernicus/ repeal of our criticism against dangerous or immoral research. #hat scenario seems more
li"el% to %ou'that a four-hundred-%ear-old satanic cult has resurfaced !ith an advanced !eapon of mass destruction/ or
that some pran"ster at ,1R< is tr%ing to disrupt a sacred .atican event !ith a !ell-executed fraudDE
E+hat photo/E .ittoria said/ her voice li"e boiling lava/ Eis of m% father. ,ur%ere%. Bou thin" this is m% idea of a
6okeDE
E) don@t "no!/ =s. .etra. 4ut ) do "no! until ) get some ans!ers that ma"e sense/ there is no !a% ) !ill raise an%
sort of alarm. .igilance and discretion are m% dut%* such that spiritual matters can ta"e place here !ith clarit% of
mind. +oda% of all da%s.E
Langdon said/ Et least postpone the event.E
E7ostponeDE 9livetti@s 0a! dropped. ESuch arroganceF conclave is not some merican baseball game %ou call on
account of rain. +his is a sacred event !ith a strict code and process. <ever mind that one billion ,atholics in the !orld
are !aiting for a leader. <ever mind that the !orld media is outside. +he protocols for this event are hol%'not sub0ect to
modification. Since 11MK/ conclaves have survived earthqua"es/ famines/ and even the plague. 4elieve me/ it is not
about to be canceled on account of a murdered scientist and a droplet of 8od "no!s !hat.E
E+a"e me to the person in charge/E .ittoria demanded.
9livetti glared. EBou@ve got him.E
E<o/E she said. ESomeone in the cler)y.E
+he veins on 9livetti@s bro! began to sho!. E+he clerg% has gone. #ith the exception of the S!iss 8uard/ the onl%
ones present in .atican ,it% at this time are the ,ollege of ,ardinals. nd the% are inside the Sistine ,hapel.E
E$o! about the cham'erlainDE Langdon stated flatl%.
E#hoDE
E+he late 7ope@s cham'erlain.E Langdon repeated the !ord self-assuredl%/ pra%ing his memor% served him. $e
recalled reading once about the curious arrangement of .atican authorit% follo!ing the death of a 7ope. )f Langdon !as
correct/ during the interim bet!een 7opes/ complete autonomous po!er shifted temporaril% to the late 7ope@s personal
assistant'his chamberlain'a secretarial underling !ho oversa! conclave until the cardinals chose the ne! $ol% Father.
E) believe the cham'erlain is the man in charge at the moment.E
E"l camerle)no1E 9livetti sco!led. E+he camerlegno is onl% a priest here. $e is not even canoni&ed. $e is the late
7ope@s hand servant.E
E4ut he is here. nd %ou ans!er to him.E
9livetti crossed his arms. E=r. Langdon/ it is true that .atican rule dictates the camerlegno assume chief executive
office during conclave/ but it is onl% because his lac" of eligibilit% for the papac% ensures an unbiased election. )t is as if
%our president died/ and one of his aides temporaril% sat in the oval office. +he camerlegno is %oung/ and his
understanding of securit%/ or an%thing else for that matter/ is extremel% limited. For all intents and purposes/ ) am in
charge here.E
E+a"e us to him/E .ittoria said.
E)mpossible. ,onclave begins in fort% minutes. +he camerlegno is in the 9ffice of the 7ope preparing. ) have no
intention of disturbing him !ith matters of securit%.E
.ittoria opened her mouth to respond but !as interrupted b% a "noc"ing at the door. 9livetti opened it.
guard in full regalia stood outside/ pointing to his !atch. EM l+ora- coman%ante.E
9livetti chec"ed his o!n !atch and nodded. $e turned bac" to Langdon and .ittoria li"e a 0udge pondering their
fate. EFollo! me.E $e led them out of the monitoring room across the securit% center to a small clear cubicle against the
rear !all. E=% office.E 9livetti ushered them inside. +he room !as unspecial'a cluttered des"/ file cabinets/ folding
chairs/ a !ater cooler. E) !ill be bac" in ten minutes. ) suggest %ou use the time to decide ho! %ou !ould li"e to
proceed.E
.ittoria !heeled. EBou can@t 0ust leaveF +hat canister is'E
E) do not have time for this/E 9livetti seethed. E7erhaps ) should detain %ou until after the conclave !hen ) %o have
time.E
ESignore/E the guard urged/ pointing to his !atch again. E$pa//are %i capella.E
9livetti nodded and started to leave.
E$pa//are %i capella1E .ittoria demanded. EBou@re leaving to sweep the chapelDE
9livetti turned/ his e%es boring through her. E#e s!eep for electronic bugs/ =iss .etra'a matter of %iscretion.E $e
motioned to her legs. E<ot something ) !ould expect %ou to understand.E
#ith that he slammed the door/ rattling the heav% glass. )n one fluid motion he produced a "e%/ inserted it/ and
t!isted. heav% deadbolt slid into place.
E"%iNta#E .ittoria %elled. EBou can@t "eep us in hereFE
+hrough the glass/ Langdon could see 9livetti sa% something to the guard. +he sentinel nodded. s 9livetti strode
out of the room/ the guard spun and faced them on the other side of the glass/ arms crossed/ a large sidearm visible on
his hip.
Per&ect/ Langdon thought. 2ust 'loo%y per&ect.
#.
.ittoria glared at the S!iss 8uard standing outside 9livetti@s loc"ed door. +he sentinel glared bac"/ his colorful
costume bel%ing his decidedl% ominous air.
EChe &iasco/E .ittoria thought. 0el% hosta)e 'y an arme% man in pa6amas.
Langdon had fallen silent/ and .ittoria hoped he !as using that $arvard brain of his to thin" them out of this. She
sensed/ ho!ever/ from the loo" on his face/ that he !as more in shoc" than in thought. She regretted getting him so
involved.
.ittoria@s first instinct !as to pull out her cell phone and call 6ohler/ but she "ne! it !as foolish. First/ the guard
!ould probabl% !al" in and ta"e her phone. Second/ if 6ohler@s episode ran its usual course/ he !as probabl% still
incapacitated. <ot that it mattered* 9livetti seemed unli"el% to ta"e an%bod%@s !ord on an%thing at the moment.
Remem'er# she told herself. Remem'er the solution to this test#
Remem'rance !as a 4uddhist philosopher@s tric". Rather than as"ing her mind to search for a solution to a
potentiall% impossible challenge/ .ittoria as"ed her mind simpl% to remember it. +he presupposition that one once knew
the ans!er created the mindset that the ans!er must e;ist* thus eliminating the crippling conception of hopelessness.
.ittoria often used the process to solve scientific quandaries* those that most people thought had no solution.
t the moment/ ho!ever/ her remembrance tric" !as dra!ing a ma0or blan". So she measured her options* her
needs. She needed to !arn someone. Someone at the .atican needed to ta"e her seriousl%. 4ut !hoD +he camerlegnoD
$o!D She !as in a glass box !ith one exit.
Tools/ she told herself. There are always tools. Ree!aluate your en!ironment.
)nstinctivel% she lo!ered her shoulders/ relaxed her e%es/ and too" three deep breaths into her lungs. She sensed her
heart rate slo! and her muscles soften. +he chaotic panic in her mind dissolved. 9kay/ she thought/ let your min% 'e
&ree. 3hat makes this situation positi!e1 3hat are my assets1
+he anal%tical mind of .ittoria .etra/ once calmed/ !as a po!erful force. #ithin seconds she reali&ed their
incarceration !as actuall% their "e% to escape.
E)@m ma"ing a phone call/E she said suddenl%.
Langdon loo"ed up. E) !as about to suggest %ou call 6ohler/ but'E
E<ot 6ohler. Someone else.E
E#hoDE
E+he camerlegno.E
Langdon loo"ed totall% lost. EBou@re calling the chamberlainD $o!DE
E9livetti said the camerlegno !as in the 7ope@s office.E
E9"a%. Bou "no! the 7ope@s private numberDE
E<o. 4ut )@m not calling on my phone.E She nodded to a high-tech phone s%stem on 9livetti@s des". )t !as riddled
!ith speed dial buttons. E+he head of securit% must have a direct line to the 7ope@s office.E
E$e also has a !eight lifter !ith a gun planted six feet a!a%.E
End !e@re loc"ed in.E
E) !as actuall% a!are of that.E
E) mean the )uar% is loc"ed out. +his is 9livetti@s private office. ) doubt an%one else has a "e%.E
Langdon loo"ed out at the guard. E+his is prett% thin glass/ and that@s a prett% big gun.E
E#hat@s he going to do/ shoot me for using the phoneDE
E#ho the hell "no!sF +his is a prett% strange place/ and the !a% things are going'E
E1ither that/E .ittoria said/ Eor !e can spend the next five hours and fort%-eight minutes in .atican 7rison. t least
!e@ll have a front-ro! seat !hen the antimatter goes off.E
Langdon paled. E4ut the guard !ill get 9livetti the second %ou pic" up that phone. 4esides/ there are t!ent%
buttons on there. nd ) don@t see an% identification. Bou going to tr% them all and hope to get luc"%DE
E<ope/E she said/ striding to the phone. E5ust one.E .ittoria pic"ed up the phone and pressed the top button.
E<umber one. ) bet %ou one of those )lluminati :.S. dollars %ou have in %our poc"et that this is the 7ope@s office. #hat
else !ould ta"e primar% importance for a S!iss 8uard commanderDE
Langdon did not have time to respond. +he guard outside the door started rapping on the glass !ith the butt of his
gun. $e motioned for her to set do!n the phone.
.ittoria !in"ed at him. +he guard seemed to inflate !ith rage.
Langdon moved a!a% from the door and turned bac" to .ittoria. EBou damn !ell better be right/ Pcause this gu%
does not loo" amusedFE
E;amnFE she said/ listening to the receiver. E recording.E
ERecordingDE Langdon demanded. E+he 7ope has an ans!ering machineDE
E)t !asn@t the 7ope@s office/E .ittoria said/ hanging up. E)t !as the damn !ee"l% menu for the .atican
commissar%.E
Langdon offered a !ea" smile to the guard outside !ho !as no! glaring angril% though the glass !hile he hailed
9livetti on his !al"ie-tal"ie.
#5
+he .atican s!itchboard is located in the :fficio di ,ommunica&ione behind the .atican post office. )t is a
relativel% small room containing an eight-line ,orelco 121 s!itchboard. +he office handles over C/333 calls a da%/ most
routed automaticall% to the recording information s%stem.
+onight/ the sole communications operator on dut% sat quietl% sipping a cup of caffeinated tea. $e felt proud to be
one of onl% a handful of emplo%ees still allo!ed inside .atican ,it% tonight. 9f course the honor !as tainted some!hat
b% the presence of the S!iss 8uards hovering outside his door. (n escort to the 'athroom/ the operator thought. (h- the
in%i)nities we en%ure in the name o& 0oly Concla!e.
Fortunatel%/ the calls this evening had been light. 9r ma%be it !as not so &ortunate/ he thought. #orld interest in
.atican events seemed to have d!indled in the last fe! %ears. +he number of press calls had thinned/ and even the
cra&ies !eren@t calling as often. +he press office had hoped tonight@s event !ould have more of a festive bu&& about it.
Sadl%/ though/ despite St. 7eter@s Square being filled !ith press truc"s/ the vans loo"ed to be mostl% standard )talian and
1uro press. 9nl% a handful of global cover-all net!or"s !ere there* no doubt having sent their )iornalisti secun%ari.
+he operator gripped his mug and !ondered ho! long tonight !ould last. ,i%ni)ht or so/ he guessed. <o!ada%s/
most insiders alread% "ne! !ho !as favored to become 7ope !ell before conclave convened/ so the process !as more
of a three' or four-hour ritual than an actual election. 9f course/ last-minute dissension in the ran"s could prolong the
ceremon% through da!n* or be%ond. +he conclave of 1GO1 had lasted fift%-four da%s. Not toni)ht/ he told himselfJ
rumor !as this conclave !ould be a Esmo"e-!atch.E
+he operator@s thoughts evaporated !ith the bu&& of an inside line on his s!itchboard. $e loo"ed at the blin"ing
red light and scratched his head. That+s o%%/ he thought. The /ero>line. 3ho on the insi%e woul% 'e callin) operator
in&ormation toni)ht1 3ho is e!en insi%e1
ECittO %el ?aticano- pre)o1E he said/ pic"ing up the phone.
+he voice on the line spo"e in rapid )talian. +he operator vaguel% recogni&ed the accent as that common to S!iss
8uards'fluent )talian tainted b% the Franco-S!iss influence. +his caller/ ho!ever/ !as most definitel% not S!iss 8uard.
9n hearing the !oman@s voice/ the operator stood suddenl%/ almost spilling his tea. $e shot a loo" bac" do!n at
the line. $e had not been mista"en. (n internal e;tension. +he call !as from the inside. There must 'e some mistake# he
thought. ( woman insi%e ?atican City1 Toni)ht1
+he !oman !as spea"ing fast and furiousl%. +he operator had spent enough %ears on the phones to "no! !hen he
!as dealing !ith a pa//o. +his !oman did not sound cra&%. She !as urgent but rational. ,alm and efficient. $e listened
to her request/ be!ildered.
E"l camerle)no1E the operator said/ still tr%ing to figure out !here the hell the call !as coming from. E) cannot
possibl% connect* %es/ ) am a!are he is in the 7ope@s office but* !ho are %ou againD* and %ou !ant to !arn him
of*E $e listened/ more and more unnerved. E!eryone is in %an)er1 0ow1 (n% where are you callin) &rom1 E7erhaps )
should contact the S!iss*E +he operator stopped short. EBou sa% %ou@re where1 3here1E
$e listened in shoc"/ then made a decision. E$old/ please/E he said/ putting the !oman on hold before she could
respond. +hen he called ,ommander 9livetti@s direct line. There is no way that woman is really'
+he line pic"ed up instantl%.
EPer l+amore %i @io#E a familiar !oman@s voice shouted at him. E7lace the damn callFE
+he door of the S!iss 8uards@ securit% center hissed open. +he guards parted as ,ommander 9livetti entered the
room li"e a roc"et. +urning the corner to his office/ 9livetti confirmed !hat his guard on the !al"ie-tal"ie had 0ust told
himJ .ittoria .etra !as standing at his des" tal"ing on the commander@s private telephone.
Che co)lioni che ha =uesta# he thought. The 'alls on this one#
Livid/ he strode to the door and rammed the "e% into the loc". $e pulled open the door and demanded/ E#hat are
%ou doingDE
.ittoria ignored him. EBes/E she !as sa%ing into the phone. End ) must !arn'E
9livetti ripped the receiver from her hand/ and raised it to his ear. E#ho the hell is thisDE
For the tiniest of an instant/ 9livetti@s inelastic posture slumped. EBes/ camerlegno*E he said. E,orrect/ signore*
but questions of securit% demand* of course not* ) am holding her here for* certainl%/ but*E $e listened. EBes/
sir/E he said finall%. E) !ill bring them up immediatel%.E
#:
+he postolic 7alace is a conglomeration of buildings located near the Sistine ,hapel in the northeast corner of
.atican ,it%. #ith a commanding vie! of St. 7eter@s Square/ the palace houses both the 7apal partments and the
9ffice of the 7ope.
.ittoria and Langdon follo!ed in silence as ,ommander 9livetti led them do!n a long rococo corridor/ the
muscles in his nec" pulsing !ith rage. fter climbing three sets of stairs/ the% entered a !ide/ diml% lit hall!a%.
Langdon could not believe the art!or" on the !alls'mint-condition busts/ tapestries/ frie&es'!or"s !orth hundreds
of thousands of dollars. +!o-thirds of the !a% do!n the hall the% passed an alabaster fountain. 9livetti turned left into
an alcove and strode to one of the largest doors Langdon had ever seen.
EB&&icio %i Papa/E the commander declared/ giving .ittoria an acrimonious sco!l. .ittoria didn@t flinch. She
reached over 9livetti and "noc"ed loudl% on the door.
9&&ice o& the Pope/ Langdon thought/ having difficult% fathoming that he !as standing outside one of the most
sacred rooms in all of !orld religion.
E(!anti#E someone called from !ithin.
#hen the door opened/ Langdon had to shield his e%es. +he sunlight !as blinding. Slo!l%/ the image before him
came into focus.
+he 9ffice of the 7ope seemed more of a ballroom than an office. Red marble floors spra!led out in all directions
to !alls adorned !ith vivid frescoes. colossal chandelier hung overhead/ be%ond !hich a ban" of arched !indo!s
offered a stunning panorama of the sun-drenched St. 7eter@s Square.
,y *o%/ Langdon thought. This is a room with a !iew.
t the far end of the hall/ at a carved des"/ a man sat !riting furiousl%. E(!anti/E he called out again/ setting do!n
his pen and !aving them over.
9livetti led the !a%/ his gait militar%. E$i)nore/E he said apologeticall%. ENo ho potuto<E
+he man cut him off. $e stood and studied his t!o visitors.
+he camerlegno !as nothing li"e the images of frail/ beatific old men Langdon usuall% imagined roaming the
.atican. $e !ore no rosar% beads or pendants. <o heav% robes. $e !as dressed instead in a simple blac" cassoc" that
seemed to amplif% the solidit% of his substantial frame. $e loo"ed to be in his late-thirties/ indeed a child b% .atican
standards. $e had a surprisingl% handsome face/ a s!irl of coarse bro!n hair/ and almost radiant green e%es that shone
as if the% !ere someho! fueled b% the m%steries of the universe. s the man dre! nearer/ though/ Langdon sa! in his
e%es a profound exhaustion'li"e a soul !ho had been through the toughest fifteen da%s of his life.
E) am ,arlo .entresca/E he said/ his 1nglish perfect. E+he late 7ope@s camerlegno.E $is voice !as unpretentious
and "ind/ !ith onl% the slightest hint of )talian inflection.
E.ittoria .etra/E she said/ stepping for!ard and offering her hand. E+han" %ou for seeing us.E
9livetti t!itched as the camerlegno shoo" .ittoria@s hand.
E+his is Robert Langdon/E .ittoria said. E religious historian from $arvard :niversit%.E
EPa%re/E Langdon said/ in his best )talian accent. $e bo!ed his head as he extended his hand.
E<o/ no/E the camerlegno insisted/ lifting Langdon bac" up. E$is $oliness@s office does not ma"e me hol%. ) am
merel% a priest'a chamberlain serving in a time of need.E
Langdon stood upright.
E7lease/E the camerlegno said/ Eever%one sit.E $e arranged some chairs around his des". Langdon and .ittoria sat.
9livetti apparentl% preferred to stand.
+he camerlegno seated himself at the des"/ folded his hands/ sighed/ and e%ed his visitors.
ESignore/E 9livetti said. E+he !oman@s attire is m% fault. )'E
E$er attire is not !hat concerns me/E the camerlegno replied/ sounding too exhausted to be bothered. E#hen the
.atican operator calls me a half hour before ) begin conclave to tell me a !oman is calling from your private office to
!arn me of some sort of ma0or securit% threat of !hich ) have not been informed/ that concerns me.E
9livetti stood rigid/ his bac" arched li"e a soldier under intense inspection.
Langdon felt h%pnoti&ed b% the camerlegno@s presence. Boung and !earied as he !as/ the priest had the air of
some m%thical hero'radiating charisma and authorit%.
ESignore/E 9livetti said/ his tone apologetic but still un%ielding. EBou should not concern %ourself !ith matters of
securit%. Bou have other responsibilities.E
E) am !ell a!are of m% other responsibilities. ) am also a!are that as %irettore interme%iario/ ) have a
responsibilit% for the safet% and !ell-being of ever%one at this conclave. #hat is going on hereDE
E) have the situation under control.E
Epparentl% not.E
EFather/E Langdon interrupted/ ta"ing out the crumpled fax and handing it to the camerlegno/ Eplease.E
,ommander 9livetti stepped for!ard/ tr%ing to intervene. EFather/ please do not trouble %our thoughts !ith'E
+he camerlegno too" the fax/ ignoring 9livetti for a long moment. $e loo"ed at the image of the murdered
Leonardo .etra and dre! a startled breath. E#hat is thisDE
E+hat is m% father/E .ittoria said/ her voice !avering. E$e !as a priest and a man of science. $e !as murdered last
night.E
+he camerlegno@s face softened instantl%. $e loo"ed up at her. E=% dear child. )@m so sorr%.E $e crossed himself
and loo"ed again at the fax/ his e%es seeming to pool !ith !aves of abhorrence. E#ho !ould* and this burn on his*E
+he camerlegno paused/ squinting closer at the image.
E)t sa%s "lluminati/E Langdon said. E<o doubt %ou are familiar !ith the name.E
n odd loo" came across the camerlegno@s face. E) have heard the name/ %es/ but*E
E+he )lluminati murdered Leonardo .etra so the% could steal a ne! technolog% he !as'E
ESignore/E 9livetti inter0ected. E+his is absurd. +he )lluminatiD +his is clearl% some sort of elaborate hoax.E
+he camerlegno seemed to ponder 9livetti@s !ords. +hen he turned and contemplated Langdon so full% that
Langdon felt the air leave his lungs. E=r. Langdon/ ) have spent m% life in the ,atholic ,hurch. ) am familiar !ith the
)lluminati lore* and the legend of the brandings. nd %et ) must !arn %ou/ ) am a man of the present tense. ,hristianit%
has enough real enemies !ithout resurrecting ghosts.E
E+he s%mbol is authentic/E Langdon said/ a little too defensivel% he thought. $e reached over and rotated the fax for
the camerlegno.
+he camerlegno fell silent !hen he sa! the s%mmetr%.
E1ven modern computers/E Langdon added/ Ehave been unable to forge a s%mmetrical ambigram of this !ord.E
+he camerlegno folded his hands and said nothing for a long time. E+he )lluminati are dead/E he finall% said. ELong
ago. +hat is historical fact.E
Langdon nodded. EBesterda%/ ) !ould have agreed !ith %ou.E
EBesterda%DE
E4efore toda%@s chain of events. ) believe the )lluminati have resurfaced to ma"e good on an ancient pact.E
EForgive me. =% histor% is rust%. #hat ancient pact is thisDE
Langdon too" a deep breath. E+he destruction of .atican ,it%.E
E@estroy .atican ,it%DE +he camerlegno loo"ed less frightened than confused. E4ut that !ould be impossible.E
.ittoria shoo" her head. E)@m afraid !e have some more bad ne!s.E
$;
E)s this trueDE the camerlegno demanded/ loo"ing ama&ed as he turned from .ittoria to 9livetti.
ESignore/E 9livetti assured/ E)@ll admit there is some sort of device here. )t is visible on one of our securit%
monitors/ but as for =s. .etra@s claims as to the po!er of this substance/ ) cannot possibl%'E
E#ait a minute/E the camerlegno said. EBou can see this thingDE
EBes/ signore. 9n !ireless camera QGR.E
E+hen !h% haven@t %ou recovered itDE +he camerlegno@s voice echoed anger no!.
E.er% difficult/ signore.E 9livetti stood straight as he explained the situation.
+he camerlegno listened/ and .ittoria sensed his gro!ing concern. Ere %ou certain it is inside .atican ,it%DE the
camerlegno as"ed. E=a%be someone too" the camera out and is transmitting from some!here else.E
E)mpossible/E 9livetti said. E9ur external !alls are shielded electronicall% to protect our internal communications.
+his signal can only be coming from the inside or !e !ould not be receiving it.E
End ) assume/E he said/ Ethat %ou are no! loo"ing for this missing camera !ith all available resourcesDE
9livetti shoo" his head. E<o/ signore. Locating that camera could ta"e hundreds of man hours. #e have a number
of other securit% concerns at the moment/ and !ith all due respect to =s. .etra/ this droplet she tal"s about is ver%
small. )t could not possibl% be as explosive as she claims.E
.ittoria@s patience evaporated. E+hat droplet is enough to level .atican ,it%F ;id %ou even listen to a !ord ) told
%ouDE
E=a@am/E 9livetti said/ his voice li"e steel/ Em% experience !ith explosives is extensive.E
EBour experience is obsolete/E she fired bac"/ equall% tough. E;espite m% attire/ !hich ) reali&e %ou find
troublesome/ ) am a senior level ph%sicist at the !orld@s most advanced subatomic research facilit%. ) personall%
designed the antimatter trap that is "eeping that sample from annihilating right no!. nd ) am !arning %ou that unless
%ou find that canister in the next six hours/ %our guards !ill have nothing to protect for the next centur% but a big hole in
the ground.E
9livetti !heeled to the camerlegno/ his insect e%es flashing rage. ESignore/ ) cannot in good conscience allo! this
to go an% further. Bour time is being !asted b% pran"sters. +he )lluminatiD droplet that !ill destro% us allDE
EBasta/E the camerlegno declared. $e spo"e the !ord quietl% and %et it seemed to echo across the chamber. +hen
there !as silence. $e continued in a !hisper. E;angerous or not/ )lluminati or no )lluminati/ !hatever this thing is/ it
most certainl% should not be inside .atican ,it%* no less on the eve of the conclave. ) !ant it found and removed.
9rgani&e a search immediatel%.E
9livetti persisted. ESignore/ even if !e used all the guards to search the complex/ it could ta"e da%s to find this
camera. lso/ after spea"ing to =s. .etra/ ) had one of m% guards consult our most advanced ballistics guide for an%
mention of this substance called antimatter. ) found no mention of it an%!here. <othing.E
Pompous ass/ .ittoria thought. ( 'allistics )ui%e1 @i% you try an encyclope%ia1 Bn%er (#
9livetti !as still tal"ing. ESignore/ if %ou are suggesting !e ma"e a na"ed-e%e search of the entiret% of .atican
,it% then ) must ob0ect.E
E,ommander.E +he camerlegno@s voice simmered !ith rage. E=a% ) remind %ou that !hen %ou address me/ %ou are
addressing this office. ) reali&e %ou do not ta"e m% position seriousl%'nonetheless/ b% la!/ ) am in charge. )f ) am not
mista"en/ the cardinals are no! safel% !ithin the Sistine ,hapel/ and %our securit% concerns are at a minimum until the
conclave brea"s. ) do not understand !h% %ou are hesitant to loo" for this device. )f ) did not "no! better it !ould
appear that %ou are causing this conclave intentional danger.E
9livetti loo"ed scornful. E$o! dare %ouF ) have served %our 7ope for t!elve %earsF nd the 7ope before that for
fourteen %earsF Since 12OG the S!iss 8uard have'E
+he !al"ie-tal"ie on 9livetti@s belt squa!"ed loudl%/ cutting him off. EComan%ante1E
9livetti snatched it up and pressed the transmitter. E$to ocupato# Cosa !oi#E
E$cusi/E the S!iss 8uard on the radio said. E,ommunications here. ) thought %ou !ould !ant to be informed that
!e have received a bomb threat.E
9livetti could not have loo"ed less interested. ESo handle itF Run the usual trace/ and !rite it up.E
E#e did/ sir/ but the caller*E +he guard paused. E) !ould not trouble %ou/ commander/ except that he mentioned
the substance %ou 0ust as"ed me to research. (ntimatter.E
1ver%one in the room exchanged stunned loo"s.
E$e mentioned whatDE 9livetti stammered.
Entimatter/ sir. #hile !e !ere tr%ing to run a trace/ ) did some additional research on his claim. +he information
on antimatter is* !ell/ fran"l%/ it@s quite troubling.E
E) thought %ou said the ballistics guide sho!ed no mention of it.E
E) found it on-line.E
(lleluia/ .ittoria thought.
E+he substance appears to be quite explosive/E the guard said. E)t@s hard to imagine this information is accurate but
it sa%s here that pound for pound antimatter carries about a hundred times more pa%load than a nuclear !arhead.E
9livetti slumped. )t !as li"e !atching a mountain crumble. .ittoria@s feeling of triumph !as erased b% the loo" of
horror on the camerlegno@s face.
E;id %ou trace the callDE 9livetti stammered.
E<o luc". ,ellular !ith heav% encr%ption. +he S+ lines are interfused/ so triangulation is out. +he )F signature
suggests he@s some!here in Rome/ but there@s reall% no !a% to trace him.E
E;id he ma"e demandsDE 9livetti said/ his voice quiet.
E<o/ sir. 5ust !arned us that there is antimatter hidden inside the complex. $e seemed surprised ) didn@t "no!.
s"ed me if )@d seen it %et. Bou@d as"ed me about antimatter/ so ) decided to advise %ou.E
EBou did the right thing/E 9livetti said. E)@ll be do!n in a minute. lert me immediatel% if he calls bac".E
+here !as a moment of silence on the !al"ie-tal"ie. E+he caller is still on the line/ sir.E
9livetti loo"ed li"e he@d 0ust been electrocuted. E+he line is openDE
EBes/ sir. #e@ve been tr%ing to trace him for ten minutes/ getting nothing but spla%ed ferreting. $e must "no! !e
can@t touch him because he refuses to hang up until he spea"s to the camerlegno.E
E7atch him through/E the camerlegno commanded. E<o!FE
9livetti !heeled. EFather/ no. trained S!iss 8uard negotiator is much better suited to handle this.E
ENow#E
9livetti gave the order.
moment later/ the phone on ,amerlegno .entresca@s des" began to ring. +he camerlegno rammed his finger
do!n on the spea"er-phone button. E#ho in the name of 8od do %ou thin" %ou areDE
$!
+he voice emanating from the camerlegno@s spea"er phone !as metallic and cold/ laced !ith arrogance. 1ver%one
in the room listened.
Langdon tried to place the accent. ,i%%le Eastern- perhaps1
E) am a messenger of an ancient brotherhood/E the voice announced in an alien cadence. E brotherhood %ou have
!ronged for centuries. ) am a messenger of the )lluminati.E
Langdon felt his muscles tighten/ the last shreds of doubt !ithering a!a%. For an instant he felt the familiar
collision of thrill/ privilege/ and dead fear that he had experienced !hen he first sa! the ambigram this morning.
E#hat do %ou !antDE the camerlegno demanded.
E) represent men of science. =en !ho li"e %ourselves are searching for the ans!ers. ns!ers to man@s destin%/ his
purpose/ his creator.E
E#hoever %ou are/E the camerlegno said/ E)'E
E$ilen/io. Bou !ill do better to listen. For t!o millennia %our church has dominated the quest for truth. Bou have
crushed %our opposition !ith lies and prophesies of doom. Bou have manipulated the truth to serve %our needs/
murdering those !hose discoveries did not serve %our politics. re %ou surprised %ou are the target of enlightened men
from around the globeDE
E1nlightened men do not resort to blac"mail to further their causes.E
E4lac"mailDE +he caller laughed. E+his is not blac"mail. #e have no demands. +he abolition of the .atican is
nonnegotiable. #e have !aited four hundred %ears for this da%. t midnight/ %our cit% !ill be destro%ed. +here is
nothing %ou can do.E
9livetti stormed to!ard the spea"er phone. Eccess to this cit% is impossibleF Bou could not possibl% have planted
explosives in hereFE
EBou spea" !ith the ignorant devotion of a S!iss 8uard. 7erhaps even an officerD Surel% %ou are a!are that for
centuries the )lluminati have infiltrated elitist organi&ations across the globe. ;o %ou reall% believe the .atican is
immuneDE
2esus/ Langdon thought/ they+!e )ot someone on the insi%e. )t !as no secret that infiltration !as the )lluminati
trademar" of po!er. +he% had infiltrated the =asons/ ma0or ban"ing net!or"s/ government bodies. )n fact/ ,hurchill
had once told reporters that if 1nglish spies had infiltrated the <a&is to the degree the )lluminati had infiltrated 1nglish
7arliament/ the !ar !ould have been over in one month.
E transparent bluff/E 9livetti snapped. EBour influence cannot possibl% extend so far.E
E#h%D 4ecause %our S!iss 8uards are vigilantD 4ecause the% !atch ever% corner of %our private !orldD $o!
about the S!iss 8uards themselvesD re the% not menD ;o %ou trul% believe the% sta"e their lives on a fable about a
man !ho !al"s on !aterD s" %ourself ho! else the canister could have entered %our cit%. 9r ho! four of %our most
precious assets could have disappeared this afternoon.E
E9ur assetsDE 9livetti sco!led. E#hat do %ou meanDE
E9ne/ t!o/ three/ four. Bou haven@t missed them b% no!DE
E#hat the hell are %ou tal"'E 9livetti stopped short/ his e%es roc"eting !ide as though he@d 0ust been punched in
the gut.
ELight da!ns/E the caller said. EShall ) read their namesDE
E#hat@s going onDE the camerlegno said/ loo"ing be!ildered.
+he caller laughed. EBour officer has not %et informed %ouD $o! sinful. <o surprise. Such pride. ) imagine the
disgrace of telling %ou the truth* that four cardinals he had s!orn to protect seem to have disappeared*E
9livetti erupted. E#here did %ou get this informationFE
E,amerlegno/E the caller gloated/ Eas" %our commander if all %our cardinals are present in the Sistine ,hapel.E
+he camerlegno turned to 9livetti/ his green e%es demanding an explanation.
ESignore/E 9livetti !hispered in the camerlegno@s ear/ Eit is true that four of our cardinals have not %et reported to
the Sistine ,hapel/ but there is no need for alarm. 1ver% one of them chec"ed into the residence hall this morning/ so !e
"no! the% are safel% inside .atican ,it%. Bou %ourself had tea !ith them onl% hours ago. +he% are simpl% late for the
fello!ship preceding conclave. #e are searching/ but )@m sure the% 0ust lost trac" of time and are still out en0o%ing the
grounds.E
E1n0o%ing the groundsDE +he calm departed from the camerlegno@s voice. E+he% !ere due in the chapel over an
hour agoFE
Langdon shot .ittoria a loo" of ama&ement. ,issin) car%inals1 $o that+s what they were lookin) &or %ownstairs1
E9ur inventor%/E the caller said/ E%ou !ill find quite convincing. +here is ,ardinal LamassH from 7aris/ ,ardinal
8uidera from 4arcelona/ ,ardinal 1bner from Fran"furt*E
9livetti seemed to shrin" smaller and smaller after each name !as read.
+he caller paused/ as though ta"ing special pleasure in the final name. End from )tal%* ,ardinal 4aggia.E
+he camerlegno loosened li"e a tall ship that had 0ust run sheets first into a dead calm. $is froc" billo!ed/ and he
collapsed in his chair. E" pre&eriti/E he !hispered. E+he four favorites* including 4aggia* the most li"el% successor as
Supreme 7ontiff* ho! is it possibleDE
Langdon had read enough about modern papal elections to understand the loo" of desperation on the camerlegno@s
face. lthough technicall% any cardinal under eight% %ears old could become 7ope/ onl% a ver% fe! had the respect
necessar% to command a t!o-thirds ma0orit% in the ferociousl% partisan balloting procedure. +he% !ere "no!n as the
pre&eriti. nd the% !ere all gone.
S!eat dripped from the camerlegno@s bro!. E#hat do %ou intend !ith these menDE
E#hat do %ou thin" ) intendD ) am a descendant of the $assassin.E
Langdon felt a shiver. $e "ne! the name !ell. +he church had made some deadl% enemies through the %ears'the
$assassin/ the 6nights +emplar/ armies that had been either hunted b% the .atican or betra%ed b% them.
ELet the cardinals go/E the camerlegno said. E)sn@t threatening to destro% the ,it% of 8od enoughDE
EForget %our four cardinals. +he% are lost to %ou. 4e assured their deaths !ill be remembered though* b% millions.
1ver% mart%r@s dream. ) !ill ma"e them media luminaries. 9ne b% one. 4% midnight the )lluminati !ill have ever%one@s
attention. #h% change the !orld if the !orld is not !atchingD 7ublic "illings have an intoxicating horror about them/
don@t the%D Bou proved that long ago* the inquisition/ the torture of the 6nights +emplar/ the ,rusades.E $e paused.
End of course/ la pur)a.E
+he camerlegno !as silent.
E;o %ou not recall la pur)aDE the caller as"ed. E9f course not/ %ou are a child. 7riests are poor historians/ an%!a%.
7erhaps because their histor% shames themDE
Ea pur)a/E Langdon heard himself sa%. ESixteen sixt%-eight. +he church branded four )lluminati scientists !ith the
s%mbol of the cross. +o purge their sins.E
E#ho is spea"ingDE the voice demanded/ sounding more intrigued than concerned. E#ho else is thereDE
Langdon felt sha"%. E=% name is not important/E he said/ tr%ing to "eep his voice from !avering. Spea"ing to a
living )lluminatus !as disorienting for him* li"e spea"ing to 8eorge #ashington. E) am an academic !ho has studied
the histor% of %our brotherhood.E
ESuperb/E the voice replied. E) am pleased there are still those alive !ho remember the crimes against us.E
E=ost of us thin" %ou are dead.E
E misconception the brotherhood has !or"ed hard to promote. #hat else do %ou "no! of la pur)aDE
Langdon hesitated. 3hat else %o " know1 That this whole situation is insanity- that+s what " know# Efter the
brandings/ the scientists !ere murdered/ and their bodies !ere dropped in public locations around Rome as a !arning to
other scientists not to 0oin the )lluminati.E
EBes. So !e shall do the same. 4ui% pro =uo. ,onsider it s%mbolic retribution for our slain brothers. Bour four
cardinals !ill die/ one ever% hour starting at eight. 4% midnight the !hole !orld !ill be enthralled.E
Langdon moved to!ard the phone. EBou actuall% intend to 'ran% and "ill these four menDE
E$istor% repeats itself/ does it notD 9f course/ !e !ill be more elegant and bold than the church !as. +he% "illed
privatel%/ dropping bodies !hen no one !as loo"ing. )t seems so co!ardl%.E
E#hat are %ou sa%ingDE Langdon as"ed. E+hat %ou are going to brand and "ill these men in pu'licDE
E.er% good. lthough it depends !hat %ou consider public. ) reali&e not man% people go to church an%more.E
Langdon did a double ta"e. EBou@re going to "ill them in churchesDE
E gesture of "indness. 1nabling 8od to command their souls to heaven more expeditiousl%. )t seems onl% right. 9f
course the press !ill en0o% it too/ ) imagine.E
EBou@re bluffing/E 9livetti said/ the cool bac" in his voice. EBou cannot "ill a man in a church and expect to get
a!a% !ith it.E
E4luffingD #e move among %our S!iss 8uard li"e ghosts/ remove four of %our cardinals from !ithin %our !alls/
plant a deadl% explosive at the heart of %our most sacred shrine/ and %ou thin" this is a bluffD s the "illings occur and
the victims are found/ the media !ill s!arm. 4% midnight the !orld !ill "no! the )lluminati cause.E
End if !e sta"e guards in ever% churchDE 9livetti said.
+he caller laughed. E) fear the prolific nature of %our religion !ill ma"e that a tr%ing tas". $ave %ou not counted
latel%D +here are over four hundred ,atholic churches in Rome. ,athedrals/ chapels/ tabernacles/ abbe%s/ monasteries/
convents/ parochial schools*E
9livetti@s face remained hard.
E)n ninet% minutes it begins/E the caller said !ith a note of finalit%. E9ne an hour. mathematical progression of
death. <o! ) must go.E
E#aitFE Langdon demanded. E+ell me about the brands %ou intend to use on these men.E
+he "iller sounded amused. E) suspect %ou "no! !hat the brands !ill be alread%. 9r perhaps %ou are a s"epticD
Bou !ill see them soon enough. 7roof the ancient legends are true.E
Langdon felt light-headed. $e "ne! exactl% !hat the man !as claiming. Langdon pictured the brand on Leonardo
.etra@s chest. )lluminati fol"lore spo"e of five brands in all. Four 'ran%s are le&t/ Langdon thought/ an% &our missin)
car%inals.
E) am s!orn/E the camerlegno said/ Eto bring a ne! 7ope tonight. S!orn b% 8od.E
E,amerlegno/E the caller said/ Ethe !orld does not need a ne! 7ope. fter midnight he !ill have nothing to rule
over but a pile of rubble. +he ,atholic ,hurch is finished. Bour run on earth is done.E
Silence hung.
+he camerlegno loo"ed sincerel% sad. EBou are misguided. church is more than mortar and stone. Bou cannot
simpl% erase t!o thousand %ears of faith* any faith. Bou cannot crush faith simpl% b% removing its earthl%
manifestations. +he ,atholic ,hurch !ill continue !ith or !ithout .atican ,it%.E
E noble lie. 4ut a lie all the same. #e both "no! the truth. +ell me/ !h% is .atican ,it% a !alled citadelDE
E=en of 8od live in a dangerous !orld/E the camerlegno said.
E$o! %oung are %ouD +he .atican is a fortress because the ,atholic ,hurch holds half of its equit% insi%e its
!alls'rare paintings/ sculpture/ devalued 0e!els/ priceless boo"s* then there is the gold bullion and the real estate
deeds inside the .atican 4an" vaults. )nside estimates put the ra! value of .atican ,it% at 2G.A billion dollars. Iuite a
nest egg %ou@re sitting on. +omorro! it !ill be ash. Liquidated assets as it !ere. Bou !ill be ban"rupt. <ot even men of
cloth can !or" for nothing.E
+he accurac% of the statement seemed to be reflected in 9livetti@s and the camerlegno@s shell -shoc"ed loo"s.
Langdon !asn@t sure !hat !as more ama&ing/ that the ,atholic ,hurch had that "ind of mone%/ or that the )lluminati
someho! "ne! about it.
+he camerlegno sighed heavil%. EFaith/ not mone%/ is the bac"bone of this church.E
E=ore lies/E the caller said. ELast %ear %ou spent 1GO million dollars tr%ing to support %our struggling dioceses
!orld!ide. ,hurch attendance is at an all-time lo!'do!n fort%-six percent in the last decade. ;onations are half !hat
the% !ere onl% seven %ears ago. Fe!er and fe!er men are entering the seminar%. lthough %ou !ill not admit it/ %our
church is d%ing. ,onsider this a chance to go out !ith a bang.E
9livetti stepped for!ard. $e seemed less combative no!/ as if he no! sensed the realit% facing him. $e loo"ed li"e
a man searching for an out. n% out. End !hat if some of that bullion !ent to fund your causeDE
E;o not insult us both.E
E#e have mone%.E
Es do !e. =ore than %ou can fathom.E
Langdon flashed on the alleged )lluminati fortunes/ the ancient !ealth of the 4avarian stone masons/ the
Rothschilds/ the 4ilderbergers/ the legendar% )lluminati ;iamond.
E" pre&eriti/E the camerlegno said/ changing the sub0ect. $is voice !as pleading. ESpare them. +he% are old. +he%'E
E+he% are virgin sacrifices.E +he caller laughed. E+ell me/ do %ou thin" the% are really virginsD #ill the little lambs
squeal !hen the% dieD $acri&ici !er)ini nell+ altare %i scien/a.E
+he camerlegno !as silent for a long time. E+he% are men of faith/E he finall% said. E+he% do not fear death.E
+he caller sneered. ELeonardo .etra !as a man of faith/ and %et ) sa! fear in his e%es last night. fear ) removed.E
.ittoria/ !ho had been silent/ !as suddenl% airborne/ her bod% taut !ith hatred. E(sino# $e !as m% fatherFE
cac"le echoed from the spea"er. EBour fatherD #hat is thisD .etra has a daughterD Bou should "no! %our father
!himpered li"e a child at the end. 7itiful reall%. pathetic man.E
.ittoria reeled as if "noc"ed bac"!ard b% the !ords. Langdon reached for her/ but she regained her balance and
fixed her dar" e%es on the phone. E) s!ear on m% life/ before this night is over/ ) !ill find %ou.E $er voice sharpened
li"e a laser. End !hen ) do*E
+he caller laughed coarsel%. E !oman of spirit. ) am aroused. 7erhaps before this night is over/ ) !ill find you.
nd !hen ) do*E
+he !ords hung li"e a blade. +hen he !as gone.
$"
,ardinal =ortati !as s!eating no! in his blac" robe. <ot onl% !as the Sistine ,hapel starting to feel li"e a sauna/
but conclave !as scheduled to begin in t!ent% minutes/ and there !as still no !ord on the four missing cardinals. )n
their absence/ the initial !hispers of confusion among the other cardinals had turned to outspo"en anxiet%.
=ortati could not imagine !here the truant men could be. 3ith the camerle)no perhaps1 $e "ne! the camerlegno
had held the traditional private tea for the four pre&eriti earlier that afternoon/ but that had been hours ago. 3ere they
ill1 $omethin) they ate1 =ortati doubted it. 1ven on the verge of death the pre&eriti !ould be here. )t !as once in a
lifetime/ usuall% ne!er/ that a cardinal had the chance to be elected Supreme 7ontiff/ and b% .atican La! the cardinal
had to be insi%e the Sistine ,hapel !hen the vote too" place. 9ther!ise/ he !as ineligible.
lthough there !ere four pre&eriti/ fe! cardinals had an% doubt !ho the next 7ope !ould be. +he past fifteen da%s
had seen a bli&&ard of faxes and phone calls discussing potential candidates. s !as the custom/ four names had been
chosen as pre&eriti/ each of them fulfilling the unspo"en requisites for becoming 7ope(
=ultilingual in )talian/ Spanish/ and 1nglish.
<o s"eletons in his closet.
4et!een sixt%-five and eight% %ears old.
s usual/ one of the preferiti had risen above the others as the man the college proposed to elect. +onight that man
!as ,ardinal ldo 4aggia from =ilan. 4aggia@s untainted record of service/ combined !ith unparalleled language
s"ills and the abilit% to communicate the essence of spiritualit%/ had made him the clear favorite.
$o where the %e!il is he1 =ortati !ondered.
=ortati !as particularl% unnerved b% the missing cardinals because the tas" of supervising this conclave had fallen
to him. !ee" ago/ the ,ollege of ,ardinals had unanimousl% chosen =ortati for the office "no!n as The *reat
Elector'the conclave@s internal master of ceremonies. 1ven though the camerlegno !as the church@s ran"ing official/
the camerlegno !as onl% a priest and had little familiarit% !ith the complex election process/ so one cardinal !as
selected to oversee the ceremon% from !ithin the Sistine ,hapel.
,ardinals often 0o"ed that being appointed +he 8reat 1lector !as the cruelest honor in ,hristendom. +he
appointment made one ineli)i'le as a candidate during the election/ and it also required one spend man% da%s prior to
conclave poring over the pages of the Bni!ersi @ominici *re)is revie!ing the subtleties of conclave@s arcane rituals to
ensure the election !as properl% administered.
=ortati held no grudge/ though. $e "ne! he !as the logical choice. <ot onl% !as he the senior cardinal/ but he had
also been a confidant of the late 7ope/ a fact that elevated his esteem. lthough =ortati !as technicall% still !ithin the
legal age !indo! for election/ he !as getting a bit old to be a serious candidate. t sevent%-nine %ears old he had
crossed the unspo"en threshold be%ond !hich the college no longer trusted one@s health to !ithstand the rigorous
schedule of the papac%. 7ope usuall% !or"ed fourteen-hour da%s/ seven da%s a !ee"/ and died of exhaustion in an
average of R.O %ears. +he inside 0o"e !as that accepting the papac% !as a cardinal@s Efastest route to heaven.E
=ortati/ man% believed/ could have been 7ope in his %ounger da%s had he not been so broad-minded. #hen it came
to pursuing the papac%/ there !as a $ol% +rinit%',onservative. ,onservative. ,onservative.
=ortati had al!a%s found it pleasantl% ironic that the late 7ope/ 8od rest his soul/ had revealed himself as
surprisingl% liberal once he had ta"en office. 7erhaps sensing the modern !orld progressing a!a% from the church/ the
7ope had made overtures/ softening the church@s position on the sciences/ even donating mone% to selective scientific
causes. Sadl%/ it had been political suicide. ,onservative ,atholics declared the 7ope Esenile/E !hile scientific purists
accused him of tr%ing to spread the church@s influence !here it did not belong.
ESo !here are the%DE
=ortati turned.
9ne of the cardinals !as tapping him nervousl% on the shoulder. EBou "no! !here the% are/ don@t %ouDE
=ortati tried not to sho! too much concern. E7erhaps still !ith the camerlegno.E
Et this hourD +hat !ould be highl% unorthodoxFE +he cardinal fro!ned mistrustingl%. E7erhaps the camerlegno
lost trac" of timeDE
=ortati sincerel% doubted it/ but he said nothing. $e !as !ell a!are that most cardinals did not much care for the
camerlegno/ feeling he !as too %oung to serve the 7ope so closel%. =ortati suspected much of the cardinals@ disli"e !as
0ealous%/ and =ortati actuall% admired the %oung man/ secretl% applauding the late 7ope@s selection for chamberlain.
=ortati sa! onl% conviction !hen he loo"ed in the camerlegno@s e%es/ and unli"e man% of the cardinals/ the
camerlegno put church and faith before pett% politics. $e !as trul% a man of 8od.
+hroughout his tenure/ the camerlegno@s steadfast devotion had become legendar%. =an% attributed it to the
miraculous event in his childhood* an event that !ould have left a permanent impression on an% man@s heart. The
miracle an% won%er o& it/ =ortati thought/ often !ishing his o!n childhood had presented an event that fostered that
"ind of doubtless faith.
:nfortunatel% for the church/ =ortati "ne!/ the camerlegno !ould never become 7ope in his elder %ears. ttaining
the papac% required a certain amount of political ambition/ something the %oung camerlegno apparentl% lac"edJ he had
refused his 7ope@s offers for higher clerical stations man% times/ sa%ing he preferred to serve the church as a simple
man.
E#hat nextDE +he cardinal tapped =ortati/ !aiting.
=ortati loo"ed up. E)@m sorr%DE
E+he%@re lateF #hat shall !e doDE
E#hat can !e doDE =ortati replied. E#e !ait. nd have faith.E
Loo"ing entirel% unsatisfied !ith =ortati@s response/ the cardinal shrun" bac" into the shado!s.
=ortati stood a moment/ dabbing his temples and tr%ing to clear his mind. "n%ee%- what shall we %o1 $e ga&ed past
the altar up to =ichelangelo@s reno!ned fresco/ E+he Last 5udgment.E +he painting did nothing to soothe his anxiet%. )t
!as a horrif%ing/ fift%-foot-tall depiction of 5esus ,hrist separating man"ind into the righteous and sinners/ casting the
sinners into hell. +here !as fla%ed flesh/ burning bodies/ and even one of =ichelangelo@s rivals sitting in hell !earing
ass@s ears. 8u% de =aupassant had once !ritten that the painting loo"ed li"e something painted for a carnival !restling
booth b% an ignorant coal heaver.
,ardinal =ortati had to agree.
$#
Langdon stood motionless at the 7ope@s bulletproof !indo! and ga&ed do!n at the bustle of media trailers in St.
7eter@s Square. +he eerie phone conversation had left him feeling turgid* distended someho!. <ot himself.
+he )lluminati/ li"e a serpent from the forgotten depths of histor%/ had risen and !rapped themselves around an
ancient foe. <o demands. <o negotiation. 5ust retribution. ;emonicall% simple. Squee&ing. revenge 233 %ears in the
ma"ing. )t seemed that after centuries of persecution/ science had bitten bac".
+he camerlegno stood at his des"/ staring blan"l% at the phone. 9livetti !as the first to brea" the silence. E,arlo/E
he said/ using the camerlegno@s first name and sounding more li"e a !ear% friend than an officer. EFor t!ent%-six %ears/
) have s!orn m% life to the protection of this office. )t seems tonight ) am dishonored.E
+he camerlegno shoo" his head. EBou and ) serve 8od in different capacities/ but service al!a%s brings honor.E
E+hese events* ) can@t imagine ho!* this situation*E 9livetti loo"ed over!helmed.
EBou reali&e !e have onl% one possible course of action. ) have a responsibilit% for the safet% of the ,ollege of
,ardinals.E
E) fear that responsibilit% !as mine/ signore.E
E+hen %our men !ill oversee the immediate evacuation.E
ESignoreDE
E9ther options can be exercised later'a search for this device/ a manhunt for the missing cardinals and their
captors. 4ut first the cardinals must be ta"en to safet%. +he sanctit% of human life !eighs above all. +hose men are the
foundation of this church.E
EBou suggest !e cancel conclave right no!DE
E;o ) have a choiceDE
E#hat about %our charge to bring a ne! 7opeDE
+he %oung chamberlain sighed and turned to the !indo!/ his e%es drifting out onto the spra!l of Rome belo!. E$is
$oliness once told me that a 7ope is a man torn bet!een t!o !orlds* the real !orld and the divine. $e !arned that
an% church that ignored realit% !ould not survive to en0o% the divine.E $is voice sounded suddenl% !ise for its %ears.
E+he real !orld is upon us tonight. #e !ould be vain to ignore it. 7ride and precedent cannot overshado! reason.E
9livetti nodded/ loo"ing impressed. E) have underestimated %ou/ signore.E
+he camerlegno did not seem to hear. $is ga&e !as distant on the !indo!.
E) !ill spea" openl%/ signore. +he real !orld is my !orld. ) immerse m%self in its ugliness ever% da% such that
others are unencumbered to see" something more pure. Let me advise %ou on the present situation. )t is !hat ) am
trained for. Bour instincts/ though !orth%* could be disastrous.E
+he camerlegno turned.
9livetti sighed. E+he evacuation of the ,ollege of ,ardinals from the Sistine ,hapel is the !orst possible thing %ou
could do right no!.E
+he camerlegno did not loo" indignant/ onl% at a loss. E#hat do %ou suggestDE
ESa% nothing to the cardinals. Seal conclave. )t !ill bu% us time to tr% other options.E
+he camerlegno loo"ed troubled. Ere %ou suggesting ) loc" the entire ,ollege of ,ardinals on top of a time
bombDE
EBes/ signore. For no!. Later/ if need be/ !e can arrange evacuation.E
+he camerlegno shoo" his head. E7ostponing the ceremon% 'e&ore it starts is grounds alone for an inquir%/ but after
the doors are sealed nothing intervenes. ,onclave procedure obligates'E
EReal !orld/ signore. Bou@re in it tonight. Listen closel%.E 9livetti spo"e no! !ith the efficient rattle of a field
officer. E=arching one hundred sixt%-five cardinals unprepared and unprotected into Rome !ould be rec"less. )t !ould
cause confusion and panic in some ver% old men/ and fran"l%/ one fatal stro"e this month is enough.E
9ne &atal stroke. +he commander@s !ords recalled the headlines Langdon had read over dinner !ith some students
in the $arvard ,ommons(
o,e su44ers stroke(
Dies in slee,(
E)n addition/E 9livetti said/ Ethe Sistine ,hapel is a fortress. lthough !e don@t advertise the fact/ the structure is
heavil% reinforced and can repel an% attac" short of missiles. s preparation !e searched ever% inch of the chapel this
afternoon/ scanning for bugs and other surveillance equipment. +he chapel is clean/ a safe haven/ and ) am confident the
antimatter is not inside. +here is no safer place those men can be right no!. #e can al!a%s discuss emergenc%
evacuation later if it comes to that.E
Langdon !as impressed. 9livetti@s cold/ smart logic reminded him of 6ohler.
E,ommander/E .ittoria said/ her voice tense/ Ethere are other concerns. <obod% has ever created this much
antimatter. +he blast radius/ ) can onl% estimate. Some of surrounding Rome ma% be in danger. )f the canister is in one
of %our central buildings or underground/ the effect outside these !alls ma% be minimal/ but if the canister is near the
perimeter* in this building for example*E She glanced !aril% out the !indo! at the cro!d in St. 7eter@s Square.
E) am !ell a!are of m% responsibilities to the outside !orld/E 9livetti replied/ Eand it ma"es this situation no more
grave. +he protection of this sanctuar% has been m% sole charge for over t!o decades. ) have no intention of allo!ing
this !eapon to detonate.E
,amerlegno .entresca loo"ed up. EBou thin" %ou can &in% itDE
ELet me discuss our options !ith some of m% surveillance specialists. +here is a possibilit%/ if !e "ill po!er to
.atican ,it%/ that !e can eliminate the bac"ground RF and create a clean enough environment to get a reading on that
canister@s magnetic field.E
.ittoria loo"ed surprised/ and then impressed. EBou !ant to 'lack out .atican ,it%DE
E7ossibl%. ) don@t %et "no! if it@s possible/ but it is one option ) !ant to explore.E
E+he cardinals !ould certainl% !onder !hat happened/E .ittoria remar"ed.
9livetti shoo" his head. E,onclaves are held b% candlelight. +he cardinals !ould never "no!. fter conclave is
sealed/ ) could pull all except a fe! of m% perimeter guards and begin a search. hundred men could cover a lot of
ground in five hours.E
EFour hours/E .ittoria corrected. E) need to fl% the canister bac" to ,1R<. ;etonation is unavoidable !ithout
recharging the batteries.E
E+here@s no !a% to recharge hereDE
.ittoria shoo" her head. E+he interface is complex. )@d have brought it if ) could.E
EFour hours then/E 9livetti said/ fro!ning. EStill time enough. 7anic serves no one. Signore/ %ou have ten minutes.
8o to the chapel/ seal conclave. 8ive m% men some time to do their 0ob. s !e get closer to the critical hour/ !e !ill
ma"e the critical decisions.E
Langdon !ondered ho! close to Ethe critical hourE 9livetti !ould let things get.
+he camerlegno loo"ed troubled. E4ut the college !ill as" about the pre&eriti* especiall% about 4aggia* !here
the% are.E
E+hen %ou !ill have to thin" of something/ signore. +ell them %ou served the four cardinals something at tea that
disagreed !ith them.E
+he camerlegno loo"ed riled. EStand on the altar of the Sistine ,hapel and lie to the ,ollege of ,ardinalsDE
EFor their o!n safet%. Bna 'u)ia !eniale. !hite lie. Bour 0ob !ill be to "eep the peace.E 9livetti headed for the
door. E<o! if %ou !ill excuse me/ ) need to get started.E
E,omandante/E the camerlegno urged/ E!e cannot simpl% turn our bac"s on missing cardinals.E
9livetti stopped in the door!a%. E4aggia and the others are currentl% outside our sphere of influence. #e must let
them go* for the good of the !hole. +he militar% calls it tria)e.E
E;on@t %ou mean a'an%onmentDE
$is voice hardened. E)f there !ere any !a%/ signore* an% !a% in heaven to locate those four cardinals/ ) !ould la%
do!n m% life to do it. nd %et*E $e pointed across the room at the !indo! !here the earl% evening sun glinted off an
endless sea of Roman rooftops. ESearching a cit% of five million is not !ithin m% po!er. ) !ill not !aste precious time
to appease m% conscience in a futile exercise. )@m sorr%.E
.ittoria spo"e suddenl%. E4ut if !e cau)ht the "iller/ couldn@t %ou ma"e him tal"DE
9livetti fro!ned at her. ESoldiers cannot afford to be saints/ =s. .etra. 4elieve me/ ) empathi&e !ith %our personal
incentive to catch this man.E
E)t@s not onl% personal/E she said. E+he killer "no!s !here the antimatter is* an% the missing cardinals. )f !e
could someho! find him*E
E7la% into their handsDE 9livetti said. E4elieve me/ removing all protection from .atican ,it% in order to sta"e out
hundreds of churches is !hat the )lluminati hope !e !ill do* !asting precious time and manpo!er !hen !e should be
searching* or !orse %et/ leaving the .atican 4an" totall% unprotected. <ot to mention the remaining cardinals.E
+he point hit home.
E$o! about the Roman 7oliceDE the camerlegno as"ed. E#e could alert cit%!ide enforcement of the crisis. 1nlist
their help in finding the cardinals@ captor.E
Enother mista"e/E 9livetti said. EBou "no! ho! the Roman Car'onieri feel about us. #e@d get a half-hearted
effort of a fe! men in exchange for their selling our crisis to the global media. 1xactl% !hat our enemies !ant. #e@ll
have to deal !ith the media soon enough as it is.E
" will make your car%inals me%ia luminaries/ Langdon thought/ recalling the "iller@s !ords. The &irst car%inal+s
'o%y appears at ei)ht o+clock. Then one e!ery hour. The press will lo!e it.
+he camerlegno !as tal"ing again/ a trace of anger in his voice. E,ommander/ !e cannot in good conscience do
nothin) about the missing cardinalsFE
9livetti loo"ed the camerlegno dead in the e%e. E+he pra%er of St. Francis/ signore. ;o %ou recall itDE
+he %oung priest spo"e the single line !ith pain in his voice. E8od/ grant me strength to accept those things )
cannot change.E
E+rust me/E 9livetti said. EThis is one of those things.E +hen he !as gone.
$$
+he central office of the British Broa%cast Corporation >44,? is in London 0ust !est of 7iccadill% ,ircus. +he
s!itchboard phone rang/ and a 0unior content editor pic"ed up.
E44,/E she said/ stubbing out her ;unhill cigarette.
+he voice on the line !as rasp%/ !ith a =id-1ast accent. E) have a brea"ing stor% %our net!or" might be interested
in.E
+he editor too" out a pen and a standard Lead Sheet. ERegardingDE
E+he papal election.E
She fro!ned !earil%. +he 44, had run a preliminar% stor% %esterda% to mediocre response. +he public/ it seemed/
had little interest in .atican ,it%. E#hat@s the angleDE
E;o %ou have a +. reporter in Rome covering the electionDE
E) believe so.E
E) need to spea" to him directl%.E
E)@m sorr%/ but ) cannot give %ou that number !ithout some idea'E
E+here is a threat to the conclave. +hat is all ) can tell %ou.E
+he editor too" notes. EBour nameDE
E=% name is immaterial.E
+he editor !as not surprised. End %ou have proof of this claimDE
E) do.E
E) !ould be happ% to ta"e the information/ but it is not our polic% to give out our reporters@ numbers unless'E
E) understand. ) !ill call another net!or". +han" %ou for %our time. 8ood-b'E
E5ust a moment/E she said. E,an %ou holdDE
+he editor put the caller on hold and stretched her nec". +he art of screening out potential cran" calls !as b% no
means a perfect science/ but this caller had 0ust passed the 44,@s t!o tacit tests for authenticit% of a phone source. $e
had refused to give his name/ and he !as eager to get off the phone. $ac"s and glor% hounds usuall% !hined and
pleaded.
Fortunatel% for her/ reporters lived in eternal fear of missing the big stor%/ so the% seldom chastised her for passing
along the occasional delusional ps%chotic. #asting five minutes of a reporter@s time !as forgivable. =issing a headline
!as not.
Ba!ning/ she loo"ed at her computer and t%ped in the "e%!ords E.atican ,it%.E #hen she sa! the name of the
field reporter covering the papal election/ she chuc"led to herself. $e !as a ne! gu% the 44, had 0ust brought up from
some trash% London tabloid to handle some of the 44,@s more mundane coverage. 1ditorial had obviousl% started him
at the bottom rung.
$e !as probabl% bored out of his mind/ !aiting all night to record his live ten-second video spot. $e !ould most
li"el% be grateful for a brea" in the monoton%.
+he 44, content editor copied do!n the reporter@s satellite extension in .atican ,it%. +hen/ lighting another
cigarette/ she gave the anon%mous caller the reporter@s number.
$%
E)t !on@t !or"/E .ittoria said/ pacing the 7ope@s office. She loo"ed up at the camerlegno. E1ven if a S!iss 8uard
team can filter electronic interference/ the% !ill have to be practicall% on top of the canister before the% detect an%
signal. nd that@s if the canister is even accessible* unenclosed b% other barriers. #hat if it@s buried in a metal box
some!here on %our groundsD 9r up in a metal ventilating duct. +here@s no !a% the%@ll trace it. nd !hat if the S!iss
8uards ha!e been infiltratedD #ho@s to sa% the search !ill be cleanDE
+he camerlegno loo"ed drained. E#hat are %ou proposing/ =s. .etraDE
.ittoria felt flustered. "sn+t it o'!ious1 E) am proposing/ sir/ that %ou ta"e other precautions imme%iately. #e can
hope against all hope that the commander@s search is successful. t the same time/ loo" out the !indo!. ;o %ou see
those peopleD +hose buildings across the pia&&aD +hose media vansD +he touristsD +he% are quite possibl% !ithin range
of the blast. Bou need to act now.E
+he camerlegno nodded vacantl%.
.ittoria felt frustrated. 9livetti had convinced ever%one there !as plent% of time. 4ut .ittoria "ne! if ne!s of the
.atican predicament lea"ed out/ the entire area could fill !ith onloo"ers in a matter of minutes. She had seen it once
outside the S!iss 7arliament building. ;uring a hostage situation involving a bomb/ thousands had congregated outside
the building to !itness the outcome. ;espite police !arnings that the% !ere in danger/ the cro!d pac"ed in closer and
closer. <othing captured human interest li"e human traged%.
ESignore/E .ittoria urged/ Ethe man !ho "illed m% father is out there some!here. 1ver% cell in this bod% !ants to
run from here and hunt him do!n. 4ut ) am standing in %our office* because ) have a responsibilit% to %ou. +o %ou and
others. Lives are in danger/ signore. ;o %ou hear meDE
+he camerlegno did not ans!er.
.ittoria could hear her o!n heart racing. 3hy coul%n+t the $wiss *uar% trace that %amn caller1 The "lluminati
assassin is the key# 0e knows where the antimatter is* hell- he knows where the car%inals are# Catch the killer- an%
e!erythin) is sol!e%.
.ittoria sensed she !as starting to come unhinged/ an alien distress she recalled onl% faintl% from childhood/ the
orphanage %ears/ frustration !ith no tools to handle it. You ha!e tools/ she told herself/ you always ha!e tools. 4ut it
!as no use. $er thoughts intruded/ strangling her. She !as a researcher and problem solver. 4ut this !as a problem
!ith no solution. 3hat %ata %o you re=uire1 3hat %o you want1 She told herself to breathe deepl%/ but for the first time
in her life/ she could not. She !as suffocating.
Langdon@s head ached/ and he felt li"e he !as s"irting the edges of rationalit%. $e !atched .ittoria and the
camerlegno/ but his vision !as blurred b% hideous images( explosions/ press s!arming/ cameras rolling/ four branded
humans.
$haitan* uci&er* Brin)er o& li)ht* $atan*
$e shoo" the fiendish images from his mind. Calculate% terrorism/ he reminded himself/ grasping at realit%.
Planne% chaos. $e thought bac" to a Radcliffe seminar he had once audited !hile researching praetorian s%mbolism.
$e had never seen terrorists the same !a% since.
E+errorism/E the professor had lectured/ Ehas a singular goal. #hat is itDE
E6illing innocent peopleDE a student ventured.
E)ncorrect. ;eath is onl% a 'ypro%uct of terrorism.E
E sho! of strengthDE
E<o. !ea"er persuasion does not exist.E
E+o cause terrorDE
E,oncisel% put. Iuite simpl%/ the goal of terrorism is to create terror and fear. Fear undermines faith in the
establishment. )t !ea"ens the enem% from !ithin* causing unrest in the masses. #rite this do!n. +errorism is not an
expression of rage. +errorism is a political !eapon. Remove a government@s faWade of infallibilit%/ and %ou remove its
people@s faith.E
oss o& &aith*
)s that !hat this !as all aboutD Langdon !ondered ho! ,hristians of the !orld !ould react to cardinals being laid
out li"e mutilated dogs. )f the faith of a canoni&ed priest did not protect him from the evils of Satan/ !hat hope !as
there for the rest of usD Langdon@s head !as pounding louder no!* tin% voices pla%ing tug of !ar.
Faith %oes not protect you. ,e%icine an% air'a)s* those are thin)s that protect you. *o% %oes not protect you.
"ntelli)ence protects you. Enli)htenment. Put your &aith in somethin) with tan)i'le results. 0ow lon) has it 'een since
someone walke% on water1 ,o%ern miracles 'elon) to science* computers- !accines- space stations* e!en the %i!ine
miracle o& creation. ,atter &rom nothin)* in a la'. 3ho nee%s *o%1 No# $cience is *o%.
+he "iller@s voice resonated in Langdon@s mind. ,i%ni)ht* mathematical pro)ression o& %eath* sacri&ici !er)ini
nell+ altare %i scien/a.E
+hen suddenl%/ li"e a cro!d dispersed b% a single gunshot/ the voices !ere gone.
Robert Langdon bolted to his feet. $is chair fell bac"!ard and crashed on the marble floor.
.ittoria and the camerlegno 0umped.
E) missed it/E Langdon !hispered/ spellbound. E)t !as right in front of me*E
E=issed !hatDE .ittoria demanded.
Langdon turned to the priest. EFather/ for three %ears ) have petitioned this office for access to the .atican
rchives. ) have been denied seven times.E
E=r. Langdon/ ) am sorr%/ but this hardl% seems the moment to raise such complaints.E
E) need access immediatel%. +he four missing cardinals. ) ma% be able to figure out !here the%@re going to be
"illed.E
.ittoria stared/ loo"ing certain she had misunderstood.
+he camerlegno loo"ed troubled/ as if he !ere the brunt of a cruel 0o"e. EBou expect me to believe this information
is in our archi!esDE
E) can@t promise ) can locate it in time/ but if %ou let me in*E
E=r. Langdon/ ) am due in the Sistine ,hapel in four minutes. +he archives are across .atican ,it%.E
EBou@re serious aren@t %ouDE .ittoria interrupted/ staring deep into Langdon@s e%es/ seeming to sense his
earnestness.
E$ardl% a 0o"ing time/E Langdon said.
EFather/E .ittoria said/ turning to the camerlegno/ Eif there@s a chance* an% at all of finding !here these "illings
are going to happen/ !e could sta"e out the locations and'E
E4ut the archivesDE the camerlegno insisted. E$o! could the% possibl% contain an% clueDE
E1xplaining it/E Langdon said/ E!ill ta"e longer than %ou@ve got. 4ut if )@m right/ !e can use the information to
catch the $assassin.E
+he camerlegno loo"ed as though he !anted to believe but someho! could not. E,hristianit%@s most sacred codices
are in that archive. +reasures ) m%self am not privileged enough to see.E
E) am a!are of that.E
Eccess is permitted onl% b% !ritten decree of the curator and the 4oard of .atican Librarians.E
E9r/E Langdon declared/ Eb% papal mandate. )t sa%s so in ever% re0ection letter %our curator ever sent me.E
+he camerlegno nodded.
E<ot to be rude/E Langdon urged/ Ebut if )@m not mista"en a papal mandate comes from this office. s far as ) can
tell/ tonight %ou hold the trust of his station. ,onsidering the circumstances*E
+he camerlegno pulled a poc"et !atch from his cassoc" and loo"ed at it. E=r. Langdon/ ) am prepared to give m%
life tonight/ quite literall%/ to save this church.E
Langdon sensed nothing but truth in the man@s e%es.
E+his document/E the camerlegno said/ Edo %ou trul% believe it is hereD nd that it can help us locate these four
churchesDE
E) !ould not have made countless solicitations for access if ) !ere not convinced. )tal% is a bit far to come on a lar"
!hen %ou ma"e a teacher@s salar%. +he document %ou have is an ancient'E
E7lease/E the camerlegno interrupted. EForgive me. =% mind cannot process an% more details at the moment. ;o
%ou "no! !here the secret archives are locatedDE
Langdon felt a rush of excitement. E5ust behind the Santa na 8ate.E
E)mpressive. =ost scholars believe it is through the secret door behind St. 7eter@s +hrone.E
E<o. +hat !ould be the rchivio della Reverenda di Fabbrica di S. 7ietro. common misconception.E
E librarian docent accompanies ever% entrant at all times. +onight/ the docents are gone. #hat %ou are requesting
is carte 'lanche access. <ot even our cardinals enter alone.E
E) !ill treat %our treasures !ith the utmost respect and care. Bour librarians !ill find not a trace that ) !as there.E
9verhead the bells of St. 7eter@s began to toll. +he camerlegno chec"ed his poc"et !atch. E) must go.E $e paused a
taut moment and loo"ed up at Langdon. E) !ill have a S!iss 8uard meet %ou at the archives. ) am giving %ou m% trust/
=r. Langdon. 8o no!.E
Langdon !as speechless.
+he %oung priest no! seemed to possess an eerie poise. Reaching over/ he squee&ed Langdon@s shoulder !ith
surprising strength. E) !ant %ou to find !hat %ou are loo"ing for. nd find it quic"l%.E
$&
+he Secret .atican rchives are located at the far end of the 4orgia ,ourt%ard directl% up a hill from the 8ate of
Santa na. +he% contain over C3/333 volumes and are rumored to hold such treasures as Leonardo da .inci@s missing
diaries and even unpublished boo"s of the $ol% 4ible.
Langdon strode po!erfull% up the deserted .ia della Fondamenta to!ard the archives/ his mind barel% able to
accept that he !as about to be granted access. .ittoria !as at his side/ "eeping pace effortlessl%. $er almond-scented
hair tossed lightl% in the bree&e/ and Langdon breathed it in. $e felt his thoughts stra%ing and reeled himself bac".
.ittoria said/ EBou going to tell me !hat !e@re loo"ing forDE
E little boo" !ritten b% a gu% named 8alileo.E
She sounded surprised. EBou don@t mess around. #hat@s in itDE
E)t is supposed to contain something called il se)no.E
E+he signDE
ESign/ clue/ signal* depends on %our translation.E
ESign to whatDE
Langdon pic"ed up the pace. E secret location. 8alileo@s )lluminati needed to protect themselves from the .atican/
so the% founded an ultrasecret )lluminati meeting place here in Rome. +he% called it +he ,hurch of )llumination.E
E7rett% bold calling a satanic lair a church.E
Langdon shoo" his head. E8alileo@s )lluminati !ere not the least bit satanic. +he% !ere scientists !ho revered
enlightenment. +heir meeting place !as simpl% !here the% could safel% congregate and discuss topics forbidden b% the
.atican. lthough !e "no! the secret lair existed/ to this da% nobod% has ever located it.E
ESounds li"e the )lluminati "no! ho! to "eep a secret.E
Ebsolutel%. )n fact/ the% never revealed the location of their hidea!a% to an%one outside the brotherhood. +his
secrec% protected them/ but it also posed a problem !hen it came to recruiting ne! members.E
E+he% couldn@t gro! if the% couldn@t advertise/E .ittoria said/ her legs and mind "eeping perfect pace.
E1xactl%. #ord of 8alileo@s brotherhood started to spread in the 1RO3s/ and scientists from around the !orld made
secret pilgrimages to Rome hoping to 0oin the )lluminati* eager for a chance to loo" through 8alileo@s telescope and
hear the master@s ideas. :nfortunatel%/ though/ because of the )lluminati@s secrec%/ scientists arriving in Rome never
"ne! !here to go for the meetings or to !hom the% could safel% spea". +he )lluminati !anted ne! blood/ but the%
could not afford to ris" their secrec% b% ma"ing their !hereabouts "no!n.E
.ittoria fro!ned. ESounds li"e a situa/ione sen/a solu/ione.E
E1xactl%. catch-CC/ as !e !ould sa%.E
ESo !hat did the% doDE
E+he% !ere scientists. +he% examined the problem and found a solution. brilliant one/ actuall%. +he )lluminati
created a "ind of ingenious map directing scientists to their sanctuar%.E
.ittoria loo"ed suddenl% s"eptical and slo!ed. E mapD Sounds careless. )f a cop% fell into the !rong hands*E
E)t couldn@t/E Langdon said. E<o copies existed an%!here. )t !as not the "ind of map that fit on paper. )t !as
enormous. bla&ed trail of sorts across the cit%.E
.ittoria slo!ed even further. Erro!s painted on side!al"sDE
E)n a sense/ %es/ but much more subtle. +he map consisted of a series of carefull% concealed s%mbolic mar"ers
placed in public locations around the cit%. 9ne mar"er led to the next* and the next* a trail* eventuall% leading to
the )lluminati lair.E
.ittoria e%ed him as"ance. ESounds li"e a treasure hunt.E
Langdon chuc"led. E)n a manner of spea"ing/ it is. +he )lluminati called their string of mar"ers P+he 7ath of
)llumination/@ and an%one !ho !anted to 0oin the brotherhood had to follo! it all the !a% to the end. "ind of test.E
E4ut if the .atican !anted to find the )lluminati/E .ittoria argued/ Ecouldn@t they simpl% follo! the mar"ersDE
E<o. +he path !as hidden. pu&&le/ constructed in such a !a% that onl% certain people !ould have the abilit% to
trac" the mar"ers and figure out !here the )lluminati church !as hidden. +he )lluminati intended it as a "ind of
initiation/ functioning not onl% as a securit% measure but also as a screening process to ensure that onl% the brightest
scientists arrived at their door.E
E) don@t bu% it. )n the 1R33s the clerg% !ere some of the most educated men in the !orld. )f these mar"ers !ere in
public locations/ certainl% there existed members of the .atican !ho could have figured it out.E
ESure/E Langdon said/ Eif the% had known about the mar"ers. 4ut the% didn@t. nd the% never noticed them because
the )lluminati designed them in such a !a% that clerics !ould never suspect !hat the% !ere. +he% used a method "no!n
in s%mbolog% as %issimulation.E
E,amouflage.E
Langdon !as impressed. EBou "no! the term.E
E@issimulacione/E she said. E<ature@s best defense. +r% spotting a trumpet fish floating verticall% in seagrass.E
E9"a%/E Langdon said. E+he )lluminati used the same concept. +he% created mar"ers that faded into the bac"drop
of ancient Rome. +he% couldn@t use ambigrams or scientific s%mbolog% because it !ould be far too conspicuous/ so
the% called on an )lluminati artist'the same anon%mous prodig% !ho had created their ambigrammatic s%mbol
P)lluminati@'and the% commissioned him to carve four sculptures.E
E)lluminati sculpturesDE
EBes/ sculptures !ith t!o strict guidelines. First/ the sculptures had to loo" li"e the rest of the art!or" in Rome*
art!or" that the .atican !ould ne!er suspect belonged to the )lluminati.E
EReli)ious art.E
Langdon nodded/ feeling a tinge of excitement/ tal"ing faster no!. End the secon% guideline !as that the four
sculptures had to have ver% specific themes. 1ach piece needed to be a subtle tribute to one of the four elements of
science.E
EFour elementsDE .ittoria said. E+here are over a hundred.E
E<ot in the 1R33s/E Langdon reminded her. E1arl% alchemists believed the entire universe !as made up of onl% four
substances( 1arth/ ir/ Fire/ and #ater.E
+he earl% cross/ Langdon "ne!/ !as the most common s%mbol of the four elements'four arms representing 1arth/
ir/ Fire/ and #ater. 4e%ond that/ though/ there existed literall% %o/ens of s%mbolic occurrences of 1arth/ ir/ Fire/ and
#ater throughout histor%'the 7%thagorean c%cles of life/ the ,hinese 0on)>Fan/ the 5ungian male and female
rudiments/ the quadrants of the Sodiac/ even the =uslims revered the four ancient elements* although in )slam the%
!ere "no!n as Esquares/ clouds/ lightning/ and !aves.E For Langdon/ though/ it !as a more modern usage that al!a%s
gave him chills'the =ason@s four m%stic grades of bsolute )nitiation( 1arth/ ir/ Fire/ and #ater.
.ittoria seemed m%stified. ESo this )lluminati artist created four pieces of art that looke% religious/ but !ere
actuall% tributes to 1arth/ ir/ Fire/ and #aterDE
E1xactl%/E Langdon said/ quic"l% turning up .ia Sentinel to!ard the archives. E+he pieces blended into the sea of
religious art!or" all over Rome. 4% donating the art!or" anon%mousl% to specific churches and then using their
political influence/ the brotherhood facilitated placement of these four pieces in carefull% chosen churches in Rome.
1ach piece of course !as a mar"er* subtl% pointing to the next church* !here the next mar"er a!aited. )t functioned
as a trail of clues disguised as religious art. )f an )lluminati candidate could find the first church and the mar"er for
1arth/ he could follo! it to ir* and then to Fire* and then to #ater* and finall% to the ,hurch of )llumination.E
.ittoria !as loo"ing less and less clear. End this has something to do !ith catching the )lluminati assassinDE
Langdon smiled as he pla%ed his ace. E9h/ %es. +he )lluminati called these four churches b% a ver% special name.
The (ltars o& $cience.E
.ittoria fro!ned. E)@m sorr%/ that means noth'E She stopped short. E+altare %i scien/a1E she exclaimed. E+he
)lluminati assassin. $e !arned that the cardinals !ould be virgin sacrifices on the altars of scienceFE
Langdon gave her a smile. EFour cardinals. Four churches. +he four altars of science.E
She loo"ed stunned. EBou@re sa%ing the four churches !here the cardinals !ill be sacrificed are the same four
churches that mar" the ancient 7ath of )lluminationDE
E) believe so/ %es.E
E4ut !h% !ould the "iller have given us that clueDE
E#h% notDE Langdon replied. E.er% fe! historians "no! about these sculptures. 1ven fe!er believe the% exist.
nd their locations have remained secret for four hundred %ears. <o doubt the )lluminati trusted the secret for another
five hours. 4esides/ the )lluminati don@t nee% their 7ath of )llumination an%more. +heir secret lair is probabl% long gone
an%!a%. +he% live in the modern !orld. +he% meet in ban" boardrooms/ eating clubs/ private golf courses. +onight the%
want to ma"e their secrets public. +his is their moment. +heir grand unveiling.E
Langdon feared the )lluminati unveiling !ould have a special s%mmetr% to it that he had not %et mentioned. The
&our 'ran%s. +he "iller had s!orn each cardinal !ould be branded !ith a different s%mbol. Proo& the ancient le)en%s
are true/ the "iller had said. +he legend of the four ambigrammatic brands !as as old as the )lluminati itself( earth/ air/
fire/ !ater'four !ords crafted in perfect s%mmetr%. 5ust li"e the !ord )lluminati. 1ach cardinal !as to be branded !ith
one of the ancient elements of science. +he rumor that the four brands !ere in En)lish rather than )talian remained a
point of debate among historians. 1nglish seemed a random deviation from their natural tongue* and the )lluminati did
nothing randoml%.
Langdon turned up the bric" path!a% before the archive building. 8hastl% images thrashed in his mind. +he overall
)lluminati plot !as starting to reveal its patient grandeur. +he brotherhood had vo!ed to sta% silent as long as it too"/
amassing enough influence and po!er that the% could resurface !ithout fear/ ma"e their stand/ fight their cause in broad
da%light. +he )lluminati !ere no longer about hiding. +he% !ere about flaunting their po!er/ confirming the
conspiratorial m%ths as fact. +onight !as a global publicit% stunt.
.ittoria said/ E$ere comes our escort.E Langdon loo"ed up to see a S!iss 8uard hurr%ing across an ad0acent la!n
to!ard the front door.
#hen the guard sa! them/ he stopped in his trac"s. $e stared at them/ as though he thought he !as hallucinating.
#ithout a !ord he turned a!a% and pulled out his !al"ie-tal"ie. pparentl% incredulous at !hat he !as being as"ed to
do/ the guard spo"e urgentl% to the person on the other end. +he angr% bar" coming bac" !as indecipherable to
Langdon/ but its message !as clear. +he guard slumped/ put a!a% the !al"ie-tal"ie/ and turned to them !ith a loo" of
discontent.
<ot a !ord !as spo"en as the guard guided them into the building. +he% passed through four steel doors/ t!o
pass"e% entries/ do!n a long stair!ell/ and into a fo%er !ith t!o combination "e%pads. 7assing through a high-tech
series of electronic gates/ the% arrived at the end of a long hall!a% outside a set of !ide oa" double doors. +he guard
stopped/ loo"ed them over again and/ mumbling under his breath/ !al"ed to a metal box on the !all. $e unloc"ed it/
reached inside/ and pressed a code. +he doors before them bu&&ed/ and the deadbolt fell open.
+he guard turned/ spea"ing to them for the first time. E+he archives are be%ond that door. ) have been instructed to
escort %ou this far and return for briefing on another matter.E
EBou@re leavingDE .ittoria demanded.
ES!iss 8uards are not cleared for access to the Secret rchives. Bou are here onl% because m% commander
received a direct order from the camerlegno.E
E4ut ho! do !e get outDE
E=onodirectional securit%. Bou !ill have no difficulties.E +hat being the entiret% of the conversation/ the guard
spun on his heel and marched off do!n the hall.
.ittoria made some comment/ but Langdon did not hear. $is mind !as fixed on the double doors before him/
!ondering !hat m%steries la% be%ond.
$.
lthough he "ne! time !as short/ ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca !al"ed slo!l%. $e needed the time alone to gather
his thoughts before facing opening pra%er. So much !as happening. s he moved in dim solitude do!n the <orthern
#ing/ the challenge of the past fifteen da%s !eighed heav% in his bones.
$e had follo!ed his hol% duties to the letter.
s !as .atican tradition/ follo!ing the 7ope@s death the camerlegno had personall% confirmed expiration b%
placing his fingers on the 7ope@s carotid arter%/ listening for breath/ and then calling the 7ope@s name three times. 4%
la! there !as no autops%. +hen he had sealed the 7ope@s bedroom/ destro%ed the papal fisherman@s ring/ shattered the
die used to ma"e lead seals/ and arranged for the funeral. +hat done/ he began preparations for the conclave.
Concla!e/ he thought. The &inal hur%le. )t !as one of the oldest traditions in ,hristendom. <o!ada%s/ because the
outcome of conclave !as usuall% "no!n before it began/ the process !as critici&ed as obsolete'more of a burlesque
than an election. +he camerlegno "ne!/ ho!ever/ this !as onl% a lac" of understanding. ,onclave !as not an election.
)t !as an ancient/ m%stic transference of po!er. +he tradition !as timeless* the secrec%/ the folded slips of paper/ the
burning of the ballots/ the mixing of ancient chemicals/ the smo"e signals.
s the camerlegno approached through the Loggias of 8regor% N)))/ he !ondered if ,ardinal =ortati !as in a
panic %et. ,ertainl% =ortati had noticed the pre&eriti !ere missing. #ithout them/ the voting !ould go on all night.
=ortati@s appointment as the 8reat 1lector/ the camerlegno assured himself/ !as a good one. +he man !as a freethin"er
and could spea" his mind. +he conclave !ould need a leader tonight more than ever.
s the camerlegno arrived at the top of the Ro%al Staircase/ he felt as though he !ere standing on the precipice of
his life. 1ven from up here he could hear the rumble of activit% in the Sistine ,hapel belo!'the uneas% chatter of 1RA
cardinals.
9ne hun%re% si;ty>one car%inals/ he corrected.
For an instant the camerlegno !as falling/ plummeting to!ard hell/ people screaming/ flames engulfing him/ stones
and blood raining from the s"%.
nd then silence.
#hen the child a!o"e/ he !as in heaven. 1ver%thing around him !as !hite. +he light !as blinding and pure.
lthough some !ould sa% a ten %ear old could not possibl% understand heaven/ the %oung ,arlo .entresca understood
heaven ver% !ell. $e !as in heaven right no!. #here else !ould he beD 1ven in his short decade on earth ,arlo had
felt the ma0est% of 8od'the thundering pipe organs/ the to!ering domes/ the voices raised in song/ the stained glass/
shimmering bron&e and gold. ,arlo@s mother/ =aria/ brought him to =ass ever% da%. +he church !as ,arlo@s home.
E#h% do !e come to =ass ever% single da%DE ,arlo as"ed/ not that he minded at all.
E4ecause ) promised 8od ) !ould/E she replied. End a promise to 8od is the most important promise of all. <ever
brea" a promise to 8od.E
,arlo promised her he !ould never brea" a promise to 8od. $e loved his mother more than an%thing in the !orld.
She !as his hol% angel. Sometimes he called her ,aria 'ene%etta'the 4lessed =ar%'although she did not li"e that at
all. $e "nelt !ith her as she pra%ed/ smelling the s!eet scent of her flesh and listening to the murmur of her voice as she
counted the rosar%. 0ail ,ary- ,other o& *o%* pray &or us sinners* now an% at the hour o& our %eath.
E#here is m% fatherDE ,arlo as"ed/ alread% "no!ing his father had died before he !as born.
E8od is %our father/ no!/E she !ould al!a%s repl%. EBou are a child of the church.E
,arlo loved that.
E#henever %ou feel frightened/E she said/ Eremember that 8od is %our father no!. $e !ill !atch over %ou and
protect %ou forever. 8od has 'i) plans for %ou/ ,arlo.E +he bo% "ne! she !as right. $e could alread% feel 8od in his
blood.
4lood*
Bloo% rainin) &rom the sky#
Silence. +hen heaven.
$is heaven/ ,arlo learned as the blinding lights !ere turned off/ !as actuall% the )ntensive ,are :nit in $anta
Clara 0ospital outside of 7alermo. ,arlo had been the sole survivor of a terrorist bombing that had collapsed a chapel
!here he and his mother had been attending =ass !hile on vacation. +hirt%-seven people had died/ including ,arlo@s
mother. +he papers called ,arlo@s survival The ,iracle o& $t. Francis. ,arlo had/ for some un"no!n reason/ onl%
moments before the blast/ left his mother@s side and ventured into a protected alcove to ponder a tapestr% depicting the
stor% of St. Francis.
*o% calle% me there/ he decided. 0e wante% to sa!e me.
,arlo !as delirious !ith pain. $e could still see his mother/ "neeling at the pe!/ blo!ing him a "iss/ and then !ith
a concussive roar/ her s!eet-smelling flesh !as torn apart. $e could still taste man@s e!il. 4lood sho!ered do!n. $is
mother@s bloodF +he blessed =ariaF
*o% will watch o!er you an% protect you &ore!er/ his mother had told him.
But where was *o% now#
+hen/ li"e a !orldl% manifestation of his mother@s truth/ a clerg%man had come to the hospital. $e !as not an%
clerg%man. $e !as a bishop. $e pra%ed over ,arlo. +he =iracle of St. Francis. #hen ,arlo recovered/ the bishop
arranged for him to live in a small monaster% attached to the cathedral over !hich the bishop presided. ,arlo lived and
tutored !ith the mon"s. $e even became an altar bo% for his ne! protector. +he bishop suggested ,arlo enter public
school/ but ,arlo refused. $e could not have been more happ% !ith his ne! home. $e no! trul% lived in the house of
8od.
1ver% night ,arlo pra%ed for his mother.
*o% sa!e% me &or a reason/ he thought. 3hat is the reason1
#hen ,arlo turned sixteen/ he !as obliged b% )talian la! to serve t!o %ears of reserve militar% training. +he
bishop told ,arlo that if he entered seminar% he !ould be exempt from this dut%. ,arlo told the priest that he planned to
enter seminar% but that first he needed to understand e!il.
+he bishop did not understand.
,arlo told him that if he !as going to spend his life in the church fighting evil/ first he had to understand it. $e
could not thin" of an% better place to understand evil than in the arm%. +he arm% used guns and bombs. ( 'om' kille%
my Blesse% mother#
+he bishop tried to dissuade him/ but ,arlo@s mind !as made up.
E4e careful/ m% son/E the bishop had said. End remember the church a!aits %ou !hen %ou return.E
,arlo@s t!o %ears of militar% service had been dreadful. ,arlo@s %outh had been one of silence and reflection. 4ut in
the arm% there !as no quiet for reflection. 1ndless noise. $uge machines ever%!here. <ot a moment of peace.
lthough the soldiers !ent to =ass once a !ee" at the barrac"s/ ,arlo did not sense 8od@s presence in an% of his fello!
soldiers. +heir minds !ere too filled !ith chaos to see 8od.
,arlo hated his ne! life and !anted to go home. 4ut he !as determined to stic" it out. $e had %et to understand
evil. $e refused to fire a gun/ so the militar% taught him ho! to fl% a medical helicopter. ,arlo hated the noise and the
smell/ but at least it let him fl% up in the s"% and be closer to his mother in heaven. #hen he !as informed his pilot@s
training included learning ho! to parachute/ ,arlo !as terrified. Still/ he had no choice.
*o% will protect me/ he told himself.
,arlo@s first parachute 0ump !as the most exhilarating ph%sical experience of his life. )t !as li"e fl%ing !ith 8od.
,arlo could not get enough* the silence* the floating* seeing his mother@s face in the billo!ing !hite clouds as he
soared to earth. *o% has plans &or you- Carlo. #hen he returned from the militar%/ ,arlo entered the seminar%.
+hat had been t!ent%-three %ears ago.
<o!/ as ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca descended the Ro%al Staircase/ he tried to comprehend the chain of events
that had delivered him to this extraordinar% crossroads.
('an%on all &ear/ he told himself/ an% )i!e this ni)ht o!er to *o%.
$e could see the great bron&e door of the Sistine ,hapel no!/ dutifull% protected b% four S!iss 8uards. +he guards
unbolted the door and pulled it open. )nside/ ever% head turned. +he camerlegno ga&ed out at the blac" robes and red
sashes before him. $e understood !hat 8od@s plans for him !ere. +he fate of the church had been placed in his hands.
+he camerlegno crossed himself and stepped over the threshold.
$5
44, 0ournalist 8unther 8lic" sat s!eating in the 44, net!or" van par"ed on the eastern edge of St. 7eter@s
Square and cursed his assignment editor. lthough 8lic"@s first monthl% revie! had come bac" filled !ith superlatives'
resourceful/ sharp/ dependable'here he !as in .atican ,it% on E7ope-#atch.E $e reminded himself that reporting for
the 44, carried a hell of a lot more credibilit% than fabricating fodder for the British Tattler/ but still/ this !as not his
idea of reporting.
8lic"@s assignment !as simple. )nsultingl% simple. $e !as to sit here !aiting for a bunch of old farts to elect their
next chief old fart/ then he !as to step outside and record a fifteen-second EliveE spot !ith the .atican as a bac"drop.
Brilliant.
8lic" couldn@t believe the 44, still sent reporters into the field to cover this schloc". You %on+t see the (merican
networks here toni)ht. 0ell no# +hat !as because the big bo%s did it right. +he% !atched ,<</ s%nopsi&ed it/ and then
filmed their EliveE report in front of a blue screen/ superimposing stoc" video for a realistic bac"drop. =S<4, even
used in-studio !ind and rain machines to give that on-the-scene authenticit%. .ie!ers didn@t !ant truth an%moreJ the%
!anted entertainment.
8lic" ga&ed out through the !indshield and felt more and more depressed b% the minute. +he imperial mountain of
.atican ,it% rose before him as a dismal reminder of !hat men could accomplish !hen the% put their minds to it.
E#hat have ) accomplished in m% lifeDE he !ondered aloud. E<othing.E
ESo give up/E a !oman@s voice said from behind him.
8lic" 0umped. $e had almost forgotten he !as not alone. $e turned to the bac" seat/ !here his camera!oman/
,hinita =acri/ sat silentl% polishing her glasses. She !as al!a%s polishing her glasses. ,hinita !as blac"/ although she
preferred frican merican/ a little heav%/ and smart as hell. She !ouldn@t let %ou forget it either. She !as an odd bird/
but 8lic" li"ed her. nd 8lic" could sure as hell use the compan%.
E#hat@s the problem/ 8unthDE ,hinita as"ed.
E#hat are !e doing hereDE
She "ept polishing. E#itnessing an exciting event.E
E9ld men loc"ed in the dar" is excitingDE
EBou %o "no! %ou@re going to hell/ don@t %ouDE
Elread% there.E
E+al" to me.E She sounded li"e his mother.
E) 0ust feel li"e ) !ant to leave m% mar".E
EBou !rote for the British Tattler.E
EBeah/ but nothing !ith an% resonance.E
E9h/ come on/ ) heard %ou did a groundbrea"ing article on the queen@s secret sex life !ith aliens.E
E+han"s.E
E$e%/ things are loo"ing up. +onight %ou ma"e %our first fifteen seconds of +. histor%.E
8lic" groaned. $e could hear the ne!s anchor alread%. E+han"s 8unther/ great report.E +hen the anchor !ould roll
his e%es and move on to the !eather. E) should have tried for an anchor spot.E
=acri laughed. E#ith no experienceD nd that beardD Forget it.E
8lic" ran his hands through the reddish gob of hair on his chin. E) thin" it ma"es me loo" clever.E
+he van@s cell phone rang/ mercifull% interrupting %et another one of 8lic"@s failures. E=a%be that@s editorial/E he
said/ suddenl% hopeful. EBou thin" the% !ant a live updateDE
E9n this stor%DE =acri laughed. EBou "eep dreaming.E
8lic" ans!ered the phone in his best anchorman voice. E8unther 8lic"/ 44,/ Live in .atican ,it%.E
+he man on the line had a thic" rabic accent. EListen carefull%/E he said. E) am about to change %our life.E
$:
Langdon and .ittoria stood alone no! outside the double doors that led to the inner sanctum of the Secret
rchives. +he decor in the colonnade !as an incongruous mix of !all-to-!all carpets over marble floors and !ireless
securit% cameras ga&ing do!n from beside carved cherubs in the ceiling. Langdon dubbed it $terile Renaissance. 4eside
the arched ingress hung a small bron&e plaque.
A+C=1V10 VAT1CAN0
Curatore< adre @aAui Tomaso
Father 2a=ui Tomaso. Langdon recogni&ed the curator@s name from the re0ection letters at home in his des".
;ear =r. Langdon/ )t is !ith regret that ) am !riting to den%*
Regret. Bullshit. Since 5aqui +omaso@s reign had begun/ Langdon had never met a single non-,atholic merican
scholar !ho had been given access to the Secret .atican rchives. "l )aur%iano/ historians called him. 5aqui +omaso
!as the toughest librarian on earth.
s Langdon pushed the doors open and stepped through the vaulted portal into the inner sanctum/ he half expected
to see Father 5aqui in full militar% fatigues and helmet standing guard !ith a ba&oo"a. +he space/ ho!ever/ !as
deserted.
Silence. Soft lighting.
(rchi!io ?aticano. 9ne of his life dreams.
s Langdon@s e%es too" in the sacred chamber/ his first reaction !as one of embarrassment. $e reali&ed !hat a
callo! romantic he !as. +he images he had held for so man% %ears of this room could not have been more inaccurate.
$e had imagined dust% boo"shelves piled high !ith tattered volumes/ priests cataloging b% the light of candles and
stained-glass !indo!s/ mon"s poring over scrolls*
<ot even close.
t first glance the room appeared to be a dar"ened airline hangar in !hich someone had built a do&en free-standing
racquetball courts. Langdon "ne! of course !hat the glass-!alled enclosures !ere. $e !as not surprised to see themJ
humidit% and heat eroded ancient vellums and parchments/ and proper preservation required hermitic vaults li"e these'
airtight cubicles that "ept out humidit% and natural acids in the air. Langdon had been inside hermetic vaults man%
times/ but it !as al!a%s an unsettling experience* something about entering an airtight container !here the ox%gen
!as regulated b% a reference librarian.
+he vaults !ere dar"/ ghostl% even/ faintl% outlined b% tin% dome lights at the end of each stac". )n the blac"ness of
each cell/ Langdon sensed the phantom giants/ ro! upon ro! of to!ering stac"s/ laden !ith histor%. +his !as one hell
of a collection.
.ittoria also seemed da&&led. She stood beside him staring mutel% at the giant transparent cubes.
+ime !as short/ and Langdon !asted none of it scanning the diml% lit room for a boo" catalog'a bound
enc%clopedia that cataloged the librar%@s collection. ll he sa! !as the glo! of a handful of computer terminals dotting
the room. ELoo"s li"e the%@ve got a 4iblion. +heir index is computeri&ed.E
.ittoria loo"ed hopeful. E+hat should speed things up.E
Langdon !ished he shared her enthusiasm/ but he sensed this !as bad ne!s. $e !al"ed to a terminal and began
t%ping. $is fears !ere instantl% confirmed. E+he old-fashioned method !ould have been better.E
E#h%DE
$e stepped bac" from the monitor. E4ecause real boo"s don@t have pass!ord protection. ) don@t suppose ph%sicists
are natural born hac"ersDE
.ittoria shoo" her head. E) can open o%sters/ that@s about it.E
Langdon too" a deep breath and turned to face the eerie collection of diaphanous vaults. $e !al"ed to the nearest
one and squinted into the dim interior. )nside the glass !ere amorphous shapes Langdon recogni&ed as the usual
boo"shelves/ parchment bins/ and examination tables. $e loo"ed up at the indicator tabs glo!ing at the end of each
stac". s in all libraries/ the tabs indicated the contents of that ro!. $e read the headings as he moved do!n the
transparent barrier.
ietro 1l *rimitoB /e CrociateB 7rbano 11B /e3antB
E+he%@re labeled/E he said/ still !al"ing. E4ut it@s not alpha-author.E $e !asn@t surprised. ncient archives !ere
almost never cataloged alphabeticall% because so man% of the authors !ere un"no!n. +itles didn@t !or" either because
man% historical documents !ere untitled letters or parchment fragments. =ost cataloging !as done chronologicall%.
;isconcertingl%/ ho!ever/ this arrangement did not appear to be chronological.
Langdon felt precious time alread% slipping a!a%. ELoo"s li"e the .atican has its o!n s%stem.E
E#hat a surprise.E
$e examined the labels again. +he documents spanned centuries/ but all the "e%!ords/ he reali&ed/ !ere
interrelated. E) thin" it@s a thematic classification.E
E+hematicDE .ittoria said/ sounding li"e a disapproving scientist. ESounds inefficient.E
(ctually* Langdon thought/ considering it more closel%. This may 'e the shrew%est catalo)in) "+!e e!er seen. $e
had al!a%s urged his students to understand the overall tones and motifs of an artistic period rather than getting lost in
the minutia of dates and specific !or"s. +he .atican rchives/ it seemed/ !ere cataloged on a similar philosoph%.
Broa% strokes*
E1ver%thing in this vault/E Langdon said/ feeling more confident no!/ Ecenturies of material/ has to do !ith the
,rusades. +hat@s this vault@s theme.E )t !as all here/ he reali&ed. 0istorical accounts- letters- artwork- socio>political
%ata- mo%ern analyses. (ll in one place* encoura)in) a %eeper un%erstan%in) o& a topic. Brilliant.
.ittoria fro!ned. E4ut data can relate to multiple themes simultaneousl%.E
E#hich is !h% the% cross-reference !ith prox% mar"ers.E Langdon pointed through the glass to the colorful plastic
tabs inserted among the documents. E+hose indicate secondar% documents located else!here !ith their primar%
themes.E
ESure/E she said/ apparentl% letting it go. She put her hands on her hips and surve%ed the enormous space. +hen she
loo"ed at Langdon. ESo/ 7rofessor/ !hat@s the name of this 8alileo thing !e@re loo"ing forDE
Langdon couldn@t help but smile. $e still couldn@t fathom that he !as standing in this room. "t+s in here/ he
thought. $omewhere in the %ark- it+s waitin).
EFollo! me/E Langdon said. $e started bris"l% do!n the first aisle/ examining the indicator tabs of each vault.
ERemember ho! ) told %ou about the 7ath of )lluminationD $o! the )lluminati recruited ne! members using an
elaborate testDE
E+he treasure hunt/E .ittoria said/ follo!ing closel%.
E+he challenge the )lluminati had !as that after the% placed the mar"ers/ the% needed some !a% to tell the scientific
communit% the path existed.E
ELogical/E .ittoria said. E9ther!ise nobod% !ould "no! to loo" for it.E
EBes/ and even if the% knew the path existed/ scientists !ould have no !a% of "no!ing !here the path began. Rome
is huge.E
E9"a%.E
Langdon proceeded do!n the next aisle/ scanning the tabs as he tal"ed. Ebout fifteen %ears ago/ some historians at
the Sorbonne and ) uncovered a series of )lluminati letters filled !ith references to the se)no.E
E+he sign. +he announcement about the path and !here it began.E
EBes. nd since then/ plent% of )lluminati academics/ m%self included/ have uncovered other references to the
se)no. )t is accepted theor% no! that the clue exists and that 8alileo mass distributed it to the scientific communit%
!ithout the .atican ever "no!ing.E
E$o!DE
E#e@re not sure/ but most li"el% printed publications. $e published man% boo"s and ne!sletters over the %ears.E
E+hat the .atican no doubt sa!. Sounds dangerous.E
E+rue. <onetheless the se)no !as distributed.E
E4ut nobod% has ever actuall% found itDE
E<o. 9ddl% though/ !herever allusions to the se)no appear'=asonic diaries/ ancient scientific 0ournals/ )lluminati
letters'it is often referred to b% a number.E
ERRRDE
Langdon smiled. Ectuall% it@s A3O.E
E=eaningDE
E<one of us could ever figure it out. ) became fascinated !ith A3O/ tr%ing ever%thing to find meaning in the
number'numerolog%/ map references/ latitudes.E Langdon reached the end of the aisle/ turned the corner/ and hurried to
scan the next ro! of tabs as he spo"e. EFor man% %ears the onl% clue seemed to be that A3O began !ith the number
five* one of the sacred )lluminati digits.E $e paused.
ESomething tells me %ou recentl% figured it out/ and that@s !h% !e@re here.E
E,orrect/E Langdon said/ allo!ing himself a rare moment of pride in his !or". Ere %ou familiar !ith a boo" b%
8alileo called @iOlo)oDE
E9f course. Famous among scientists as the ultimate scientific sellout.E
$ellout !asn@t quite the !ord Langdon !ould have used/ but he "ne! !hat .ittoria meant. )n the earl% 1RO3s/
8alileo had !anted to publish a boo" endorsing the ,opernican heliocentric model of the solar s%stem/ but the .atican
!ould not permit the boo"@s release unless 8alileo included equall% persuasive evidence for the church@s )eo centric
model'a model 8alileo "ne! to be dead !rong. 8alileo had no choice but to acquiesce to the church@s demands and
publish a boo" giving equal time to both the accurate and inaccurate models.
Es %ou probabl% "no!/E Langdon said/ Edespite 8alileo@s compromise/ @iOlo)o !as still seen as heretical/ and the
.atican placed him under house arrest.E
E<o good deed goes unpunished.E
Langdon smiled. ESo true. nd %et 8alileo !as persistent. #hile under house arrest/ he secretl% !rote a
lesser-"no!n manuscript that scholars often confuse !ith @iOlo)o. +hat boo" is called @iscorsi.E
.ittoria nodded. E)@ve heard of it. @iscourses on the Ti%es.E
Langdon stopped short/ ama&ed she had heard of the obscure publication about planetar% motion and its effect on
the tides.
E$e%/E she said/ E%ou@re tal"ing to an )talian marine ph%sicist !hose father !orshiped 8alileo.E
Langdon laughed. @iscorsi ho!ever !as not !hat the% !ere loo"ing for. Langdon explained that @iscorsi had not
been 8alileo@s onl% !or" !hile under house arrest. $istorians believed he had also !ritten an obscure boo"let called
@ia)ramma.
E@ia)ramma %ella ?eritO/E Langdon said. E@ia)ram o& Truth.E
E<ever heard of it.E
E)@m not surprised. @ia)ramma !as 8alileo@s most secretive !or"'supposedl% some sort of treatise on scientific
facts he held to be true but !as not allo!ed to share. Li"e some of 8alileo@s previous manuscripts/ @ia)ramma !as
smuggled out of Rome b% a friend and quietl% published in $olland. +he boo"let became !ildl% popular in the
1uropean scientific underground. +hen the .atican caught !ind of it and !ent on a boo"-burning campaign.E
.ittoria no! loo"ed intrigued. End %ou thin" @ia)ramma contained the clueD +he se)no. +he information about
the 7ath of )llumination.E
E@ia)ramma is ho! 8alileo got the !ord out. +hat )@m sure of.E Langdon entered the third ro! of vaults and
continued surve%ing the indicator tabs. Erchivists have been loo"ing for a cop% of @ia)ramma for %ears. 4ut bet!een
the .atican burnings and the boo"let@s lo! permanence rating/ the boo"let has disappeared off the face of the earth.E
E7ermanence ratingDE
E;urabilit%. rchivists rate documents one through ten for their structural integrit%. @ia)ramma !as printed on
sedge pap%rus. )t@s li"e tissue paper. Life span of no more than a centur%.E
E#h% not something strongerDE
E8alileo@s behest. +o protect his follo!ers. +his !a% an% scientists caught !ith a cop% could simpl% drop it in !ater
and the boo"let !ould dissolve. )t !as great for destruction of evidence/ but terrible for archivists. )t is believed that
onl% one cop% of @ia)ramma survived be%ond the eighteenth centur%.E
E9neDE .ittoria loo"ed momentaril% starstruc" as she glanced around the room. End it@s hereDE
E,onfiscated from the <etherlands b% the .atican shortl% after 8alileo@s death. )@ve been petitioning to see it for
%ears no!. 1ver since ) reali&ed !hat !as in it.E
s if reading Langdon@s mind/ .ittoria moved across the aisle and began scanning the ad0acent ba% of vaults/
doubling their pace.
E+han"s/E he said. ELoo" for reference tabs that have an%thing to do !ith 8alileo/ science/ scientists. Bou@ll "no!
it !hen %ou see it.E
E9"a%/ but %ou still haven@t told me ho! %ou figured out @ia)ramma contained the clue. )t had something to do
!ith the number %ou "ept seeing in )lluminati lettersD A3ODE
Langdon smiled. EBes. )t too" some time/ but ) finall% figured out that A3O is a simple code. )t clearl% points to
@ia)ramma.E
For an instant Langdon relived his moment of unexpected revelation( ugust 1R. +!o %ears ago. $e !as standing
la"eside at the !edding of the son of a colleague. 4agpipes droned on the !ater as the !edding part% made their unique
entrance* across the la"e on a barge. +he craft !as festooned !ith flo!ers and !reaths. )t carried a Roman numeral
painted proudl% on the hull';,)).
7u&&led b% the mar"ing Langdon as"ed the father of the bride/ E#hat@s !ith R3CDE
ER3CDE
Langdon pointed to the barge. E;,)) is the Roman numeral for R3C.E
+he man laughed. E+hat@s not a Roman numeral. +hat@s the name of the barge.E
E+he ;,))DE
+he man nodded. EThe @ick an% Connie "".E
Langdon felt sheepish. ;ic" and ,onnie !ere the !edding couple. +he barge obviousl% had been named in their
honor. E#hat happened to the @C"DE
+he man groaned. E)t san" %esterda% during the rehearsal luncheon.E
Langdon laughed. ESorr% to hear that.E $e loo"ed bac" out at the barge. The @C""/ he thought. ike a miniature
4E"". second later/ it had hit him.
<o! Langdon turned to .ittoria. EA3O/E he said/ Eas ) mentioned/ is a code. )t@s an )lluminati tric" for concealing
!hat !as actuall% intended as a Roman numeral. +he number A3O in Roman numerals is'E
E;))).E
Langdon glanced up. E+hat !as fast. 7lease don@t tell me %ou@re an )lluminata.E
She laughed. E) use Roman numerals to codif% pelagic strata.E
9& course/ Langdon thought. @on+t we all.
.ittoria loo"ed over. ESo !hat is the meaning of ;)))DE
E;) and ;)) and ;))) are ver% old abbreviations. +he% !ere used b% ancient scientists to distinguish bet!een the
three 8alilean documents most commonl% confused.
.ittoria dre! a quic" breath. E@iOlo)o* @iscorsi* @ia)ramma.E
E;-one. ;-t!o. ;-three. ll scientific. ll controversial. A3O is ;))). @ia)ramma. +he third of his boo"s.E
.ittoria loo"ed troubled. E4ut one thing still doesn@t ma"e sense. )f this se)no/ this clue/ this advertisement about
the 7ath of )llumination !as reall% in 8alileo@s @ia)ramma/ !h% didn@t the .atican see it !hen the% repossessed all the
copiesDE
E+he% ma% have seen it and not noticed. Remember the )lluminati mar"ersD $iding things in plain vie!D
;issimulationD +he se)no apparentl% !as hidden the same !a%'in plain vie!. )nvisible to those !ho !ere not loo"ing
for it. nd also invisible to those !ho didn@t un%erstan% it.E
E=eaningDE
E=eaning 8alileo hid it !ell. ccording to historic record/ the se)no !as revealed in a mode the )lluminati called
lin)ua pura.E
E+he pure languageDE
EBes.E
E=athematicsDE
E+hat@s m% guess. Seems prett% obvious. 8alileo !as a scientist after all/ and he !as !riting &or scientists. =ath
!ould be a logical language in !hich to la% out the clue. +he boo"let is called @ia)ramma/ so mathematical diagrams
ma% also be part of the code.E
.ittoria sounded onl% slightl% more hopeful. E) suppose 8alileo could have created some sort of mathematical code
that !ent unnoticed b% the clerg%.E
EBou don@t sound sold/E Langdon said/ moving do!n the ro!.
E)@m not. =ainl% because you aren@t. )f %ou !ere so sure about ;)))/ !h% didn@t %ou publishD +hen someone !ho
%i% have access to the .atican rchives could have come in here and chec"ed out @ia)ramma a long time ago.E
E) didn@t want to publish/E Langdon said. E) had !or"ed hard to find the information and'E $e stopped himself/
embarrassed.
EBou !anted the )lory.E
Langdon felt himself flush. E)n a manner of spea"ing. )t@s 0ust that'E
E;on@t loo" so embarrassed. Bou@re tal"ing to a scientist. 7ublish or perish. t ,1R< !e call it PSubstantiate or
suffocate.@ E
E)t !asn@t onl% !anting to be the first. ) !as also concerned that if the !rong people found out about the
information in @ia)ramma/ it might disappear.E
E+he !rong people being the .aticanDE
E<ot that the% are !rong/ per se/ but the church has al!a%s do!npla%ed the )lluminati threat. )n the earl% 1K33s the
.atican !ent so far as to sa% the )lluminati !ere a figment of overactive imaginations. +he clerg% felt/ and perhaps
rightl% so/ that the last thing ,hristians needed to "no! !as that there !as a ver% po!erful anti -,hristian movement
infiltrating their ban"s/ politics/ and universities.E Present tense- Ro'ert/ he reminded himself. There "$ a power&ul
anti>Christian &orce in&iltratin) their 'anks- politics- an% uni!ersities.
ESo %ou thin" the .atican !ould have buried an% evidence corroborating the )lluminati threatDE
EIuite possibl%. n% threat/ real or imagined/ !ea"ens faith in the church@s po!er.E
E9ne more question.E .ittoria stopped short and loo"ed at him li"e he !as an alien. Ere %ou seriousDE
Langdon stopped. E#hat do %ou meanDE
E) mean is this really %our plan to save the da%DE
Langdon !asn@t sure !hether he sa! amused pit% or sheer terror in her e%es. EBou mean finding @ia)ramma1E
E<o/ ) mean finding @ia)ramma/ locating a four-hundred-%ear-old se)no/ deciphering some mathematical code/
and follo!ing an ancient trail of art that onl% the most brilliant scientists in histor% have ever been able to follo!* all
in the next four hours.E
Langdon shrugged. E)@m open to other suggestions.E
%;
Robert Langdon stood outside rchive .ault K and read the labels on the stac"s.
Brahe* Cla3ius* Co,ernicus* Ce,ler* Newton*
s he read the names again/ he felt a sudden uneasiness. 0ere are the scientists* 'ut where is *alileo1
$e turned to .ittoria/ !ho !as chec"ing the contents of a nearb% vault. E) found the right theme/ but 8alileo@s
missing.E
E<o he isn@t/E she said/ fro!ning as she motioned to the next vault. E$e@s over here. 4ut ) hope %ou brought %our
reading glasses/ because this entire vault is his.E
Langdon ran over. .ittoria !as right. 1ver% indictor tab in .ault 13 carried the same "e%!ord.
1l roceso 6alileano
Langdon let out a lo! !histle/ no! reali&ing !h% 8alileo had his o!n vault. E+he 8alileo ffair/E he marveled/
peering through the glass at the dar" outlines of the stac"s. E+he longest and most expensive legal proceeding in .atican
histor%. Fourteen %ears and six hundred million lire. )t@s all here.E
E$ave a fe! legal documents.E
E) guess la!%ers haven@t evolved much over the centuries.E
E<either have shar"s.E
Langdon strode to a large %ello! button on the side of the vault. $e pressed it/ and a ban" of overhead lights
hummed on inside. +he lights !ere deep red/ turning the cube into a glo!ing crimson cell* a ma&e of to!ering
shelves.
E=% 8od/E .ittoria said/ loo"ing spoo"ed. Ere !e tanning or !or"ingDE
E7archment and vellum fades/ so vault lighting is al!a%s done !ith dar" lights.E
EBou could go mad in here.E
9r worse/ Langdon thought/ moving to!ard the vault@s sole entrance. E quic" !ord of !arning. 9x%gen is an
oxidant/ so hermetic vaults contain ver% little of it. )t@s a partial vacuum inside. Bour breathing !ill feel strained.E
E$e%/ if old cardinals can survive it.E
True/ Langdon thought. ,ay we 'e as lucky.
+he vault entrance !as a single electronic revolving door. Langdon noted the common arrangement of four access
buttons on the door@s inner shaft/ one accessible from each compartment. #hen a button !as pressed/ the motori&ed
door !ould "ic" into gear and ma"e the conventional half rotation before grinding to a halt'a standard procedure to
preserve the integrit% of the inner atmosphere.
Efter )@m in/E Langdon said/ E0ust press the button and follo! me through. +here@s onl% eight percent humidit%
inside/ so be prepared to feel some dr% mouth.E
Langdon stepped into the rotating compartment and pressed the button. +he door bu&&ed loudl% and began to rotate.
s he follo!ed its motion/ Langdon prepared his bod% for the ph%sical shoc" that al!a%s accompanied the first fe!
seconds in a hermetic vault. 1ntering a sealed archive !as li"e going from sea level to C3/333 feet in an instant. <ausea
and light-headedness !ere not uncommon. @ou'le !ision- %ou'le o!er/ he reminded himself/ quoting the archivist@s
mantra. Langdon felt his ears pop. +here !as a hiss of air/ and the door spun to a stop.
$e !as in.
Langdon@s first reali&ation !as that the air inside !as thinner than he had anticipated. +he .atican/ it seemed/ too"
their archives a bit more seriousl% than most. Langdon fought the gag reflex and relaxed his chest !hile his pulmonar%
capillaries dilated. +he tightness passed quic"l%. Enter the @olphin/ he mused/ gratified his fift% laps a da% !ere good
for something. 4reathing more normall% no!/ he loo"ed around the vault. ;espite the transparent outer !alls/ he felt a
familiar anxiet%. "+m in a 'o;/ he thought. ( 'loo% re% 'o;.
+he door bu&&ed behind him/ and Langdon turned to !atch .ittoria enter. #hen she arrived inside/ her e%es
immediatel% began !atering/ and she started breathing heavil%.
E8ive it a minute/E Langdon said. E)f %ou get light-headed/ bend over.E
E)* feel*E .ittoria cho"ed/ Eli"e )@m* scuba diving* !ith the !rong* mixture.E
Langdon !aited for her to acclimati&e. $e "ne! she !ould be fine. .ittoria .etra !as obviousl% in terrific shape/
nothing li"e the doddering ancient Radcliffe alumnae Langdon had once squired through #idener Librar%@s hermetic
vault. +he tour had ended !ith Langdon giving mouth-to-mouth to an old !oman !ho@d almost aspirated her false
teeth.
EFeeling betterDE he as"ed.
.ittoria nodded.
E) rode %our damn space plane/ so ) thought ) o!ed %ou.E
+his brought a smile. ETouch.E
Langdon reached into the box beside the door and extracted some !hite cotton gloves.
EFormal affairDE .ittoria as"ed.
EFinger acid. #e can@t handle the documents !ithout them. Bou@ll need a pair.E
.ittoria donned some gloves. E$o! long do !e haveDE
Langdon chec"ed his =ic"e% =ouse !atch. E)t@s 0ust past seven.E
E#e have to find this thing !ithin the hour.E
Ectuall%/E Langdon said/ E!e don@t have that "ind of time.E $e pointed overhead to a filtered duct. E<ormall% the
curator !ould turn on a reox%genation s%stem !hen someone is inside the vault. <ot toda%. +!ent% minutes/ !e@ll both
be suc"ing !ind.E
.ittoria blanched noticeabl% in the reddish glo!.
Langdon smiled and smoothed his gloves. ESubstantiate or suffocate/ =s. .etra. =ic"e%@s tic"ing.E
%!
44, reporter 8unther 8lic" stared at the cell phone in his hand for ten seconds before he finall% hung up.
,hinita =acri studied him from the bac" of the van. E#hat happenedD #ho !as thatDE
8lic" turned/ feeling li"e a child !ho had 0ust received a ,hristmas gift he feared !as not reall% for him. E) 0ust got
a tip. Something@s going on inside the .atican.E
E)t@s called conclave/E ,hinita said. E$elluva tip.E
E<o/ something else.E $omethin) 'i). $e !ondered if the stor% the caller had 0ust told him could possibl% be true.
8lic" felt ashamed !hen he reali&ed he !as pra%ing it !as. E#hat if ) told %ou four cardinals have been "idnapped and
are going to be murdered at different churches tonight.E
E)@d sa% %ou@re being ha&ed b% someone at the office !ith a sic" sense of humor.E
E#hat if ) told %ou !e !ere going to be given the exact location of the first murderDE
E)@d !ant to "no! !ho the hell %ou 0ust tal"ed to.E
E$e didn@t sa%.E
E7erhaps because he@s full of shitDE
8lic" had come to expect =acri@s c%nicism/ but !hat she !as forgetting !as that liars and lunatics had been
8lic"@s business for almost a decade at the British Tattler. +his caller had been neither. +his man had been coldl% sane.
Logical. " will call you 6ust 'e&ore ei)ht/ the man had said/ an% tell you where the &irst killin) will occur. The ima)es
you recor% will make you &amous. #hen 8lic" had demanded !h% the caller !as giving him this information/ the
ans!er had been as ic% as the man@s =ideastern accent. The me%ia is the ri)ht arm o& anarchy.
E$e told me something else too/E 8lic" said.
E#hatD +hat 1lvis 7resle% !as 0ust elected 7opeDE
E;ial into the 44, database/ !ill %ouDE 8lic"@s adrenaline !as pumping no!. E) !ant to see !hat other stories
!e@ve run on these gu%s.E
E#hat gu%sDE
E)ndulge me.E
=acri sighed and pulled up the connection to the 44, database. E+his@ll ta"e a minute.E
8lic"@s mind !as s!imming. E+he caller !as ver% intent to "no! if ) had a cameraman.E
E.ideographer.E
End if !e could transmit live.E
E9ne point five three seven megahert&. #hat is this aboutDE +he database beeped. E9"a%/ !e@re in. #ho is it
%ou@re loo"ing forDE
8lic" gave her the "e%!ord.
=acri turned and stared. E) sure as hell hope %ou@re "idding.E
%"
+he internal organi&ation of rchival .ault 13 !as not as intuitive as Langdon had hoped/ and the @ia)ramma
manuscript did not appear to be located !ith other similar 8alilean publications. #ithout access to the computeri&ed
4iblion and a reference locator/ Langdon and .ittoria !ere stuc".
EBou@re sure @ia)ramma is in hereDE .ittoria as"ed.
E7ositive. )t@s a confirmed listing in both the B&iccio %ella Propa)an%a %elle Fe%e'E
EFine. s long as %ou@re sure.E She headed left/ !hile he !ent right.
Langdon began his manual search. $e needed ever% bit of self-restraint not to stop and read ever% treasure he
passed. +he collection !as staggering. The (ssayer* The $tarry ,essen)er* The $unspot etters* etter to the
*ran% @uchess Christina* (polo)ia pro *alileo* 9n and on.
)t !as .ittoria !ho finall% struc" gold near the bac" of the vault. $er throat% voice called out/ E@ia)ramma %ella
?eritO#E
Langdon dashed through the crimson ha&e to 0oin her. E#hereDE
.ittoria pointed/ and Langdon immediatel% reali&ed !h% the% had not found it earlier. +he manuscript !as in a
folio bin/ not on the shelves. Folio bins !ere a common means of storing unbound pages. +he label on the front of the
container left no doubt about the contents.
Diagramma Della VeritD
6alileo 6alilei, !&#:
Langdon dropped to his "nees/ his heart pounding. E@ia)ramma.E $e gave her a grin. E<ice !or". $elp me pull out
this bin.E
.ittoria "nelt beside him/ and the% heaved. +he metal tra% on !hich the bin !as sitting rolled to!ard them on
castors/ revealing the top of the container.
E<o loc"DE .ittoria said/ sounding surprised at the simple latch.
E<ever. ;ocuments sometimes need to be evacuated quic"l%. Floods and fires.E
ESo open it.E
Langdon didn@t need an% encouragement. #ith his academic life@s dream right in front of him and the thinning air
in the chamber/ he !as in no mood to da!dle. $e unsnapped the latch and lifted the lid. )nside/ flat on the floor of the
bin/ la% a blac"/ duc"-cloth pouch. +he cloth@s breathabilit% !as critical to the preservation of its contents. Reaching in
!ith both hands and "eeping the pouch hori&ontal/ Langdon lifted it out of the bin.
E) expected a treasure chest/E .ittoria said. ELoo"s more li"e a pillo!case.E
EFollo! me/E he said. $olding the bag before him li"e a sacred offering/ Langdon !al"ed to the center of the vault
!here he found the customar% glass-topped archival exam table. lthough the central location !as intended to minimi&e
in-vault travel of documents/ researchers appreciated the privac% the surrounding stac"s afforded. ,areer-ma"ing
discoveries !ere uncovered in the top vaults of the !orld/ and most academics did not li"e rivals peering through the
glass as the% !or"ed.
Langdon la% the pouch on the table and unbuttoned the opening. .ittoria stood b%. Rummaging through a tra% of
archivist tools/ Langdon found the felt-pad pincers archivists called &in)er cym'als'oversi&ed t!ee&ers !ith flattened
dis"s on each arm. s his excitement mounted/ Langdon feared at an% moment he might a!a"e bac" in ,ambridge !ith
a pile of test papers to grade. )nhaling deepl%/ he opened the bag. Fingers trembling in their cotton gloves/ he reached in
!ith his tongs.
ERelax/E .ittoria said. E)t@s paper/ not plutonium.E
Langdon slid the tongs around the stac" of documents inside and !as careful to appl% even pressure. +hen/ rather
than pulling out the documents/ he held them in place !hile he slid off the bag'an archivist@s procedure for minimi&ing
torque on the artifact. <ot until the bag !as removed and Langdon had turned on the exam dar"light beneath the table
did he begin breathing again.
.ittoria loo"ed li"e a specter no!/ lit from belo! b% the lamp beneath the glass. ESmall sheets/E she said/ her voice
reverent.
Langdon nodded. +he stac" of folios before them loo"ed li"e loose pages from a small paperbac" novel. Langdon
could see that the top sheet !as an ornate pen and in" cover sheet !ith the title/ the date/ and 8alileo@s name in his o!n
hand.
)n that instant/ Langdon forgot the cramped quarters/ forgot his exhaustion/ forgot the horrif%ing situation that had
brought him here. $e simpl% stared in !onder. ,lose encounters !ith histor% al!a%s left Langdon numbed !ith
reverence* li"e seeing the brushstro"es on the =ona Lisa.
+he muted/ %ello! pap%rus left no doubt in Langdon@s mind as to its age and authenticit%/ but excluding the
inevitable fading/ the document !as in superb condition. $li)ht 'leachin) o& the pi)ment. ,inor sun%erin) an%
cohesion o& the papyrus. But all in all* in %amn &ine con%ition. $e studied the ornate hand etching of the cover/ his
vision blurring in the lac" of humidit%. .ittoria !as silent.
E$and me a spatula/ please.E Langdon motioned beside .ittoria to a tra% filled !ith stainless-steel archival tools.
She handed it to him. Langdon too" the tool in his hand. )t !as a good one. $e ran his fingers across the face to remove
an% static charge and then/ ever so carefull%/ slid the blade beneath the cover. +hen/ lifting the spatula/ he turned over
the cover sheet.
+he first page !as !ritten in longhand/ the tin%/ st%li&ed calligraph% almost impossible to read. Langdon
immediatel% noticed that there !ere no diagrams or numbers on the page. )t !as an essa%.
E$eliocentricit%/E .ittoria said/ translating the heading on folio one. She scanned the text. ELoo"s li"e 8alileo
renouncing the geocentric model once and for all. ncient )talian/ though/ so no promises on the translation.E
EForget it/E Langdon said. E#e@re loo"ing for math. +he pure language.E $e used the spatula tool to flip the next
page. nother essa%. <o math or diagrams. Langdon@s hands began to s!eat inside his gloves.
E=ovement of the 7lanets/E .ittoria said/ translating the title.
Langdon fro!ned. 9n an% other da%/ he !ould have been fascinated to read itJ incredibl% <S@s current model of
planetar% orbits/ observed through high-po!ered telescopes/ !as supposedl% almost identical to 8alileo@s original
predictions.
E<o math/E .ittoria said. E$e@s tal"ing about retrograde motions and elliptical orbits or something.E
Elliptical or'its. Langdon recalled that much of 8alileo@s legal trouble had begun !hen he described planetar%
motion as elliptical. +he .atican exalted the perfection of the circle and insisted heavenl% motion must be onl% circular.
8alileo@s )lluminati/ ho!ever/ sa! perfection in the ellipse as !ell/ revering the mathematical dualit% of its t!in foci.
+he )lluminati@s ellipse !as prominent even toda% in modern =asonic tracing boards and footing inla%s.
E<ext/E .ittoria said.
Langdon flipped.
ELunar phases and tidal motion/E she said. E<o numbers. <o diagrams.E
Langdon flipped again. <othing. $e "ept flipping through a do&en or so pages. <othing. <othing. <othing.
E) thought this gu% !as a mathematician/E .ittoria said. E+his is all text.E
Langdon felt the air in his lungs beginning to thin. $is hopes !ere thinning too. +he pile !as !aning.
E<othing here/E .ittoria said. E<o math. fe! dates/ a fe! standard figures/ but nothing that loo"s li"e it could be
a clue.E
Langdon flipped over the last folio and sighed. )t/ too/ !as an essa%.
EShort boo"/E .ittoria said/ fro!ning.
Langdon nodded.
E,er%a/ as !e sa% in Rome.E
$hit is ri)ht/ Langdon thought. $is reflection in the glass seemed moc"ing/ li"e the image staring bac" at him this
morning from his ba% !indo!. (n a)in) )host. E+here@s )ot to be something/E he said/ the hoarse desperation in his
voice surprising him. E+he se)no is here some!here. ) "no! itFE
E=a%be %ou !ere !rong about ;)))DE
Langdon turned and stared at her.
E9"a%/E she agreed/ E;))) ma"es perfect sense. 4ut ma%be the clue isn@t mathematicalDE
Ein)ua pura. #hat else !ould it beDE
ErtDE
E1xcept there are no diagrams or pictures in the boo".E
Ell ) "no! is that lin)ua pura refers to something other than )talian. =ath 0ust seems logical.E
E) agree.E
Langdon refused to accept defeat so quic"l%. E+he numbers must be !ritten longhand. +he math must be in !ords
rather than equations.E
E)t@ll ta"e some time to read all the pages.E
E+ime@s something !e don@t have. #e@ll have to split the !or".E Langdon flipped the stac" bac" over to the
beginning. E) "no! enough )talian to spot numbers.E :sing his spatula/ he cut the stac" li"e a dec" of cards and la% the
first half-do&en pages in front of .ittoria. E)t@s in here some!here. )@m sure.E
.ittoria reached do!n and flipped her first page b% hand.
ESpatulaFE Langdon said/ grabbing her an extra tool from the tra%. E:se the spatula.E
E)@m !earing gloves/E she grumbled. E$o! much damage could ) causeDE
E5ust use it.E
.ittoria pic"ed up the spatula. EBou feeling !hat )@m feelingDE
E+enseDE
E<o. Short of breath.E
Langdon !as definitel% starting to feel it too. +he air !as thinning faster than he had imagined. $e "ne! the% had
to hurr%. rchival conundrums !ere nothing ne! for him/ but usuall% he had more than a fe! minutes to !or" them
out. #ithout another !ord/ Langdon bo!ed his head and began translating the first page in his stac".
$how yoursel&- %amn it# $how yoursel&#
%#
Some!here beneath Rome the dar" figure pro!led do!n a stone ramp into the underground tunnel. +he ancient
passage!a% !as lit onl% b% torches/ ma"ing the air hot and thic". :p ahead the frightened voices of gro!n men called
out in vain/ echoing in the cramped spaces.
s he rounded the corner he sa! them/ exactl% as he had left them'four old men/ terrified/ sealed behind rusted
iron bars in a stone cubicle.
E4ui Ptes>!ous1E one of the men demanded in French. E#hat do %ou !ant !ith usDE
E0il&e#E another said in 8erman. ELet us goFE
Ere %ou a!are !ho !e areDE one as"ed in 1nglish/ his accent Spanish.
ESilence/E the rasp% voice commanded. +here !as a finalit% about the !ord.
+he fourth prisoner/ an )talian/ quiet and thoughtful/ loo"ed into the in"% void of his captor@s e%es and s!ore he
sa! hell itself. *o% help us/ he thought.
+he "iller chec"ed his !atch and then returned his ga&e to the prisoners. E<o! then/E he said. E#ho !ill be firstDE
%$
)nside rchive .ault 13 Robert Langdon recited )talian numbers as he scanned the calligraph% before him. ,ille*
centi* uno- %uo- tre* cincuanta. " nee% a numerical re&erence# (nythin)- %amnit#
#hen he reached the end of his current folio/ he lifted the spatula to flip the page. s he aligned the blade !ith the
next page/ he fumbled/ having difficult% holding the tool stead%. =inutes later/ he loo"ed do!n and reali&ed he had
abandoned his spatula and !as turning pages b% hand. 9ops/ he thought/ feeling vaguel% criminal. +he lac" of ox%gen
!as affecting his inhibitions. ooks like "+ll 'urn in archi!ist+s hell.
Ebout damn time/E .ittoria cho"ed !hen she sa! Langdon turning pages b% hand. She dropped her spatula and
follo!ed suit.
En% luc"DE
.ittoria shoo" her head. E<othing that loo"s purel% mathematical. )@m s"imming* but none of this reads li"e a
clue.E
Langdon continued translating his folios !ith increasing difficult%. $is )talian s"ills !ere roc"% at best/ and the tin%
penmanship and archaic language !as ma"ing it slo! going. .ittoria reached the end of her stac" before Langdon and
loo"ed disheartened as she flipped the pages bac" over. She hun"ered do!n for another more intense inspection.
#hen Langdon finished his final page/ he cursed under his breath and loo"ed over at .ittoria. She !as sco!ling/
squinting at something on one of her folios. E#hat is itDE he as"ed.
.ittoria did not loo" up. E;id %ou have an% footnotes on %our pagesDE
E<ot that ) noticed. #h%DE
E+his page has a footnote. )t@s obscured in a crease.E
Langdon tried to see !hat she !as loo"ing at/ but all he could ma"e out !as the page number in the upper
right-hand corner of the sheet. Folio A. )t too" a moment for the coincidence to register/ and even !hen it did the
connection seemed vague. Folio Fi!e. Fi!e- Pytha)oras- penta)rams- "lluminati. Langdon !ondered if the )lluminati
!ould have chosen page five on !hich to hide their clue. +hrough the reddish fog surrounding them/ Langdon sensed a
tin% ra% of hope. E)s the footnote mathematicalDE
.ittoria shoo" her head. E+ext. 9ne line. .er% small printing. lmost illegible.E
$is hopes faded. E)t@s supposed to be math. in)ua pura.E
EBeah/ ) "no!.E She hesitated. E) thin" %ou@ll !ant to hear this/ though.E Langdon sensed excitement in her voice.
E8o ahead.E
Squinting at the folio/ .ittoria read the line. E+he path of light is laid/ the sacred test.E
+he !ords !ere nothing li"e !hat Langdon had imagined. E)@m sorr%DE
.ittoria repeated the line. E+he path of light is laid/ the sacred test.E
E7ath of lightDE Langdon felt his posture straightening.
E+hat@s !hat it sa%s. 7ath of light.E
s the !ords san" in/ Langdon felt his delirium pierced b% an instant of clarit%. The path o& li)ht is lai%- the sacre%
test. $e had no idea ho! it helped them/ but the line !as as direct a reference to the 7ath of )llumination as he could
imagine. Path o& li)ht. $acre% test. $is head felt li"e an engine revving on bad fuel. Ere %ou sure of the translationDE
.ittoria hesitated. Ectuall%*E She glanced over at him !ith a strange loo". E)t@s not technicall% a translation. +he
line is !ritten in En)lish.E
For an instant/ Langdon thought the acoustics in the chamber had affected his hearing. EEn)lish1E
.ittoria pushed the document over to him/ and Langdon read the minuscule printing at the bottom of the page. EThe
path o& li)ht is lai%- the sacre% test. 1nglishD #hat is En)lish doing in an )talian boo"DE
.ittoria shrugged. She too !as loo"ing tips%. E=a%be 1nglish is !hat the% meant b% the lin)ua puraD )t@s
considered the international language of science. )t@s all !e spea" at ,1R<.E
E4ut this !as in the 1R33s/E Langdon argued. E<obod% spo"e 1nglish in )tal%/ not even'E $e stopped short/
reali&ing !hat he !as about to sa%. E<ot even* the cler)y.E Langdon@s academic mind hummed in high gear. E)n the
1R33s/E he said/ tal"ing faster no!/ EEn)lish !as one language the .atican had not %et embraced. +he% dealt in )talian/
Latin/ 8erman/ even Spanish and French/ but 1nglish !as totall% foreign inside the .atican. +he% considered 1nglish a
polluted/ free-thin"ers language for profane men li"e ,haucer and Sha"espeare.E Langdon flashed suddenl% on the
)lluminati brands of 1arth/ ir/ Fire/ #ater. +he legend that the brands !ere in En)lish no! made a bi&arre "ind of
sense.
ESo %ou@re sa%ing ma%be 8alileo considered 1nglish la lin)ua pura because it !as the one language the .atican
did not controlDE
EBes. 9r ma%be b% putting the clue in 1nglish/ 8alileo !as subtl% restricting the readership a!a% from the
.atican.E
E4ut it@s not even a clue/E .ittoria argued. EThe path o& li)ht is lai%- the sacre% test1 #hat the hell does that meanDE
$he+s ri)ht/ Langdon thought. +he line didn@t help in an% !a%. 4ut as he spo"e the phrase again in his mind/ a
strange fact hit him. Now that+s o%%/ he thought. 3hat are the chances o& that1
E#e need to get out of here/E .ittoria said/ sounding hoarse.
Langdon !asn@t listening. The path o& li)ht is lai%- the sacre% test. E)t@s a damn line of iambic pentameter/E he said
suddenl%/ counting the s%llables again. EFive couplets of alternating stressed and unstressed s%llables.E
.ittoria loo"ed lost. E)ambic !hoDE
For an instant Langdon !as bac" at 7hillips 1xeter cadem% sitting in a Saturda% morning 1nglish class. 0ell on
earth. +he school baseball star/ 7eter 8reer/ !as having trouble remembering the number of couplets necessar% for a
line of Sha"espearean iambic pentameter. +heir professor/ an animated schoolmaster named 4issell/ leapt onto the table
and bello!ed/ E7enta-meter/ 8reerF +hin" of home plateF penta-gonF Five sidesF 7entaF 7entaF 7entaF 5eeeeshFE
Fi!e couplets/ Langdon thought. 1ach couplet/ b% definition/ having two s%llables. $e could not believe in his
entire career he had never made the connection. )ambic pentameter !as a s%mmetrical meter based on the sacred
)lluminati numbers of A and CF
You+re reachin)# Langdon told himself/ tr%ing to push it from his mind. ( meanin)less coinci%ence# 4ut the
thought stuc". Fi!e* &or Pytha)oras an% the penta)ram. Two* &or the %uality o& all thin)s.
moment later/ another reali&ation sent a numbing sensation do!n his legs. )ambic pentameter/ on account of its
simplicit%/ !as often called Epure verseE or Epure meter.E a lin)ua pura1 ,ould this have been the pure language the
)lluminati had been referring toD The path o& li)ht is lai%- the sacre% test*
E:h oh/E .ittoria said.
Langdon !heeled to see her rotating the folio upside do!n. $e felt a "not in his gut. Not a)ain. E+here@s no !a%
that line is an ambigramFE
E<o/ it@s not an ambigram* but it@s*E She "ept turning the document/ K3 degrees at ever% turn.
E)t@s !hatDE
.ittoria loo"ed up. E)t@s not the only line.E
E+here@s anotherDE
E+here@s a different line on ever% margin. +op/ bottom/ left/ and right. ) thin" it@s a poem.E
EFour linesDE Langdon bristled !ith excitement. *alileo was a poet1 ELet me seeFE
.ittoria did not relinquish the page. She "ept turning the page in quarter turns. E) didn@t see the lines before because
the%@re on the edges.E She coc"ed her head over the last line. E$uh. Bou "no! !hatD 8alileo didn@t even !rite this.E
E#hatFE
E+he poem is signed 5ohn =ilton.E
E5ohn ,iltonDE +he influential 1nglish poet !ho !rote Para%ise ost !as a contemporar% of 8alileo@s and a savant
!ho conspirac% buffs put at the top of their list of )lluminati suspects. =ilton@s alleged affiliation !ith 8alileo@s
)lluminati !as one legend Langdon suspected !as true. <ot onl% had =ilton made a !ell-documented 1ROG pilgrimage
to Rome to Ecommune !ith enlightened men/E but he had held meetings !ith 8alileo during the scientist@s house arrest/
meetings portra%ed in man% Renaissance paintings/ including nnibale 8atti@s famous *alileo an% ,ilton/ !hich hung
even no! in the )=SS =useum in Florence.
E=ilton "ne! 8alileo/ didn@t heDE .ittoria said/ finall% pushing the folio over to Langdon. E=a%be he !rote the
poem as a favorDE
Langdon clenched his teeth as he too" the sheathed document. Leaving it flat on the table/ he read the line at the
top. +hen he rotated the page K3 degrees/ reading the line in the right margin. nother t!ist/ and he read the bottom.
nother t!ist/ the left. final t!ist completed the circle. +here !ere four lines in all. +he first line .ittoria had found
!as actuall% the third line of the poem. :tterl% agape/ he read the four lines again/ cloc"!ise in sequence( top/ right/
bottom/ left. #hen he !as done/ he exhaled. +here !as no doubt in his mind. EBou found it/ =s. .etra.E
She smiled tightl%. E8ood/ no! can !e get the hell out of hereDE
E) have to cop% these lines do!n. ) need to find a pencil and paper.E
.ittoria shoo" her head. EForget it/ professor. <o time to pla% scribe. =ic"e%@s tic"ing.E She too" the page from
him and headed for the door.
Langdon stood up. EBou can@t ta"e that outsideF )t@s a'E
4ut .ittoria !as alread% gone.
%%
Langdon and .ittoria exploded onto the court%ard outside the Secret rchives. +he fresh air felt li"e a drug as it
flo!ed into Langdon@s lungs. +he purple spots in his vision quic"l% faded. +he guilt/ ho!ever/ did not. $e had 0ust been
accomplice to stealing a priceless relic from the !orld@s most private vault. +he camerlegno had said/ " am )i!in) you
my trust.
E$urr%/E .ittoria said/ still holding the folio in her hand and striding at a half-0og across ?ia Bor)ia in the direction
of 9livetti@s office.
E)f an% !ater gets on that pap%rus'E
E,alm do!n. #hen !e decipher this thing/ !e can return their sacred Folio A.E
Langdon accelerated to "eep up. 4e%ond feeling li"e a criminal/ he !as still da&ed over the document@s
spellbinding implications. 2ohn ,ilton was an "lluminatus. 0e compose% the poem &or *alileo to pu'lish in Folio 5*
&ar &rom the eyes o& the ?atican.
s the% left the court%ard/ .ittoria held out the folio for Langdon. EBou thin" %ou can decipher this thingD 9r did
!e 0ust "ill all those brain cells for "ic"sDE
Langdon too" the document carefull% in his hands. #ithout hesitation he slipped it into one of the breast poc"ets of
his t!eed 0ac"et/ out of the sunlight and dangers of moisture. E) deciphered it alread%.E
.ittoria stopped short. EBou whatDE
Langdon "ept moving.
.ittoria hustled to catch up. EBou read it once# ) thought it !as supposed to be hardFE
Langdon "ne! she !as right/ and %et he had deciphered the se)no in a single reading. perfect stan&a of iambic
pentameter/ and the first altar of science had revealed itself in pristine clarit%. dmittedl%/ the ease !ith !hich he had
accomplished the tas" left him !ith a nagging disquietude. $e !as a child of the 7uritan !or" ethic. $e could still hear
his father spea"ing the old <e! 1ngland aphorism( "& it wasn+t pain&ully %i&&icult- you %i% it wron). Langdon hoped the
sa%ing !as false. E) deciphered it/E he said/ moving faster no!. E) "no! !here the first "illing is going to happen. #e
need to !arn 9livetti.E
.ittoria closed in on him. E$o! could %ou alread% "no!D Let me see that thing again.E #ith the sleight of a boxer/
she slipped a lissome hand into his poc"et and pulled out the folio again.
E,arefulFE Langdon said. EBou can@t'E
.ittoria ignored him. Folio in hand/ she floated beside him/ holding the document up to the evening light/
examining the margins. s she began reading aloud/ Langdon moved to retrieve the folio but instead found himself
be!itched b% .ittoria@s accented alto spea"ing the s%llables in perfect rh%thm !ith her gait.
For a moment/ hearing the verse aloud/ Langdon felt transported in time* as though he !ere one of 8alileo@s
contemporaries/ listening to the poem for the first time* "no!ing it !as a test/ a map/ a clue unveiling the four altars of
science* the four mar"ers that bla&ed a secret path across Rome. +he verse flo!ed from .ittoria@s lips li"e a song.
From Santi@s earthl% tomb !ith demon@s hole/
P,ross Rome the m%stic elements unfold.
+he path of light is laid/ the sacred test/
Let angels guide %ou on %our loft% quest.
.ittoria read it t!ice and then fell silent/ as if letting the ancient !ords resonate on their o!n.
From $anti+s earthly tom'/ Langdon repeated in his mind. +he poem !as cr%stal clear about that. +he 7ath of
)llumination began at Santi@s tomb. From there/ across Rome/ the mar"ers bla&ed the trail.
From Santi@s earthl% tomb !ith demon@s hole/
P,ross Rome the m%stic elements unfold.
,ystic elements. lso clear. Earth- (ir- Fire- 3ater. 1lements of science/ the four )lluminati mar"ers disguised as
religious sculpture.
E+he first mar"er/E .ittoria said/ Esounds li"e it@s at Santi@s tomb.E
Langdon smiled. E) told %ou it !asn@t that tough.E
ESo !ho is SantiDE she as"ed/ sounding suddenl% excited. End !here@s his tombDE
Langdon chuc"led to himself. $e !as ama&ed ho! fe! people "ne! $anti/ the last name of one of the most famous
Renaissance artists ever to live. $is first name !as !orld reno!ned* the child prodig% !ho at the age of t!ent%-five
!as alread% doing commissions for 7ope 5ulius ))/ and !hen he died at onl% thirt%-eight/ left behind the greatest
collection of frescoes the !orld had ever seen. Santi !as a behemoth in the art !orld/ and being "no!n solel% b% one@s
first name !as a level of fame achieved onl% b% an elite fe!* people li"e <apoleon/ 8alileo/ and 5esus* and/ of
course/ the demigods Langdon no! heard blaring from $arvard dormitories'Sting/ =adonna/ 5e!el/ and the artist
formerl% "no!n as 7rince/ !ho had changed his name to the s%mbol
causing Langdon to dub him E+he +au ,ross #ith )ntersecting $ermaphroditic n"h.E
ESanti/E Langdon said/ Eis the last name of the great Renaissance master/ Raphael.E
.ittoria loo"ed surprised. ERaphaelD s in the RaphaelDE
E+he one and onl%.E Langdon pushed on to!ard the 9ffice of the S!iss 8uard.
ESo the path starts at Raphael@s tombDE
E)t actuall% ma"es perfect sense/E Langdon said as the% rushed on. E+he )lluminati often considered great artists and
sculptors honorar% brothers in enlightenment. +he )lluminati could have chosen Raphael@s tomb as a "ind of tribute.E
Langdon also "ne! that Raphael/ li"e man% other religious artists/ !as a suspected closet atheist.
.ittoria slipped the folio carefull% bac" in Langdon@s poc"et. ESo !here is he buriedDE
Langdon too" a deep breath. E4elieve it or not/ Raphael@s buried in the 7antheon.E
.ittoria loo"ed s"eptical. EThe 7antheonDE
EThe Raphael at the 7antheon.E Langdon had to admit/ the 7antheon !as not !hat he had expected for the
placement of the first mar"er. $e !ould have guessed the first altar of science to be at some quiet/ out of the !a%
church/ something subtle. 1ven in the 1R33s/ the 7antheon/ !ith its tremendous/ holed dome/ !as one of the best "no!n
sites in Rome.
E)s the 7antheon even a churchDE .ittoria as"ed.
E9ldest ,atholic church in Rome.E
.ittoria shoo" her head. E4ut do %ou reall% thin" the first cardinal could be "illed at the 7antheonD +hat@s got to be
one of the busiest tourist spots in Rome.E
Langdon shrugged. E+he )lluminati said the% !anted the !hole !orld !atching. 6illing a cardinal at the 7antheon
!ould certainl% open some e%es.E
E4ut ho! does this gu% expect to "ill someone at the 7antheon and get a!a% unnoticedD )t !ould be impossible.E
Es impossible as "idnapping four cardinals from .atican ,it%D +he poem is precise.E
End %ou@re certain Raphael is buried inside the 7antheonDE
E)@ve seen his tomb man% times.E
.ittoria nodded/ still loo"ing troubled. E#hat time is itDE
Langdon chec"ed. ESeven-thirt%.E
E)s the 7antheon farDE
E mile ma%be. #e@ve got time.E
E+he poem said Santi@s earthly tomb. ;oes that mean an%thing to %ouDE
Langdon hastened diagonall% across the ,ourt%ard of the Sentinel. E1arthl%D ctuall%/ there@s probabl% no more
earthl% place in Rome than the 7antheon. )t got its name from the original religion practiced there'7antheism'the
!orship of all gods/ specificall% the pagan gods of =other 1arth.E
s a student of architecture/ Langdon had been ama&ed to learn that the dimensions of the 7antheon@s main
chamber !ere a tribute to 8aea'the goddess of the 1arth. +he proportions !ere so exact that a giant spherical globe
could fit perfectl% inside the building !ith less than a millimeter to spare.
E9"a%/E .ittoria said/ sounding more convinced. End demon@s holeD From $anti+s earthly tom' with %emon+s
hole1E
Langdon !as not quite as sure about this. E@emon+s hole must mean the oculus/E he said/ ma"ing a logical guess.
E+he famous circular opening in the 7antheon@s roof.E
E4ut it@s a church/E .ittoria said/ moving effortlessl% beside him. E#h% !ould the% call the opening a %emon+s
holeDE
Langdon had actuall% been !ondering that himself. $e had never heard the term Edemon@s hole/E but he did recall a
famous sixth-centur% critique of the 7antheon !hose !ords seemed oddl% appropriate no!. +he .enerable 4ede had
once !ritten that the hole in the 7antheon@s roof had been bored b% demons tr%ing to escape the building !hen it !as
consecrated b% 4oniface )..
End !h%/E .ittoria added as the% entered a smaller court%ard/ E!h% !ould the )lluminati use the name Santi if he
!as reall% "no!n as RaphaelDE
EBou as" a lot of questions.E
E=% dad used to sa% that.E
E+!o possible reasons. 9ne/ the !ord Raphael has too man% s%llables. )t !ould have destro%ed the poem@s iambic
pentameter.E
ESounds li"e a stretch.E
Langdon agreed. E9"a%/ then ma%be using PSanti@ !as to ma"e the clue more obscure/ so onl% ver% enlightened
men !ould recogni&e the reference to Raphael.E
.ittoria didn@t appear to bu% this either. E)@m sure Raphael@s last name !as ver% !ell "no!n !hen he !as alive.E
ESurprisingl% not. Single name recognition !as a status s%mbol. Raphael shunned his last name much li"e pop stars
do toda%. +a"e =adonna/ for example. She never uses her surname/ ,iccone.E
.ittoria loo"ed amused. EBou "no! =adonna@s last nameDE
Langdon regretted the example. )t !as ama&ing the "ind of garbage a mind pic"ed up living !ith 13/333
adolescents.
s he and .ittoria passed the final gate to!ard the 9ffice of the S!iss 8uard/ their progress !as halted !ithout
!arning.
EPara#E a voice bello!ed behind them.
Langdon and .ittoria !heeled to find themselves loo"ing into the barrel of a rifle.
E(ttento#E .ittoria exclaimed/ 0umping bac". E#atch it !ith'E
ENon sportarti#E the guard snapped/ coc"ing the !eapon.
E$ol%ato#E a voice commanded from across the court%ard. 9livetti !as emerging from the securit% center. ELet
them goFE
+he guard loo"ed be!ildered. E,a- si)nore- L una %onna'E
E)nsideFE he %elled at the guard.
ESignore/ non posso'E
E<o!F Bou have ne! orders. ,aptain Rocher !ill be briefing the corps in t!o minutes. #e !ill be organi&ing a
search.E
Loo"ing be!ildered/ the guard hurried into the securit% center. 9livetti marched to!ard Langdon/ rigid and
steaming. E9ur most secret archivesD )@ll !ant an explanation.E
E#e have good ne!s/E Langdon said.
9livetti@s e%es narro!ed. E)t better be %amn good.E
%&
+he four unmar"ed lpha Romeo 1AA +-Spar"s roared do!n .ia dei ,oronari li"e fighter 0ets off a run!a%. +he
vehicles carried t!elve plainclothed S!iss 8uards armed !ith ,herchi-7ardini semiautomatics/ local-radius nerve gas
canisters/ and long-range stun guns. +he three sharpshooters carried laser-sighted rifles.
Sitting in the passenger seat of the lead car/ 9livetti turned bac"!ard to!ard Langdon and .ittoria. $is e%es !ere
filled !ith rage. EBou assured me a sound explanation/ and this is !hat ) getDE
Langdon felt cramped in the small car. E) understand %our'E
E<o/ %ou don@t understandFE 9livetti never raised his voice/ but his intensit% tripled. E) have 0ust removed a do&en
of m% best men from .atican ,it% on the eve of conclave. nd ) have done this to sta"e out the 7antheon based on the
testimon% of some merican ) have never met !ho has 0ust interpreted a four-hundred-%ear-old poem. ) have also 0ust
left the search for this antimatter !eapon in the hands of secondar% officers.E
Langdon resisted the urge to pull Folio A from his poc"et and !ave it in 9livetti@s face. Ell ) "no! is that the
information !e found refers to Raphael@s tomb/ and Raphael@s tomb is inside the 7antheon.E
+he officer behind the !heel nodded. E$e@s right/ commander. =% !ife and )'E
E;rive/E 9livetti snapped. $e turned bac" to Langdon. E$o! could a "iller accomplish an assassination in such a
cro!ded place and escape unseenDE
E) don@t "no!/E Langdon said. E4ut the )lluminati are obviousl% highl% resourceful. +he%@ve bro"en into both
,1R< and .atican ,it%. )t@s onl% b% luc" that !e "no! !here the first "ill &one is. +he 7antheon is %our one chance to
catch this gu%.E
E=ore contradictions/E 9livetti said. E9ne chanceD ) thought %ou said there !as some sort of path!a%. series of
mar"ers. )f the 7antheon is the right spot/ !e can follo! the path!a% to the other mar"ers. #e !ill have &our chances to
catch this gu%.E
E) had hoped so/E Langdon said. End !e woul% have* a centur% ago.E
Langdon@s reali&ation that the 7antheon !as the first altar of science had been a bitters!eet moment. $istor% had a
!a% of pla%ing cruel tric"s on those !ho chased it. )t !as a long shot that the 7ath of )llumination !ould be intact after
all of these %ears/ !ith all of its statues in place/ but part of Langdon had fantasi&ed about follo!ing the path all the !a%
to the end and coming face to face !ith the sacred )lluminati lair. las/ he reali&ed/ it !as not to be. E+he .atican had
all the statues in the 7antheon removed and destro%ed in the late 1G33s.E
.ittoria loo"ed shoc"ed. E#h%DE
E+he statues !ere pagan 9l%mpian 8ods. :nfortunatel%/ that means the first mar"er is gone* and !ith it'E
En% hope/E .ittoria said/ Eof finding the 7ath of )llumination and additional mar"ersDE
Langdon shoo" his head. E#e have one shot. +he 7antheon. fter that/ the path disappears.E
9livetti stared at them both a long moment and then turned and faced front. E7ull over/E he bar"ed to the driver.
+he driver s!erved the car to!ard the curb and put on the bra"es. +hree other lpha Romeos s"idded in behind
them. +he S!iss 8uard convo% screeched to a halt.
E#hat are %ou doingFE .ittoria demanded.
E=% 0ob/E 9livetti said/ turning in his seat/ his voice li"e stone. E=r. Langdon/ !hen %ou told me %ou !ould
explain the situation en route/ ) assumed ) !ould be approaching the 7antheon !ith a clear idea of !h% m% men are
here. +hat is not the case. 4ecause ) am abandoning critical duties b% being here/ and because ) have found ver% little
that ma"es sense in this theor% of %ours about virgin sacrifices and ancient poetr%/ ) cannot in good conscience continue.
) am recalling this mission immediatel%.E $e pulled out his !al"ie-tal"ie and clic"ed it on.
.ittoria reached across the seat and grabbed his arm. EBou can@tFE
9livetti slammed do!n the !al"ie-tal"ie and fixed her !ith a red-hot stare. E$ave %ou been to the 7antheon/ =s.
.etraDE
E<o/ but )'E
ELet me tell %ou something about it. +he 7antheon is a single room. circular cell made of stone and cement. )t has
one entrance. <o !indo!s. 9ne narrow entrance. +hat entrance is flan"ed at all times b% no less than four armed
Roman policemen !ho protect this shrine from art defacers/ anti-,hristian terrorists/ and g%ps% tourist scams.E
EBour pointDE she said cooll%.
E=% pointDE 9livetti@s "nuc"les gripped the seat. E=% point is that !hat %ou have 0ust told me is going to happen is
utterl% impossibleF ,an %ou give me one plausible scenario of ho! someone could "ill a cardinal insi%e the 7antheonD
$o! does one even get a hostage past the guards into the 7antheon in the first placeD =uch less actuall% "ill him and
get a!a%DE 9livetti leaned over the seat/ his coffee breath no! in Langdon@s face. E$o!/ =r. LangdonD 9ne plausible
scenario.E
Langdon felt the tin% car shrin" around him. " ha!e no i%ea# "+m not an assassin# " %on+t know how he will %o it# "
only know'
E9ne scenarioDE .ittoria quipped/ her voice unruffled. E$o! about thisD +he "iller flies over in a helicopter and
drops a screaming/ branded cardinal do!n through the hole in the roof. +he cardinal hits the marble floor and dies.E
1ver%one in the car turned and stared at .ittoria. Langdon didn@t "no! !hat to thin". You+!e )ot one sick
ima)ination- la%y- 'ut you are =uick.
9livetti fro!ned. E7ossible/ ) admit* but hardl%'E
E9r the "iller drugs the cardinal/E .ittoria said/ Ebrings him to the 7antheon in a !heelchair li"e some old tourist.
$e !heels him inside/ quietl% slits his throat/ and then !al"s out.E
+his seemed to !a"e up 9livetti a bit.
Not 'a%# Langdon thought.
E9r/E she said/ Ethe "iller could'E
E) heard %ou/E 9livetti said. E1nough.E $e too" a deep breath and ble! it out. Someone rapped sharpl% on the
!indo!/ and ever%one 0umped. )t !as a soldier from one of the other cars. 9livetti rolled do!n the !indo!.
E1ver%thing all right/ commanderDE +he soldier !as dressed in street clothes. $e pulled bac" the sleeve of his
denim shirt to reveal a blac" chronograph militar% !atch. ESeven-fort%/ commander. #e@ll need time to get in position.E
9livetti nodded vaguel% but said nothing for man% moments. $e ran a finger bac" and forth across the dash/
ma"ing a line in the dust. $e studied Langdon in the side-vie! mirror/ and Langdon felt himself being measured and
!eighed. Finall% 9livetti turned bac" to the guard. +here !as reluctance in his voice. E)@ll !ant separate approaches.
,ars to 7ia&&a della Rotunda/ .ia delgi 9rfani/ 7ia&&a Sant@)gnacio/ and Sant@1ustachio. <o closer than t!o bloc"s.
9nce %ou@re par"ed/ gear up and a!ait m% orders. +hree minutes.E
E.er% good/ sir.E +he soldier returned to his car.
Langdon gave .ittoria an impressed nod. She smiled bac"/ and for an instant Langdon felt an unexpected
connection* a thread of magnetism bet!een them.
+he commander turned in his seat and loc"ed e%es !ith Langdon. E=r. Langdon/ this had better not blo! up in our
faces.E
Langdon smiled uneasil%. 0ow coul% it1
%.
+he director of ,1R</ =aximilian 6ohler/ opened his e%es to the cool rush of cromol%n and leu"otriene in his
bod%/ dilating his bronchial tubes and pulmonar% capillaries. $e !as breathing normall% again. $e found himself l%ing
in a private room in the ,1R< infirmar%/ his !heelchair beside the bed.
$e too" stoc"/ examining the paper robe the% had put him in. $is clothing !as folded on the chair beside the bed.
9utside he could hear a nurse ma"ing the rounds. $e la% there a long minute listening. +hen/ as quietl% as possible/ he
pulled himself to the edge of the bed and retrieved his clothing. Struggling !ith his dead legs/ he dressed himself. +hen
he dragged his bod% onto his !heelchair.
=uffling a cough/ he !heeled himself to the door. $e moved manuall%/ careful not to engage the motor. #hen he
arrived at the door he peered out. +he hall !as empt%.
Silentl%/ =aximilian 6ohler slipped out of the infirmar%.
%5
ESeven-fort%-six and thirt%* mark.E 1ven spea"ing into his !al"ie-tal"ie/ 9livetti@s voice never seemed to rise
above a !hisper.
Langdon felt himself s!eating no! in his $arris t!eed in the bac"seat of the lpha Romeo/ !hich !as idling in
7ia&&a de la ,oncorde/ three bloc"s from the 7antheon. .ittoria sat beside him/ loo"ing engrossed b% 9livetti/ !ho !as
transmitting his final orders.
E;eplo%ment !ill be an eight-point hem/E the commander said. EFull perimeter !ith a bias on the entr%. +arget ma%
"no! %ou visuall%/ so %ou !ill be pas>!isi'le. <onmortal force onl%. #e@ll need someone to spot the roof. +arget is
primar%. sset secondar%.E
2esus/ Langdon thought/ chilled b% the efficienc% !ith !hich 9livetti had 0ust told his men the cardinal !as
expendable. (sset secon%ary.
E) repeat. <onmortal procurement. #e need the target alive. 8o.E 9livetti snapped off his !al"ie-tal"ie.
.ittoria loo"ed stunned/ almost angr%. E,ommander/ isn@t an%one going insi%eDE
9livetti turned. E)nsideDE
E)nside the 7antheonF #here this is supposed to happenDE
E(ttento/E 9livetti said/ his e%es fossili&ing. E)f m% ran"s have been infiltrated/ m% men ma% be "no!n b% sight.
Bour colleague has 0ust finished !arning me that this !ill be our sole chance to catch the target. ) have no intention of
scaring an%one off b% marching m% men inside.E
E4ut !hat if the "iller is alrea%y insideDE
9livetti chec"ed his !atch. E+he target !as specific. 1ight o@cloc". #e have fifteen minutes.E
E$e said he !ould kill the cardinal at eight o@cloc". 4ut he ma% alread% have gotten the victim inside someho!.
#hat if %our men see the target come out but don@t "no! !ho he isD Someone needs to ma"e sure the inside is clean.E
E+oo ris"% at this point.E
E<ot if the person going in !as unrecogni&able.E
E;isguising operatives is time consuming and'E
E) meant me/E .ittoria said.
Langdon turned and stared at her.
9livetti shoo" his head. Ebsolutel% not.E
E$e "illed m% father.E
E1xactl%/ so he ma% "no! !ho %ou are.E
EBou heard him on the phone. $e had no idea Leonardo .etra even ha% a daughter. $e sure as hell doesn@t "no!
!hat ) loo" li"e. ) could !al" in li"e a tourist. )f ) see an%thing suspicious/ ) could !al" into the square and signal %our
men to move in.E
E)@m sorr%/ ) cannot allo! that.E
EComan%ante1E 9livetti@s receiver crac"led. E#e@ve got a situation from the north point. +he fountain is bloc"ing
our line of sight. #e can@t see the entrance unless !e move into plain vie! on the pia&&a. #hat@s %our callD ;o %ou
!ant us blind or vulnerableDE
.ittoria apparentl% had endured enough. E+hat@s it. )@m going.E She opened her door and got out.
9livetti dropped his !al"ie-tal"ie and 0umped out of the car/ circling in front of .ittoria.
Langdon got out too. 3hat the hell is she %oin)#
9livetti bloc"ed .ittoria@s !a%. E=s. .etra/ %our instincts are good/ but ) cannot let a civilian interfere.E
E)nterfereD Bou@re fl%ing blind. Let me help.E
E) !ould love to have a recon point inside/ but*E
E4ut !hatDE .ittoria demanded. E4ut )@m a womanDE
9livetti said nothing.
E+hat had better not be !hat %ou !ere going to sa%/ ,ommander/ because %ou "no! damn !ell this is a good idea/
and if %ou let some archaic macho bullshit'E
ELet us do our 0ob.E
ELet me help.E
E+oo dangerous. #e !ould have no lines of communication !ith %ou. ) can@t let %ou carr% a !al"ie-tal"ie/ it !ould
give %ou a!a%.E
.ittoria reached in her shirt poc"et and produced her cell phone. E7lent% of tourists carr% phones.E
9livetti fro!ned.
.ittoria unsnapped the phone and mimic"ed a call. E$i/ hone%/ )@m standing in the 7antheon. Bou should see this
placeFE She snapped the phone shut and glared at 9livetti. E#ho the hell is going to "no!D )t is a no-ris" situation. Let
me be %our e%esFE She motioned to the cell phone on 9livetti@s belt. E#hat@s %our numberDE
9livetti did not repl%.
+he driver had been loo"ing on and seemed to have some thoughts of his o!n. $e got out of the car and too" the
commander aside. +he% spo"e in hushed tones for ten seconds. Finall% 9livetti nodded and returned. E7rogram this
number.E $e began dictating digits.
.ittoria programmed her phone.
E<o! call the number.E
.ittoria pressed the auto dial. +he phone on 9livetti@s belt began ringing. $e pic"ed it up and spo"e into the
receiver. E8o into the building/ =s. .etra/ loo" around/ exit the building/ then call and tell me !hat %ou see.E
.ittoria snapped the phone shut. E+han" %ou/ sir.E
Langdon felt a sudden/ unexpected surge of protective instinct. E#ait a minute/E he said to 9livetti. EBou@re
sending her in there alone.E
.ittoria sco!led at him. ERobert/ )@ll be fine.E
+he S!iss 8uard driver !as tal"ing to 9livetti again.
E)t@s dangerous/E Langdon said to .ittoria.
E$e@s right/E 9livetti said. E1ven m% best men don@t !or" alone. =% lieutenant has 0ust pointed out that the
masquerade !ill be more convincing !ith both of %ou an%!a%.E
Both o& us1 Langdon hesitated. (ctually- what " meant'
E4oth of %ou entering together/E 9livetti said/ E!ill loo" li"e a couple on holida%. Bou can also bac" each other up.
)@m more comfortable !ith that.E
.ittoria shrugged. EFine/ but !e@ll need to go fast.E
Langdon groaned. Nice mo!e- cow'oy.
9livetti pointed do!n the street. EFirst street %ou hit !ill be .ia degli 9rfani. 8o left. )t ta"es %ou directl% to the
7antheon. +!o-minute !al"/ tops. )@ll be here/ directing m% men and !aiting for %our call. )@d li"e %ou to have
protection.E $e pulled out his pistol. E;o either of %ou "no! ho! to use a gunDE
Langdon@s heart s"ipped. 3e %on+t nee% a )un#
.ittoria held her hand out. E) can tag a breaching porpoise from fort% meters off the bo! of a roc"ing ship.E
E8ood.E 9livetti handed the gun to her. EBou@ll have to conceal it.E
.ittoria glanced do!n at her shorts. +hen she loo"ed at Langdon.
9h no you %on+t# Langdon thought/ but .ittoria !as too fast. She opened his 0ac"et/ and inserted the !eapon into
one of his breast poc"ets. )t felt li"e a roc" dropping into his coat/ his onl% consolation being that @ia)ramma !as in the
other poc"et.
E#e loo" harmless/E .ittoria said. E#e@re leaving.E She too" Langdon@s arm and headed do!n the street.
+he driver called out/ Erm in arm is good. Remember/ %ou@re tourists. Newlywe%s even. 7erhaps if %ou held
handsDE
s the% turned the corner Langdon could have s!orn he sa! on .ittoria@s face the hint of a smile.
%:
+he S!iss 8uard Estaging roomE is located ad0acent to the ,orpo di .igilan&a barrac"s and is used primaril% for
planning the securit% surrounding papal appearances and public .atican events. +oda%/ ho!ever/ it !as being used for
something else.
+he man addressing the assembled tas" force !as the second-in-command of the S!iss 8uard/ ,aptain 1lias
Rocher. Rocher !as a barrel-chested man !ith soft/ putt%li"e features. $e !ore the traditional blue captain@s uniform
!ith his o!n personal flair'a red beret coc"ed side!a%s on his head. $is voice !as surprisingl% cr%stalline for such a
large man/ and !hen he spo"e/ his tone had the clarit% of a musical instrument. ;espite the precision of his inflection/
Rocher@s e%es !ere cloud% li"e those of some nocturnal mammal. $is men called him EorsoE'gri&&l% bear. +he%
sometimes 0o"ed that Rocher !as Ethe bear !ho !al"ed in the viper@s shado!.E ,ommander 9livetti !as the viper.
Rocher !as 0ust as deadl% as the viper/ but at least %ou could see him coming.
Rocher@s men stood at sharp attention/ nobod% moving a muscle/ although the information the% had 0ust received
had increased their aggregate blood pressure b% a fe! thousand points.
Roo"ie Lieutenant ,hartrand stood in the bac" of the room !ishing he had been among the KK percent of applicants
!ho had not qualified to be here. t t!ent% %ears old/ ,hartrand !as the %oungest guard on the force. $e had been in
.atican ,it% onl% three months. Li"e ever% man there/ ,hartrand !as S!iss rm% trained and had endured t!o %ears of
additional aus'il%in) in 4ern before qualif%ing for the grueling .atican prN!a held in a secret barrac"s outside of
Rome. <othing in his training/ ho!ever/ had prepared him for a crisis li"e this.
t first ,hartrand thought the briefing !as some sort of bi&arre training exercise. Futuristic weapons1 (ncient
cults1 7i%nappe% car%inals1 +hen Rocher had sho!n them the live video feed of the !eapon in question. pparentl%
this !as no exercise.
E#e !ill be "illing po!er in selected areas/E Rocher !as sa%ing/ Eto eradicate extraneous magnetic interference.
#e !ill move in teams of four. #e !ill !ear infrared goggles for vision. Reconnaissance !ill be done !ith traditional
bug s!eepers/ recalibrated for sub-three-ohm flux fields. n% questionsDE
<one.
,hartrand@s mind !as on overload. E#hat if !e don@t find it in timeDE he as"ed/ immediatel% !ishing he had not.
+he gri&&l% bear ga&ed out at him from beneath his red beret. +hen he dismissed the group !ith a somber salute.
E8odspeed/ men.E
&;
+!o bloc"s from the 7antheon/ Langdon and .ittoria approached on foot past a line of taxis/ their drivers sleeping
in the front seats. <ap time !as eternal in the 1ternal ,it%'the ubiquitous public do&ing a perfected extension of the
afternoon siestas born of ancient Spain.
Langdon fought to focus his thoughts/ but the situation !as too bi&arre to grasp rationall%. Six hours ago he had
been sound asleep in ,ambridge. <o! he !as in 1urope/ caught up in a surreal battle of ancient titans/ pac"ing a
semiautomatic in his $arris t!eed/ and holding hands !ith a !oman he had onl% 0ust met.
$e loo"ed at .ittoria. She !as focused straight ahead. +here !as a strength in her grasp'that of an independent and
determined !oman. $er fingers !rapped around his !ith the comfort of innate acceptance. <o hesitation. Langdon felt
a gro!ing attraction. *et real/ he told himself.
.ittoria seemed to sense his uneasiness. ERelax/E she said/ !ithout turning her head. E#e@re supposed to loo" li"e
ne!l%!eds.E
E)@m relaxed.E
EBou@re crushing m% hand.E
Langdon flushed and loosened up.
E4reathe through %our e%es/E she said.
E)@m sorr%DE
E)t relaxes the muscles. )t@s called pranayama.E
E7iranhaDE
E<ot the fish. Pranayama. <ever mind.E
s the% rounded the corner into 7ia&&a della Rotunda/ the 7antheon rose before them. Langdon admired it/ as
al!a%s/ !ith a!e. The Pantheon. Temple to all )o%s. Pa)an )o%s. *o%s o& Nature an% Earth. +he structure seemed
boxier from the outside than he remembered. +he vertical pillars and triangular pronaus all but obscured the circular
dome behind it. Still/ the bold and immodest inscription over the entrance assured him the% !ere in the right spot. =
8R)77 L F ,9S +1R+):= F1,)+. Langdon translated it/ as al!a%s/ !ith amusement. ,arcus ()rippa- Consul &or
the thir% time- 'uilt this.
$o much &or humility/ he thought/ turning his e%es to the surrounding area. scattering of tourists !ith video
cameras !andered the area. 9thers sat en0o%ing Rome@s best iced coffee at a Ta//a %i 9ro+s outdoor cafe. 9utside the
entrance to the 7antheon/ four armed Roman policemen stood at attention 0ust as 9livetti had predicted.
ELoo"s prett% quiet/E .ittoria said.
Langdon nodded/ but he felt troubled. <o! that he !as standing here in person/ the !hole scenario seemed surreal.
;espite .ittoria@s apparent faith that he !as right/ Langdon reali&ed he had put ever%one on the line here. +he
)lluminati poem lingered. From $anti+s earthly tom' with %emon+s hole. YE$/ he told himself. +his !as the spot. Santi@s
tomb. $e had been here man% times beneath the 7antheon@s oculus and stood before the grave of the great Raphael.
E#hat time is itDE .ittoria as"ed.
Langdon chec"ed his !atch. ESeven-fift%. +en minutes till sho! time.E
E$ope these gu%s are good/E .ittoria said/ e%eing the scattered tourists entering the 7antheon. E)f an%thing happens
inside that dome/ !e@ll all be in the crossfire.E
Langdon exhaled heavil% as the% moved to!ard the entrance. +he gun felt heav% in his poc"et. $e !ondered !hat
!ould happen if the policemen fris"ed him and found the !eapon/ but the officers did not give them a second loo".
pparentl% the disguise !as convincing.
Langdon !hispered to .ittoria. E1ver fire an%thing other than a tranquili&er gunDE
E;on@t %ou trust meDE
E+rust %ouD ) barel% "no! %ou.E
.ittoria fro!ned. End here ) thought !e !ere ne!l%!eds.E
&!
+he air inside the 7antheon !as cool and damp/ heav% !ith histor%. +he spra!ling ceiling hovered overhead as
though !eightless'the 121-foot unsupported span larger even than the cupola at St. 7eter@s. s al!a%s/ Langdon felt a
chill as he entered the cavernous room. )t !as a remar"able fusion of engineering and art. bove them the famous
circular hole in the roof glo!ed !ith a narro! shaft of evening sun. The oculus/ Langdon thought. The %emon+s hole.
+he% had arrived.
Langdon@s e%es traced the arch of the ceiling sloping out!ard to the columned !alls and finall% do!n to the
polished marble floor beneath their feet. +he faint echo of footfalls and tourist murmurs reverberated around the dome.
Langdon scanned the do&en or so tourists !andering aimlessl% in the shado!s. (re you here1
ELoo"s prett% quiet/E .ittoria said/ still holding his hand.
Langdon nodded.
E#here@s Raphael@s tombDE
Langdon thought for a moment/ tr%ing to get his bearings. $e surve%ed the circumference of the room. +ombs.
ltars. 7illars. <iches. $e motioned to a particularl% ornate funerar% across the dome and to the left. E) thin" that@s
Raphael@s over there.E
.ittoria scanned the rest of the room. E) don@t see an%one !ho loo"s li"e an assassin about to "ill a cardinal. Shall
!e loo" aroundDE
Langdon nodded. E+here@s onl% one spot in here !here an%one could be hiding. #e better chec" the rientran/e.E
E+he recessesDE
EBes.E Langdon pointed. E+he recesses in the !all.E
round the perimeter/ interspersed !ith the tombs/ a series of semicircular niches !ere he!n in the !all. +he
niches/ although not enormous/ !ere big enough to hide someone in the shado!s. Sadl%/ Langdon "ne! the% once
contained statues of the 9l%mpian gods/ but the pagan sculptures had been destro%ed !hen the .atican converted the
7antheon to a ,hristian church. $e felt a pang of frustration to "no! he !as standing at the first altar of science/ and the
mar"er !as gone. $e !ondered !hich statue it had been/ and !here it had pointed. Langdon could imagine no greater
thrill than finding an )lluminati mar"er'a statue that surreptitiousl% pointed the !a% do!n the 7ath of )llumination.
gain he !ondered who the anon%mous )lluminati sculptor had been.
E)@ll ta"e the left arc/E .ittoria said/ indicating the left half of the circumference. EBou go right. See %ou in a
hundred and eight% degrees.E
Langdon smiled griml%.
s .ittoria moved off/ Langdon felt the eerie horror of the situation seeping bac" into his mind. s he turned and
made his !a% to the right/ the "iller@s voice seemed to !hisper in the dead space around him. Ei)ht o+clock. ?ir)in
sacri&ices on the altars o& science. ( mathematical pro)ression o& %eath. Ei)ht- nine- ten- ele!en an% at mi%ni)ht .
Langdon chec"ed his !atch( M(AC. 1ight minutes.
s Langdon moved to!ard the first recess/ he passed the tomb of one of )tal%@s ,atholic "ings. +he sarcophagus/
li"e man% in Rome/ !as as"e! !ith the !all/ positioned a!"!ardl%. group of visitors seemed confused b% this.
Langdon did not stop to explain. Formal ,hristian tombs !ere often misaligned !ith the architecture so the% could lie
facing east. )t !as an ancient superstition that Langdon@s S%mbolog% C1C class had discussed 0ust last month.
E+hat@s totall% incongruousFE a female student in the front had blurted !hen Langdon explained the reason for
east-facing tombs. E#h% !ould ,hristians !ant their tombs to face the rising sunD #e@re tal"ing about ,hristianit%*
not sun !orshipFE
Langdon smiled/ pacing before the blac"board/ che!ing an apple. E=r. $it&rotFE he shouted.
%oung man do&ing in bac" sat up !ith a start. E#hatF =eDE
Langdon pointed to a Renaissance art poster on the !all. E#ho is that man "neeling before 8odDE
E:m* some saintDE
E4rilliant. nd ho! do %ou know he@s a saintDE
E$e@s got a haloDE
E1xcellent/ and does that golden halo remind %ou of an%thingDE
$it&rot bro"e into a smile. EBeahF +hose 1g%ptian things !e studied last term. +hose* um* sun %isksFE
E+han" %ou/ $it&rot. 8o bac" to sleep.E Langdon turned bac" to the class. E$alos/ li"e much of ,hristian
s%mbolog%/ !ere borro!ed from the ancient 1g%ptian religion of sun !orship. ,hristianit% is filled !ith examples of
sun !orship.E
E1xcuse meDE the girl in front said. E) go to church all the time/ and ) don@t see much sun !orshiping going onFE
EReall%D #hat do %ou celebrate on ;ecember t!ent%-fifthDE
E,hristmas. +he birth of 5esus ,hrist.E
End %et according to the 4ible/ ,hrist !as born in =arch/ so !hat are !e doing celebrating in late ;ecemberDE
Silence.
Langdon smiled. E;ecember t!ent%-fifth/ m% friends/ is the ancient pagan holida% of sol in!ictus':nconquered
Sun'coinciding !ith the !inter solstice. )t@s that !onderful time of %ear !hen the sun returns/ and the da%s start getting
longer.E
Langdon too" another bite of apple.
E,onquering religions/E he continued/ Eoften adopt existing holida%s to ma"e conversion less shoc"ing. )t@s called
transmutation. )t helps people acclimati&e to the ne! faith. #orshipers "eep the same hol% dates/ pra% in the same
sacred locations/ use a similar s%mbolog%* and the% simpl% substitute a different god.E
<o! the girl in front loo"ed furious. EBou@re impl%ing ,hristianit% is 0ust some "ind of* repac"aged sun
worshipFE
E<ot at all. ,hristianit% did not borro! only from sun !orship. +he ritual of ,hristian canoni&ation is ta"en from
the ancient Pgod-ma"ing@ rite of 1uhemerus. +he practice of Pgod-eating@'that is/ $ol% ,ommunion'!as borro!ed
from the &tecs. 1ven the concept of ,hrist d%ing for our sins is arguabl% not exclusivel% ,hristianJ the self-sacrifice of
a %oung man to absolve the sins of his people appears in the earliest tradition of the Iuet&alcoatl.E
+he girl glared. ESo/ is anythin) in ,hristianit% originalDE
E.er% little in any organi&ed faith is trul% original. Religions are not born from scratch. +he% gro! from one
another. =odern religion is a collage* an assimilated historical record of man@s quest to understand the divine.E
E:m* hold on/E $it&rot ventured/ sounding a!a"e no!. E) "no! something ,hristian that@s original. $o! about
our ima)e of 8odD ,hristian art never portra%s 8od as the ha!" sun god/ or as an &tec/ or as an%thing !eird. )t al!a%s
sho!s 8od as an old man !ith a !hite beard. So our ima)e of 8od is original/ rightDE
Langdon smiled. E#hen the earl% ,hristian converts abandoned their former deities'pagan gods/ Roman gods/
8ree"/ sun/ =ithraic/ !hatever'the% as"ed the church !hat their ne! ,hristian 8od loo"ed li"e. #isel%/ the church
chose the most feared/ po!erful* and familiar face in all of recorded histor%.E
$it&rot loo"ed s"eptical. En old man !ith a !hite/ flo!ing beardDE
Langdon pointed to a hierarch% of ancient gods on the !all. t the top sat an old man !ith a !hite/ flo!ing beard.
E;oes Seus loo" familiarDE
+he class ended right on cue.
E8ood evening/E a man@s voice said.
Langdon 0umped. $e !as bac" in the 7antheon. $e turned to face an elderl% man in a blue cape !ith a red cross on
the chest. +he man gave him a gra%-toothed smile.
EBou@re 1nglish/ rightDE +he man@s accent !as thic" +uscan.
Langdon blin"ed/ confused. Ectuall%/ no. )@m merican.E
+he man loo"ed embarrassed. E9h heavens/ forgive me. Bou !ere so nicel% dressed/ ) 0ust figured* m%
apologies.E
E,an ) help %ouDE Langdon as"ed/ his heart beating !ildl%.
Ectuall% ) thought perhaps ) could help you. ) am the cicerone here.E +he man pointed proudl% to his cit%-issued
badge. E)t is m% 0ob to ma"e %our visit to Rome more interesting.E
,ore interestin)1 Langdon !as certain this particular visit to Rome !as plenty interesting.
EBou loo" li"e a man of distinction/E the guide fa!ned/ Eno doubt more interested in culture than most. 7erhaps )
can give %ou some histor% on this fascinating building.E
Langdon smiled politel%. E6ind of %ou/ but )@m actuall% an art historian m%self/ and'E
ESuperbFE +he man@s e%es lit up li"e he@d hit the 0ac"pot. E+hen %ou !ill no doubt find this delightfulFE
E) thin" )@d prefer to'E
E+he 7antheon/E the man declared/ launching into his memori&ed spiel/ E!as built b% =arcus grippa in CM 4.,.E
EBes/E Langdon inter0ected/ Eand rebuilt b% $adrian in 11K .;.E
E)t !as the !orld@s largest free-standing dome until 1KR3 !hen it !as eclipsed b% the Superdome in <e! 9rleansFE
Langdon groaned. +he man !as unstoppable.
End a fifth-centur% theologian once called the 7antheon the 0ouse o& the @e!il/ !arning that the hole in the roof
!as an entrance for demonsFE
Langdon bloc"ed him out. $is e%es climbed s"%!ard to the oculus/ and the memor% of .ittoria@s suggested plot
flashed a bone-numbing image in his mind* a branded cardinal falling through the hole and hitting the marble floor.
Now that woul% 'e a me%ia e!ent. Langdon found himself scanning the 7antheon for reporters. <one. $e inhaled
deepl%. )t !as an absurd idea. +he logistics of pulling off a stunt li"e that !ould be ridiculous.
s Langdon moved off to continue his inspection/ the babbling docent follo!ed li"e a love-starved pupp%. Remin%
me/ Langdon thought to himself/ there+s nothin) worse than a )un) ho art historian.
cross the room/ .ittoria !as immersed in her o!n search. Standing all alone for the first time since she had heard
the ne!s of her father/ she felt the star" realit% of the last eight hours closing in around her. $er father had been
murdered'cruell% and abruptl%. lmost equall% painful !as that her father@s creation had been corrupted'no! a tool of
terrorists. .ittoria !as plagued !ith guilt to thin" that it !as her invention that had enabled the antimatter to be
transported* her canister that !as no! counting do!n inside the .atican. )n an effort to serve her father@s quest for the
simplicit% of truth* she had become a conspirator of chaos.
9ddl%/ the onl% thing that felt right in her life at the moment !as the presence of a total stranger. Robert Langdon.
She found an inexplicable refuge in his e%es* li"e the harmon% of the oceans she had left behind earl% that morning.
She !as glad he !as there. <ot onl% had he been a source of strength and hope for her/ Langdon had used his quic"
mind to render this one chance to catch her father@s "iller.
.ittoria breathed deepl% as she continued her search/ moving around the perimeter. She !as over!helmed b% the
unexpected images of personal revenge that had dominated her thoughts all da%. 1ven as a s!orn lover of all life* she
!anted this executioner %ea%. <o amount of good karma could ma"e her turn the other chee" toda%. larmed and
electrified/ she sensed something coursing through her )talian blood that she had never felt before* the !hispers of
Sicilian ancestors defending famil% honor !ith brutal 0ustice. ?en%etta/ .ittoria thought/ and for the first time in her life
understood.
.isions of reprisal spurred her on. She approached the tomb of Raphael Santi. 1ven from a distance she could tell
this gu% !as special. $is cas"et/ unli"e the others/ !as protected b% a 7lexiglas shield and recessed into the !all.
+hrough the barrier she could see the front of the sarcophagus.
+a,hael 'anti
!$5#E!%";
.ittoria studied the grave and then read the one-sentence descriptive plaque beside Raphael@s tomb.
+hen she read it again.
+hen* she read it again.
moment later/ she !as dashing in horror across the floor. ERobertF Ro'ert#E
&"
Langdon@s progress around his side of the 7antheon !as being hampered some!hat b% the guide on his heels/ no!
continuing his tireless narration as Langdon prepared to chec" the final alcove.
EBou certainl% seem to be en0o%ing those nichesFE the docent said/ loo"ing delighted. E#ere %ou a!are that the
tapering thic"ness of the !alls is the reason the dome appears !eightlessDE
Langdon nodded/ not hearing a !ord as he prepared to examine another niche. Suddenl% someone grabbed him
from behind. )t !as .ittoria. She !as breathless and tugging at his arm. From the loo" of terror on her face/ Langdon
could onl% imagine one thing. $he &oun% a 'o%y. $e felt an ups!elling of dread.
Eh/ %our !ifeFE the docent exclaimed/ clearl% thrilled to have another guest. $e motioned to her short pants and
hi"ing boots. E<o! you ) can tell are mericanFE
.ittoria@s e%es narro!ed. E)@m )talian.E
+he guide@s smile dimmed. E9h/ dear.E
ERobert/E .ittoria !hispered/ tr%ing to turn her bac" on the guide. E8alileo@s @ia)ramma. ) need to see it.E
E@ia)ramma1E the docent said/ !heedling bac" in. E=%F Bou t!o certainl% "no! %our histor%F :nfortunatel% that
document is not vie!able. )t is under secret preservation in the .atican rc'E
E,ould %ou excuse usDE Langdon said. $e !as confused b% .ittoria@s panic. $e too" her aside and reached in his
poc"et/ carefull% extracting the @ia)ramma folio. E#hat@s going onDE
E#hat@s the date on this thingDE .ittoria demanded/ scanning the sheet.
+he docent !as on them again/ staring at the folio/ mouth agape. E+hat@s not* reall%*E
E+ourist reproduction/E Langdon quipped. E+han" %ou for %our help. 7lease/ m% !ife and ) !ould li"e a moment
alone.E
+he docent bac"ed off/ e%es never leaving the paper.
E;ate/E .ittoria repeated to Langdon. E#hen did 8alileo publish*E
Langdon pointed to the Roman numeral in the lo!er liner. E+hat@s the pub date. #hat@s going onDE
.ittoria deciphered the number. E1ROKDE
EBes. #hat@s !rongDE
.ittoria@s e%es filled !ith foreboding. E#e@re in trouble/ Robert. 4ig trouble. +he dates don@t match.E
E#hat dates don@t matchDE
ERaphael@s tomb. $e !asn@t buried here until 1MAK. centur% a&ter @ia)ramma !as published.E
Langdon stared at her/ tr%ing to ma"e sense of the !ords. E<o/E he replied. ERaphael died in 1AC3/ long 'e&ore
@ia)ramma.E
EBes/ but he !asn@t buried here until much later.E
Langdon !as lost. E#hat are %ou tal"ing aboutDE
E) 0ust read it. Raphael@s bod% !as relocated to the 7antheon in 1MAG. )t !as part of some historic tribute to eminent
)talians.E
s the !ords settled in/ Langdon felt li"e a rug had 0ust been %an"ed out from under him.
E#hen that poem !as !ritten/E .ittoria declared/ ERaphael@s tomb !as some!here else. 4ac" then/ the 7antheon
had nothing at all to do !ith RaphaelFE
Langdon could not breathe. E4ut that* means*E
EBesF )t means !e@re in the !rong placeFE
Langdon felt himself s!a%. "mpossi'le " was certain
.ittoria ran over and grabbed the docent/ pulling him bac". ESignore/ excuse us. #here !as Raphael@s bod% in the
1R33sDE
E:rb* :rbino/E he stammered/ no! loo"ing be!ildered. E$is birthplace.E
E)mpossibleFE Langdon cursed to himself. E+he )lluminati altars of science !ere here in Rome. )@m certain of itFE
E)lluminatiDE +he docent gasped/ loo"ing again at the document in Langdon@s hand. E#ho are %ou peopleDE
.ittoria too" charge. E#e@re loo"ing for something called Santi@s earthl% tomb. )n Rome. ,an %ou tell us !hat that
might beDE
+he docent loo"ed unsettled. E+his !as Raphael@s onl% tomb in Rome.E
Langdon tried to thin"/ but his mind refused to engage. )f Raphael@s tomb !asn@t in Rome in 1RAA/ then !hat !as
the poem referring toD $anti+s earthly tom' with %emon+s hole1 3hat the hell is it1 Think#
E#as there another artist called SantiDE .ittoria as"ed.
+he docent shrugged. E<ot that ) "no! of.E
E$o! about anyone famous at allD =a%be a scientist or a poet or an astronomer named SantiDE
+he docent no! loo"ed li"e he !anted to leave. E<o/ ma@am. +he onl% Santi )@ve ever heard of is Raphael the
architect.E
ErchitectDE .ittoria said. E) thought he !as a painterFE
E$e !as both/ of course. +he% all !ere. =ichelangelo/ da .inci/ Raphael.E
Langdon didn@t "no! !hether it !as the docent@s !ords or the ornate tombs around them that brought the
revelation to mind/ but it didn@t matter. +he thought occurred. $anti was an architect. From there the progression of
thoughts fell li"e dominoes. Renaissance architects lived for onl% t!o reasons'to glorif% 8od !ith big churches/ and to
glorif% dignitaries !ith lavish tombs. $anti+s tom'. Coul% it 'e1 +he images came faster no!*
da .inci@s ,ona isa.
=onet@s 3ater ilies.
=ichelangelo@s @a!i%.
Santi@s earthly tom'*
ESanti %esi)ne% the tomb/E Langdon said.
.ittoria turned. E#hatDE
E)t@s not a reference to !here Raphael is buried/ it@s referring to a tomb he %esi)ne%.E
E#hat are %ou tal"ing aboutDE
E) misunderstood the clue. )t@s not Raphael@s burial site !e@re loo"ing for/ it@s a tomb Raphael designed for
someone else. ) can@t believe ) missed it. $alf of the sculpting done in Renaissance and 4aroque Rome !as for the
funeraries.E Langdon smiled !ith the revelation. ERaphael must have designed hundreds of tombsFE
.ittoria did not loo" happ%. E$undredsDE
Langdon@s smile faded. E9h.E
En% of them earthly/ professorDE
Langdon felt suddenl% inadequate. $e "ne! embarrassingl% little about Raphael@s !or". =ichelangelo he could
have helped !ith/ but Raphael@s !or" had never captivated him. Langdon could onl% name a couple of Raphael@s more
famous tombs/ but he !asn@t sure !hat the% loo"ed li"e.
pparentl% sensing Langdon@s st%mie/ .ittoria turned to the docent/ !ho !as no! inching a!a%. She grabbed his
arm and reeled him in. E) need a tomb. ;esigned b% Raphael. tomb that could be considered earthly.E
+he docent no! loo"ed distressed. E tomb of Raphael@sD ) don@t "no!. $e designed so man%. nd %ou probabl%
!ould mean a chapel b% Raphael/ not a tomb. rchitects al!a%s designed the chapels in con0unction !ith the tomb.E
Langdon reali&ed the man !as right.
Ere an% of Raphael@s tombs or chapels considered earthlyDE
+he man shrugged. E)@m sorr%. ) don@t "no! !hat %ou mean. Earthly reall% doesn@t describe an%thing ) "no! of. )
should be going.E
.ittoria held his arm and read from the top line of the folio. EFrom Santi@s earthl% tomb !ith demon@s hole. ;oes
that mean an%thing to %ouDE
E<ot a thing.E
Langdon loo"ed up suddenl%. $e had momentaril% forgotten the second part of the line. @emon+s hole1EBesFE he
said to the docent. E+hat@s itF ;o an% of Raphael@s chapels have an oculus in themDE
+he docent shoo" his head. E+o m% "no!ledge the 7antheon is unique.E $e paused. E4ut*E
E4ut !hatFE .ittoria and Langdon said in unison.
<o! the docent coc"ed his head/ stepping to!ard them again. E demon@s holeDE $e muttered to himself and
pic"ed at his teeth. E;emon@s hole* that is* 'uco %iQ!oloDE
.ittoria nodded. ELiterall%/ %es.E
+he docent smiled faintl%. E<o! there@s a term ) have not heard in a !hile. )f )@m not mista"en/ a 'uco %iQ!olo
refers to an undercroft.E
En undercroftDE Langdon as"ed. Es in a cryptDE
EBes/ but a specific "ind of cr%pt. ) believe a demon@s hole is an ancient term for a massive burial cavit% located in
a chapel* underneath another tomb.E
En ossuar% annexDE Langdon demanded/ immediatel% recogni&ing !hat the man !as describing.
+he docent loo"ed impressed. EBesF +hat is the term ) !as loo"ing forFE
Langdon considered it. 9ssuar% annexes !ere a cheap ecclesiastic fix to an a!"!ard dilemma. #hen churches
honored their most distinguished members !ith ornate tombs inside the sanctuar%/ surviving famil% members often
demanded the famil% be buried together* thus ensuring the% too !ould have a coveted burial spot inside the church.
$o!ever/ if the church did not have space or funds to create tombs for an entire famil%/ the% sometimes dug an ossuar%
annex'a hole in the floor near the tomb !here the% buried the less !orth% famil% members. +he hole !as then covered
!ith the Renaissance equivalent of a manhole cover. lthough convenient/ the ossuar% annex !ent out of st%le quic"l%
because of the stench that often !afted up into the cathedral. @emon+s hole/ Langdon thought. $e had never heard the
term. )t seemed eeril% fitting.
Langdon@s heart !as no! pounding fiercel%. From $anti+s earthly tom' with %emon+s hole. +here seemed to be
onl% one question left to as". E;id Raphael design an% tombs that had one of these demon@s holesDE
+he docent scratched his head. Ectuall%. )@m sorr%* ) can onl% thin" of one.E
9nly one1 Langdon could not have dreamed of a better response.
E#hereFE .ittoria almost shouted.
+he docent e%ed them strangel%. E)t@s called the ,higi ,hapel. +omb of gostino ,higi and his brother/ !ealth%
patrons of the arts and sciences.E
E$ciences1E Langdon said/ exchanging loo"s !ith .ittoria.
E#hereDE .ittoria as"ed again.
+he docent ignored the question/ seeming enthusiastic again to be of service. Es for !hether or not the tomb is
earthly/ ) don@t "no!/ but certainl% it is* shall !e sa% %i&&ernte.E
E;ifferentDE Langdon said. E$o!DE
E)ncoherent !ith the architecture. Raphael !as onl% the architect. Some other sculptor did the interior adornments. )
can@t remember !ho.E
Langdon !as no! all ears. The anonymous "lluminati master- perhaps1
E#hoever did the interior monuments lac"ed taste/E the docent said. E@io mio# (trocitQs# #ho !ould !ant to be
buried beneath pirRmi%esDE
Langdon could scarcel% believe his ears. E7%ramidsD +he chapel contains p%ramidsDE
E) "no!/E the docent scoffed. E+errible/ isn@t itDE
.ittoria grabbed the docent@s arm. ESignore/ where is this ,higi ,hapelDE
Ebout a mile north. )n the church of Santa =aria del 7opolo.E
.ittoria exhaled. E+han" %ou. Let@s'E
E$e%/E the docent said/ E) 0ust thought of something. #hat a fool ) am.E
.ittoria stopped short. E7lease don@t tell me %ou made a mista"e.E
$e shoo" his head. E<o/ but it should have da!ned on me earlier. +he ,higi ,hapel !as not al!a%s "no!n as the
,higi. )t used to be called ,apella della +erra.E
E,hapel of the LandDE Langdon as"ed.
E<o/E .ittoria said/ heading for the door. E,hapel of the Earth.E
.ittoria .etra !hipped out her cell phone as she dashed into 7ia&&a della Rotunda. E,ommander 9livetti/E she said.
E+his is the !rong placeFE
9livetti sounded be!ildered. E#rongD #hat do %ou meanDE
E+he first altar of science is at the ,higi ,hapelFE
E#hereDE <o! 9livetti sounded angr%. E4ut =r. Langdon said'E
ESanta =aria del 7opoloF 9ne mile north. 8et %our men over there no!F #e@ve got four minutesFE
E4ut m% men are in position hereF ) can@t possibl%'E
E=oveFE .ittoria snapped the phone shut.
4ehind her/ Langdon emerged from the 7antheon/ da&ed.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him to!ard the queue of seemingl% driverless taxis !aiting b% the curb. She
pounded on the hood of the first car in line. +he sleeping driver bolted upright !ith a startled %elp. .ittoria %an"ed open
the rear door and pushed Langdon inside. +hen she 0umped in behind him.
ESanta =aria del 7opolo/E she ordered. EPresto#E
Loo"ing delirious and half terrified/ the driver hit the accelerator/ peeling out do!n the street.
&#
8unther 8lic" had assumed control of the computer from ,hinita =acri/ !ho no! stood hunched in the bac" of the
cramped 44, van staring in confusion over 8lic"@s shoulder.
E) told %ou/E 8lic" said/ t%ping some more "e%s. E+he British Tattler isn@t the onl% paper that runs stories on these
gu%s.E
=acri peered closer. 8lic" !as right. +he 44, database sho!ed their distinguished net!or" as having pic"ed up
and run six stories in the past ten %ears on the brotherhood called the )lluminati. 3ell- paint me purple/ she thought.
E#ho are the 0ournalists !ho ran the stories/E =acri as"ed. ESchloc" 0oc"sDE
E44, doesn@t hire schloc" 0oc"s.E
E+he% hired you.E
8lic" sco!led. E) don@t "no! !h% %ou@re such a s"eptic. +he )lluminati are !ell documented throughout histor%.E
ESo are !itches/ :F9s/ and the Loch <ess =onster.E
8lic" read the list of stories. EBou ever heard of a gu% called #inston ,hurchillDE
ERings a bell.E
E44, did a historical a !hile bac" on ,hurchill@s life. Staunch ,atholic b% the !a%. ;id %ou "no! that in 1KC3
,hurchill published a statement condemning the )lluminati and !arning 4rits of a !orld!ide conspirac% against
moralit%DE
=acri !as dubious. E#here did it runD )n the British TattlerDE
8lic" smiled. Eon%on 0eral%. Februar% G/ 1KC3.E
E<o !a%.E
EFeast %our e%es.E
=acri loo"ed closer at the clip. on%on 0eral%. Fe'. I- 1HCF. " ha% no i%ea. E#ell/ ,hurchill !as a paranoid.E
E$e !asn@t alone/E 8lic" said/ reading further. ELoo"s li"e #oodro! #ilson gave three radio broadcasts in 1KC1
!arning of gro!ing )lluminati control over the :.S. ban"ing s%stem. Bou !ant a direct quote from the radio transcriptDE
E<ot reall%.E
8lic" gave her one an%!a%. E$e said/ P+here is a po!er so organi&ed/ so subtle/ so complete/ so pervasive/ that
none had better spea" above their breath !hen the% spea" in condemnation of it.@ E
E)@ve never heard an%thing about this.E
E=a%be because in 1KC1 %ou !ere 0ust a "id.E
E,harming.E =acri too" the 0ab in stride. She "ne! her %ears !ere sho!ing. t fort%-three/ her bush% blac" curls
!ere strea"ed !ith gra%. She !as too proud for d%e. $er mom/ a Southern 4aptist/ had taught ,hinita contentedness and
self-respect. 3hen you+re a 'lack woman/ her mother said/ ain+t no hi%in) what you are. @ay you try- is the %ay you %ie.
$tan% tall- smile 'ri)ht- an% let +em won%er what secret+s makin) you lau)h.
E1ver heard of ,ecil RhodesDE 8lic" as"ed.
=acri loo"ed up. E+he 4ritish financierDE
EBeah. Founded the Rhodes Scholarships.E
E;on@t tell me'E
E)lluminatus.E
E4S.E
E44,/ actuall%. <ovember 1R/ 1KG2.E
E3e !rote that ,ecil Rhodes !as )lluminatiDE
ESure did. nd according to our net!or"/ the Rhodes Scholarships !ere funds set up centuries ago to recruit the
!orld@s brightest %oung minds into the )lluminati.E
E+hat@s ridiculousF =% uncle !as a Rhodes ScholarFE
8lic" !in"ed. ESo !as 4ill ,linton.E
=acri !as getting mad no!. She had never had tolerance for shodd%/ alarmist reporting. Still/ she "ne! enough
about the 44, to "no! that ever% stor% the% ran !as carefull% researched and confirmed.
E$ere@s one %ou@ll remember/E 8lic" said. E44,/ =arch A/ 1KKG. 7arliament ,ommittee ,hair/ ,hris =ullin/
required all members of 4ritish 7arliament !ho !ere =asons to declare their affiliation.E
=acri remembered it. +he decree had eventuall% extended to include policemen and 0udges as !ell. E#h% !as it
againDE
8lic" read. E* concern that secret factions !ithin the =asons exerted considerable control over political and
financial s%stems.E
E+hat@s right.E
E,aused quite a bustle. +he =asons in parliament !ere furious. $ad a right to be. +he vast ma0orit% turned out to
be innocent men !ho 0oined the =asons for net!or"ing and charit% !or". +he% had no clue about the brotherhood@s
past affiliations.E
Elleged affiliations.E
E#hatever.E 8lic" scanned the articles. ELoo" at this stuff. ccounts tracing the )lluminati bac" to 8alileo/ the
*uerenets of France/ the (lum'ra%os of Spain. 1ven 6arl =arx and the Russian Revolution.E
E$istor% has a !a% of re!riting itself.E
EFine/ %ou !ant something currentD $ave a loo" at this. $ere@s an )lluminati reference from a recent 3all $treet
2ournal.E
+his caught =acri@s ear. E+he 2ournalDE
E8uess !hat the most popular )nternet computer game in merica is right no!DE
E7in the tail on 7amela nderson.E
E,lose. )t@s called/ "lluminatiE New 3orl% 9r%er.E
=acri loo"ed over his shoulder at the blurb. E$te!e 2ackson *ames has a runaway hit a =uasi>historical
a%!enture in which an ancient satanic 'rotherhoo% &rom Ba!aria sets out to take o!er the worl%. You can &in% them
on>line at*E =acri loo"ed up/ feeling ill. E#hat do these )lluminati gu%s have against ,hristianit%DE
E<ot 0ust ,hristianit%/E 8lic" said. EReligion in general.E 8lic" coc"ed his head and grinned. Elthough from the
phone call !e 0ust got/ it appears the% %o have a special spot in their hearts for the .atican.E
E9h/ come on. Bou don@t really thin" that gu% !ho called is !ho he claims to be/ do %ouDE
E messenger of the )lluminatiD 7reparing to "ill four cardinalsDE 8lic" smiled. E) sure hope so.E
&$
Langdon and .ittoria@s taxi completed the one-mile sprint up the !ide .ia della Scrofa in 0ust over a minute. +he%
s"idded to a stop on the south side of the 7ia&&a del 7opolo 0ust before eight. <ot having an% lire/ Langdon overpaid the
driver in :.S. dollars. $e and .ittoria 0umped out. +he pia&&a !as quiet except for the laughter of a handful of locals
seated outside the popular Rosati ,afH'a hot spot of the )talian literati. +he bree&e smelled of espresso and pastr%.
Langdon !as still in shoc" over his mista"e at the 7antheon. #ith a cursor% glance at this square/ ho!ever/ his
sixth sense !as alread% tingling. +he pia&&a seemed subtl% filled !ith )lluminati significance. <ot onl% !as it laid out in
a perfectl% elliptical shape/ but dead center stood a to!ering 1g%ptian obelis"'a square pillar of stone !ith a
distinctivel% p%ramidal tip. Spoils of Rome@s imperial plundering/ obelis"s !ere scattered across Rome and referred to
b% s%mbologists as ELoft% 7%ramidsE's"%!ard extensions of the sacred p%ramidal form.
s Langdon@s e%es moved up the monolith/ though/ his sight !as suddenl% dra!n to something else in the
bac"ground. Something even more remar"able.
E#e@re in the right place/E he said quietl%/ feeling a sudden exposed !ariness. E$ave a loo" at that.E Langdon
pointed to the imposing 7orta del 7opolo'the high stone arch!a% at the far end of the pia&&a. +he vaulted structure had
been overloo"ing the pia&&a for centuries. ;ead center of the arch!a%@s highest point !as a s%mbolic engraving. ELoo"
familiarDE
.ittoria loo"ed up at the huge carving. E shining star over a triangular pile of stonesDE
Langdon shoo" his head. E source of )llumination over a p%ramid.E
.ittoria turned/ her e%es suddenl% !ide. ELi"e* the 8reat Seal of the :nited StatesDE
E1xactl%. +he =asonic s%mbol on the one-dollar bill.E
.ittoria too" a deep breath and scanned the pia&&a. ESo !here@s this damn churchDE
+he ,hurch of Santa =aria del 7opolo stood out li"e a misplaced battleship/ as"e! at the base of a hill on the
southeast corner of the pia&&a. +he eleventh-centur% stone aerie !as made even more clums% b% the to!er of
scaffolding covering the faWade.
Langdon@s thoughts !ere a blur as the% raced to!ard the edifice. $e stared up at the church in !onder. ,ould a
murder reall% be about to ta"e place insideD $e !ished 9livetti !ould hurr%. +he gun felt a!"!ard in his poc"et.
+he church@s front stairs !ere !enta)lio'a !elcoming/ curved fan'ironic in this case because the% !ere bloc"ed
!ith scaffolding/ construction equipment/ and a sign !arning(
Constru))ione(
Non *ntrare
Langdon reali&ed that a church closed for renovation meant total privac% for a "iller. <ot li"e the 7antheon. <o
fanc% tric"s needed here. 9nl% to find a !a% in.
.ittoria slipped !ithout hesitation bet!een the sa!horses and headed up the staircase.
E.ittoria/E Langdon cautioned. E)f he@s still in there*E
.ittoria did not seem to hear. She ascended the main portico to the church@s sole !ooden door. Langdon hurried up
the stairs behind her. 4efore he could sa% a !ord she had grasped the handle and pulled. Langdon held his breath. +he
door did not budge.
E+here must be another entrance/E .ittoria said.
E7robabl%/E Langdon said/ exhaling/ Ebut 9livetti !ill be here in a minute. )t@s too dangerous to go in. #e should
cover the church from out here until'E
.ittoria turned/ her e%es bla&ing. E)f there@s another !a% in/ there@s another !a% out. )f this gu% disappears/ !e@re
&un)ito.E
Langdon "ne! enough )talian to "no! she !as right.
+he alle% on the right side of the church !as pinched and dar"/ !ith high !alls on both sides. )t smelled of urine'a
common aroma in a cit% !here bars outnumbered public rest rooms t!ent% to one.
Langdon and .ittoria hurried into the fetid dimness. +he% had gone about fifteen %ards do!n !hen .ittoria tugged
Langdon@s arm and pointed.
Langdon sa! it too. :p ahead !as an unassuming !ooden door !ith heav% hinges. Langdon recogni&ed it as the
standard porta sacra'a private entrance for clerg%. =ost of these entrances had gone out of use %ears ago as
encroaching buildings and limited real estate relegated side entrances to inconvenient alle%!a%s.
.ittoria hurried to the door. She arrived and stared do!n at the door"nob/ apparentl% perplexed. Langdon arrived
behind her and e%ed the peculiar donut-shaped hoop hanging !here the door"nob should have been.
En annulus/E he !hispered. Langdon reached out and quietl% lifted the ring in his hand. $e pulled the ring to!ard
him. +he fixture clic"ed. .ittoria shifted/ loo"ing suddenl% uneas%. Iuietl%/ Langdon t!isted the ring cloc"!ise. )t spun
loosel% OR3 degrees/ not engaging. Langdon fro!ned and tried the other direction !ith the same result.
.ittoria loo"ed do!n the remainder of the alle%. EBou thin" there@s another entranceDE
Langdon doubted it. =ost Renaissance cathedrals !ere designed as ma"eshift fortresses in the event a cit% !as
stormed. +he% had as fe! entrances as possible. E)f there is another !a% in/E he said/ Eit@s probabl% recessed in the rear
bastion'more of an escape route than an entrance.E
.ittoria !as alread% on the move.
Langdon follo!ed deeper into the alle%. +he !alls shot s"%!ard on both sides of him. Some!here a bell began
ringing eight o@cloc"*
Robert Langdon did not hear .ittoria the first time she called to him. $e had slo!ed at a stained-glass !indo!
covered !ith bars and !as tr%ing to peer inside the church.
ERobertFE $er voice !as a loud !hisper.
Langdon loo"ed up. .ittoria !as at the end of the alle%. She !as pointing around the bac" of the church and
!aving to him. Langdon 0ogged reluctantl% to!ard her. t the base of the rear !all/ a stone bul!ar" 0utted out
concealing a narro! grotto'a "ind of compressed passage!a% cutting directl% into the foundation of the church.
En entranceDE .ittoria as"ed.
Langdon nodded. (ctually an e;it- 'ut we won+t )et technical.
.ittoria "nelt and peered into the tunnel. ELet@s chec" the door. See if it@s open.E
Langdon opened his mouth to ob0ect/ but .ittoria too" his hand and pulled him into the opening.
E#ait/E Langdon said.
She turned impatientl% to!ard him.
Langdon sighed. E)@ll go first.E
.ittoria loo"ed surprised. E=ore chivalr%DE
Ege before beaut%.E
E#as that a complimentDE
Langdon smiled and moved past her into the dar". E,areful on the stairs.E
$e inched slo!l% into the dar"ness/ "eeping one hand on the !all. +he stone felt sharp on his fingertips. For an
instant Langdon recalled the ancient m%th of ;aedelus/ ho! the bo% "ept one hand on the !all as he moved through the
=inotaur@s lab%rinth/ "no!ing he !as guaranteed to find the end if he never bro"e contact !ith the !all. Langdon
moved for!ard/ not entirel% certain he !anted to find the end.
+he tunnel narro!ed slightl%/ and Langdon slo!ed his pace. $e sensed .ittoria close behind him. s the !all
curved left/ the tunnel opened into a semicircular alcove. 9ddl%/ there !as faint light here. )n the dimness Langdon sa!
the outline of a heav% !ooden door.
E:h oh/E he said.
ELoc"edDE
E)t was.E
E3as1E .ittoria arrived at his side.
Langdon pointed. Lit b% a shaft of light coming from !ithin/ the door hung a0ar* its hinges splintered b% a
!rec"ing bar still lodged in the !ood.
+he% stood a moment in silence. +hen/ in the dar"/ Langdon felt .ittoria@s hands on his chest/ groping/ sliding
beneath his 0ac"et.
ERelax/ professor/E she said. E)@m 0ust getting the gun.E
t that moment/ inside the .atican =useums/ a tas" force of S!iss 8uards spread out in all directions. +he
museum !as dar"/ and the guards !ore :.S. =arine issue infrared goggles. +he goggles made ever%thing appear an
eerie shade of green. 1ver% guard !ore headphones connected to an antennali"e detector that he !aved rh%thmicall% in
front of him'the same devices the% used t!ice a !ee" to s!eep for electronic bugs inside the .atican. +he% moved
methodicall%/ chec"ing behind statues/ inside niches/ closets/ under furniture. +he antennae !ould sound if the%
detected even the tiniest magnetic field.
+onight/ ho!ever/ the% !ere getting no readings at all.
&%
+he interior of Santa =aria del 7opolo !as a mur"% cave in the dimming light. )t loo"ed more li"e a half -finished
sub!a% station than a cathedral. +he main sanctuar% !as an obstacle course of torn-up flooring/ bric" pallets/ mounds of
dirt/ !heelbarro!s/ and even a rust% bac"hoe. =ammoth columns rose through the floor/ supporting a vaulted roof. )n
the air/ silt drifted la&il% in the muted glo! of the stained glass. Langdon stood !ith .ittoria beneath a spra!ling
7inturicchio fresco and scanned the gutted shrine.
<othing moved. ;ead silence.
.ittoria held the gun out in front of her !ith both hands. Langdon chec"ed his !atch( G(32 7.=. 3e+re cra/y to 'e
in here/ he thought. "t+s too %an)erous. Still he "ne! if the "iller !ere inside/ the man could leave through an% door he
!anted/ ma"ing a one-gun outside sta"eout totall% fruitless. ,atching him inside !as the onl% !a%* that !as/ if he !as
even still here. Langdon felt guilt-ridden over the blunder that had cost ever%one their chance at the 7antheon. $e !as in
no position to insist on precaution no!J he !as the one !ho had bac"ed them into this corner.
.ittoria loo"ed harro!ed as she scanned the church. ESo/E she !hispered. E#here is this ,higi ,hapelDE
Langdon ga&ed through the dus"% ghostliness to!ard the bac" of the cathedral and studied the outer !alls. ,ontrar%
to common perception/ Renaissance cathedrals invariabl% contained multiple chapels/ huge cathedrals li"e <otre ;ame
having do&ens. ,hapels !ere less rooms than the% !ere hollows'semicircular niches holding tombs around a church@s
perimeter !all.
Ba% news/ Langdon thought/ seeing the four recesses on each side !all. +here !ere eight chapels in all. lthough
eight !as not a particularl% over!helming number/ all eight openings !ere covered !ith huge sheets of clear
pol%urethane due to the construction/ the translucent curtains apparentl% intended to "eep dust off the tombs inside the
alcoves.
E)t could be an% of those draped recesses/E Langdon said. E<o !a% to "no! !hich is the ,higi !ithout loo"ing
inside ever% one. ,ould be a good reason to !ait for 9liv'E
E#hich is the secondar% left apseDE she as"ed.
Langdon studied her/ surprised b% her command of architectural terminolog%. ESecondar% left apseDE
.ittoria pointed at the !all behind him. decorative tile !as embedded in the stone. )t !as engraved !ith the same
s%mbol the% had seen outside'a p%ramid beneath a shining star. +he grime-covered plaque beside it read(
Coat o4 arms o4 AleFander Chigi whose tomb is located in the secondary le4t a,se o4 this Cathedral
Langdon nodded. Chi)i+s coat o& arms was a pyrami% an% star1 $e suddenl% found himself !ondering if the
!ealth% patron ,higi had been an )lluminatus. $e nodded to .ittoria. E<ice !or"/ <anc% ;re!.E
E#hatDE
E<ever mind. )'E
piece of metal clattered to the floor onl% %ards a!a%. +he clang echoed through the entire church. Langdon
pulled .ittoria behind a pillar as she !hipped the gun to!ard the sound and held it there. Silence. +he% !aited. gain
there !as sound/ this time a rustling. Langdon held his breath. " ne!er shoul% ha!e let us come in here# +he sound
moved closer/ an intermittent scuffling/ li"e a man !ith a limp. Suddenl% around the base of the pillar/ an ob0ect came
into vie!.
EFi)lio %i puttana#E .ittoria cursed under her breath/ 0umping bac". Langdon fell bac" !ith her.
4eside the pillar/ dragging a half-eaten sand!ich in paper/ !as an enormous rat. +he creature paused !hen it sa!
them/ staring a long moment do!n the barrel of .ittoria@s !eapon/ and then/ apparentl% unmoved/ continued dragging
its pri&e off to the recesses of the church.
ESon of a*E Langdon gasped/ his heart racing.
.ittoria lo!ered the gun/ quic"l% regaining her composure. Langdon peered around the side of the column to see a
!or"man@s lunchbox spla%ed on the floor/ apparentl% "noc"ed off a sa!horse b% the resourceful rodent.
Langdon scanned the basilica for movement and !hispered/ E)f this gu%@s here/ he sure as hell heard that. Bou sure
%ou don@t !ant to !ait for 9livettiDE
ESecondar% left apse/E .ittoria repeated. E#here is itDE
Reluctantl% Langdon turned and tried to get his bearings. ,athedral terminolog% !as li"e stage directions'totall%
counterintuitive. $e faced the main altar. $ta)e center. +hen he pointed !ith his thumb bac"!ard over his shoulder.
+he% both turned and loo"ed !here he !as pointing.
)t seemed the ,higi ,hapel !as located in the third of four recessed alcoves to their right. +he good ne!s !as that
Langdon and .ittoria !ere on the correct si%e of the church. +he bad ne!s !as that the% !ere at the !rong en%. +he%
!ould have to traverse the length of the cathedral/ passing three other chapels/ each of them/ li"e the ,higi ,hapel/
covered !ith translucent plastic shrouds.
E#ait/E Langdon said. E)@ll go first.E
EForget it.E
E)@m the one !ho scre!ed up at the 7antheon.E
She turned. E4ut )@m the one !ith the gun.E
)n her e%es Langdon could see !hat she !as reall% thin"ing* "+m the one who lost my &ather. "+m the one who
helpe% 'uil% a weapon o& mass %estruction. This )uy+s kneecaps are mine*
Langdon sensed the futilit% and let her go. $e moved beside her/ cautiousl%/ do!n the east side of the basilica. s
the% passed the first shrouded alcove/ Langdon felt taut/ li"e a contestant on some surreal game sho!. "+ll take curtain
num'er three/ he thought.
+he church !as quiet/ the thic" stone !alls bloc"ing out all hints of the outside !orld. s the% hurried past one
chapel after the other/ pale humanoid forms !avered li"e ghosts behind the rustling plastic. Car!e% mar'le/ Langdon
told himself/ hoping he !as right. )t !as G(3R 7.=. $ad the "iller been punctual and slipped out before Langdon and
.ittoria had enteredD 9r !as he still hereD Langdon !as unsure !hich scenario he preferred.
+he% passed the second apse/ ominous in the slo!l% dar"ening cathedral. <ight seemed to be falling quic"l% no!/
accentuated b% the must% tint of the stained-glass !indo!s. s the% pressed on/ the plastic curtain beside them billo!ed
suddenl%/ as if caught in a draft. Langdon !ondered if someone some!here had opened a door.
.ittoria slo!ed as the third niche loomed before them. She held the gun before her/ motioning !ith her head to the
stele beside the apse. ,arved in the granite bloc" !ere t!o !ords(
Ca,ella Chigi
Langdon nodded. #ithout a sound the% moved to the corner of the opening/ positioning themselves behind a !ide
pillar. .ittoria leveled the gun around a corner at the plastic. +hen she signaled for Langdon to pull bac" the shroud.
( )oo% time to start prayin)/ he thought. Reluctantl%/ he reached over her shoulder. s carefull% as possible/ he
began to pull the plastic aside. )t moved an inch and then crin"led loudl%. +he% both fro&e. Silence. fter a moment/
moving in slo! motion/ .ittoria leaned for!ard and peered through the narro! slit. Langdon loo"ed over her shoulder.
For a moment/ neither one of them breathed.
E1mpt%/E .ittoria finall% said/ lo!ering the gun. E#e@re too late.E
Langdon did not hear. $e !as in a!e/ transported for an instant to another !orld. )n his life/ he had never imagined
a chapel that loo"ed li"e this. Finished entirel% in chestnut marble/ the ,higi ,hapel !as breathta"ing. Langdon@s
trained e%e devoured it in gulps. )t !as as earthly a chapel as Langdon could fathom/ almost as if 8alileo and the
)lluminati had designed it themselves.
9verhead/ the domed cupola shone !ith a field of illuminated stars and the seven astronomical planets. 4elo! that
the t!elve signs of the &odiac'pagan/ earthl% s%mbols rooted in astronom%. +he &odiac !as also tied directl% to 1arth/
ir/ Fire/ #ater* the quadrants representing po!er/ intellect/ ardor/ emotion. Earth is &or power/ Langdon recalled.
Farther do!n the !all/ Langdon sa! tributes to the 1arth@s four temporal seasons'prima!era- estate- autunno-
in!rno. 4ut far more incredible than an% of this !ere the t!o huge structures dominating the room. Langdon stared at
them in silent !onder. "t can+t 'e/ he thought. "t 6ust can+t 'e# 4ut it !as. 9n either side of the chapel/ in perfect
s%mmetr%/ !ere t!o ten-foot-high marble p%ramids.
E) don@t see a cardinal/E .ittoria !hispered. E9r an assassin.E She pulled aside the plastic and stepped in.
Langdon@s e%es !ere transfixed on the p%ramids. 3hat are pyrami%s %oin) insi%e a Christian chapel1 nd
incredibl%/ there !as more. ;ead center of each p%ramid/ embedded in their anterior faWades/ !ere gold medallions*
medallions li"e fe! Langdon had ever seen* perfect ellipses. +he burnished dis"s glimmered in the setting sun as it
sifted through the cupola. *alileo+s ellipses1 Pyrami%s1 ( cupola o& stars1 +he room had more )lluminati significance
than an% room Langdon could have fabricated in his mind.
ERobert/E .ittoria blurted/ her voice crac"ing. ELoo"FE
Langdon !heeled/ realit% returning as his e%es dropped to !here she !as pointing. E4lood% hellFE he shouted/
0umping bac"!ard.
Sneering up at them from the floor !as the image of a s"eleton'an intricatel% detailed/ marble mosaic depicting
Edeath in flight.E +he s"eleton !as carr%ing a tablet portra%ing the same p%ramid and stars the% had seen outside. )t !as
not the image/ ho!ever/ that had turned Langdon@s blood cold. )t !as the fact that the mosaic !as mounted on a circular
stone'a cupermento'that had been lifted out of the floor li"e a manhole cover and !as no! sitting off to one side of a
dar" opening in the floor.
E;emon@s hole/E Langdon gasped. $e had been so ta"en !ith the ceiling he had not even seen it. +entativel% he
moved to!ard the pit. +he stench coming up !as over!helming.
.ittoria put a hand over her mouth. EChe pu//o.E
E1ffluvium/E Langdon said. E.apors from deca%ing bone.E $e breathed through his sleeve as he leaned out over the
hole/ peering do!n. 4lac"ness. E) can@t see a thing.E
EBou thin" an%bod%@s do!n thereDE
E<o !a% to "no!.E
.ittoria motioned to the far side of the hole !here a rotting/ !ooden ladder descended into the depths.
Langdon shoo" his head. ELi"e hell.E
E=a%be there@s a flashlight outside in those tools.E She sounded eager for an excuse to escape the smell. E)@ll loo".E
E,arefulFE Langdon !arned. E#e don@t "no! for sure that the $assassin'E
4ut .ittoria !as alread% gone.
9ne stron)>wille% woman/ Langdon thought.
s he turned bac" to the pit/ he felt light-headed from the fumes. $olding his breath/ he dropped his head belo! the
rim and peered deep into the dar"ness. Slo!l%/ as his e%es ad0usted/ he began to see faint shapes belo!. +he pit
appeared to open into a small chamber. @emon+s hole. $e !ondered ho! man% generations of ,higis had been
unceremoniousl% dumped in. Langdon closed his e%es and !aited/ forcing his pupils to dilate so he could see better in
the dar". #hen he opened his e%es again/ a pale muted figure hovered belo! in the dar"ness. Langdon shivered but
fought the instinct to pull out. (m " seein) thin)s1 "s that a 'o%y1 +he figure faded. Langdon closed his e%es again and
!aited/ longer this time/ so his e%es !ould pic" up the faintest light.
;i&&iness started to set in/ and his thoughts !andered in the blac"ness. 2ust a &ew more secon%s. $e !asn@t sure if it
!as breathing the fumes or holding his head at a lo! inclination/ but Langdon !as definitel% starting to feel squeamish.
#hen he finall% opened his e%es again/ the image before him !as totall% inexplicable.
$e !as no! staring at a cr%pt bathed in an eerie bluish light. faint hissing sound reverberated in his ears. Light
flic"ered on the steep !alls of the shaft. Suddenl%/ a long shado! materiali&ed over him. Startled/ Langdon scrambled
up.
ELoo" outFE someone exclaimed behind him.
4efore Langdon could turn/ he felt a sharp pain on the bac" of his nec". $e spun to see .ittoria t!isting a lit
blo!torch a!a% from him/ the hissing flame thro!ing blue light around the chapel.
Langdon grabbed his nec". E#hat the hell are %ou doingDE
E) !as giving %ou some light/E she said. EBou bac"ed right into me.E
Langdon glared at the portable blo!torch in her hand.
E4est ) could do/E she said. E<o flashlights.E
Langdon rubbed his nec". E) didn@t hear %ou come in.E
.ittoria handed him the torch/ !incing again at the stench of the cr%pt. EBou thin" those fumes are combustibleDE
ELet@s hope not.E
$e too" the torch and moved slo!l% to!ard the hole. ,autiousl%/ he advanced to the rim and pointed the flame
do!n into the hole/ lighting the side !all. s he directed the light/ his e%es traced the outline of the !all do!n!ard. +he
cr%pt !as circular and about t!ent% feet across. +hirt% feet do!n/ the glo! found the floor. +he ground !as dar" and
mottled. 1arth%. +hen Langdon sa! the bod%.
$is instinct !as to recoil. E$e@s here/E Langdon said/ forcing himself not to turn a!a%. +he figure !as a pallid
outline against the earthen floor. E) thin" he@s been stripped na"ed.E Langdon flashed on the nude corpse of Leonardo
.etra.
E)s it one of the cardinalsDE
Langdon had no idea/ but he couldn@t imagine !ho the hell else it !ould be. $e stared do!n at the pale blob.
:nmoving. Lifeless. (n% yet* Langdon hesitated. +here !as something ver% strange about the !a% the figure !as
positioned. $e seemed to be*
Langdon called out. E$elloDE
EBou thin" he@s aliveDE
+here !as no response from belo!.
E$e@s not moving/E Langdon said. E4ut he loo"s*E No- impossi'le.
E$e loo"s whatDE .ittoria !as peering over the edge no! too.
Langdon squinted into the dar"ness. E$e loo"s li"e he@s standing up.E
.ittoria held her breath and lo!ered her face over the edge for a better loo". fter a moment/ she pulled bac".
EBou@re right. $e@s standing upF =a%be he@s alive and needs helpFE She called into the hole. E$elloDF ,i puS sentire1E
+here !as no echo off the moss% interior. 9nl% silence.
.ittoria headed for the ric"et% ladder. E)@m going do!n.E
Langdon caught her arm. E<o. )t@s dangerous. )@ll go.E
+his time .ittoria didn@t argue.
&&
,hinita =acri !as mad. She sat in the passenger@s seat of the 44, van as it idled at a corner on .ia +omacelli.
8unther 8lic" !as chec"ing his map of Rome/ apparentl% lost. s she had feared/ his m%ster% caller had phoned bac"/
this time !ith information.
E7ia&&a del 7opolo/E 8lic" insisted. E+hat@s !hat !e@re loo"ing for. +here@s a church there. nd inside is proof.E
E7roof.E ,hinita stopped polishing the lens in her hand and turned to him. E7roof that a cardinal has been
murderedDE
E+hat@s !hat he said.E
EBou believe ever%thing %ou hearDE ,hinita !ished/ as she often did/ that she !as the one in charge.
.ideographers/ ho!ever/ !ere at the !him of the cra&% reporters for !hom the% shot footage. )f 8unther 8lic" !anted
to follo! a feeble phone tip/ =acri !as his dog on a leash.
She loo"ed at him/ sitting there in the driver@s seat/ his 0a! set intentl%. +he man@s parents/ she decided/ must have
been frustrated comedians to have given him a name li"e 8unther 8lic". <o !onder the gu% felt li"e he had something
to prove. <onetheless/ despite his unfortunate appellative and anno%ing eagerness to ma"e a mar"/ 8lic" !as s!eet*
charming in a past%/ Bri%%ish/ unstrung sort of !a%. Li"e $ugh 8rant on lithium.
EShouldn@t !e be bac" at St. 7eter@sDE =acri said as patientl% as possible. E#e can chec" this m%ster% church out
later. ,onclave started an hour ago. #hat if the cardinals come to a decision !hile !e@re goneDE
8lic" did not seem to hear. E) thin" !e go to the right/ here.E $e tilted the map and studied it again. EBes/ if ) ta"e a
right* and then an immediate left.E $e began to pull out onto the narro! street before them.
ELoo" outFE =acri %elled. She !as a video technician/ and her e%es !ere sharp. Fortunatel%/ 8lic" !as prett% fast
too. $e slammed on the bra"es and avoided entering the intersection 0ust as a line of four lpha Romeos appeared out
of no!here and tore b% in a blur. 9nce past/ the cars s"idded/ decelerating/ and cut sharpl% left one bloc" ahead/ ta"ing
the exact route 8lic" had intended to ta"e.
E=aniacsFE =acri shouted.
8lic" loo"ed sha"en. E;id %ou see thatDE
EBeah/ ) sa! thatF +he% almost "illed usFE
E<o/ ) mean the cars/E 8lic" said/ his voice suddenl% excited. E+he% !ere all the same.E
ESo the% !ere maniacs !ith no imagination.E
E+he cars !ere also full.E
ESo !hatDE
EFour identical cars/ all !ith four passengersDE
EBou ever heard of carpoolingDE
E)n )tal%DE 8lic" chec"ed the intersection. E+he% haven@t even heard of unleaded gas.E $e hit the accelerator and
peeled out after the cars.
=acri !as thro!n bac" in her seat. E#hat the hell are %ou doingDE
8lic" accelerated do!n the street and hung a left after the lpha Romeos. ESomething tells me %ou and ) are not
the onl% ones going to church right no!.E
&.
+he descent !as slo!.
Langdon dropped rung b% rung do!n the crea"ing ladder* deeper and deeper beneath the floor of the ,higi
,hapel. "nto the @emon+s hole/ he thought. $e !as facing the side !all/ his bac" to the chamber/ and he !ondered ho!
man% more dar"/ cramped spaces one da% could provide. +he ladder groaned !ith ever% step/ and the pungent smell of
rotting flesh and dampness !as almost asph%xiating. Langdon !ondered !here the hell 9livetti !as.
.ittoria@s outline !as still visible above/ holding the blo!torch inside the hole/ lighting Langdon@s !a%. s he
lo!ered himself deeper into the dar"ness/ the bluish glo! from above got fainter. +he onl% thing that got stronger !as
the stench.
+!elve rungs do!n/ it happened. Langdon@s foot hit a spot that !as slipper% !ith deca%/ and he faltered. Lunging
for!ard/ he caught the ladder !ith his forearms to avoid plummeting to the bottom. ,ursing the bruises no! throbbing
on his arms/ he dragged his bod% bac" onto the ladder and began his descent again.
+hree rungs deeper/ he almost fell again/ but this time it !as not a rung that caused the mishap. )t !as a bolt of fear.
$e had descended past a hollo!ed niche in the !all before him and suddenl% found himself face to face !ith a
collection of s"ulls. s he caught his breath and loo"ed around him/ he reali&ed the !all at this level !as hone%combed
!ith shelfli"e openings'burial niches'all filled !ith s"eletons. )n the phosphorescent light/ it made for an eerie collage
of empt% soc"ets and deca%ing rib cages flic"ering around him.
$keletons 'y &ireli)ht/ he grimaced !r%l%/ reali&ing he had quite coincidentall% endured a similar evening 0ust last
month. (n e!enin) o& 'ones an% &lames. +he <e! Bor" =useum of rcheolog%@s candlelight benefit dinner'salmon
flambH in the shado! of a brontosaurus s"eleton. $e had attended at the invitation of Rebecca Strauss'one-time fashion
model no! art critic from the Times/ a !hirl!ind of blac" velvet/ cigarettes/ and not-so-subtl% enhanced breasts. She@d
called him t!ice since. Langdon had not returned her calls. ,ost un)entlemanly/ he chided/ !ondering ho! long
Rebecca Strauss !ould last in a stin"-pit li"e this.
Langdon !as relieved to feel the final rung give !a% to the spong% earth at the bottom. +he ground beneath his
shoes felt damp. ssuring himself the !alls !ere not going to close in on him/ he turned into the cr%pt. )t !as circular/
about t!ent% feet across. 4reathing through his sleeve again/ Langdon turned his e%es to the bod%. )n the gloom/ the
image !as ha&%. !hite/ flesh% outline. Facing the other direction. =otionless. Silent.
dvancing through the mur"iness of the cr%pt/ Langdon tried to ma"e sense of !hat he !as loo"ing at. +he man
had his bac" to Langdon/ and Langdon could not see his face/ but he %i% indeed seem to be standing.
E$elloDE Langdon cho"ed through his sleeve. <othing. s he dre! nearer/ he reali&ed the man !as ver% short. Too
short*
E#hat@s happeningDE .ittoria called from above/ shifting the light.
Langdon did not ans!er. $e !as no! close enough to see it all. #ith a tremor of repulsion/ he understood. +he
chamber seemed to contract around him. 1merging li"e a demon from the earthen floor !as an old man* or at least
half of him. $e !as buried up to his !aist in the earth. Standing upright !ith half of him belo! ground. Stripped na"ed.
$is hands tied behind his bac" !ith a red cardinal@s sash. $e !as propped limpl% up!ard/ spine arched bac"!ard li"e
some sort of hideous punching bag. +he man@s head la% bac"!ard/ e%es to!ard the heavens as if pleading for help from
8od himself.
E)s he deadDE .ittoria called.
Langdon moved to!ard the bod%. " hope so- &or his sake. s he dre! to !ithin a fe! feet/ he loo"ed do!n at the
upturned e%es. +he% bulged out!ard/ blue and bloodshot. Langdon leaned do!n to listen for breath but immediatel%
recoiled. EFor ,hrist@s sa"eFE
E#hatFE
Langdon almost gagged. E$e@s dead all right. ) 0ust sa! the cause of death.E +he sight !as gruesome. +he man@s
mouth had been 0ammed open and pac"ed solid !ith dirt. ESomebod% stuffed a fistful of dirt do!n his throat. $e
suffocated.E
E;irtDE .ittoria said. Es in* earthDE
Langdon did a double ta"e. Earth. $e had almost forgotten. The 'ran%s. Earth- (ir- Fire- 3ater. +he "iller had
threatened to brand each victim !ith one of the ancient elements of science. +he first element !as Earth. From $anti+s
earthly tom'. ;i&&% from the fumes/ Langdon circled to the front of the bod%. s he did/ the s%mbologist !ithin him
loudl% reasserted the artistic challenge of creating the m%thical ambigram. Earth1 0ow1 nd %et/ an instant later/ it !as
before him. ,enturies of )lluminati legend !hirled in his mind. +he mar"ing on the cardinal@s chest !as charred and
oo&ing. +he flesh !as seared blac". a lin)ua pura*
Langdon stared at the brand as the room began to spin.
E1arth/E he !hispered/ tilting his head to see the s%mbol upside do!n. E1arth.E
+hen/ in a !ave of horror/ he had one final cognition. There are three more.
&5
;espite the soft glo! of candlelight in the Sistine ,hapel/ ,ardinal =ortati !as on edge. ,onclave had officiall%
begun. nd it had begun in a most inauspicious fashion.
$alf an hour ago/ at the appointed hour/ ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca had entered the chapel. $e !al"ed to the
front altar and gave opening pra%er. +hen/ he unfolded his hands and spo"e to them in a tone as direct as an%thing
=ortati had ever heard from the altar of the Sistine.
EBou are !ell a!are/E the camerlegno said/ Ethat our four pre&eriti are not present in conclave at this moment. ) as"/
in the name of his late $oliness/ that %ou proceed as %ou must* !ith faith and purpose. =a% %ou have onl% 8od before
%our e%es.E +hen he turned to go.
E4ut/E one cardinal blurted out/ E!here are the%DE
+he camerlegno paused. E+hat ) cannot honestl% sa%.E
E#hen !ill the% returnDE
E+hat ) cannot honestl% sa%.E
Ere the% o"a%DE
E+hat ) cannot honestl% sa%.E
E3ill the% returnDE
+here !as a long pause.
E$ave faith/E the camerlegno said. +hen he !al"ed out of the room.
+he doors to the Sistine ,hapel had been sealed/ as !as the custom/ !ith t!o heav% chains on the outside. Four
S!iss 8uards stood !atch in the hall!a% be%ond. =ortati "ne! the onl% !a% the doors could be opened no!/ prior to
electing a 7ope/ !as if someone inside fell deathl% ill/ or if the pre&eriti arrived. =ortati pra%ed it !ould be the latter/
although from the "not in his stomach he !as not so sure.
Procee% as we must/ =ortati decided/ ta"ing his lead from the resolve in the camerlegno@s voice. So he had called
for a vote. #hat else could he doD
)t had ta"en thirt% minutes to complete the preparator% rituals leading up to this first vote. =ortati had !aited
patientl% at the main altar as each cardinal/ in order of seniorit%/ had approached and performed the specific balloting
procedure.
<o!/ at last/ the final cardinal had arrived at the altar and !as "neeling before him.
E) call as m% !itness/E the cardinal declared/ exactl% as those before him/ E,hrist the Lord/ !ho !ill be m% 0udge
that m% vote is given to the one !ho before 8od ) thin" should be elected.E
+he cardinal stood up. $e held his ballot high over his head for ever%one to see. +hen he lo!ered the ballot to the
altar/ !here a plate sat atop a large chalice. $e placed the ballot on the plate. <ext he pic"ed up the plate and used it to
drop the ballot into the chalice. :se of the plate !as to ensure no one secretl% dropped multiple ballots.
fter he had submitted his ballot/ he replaced the plate over the chalice/ bo!ed to the cross/ and returned to his
seat.
+he final ballot had been cast.
<o! it !as time for =ortati to go to !or".
Leaving the plate on top of the chalice/ =ortati shoo" the ballots to mix them. +hen he removed the plate and
extracted a ballot at random. $e unfolded it. +he ballot !as exactl% t!o inches !ide. $e read aloud for ever%one to
hear.
EEli)o in summum ponti&icem*E he declared/ reading the text that !as embossed at the top of ever% ballot. " elect
as $upreme Ponti&&* +hen he announced the nominee@s name that had been !ritten beneath it. fter he read the name/
he raised a threaded needle and pierced the ballot through the !ord Eli)o/ carefull% sliding the ballot onto the thread.
+hen he made note of the vote in a logboo".
<ext/ he repeated the entire procedure. $e chose a ballot from the chalice/ read it aloud/ threaded it onto the line/
and made note in his log. lmost immediatel%/ =ortati sensed this first vote !ould be failed. <o consensus. fter onl%
seven ballots/ alread% seven different cardinals had been named. s !as normal/ the hand!riting on each ballot !as
disguised b% bloc" printing or flambo%ant script. +he concealment !as ironic in this case because the cardinals !ere
obviousl% submitting votes for themselves. +his apparent conceit/ =ortati "ne!/ had nothing to do !ith self -centered
ambition. )t !as a holding pattern. defensive maneuver. stall tactic to ensure no cardinal received enough votes to
!in* and another vote !ould be forced.
+he cardinals !ere !aiting for their pre&eriti*
#hen the last of the ballots had been tallied/ =ortati declared the vote Efailed.E
$e too" the thread carr%ing all the ballots and tied the ends together to create a ring. +hen he la% the ring of ballots
on a silver tra%. $e added the proper chemicals and carried the tra% to a small chimne% behind him. $ere he lit the
ballots. s the ballots burned/ the chemicals he@d added created blac" smo"e. +he smo"e flo!ed up a pipe to a hole in
the roof !here it rose above the chapel for all to see. ,ardinal =ortati had 0ust sent his first communication to the
outside !orld.
9ne balloting. <o 7ope.
&:
<earl% asph%xiated b% fumes/ Langdon struggled up the ladder to!ard the light at the top of the pit. bove him he
heard voices/ but nothing !as ma"ing sense. $is head !as spinning !ith images of the branded cardinal.
Earth* Earth*
s he pushed up!ard/ his vision narro!ed and he feared consciousness !ould slip a!a%. +!o rungs from the top/
his balance faltered. $e lunged up!ard tr%ing to find the lip/ but it !as too far. $e lost his grip on the ladder and almost
tumbled bac"!ard into the dar". +here !as a sharp pain under his arms/ and suddenl% Langdon !as airborne/ legs
s!inging !ildl% out over the chasm.
+he strong hands of t!o S!iss 8uards hoo"ed him under the armpits and dragged him s"%!ard. moment later
Langdon@s head emerged from the ;emon@s hole/ cho"ing and gasping for air. +he guards dragged him over the lip of
the opening/ across the floor/ and la% him do!n/ bac" against the cold marble floor.
For a moment/ Langdon !as unsure !here he !as. 9verhead he sa! stars* orbiting planets. $a&% figures raced
past him. 7eople !ere shouting. $e tried to sit up. $e !as l%ing at the base of a stone p%ramid. +he familiar bite of an
angr% tongue echoed inside the chapel/ and then Langdon "ne!.
9livetti !as screaming at .ittoria. E#h% the hell didn@t %ou figure that out in the first placeFE
.ittoria !as tr%ing to explain the situation.
9livetti cut her off midsentence and turned to bar" orders to his men. E8et that bod% out of thereF Search the rest of
the buildingFE
Langdon tried to sit up. +he ,higi ,hapel !as pac"ed !ith S!iss 8uards. +he plastic curtain over the chapel
opening had been torn off the entr%!a%/ and fresh air filled Langdon@s lungs. s his senses slo!l% returned/ Langdon
sa! .ittoria coming to!ard him. She "nelt do!n/ her face li"e an angel.
EBou o"a%DE .ittoria too" his arm and felt his pulse. $er hands !ere tender on his s"in.
E+han"s.E Langdon sat up full%. E9livetti@s mad.E
.ittoria nodded. E$e has a right to be. #e ble! it.E
EBou mean " ble! it.E
ESo redeem %ourself. 8et him next time.E
Ne;t time1 Langdon thought it !as a cruel comment. There is no ne;t time# 3e misse% our shot#
.ittoria chec"ed Langdon@s !atch. E=ic"e% sa%s !e@ve got fort% minutes. 8et %our head together and help me find
the next mar"er.E
E) told %ou/ .ittoria/ the sculptures are gone. +he 7ath of )llumination is'E Langdon halted.
.ittoria smiled softl%.
Suddenl% Langdon !as staggering to his feet. $e turned di&&%ing circles/ staring at the art!or" around him.
Pyrami%s- stars- planets- ellipses. Suddenl% ever%thing came bac". This is the &irst altar o& science# Not the Pantheon# )t
da!ned on him no! ho! perfectl% )lluminati the chapel !as/ far more subtle and selective than the !orld famous
7antheon. +he ,higi !as an out of the !a% alcove/ a literal hole-in-the-!all/ a tribute to a great patron of science/
decorated !ith earthl% s%mbolog%. Per&ect.
Langdon steadied himself against the !all and ga&ed up at the enormous p%ramid sculptures. .ittoria !as dead
right. )f this chapel !as the first altar of science/ it might still contain the )lluminati sculpture that served as the first
mar"er. Langdon felt an electrif%ing rush of hope to reali&e there !as still a chance. )f the mar"er !ere indeed here/ and
the% could follo! it to the next altar of science/ the% might have another chance to catch the "iller.
.ittoria moved closer. E) found out !ho the un"no!n )lluminati sculptor !as.E
Langdon@s head !hipped around. EBou whatDE
E<o! !e 0ust need to figure out !hich sculpture in here is the'E
E#ait a minuteF Bou know !ho the )lluminati sculptor !asDE $e had spent %ears tr%ing to find that information.
.ittoria smiled. E)t !as 4ernini.E She paused. EThe 4ernini.E
Langdon immediatel% "ne! she !as mista"en. 4ernini !as an impossibilit%. 8ianloren&o 4ernini !as the second
most famous sculptor of all time/ his fame eclipsed onl% b% =ichelangelo himself. ;uring the 1R33s 4ernini created
more sculptures than an% other artist. :nfortunatel%/ the man the% !ere loo"ing for !as supposedl% an un"no!n/ a
nobod%.
.ittoria fro!ned. EBou don@t loo" excited.E
E4ernini is impossible.E
E#h%D 4ernini !as a contemporar% of 8alileo. $e !as a brilliant sculptor.E
E$e !as a ver% famous man and a ,atholic.E
EBes/E .ittoria said. E1xactl% li"e 8alileo.E
E<o/E Langdon argued. ENothin) li"e 8alileo. 8alileo !as a thorn in the .atican@s side. 4ernini !as the .atican@s
!onder bo%. +he church lo!e% 4ernini. $e !as elected the .atican@s overall artistic authorit%. $e practicall% lived
inside .atican ,it% his entire lifeFE
E perfect cover. )lluminati infiltration.E
Langdon felt flustered. E.ittoria/ the )lluminati members referred to their secret artist as il maestro i)noto'the
un"no!n master.E
EBes/ un"no!n to them. +hin" of the secrec% of the =asons'onl% the upper-echelon members "ne! the !hole
truth. 8alileo could have "ept 4ernini@s true identit% secret from most members* for 4ernini@s o!n safet%. +hat !a%/
the .atican !ould never find out.E
Langdon !as unconvinced but had to admit .ittoria@s logic made strange sense. +he )lluminati !ere famous for
"eeping secret information compartmentali&ed/ onl% revealing the truth to upper-level members. )t !as the cornerstone
of their abilit% to sta% secret* ver% fe! "ne! the !hole stor%.
End 4ernini@s affiliation !ith the )lluminati/E .ittoria added !ith a smile/ Eexplains !h% he designed those t!o
p%ramids.E
Langdon turned to the huge sculpted p%ramids and shoo" his head. E4ernini !as a reli)ious sculptor. +here@s no
!a% he carved those p%ramids.E
.ittoria shrugged. E+ell that to the sign behind %ou.E
Langdon turned to the plaque(
A+T 0F T=* C=161 C=A*/
2hile the architecture is +a,haels, all interior adornments are those o4 6ianloren)o Bernini(
Langdon read the plaque t!ice/ and still he !as not convinced. 8ianloren&o 4ernini !as celebrated for his intricate/
hol% sculptures of the .irgin =ar%/ angels/ prophets/ 7opes. #hat !as he doing carving pyrami%sD
Langdon loo"ed up at the to!ering monuments and felt totall% disoriented. +!o p%ramids/ each !ith a shining/
elliptical medallion. +he% !ere about as un-,hristian as sculpture could get. +he p%ramids/ the stars above/ the signs of
the Sodiac. (ll interior a%ornments are those o& *ianloren/o Bernini. )f that !ere true/ Langdon reali&ed/ it meant
.ittoria ha% to be right. 4% default/ 4ernini !as the )lluminati@s un"no!n masterJ nobod% else had contributed art!or"
to this chapelF +he implications came almost too fast for Langdon to process.
Bernini was an "lluminatus.
Bernini %esi)ne% the "lluminati am'i)rams.
Bernini lai% out the path o& "llumination.
Langdon could barel% spea". ,ould it be that here in this tin% ,higi ,hapel/ the !orld-reno!ned 4ernini had placed
a sculpture that pointed across Rome to!ard the next altar of scienceD
E4ernini/E he said. E) never !ould have guessed.E
E#ho other than a famous .atican artist !ould have had the clout to put his art!or" in specific ,atholic chapels
around Rome and create the 7ath of )lluminationD ,ertainl% not an un"no!n.E
Langdon considered it. $e loo"ed at the p%ramids/ !ondering if one of them could someho! be the mar"er. ,ay'e
'oth o& them1 E+he p%ramids face opposite directions/E Langdon said/ not sure !hat to ma"e of them. E+he% are also
identical/ so ) don@t "no! !hich*E
E) don@t thin" the p%ramids are !hat !e@re loo"ing for.E
E4ut the%@re the onl% sculptures here.E
.ittoria cut him off b% pointing to!ard 9livetti and some of his guards !ho !ere gathered near the demon@s hole.
Langdon follo!ed the line of her hand to the far !all. t first he sa! nothing. +hen someone moved and he caught
a glimpse. #hite marble. n arm. torso. nd then a sculpted face. 7artiall% hidden in its niche. +!o life-si&e human
figures intert!ined. Langdon@s pulse accelerated. $e had been so ta"en !ith the p%ramids and demon@s hole/ he had not
even seen this sculpture. $e moved across the room/ through the cro!d. s he dre! near/ Langdon recogni&ed the !or"
!as pure 4ernini'the intensit% of the artistic composition/ the intricate faces and flo!ing clothing/ all from the purest
!hite marble .atican mone% could bu%. )t !as not until he !as almost directl% in front of it that Langdon recogni&ed
the sculpture itself. $e stared up at the t!o faces and gasped.
E#ho are the%DE .ittoria urged/ arriving behind him.
Langdon stood astonished. E0a'akkuk an% the (n)el/E he said/ his voice almost inaudible. +he piece !as a fairl%
!ell-"no!n 4ernini !or" that !as included in some art histor% texts. Langdon had forgotten it !as here.
E$aba""u"DE
EBes. +he prophet !ho predicted the annihilation of the earth.E
.ittoria loo"ed uneas%. EBou thin" this is the mar"erDE
Langdon nodded in ama&ement. <ever in his life had he been so sure of an%thing. +his !as the first )lluminati
mar"er. <o doubt. lthough Langdon had full% expected the sculpture to someho! EpointE to the next altar of science/
he did not expect it to be literal. 4oth the angel and $aba""u" had their arms outstretched and !ere pointing into the
distance.
Langdon found himself suddenl% smiling. E<ot too subtle/ is itDE
.ittoria loo"ed excited but confused. E) see them pointing/ but the% are contradicting each other. +he angel is
pointing one !a%/ and the prophet the other.E
Langdon chuc"led. )t !as true. lthough both figures !ere pointing into the distance/ the% !ere pointing in totall%
opposite directions. Langdon/ ho!ever/ had alread% solved that problem. #ith a burst of energ% he headed for the door.
E#here are %ou goingDE .ittoria called.
E9utside the buildingFE Langdon@s legs felt light again as he ran to!ard the door. E) need to see !hat direction that
sculpture is pointingFE
E#aitF $o! do %ou "no! which finger to follo!DE
E+he poem/E he called over his shoulder. E+he last lineFE
E PLet angels guide %ou on %our loft% questD@ E She ga&ed up!ard at the outstretched finger of the angel. $er e%es
misted unexpectedl%. E#ell )@ll be damnedFE
.;
8unther 8lic" and ,hinita =acri sat par"ed in the 44, van in the shado!s at the far end of 7ia&&a del 7opolo.
+he% had arrived shortl% after the four lpha Romeos/ 0ust in time to !itness an inconceivable chain of events. ,hinita
still had no idea !hat it all meant/ but she@d made sure the camera !as rolling.
s soon as the%@d arrived/ ,hinita and 8lic" had seen a veritable arm% of %oung men pour out of the lpha
Romeos and surround the church. Some had !eapons dra!n. 9ne of them/ a stiff older man/ led a team up the front
steps of the church. +he soldiers dre! guns and ble! the loc"s off the front doors. =acri heard nothing and figured the%
must have had silencers. +hen the soldiers entered.
,hinita had recommended the% sit tight and film from the shado!s. fter all/ guns !ere guns/ and the% had a clear
vie! of the action from the van. 8lic" had not argued. <o!/ across the pia&&a/ men moved in and out of the church.
+he%
elled to each other. ,hinita ad0usted her camera to follo! a team as the% searched the surrounding area. ll of
them/ though dressed in civilian clothes/ seemed to move !ith militar% precision. E#ho do %ou thin" the% areDE she
as"ed.
E$ell if ) "no!.E 8lic" loo"ed riveted. EBou getting all thisDE
E1ver% frame.E
8lic" sounded smug. EStill thin" !e should go bac" to 7ope-#atchDE
,hinita !asn@t sure !hat to sa%. +here !as obviousl% something going on here/ but she had been in 0ournalism long
enough to "no! that there !as often a ver% dull explanation for interesting events. E+his could be nothing/E she said.
E+hese gu%s could have gotten the same tip %ou got and are 0ust chec"ing it out. ,ould be a false alarm.E
8lic" grabbed her arm. E9ver thereF Focus.E $e pointed bac" to the church.
,hinita s!ung the camera bac" to the top of the stairs. E$ello there/E she said/ training on the man no! emerging
from the church.
E#ho@s the dapperDE
,hinita moved in for a close-up. E$aven@t seen him before.E She tightened in on the man@s face and smiled. E4ut )
!ouldn@t mind seeing him again.E
Robert Langdon dashed do!n the stairs outside the church and into the middle of the pia&&a. )t !as getting dar"
no!/ the springtime sun setting late in southern Rome. +he sun had dropped belo! the surrounding buildings/ and
shado!s strea"ed the square.
E9"a%/ 4ernini/E he said aloud to himself. E#here the hell is %our angel pointingDE
$e turned and examined the orientation of the church from !hich he had 0ust come. $e pictured the ,higi ,hapel
inside/ and the sculpture of the angel inside that. #ithout hesitation he turned due !est/ into the glo! of the impending
sunset. +ime !as evaporating.
ESouth!est/E he said/ sco!ling at the shops and apartments bloc"ing his vie!. E+he next mar"er is out there.E
Rac"ing his brain/ Langdon pictured page after page of )talian art histor%. lthough ver% familiar !ith 4ernini@s
!or"/ Langdon "ne! the sculptor had been far too prolific for an% nonspecialist to "no! all of it. Still/ considering the
relative fame of the first mar"er'0a'akkuk an% the (n)el'Langdon hoped the second mar"er !as a !or" he might
"no! from memor%.
Earth- (ir- Fire- 3ater/ he thought. Earth the% had found'inside the ,hapel of the 1arth'$aba""u"/ the prophet
!ho predicted the earth@s annihilation.
(ir is next. Langdon urged himself to thin". ( Bernini sculpture that has somethin) to %o with (ir# $e !as dra!ing
a total blan". Still he felt energi&ed. "+m on the path o& "llumination# "t is still intact#
Loo"ing south!est/ Langdon strained to see a spire or cathedral to!er 0utting up over the obstacles. $e sa!
nothing. $e needed a map. )f the% could figure out !hat churches !ere south!est of here/ ma%be one of them !ould
spar" Langdon@s memor%. (ir/ he pressed. (ir. Bernini. $culpture. (ir. Think#
Langdon turned and headed bac" up the cathedral stairs. $e !as met beneath the scaffolding b% .ittoria and
9livetti.
ESouth!est/E Langdon said/ panting. E+he next church is south!est of here.E
9livetti@s !hisper !as cold. EBou sure this timeDE
Langdon didn@t bite. E#e need a map. 9ne that sho!s all the churches in Rome.E
+he commander studied him a moment/ his expression never changing.
Langdon chec"ed his !atch. E#e onl% have half an hour.E
9livetti moved past Langdon do!n the stairs to!ard his car/ par"ed directl% in front of the cathedral. Langdon
hoped he !as going for a map.
.ittoria loo"ed excited. ESo the angel@s pointing south!estD <o idea !hich churches are south!estDE
E) can@t see past the damn buildings.E Langdon turned and faced the square again. End ) don@t "no! Rome@s
churches !ell enou'E $e stopped.
.ittoria loo"ed startled. E#hatDE
Langdon loo"ed out at the pia&&a again. $aving ascended the church stairs/ he !as no! higher/ and his vie! !as
better. $e still couldn@t see an%thing/ but he reali&ed he !as moving in the right direction. $is e%es climbed the to!er of
ric"et% scaffolding above him. )t rose six stories/ almost to the top of the church@s rose !indo!/ far higher than the
other buildings in the square. $e "ne! in an instant !here he !as headed.
cross the square/ ,hinita =acri and 8unther 8lic" sat glued to the !indshield of the 44, van.
EBou getting thisDE 8unther as"ed.
=acri tightened her shot on the man no! climbing the scaffolding. E$e@s a little !ell dressed to be pla%ing
Spiderman if %ou as" me.E
End !ho@s =s. Spide%DE
,hinita glanced at the attractive !oman beneath the scaffolding. E4et %ou@d li"e to find out.E
E+hin" ) should call editorialDE
E<ot %et. Let@s !atch. 4etter to have something in the can before !e admit !e abandoned conclave.E
EBou thin" somebod% reall% "illed one of the old farts in thereDE
,hinita cluc"ed. EBou@re %e&initely going to hell.E
End )@ll be ta"ing the 7ulit&er !ith me.E
.!
+he scaffolding seemed less stable the higher Langdon climbed. $is vie! of Rome/ ho!ever/ got better !ith ever%
step. $e continued up!ard.
$e !as breathing harder than he expected !hen he reached the upper tier. $e pulled himself onto the last platform/
brushed off the plaster/ and stood up. +he height did not bother him at all. )n fact/ it !as invigorating.
+he vie! !as staggering. Li"e an ocean on fire/ the red-tiled rooftops of Rome spread out before him/ glo!ing in
the scarlet sunset. From that spot/ for the first time in his life/ Langdon sa! be%ond the pollution and traffic of Rome to
its ancient roots'CittQ %i @io'+he cit% of 8od.
Squinting into the sunset/ Langdon scanned the rooftops for a church steeple or bell to!er. 4ut as he loo"ed farther
and farther to!ard the hori&on/ he sa! nothing. There are hun%re%s o& churches in Rome/ he thought. There must 'e one
southwest o& here# "& the church is e!en !isi'le/ he reminded himself. 0ell- i& the church is e!en still stan%in)#
Forcing his e%es to trace the line slo!l%/ he attempted the search again. $e "ne!/ of course/ that not all churches
!ould have visible spires/ especiall% smaller/ out-of-the-!a% sanctuaries. <ot to mention/ Rome had changed
dramaticall% since the 1R33s !hen churches !ere b% la! the tallest buildings allo!ed. <o!/ as Langdon loo"ed out/ he
sa! apartment buildings/ high-rises/ +. to!ers.
For the second time/ Langdon@s e%e reached the hori&on !ithout seeing an%thing. <ot one single spire. )n the
distance/ on the ver% edge of Rome/ =ichelangelo@s massive dome blotted the setting sun. St. 7eter@s 4asilica. .atican
,it%. Langdon found himself !ondering ho! the cardinals !ere faring/ and if the S!iss 8uards@ search had turned up
the antimatter. Something told him it hadn@t* and !ouldn@t.
+he poem !as rattling through his head again. $e considered it/ carefull%/ line b% line. From $anti+s earthly tom'
with %emon+s hole. +he% had found Santi@s tomb. PCross Rome the mystic elements un&ol%. +he m%stic elements !ere
1arth/ ir/ Fire/ #ater. The path o& li)ht is lai%- the sacre% test. +he path of )llumination formed b% 4ernini@s
sculptures. et an)els )ui%e you on your lo&ty =uest.
+he angel !as pointing south!est*
EFront stairsFE 8lic" exclaimed/ pointing !ildl% through the !indshield of the 44, van. ESomething@s going onFE
=acri dropped her shot bac" do!n to the main entrance. Something !as definitel% going on. t the bottom of the
stairs/ the militar%-loo"ing man had pulled one of the lpha Romeos close to the stairs and opened the trun". <o! he
!as scanning the square as if chec"ing for onloo"ers. For a moment/ =acri thought the man had spotted them/ but his
e%es "ept moving. pparentl% satisfied/ he pulled out a !al"ie-tal"ie and spo"e into it.
lmost instantl%/ it seemed an arm% emerged from the church. Li"e an merican football team brea"ing from a
huddle/ the soldiers formed a straight line across the top of the stairs. =oving li"e a human !all/ the% began to descend.
4ehind them/ almost entirel% hidden b% the !all/ four soldiers seemed to be carr%ing something. Something heav%.
!"!ard.
8lic" leaned for!ard on the dashboard. Ere the% stealing something from the churchDE
,hinita tightened her shot even more/ using the telephoto to probe the !all of men/ loo"ing for an opening. 9ne
split secon%/ she !illed. ( sin)le &rame. That+s all " nee%. 4ut the men moved as one. Come on# =acri sta%ed !ith
them/ and it paid off. #hen the soldiers tried to lift the ob0ect into the trun"/ =acri found her opening. )ronicall%/ it !as
the older man !ho faltered. 9nl% for an instant/ but long enough. =acri had her frame. ctuall%/ it !as more li"e ten
frames.
E,all editorial/E ,hinita said. E#e@ve got a dead bod%.E
Far a!a%/ at ,1R</ =aximilian 6ohler maneuvered his !heelchair into Leonardo .etra@s stud%. #ith mechanical
efficienc%/ he began sifting through .etra@s files. <ot finding !hat he !as after/ 6ohler moved to .etra@s bedroom. +he
top dra!er of his bedside table !as loc"ed. 6ohler pried it open !ith a "nife from the "itchen.
)nside 6ohler found exactl% !hat he !as loo"ing for.
."
Langdon s!ung off the scaffolding and dropped bac" to the ground. $e brushed the plaster dust from his clothes.
.ittoria !as there to greet him.
E<o luc"DE she said.
$e shoo" his head.
E+he% put the cardinal in the trun".E
Langdon loo"ed over to the par"ed car !here 9livetti and a group of soldiers no! had a map spread out on the
hood. Ere the% loo"ing south!estDE
She nodded. E<o churches. From here the first one %ou hit is St. 7eter@s.E
Langdon grunted. t least the% !ere in agreement. $e moved to!ard 9livetti. +he soldiers parted to let him
through.
9livetti loo"ed up. E<othing. 4ut this doesn@t sho! ever% last church. 5ust the big ones. bout fift% of them.E
E#here are !eDE Langdon as"ed.
9livetti pointed to 7ia&&a del 7opolo and traced a straight line exactl% south!est. +he line missed/ b% a substantial
margin/ the cluster of blac" squares indicating Rome@s ma0or churches. :nfortunatel%/ Rome@s ma0or churches !ere
also Rome@s older churches* those that !ould have been around in the 1R33s.
E)@ve got some decisions to ma"e/E 9livetti said. Ere %ou certain of the directionDE
Langdon pictured the angel@s outstretched finger/ the urgenc% rising in him again. EBes/ sir. 7ositive.E
9livetti shrugged and traced the straight line again. +he path intersected the =argherita 4ridge/ .ia ,ola di Rie&o/
and passed through 7ia&&a del Risorgimento/ hitting no churches at all until it dead-ended abruptl% at the center of St.
7eter@s Square.
E#hat@s !rong !ith St. 7eter@sDE one of the soldiers said. $e had a deep scar under his left e%e. E)t@s a church.E
Langdon shoo" his head. E<eeds to be a public place. $ardl% seems public at the moment.E
E4ut the line goes through St. 7eter@s $=uare/E .ittoria added/ loo"ing over Langdon@s shoulder. E+he square is
public.E
Langdon had alread% considered it. E<o statues/ though.E
E)sn@t there a monolith in the middleDE
She !as right. +here !as an 1g%ptian monolith in St. 7eter@s Square. Langdon loo"ed out at the monolith in the
pia&&a in front of them. The lo&ty pyrami%. n odd coincidence/ he thought. $e shoo" it off. E+he .atican@s monolith is
not b% 4ernini. )t !as brought in b% ,aligula. nd it has nothing to do !ith (ir.E +here !as another problem as !ell.
E4esides/ the poem sa%s the elements are spread across Rome. St. 7eter@s Square is in .atican ,it%. <ot Rome.E
E;epends !ho %ou as"/E a guard inter0ected.
Langdon loo"ed up. E#hatDE
El!a%s a bone of contention. =ost maps sho! St. 7eter@s Square as part of .atican ,it%/ but because it@s outsi%e
the !alled cit%/ Roman officials for centuries have claimed it as part of Rome.E
EBou@re "idding/E Langdon said. $e had never "no!n that.
E) onl% mention it/E the guard continued/ Ebecause ,ommander 9livetti and =s. .etra !ere as"ing about a
sculpture that had to do !ith ir.E
Langdon !as !ide-e%ed. End %ou "no! of one in St. 7eter@s SquareDE
E<ot exactl%. )t@s not reall% a sculpture. 7robabl% not relevant.E
ELet@s hear it/E 9livetti pressed.
+he guard shrugged. E+he onl% reason ) "no! about it is because )@m usuall% on pia&&a dut%. ) "no! ever% corner
of St. 7eter@s Square.E
E+he sculpture/E Langdon urged. E#hat does it loo" li"eDE Langdon !as starting to !onder if the )lluminati could
reall% have been guts% enough to position their second mar"er right outside St. 7eter@s ,hurch.
E) patrol past it ever% da%/E the guard said. E)t@s in the center/ directl% !here that line is pointing. +hat@s !hat made
me thin" of it. s ) said/ it@s not reall% a sculpture. )t@s more of a* bloc".E
9livetti loo"ed mad. E bloc"DE
EBes/ sir. marble bloc" embedded in the square. t the base of the monolith. 4ut the bloc" is not a rectangle. )t@s
an ellipse. nd the bloc" is carved !ith the image of a billo!ing gust of !ind.E $e paused. E(ir/ ) suppose/ if %ou
!anted to get scientific about it.E
Langdon stared at the %oung soldier in ama&ement. E reliefFE he exclaimed suddenl%.
1ver%one loo"ed at him.
ERelie&/E Langdon said/ Eis the other half of sculptureFE $culpture is the art o& shapin) &i)ures in the roun% an% also
in relie&. $e had !ritten the definition on chal"boards for %ears. Reliefs !ere essentiall% t!o-dimensional sculptures/
li"e braham Lincoln@s profile on the penn%. 4ernini@s ,higi ,hapel medallions !ere another perfect example.
EBassorelie!o1E the guard as"ed/ using the )talian art term.
EBesF Bas>relie&#E Langdon rapped his "nuc"les on the hood. E) !asn@t thin"ing in those termsF +hat tile %ou@re
tal"ing about in St. 7eter@s Square is called the 3est Ponente'the #est #ind. )t@s also "no!n as Respiro %i @io.E
E4reath of 8odDE
EBesF (ir# nd it !as carved and put there b% the original architectFE
.ittoria loo"ed confused. E4ut ) thought =ichelangelo designed St. 7eter@s.E
EBes/ the 'asilicaFE Langdon exclaimed/ triumph in his voice. E4ut St. 7eter@s $=uare !as designed b% 4erniniFE
s the caravan of lpha Romeos tore out of 7ia&&a del 7opolo/ ever%one !as in too much of a hurr% to notice the
44, van pulling out behind them.
.#
8unther 8lic" floored the 44, van@s accelerator and s!erved through traffic as he tailed the four speeding lpha
Romeos across the +iber River on 7onte =argherita. <ormall% 8lic" !ould have made an effort to maintain an
inconspicuous distance/ but toda% he could barel% "eep up. +hese gu%s !ere fl%ing.
=acri sat in her !or" area in the bac" of the van finishing a phone call !ith London. She hung up and %elled to
8lic" over the sound of the traffic. EBou !ant the good ne!s or bad ne!sDE
8lic" fro!ned. <othing !as ever simple !hen dealing !ith the home office. E4ad ne!s.E
E1ditorial is burned !e abandoned our post.E
ESurprise.E
E+he% also thin" %our tipster is a fraud.E
E9f course.E
End the boss 0ust !arned me that %ou@re a fe! crumpets short of a proper tea.E
8lic" sco!led. E8reat. nd the good ne!sDE
E+he% agreed to loo" at the footage !e 0ust shot.E
8lic" felt his sco!l soften into a grin. " )uess we+ll see who+s short a &ew crumpets. ESo fire it off.E
E,an@t transmit until !e stop and get a fixed cell read.E
8lic" gunned the van onto .ia ,ola di Rien&o. E,an@t stop no!.E $e tailed the lpha Romeos through a hard left
s!erve around 7ia&&a Risorgimento.
=acri held on to her computer gear in bac" as ever%thing slid. E4rea" m% transmitter/E she !arned/ Eand !e@ll have
to walk this footage to London.E
ESit tight/ love. Something tells me !e@re almost there.E
=acri loo"ed up. E#hereDE
8lic" ga&ed out at the familiar dome no! looming directl% in front of them. $e smiled. ERight bac" !here !e
started.E
+he four lpha Romeos slipped deftl% into traffic surrounding St. 7eter@s Square. +he% split up and spread out
along the pia&&a perimeter/ quietl% unloading men at select points. +he debar"ing guards moved into the throng of
tourists and media vans on the edge of the square and instantl% became invisible. Some of the guards entered the forest
of pillars encompassing the colonnade. +he% too seemed to evaporate into the surroundings. s Langdon !atched
through the !indshield/ he sensed a noose tightening around St. 7eter@s.
)n addition to the men 9livetti had 0ust dispatched/ the commander had radioed ahead to the .atican and sent
additional undercover guards to the center !here 4ernini@s 3est Ponente !as located. s Langdon loo"ed out at the
!ide-open spaces of St. 7eter@s Square/ a familiar question nagged. 0ow %oes the "lluminati assassin plan to )et away
with this1 0ow will he )et a car%inal throu)h all these people an% kill him in plain !iew1 Langdon chec"ed his =ic"e%
=ouse !atch. )t !as G(A2 7.=. Six minutes.
)n the front seat/ 9livetti turned and faced Langdon and .ittoria. E) !ant %ou t!o right on top of this 4ernini bric"
or bloc" or !hatever the hell it is. Same drill. Bou@re tourists. :se the phone if %ou see an%thing.E
4efore Langdon could respond/ .ittoria had his hand and !as pulling him out of the car.
+he springtime sun !as setting behind St. 7eter@s 4asilica/ and a massive shado! spread/ engulfing the pia&&a.
Langdon felt an ominous chill as he and .ittoria moved into the cool/ blac" umbra. Sna"ing through the cro!d/
Langdon found himself searching ever% face the% passed/ !ondering if the "iller !as among them. .ittoria@s hand felt
!arm.
s the% crossed the open expanse of St. 7eter@s Square/ Langdon sensed 4ernini@s spra!ling pia&&a having the
exact effect the artist had been commissioned to create'that of Ehumbling all those !ho entered.E Langdon certainl% felt
humbled at the moment. 0um'le% an% hun)ry/ he reali&ed/ surprised such a mundane thought could enter his head at a
moment li"e this.
E+o the obelis"DE .ittoria as"ed.
Langdon nodded/ arching left across the pia&&a.
E+imeDE .ittoria as"ed/ !al"ing bris"l%/ but casuall%.
EFive of.E
.ittoria said nothing/ but Langdon felt her grip tighten. $e !as still carr%ing the gun. $e hoped .ittoria !ould not
decide she needed it. $e could not imagine her !hipping out a !eapon in St. 7eter@s Square and blo!ing a!a% the
"neecaps of some "iller !hile the global media loo"ed on. +hen again/ an incident li"e that !ould be nothing compared
to the branding and murder of a cardinal out here.
(ir/ Langdon thought. The secon% element o& science. $e tried to picture the brand. +he method of murder. gain
he scanned the spra!ling expanse of granite beneath his feet'St. 7eter@s Square'an open desert surrounded b% S!iss
8uard. )f the $assassin reall% dared attempt this/ Langdon could not imagine ho! he !ould escape.
)n the center of the pia&&a rose ,aligula@s OA3-ton 1g%ptian obelis". )t stretched eight%-one feet s"%!ard to the
p%ramidal apex onto !hich !as affixed a hollo! iron cross. Sufficientl% high to catch the last of the evening sun/ the
cross shone as if magic* purportedl% containing relics of the cross on !hich ,hrist !as crucified.
+!o fountains flan"ed the obelis" in perfect s%mmetr%. rt historians "ne! the fountains mar"ed the exact
geometric focal points of 4ernini@s elliptical pia&&a/ but it !as an architectural oddit% Langdon had never reall%
considered until toda%. )t seemed Rome !as suddenl% filled !ith ellipses/ p%ramids/ and startling geometr%.
s the% neared the obelis"/ .ittoria slo!ed. She exhaled heavil%/ as if coaxing Langdon to relax along !ith her.
Langdon made the effort/ lo!ering his shoulders and loosening his clenched 0a!.
Some!here around the obelis"/ boldl% positioned outside the largest church in the !orld/ !as the second altar of
science'4ernini@s 3est Ponente'an elliptical bloc" in St. 7eter@s Square.
8unther 8lic" !atched from the shado!s of the pillars surrounding St. 7eter@s Square. 9n an% other da% the man in
the t!eed 0ac"et and the !oman in "ha"i shorts !ould not have interested him in the least. +he% appeared to be nothing
but tourists en0o%ing the square. 4ut toda% !as not an% other da%. +oda% had been a da% of phone tips/ corpses/
unmar"ed cars racing through Rome/ and men in t!eed 0ac"ets climbing scaffolding in search of 8od onl% "ne! !hat.
8lic" !ould sta% !ith them.
$e loo"ed out across the square and sa! =acri. She !as exactl% !here he had told her to go/ on the far side of the
couple/ hovering on their flan". =acri carried her video camera casuall%/ but despite her imitation of a bored member of
the press/ she stood out more than 8lic" !ould have li"ed. <o other reporters !ere in this far corner of the square/ and
the acron%m E44,E stenciled on her camera !as dra!ing some loo"s from tourists.
+he tape =acri had shot earlier of the na"ed bod% dumped in the trun" !as pla%ing at this ver% moment on the
.,R transmitter bac" in the van. 8lic" "ne! the images !ere sailing over his head right no! en route to London. $e
!ondered !hat editorial !ould sa%.
$e !ished he and =acri had reached the bod% sooner/ before the arm% of plainclothed soldiers had intervened. +he
same arm%/ he "ne!/ had no! fanned out and surrounded this pia&&a. Something big !as about to happen.
The me%ia is the ri)ht arm o& anarchy/ the "iller had said. 8lic" !ondered if he had missed his chance for a big
scoop. $e loo"ed out at the other media vans in the distance and !atched =acri tailing the m%sterious couple across the
pia&&a. Something told 8lic" he !as still in the game*
.$
Langdon sa! !hat he !as loo"ing for a good ten %ards before the% reached it. +hrough the scattered tourists/ the
!hite marble ellipse of 4ernini@s 3est Ponente stood out against the gra% granite cubes that made up the rest of the
pia&&a. .ittoria apparentl% sa! it too. $er hand tensed.
ERelax/E Langdon !hispered. E;o %our piranha thing.E
.ittoria loosened her grip.
s the% dre! nearer/ ever%thing seemed forbiddingl% normal. +ourists !andered/ nuns chatted along the perimeter
of the pia&&a/ a girl fed pigeons at the base of the obelis".
Langdon refrained from chec"ing his !atch. $e "ne! it !as almost time.
+he elliptical stone arrived beneath their feet/ and Langdon and .ittoria slo!ed to a stop'not overeagerl%'0ust t!o
tourists pausing dutifull% at a point of mild interest.
E3est Ponente/E .ittoria said/ reading the inscription on the stone.
Langdon ga&ed do!n at the marble relief and felt suddenl% naive. <ot in his art boo"s/ not in his numerous trips to
Rome/ not e!er had 3est Ponente@s significance 0umped out at him.
<ot until no!.
+he relief !as elliptical/ about three feet long/ and carved !ith a rudimentar% face'a depiction of the #est #ind as
an angel-li"e countenance. 8usting from the angel@s mouth/ 4ernini had dra!n a po!erful breath of air blo!ing
out!ard a!a% from the .atican* the 'reath o& *o%. +his !as 4ernini@s tribute to the second element* ir* an
ethereal &eph%r blo!n from angel@s lips. s Langdon stared/ he reali&ed the significance of the relief !ent deeper still.
4ernini had carved the air in &i!e distinct gusts* fiveF #hat !as more/ flan"ing the medallion !ere two shining stars.
Langdon thought of 8alileo. Two stars- &i!e )usts- ellipses- symmetry* $e felt hollo!. $is head hurt.
.ittoria began !al"ing again almost immediatel%/ leading Langdon a!a% from the relief. E) thin" someone@s
follo!ing us/E she said.
Langdon loo"ed up. E#hereDE
.ittoria moved a good thirt% %ards before spea"ing. She pointed up at the .atican as if sho!ing Langdon
something on the dome. E+he same person has been behind us all the !a% across the square.E ,asuall%/ .ittoria glanced
over her shoulder. EStill on us. 6eep moving.E
EBou thin" it@s the $assassinDE
.ittoria shoo" her head. E<ot unless the )lluminati hires !omen !ith 44, cameras.E
#hen the bells of St. 7eter@s began their deafening clamor/ both Langdon and .ittoria 0umped. )t !as time. +he%
had circled a!a% from 3est Ponente in an attempt to lose the reporter but !ere no! moving bac" to!ard the relief.
;espite the clanging bells/ the area seemed perfectl% calm. +ourists !andered. homeless drun" do&ed a!"!ardl%
at the base of the obelis". little girl fed pigeons. Langdon !ondered if the reporter had scared the "iller off. @ou't&ul/
he decided/ recalling the "iller@s promise. " will make your car%inals me%ia luminaries.
s the echo of the ninth bell faded a!a%/ a peaceful silence descended across the square.
+hen* the little girl began to scream.
.%
Langdon !as the first to reach the screaming girl.
+he terrified %oungster stood fro&en/ pointing at the base of the obelis" !here a shabb%/ decrepit drun" sat slumped
on the stairs. +he man !as a miserable sight* apparentl% one of Rome@s homeless. $is gra% hair hung in greas% strands
in front of his face/ and his entire bod% !as !rapped in some sort of dirt% cloth. +he girl "ept screaming as she
scampered off into the cro!d.
Langdon felt an upsurge of dread as he dashed to!ard the invalid. +here !as a dar"/ !idening stain spreading
across the man@s rags. Fresh/ flo!ing blood.
+hen/ it !as as if ever%thing happened at once.
+he old man seemed to crumple in the middle/ tottering for!ard. Langdon lunged/ but he !as too late. +he man
pitched for!ard/ toppled off the stairs/ and hit the pavement facedo!n. =otionless.
Langdon dropped to his "nees. .ittoria arrived beside him. cro!d !as gathering.
.ittoria put her fingers on the man@s throat from behind. E+here@s a pulse/E she declared. ERoll him.E
Langdon !as alread% in motion. 8rasping the man@s shoulders/ he rolled the bod%. s he did/ the loose rags seemed
to slough a!a% li"e dead flesh. +he man flopped limp onto his bac". ;ead center of his na"ed chest !as a !ide area of
charred flesh.
.ittoria gasped and pulled bac".
Langdon felt paral%&ed/ pinned some!here bet!een nausea and a!e. +he s%mbol had a terrif%ing simplicit% to it.
Eir/E .ittoria cho"ed. E)t@s* him.E
S!iss 8uards appeared from out of no!here/ shouting orders/ racing after an unseen assassin.
<earb%/ a tourist explained that onl% minutes ago/ a dar"-s"inned man had been "ind enough to help this poor/
!hee&ing/ homeless man across the square* even sitting a moment on the stairs !ith the invalid before disappearing
bac" into the cro!d.
.ittoria ripped the rest of the rags off the man@s abdomen. $e had t!o deep puncture !ounds/ one on either side of
the brand/ 0ust belo! his rib cage. She coc"ed the man@s head bac" and began to administer mouth to mouth. Langdon
!as not prepared for !hat happened next. s .ittoria ble!/ the !ounds on either side of the man@s midsection hissed
and spra%ed blood into the air li"e blo!holes on a !hale. +he salt% liquid hit Langdon in the face.
.ittoria stopped short/ loo"ing horrified. E$is lungs*E she stammered. E+he%@re* punctured.E
Langdon !iped his e%es as he loo"ed do!n at the t!o perforations. +he holes gurgled. +he cardinal@s lungs !ere
destro%ed. $e !as gone.
.ittoria covered the bod% as the S!iss 8uards moved in.
Langdon stood/ disoriented. s he did/ he sa! her. +he !oman !ho had been follo!ing them earlier !as crouched
nearb%. $er 44, video camera !as shouldered/ aimed/ and running. She and Langdon loc"ed e%es/ and he "ne! she@d
gotten it all. +hen/ li"e a cat/ she bolted.
.&
,hinita =acri !as on the run. She had the stor% of her life.
$er video camera felt li"e an anchor as she lumbered across St. 7eter@s Square/ pushing through the gathering
cro!d. 1ver%one seemed to be moving in the opposite direction than her* towar% the commotion. =acri !as tr%ing to
get as far a!a% as possible. +he man in the t!eed 0ac"et had seen her/ and no! she sensed others !ere after her/ men
she could not see/ closing in from all sides.
=acri !as still aghast from the images she had 0ust recorded. She !ondered if the dead man !as reall% !ho she
feared he !as. 8lic"@s m%sterious phone contact suddenl% seemed a little less cra&%.
s she hurried in the direction of the 44, van/ a %oung man !ith a decidedl% militaristic air emerged from the
cro!d before her. +heir e%es met/ and the% both stopped. Li"e lightning/ he raised a !al"ie-tal"ie and spo"e into it.
+hen he moved to!ard her. =acri !heeled and doubled bac" into the cro!d/ her heart pounding.
s she stumbled through the mass of arms and legs/ she removed the spent video cassette from her camera.
Cellulose )ol%/ she thought/ tuc"ing the tape under her belt flush to her bac"side and letting her coat tails cover it. For
once she !as glad she carried some extra !eight. *lick- where the hell are you#
nother soldier appeared to her left/ closing in. =acri "ne! she had little time. She ban"ed into the cro!d again.
Ban"ing a blan" cartridge from her case/ she slapped it into the camera. +hen she pra%ed.
She !as thirt% %ards from the 44, van !hen the t!o men materiali&ed directl% in front of her/ arms folded. She
!as going no!here.
EFilm/E one snapped. E<o!.E
=acri recoiled/ !rapping her arms protectivel% around her camera. E<o chance.E
9ne of the men pulled aside his 0ac"et/ revealing a sidearm.
ESo shoot me/E =acri said/ ama&ed b% the boldness of her voice.
EFilm/E the first one repeated.
3here the %e!il is *lick1 =acri stamped her foot and %elled as loudl% as possible/ E) am a professional
videographer !ith the 44,F 4% rticle 1C of the Free 7ress ct/ this film is propert% of the 4ritish 4roadcast
,orporationFE
+he men did not flinch. +he one !ith the gun too" a step to!ard her. E) am a lieutenant !ith the S!iss 8uard/ and
b% the $ol% ;octrine governing the propert% on !hich %ou are no! standing/ %ou are sub0ect to search and sei&ure.E
cro!d had started to gather no! around them.
=acri %elled/ E) !ill not under an% circumstances give %ou the film in this camera !ithout spea"ing to m% editor in
London. ) suggest %ou'E
+he guards ended it. 9ne %an"ed the camera out of her hands. +he other forcibl% grabbed her b% the arm and
t!isted her in the direction of the .atican. E*ra/ie/E he said/ leading her through a 0ostling cro!d.
=acri pra%ed the% !ould not search her and find the tape. )f she could someho! protect the film long enough to'
Suddenl%/ the unthin"able happened. Someone in the cro!d !as groping under her coat. =acri felt the video
%an"ed a!a% from her. She !heeled/ but s!allo!ed her !ords. 4ehind her/ a breathless 8unther 8lic" gave her a !in"
and dissolved bac" into the cro!d.
..
Robert Langdon staggered into the private bathroom ad0oining the 9ffice of the 7ope. $e dabbed the blood from
his face and lips. +he blood !as not his o!n. )t !as that of ,ardinal LamassH/ !ho had 0ust died horribl% in the cro!ded
square outside the .atican. ?ir)in sacri&ices on the altars o& science. So far/ the $assassin had made good on his threat.
Langdon felt po!erless as he ga&ed into the mirror. $is e%es !ere dra!n/ and stubble had begun to dar"en his
chee"s. +he room around him !as immaculate and lavish'blac" marble !ith gold fixtures/ cotton to!els/ and scented
hand soaps.
Langdon tried to rid his mind of the blood% brand he had 0ust seen. ir. +he image stuc". $e had !itnessed three
ambigrams since !a"ing up this morning* and he "ne! there !ere t!o more coming.
9utside the door/ it sounded as if 9livetti/ the camerlegno/ and ,aptain Rocher !ere debating !hat to do next.
pparentl%/ the antimatter search had turned up nothing so far. 1ither the guards had missed the canister/ or the intruder
had gotten deeper inside the .atican than ,ommander 9livetti had been !illing to entertain.
Langdon dried his hands and face. +hen he turned and loo"ed for a urinal. <o urinal. 5ust a bo!l. $e lifted the lid.
s he stood there/ tension ebbing from his bod%/ a gidd% !ave of exhaustion shuddered through his core. +he
emotions "notting his chest !ere so man%/ so incongruous. $e !as fatigued/ running on no food or sleep/ !al"ing the
7ath of )llumination/ traumati&ed b% t!o brutal murders. Langdon felt a deepening horror over the possible outcome of
this drama.
Think/ he told himself. $is mind !as blan".
s he flushed/ an unexpected reali&ation hit him. This is the Pope+s toilet/ he thought. " 6ust took a leak in the
Pope+s toilet. $e had to chuc"le. The 0oly Throne.
.5
)n London/ a 44, technician e0ected a video cassette from a satellite receiver unit and dashed across the control
room floor. She burst into the office of the editor-in-chief/ slammed the video into his .,R/ and pressed pla%.
s the tape rolled/ she told him about the conversation she had 0ust had !ith 8unther 8lic" in .atican ,it%. )n
addition/ 44, photo archives had 0ust given her a positive ); on the victim in St. 7eter@s Square.
#hen the editor-in-chief emerged from his office/ he !as ringing a co!bell. 1ver%thing in editorial stopped.
ELive in fiveFE the man boomed. E9n-air talent to prepF =edia coordinators/ ) !ant %our contacts on lineF #e@ve
got a stor% !e@re sellingF nd !e@ve got filmFE
+he mar"et coordinators grabbed their Rolodexes.
EFilm specsFE one of them %elled.
E+hirt%-second trim/E the chief replied.
E,ontentDE
ELive homicide.E
+he coordinators loo"ed encouraged. E:sage and licensing priceDE
E million :.S. per.E
$eads shot up. E#hatFE
EBou heard meF ) !ant top of the food chain. ,<</ =S<4,/ then the big threeF 9ffer a dial -in previe!. 8ive them
five minutes to pigg%bac" before 44, runs it.E
E#hat the hell happenedDE someone demanded. E+he prime minister get s"inned aliveDE
+he chief shoo" his head. E4etter.E
t that exact instant/ some!here in Rome/ the $assassin en0o%ed a fleeting moment of repose in a comfortable
chair. $e admired the legendar% chamber around him. " am sittin) in the Church o& "llumination/ he thought. The
"lluminati lair. $e could not believe it !as still here after all of these centuries.
;utifull%/ he dialed the 44, reporter to !hom he had spo"en earlier. )t !as time. +he !orld had %et to hear the
most shoc"ing ne!s of all.
.:
.ittoria .etra sipped a glass of !ater and nibbled absentl% at some tea scones 0ust set out b% one of the S!iss
8uards. She "ne! she should eat/ but she had no appetite. +he 9ffice of the 7ope !as bustling no!/ echoing !ith tense
conversations. ,aptain Rocher/ ,ommander 9livetti/ and half a do&en guards assessed the damage and debated the next
move.
Robert Langdon stood nearb% staring out at St. 7eter@s Square. $e loo"ed de0ected. .ittoria !al"ed over. E)deasDE
$e shoo" his head.
ESconeDE
$is mood seemed to brighten at the sight of food. E$ell %es. +han"s.E $e ate voraciousl%.
+he conversation behind them !ent quiet suddenl% !hen t!o S!iss 8uards escorted ,amerlegno .entresca
through the door. )f the chamberlain had loo"ed drained before/ .ittoria thought/ no! he loo"ed empt%.
E#hat happenedDE the camerlegno said to 9livetti. From the loo" on the camerlegno@s face/ he appeared to have
alread% been told the !orst of it.
9livetti@s official update sounded li"e a battlefield casualt% report. $e gave the facts !ith flat efficac%. E,ardinal
1bner !as found dead in the church of Santa =aria del 7opolo 0ust after eight o@cloc". $e had been suffocated and
branded !ith the ambigrammatic !ord P1arth.@ ,ardinal LamassH !as murdered in St. 7eter@s Square ten minutes ago.
$e died of perforations to the chest. $e !as branded !ith the !ord Pir/@ also ambigrammatic. +he "iller escaped in
both instances.E
+he camerlegno crossed the room and sat heavil% behind the 7ope@s des". $e bo!ed his head.
E,ardinals 8uidera and 4aggia/ ho!ever/ are still alive.E
+he camerlegno@s head shot up/ his expression pained. E+his is our consolationD +!o cardinals have been
murdered/ commander. nd the other t!o !ill obviousl% not be alive much longer unless %ou find them.E
E#e !ill find them/E 9livetti assured. E) am encouraged.E
E1ncouragedD #e@ve had nothing but failure.E
E:ntrue. #e@ve lost t!o battles/ signore/ but !e@re !inning the !ar. +he )lluminati had intended to turn this
evening into a media circus. So far !e have th!arted their plan. 4oth cardinals@ bodies have been recovered !ithout
incident. )n addition/E 9livetti continued/ E,aptain Rocher tells me he is ma"ing excellent head!a% on the antimatter
search.E
,aptain Rocher stepped for!ard in his red beret. .ittoria thought he loo"ed more human someho! than the other
guards'stern but not so rigid. Rocher@s voice !as emotional and cr%stalline/ li"e a violin. E) am hopeful !e !ill have the
canister for %ou !ithin an hour/ signore.E
E,aptain/E the camerlegno said/ Eexcuse me if ) seem less than hopeful/ but ) !as under the impression that a search
of .atican ,it% !ould ta"e far more time than !e have.E
E &ull search/ %es. $o!ever/ after assessing the situation/ ) am confident the antimatter canister is located in one of
our !hite &ones'those .atican sectors accessible to public tours'the museums and St. 7eter@s 4asilica/ for example. #e
have alread% "illed po!er in those &ones and are conducting our scan.E
EBou intend to search onl% a small percenta)e of .atican ,it%DE
EBes/ signore. )t is highl% unli"el% that an intruder gained access to the inner &ones of .atican ,it%. +he fact that
the missing securit% camera !as stolen from a public access area'a stair!ell in one of the museums'clearl% implies that
the intruder had limited access. +herefore he !ould onl% have been able to relocate the camera and antimatter in another
public access area. )t is these areas on !hich !e are focusing our search.E
E4ut the intruder "idnapped four cardinals. +hat certainl% implies deeper infiltration than !e thought.E
E<ot necessaril%. #e must remember that the cardinals spent much of toda% in the .atican museums and St. 7eter@s
4asilica/ en0o%ing those areas !ithout the cro!ds. )t is probable that the missing cardinals !ere ta"en in one of these
areas.E
E4ut ho! !ere the% removed from our !allsDE
E#e are still assessing that.E
E) see.E +he camerlegno exhaled and stood up. $e !al"ed over to 9livetti. E,ommander/ ) !ould li"e to hear %our
contingenc% plan for evacuation.E
E#e are still formali&ing that/ signore. )n the meantime/ ) am faithful ,aptain Rocher !ill find the canister.E
Rocher clic"ed his boots as if in appreciation of the vote of confidence. E=% men have alread% scanned t!o-thirds
of the !hite &ones. ,onfidence is high.E
+he camerlegno did not appear to share that confidence.
t that moment the guard !ith a scar beneath one e%e came through the door carr%ing a clipboard and a map. $e
strode to!ard Langdon. E=r. LangdonD ) have the information %ou requested on the 3est Ponente.E
Langdon s!allo!ed his scone. E8ood. Let@s have a loo".E
+he others "ept tal"ing !hile .ittoria 0oined Robert and the guard as the% spread out the map on the 7ope@s des".
+he soldier pointed to St. 7eter@s Square. E+his is !here !e are. +he central line of 3est Ponente@s breath points
due east/ directl% a!a% from .atican ,it%.E +he guard traced a line !ith his finger from St. 7eter@s Square across the
+iber River and up into the heart of old Rome. Es %ou can see/ the line passes through almost all of Rome. +here are
about t!ent% ,atholic churches that fall near this line.E
Langdon slumped. ETwenty1E
E=a%be more.E
E;o an% of the churches fall %irectly on the lineDE
ESome loo" closer than others/E the guard said/ Ebut translating the exact bearing of the 3est Ponente onto a map
leaves margin for error.E
Langdon loo"ed out at St. 7eter@s Square a moment. +hen he sco!led/ stro"ing his chin. E$o! about &ireD n% of
them have 4ernini art!or" that has to do !ith fireDE
Silence.
E$o! about obelis"sDE he demanded. Ere an% of the churches located near obelis"sDE
+he guard began chec"ing the map.
.ittoria sa! a glimmer of hope in Langdon@s e%es and reali&ed !hat he !as thin"ing. 0e+s ri)ht# +he first t!o
mar"ers had been located on or near pia&&as that contained obelis"sF =a%be obelis"s !ere a themeD Soaring p%ramids
mar"ing the )lluminati pathD +he more .ittoria thought about it/ the more perfect it seemed* four to!ering beacons
rising over Rome to mar" the altars of science.
E)t@s a long shot/E Langdon said/ Ebut ) "no! that man% of Rome@s obelis"s !ere erected or moved during 4ernini@s
reign. $e !as no doubt involved in their placement.E
E9r/E .ittoria added/ E4ernini could have placed his mar"ers near existing obelis"s.E
Langdon nodded. E+rue.E
E4ad ne!s/E the guard said. E<o obelis"s on the line.E $e traced his finger across the map. E<one even remotel%
close. <othing.E
Langdon sighed.
.ittoria@s shoulders slumped. She@d thought it !as a promising idea. pparentl%/ this !as not going to be as eas% as
the%@d hoped. She tried to sta% positive. ERobert/ thin". Bou must "no! of a 4ernini statue relating to &ire. n%thing at
all.E
E4elieve me/ )@ve been thin"ing. 4ernini !as incredibl% prolific. $undreds of !or"s. ) !as hoping 3est Ponente
!ould point to a single church. Something that !ould ring a bell.E
EFuNco/E she pressed. EFire. <o 4ernini titles 0ump outDE
Langdon shrugged. E+here@s his famous s"etches of Fireworks/ but the%@re not sculpture/ and the%@re in Leip&ig/
8erman%.E
.ittoria fro!ned. End %ou@re sure the 'reath is !hat indicates the directionDE
EBou sa! the relief/ .ittoria. +he design !as totall% s%mmetrical. +he onl% indication of bearing !as the breath.E
.ittoria "ne! he !as right.
E<ot to mention/E he added/ Ebecause the 3est Ponente signifies (ir/ follo!ing the 'reath seems s%mbolicall%
appropriate.E
.ittoria nodded. $o we &ollow the 'reath. But where1
9livetti came over. E#hat have %ou gotDE
E+oo man% churches/E the soldier said. E+!o do&en or so. ) suppose !e could put four men on each church'E
EForget it/E 9livetti said. E#e missed this gu% t!ice !hen !e "ne! exactl% !here he !as going to be. mass
sta"eout means leaving .atican ,it% unprotected and canceling the search.E
E#e need a reference boo"/E .ittoria said. En index of 4ernini@s !or". )f !e can scan titles/ ma%be something
!ill 0ump out.E
E) don@t "no!/E Langdon said. E)f it@s a !or" 4ernini created specificall% for the )lluminati/ it ma% be ver% obscure.
)t probabl% !on@t be listed in a boo".E
.ittoria refused to believe it. E+he other t!o sculptures !ere fairl% !ell-"no!n. Bou@d heard of them both.E
Langdon shrugged. EBeah.E
E)f !e scan titles for references to the !ord Pfire/@ ma%be !e@ll find a statue that@s listed as being in the right
direction.E
Langdon seemed convinced it !as !orth a shot. $e turned to 9livetti. E) need a list of all 4ernini@s !or". Bou gu%s
probabl% don@t have a coffee-table 4ernini boo" around here/ do %ouDE
E,offee-table boo"DE 9livetti seemed unfamiliar !ith the term.
E<ever mind. n% list. $o! about the .atican =useumD +he% must have 4ernini references.E
+he guard !ith the scar fro!ned. E7o!er in the museum is out/ and the records room is enormous. #ithout the staff
there to help'E
E+he 4ernini !or" in question/E 9livetti interrupted. E#ould it have been created !hile 4ernini !as emplo%ed here
at the .aticanDE
Elmost definitel%/E Langdon said. E$e !as here almost his entire career. nd certainl% during the time period of
the 8alileo conflict.E
9livetti nodded. E+hen there@s another reference.E
.ittoria felt a flic"er of optimism. E#hereDE
+he commander did not repl%. $e too" his guard aside and spo"e in hushed tones. +he guard seemed uncertain but
nodded obedientl%. #hen 9livetti !as finished tal"ing/ the guard turned to Langdon.
E+his !a% please/ =r. Langdon. )t@s nine-fifteen. #e@ll have to hurr%.E
Langdon and the guard headed for the door.
.ittoria started after them. E)@ll help.E
9livetti caught her b% the arm. E<o/ =s. .etra. ) need a !ord !ith %ou.E $is grasp !as authoritative.
Langdon and the guard left. 9livetti@s face !as !ooden as he too" .ittoria aside. 4ut !hatever it !as 9livetti had
intended to sa% to her/ he never got the chance. $is !al"ie-tal"ie crac"led loudl%. EComman%ante1E
1ver%one in the room turned.
+he voice on the transmitter !as grim. E) thin" %ou better turn on the television.E
5;
#hen Langdon had left the .atican Secret rchives onl% t!o hours ago/ he had never imagined he !ould see them
again. <o!/ !inded from having 0ogged the entire !a% !ith his S!iss 8uard escort/ Langdon found himself bac" at the
archives once again.
$is escort/ the guard !ith the scar/ no! led Langdon through the ro!s of translucent cubicles. +he silence of the
archives felt someho! more forbidding no!/ and Langdon !as than"ful !hen the guard bro"e it.
E9ver here/ ) thin"/E he said/ escorting Langdon to the bac" of the chamber !here a series of smaller vaults lined
the !all. +he guard scanned the titles on the vaults and motioned to one of them. EBes/ here it is. Right !here the
commander said it !ould be.E
Langdon read the title. Atti3i Vaticani. .atican assetsD $e scanned the list of contents. Real estate* currenc%*
.atican 4an"* antiquities* +he list !ent on.
E7aper!or" of all .atican assets/E the guard said.
Langdon loo"ed at the cubicle. 2esus. 1ven in the dar"/ he could tell it !as pac"ed.
E=% commander said that !hatever 4ernini created !hile under .atican patronage !ould be listed here as an
asset.E
Langdon nodded/ reali&ing the commander@s instincts 0ust might pa% off. )n 4ernini@s da%/ ever%thing an artist
created !hile under the patronage of the 7ope became/ b% la!/ propert% of the .atican. )t !as more li"e feudalism than
patronage/ but top artists lived !ell and seldom complained. E)ncluding !or"s placed in churches outsi%e .atican
,it%DE
+he soldier gave him an odd loo". E9f course. ll ,atholic churches in Rome are propert% of the .atican.E
Langdon loo"ed at the list in his hand. )t contained the names of the t!ent% or so churches that !ere located on a
direct line !ith 3est Ponente@s breath. +he third altar of science !as one of them/ and Langdon hoped he had time to
figure out !hich it !as. :nder other circumstances/ he !ould gladl% have explored each church in person. +oda%/
ho!ever/ he had about t!ent% minutes to find !hat he !as loo"ing for'the one church containing a 4ernini tribute to
&ire.
Langdon !al"ed to the vault@s electronic revolving door. +he guard did not follo!. Langdon sensed an uncertain
hesitation. $e smiled. E+he air@s fine. +hin/ but breathable.E
E=% orders are to escort %ou here and then return immediatel% to the securit% center.E
EBou@re lea!in)DE
EBes. +he S!iss 8uard are not allo!ed inside the archives. ) am breaching protocol b% escorting %ou this far. +he
commander reminded me of that.E
E4reaching protocolDE @o you ha!e any i%ea what is )oin) on here toni)ht1 E#hose side is %our damn commander
onFE
ll friendliness disappeared from the guard@s face. +he scar under his e%e t!itched. +he guard stared/ loo"ing
suddenl% a lot li"e 9livetti himself.
E) apologi&e/E Langdon said/ regretting the comment. E)t@s 0ust* ) could use some help.E
+he guard did not blin". E) am trained to follo! orders. <ot debate them. #hen %ou find !hat %ou are loo"ing for/
contact the commander immediatel%.E
Langdon !as flustered. E4ut !here !ill he beDE
+he guard removed his !al"ie-tal"ie and set it on a nearb% table. E,hannel one.E +hen he disappeared into the dar".
5!
+he television in the 9ffice of the 7ope !as an oversi&ed $itachi hidden in a recessed cabinet opposite his des".
+he doors to the cabinet !ere no! open/ and ever%one gathered around. .ittoria moved in close. s the screen !armed
up/ a %oung female reporter came into vie!. She !as a doe-e%ed brunette.
EFor =S<4, ne!s/E she announced/ Ethis is 6ell% $oran-5ones/ live from .atican ,it%.E +he image behind her
!as a night shot of St. 7eter@s 4asilica !ith all its lights bla&ing.
EBou@re not li!e/E Rocher snapped. E+hat@s stoc" footageF +he lights in the basilica are out.E
9livetti silenced him !ith a hiss.
+he reporter continued/ sounding tense. EShoc"ing developments in the .atican elections this evening. #e have
reports that t!o members of the ,ollege of ,ardinals have been brutall% murdered in Rome.E
9livetti s!ore under his breath.
s the reporter continued/ a guard appeared at the door/ breathless. E,ommander/ the central s!itchboard reports
ever% line lit. +he%@re requesting our official position on'E
E;isconnect it/E 9livetti said/ never ta"ing his e%es from the +..
+he guard loo"ed uncertain. E4ut/ commander'E
E8oFE
+he guard ran off.
.ittoria sensed the camerlegno had !anted to sa% something but had stopped himself. )nstead/ the man stared long
and hard at 9livetti before turning bac" to the television.
=S<4, !as no! running tape. +he S!iss 8uards carried the bod% of ,ardinal 1bner do!n the stairs outside Santa
=aria del 7opolo and lifted him into an lpha Romeo. +he tape fro&e and &oomed in as the cardinal@s na"ed bod%
became visible 0ust before the% deposited him in the trun" of the car.
E#ho the hell shot this footageDE 9livetti demanded.
+he =S<4, reporter "ept tal"ing. E+his is believed to be the bod% of ,ardinal 1bner of Fran"furt/ 8erman%. +he
men removing his bod% from the church are believed to be .atican S!iss 8uard.E +he reporter loo"ed li"e she !as
ma"ing ever% effort to appear appropriatel% moved. +he% closed in on her face/ and she became even more somber. Et
this time/ =S<4, !ould li"e to issue our vie!ers a discretionar% !arning. +he images !e are about to sho! are
exceptionall% vivid and ma% not be suitable for all audiences.E
.ittoria grunted at the station@s feigned concern for vie!er sensibilit%/ recogni&ing the !arning as exactl% !hat it
!as'the ultimate media Eteaser line.E <obod% ever changed channels after a promise li"e that.
+he reporter drove it home. Egain/ this footage ma% be shoc"ing to some vie!ers.E
E#hat footageDE 9livetti demanded. EBou 0ust sho!ed'E
+he shot that filled the screen !as of a couple in St. 7eter@s Square/ moving through the cro!d. .ittoria instantl%
recogni&ed the t!o people as Robert and herself. )n the corner of the screen !as a text overla%( Courtesy o4 the BBC.
bell !as tolling.
E9h/ no/E .ittoria said aloud. E9h* no.E
+he camerlegno loo"ed confused. $e turned to 9livetti. E) thought %ou said %ou confiscated this tapeFE
Suddenl%/ on television/ a child !as screaming. +he image panned to find a little girl pointing at !hat appeared to
be a blood% homeless man. Robert Langdon entered abruptl% into the frame/ tr%ing to help the little girl. +he shot
tightened.
1ver%one in the 7ope@s office stared in horrified silence as the drama unfolded before them. +he cardinal@s bod%
fell face first onto the pavement. .ittoria appeared and called orders. +here !as blood. brand. ghastl%/ failed
attempt to administer ,7R.
E+his astonishing footage/E the reporter !as sa%ing/ E!as shot onl% minutes ago outside the .atican. 9ur sources
tell us this is the bod% of ,ardinal LamassH from France. $o! he came to be dressed this !a% and !h% he !as not in
conclave remain a m%ster%. So far/ the .atican has refused to comment.E +he tape began to roll again.
ERefused commentDE Rocher said. E8ive us a damn minuteFE
+he reporter !as still tal"ing/ her e%ebro!s furro!ing !ith intensit%. Elthough =S<4, has %et to confirm a
motive for the attac"/ our sources tell us that responsibilit% for the murders has been claimed b% a group calling
themselves the )lluminati.E
9livetti exploded. E3hat#E
E* find out more about the )lluminati b% visiting our !ebsite at'E
ENon posi'ile#E 9livetti declared. $e s!itched channels.
+his station had a $ispanic male reporter. E'a satanic cult "no!n as the )lluminati/ !ho some historians believe'E
9livetti began pressing the remote !ildl%. 1ver% channel !as in the middle of a live update. =ost !ere in 1nglish.
E'S!iss 8uards removing a bod% from a church earlier this evening. +he bod% is believed
to be that of ,ardinal'E
E'lights in the basilica and museums are extinguished leaving speculation'E
E'!ill be spea"ing !ith conspirac% theorist +%ler +ingle%/ about this shoc"ing
resurgence'E
E'rumors of t!o more assassinations planned for later this evening'E
E'questioning no! !hether papal hopeful ,ardinal 4aggia is among the missing'E
.ittoria turned a!a%. 1ver%thing !as happening so fast. 9utside the !indo!/ in the settling dar"/ the ra!
magnetism of human traged% seemed to be suc"ing people to!ard .atican ,it%. +he cro!d in the square thic"ened
almost b% the instant. 7edestrians streamed to!ard them !hile a ne! batch of media personnel unloaded vans and
sta"ed their claim in St. 7eter@s Square.
9livetti set do!n the remote control and turned to the camerlegno. ESignore/ ) cannot imagine ho! this could
happen. #e too" the tape that !as in that cameraFE
+he camerlegno loo"ed momentaril% too stunned to spea".
<obod% said a !ord. +he S!iss 8uards stood rigid at attention.
E)t appears/E the camerlegno said finall%/ sounding too devastated to be angr%/ Ethat !e have not contained this
crisis as !ell as ) !as led to believe.E $e loo"ed out the !indo! at the gathering masses. E) need to ma"e an address.E
9livetti shoo" his head. E<o/ signore. +hat is exactl% !hat the )lluminati !ant %ou to do'confirm them/ empo!er
them. #e must remain silent.E
End these peopleDE +he camerlegno pointed out the !indo!. E+here !ill be tens of thousands shortl%. +hen
hundreds of thousands. ,ontinuing this charade onl% puts them in danger. ) need to !arn them. +hen !e need to
evacuate our ,ollege of ,ardinals.E
E+here is still time. Let ,aptain Rocher find the antimatter.E
+he camerlegno turned. Ere %ou attempting to give me an orderDE
E<o/ ) am giving %ou advice. )f %ou are concerned about the people outside/ !e can announce a gas lea" and clear
the area/ but admitting !e are hostage is dangerous.E
E,ommander/ ) !ill onl% sa% this once. ) !ill not use this office as a pulpit to lie to the !orld. )f ) announce
an%thing at all/ it !ill be the truth.E
E+he truthD +hat .atican ,it% is threatened to be destro%ed b% satanic terroristsD )t onl% !ea"ens our position.E
+he camerlegno glared. E$o! much !ea"er could our position beDE
Rocher shouted suddenl%/ grabbing the remote and increasing the volume on the television. 1ver%one turned.
9n air/ the !oman from =S<4, no! loo"ed genuinel% unnerved. Superimposed beside her !as a photo of the late
7ope. E* brea"ing information. +his 0ust in from the 44,*E She glanced off camera as if to confirm she !as reall%
supposed to ma"e this announcement. pparentl% getting confirmation/ she turned and griml% faced the vie!ers. E+he
)lluminati have 0ust claimed responsibilit% for*E She hesitated. E+he% have claimed responsibilit% for the death of the
7ope fifteen da%s ago.E
+he camerlegno@s 0a! fell.
Rocher dropped the remote control.
.ittoria could barel% process the information.
E4% .atican la!/E the !oman continued/ Eno formal autops% is ever performed on a 7ope/ so the )lluminati claim of
murder cannot be confirmed. <onetheless/ the )lluminati hold that the cause of the late 7ope@s death !as not a stroke as
the .atican reported/ but poisonin).E
+he room !ent totall% silent again.
9livetti erupted. E=adnessF bold-faced lieFE
Rocher began flipping channels again. +he bulletin seemed to spread li"e a plague from station to station. 1ver%one
had the same stor%. $eadlines competed for optimal sensationalism.
Gurder at the Vatican
o,e oisoned
'atan Touches =ouse o4 6od
+he camerlegno loo"ed a!a%. E8od help us.E
s Rocher flipped/ he passed a 44, station. E'tipped me off about the "illing at Santa =aria de 7opolo'E
E#aitFE the camerlegno said. E4ac".E
Rocher !ent bac". 9n screen/ a prim-loo"ing man sat at a 44, ne!s des". Superimposed over his shoulder !as a
still snapshot of an odd-loo"ing man !ith a red beard. :nderneath his photo/ it said(
6unther 6lick>/i3e in Vatican City
Reporter 8lic" !as apparentl% reporting b% phone/ the connection scratch%. E* m% videographer got the footage of
the cardinal being removed from the ,higi ,hapel.E
ELet me reiterate for our vie!ers/E the anchorman in London !as sa%ing/ E44, reporter 8unther 8lic" is the man
!ho first bro"e this stor%. $e has been in phone contact t!ice no! !ith the alleged )lluminati assassin. 8unther/ %ou
sa% the assassin phoned onl% moments ago to pass along a message from the )lluminatiDE
E$e did.E
End their message !as that the )lluminati !ere someho! responsi'le for the 7ope@s deathDE +he anchorman
sounded incredulous.
E,orrect. +he caller told me that the 7ope@s death !as not a stro"e/ as the .atican had thought/ but rather that the
7ope had been poisoned b% the )lluminati.E
1ver%one in the 7ope@s office fro&e.
E7oisonedDE the anchorman demanded. E4ut* but howFE
E+he% gave no specifics/E 8lic" replied/ Eexcept to sa% that the% "illed him !ith a drug "no!n as*E'there !as a
rustling of papers on the line'Esomething "no!n as $eparin.E
+he camerlegno/ 9livetti/ and Rocher all exchanged confused loo"s.
E$eparinDE Rocher demanded/ loo"ing unnerved. E4ut isn@t that*DE
+he camerlegno blanched. E+he 7ope@s medication.E
.ittoria !as stunned. E+he 7ope !as on $eparinDE
E$e had thrombophlebitis/E the camerlegno said. E$e too" an in0ection once a da%.E
Rocher loo"ed flabbergasted. E4ut $eparin isn@t a poison. #h% !ould the )lluminati claim'E
E$eparin is lethal in the !rong dosages/E .ittoria offered. E)t@s a po!erful anticoagulant. n overdose !ould cause
massive internal bleeding and brain hemorrhages.E
9livetti e%ed her suspiciousl%. E$o! !ould %ou "no! thatDE
E=arine biologists use it on sea mammals in captivit% to prevent blood clotting from decreased activit%. nimals
have died from improper administration of the drug.E She paused. E $eparin overdose in a human !ould cause
s%mptoms easil% mista"en for a stro"e* especiall% in the absence of a proper autops%.E
+he camerlegno no! loo"ed deepl% troubled.
ESignore/E 9livetti said/ Ethis is obviousl% an )lluminati plo% for publicit%. Someone overdosing the 7ope !ould be
impossible. <obod% had access. nd even if !e ta"e the bait and tr% to refute their claim/ ho! could !eD 7apal la!
prohibits autops%. 1ven with an autops%/ !e !ould learn nothing. #e !ould find traces of $eparin in his bod% from his
dail% in0ections.E
E+rue.E +he camerlegno@s voice sharpened. End %et something else troubles me. <o one on the outside knew $is
$oliness !as ta"ing this medication.E
+here !as a silence.
E)f he overdosed !ith $eparin/E .ittoria said/ Ehis bod% !ould sho! signs.E
9livetti spun to!ard her. E=s. .etra/ in case %ou didn@t hear me/ papal autopsies are prohibited b% .atican La!.
#e are not about to defile $is $oliness@s bod% b% cutting him open 0ust because an enem% ma"es a taunting claimFE
.ittoria felt shamed. E) !as not impl%ing*E She had not meant to seem disrespectful. E) certainl% !as not
suggesting %ou exhume the 7ope*E She hesitated/ though. Something Robert told her in the ,higi passed li"e a ghost
through her mind. $e had mentioned that papal sarcophagi !ere above ground and never cemented shut/ a thro!bac" to
the da%s of the pharaohs !hen sealing and bur%ing a cas"et !as believed to trap the deceased@s soul inside. *ra!ity had
become the mortar of choice/ !ith coffin lids often !eighing hundreds of pounds. Technically/ she reali&ed/ it woul% 'e
possi'le to'
E#hat sort of signsDE the camerlegno said suddenl%.
.ittoria felt her heart flutter !ith fear. E9verdoses can cause bleeding of the oral mucosa.E
E9ral !hatDE
E+he victim@s gums !ould bleed. 7ost mortem/ the blood congeals and turns the inside of the mouth blac".E
.ittoria had once seen a photo ta"en at an aquarium in London !here a pair of "iller !hales had been mista"enl%
overdosed b% their trainer. +he !hales floated lifeless in the tan"/ their mouths hanging open and their tongues blac" as
soot.
+he camerlegno made no repl%. $e turned and stared out the !indo!.
Rocher@s voice had lost its optimism. ESignore/ if this claim about poisoning is true*E
E)t@s not true/E 9livetti declared. Eccess to the 7ope b% an outsider is utterl% impossible.E
E"& this claim is true/E Rocher repeated/ Eand our $ol% Father was poisoned/ then that has profound implications for
our antimatter search. +he alleged assassination implies a much deeper infiltration of .atican ,it% than !e had
imagined. Searching the !hite &ones ma% be inadequate. )f !e are compromised to such a deep extent/ !e ma% not find
the canister in time.E
9livetti leveled his captain !ith a cold stare. E,aptain/ ) !ill tell %ou !hat is going to happen.E
E<o/E the camerlegno said/ turning suddenl%. E) !ill tell you !hat is going to happen.E $e loo"ed directl% at
9livetti. E+his has gone far enough. )n t!ent% minutes ) !ill be ma"ing a decision !hether or not to cancel conclave
and evacuate .atican ,it%. =% decision !ill be final. )s that clearDE
9livetti did not blin". <or did he respond.
+he camerlegno spo"e forcefull% no!/ as though tapping a hidden reserve of po!er. E,aptain Rocher/ %ou !ill
complete %our search of the !hite &ones and report directl% to me !hen %ou are finished.E
Rocher nodded/ thro!ing 9livetti an uneas% glance.
+he camerlegno then singled out t!o guards. E) !ant the 44, reporter/ =r. 8lic"/ in this office immediatel%. )f the
)lluminati have been communicating !ith him/ he ma% be able to help us. 8o.E
+he t!o soldiers disappeared.
<o! the camerlegno turned and addressed the remaining guards. E8entlemen/ ) !ill not permit an% more loss of
life this evening. 4% ten o@cloc" %ou !ill locate the remaining t!o cardinals and capture the monster responsible for
these murders. ;o ) ma"e m%self understoodDE
E4ut/ signore/E 9livetti argued/ E!e have no idea !here'E
E=r. Langdon is !or"ing on that. $e seems capable. ) have faith.E
#ith that/ the camerlegno strode for the door/ a ne! determination in his step. 9n his !a% out/ he pointed to three
guards. EBou three/ come !ith me. <o!.E
+he guards follo!ed.
)n the door!a%/ the camerlegno stopped. $e turned to .ittoria. E=s. .etra. Bou too. 7lease come !ith me.E
.ittoria hesitated. E#here are !e goingDE
$e headed out the door. E+o see an old friend.E
5"
t ,1R</ secretar% S%lvie 4audeloque !as hungr%/ !ishing she could go home. +o her disma%/ 6ohler had
apparentl% survived his trip to the infirmar%J he had phoned and %eman%e%'not as"ed/ demanded'that S%lvie sta% late
this evening. <o explanation.
9ver the %ears/ S%lvie had programmed herself to ignore 6ohler@s bi&arre mood s!ings and eccentricities'his silent
treatments/ his unnerving propensit% to secretl% film meetings !ith his !heelchair@s porta-video. She secretl% hoped one
da% he !ould shoot himself during his !ee"l% visit to ,1R<@s recreational pistol range/ but apparentl% he !as a prett%
good shot.
<o!/ sitting alone at her des"/ S%lvie heard her stomach gro!ling. 6ohler had not %et returned/ nor had he given
her an% additional !or" for the evening. To hell with sittin) here 'ore% an% star!in)/ she decided. She left 6ohler a note
and headed for the staff dining commons to grab a quic" bite.
She never made it.
s she passed ,1R<@s recreational Esuites %e loisirE'a long hall!a% of lounges !ith televisions'she noticed the
rooms !ere overflo!ing !ith emplo%ees !ho had apparentl% abandoned dinner to !atch the ne!s. Something big !as
going on. S%lvie entered the first suite. )t !as pac"ed !ith b%te-heads'!ild %oung computer programmers. #hen she
sa! the headlines on the +./ she gasped.
Terror at the Vatican
S%lvie listened to the report/ unable to believe her ears. Some ancient brotherhood "illing cardinalsD #hat did that
proveD +heir hatredD +heir dominanceD +heir ignoranceD
nd %et/ incredibl%/ the mood in this suite seemed an%thing but somber.
+!o %oung techies ran b% !aving +-shirts that bore a picture of 4ill 8ates and the message(
nd the *eekshall inherit the 1arthF
E)lluminatiFE one shouted. E) told %ou these gu%s !ere realFE
E)ncredibleF ) thought it !as 0ust a gameFE
E+he% "illed the 7ope/ manF +he PopeFE
E5ee&F ) !onder ho! man% points %ou get for thatDE
+he% ran off laughing.
S%lvie stood in stunned ama&ement. s a ,atholic !or"ing among scientists/ she occasionall% endured the
antireligious !hisperings/ but the part% these "ids seemed to be having !as all-out euphoria over the church@s loss. $o!
could the% be so callousD #h% the hatredD
For S%lvie/ the church had al!a%s been an innocuous entit%* a place of fello!ship and introspection* sometimes
0ust a place to sing out loud !ithout people staring at her. +he church recorded the benchmar"s of her life'funerals/
!eddings/ baptisms/ holida%s'and it as"ed for nothing in return. 1ven the monetar% dues !ere voluntar%. $er children
emerged from Sunda% School ever% !ee" uplifted/ filled !ith ideas about helping others and being "inder. #hat could
possibl% be !rong !ith thatD
)t never ceased to ama&e her that so man% of ,1R<@s so-called Ebrilliant mindsE failed to comprehend the
importance of the church. ;id the% reall% believe quar"s and mesons inspired the average human beingD 9r that
e=uations could replace someone@s need for faith in the divineD
;a&ed/ S%lvie moved do!n the hall!a% past the other lounges. ll the +. rooms !ere pac"ed. She began
!ondering no! about the call 6ohler had gotten from the .atican earlier. ,oincidenceD 7erhaps. +he .atican called
,1R< from time to time as a Ecourtes%E before issuing scathing statements condemning ,1R<@s research'most
recentl% for ,1R<@s brea"throughs in nanotechnolog%/ a field the church denounced because of its implications for
genetic engineering. ,1R< never cared. )nvariabl%/ !ithin minutes after a .atican salvo/ 6ohler@s phone !ould ring off
the hoo" !ith tech-investment companies !anting to license the ne! discover%. E<o such thing as bad press/E 6ohler
!ould al!a%s sa%.
S%lvie !ondered if she should page 6ohler/ !herever the hell he !as/ and tell him to turn on the ne!s. ;id he
careD $ad he heardD 9f course/ he@d heard. $e !as probabl% videotaping the entire report !ith his frea"% little
camcorder/ smiling for the first time in a %ear.
s S%lvie continued do!n the hall/ she finall% found a lounge !here the mood !as subdued* almost melanchol%.
$ere the scientists !atching the report !ere some of ,1R<@s oldest and most respected. +he% did not even loo" up as
S%lvie slipped in and too" a seat.
9n the other side of ,1R</ in Leonardo .etra@s frigid apartment/ =aximilian 6ohler had finished reading the
leather-bound 0ournal he@d ta"en from .etra@s bedside table. <o! he !as !atching the television reports. fter a fe!
minutes/ he replaced .etra@s 0ournal/ turned off the television/ and left the apartment.
Far a!a%/ in .atican ,it%/ ,ardinal =ortati carried another tra% of ballots to the Sistine ,hapel chimne%. $e
burned them/ and the smo"e !as blac".
+!o ballotings. <o 7ope.
5#
Flashlights !ere no match for the voluminous blac"ness of St. 7eter@s 4asilica. +he void overhead pressed do!n
li"e a starless night/ and .ittoria felt the emptiness spread out around her li"e a desolate ocean. She sta%ed close as the
S!iss 8uards and the camerlegno pushed on. $igh above/ a dove cooed and fluttered a!a%.
s if sensing her discomfort/ the camerlegno dropped bac" and la% a hand on her shoulder. tangible strength
transferred in the touch/ as if the man !ere magicall% infusing her !ith the calm she needed to do !hat the% !ere about
to do.
3hat are we a'out to %o1 she thought. This is ma%ness#
nd %et/ .ittoria "ne!/ for all its impiet% and inevitable horror/ the tas" at hand !as inescapable. +he grave
decisions facing the camerlegno required information* information entombed in a sarcophagus in the .atican
8rottoes. She !ondered !hat the% !ould find. @i% the "lluminati mur%er the Pope1 @i% their power really reach so
&ar1 (m " really a'out to per&orm the &irst papal autopsy1
.ittoria found it ironic that she felt more apprehensive in this unlit church than she !ould s!imming at night !ith
barracuda. <ature !as her refuge. She understood nature. 4ut it !as matters of man and spirit that left her m%stified.
6iller fish gathering in the dar" con0ured images of the press gathering outside. +. footage of branded bodies reminded
her of her father@s corpse* and the "iller@s harsh laugh. +he "iller !as out there some!here. .ittoria felt the anger
dro!ning her fear.
s the% circled past a pillar'thic"er in girth than an% red!ood she could imagine'.ittoria sa! an orange glo! up
ahead. +he light seemed to emanate from beneath the floor in the center of the basilica. s the% came closer/ she
reali&ed !hat she !as seeing. )t !as the famous sun"en sanctuar% beneath the main altar'the sumptuous underground
chamber that held the .atican@s most sacred relics. s the% dre! even !ith the gate surrounding the hollo!/ .ittoria
ga&ed do!n at the golden coffer surrounded b% scores of glo!ing oil lamps.
ESt. 7eter@s bonesDE she as"ed/ "no!ing full !ell that the% !ere. 1ver%one !ho came to St. 7eter@s "ne! !hat !as
in the golden cas"et.
Ectuall%/ no/E the camerlegno said. E common misconception. +hat@s not a reliquar%. +he box holds palliums'
!oven sashes that the 7ope gives to ne!l% elected cardinals.E
E4ut ) thought'E
Es does ever%one. +he guideboo"s label this as St. 7eter@s tomb/ but his true grave is t!o stories beneath us/
buried in the earth. +he .atican excavated it in the forties. <obod% is allo!ed do!n there.E
.ittoria !as shoc"ed. s the% moved a!a% from the glo!ing recession into the dar"ness again/ she thought of the
stories she@d heard of pilgrims traveling thousands of miles to loo" at that golden box/ thin"ing the% !ere in the
presence of St. 7eter. EShouldn@t the .atican tell peopleDE
E#e all benefit from a sense of contact !ith divinit%* even if it is onl% imagined.E
.ittoria/ as a scientist/ could not argue the logic. She had read countless studies of the placebo effect'aspirins
curing cancer in people !ho 'elie!e% the% !ere using a miracle drug. #hat !as &aith/ after allD
E,hange/E the camerlegno said/ Eis not something !e do !ell !ithin .atican ,it%. dmitting our past faults/
moderni&ation/ are things !e historicall% esche!. $is $oliness !as tr%ing to change that.E $e paused. EReaching to the
modern !orld. Searching for ne! paths to 8od.E
.ittoria nodded in the dar". ELi"e scienceDE
E+o be honest/ science seems irrelevant.E
E)rrelevantDE .ittoria could thin" of a lot of !ords to describe science/ but in the modern !orld EirrelevantE did not
seem li"e one of them.
EScience can heal/ or science can "ill. )t depends on the soul of the man using the science. )t is the soul that
interests me.E
E#hen did %ou hear %our callDE
E4efore ) !as born.E
.ittoria loo"ed at him.
E)@m sorr%/ that al!a%s seems li"e a strange question. #hat ) mean is that )@ve al!a%s "no!n ) !ould serve 8od.
From the moment ) could first thin". )t !asn@t until ) !as a %oung man/ though/ in the militar%/ that ) trul% understood
m% purpose.E
.ittoria !as surprised. EBou !ere in the militar%DE
E+!o %ears. ) refused to fire a !eapon/ so the% made me fl% instead. =edevac helicopters. )n fact/ ) still fl% from
time to time.E
.ittoria tried to picture the %oung priest fl%ing a helicopter. 9ddl%/ she could see him perfectl% behind the controls.
,amerlegno .entresca possessed a grit that seemed to accentuate his conviction rather than cloud it. E;id %ou ever fl%
the 7opeDE
E$eavens no. #e left that precious cargo to the professionals. $is $oliness let me ta"e the helicopter to our retreat
in 8andolfo sometimes.E $e paused/ loo"ing at her. E=s. .etra/ than" %ou for %our help here toda%. ) am ver% sorr%
about %our father. +rul%.E
E+han" %ou.E
E) never "ne! m% father. $e died before ) !as born. ) lost m% mother !hen ) !as ten.E
.ittoria loo"ed up. EBou !ere orphanedDE She felt a sudden "inship.
E) survived an accident. n accident that too" m% mother.E
E#ho too" care of %ouDE
E8od/E the camerlegno said. E$e quite literall% sent me another father. bishop from 7alermo appeared at m%
hospital bed and too" me in. t the time ) !as not surprised. ) had sensed 8od@s !atchful hand over me even as a bo%.
+he bishop@s appearance simpl% confirmed !hat ) had alread% suspected/ that 8od had someho! chosen me to serve
him.E
EBou believed 8od chose %ouDE
E) did. nd ) do.E +here !as no trace of conceit in the camerlegno@s voice/ onl% gratitude. E) !or"ed under the
bishop@s tutelage for man% %ears. $e eventuall% became a cardinal. Still/ he never forgot me. $e is the father )
remember.E beam of a flashlight caught the camerlegno@s face/ and .ittoria sensed a loneliness in his e%es.
+he group arrived beneath a to!ering pillar/ and their lights converged on an opening in the floor. .ittoria loo"ed
do!n at the staircase descending into the void and suddenl% !anted to turn bac". +he guards !ere alread% helping the
camerlegno onto the stairs. +he% helped her next.
E#hat became of himDE she as"ed/ descending/ tr%ing to "eep her voice stead%. E+he cardinal !ho too" %ou inDE
E$e left the ,ollege of ,ardinals for another position.E
.ittoria !as surprised.
End then/ )@m sorr% to sa%/ he passed on.E
Ee mie con%o)lian/e/E .ittoria said. ERecentl%DE
+he camerlegno turned/ shado!s accentuating the pain on his face. E1xactl% fifteen da%s ago. #e are going to see
him right no!.E
5$
+he dar" lights glo!ed hot inside the archival vault. +his vault !as much smaller than the previous one Langdon
had been in. ess air. ess time. $e !ished he@d as"ed 9livetti to turn on the recirculating fans.
Langdon quic"l% located the section of assets containing the ledgers cataloging Belle (rti. +he section !as
impossible to miss. )t occupied almost eight full stac"s. +he ,atholic church o!ned millions of individual pieces
!orld!ide.
Langdon scanned the shelves searching for 8ianloren&o 4ernini. $e began his search about mid!a% do!n the first
stac"/ at about the spot he thought the B@s !ould begin. fter a moment of panic fearing the ledger !as missing/ he
reali&ed/ to his greater disma%/ that the ledgers !ere not arranged alphabeticall%. 3hy am " not surprise%1
)t !as not until Langdon circled bac" to the beginning of the collection and climbed a rolling ladder to the top shelf
that he understood the vault@s organi&ation. 7erched precariousl% on the upper stac"s he found the fattest ledgers of all'
those belonging to the masters of the Renaissance'=ichelangelo/ Raphael/ da .inci/ 4otticelli. Langdon no! reali&ed/
appropriate to a vault called E.atican ssets/E the ledgers !ere arranged b% the overall monetar% !alue of each artist@s
collection. Sand!iched bet!een Raphael and =ichelangelo/ Langdon found the ledger mar"ed 4ernini. )t !as over five
inches thic".
lread% short of breath and struggling !ith the cumbersome volume/ Langdon descended the ladder. +hen/ li"e a
"id !ith a comic boo"/ he spread himself out on the floor and opened the cover.
+he boo" !as cloth-bound and ver% solid. +he ledger !as hand!ritten in )talian. 1ach page cataloged a single
!or"/ including a short description/ date/ location/ cost of materials/ and sometimes a rough s"etch of the piece.
Langdon fanned through the pages* over eight hundred in all. 4ernini had been a bus% man.
s a %oung student of art/ Langdon had !ondered ho! single artists could create so much !or" in their lifetimes.
Later he learned/ much to his disappointment/ that famous artists actuall% created ver% little of their o!n !or". +he% ran
studios !here the% trained %oung artists to carr% out their designs. Sculptors li"e 4ernini created miniatures in cla% and
hired others to enlarge them into marble. Langdon "ne! that if 4ernini had been required to personally complete all of
his commissions/ he !ould still be !or"ing toda%.
E)ndex/E he said aloud/ tr%ing to !ard off the mental cob!ebs. $e flipped to the bac" of the boo"/ intending to loo"
under the letter F for titles containing the !ord &uNco'fire'but the F@s !ere not together. Langdon s!ore under his
breath. 3hat the hell %o these people ha!e a)ainst alpha'eti/in)1
+he entries had apparentl% been logged chronologicall%/ one b% one/ as 4ernini created each ne! !or". 1ver%thing
!as listed b% date. <o help at all.
s Langdon stared at the list/ another disheartening thought occurred to him. +he title of the sculpture he !as
loo"ing for might not even contain the !ord Fire. +he previous t!o !or"s'0a'akkuk an% the (n)el and 3est Ponente'
had not contained specific references to Earth or (ir.
$e spent a minute or t!o flipping randoml% through the ledger in hopes that an illustration might 0ump out at him.
<othing did. $e sa! do&ens of obscure !or"s he had never heard of/ but he also sa! plent% he recogni&ed* @aniel
an% the ion- (pollo an% @aphne/ as !ell as a half do&en fountains. #hen he sa! the fountains/ his thoughts s"ipped
momentaril% ahead. #ater. $e !ondered if the fourth altar of science !as a fountain. fountain seemed a perfect
tribute to !ater. Langdon hoped the% could catch the "iller before he had to consider 3ater'4ernini had carved do&ens
of fountains in Rome/ most of them in front of churches.
Langdon turned bac" to the matter at hand. Fire. s he loo"ed through the boo"/ .ittoria@s !ords encouraged him.
You were &amiliar with the &irst two sculptures* you pro'a'ly know this one too. s he turned to the index again/ he
scanned for titles he "ne!. Some !ere familiar/ but none 0umped out. Langdon no! reali&ed he !ould never complete
his search before passing out/ so he decided/ against his better 0udgment/ that he !ould have to ta"e the boo" outside the
vault. "t+s only a le%)er/ he told himself. "t+s not like "+m remo!in) an ori)inal *alilean &olio. Langdon recalled the folio
in his breast poc"et and reminded himself to return it before leaving.
$urr%ing no!/ he reached do!n to lift the volume/ but as he did/ he sa! something that gave him pause. lthough
there !ere numerous notations throughout the index/ the one that had 0ust caught his e%e seemed odd.
+he note indicated that the famous 4ernini sculpture/ The Ecstasy o& $t. Teresa/ shortl% after its unveiling/ had been
moved from its original location inside the .atican. +his in itself !as not !hat had caught Langdon@s e%e. $e !as
alread% familiar !ith the sculpture@s chec"ered past. +hough some thought it a masterpiece/ 7ope :rban .))) had
re0ected The Ecstasy o& $t. Teresa as too sexuall% explicit for the .atican. $e had banished it to some obscure chapel
across to!n. #hat had caught Langdon@s e%e !as that the !or" had apparentl% been placed in one of the five churches
on his list. #hat !as more/ the note indicated it had been moved there per su))erimento %el artista.
By su))estion o& the artist1 Langdon !as confused. )t made no sense that 4ernini had suggested his masterpiece be
hidden in some obscure location. ll artists !anted their !or" displa%ed prominentl%/ not in some remote'
Langdon hesitated. Bnless*
$e !as fearful even to entertain the notion. #as it possibleD $ad 4ernini intentionall% created a !or" so explicit
that it forced the .atican to hide it in some out-of-the-!a% spotD location perhaps that 4ernini himself could suggestD
=a%be a remote church on a direct line !ith 3est Ponente@s breathD
s Langdon@s excitement mounted/ his vague familiarit% !ith the statue intervened/ insisting the !or" had nothing
to do !ith &ire. +he sculpture/ as an%one !ho had seen it could attest/ !as an%thing but scientific'porno)raphic ma%be/
but certainl% not scientific. n 1nglish critic had once condemned The Ecstasy o& $t. Teresa as Ethe most unfit ornament
ever to be placed in a ,hristian ,hurch.E Langdon certainl% understood the controvers%. +hough brilliantl% rendered/ the
statue depicted St. +eresa on her bac" in the throes of a toe-curling orgasm. $ardl% .atican fare.
Langdon hurriedl% flipped to the ledger@s description of the !or". #hen he sa! the s"etch/ he felt an instantaneous
and unexpected tingle of hope. )n the s"etch/ St. +eresa did indeed appear to be en0o%ing herself/ but there !as another
figure in the statue !ho Langdon had forgotten !as there.
n angel.
+he sordid legend suddenl% came bac"*
St. +eresa !as a nun sainted after she claimed an angel had paid her a blissful visit in her sleep. ,ritics later
decided her encounter had probabl% been more sexual than spiritual. Scra!led at the bottom of the ledger/ Langdon sa!
a familiar excerpt. St. +eresa@s o!n !ords left little to the imagination(
* his great golden spear* filled !ith fire* plunged into me several times* penetrated to m% entrails* a
s!eetness so extreme that one could not possibl% !ish it to stop.
Langdon smiled. "& that+s not a metaphor &or some serious se;- " %on+t know what is. $e !as smiling also because
of the ledger@s description of the !or". lthough the paragraph !as in )talian/ the !ord fuXco appeared a half do&en
times(
* angel@s spear tipped !ith point of &ire*
* angel@s head emanating ra%s of &ire*
* !oman inflamed b% passion@s &ire*
Langdon !as not entirel% convinced until he glanced up at the s"etch again. +he angel@s fier% spear !as raised li"e
a beacon/ pointing the !a%. et an)els )ui%e you on your lo&ty =uest. 1ven the type of angel 4ernini had selected
seemed significant. "t+s a seraphim/ Langdon reali&ed. $eraphim literally means Jthe &iery one.E
Robert Langdon !as not a man !ho had ever loo"ed for confirmation from above/ but !hen he read the name of
the church !here the sculpture no! resided/ he decided he might become a believer after all.
$anta ,aria %ella ?ittoria.
?ittoria/ he thought/ grinning. Per&ect.
Staggering to his feet/ Langdon felt a rush of di&&iness. $e glanced up the ladder/ !ondering if he should replace
the boo". The hell with it/ he thought. Father 2a=ui can %o it. $e closed the boo" and left it neatl% at the bottom of the
shelf.
s he made his !a% to!ard the glo!ing button on the vault@s electronic exit/ he !as breathing in shallo! gasps.
<onetheless/ he felt re0uvenated b% his good fortune.
$is good fortune/ ho!ever/ ran out before he reached the exit.
#ithout !arning/ the vault let out a pained sigh. +he lights dimmed/ and the exit button !ent dead. +hen/ li"e an
enormous expiring beast/ the archival complex !ent totall% blac". Someone had 0ust "illed po!er.
5%
+he $ol% .atican 8rottoes are located beneath the main floor of St. 7eter@s 4asilica. +he% are the burial place of
deceased 7opes.
.ittoria reached the bottom of the spiral staircase and entered the grotto. +he dar"ened tunnel reminded her of
,1R<@s Large $adron ,ollider'blac" and cold. Lit no! onl% b% the flashlights of the S!iss 8uards/ the tunnel carried
a distinctl% incorporeal feel. 9n both sides/ hollo! niches lined the !alls. Recessed in the alcoves/ as far as the lights let
them see/ the hul"ing shado!s of sarcophagi loomed.
n iciness ra"ed her flesh. "t+s the col%/ she told herself/ "no!ing that !as onl% partiall% true. She had the sense
the% !ere being !atched/ not b% an%one in the flesh/ but b% specters in the dar". 9n top of each tomb/ in full papal
vestments/ la% life-si&ed semblances of each 7ope/ sho!n in death/ arms folded across their chests. +he prostrate bodies
seemed to emerge from !ithin the tombs/ pressing up!ard against the marble lids as if tr%ing to escape their mortal
restraints. +he flashlight procession moved on/ and the papal silhouettes rose and fell against the !alls/ stretching and
vanishing in a macabre shado!box dance.
silence had fallen across the group/ and .ittoria couldn@t tell !hether it !as one of respect or apprehension. She
sensed both. +he camerlegno moved !ith his e%es closed/ as if he "ne! ever% step b% heart. .ittoria suspected he had
made this eerie promenade man% times since the 7ope@s death* perhaps to pra% at his tomb for guidance.
" worke% un%er the car%inal+s tutela)e &or many years/ the camerlegno had said. 0e was like a &ather to me.
.ittoria recalled the camerlegno spea"ing those !ords in reference to the cardinal !ho had EsavedE him from the arm%.
<o!/ ho!ever/ .ittoria understood the rest of the stor%. +hat ver% cardinal !ho had ta"en the camerlegno under his
!ing had apparentl% later risen to the papac% and brought !ith him his %oung protHgH to serve as chamberlain.
That e;plains a lot/ .ittoria thought. She had al!a%s possessed a !ell-tuned perception for others@ inner emotions/
and something about the camerlegno had been nagging her all da%. Since meeting him/ she had sensed an anguish more
soulful and private than the over!helming crisis he no! faced. 4ehind his pious calm/ she sa! a man tormented b%
personal demons. <o! she "ne! her instincts had been correct. <ot onl% !as he facing the most devastating threat in
.atican histor%/ but he !as doing it !ithout his mentor and friend* fl%ing solo.
+he guards slo!ed no!/ as if unsure !here exactl% in the dar"ness the most recent 7ope !as buried. +he
camerlegno continued assuredl% and stopped before a marble tomb that seemed to glisten brighter than the others. L%ing
atop !as a carved figure of the late 7ope. #hen .ittoria recogni&ed his face from television/ a shot of fear gripped her.
3hat are we %oin)1
E) reali&e !e do not have much time/E the camerlegno said. E) still as" !e ta"e a moment of pra%er.E
+he S!iss 8uard all bo!ed their heads !here the% !ere standing. .ittoria follo!ed suit/ her heart pounding in the
silence. +he camerlegno "nelt before the tomb and pra%ed in )talian. s .ittoria listened to his !ords/ an unexpected
grief surfaced as tears* tears for her o!n mentor* her o!n hol% father. +he camerlegno@s !ords seemed as
appropriate for her father as the% did for the 7ope.
ESupreme father/ counselor/ friend.E +he camerlegno@s voice echoed dull% around the ring. EBou told me !hen )
!as %oung that the voice in m% heart !as that of 8od. Bou told me ) must follo! it no matter !hat painful places it
leads. ) hear that voice no!/ as"ing of me impossible tas"s. 8ive me strength. 4esto! on me forgiveness. #hat ) do* )
do in the name of ever%thing %ou believe. men.E
Emen/E the guards !hispered.
(men- Father. .ittoria !iped her e%es.
+he camerlegno stood slo!l% and stepped a!a% from the tomb. E7ush the covering aside.E
+he S!iss 8uards hesitated. ESignore/E one said/ Eb% la! !e are at %our command.E $e paused. E#e !ill do as %ou
sa%*E
+he camerlegno seemed to read the %oung man@s mind. ESomeda% ) !ill as" %our forgiveness for placing %ou in
this position. +oda% ) as" for %our obedience. .atican la!s are established to protect this church. )t is in that ver% spirit
that ) command %ou to brea" them no!.E
+here !as a moment of silence and then the lead guard gave the order. +he three men set do!n their flashlights on
the floor/ and their shado!s leapt overhead. Lit no! from beneath/ the men advanced to!ard the tomb. 4racing their
hands against the marble covering near the head of the tomb/ the% planted their feet and prepared to push. 9n signal/
the% all thrust/ straining against the enormous slab. #hen the lid did not move at all/ .ittoria found herself almost
hoping it !as too heav%. She !as suddenl% fearful of !hat the% !ould find inside.
+he men pushed harder/ and still the stone did not move.
E(ncora/E the camerlegno said/ rolling up the sleeves of his cassoc" and preparing to push along !ith them. E9ra#E
1ver%one heaved.
.ittoria !as about to offer her o!n help/ but 0ust then/ the lid began to slide. +he men dug in again/ and !ith an
almost primal gro!l of stone on stone/ the lid rotated off the top of the tomb and came to rest at an angle'the 7ope@s
carved head no! pushed bac" into the niche and his feet extended out into the hall!a%.
1ver%one stepped bac".
+entativel%/ a guard bent and retrieved his flashlight. +hen he aimed it into the tomb. +he beam seemed to tremble
a moment/ and then the guard held it stead%. +he other guards gathered one b% one. 1ven in the dar"ness .ittoria sensed
them recoil. )n succession/ the% crossed themselves.
+he camerlegno shuddered !hen he loo"ed into the tomb/ his shoulders dropping li"e !eights. $e stood a long
moment before turning a!a%.
.ittoria had feared the corpse@s mouth might be clenched tight !ith ri)or mortis and that she !ould have to suggest
brea"ing the 0a! to see the tongue. She no! sa! it !ould be unnecessar%. +he chee"s had collapsed/ and the 7ope@s
mouth gaped !ide.
$is tongue !as blac" as death.
5&
<o light. <o sound.
+he Secret rchives !ere blac".
Fear/ Langdon no! reali&ed/ !as an intense motivator. Short of breath/ he fumbled through the blac"ness to!ard
the revolving door. $e found the button on the !all and rammed his palm against it. <othing happened. $e tried again.
+he door !as dead.
Spinning blind/ he called out/ but his voice emerged strangled. +he peril of his predicament suddenl% closed in
around him. $is lungs strained for ox%gen as the adrenaline doubled his heart rate. $e felt li"e someone had 0ust
punched him in the gut.
#hen he thre! his !eight into the door/ for an instant he thought he felt the door start to turn. $e pushed again/
seeing stars. <o! he reali&ed it !as the entire room turning/ not the door. Staggering a!a%/ Langdon tripped over the
base of a rolling ladder and fell hard. $e tore his "nee against the edge of a boo" stac". S!earing/ he got up and groped
for the ladder.
$e found it. $e had hoped it !ould be heav% !ood or iron/ but it !as aluminum. $e grabbed the ladder and held it
li"e a battering ram. +hen he ran through the dar" at the glass !all. )t !as closer than he thought. +he ladder hit
head-on/ bouncing off. From the feeble sound of the collision/ Langdon "ne! he !as going to need a hell of a lot more
than an aluminum ladder to brea" this glass.
#hen he flashed on the semiautomatic/ his hopes surged and then instantl% fell. +he !eapon !as gone. 9livetti had
relieved him of it in the 7ope@s office/ sa%ing he did not !ant loaded !eapons around !ith the camerlegno present. )t
made sense at the time.
Langdon called out again/ ma"ing less sound than the last time.
<ext he remembered the !al"ie-tal"ie the guard had left on the table outside the vault. 3hy the hell %i%n+t " 'rin) it
in# s the purple stars began to dance before his e%es/ Langdon forced himself to thin". You+!e 'een trappe% 'e&ore/ he
told himself. You sur!i!e% worse. You were 6ust a ki% an% you &i)ure% it out. +he crushing dar"ness came flooding in.
Think#
Langdon lo!ered himself onto the floor. $e rolled over on his bac" and laid his hands at his sides. +he first step
!as to gain control.
Rela;. Conser!e.
<o longer fighting gravit% to pump blood/ Langdon@s heart began to slo!. )t !as a tric" s!immers used to
re-ox%genate their blood bet!een tightl% scheduled races.
There is plenty o& air in here/ he told himself. Plenty. Now think. $e !aited/ half-expecting the lights to come bac"
on at an% moment. +he% did not. s he la% there/ able to breathe better no!/ an eerie resignation came across him. $e
felt peaceful. $e fought it.
You will mo!e- %amn it# But where*
9n Langdon@s !rist/ =ic"e% =ouse glo!ed happil% as if en0o%ing the dar"( K(OO 7.=. $alf an hour until Fire.
Langdon thought it felt a !hole hell of a lot later. $is mind/ instead of coming up !ith a plan for escape/ !as suddenl%
demanding an explanation. 3ho turne% o&& the power1 3as Rocher e;pan%in) his search1 3oul%n+t 9li!etti ha!e
warne% Rocher that "+m in here# Langdon "ne! at this point it made no difference.
9pening his mouth !ide and tipping bac" his head/ Langdon pulled the deepest breaths he could manage. 1ach
breath burned a little less than the last. $is head cleared. $e reeled his thoughts in and forced the gears into motion.
*lass walls/ he told himself. But %amn thick )lass.
$e !ondered if an% of the boo"s in here !ere stored in heav%/ steel/ fireproof file cabinets. Langdon had seen them
from time to time in other archives but had seen none here. 4esides/ finding one in the dar" could prove
time-consuming. <ot that he could lift one an%!a%/ particularl% in his present state.
0ow a'out the e;amination ta'le1 Langdon "ne! this vault/ li"e the other/ had an examination table in the center
of the stac"s. $o what1 $e "ne! he couldn@t lift it. <ot to mention/ even if he could drag it/ he !ouldn@t get it far. +he
stac"s !ere closel% pac"ed/ the aisles bet!een them far too narro!.
The aisles are too narrow*
Suddenl%/ Langdon "ne!.
#ith a burst of confidence/ he 0umped to his feet far too fast. S!a%ing in the fog of a head rush/ he reached out in
the dar" for support. $is hand found a stac". #aiting a moment/ he forced himself to conserve. $e !ould need all of his
strength to do this.
7ositioning himself against the boo" stac" li"e a football pla%er against a training sled/ he planted his feet and
pushed. "& " can somehow tip the shel&. 4ut it barel% moved. $e realigned and pushed again. $is feet slipped bac"!ard
on the floor. +he stac" crea"ed but did not move.
$e needed leverage.
Finding the glass !all again/ he placed one hand on it to guide him as he raced in the dar" to!ard the far end of the
vault. +he bac" !all loomed suddenl%/ and he collided !ith it/ crushing his shoulder. ,ursing/ Langdon circled the shelf
and grabbed the stac" at about e%e level. +hen/ propping one leg on the glass behind him and another on the lo!er
shelves/ he started to climb. 4oo"s fell around him/ fluttering into the dar"ness. $e didn@t care. )nstinct for survival had
long since overridden archival decorum. $e sensed his equilibrium !as hampered b% the total dar"ness and closed his
e%es/ coaxing his brain to ignore visual input. $e moved faster no!. +he air felt leaner the higher he !ent. $e
scrambled to!ard the upper shelves/ stepping on boo"s/ tr%ing to gain purchase/ heaving himself up!ard. +hen/ li"e a
roc" climber conquering a roc" face/ Langdon grasped the top shelf. Stretching his legs out behind him/ he !al"ed his
feet up the glass !all until he !as almost hori&ontal.
Now or ne!er- Ro'ert/ a voice urged. 2ust like the le) press in the 0ar!ar% )ym.
#ith di&&%ing exertion/ he planted his feet against the !all behind him/ braced his arms and chest against the stac"/
and pushed. <othing happened.
Fighting for air/ he repositioned and tried again/ extending his legs. 1ver so slightl%/ the stac" moved. $e pushed
again/ and the stac" roc"ed for!ard an inch or so and then bac". Langdon too" advantage of the motion/ inhaling !hat
felt li"e an ox%genless breath and heaving again. +he shelf roc"ed farther.
ike a swin) set/ he told himself. 7eep the rhythm. ( little more.
Langdon roc"ed the shelf/ extending his legs farther !ith each push. $is quadriceps burned no!/ and he bloc"ed
the pain. +he pendulum !as in motion. Three more pushes/ he urged himself.
)t onl% too" t!o.
+here !as an instant of !eightless uncertaint%. +hen/ !ith a thundering of boo"s sliding off the shelves/ Langdon
and the shelf !ere falling for!ard.
$alf!a% to the ground/ the shelf hit the stac" next to it. Langdon hung on/ thro!ing his !eight for!ard/ urging the
second shelf to topple. +here !as a moment of motionless panic/ and then/ crea"ing under the !eight/ the second stac"
began to tip. Langdon !as falling again.
Li"e enormous dominoes/ the stac"s began to topple/ one after another. =etal on metal/ boo"s tumbling
ever%!here. Langdon held on as his inclined stac" bounced do!n!ard li"e a ratchet on a 0ac". $e !ondered ho! man%
stac"s there !ere in all. $o! much !ould the% !eighD +he glass at the far end !as thic"*
Langdon@s stac" had fallen almost to the hori&ontal !hen he heard !hat he !as !aiting for'a different "ind of
collision. Far off. t the end of the vault. +he sharp smac" of metal on glass. +he vault around him shoo"/ and Langdon
"ne! the final stac"/ !eighted do!n b% the others/ had hit the glass hard. +he sound that follo!ed !as the most
un!elcome sound Langdon had ever heard.
Silence.
+here !as no crashing of glass/ onl% the resounding thud as the !all accepted the !eight of the stac"s no! propped
against it. $e la% !ide-e%ed on the pile of boo"s. Some!here in the distance there !as a crea"ing. Langdon !ould have
held his breath to listen/ but he had none left to hold.
9ne second. +!o*
+hen/ as he teetered on the brin" of unconsciousness/ Langdon heard a distant %ielding* a ripple spidering
out!ard through the glass. Suddenl%/ li"e a cannon/ the glass exploded. +he stac" beneath Langdon collapsed to the
floor.
Li"e !elcome rain on a desert/ shards of glass tin"led do!n!ard in the dar". #ith a great suc"ing hiss/ the air
gushed in.
+hirt% seconds later/ in the .atican 8rottoes/ .ittoria !as standing before a corpse !hen the electronic squa!" of a
!al"ie-tal"ie bro"e the silence. +he voice blaring out sounded short of breath. E+his is Robert LangdonF ,an an%one
hear meDE
.ittoria loo"ed up. Ro'ertF She could not believe ho! much she suddenl% !ished he !ere there.
+he guards exchanged pu&&led loo"s. 9ne too" a radio off his belt. E=r. LangdonD Bou are on channel three. +he
commander is !aiting to hear from %ou on channel one.E
E) "no! he@s on channel one/ damn itF ) don@t !ant to spea" to him. ) !ant the camerlegno. <o!F Somebod% find
him for me.E
)n the obscurit% of the Secret rchives/ Langdon stood amidst shattered glass and tried to catch his breath. $e felt a
!arm liquid on his left hand and "ne! he !as bleeding. +he camerlegno@s voice spo"e at once/ startling Langdon.
E+his is ,amerlegno .entresca. #hat@s going onDE
Langdon pressed the button/ his heart still pounding. E) thin" somebod% 0ust tried to "ill meFE
+here !as a silence on the line.
Langdon tried to calm himself. E) also "no! !here the next "illing is going to be.E
+he voice that came bac" !as not the camerlegno@s. )t !as ,ommander 9livetti@s( E=r. Langdon. ;o not spea"
another !ord.E
5.
Langdon@s !atch/ no! smeared !ith blood/ read K(21 7.=. as he ran across the ,ourt%ard of the 4elvedere and
approached the fountain outside the S!iss 8uard securit% center. $is hand had stopped bleeding and no! felt !orse
than it loo"ed. s he arrived/ it seemed ever%one convened at once'9livetti/ Rocher/ the camerlegno/ .ittoria/ and a
handful of guards.
.ittoria hurried to!ard him immediatel%. ERobert/ %ou@re hurt.E
4efore Langdon could ans!er/ 9livetti !as before him. E=r. Langdon/ )@m relieved %ou@re o"a%. )@m sorr% about
the crossed signals in the archives.E
E,rossed signalsDE Langdon demanded. EBou "ne! damn !ell'E
E)t !as m% fault/E Rocher said/ stepping for!ard/ sounding contrite. E) had no idea %ou !ere in the archives.
7ortions of our !hite &ones are cross-!ired !ith that building. #e !ere extending our search. )@m the one !ho "illed
po!er. )f ) had "no!n*E
ERobert/E .ittoria said/ ta"ing his !ounded hand in hers and loo"ing it over/ Ethe 7ope !as poisoned. +he
)lluminati "illed him.E
Langdon heard the !ords/ but the% barel% registered. $e !as saturated. ll he could feel !as the !armth of
.ittoria@s hands.
+he camerlegno pulled a sil" hand"erchief from his cassoc" and handed it to Langdon so he could clean himself.
+he man said nothing. $is green e%es seemed filled !ith a ne! fire.
ERobert/E .ittoria pressed/ E%ou said %ou found !here the next cardinal is going to be "illedDE
Langdon felt flight%. E) do/ it@s at the'E
E<o/E 9livetti interrupted. E=r. Langdon/ !hen ) as"ed %ou not to spea" another !ord on the !al"ie-tal"ie/ it !as
for a reason.E $e turned to the handful of assembled S!iss 8uards. E1xcuse us/ gentlemen.E
+he soldiers disappeared into the securit% center. <o indignit%. 9nl% compliance.
9livetti turned bac" to the remaining group. Es much as it pains me to sa% this/ the murder of our 7ope is an act
that could onl% have been accomplished !ith help from !ithin these !alls. For the good of all/ !e can trust no one.
)ncluding our guards.E $e seemed to be suffering as he spo"e the !ords.
Rocher loo"ed anxious. E)nside collusion implies'E
EBes/E 9livetti said. E+he integrit% of %our search is compromised. nd %et it is a gamble !e must ta"e. 6eep
loo"ing.E
Rocher loo"ed li"e he !as about to sa% something/ thought better of it/ and left.
+he camerlegno inhaled deepl%. $e had not said a !ord %et/ and Langdon sensed a ne! rigor in the man/ as if a
turning point had been reached.
E,ommanderDE +he camerlegno@s tone !as impermeable. E) am going to brea" conclave.E
9livetti pursed his lips/ loo"ing dour. E) advise against it. #e still have t!o hours and t!ent% minutes.E
E heartbeat.E
9livetti@s tone !as no! challenging E#hat do %ou intend to doD 1vacuate the cardinals single-handedl%DE
E) intend to save this church !ith !hatever po!er 8od has given me. $o! ) proceed is no longer %our concern.E
9livetti straightened. E#hatever %ou intend to do*E $e paused. E) do not have the authorit% to restrain %ou.
7articularl% in light of m% apparent failure as head of securit%. ) as" onl% that %ou !ait. #ait t!ent% minutes* until
after ten o@cloc". )f =r. Langdon@s information is correct/ ) ma% still have a chance to catch this assassin. +here is still a
chance to preserve protocol and decorum.E
E;ecorumDE +he camerlegno let out a cho"ed laugh. E#e have long since passed propriet%/ commander. )n case
%ou hadn@t noticed/ this is !ar.E
guard emerged from the securit% center and called out to the camerlegno/ ESignore/ ) 0ust got !ord !e have
detained the 44, reporter/ =r. 8lic".E
+he camerlegno nodded. E$ave both he and his camera!oman meet me outside the Sistine ,hapel.E
9livetti@s e%es !idened. E#hat are %ou doingDE
E+!ent% minutes/ commander. +hat@s all )@m giving %ou.E +hen he !as gone.
#hen 9livetti@s lpha Romeo tore out of .atican ,it%/ this time there !as no line of unmar"ed cars follo!ing him.
)n the bac" seat/ .ittoria bandaged Langdon@s hand !ith a first-aid "it she@d found in the glove box.
9livetti stared straight ahead. E9"a%/ =r. Langdon. #here are !e goingDE
55
1ven !ith its siren no! affixed and blaring/ 9livetti@s lpha Romeo seemed to go unnoticed as it roc"eted across
the bridge into the heart of old Rome. ll the traffic !as moving in the other direction/ to!ard the .atican/ as if the
$ol% See had suddenl% become the hottest entertainment in Rome.
Langdon sat in the bac"seat/ the questions !hipping through his mind. $e !ondered about the "iller/ if the% !ould
catch him this time/ if he !ould tell them !hat the% needed to "no!/ if it !as alread% too late. $o! long before the
camerlegno told the cro!d in St. 7eter@s Square the% !ere in dangerD +he incident in the vault still nagged. ( mistake.
9livetti never touched the bra"es as he sna"ed the ho!ling lpha Romeo to!ard the ,hurch of Santa =aria della
.ittoria. Langdon "ne! on an% other da% his "nuc"les !ould have been !hite. t the moment/ ho!ever/ he felt
anestheti&ed. 9nl% the throbbing in his hand reminded him !here he !as.
9verhead/ the siren !ailed. Nothin) like tellin) him we+re comin)/ Langdon thought. nd %et the% !ere ma"ing
incredible time. $e guessed 9livetti !ould "ill the siren as the% dre! nearer.
<o! !ith a moment to sit and reflect/ Langdon felt a tinge of ama&ement as the ne!s of the 7ope@s murder finall%
registered in his mind. +he thought !as inconceivable/ and %et someho! it seemed a perfectl% logical event. )nfiltration
had al!a%s been the )lluminati po!erbase'rearrangements of po!er from !ithin. nd it !as not as if 7opes had never
been murdered. ,ountless rumors of treacher% abounded/ although !ith no autops%/ none !as ever confirmed. :ntil
recentl%. cademics not long ago had gotten permission to N-ra% the tomb of 7ope ,elestine ./ !ho had allegedl% died
at the hands of his overeager successor/ 4oniface .))). +he researchers had hoped the N-ra% might reveal some small
hint of foul pla%'a bro"en bone perhaps. )ncredibl%/ the N-ra% had revealed a ten-inch nail driven into the 7ope@s s"ull.
Langdon no! recalled a series of ne!s clippings fello! )lluminati buffs had sent him %ears ago. t first he had
thought the clippings !ere a pran"/ so he@d gone to the $arvard microfiche collection to confirm the articles !ere
authentic. )ncredibl%/ the% !ere. $e no! "ept them on his bulletin board as examples of ho! even respectable ne!s
organi&ations sometimes got carried a!a% !ith )lluminati paranoia. Suddenl%/ the media@s suspicions seemed a lot less
paranoid. Langdon could see the articles clearl% in his mind*
The British Broadcasting Cor,oration
@une !$, !::5
7ope 5ohn 7aul )/ !ho died in 1KMG/ fell victim to a plot b% the 7C =asonic Lodge* +he secret societ% 7C decided
to murder 5ohn 7aul ) !hen it sa! he !as determined to dismiss the merican rchbishop 7aul =arcin"us as 7resident
of the .atican 4an". +he 4an" had been implicated in shad% financial deals !ith the =asonic Lodge*
The New 8ork Times
August "$, !::5
#h% !as the late 5ohn 7aul ) !earing his da% shirt in bedD #h% !as it tornD +he questions don@t stop there. <o
medical investigations !ere made. ,ardinal .illot forbade an autops% on the grounds that no 7ope !as ever given a
postmortem. nd 5ohn 7aul@s medicines m%steriousl% vanished from his bedside/ as did his glasses/ slippers and his last
!ill and testament.
/ondon Daily Gail
August "., !::5
* a plot including a po!erful/ ruthless and illegal =asonic lodge !ith tentacles stretching into the .atican.
+he cellular in .ittoria@s poc"et rang/ than"full% erasing the memories from Langdon@s mind.
.ittoria ans!ered/ loo"ing confused as to !ho might be calling her. 1ven from a fe! feet a!a%/ Langdon
recogni&ed the laserli"e voice on the phone.
E.ittoriaD +his is =aximilian 6ohler. $ave %ou found the antimatter %etDE
E=axD Bou@re o"a%DE
E) sa! the ne!s. +here !as no mention of ,1R< or the antimatter. +his is good. #hat is happeningDE
E#e haven@t located the canister %et. +he situation is complex. Robert Langdon has been quite an asset. #e have a
lead on catching the man assassinating cardinals. Right no! !e are headed'E
E=s. .etra/E 9livetti interrupted. EBou@ve said enough.E
She covered the receiver/ clearl% anno%ed. E,ommander/ this is the president of ,1R<. ,ertainl% he has a right
to'E
E$e has a right/E 9livetti snapped/ Eto be here handling this situation. Bou@re on an open cellular line. Bou@ve said
enough.E
.ittoria too" a deep breath. E=axDE
E) ma% have some information for %ou/E =ax said. Ebout %our father* ) ma% "no! !ho he told about the
antimatter.E
.ittoria@s expression clouded. E=ax/ m% father said he told no one.E
E)@m afraid/ .ittoria/ %our father %i% tell someone. ) need to chec" some securit% records. ) !ill be in touch soon.E
+he line !ent dead.
.ittoria loo"ed !axen as she returned the phone to her poc"et.
EBou o"a%DE Langdon as"ed.
.ittoria nodded/ her trembling fingers revealing the lie.
E+he church is on 7ia&&a 4arberini/E 9livetti said/ "illing the siren and chec"ing his !atch. E#e have nine
minutes.E
#hen Langdon had first reali&ed the location of the third mar"er/ the position of the church had rung some distant
bell for him. Pia//a Bar'erini. Something about the name !as familiar* something he could not place. <o! Langdon
reali&ed !hat it !as. +he pia&&a !as the sight of a controversial sub!a% stop. +!ent% %ears ago/ construction of the
sub!a% terminal had created a stir among art historians !ho feared digging beneath 7ia&&a 4arberini might topple the
multiton obelis" that stood in the center. ,it% planners had removed the obelis" and replaced it !ith a small fountain
called the Triton.
"n Bernini+s %ay/ Langdon no! reali&ed/ Pia//a Bar'erini ha% containe% an o'elisk# #hatever doubts Langdon had
felt that this !as the location of the third mar"er no! totall% evaporated.
bloc" from the pia&&a/ 9livetti turned into an alle%/ gunned the car half!a% do!n/ and s"idded to a stop. $e
pulled off his suit 0ac"et/ rolled up his sleeves/ and loaded his !eapon.
E#e can@t ris" %our being recogni&ed/E he said. EBou t!o !ere on television. ) !ant %ou across the pia&&a/ out of
sight/ !atching the front entrance. )@m going in the bac".E $e produced a familiar pistol and handed it to Langdon. E5ust
in case.E
Langdon fro!ned. )t !as the second time toda% he had been handed the gun. $e slid it into his breast poc"et. s he
did/ he reali&ed he !as still carr%ing the folio from @ia)ramma. $e couldn@t believe he had forgotten to leave it behind.
$e pictured the .atican ,urator collapsing in spasms of outrage at the thought of this priceless artifact being pac"ed
around Rome li"e some tourist map. +hen Langdon thought of the mess of shattered glass and stre!n documents that
he@d left behind in the archives. +he curator had other problems. "& the archi!es e!en sur!i!e the ni)ht*
9livetti got out of the car and motioned bac" up the alle%. E+he pia&&a is that !a%. 6eep %our e%es open and don@t
let %ourselves be seen.E $e tapped the phone on his belt. E=s. .etra/ let@s retest our auto dial.E
.ittoria removed her phone and hit the auto dial number she and 9livetti had programmed at the 7antheon.
9livetti@s phone vibrated in silent-ring mode on his belt.
+he commander nodded. E8ood. )f %ou see an%thing/ ) !ant to "no!.E $e coc"ed his !eapon. E)@ll be inside
!aiting. +his heathen is mine.E
t that moment/ ver% nearb%/ another cellular phone !as ringing.
+he $assassin ans!ered. ESpea".E
E)t is )/E the voice said. E5anus.E
+he $assassin smiled. E$ello/ master.E
EBour position ma% be "no!n. Someone is coming to stop %ou.E
E+he% are too late. ) have alread% made the arrangements here.E
E8ood. =a"e sure %ou escape alive. +here is !or" %et to be done.E
E+hose !ho stand in m% !a% !ill die.E
E+hose !ho stand in %our !a% are "no!ledgeable.E
EBou spea" of an merican scholarDE
EBou are a!are of himDE
+he $assassin chuc"led. E,ool-tempered but naive. $e spo"e to me on the phone earlier. $e is !ith a female !ho
seems quite the opposite.E +he "iller felt a stirring of arousal as he recalled the fier% temperament of Leonardo .etra@s
daughter.
+here !as a momentar% silence on the line/ the first hesitation the $assassin had ever sensed from his )lluminati
master. Finall%/ 5anus spo"e. E1liminate them if need be.E
+he "iller smiled. E,onsider it done.E $e felt a !arm anticipation spreading through his bod%. (lthou)h the woman
" may keep as a pri/e.
5:
#ar had bro"en out in St. 7eter@s Square.
+he pia&&a had exploded into a fren&% of aggression. =edia truc"s s"idded into place li"e assault vehicles claiming
beachheads. Reporters unfurled high-tech electronics li"e soldiers arming for battle. ll around the perimeter of the
square/ net!or"s 0oc"e%ed for position as the% raced to erect the ne!est !eapon in media !ars'flat-screen displa%s.
Flat-screen displa%s !ere enormous video screens that could be assembled on top of truc"s or portable scaffolding.
+he screens served as a "ind of billboard advertisement for the net!or"/ broadcasting that net!or"@s coverage and
corporate logo li"e a drive-in movie. )f a screen !ere !ell-situated'in front of the action/ for example'a competing
net!or" could not shoot the stor% !ithout including an advertisement for their competitor.
+he square !as quic"l% becoming not onl% a multimedia extravagan&a/ but a fren&ied public vigil. 9nloo"ers
poured in from all directions. 9pen space in the usuall% limitless square !as fast becoming a valuable commodit%.
7eople clustered around the to!ering flat-screen displa%s/ listening to live reports in stunned excitement.
9nl% a hundred %ards a!a%/ inside the thic" !alls of St. 7eter@s 4asilica/ the !orld !as serene. Lieutenant
,hartrand and three other guards moved through the dar"ness. #earing their infrared goggles/ the% fanned out across
the nave/ s!inging their detectors before them. +he search of .atican ,it%@s public access areas so far had %ielded
nothing.
E4etter remove %our goggles up here/E the senior guard said.
,hartrand !as alread% doing it. +he% !ere nearing the <iche of the 7alliums'the sun"en area in the center of the
basilica. )t !as lit b% ninet%-nine oil lamps/ and the amplified infrared !ould have seared their e%es.
,hartrand en0o%ed being out of the heav% goggles/ and he stretched his nec" as the% descended into the sun"en
niche to scan the area. +he room !as beautiful* golden and glo!ing. $e had not been do!n here %et.
)t seemed ever% da% since ,hartrand had arrived in .atican ,it% he had learned some ne! .atican m%ster%. +hese
oil lamps !ere one of them. +here !ere exactl% ninet%-nine lamps burning at all times. )t !as tradition. +he clerg%
vigilantl% refilled the lamps !ith sacred oils such that no lamp ever burned out. )t !as said the% !ould burn until the
end of time.
9r at least until mi%ni)ht/ ,hartrand thought/ feeling his mouth go dr% again.
,hartrand s!ung his detector over the oil lamps. <othing hidden in here. $e !as not surprisedJ the canister/
according to the video feed/ !as hidden in a %ark area.
s he moved across the niche/ he came to a bul"head grate covering a hole in the floor. +he hole led to a steep and
narro! stair!a% that !ent straight do!n. $e had heard stories about !hat la% do!n there. +han"full%/ the% !ould not
have to descend. Rocher@s orders !ere clear. $earch only the pu'lic access areasT i)nore the white /ones.
E#hat@s that smellDE he as"ed/ turning a!a% from the grate. +he niche smelled intoxicatingl% s!eet.
EFumes from the lamps/E one of them replied.
,hartrand !as surprised. ESmells more li"e cologne than "erosene.E
E)t@s not "erosene. +hese lamps are close to the papal altar/ so the% ta"e a special/ ambiental mixture'ethanol/
sugar/ butane/ and perfume.E
EButane1E ,hartrand e%ed the lamps uneasil%.
+he guard nodded. E;on@t spill an%. Smells li"e heaven/ but burns li"e hell.E
+he guards had completed searching the <iche of the 7alliums and !ere moving across the basilica again !hen
their !al"ie-tal"ies !ent off.
)t !as an update. +he guards listened in shoc".
pparentl% there !ere troubling ne! developments/ !hich could not be shared on-air/ but the camerlegno had
decided to brea" tradition and enter conclave to address the cardinals. <ever before in histor% had this been done. +hen
again/ ,hartrand reali&ed/ never before in histor% had the .atican been sitting on !hat amounted to some sort of
neoteric nuclear !arhead.
,hartrand felt comforted to "no! the camerlegno !as ta"ing control. +he camerlegno !as the person inside
.atican ,it% for !hom ,hartrand held the most respect. Some of the guards thought of the camerlegno as a 'eato'a
religious &ealot !hose love of 8od bordered on obsession'but even the% agreed* !hen it came to fighting the enemies
of 8od/ the camerlegno !as the one man !ho !ould stand up and pla% hardball.
+he S!iss 8uards had seen a lot of the camerlegno this !ee" in preparation for conclave/ and ever%one had
commented that the man seemed a bit rough around the edges/ his verdant e%es a bit more intense than usual. <ot
surprisingl%/ the% had all commentedJ not onl% !as the camerlegno responsible for planning the sacred conclave/ but he
had to do it immediatel% on the heels of the loss of his mentor/ the 7ope.
,hartrand had onl% been at the .atican a fe! months !hen he heard the stor% of the bomb that ble! up the
camerlegno@s mother before the "id@s ver% e%es. ( 'om' in church an% now it+s happenin) all o!er a)ain. Sadl%/ the
authorities never caught the bastards !ho planted the bomb* probabl% some anti-,hristian hate group the% said/ and
the case faded a!a%. <o !onder the camerlegno despised apath%.
couple months bac"/ on a peaceful afternoon inside .atican ,it%/ ,hartrand had bumped into the camerlegno
coming across the grounds. +he camerlegno had apparentl% recogni&ed ,hartrand as a ne! guard and invited him to
accompan% him on a stroll. +he% had tal"ed about nothing in particular/ and the camerlegno made ,hartrand feel
immediatel% at home.
EFather/E ,hartrand said/ Ema% ) as" %ou a strange questionDE
+he camerlegno smiled. E9nl% if ) ma% give %ou a strange ans!er.E
,hartrand laughed. E) have as"ed ever% priest ) "no!/ and ) still don@t understand.E
E#hat troubles %ouDE +he camerlegno led the !a% in short/ quic" strides/ his froc" "ic"ing out in front of him as he
!al"ed. $is blac"/ crepe-sole shoes seemed befitting/ ,hartrand thought/ li"e reflections of the man@s essence*
modern but humble/ and sho!ing signs of !ear.
,hartrand too" a deep breath. E) don@t understand this omnipotent>'ene!olent thing.E
+he camerlegno smiled. EBou@ve been reading Scripture.E
E) tr%.E
EBou are confused because the 4ible describes 8od as an omnipotent and benevolent deit%.E
E1xactl%.E
E9mnipotent-benevolent simpl% means that 8od is all-po!erful an% !ell-meaning.E
E) understand the concept. )t@s 0ust* there seems to be a contradiction.E
EBes. +he contradiction is pain. =an@s starvation/ !ar/ sic"ness*E
E1xactl%FE ,hartrand "ne! the camerlegno !ould understand. E+errible things happen in this !orld. $uman
traged% seems li"e proof that 8od could not possibl% be 'oth all-po!erful and !ell-meaning. )f $e lo!es us and has the
power to change our situation/ $e !ould prevent our pain/ !ouldn@t $eDE
+he camerlegno fro!ned. E#ould $eDE
,hartrand felt uneas%. $ad he overstepped his boundsD #as this one of those religious questions %ou 0ust didn@t
as"D E#ell* if 8od loves us/ and $e can protect us/ $e !ould ha!e to. )t seems $e is either omnipotent and uncaring/
or benevolent and po!erless to help.E
E;o %ou have children/ LieutenantDE
,hartrand flushed. E<o/ signore.E
E)magine %ou had an eight-%ear-old son* !ould %ou love himDE
E9f course.E
E#ould %ou do ever%thing in %our po!er to prevent pain in his lifeDE
E9f course.E
E#ould %ou let him s"ateboardDE
,hartrand did a double ta"e. +he camerlegno al!a%s seemed oddl% Ein touchE for a clerg%man. EBeah/ ) guess/E
,hartrand said. ESure/ )@d let him s"ateboard/ but )@d tell him to be careful.E
ESo as this child@s father/ %ou !ould give him some basic/ good advice and then let him go off and ma"e his o!n
mista"esDE
E) !ouldn@t run behind him and moll%coddle him if that@s !hat %ou mean.E
E4ut !hat if he fell and s"inned his "neeDE
E$e !ould learn to be more careful.E
+he camerlegno smiled. ESo although %ou have the po!er to interfere and prevent %our child@s pain/ %ou !ould
choose to sho! %our love b% letting him learn his o!n lessonsDE
E9f course. 7ain is part of gro!ing up. )t@s ho! !e learn.E
+he camerlegno nodded. E1xactl%.E
:;
Langdon and .ittoria observed 7ia&&a 4arberini from the shado!s of a small alle%!a% on the !estern corner. +he
church !as opposite them/ a ha&% cupola emerging from a faint cluster of buildings across the square. +he night had
brought !ith it a !elcome cool/ and Langdon !as surprised to find the square deserted. bove them/ through open
!indo!s/ blaring televisions reminded Langdon !here ever%one had disappeared to.
E* no comment %et from the .atican* )lluminati murders of t!o cardinals* satanic
presence in Rome* speculation about further infiltration*E
+he ne!s had spread li"e <ero@s fire. Rome sat riveted/ as did the rest of the !orld. Langdon !ondered if the%
!ould reall% be able to stop this runa!a% train. s he scanned the pia&&a and !aited/ Langdon reali&ed that despite the
encroachment of modern buildings/ the pia&&a still loo"ed remar"abl% elliptical. $igh above/ li"e some sort of modern
shrine to a b%gone hero/ an enormous neon sign blin"ed on the roof of a luxurious hotel. .ittoria had alread% pointed it
out to Langdon. +he sign seemed eeril% befitting.
=0T*/ B*+N1N1
EFive of ten/E .ittoria said/ cat e%es darting around the square. <o sooner had she spo"en the !ords than she
grabbed Langdon@s arm and pulled him bac" into the shado!s. She motioned into the center of the square.
Langdon follo!ed her ga&e. #hen he sa! it/ he stiffened.
,rossing in front of them/ beneath a street lamp/ t!o dar" figures appeared. 4oth !ere cloa"ed/ their heads covered
!ith dar" mantles/ the traditional blac" covering of ,atholic !ido!s. Langdon !ould have guessed the% !ere !omen/
but he couldn@t be sure in the dar". 9ne loo"ed elderl% and moved as if in pain/ hunched over. +he other/ larger and
stronger/ !as helping.
E8ive me the gun/E .ittoria said.
EBou can@t 0ust'E
Fluid as a cat/ .ittoria !as in and out of his poc"et once again. +he gun glinted in her hand. +hen/ in absolute
silence/ as if her feet never touched the cobblestone/ she !as circling left in the shado!s/ arching across the square to
approach the couple from the rear. Langdon stood transfixed as .ittoria disappeared. +hen/ s!earing to himself/ he
hurried after her.
+he couple !as moving slo!l%/ and it !as onl% a matter of half a minute before Langdon and .ittoria !ere
positioned behind them/ closing in from the rear. .ittoria concealed the gun beneath casuall% crossed arms in front of
her/ out of sight but accessible in a flash. She seemed to float faster and faster as the gap lessened/ and Langdon battled
to "eep up. #hen his shoes scuffed a stone and sent it s"ittering/ .ittoria shot him a side!a%s glare. 4ut the couple did
not seem to hear. +he% !ere tal"ing.
t thirt% feet/ Langdon could start to hear voices. <o !ords. 5ust faint murmurings. 4eside him/ .ittoria moved
faster !ith ever% step. $er arms loosened before her/ the gun starting to pee" out. +!ent% feet. +he voices !ere clearer'
one much louder than the other. ngr%. Ranting. Langdon sensed it !as the voice of an old !oman. 8ruff.
ndrog%nous. $e strained to hear !hat she !as sa%ing/ but another voice cut the night.
E,i scusi#E .ittoria@s friendl% tone lit the square li"e a torch.
Langdon tensed as the cloa"ed couple stopped short and began to turn. .ittoria "ept striding to!ard them/ even
faster no!/ on a collision course. +he% !ould have no time to react. Langdon reali&ed his o!n feet had stopped moving.
From behind/ he sa! .ittoria@s arms loosening/ her hand coming free/ the gun s!inging for!ard. +hen/ over her
shoulder/ he sa! a face/ lit no! in the street lamp. +he panic surged to his legs/ and he lunged for!ard. E.ittoria/ noFE
.ittoria/ ho!ever/ seemed to exist a split second ahead of him. )n a motion as s!ift as it !as casual/ .ittoria@s arms
!ere raised again/ the gun disappearing as she clutched herself li"e a !oman on a chill% night. Langdon stumbled to her
side/ almost colliding !ith the cloa"ed couple before them.
EBuona sera/E .ittoria blurted/ her voice startled !ith retreat.
Langdon exhaled in relief. +!o elderl% !omen stood before them sco!ling out from beneath their mantles. 9ne
!as so old she could barel% stand. +he other !as helping her. 4oth clutched rosaries. +he% seemed confused b% the
sudden interruption.
.ittoria smiled/ although she loo"ed sha"en. E@o!+L la chiesa $anta ,aria %ella ?ittoria1 #here is the ,hurch
of'E
+he t!o !omen motioned in unison to a bul"% silhouette of a building on an inclined street from the direction the%
had come. EU lO.E
E*ra/ie/E Langdon said/ putting his hands on .ittoria@s shoulders and gentl% pulling her bac". $e couldn@t believe
the%@d almost attac"ed a pair of old ladies.
ENon si puS entrare/E one !oman !arned. EU chiusa temprano.E
E,losed earl%DE .ittoria loo"ed surprised. EPerchL1E
4oth !omen explained at once. +he% sounded irate. Langdon understood onl% parts of the grumbling )talian.
pparentl%/ the !omen had been inside the church fifteen minutes ago pra%ing for the .atican in its time of need/ !hen
some man had appeared and told them the church !as closing earl%.
E0anno conosciuto l+uomo1E .ittoria demanded/ sounding tense. E;id %ou "no! the manDE
+he !omen shoo" their heads. +he man !as a straniero cru%o/ the% explained/ and he had forcibl% made ever%one
inside leave/ even the %oung priest and 0anitor/ !ho said the% !ere calling the police. 4ut the intruder had onl% laughed/
telling them to be sure the police brought cameras.
Cameras1 Langdon !ondered.
+he !omen cluc"ed angril% and called the man a 'ar>Qra'o. +hen/ grumbling/ the% continued on their !a%.
E4ar-YraboDELangdon as"ed .ittoria. E barbarianDE
.ittoria loo"ed suddenl% taut. E<ot quite. Bar>Qra'o is derogator% !ordpla%. )t means Vra'o* rab.E
Langdon felt a shiver and turned to!ard the outline of the church. s he did/ his e%es glimpsed something in the
church@s stained-glass !indo!s. +he image shot dread through his bod%.
:na!are/ .ittoria removed her cell phone and pressed the auto dial. E)@m !arning 9livetti.E
Speechless/ Langdon reached out and touched her arm. #ith a tremulous hand/ he pointed to the church.
.ittoria let out a gasp.
)nside the building/ glo!ing li"e evil e%es through the stained-glass !indo!s* shone the gro!ing flash of flames.
:!
Langdon and .ittoria dashed to the main entrance of the church of Santa =aria della .ittoria and found the
!ooden door loc"ed. .ittoria fired three shots from 9livetti@s semi-automatic into the ancient bolt/ and it shattered.
+he church had no anteroom/ so the entiret% of the sanctuar% spread out in one gasping s!eep as Langdon and
.ittoria thre! open the main door. +he scene before them !as so unexpected/ so bi&arre/ that Langdon had to close his
e%es and reopen them before his mind could ta"e it all in.
+he church !as lavish baroque* gilded !alls and altars. ;ead center of the sanctuar%/ beneath the main cupola/
!ooden pe!s had been stac"ed high and !ere no! abla&e in some sort of epic funeral p%re. bonfire shooting high
into the dome. s Langdon@s e%es follo!ed the inferno up!ard/ the true horror of the scene descended li"e a bird of
pre%.
$igh overhead/ from the left and right sides of the ceiling/ hung t!o incensor cables'lines used for s!inging
fran"incense vessels above the congregation. +hese lines/ ho!ever/ carried no incensors no!. <or !ere the% s!inging.
+he% had been used for something else*
Suspended from the cables !as a human being. na"ed man. 1ach !rist had been connected to an opposing cable/
and he had been hoisted almost to the point of being torn apart. $is arms !ere outstretched in a spread-eagle as if he
!ere nailed to some sort of invisible crucifix hovering !ithin the house of 8od.
Langdon felt paral%&ed as he stared up!ard. moment later/ he !itnessed the final abomination. +he old man !as
alive/ and he raised his head. pair of terrified e%es ga&ed do!n in a silent plea for help. 9n the man@s chest !as a
scorched emblem. $e had been branded. Langdon could not see it clearl%/ but he had little doubt !hat the mar"ing said.
s the flames climbed higher/ lapping at the man@s feet/ the victim let out a cr% of pain/ his bod% trembling.
s if ignited b% some unseen force/ Langdon felt his bod% suddenl% in motion/ dashing do!n the main aisle to!ard
the conflagration. $is lungs filled !ith smo"e as he closed in. +en feet from the inferno/ at a full sprint/ Langdon hit a
!all of heat. +he s"in on his face singed/ and he fell bac"/ shielding his e%es and landing hard on the marble floor.
Staggering upright/ he pressed for!ard again/ hands raised in protection.
)nstantl% he "ne!. +he fire !as far too hot.
=oving bac" again/ he scanned the chapel !alls. ( hea!y tapestry/ he thought. "& " can somehow smother the 4ut
he "ne! a tapestr% !as not to be found. This is a 'aro=ue chapel- Ro'ert- not some %amn *erman castle# Think# $e
forced his e%es bac" to the suspended man.
$igh above/ smo"e and flames s!irled in the cupola. +he incensor cables stretched out!ard from the man@s !rists/
rising to the ceiling !here the% passed through pulle%s/ and descended again to metal cleats on either side of the church.
Langdon loo"ed over at one of the cleats. )t !as high on the !all/ but he "ne! if he could get to it and loosen one of the
lines/ the tension !ould slac"en and the man !ould s!ing !ide of the fire.
sudden surge of flames crac"led higher/ and Langdon heard a piercing scream from above. +he s"in on the man@s
feet !as starting to blister. +he cardinal !as being roasted alive. Langdon fixed his sights on the cleat and ran for it.
)n the rear of the church/ .ittoria clutched the bac" of a pe!/ tr%ing to gather her senses. +he image overhead !as
horrid. She forced her e%es a!a%. @o somethin)# She !ondered !here 9livetti !as. $ad he seen the $assassinD $ad he
caught himD #here !ere the% no!D .ittoria moved for!ard to help Langdon/ but as she did/ a sound stopped her.
+he crac"ling of the flames !as getting louder b% the instant/ but a second sound also cut the air. metallic
vibration. <earb%. +he repetitive pulse seemed to emanate from the end of the pe!s to her left. )t !as a star" rattle/ li"e
the ringing of a phone/ but ston% and hard. She clutched the gun firml% and moved do!n the ro! of pe!s. +he sound
gre! louder. 9n. 9ff. recurrent vibration.
s she approached the end of the aisle/ she sensed the sound !as coming from the floor 0ust around the corner at
the end of the pe!s. s she moved for!ard/ gun outstretched in her right hand/ she reali&ed she !as also holding
something in her left hand'her cell phone. )n her panic she had forgotten that outside she had used it to dial the
commander* setting off his phone@s silent vibration feature as a !arning. .ittoria raised her phone to her ear. )t !as
still ringing. +he commander had never ans!ered. Suddenl%/ !ith rising fear/ .ittoria sensed she "ne! !hat !as
ma"ing the sound. She stepped for!ard/ trembling.
+he entire church seemed to sin" beneath her feet as her e%es met the lifeless form on the floor. <o stream of liquid
flo!ed from the bod%. <o signs of violence tattooed the flesh. +here !as onl% the fearful geometr% of the commander@s
head* torqued bac"!ard/ t!isted 1G3 degrees in the !rong direction. .ittoria fought the images of her o!n father@s
mangled bod%.
+he phone on the commander@s belt la% against the floor/ vibrating over and over against the cold marble. .ittoria
hung up her o!n phone/ and the ringing stopped. )n the silence/ .ittoria heard a ne! sound. breathing in the dar"
directl% behind her.
She started to spin/ gun raised/ but she "ne! she !as too late. laser beam of heat screamed from the top of her
s"ull to the soles of her feet as the "iller@s elbo! crashed do!n on the bac" of her nec".
E<o! %ou are mine/E a voice said.
+hen/ ever%thing !ent blac".
cross the sanctuar%/ on the left lateral !all/ Langdon balanced atop a pe! and scraped up!ard on the !all tr%ing
to reach the cleat. +he cable !as still six feet above his head. ,leats li"e these !ere common in churches and !ere
placed high to prevent tampering. Langdon "ne! priests used !ooden ladders called piuNli to access the cleats. +he
"iller had obviousl% used the church@s ladder to hoist his victim. $o where the hell is the la%%er now# Langdon loo"ed
do!n/ searching the floor around him. $e had a faint recollection of seeing a ladder in here some!here. But where1
moment later his heart san". $e reali&ed !here he had seen it. $e turned to!ard the raging fire. Sure enough/ the ladder
!as high atop the bla&e/ engulfed in flames.
Filled no! !ith desperation/ Langdon scanned the entire church from his raised platform/ loo"ing for an%thing at
all that could help him reach the cleat. s his e%es probed the church/ he had a sudden reali&ation.
3here the hell is ?ittoria1 She had disappeared. @i% she )o &or help1 Langdon screamed out her name/ but there
!as no response. (n% where is 9li!etti1
+here !as a ho!l of pain from above/ and Langdon sensed he !as alread% too late. s his e%es !ent s"%!ard again
and sa! the slo!l% roasting victim/ Langdon had thoughts for onl% one thing. 3ater. ots o& it. Put out the &ire. (t least
lower the &lames.E) need !ater/ damn itFE he %elled out loud.
E+hat@s next/E a voice gro!led from the bac" of the church.
Langdon !heeled/ almost falling off the pe!s.
Striding up the side aisle directl% to!ard him came a dar" monster of a man. 1ven in the glo! of the fire/ his e%es
burned blac". Langdon recogni&ed the gun in his hand as the one from his o!n 0ac"et poc"et* the one .ittoria had
been carr%ing !hen the% came in.
+he sudden !ave of panic that rose in Langdon !as a fren&% of dis0unct fears. $is initial instinct !as for .ittoria.
#hat had this animal done to herD #as she hurtD 9r worseD )n the same instant/ Langdon reali&ed the man overhead
!as screaming louder. +he cardinal !ould die. $elping him no! !as impossible. +hen/ as the $assassin leveled the gun
at Langdon@s chest/ Langdon@s panic turned in!ard/ his senses on overload. $e reacted on instinct as the shot !ent off.
Launching off the bench/ Langdon sailed arms first over the sea of church pe!s.
#hen he hit the pe!s/ he hit harder than he had imagined/ immediatel% rolling to the floor. +he marble cushioned
his fall !ith all the grace of cold steel. Footsteps closed to his right. Langdon turned his bod% to!ard the front of the
church and began scrambling for his life beneath the pe!s.
$igh above the chapel floor/ ,ardinal 8uidera endured his last torturous moments of consciousness. s he loo"ed
do!n the length of his na"ed bod%/ he sa! the s"in on his legs begin to blister and peel a!a%. " am in hell/ he decided.
*o%- why hast thou &orsaken me1 $e "ne! this must be hell because he !as loo"ing at the brand on his chest upside
do!n* and %et/ as if b% the devil@s magic/ the !ord made perfect sense.
:"
+hree ballotings. <o 7ope.
)nside the Sistine ,hapel/ ,ardinal =ortati had begun pra%ing for a miracle. $en% us the can%i%ates# +he dela% had
gone long enough. sin)le missing candidate/ =ortati could understand. 4ut all fourD )t left no options. :nder these
conditions/ achieving a t!o-thirds ma0orit% !ould ta"e an act of 8od $imself.
#hen the bolts on the outer door began to grind open/ =ortati and the entire ,ollege of ,ardinals !heeled in
unison to!ard the entrance. =ortati "ne! this unsealing could mean onl% one thing. 4% la!/ the chapel door could onl%
be unsealed for t!o reasons'to remove the ver% ill/ or to admit late cardinals.
The pre&eriti are comin)#
=ortati@s heart soared. ,onclave had been saved.
4ut !hen the door opened/ the gasp that echoed through the chapel !as not one of 0o%. =ortati stared in
incredulous shoc" as the man !al"ed in. For the first time in .atican histor%/ a camerle)no had 0ust crossed the sacred
threshold of conclave a&ter sealing the doors.
3hat is he thinkin)#
+he camerlegno strode to the altar and turned to address the thunderstruc" audience. ESignori/E he said/ E) have
!aited as long as ) can. +here is something %ou have a right to "no!.E
:#
Langdon had no idea !here he !as going. Reflex !as his onl% compass/ driving him a!a% from danger. $is elbo!s
and "nees burned as he clambered beneath the pe!s. Still he cla!ed on. Some!here a voice !as telling him to move
left. "& you can )et to the main aisle- you can %ash &or the e;it . $e "ne! it !as impossible. There+s a wall o& &lames
'lockin) the main aisle# $is mind hunting for options/ Langdon scrambled blindl% on. +he footsteps closed faster no!
to his right.
#hen it happened/ Langdon !as unprepared. $e had guessed he had another ten feet of pe!s until he reached the
front of the church. $e had guessed !rong. #ithout !arning/ the cover above him ran out. $e fro&e for an instant/ half
exposed at the front of the church. Rising in the recess to his left/ gargantuan from this vantage point/ !as the ver% thing
that had brought him here. $e had entirel% forgotten. 4ernini@s Ecstasy o& $t. Teresa rose up li"e some sort of
pornographic still life* the saint on her bac"/ arched in pleasure/ mouth open in a moan/ and over her/ an angel
pointing his spear of fire.
bullet exploded in the pe! over Langdon@s head. $e felt his bod% rise li"e a sprinter out of a gate. Fueled onl% b%
adrenaline/ and barel% conscious of his actions/ he !as suddenl% running/ hunched/ head do!n/ pounding across the
front of the church to his right. s the bullets erupted behind him/ Langdon dove %et again/ sliding out of control across
the marble floor before crashing in a heap against the railing of a niche on the right-hand !all.
)t !as then that he sa! her. crumpled heap near the bac" of the church. ?ittoria# $er bare legs !ere t!isted
beneath her/ but Langdon sensed someho! that she !as breathing. $e had no time to help her.
)mmediatel%/ the "iller rounded the pe!s on the far left of the church and bore relentlessl% do!n. Langdon "ne! in
a heartbeat it !as over. +he "iller raised the !eapon/ and Langdon did the onl% thing he could do. $e rolled his bod%
over the banister into the niche. s he hit the floor on the other side/ the marble columns of the balustrade exploded in a
storm of bullets.
Langdon felt li"e a cornered animal as he scrambled deeper into the semicircular niche. Rising before him/ the
niche@s sole contents seemed ironicall% apropos'a single sarcophagus. ,ine perhaps/ Langdon thought. 1ven the cas"et
itself seemed fitting. )t !as a scQtola'a small/ unadorned/ marble box. 4urial on a budget. +he cas"et !as raised off the
floor on t!o marble bloc"s/ and Langdon e%ed the opening beneath it/ !ondering if he could slide through.
Footsteps echoed behind him.
#ith no other option in sight/ Langdon pressed himself to the floor and slithered to!ard the cas"et. 8rabbing the
t!o marble supports/ one !ith each hand/ he pulled li"e a breaststro"er/ dragging his torso into the opening beneath the
tomb. +he gun !ent off.
ccompan%ing the roar of the gun/ Langdon felt a sensation he had never felt in his life* a bullet sailing past his
flesh. +here !as a hiss of !ind/ li"e the bac"lash of a !hip/ as the bullet 0ust missed him and exploded in the marble
!ith a puff of dust. 4lood surging/ Langdon heaved his bod% the rest of the !a% beneath the cas"et. Scrambling across
the marble floor/ he pulled himself out from beneath the cas"et and to the other side.
;ead end.
Langdon !as no! face to face !ith the rear !all of the niche. $e had no doubt that this tin% space behind the tomb
!ould become his grave. (n% soon/ he reali&ed/ as he sa! the barrel of the gun appear in the opening beneath the
sarcophagus. +he $assassin held the !eapon parallel !ith the floor/ pointing directl% at Langdon@s midsection.
)mpossible to miss.
Langdon felt a trace of self-preservation grip his unconscious mind. $e t!isted his bod% onto his stomach/ parallel
!ith the cas"et. Facedo!n/ he planted his hands flat on the floor/ the glass cut from the archives pinching open !ith a
stab. )gnoring the pain/ he pushed. ;riving his bod% up!ard in an a!"!ard push-up/ Langdon arched his stomach off
the floor 0ust as the gun !ent off. $e could feel the shoc" !ave of the bullets as the% sailed beneath him and pulveri&ed
the porous travertine behind. ,losing his e%es and straining against exhaustion/ Langdon pra%ed for the thunder to stop.
nd then it did.
+he roar of gunfire !as replaced !ith the cold clic" of an empt% chamber.
Langdon opened his e%es slo!l%/ almost fearful his e%elids !ould ma"e a sound. Fighting the trembling pain/ he
held his position/ arched li"e a cat. $e didn@t even dare breathe. $is eardrums numbed b% gunfire/ Langdon listened for
an% hint of the "iller@s departure. Silence. $e thought of .ittoria and ached to help her.
+he sound that follo!ed !as deafening. 4arel% human. guttural bello! of exertion.
+he sarcophagus over Langdon@s head suddenl% seemed to rise on its side. Langdon collapsed on the floor as
hundreds of pounds teetered to!ard him. 8ravit% overcame friction/ and the lid !as the first to go/ sliding off the tomb
and crashing to the floor beside him. +he cas"et came next/ rolling off its supports and toppling upside do!n to!ard
Langdon.
s the box rolled/ Langdon "ne! he !ould either be entombed in the hollo! beneath it or crushed b% one of the
edges. 7ulling in his legs and head/ Langdon compacted his bod% and %an"ed his arms to his sides. +hen he closed his
e%es and a!aited the sic"ening crush.
#hen it came/ the entire floor shoo" beneath him. +he upper rim landed onl% millimeters from the top of his head/
rattling his teeth in their soc"ets. $is right arm/ !hich Langdon had been certain !ould be crushed/ miraculousl% still
felt intact. $e opened his e%es to see a shaft of light. +he right rim of the cas"et had not fallen all the !a% to the floor
and !as still propped partiall% on its supports. ;irectl% overhead/ though/ Langdon found himself staring quite literall%
into the face of death.
+he original occupant of the tomb !as suspended above him/ having adhered/ as deca%ing bodies often did/ to the
bottom of the cas"et. +he s"eleton hovered a moment/ li"e a tentative lover/ and then !ith a stic"% crac"ling/ it
succumbed to gravit% and peeled a!a%. +he carcass rushed do!n to embrace him/ raining putrid bones and dust into
Langdon@s e%es and mouth.
4efore Langdon could react/ a blind arm !as slithering through the opening beneath the cas"et/ sifting through the
carcass li"e a hungr% p%thon. )t groped until it found Langdon@s nec" and clamped do!n. Langdon tried to fight bac"
against the iron fist no! crushing his lar%nx/ but he found his left sleeve pinched beneath the edge of the coffin. $e had
onl% one arm free/ and the fight !as a losing battle.
Langdon@s legs bent in the onl% open space he had/ his feet searching for the cas"et floor above him. $e found it.
,oiling/ he planted his feet. +hen/ as the hand around his nec" squee&ed tighter/ Langdon closed his e%es and extended
his legs li"e a ram. +he cas"et shifted/ ever so slightl%/ but enough.
#ith a ra! grinding/ the sarcophagus slid off the supports and landed on the floor. +he cas"et rim crashed onto the
"iller@s arm/ and there !as a muffled scream of pain. +he hand released Langdon@s nec"/ t!isting and 0er"ing a!a% into
the dar". #hen the "iller finall% pulled his arm free/ the cas"et fell !ith a conclusive thud against the flat marble floor.
,omplete dar"ness. gain.
nd silence.
+here !as no frustrated pounding outside the overturned sarcophagus. <o pr%ing to get in. <othing. s Langdon
la% in the dar" amidst a pile of bones/ he fought the closing dar"ness and turned his thoughts to her.
?ittoria. (re you ali!e1
)f Langdon had "no!n the truth'the horror to !hich .ittoria !ould soon a!a"e'he !ould have !ished for her sa"e
that she !ere dead.
:$
Sitting in the Sistine ,hapel among his stunned colleagues/ ,ardinal =ortati tried to comprehend the !ords he !as
hearing. 4efore him/ lit onl% b% the candlelight/ the camerlegno had 0ust told a tale of such hatred and treacher% that
=ortati found himself trembling. +he camerlegno spo"e of "idnapped cardinals/ branded cardinals/ mur%ere% cardinals.
$e spo"e of the ancient )lluminati'a name that dredged up forgotten fears'and of their resurgence and vo! of revenge
against the church. #ith pain in his voice/ the camerlegno spo"e of his late 7ope* the victim of an )lluminati
poisoning. nd finall%/ his !ords almost a !hisper/ he spo"e of a deadl% ne! technolog%/ antimatter/ !hich in less than
t!o hours threatened to destro% all of .atican ,it%.
#hen he !as through/ it !as as if Satan himself had suc"ed the air from the room. <obod% could move. +he
camerlegno@s !ords hung in the dar"ness.
+he onl% sound =ortati could no! hear !as the anomalous hum of a television camera in bac"'an electronic
presence no conclave in histor% had ever endured'but a presence demanded b% the camerlegno. +o the utter
astonishment of the cardinals/ the camerlegno had entered the Sistine ,hapel !ith t!o 44, reporters'a man and a
!oman'and announced that the% !ould be transmitting his solemn statement/ li!e to the !orld.
<o!/ spea"ing directl% to the camera/ the camerlegno stepped for!ard. E+o the )lluminati/E he said/ his voice
deepening/ Eand to those of science/ let me sa% this.E $e paused. EBou have !on the !ar.E
+he silence spread no! to the deepest corners of the chapel. =ortati could hear the desperate thumping of his o!n
heart.
E+he !heels have been in motion for a long time/E the camerlegno said. EBour victor% has been inevitable. <ever
before has it been as obvious as it is at this moment. Science is the ne! 8od.E
3hat is he sayin)1 =ortati thought. 0as he )one ma%1 The entire worl% is hearin) this#
E=edicine/ electronic communications/ space travel/ genetic manipulation* these are the miracles about !hich !e
no! tell our children. +hese are the miracles !e herald as proof that science !ill bring us the ans!ers. +he ancient
stories of immaculate conceptions/ burning bushes/ and parting seas are no longer relevant. 8od has become obsolete.
Science has !on the battle. #e concede.E
rustle of confusion and be!ilderment s!ept through the chapel.
E4ut science@s victor%/E the camerlegno added/ his voice intensif%ing/ Ehas cost ever% one of us. nd it has cost us
deepl%.E
Silence.
EScience ma% have alleviated the miseries of disease and drudger% and provided an arra% of gadgetr% for our
entertainment and convenience/ but it has left us in a !orld !ithout !onder. 9ur sunsets have been reduced to
!avelengths and frequencies. +he complexities of the universe have been shredded into mathematical equations. 1ven
our self-!orth as human beings has been destro%ed. Science proclaims that 7lanet 1arth and its inhabitants are a
meaningless spec" in the grand scheme. cosmic accident.E $e paused. E1ven the technolog% that promises to unite us/
divides us. 1ach of us is no! electronicall% connected to the globe/ and %et !e feel utterl% alone. #e are bombarded
!ith violence/ division/ fracture/ and betra%al. S"epticism has become a virtue. ,%nicism and demand for proof has
become enlightened thought. )s it an% !onder that humans no! feel more depressed and defeated than the% have at an%
point in human histor%D ;oes science hold anythin) sacredD Science loo"s for ans!ers b% probing our unborn fetuses.
Science even presumes to rearrange our o!n ;<. )t shatters 8od@s !orld into smaller and smaller pieces in quest of
meaning* and all it finds is more questions.E
=ortati !atched in a!e. +he camerlegno !as almost h%pnotic no!. $e had a ph%sical strength in his movements
and voice that =ortati had never !itnessed on a .atican altar. +he man@s voice !as !rought !ith conviction and
sadness.
E+he ancient !ar bet!een science and religion is over/E the camerlegno said. EBou have !on. 4ut %ou have not
!on fairl%. Bou have not !on b% providing ans!ers. Bou have !on b% so radicall% reorienting our societ% that the
truths !e once sa! as signposts no! seem inapplicable. Religion cannot "eep up. Scientific gro!th is exponential. )t
feeds on itself li"e a virus. 1ver% ne! brea"through opens doors for ne! brea"throughs. =an"ind too" thousands of
%ears to progress from the !heel to the car. Bet onl% decades from the car into space. <o! !e measure scientific
progress in !ee"s. #e are spinning out of control. +he rift bet!een us gro!s deeper and deeper/ and as religion is left
behind/ people find themselves in a spiritual void. #e cr% out for meaning. nd believe me/ !e %o cr% out. #e see
:F9s/ engage in channeling/ spirit contact/ out-of-bod% experiences/ mindquests'all these eccentric ideas have a
scientific veneer/ but the% are unashamedl% irrational. +he% are the desperate cr% of the modern soul/ lonel% and
tormented/ crippled b% its o!n enlightenment and its inabilit% to accept meaning in an%thing removed from
technolog%.E
=ortati could feel himself leaning for!ard in his seat. $e and the other cardinals and people around the !orld !ere
hanging on this priest@s ever% utterance. +he camerlegno spo"e !ith no rhetoric or vitriol. <o references to scripture or
5esus ,hrist. $e spo"e in modern terms/ unadorned and pure. Someho!/ as though the !ords !ere flo!ing from 8od
himself/ he spo"e the modern language* delivering the ancient message. )n that moment/ =ortati sa! one of the
reasons the late 7ope held this %oung man so dear. )n a !orld of apath%/ c%nicism/ and technological deification/ men
li"e the camerlegno/ realists !ho could spea" to our souls li"e this man 0ust had/ !ere the church@s onl% hope.
+he camerlegno !as tal"ing more forcefull% no!. EScience/ %ou sa%/ !ill save us. Science/ ) sa%/ has destro%ed us.
Since the da%s of 8alileo/ the church has tried to slo! the relentless march of science/ sometimes !ith misguided
means/ but al!a%s !ith benevolent intention. 1ven so/ the temptations are too great for man to resist. ) !arn %ou/ loo"
around %ourselves. +he promises of science have not been "ept. 7romises of efficienc% and simplicit% have bred nothing
but pollution and chaos. #e are a fractured and frantic species* moving do!n a path of destruction.E
+he camerlegno paused a long moment and then sharpened his e%es on the camera.
E#ho is this 8od scienceD #ho is the 8od !ho offers his people po!er but no moral frame!or" to tell %ou ho! to
use that po!erD #hat "ind of 8od gives a child &ire but does not !arn the child of its dangersD +he language of science
comes !ith no signposts about good and bad. Science textboo"s tell us ho! to create a nuclear reaction/ and %et the%
contain no chapter as"ing us if it is a good or a bad idea.
E+o science/ ) sa% this. +he church is tired. #e are exhausted from tr%ing to be %our signposts. 9ur resources are
dr%ing up from our campaign to be the voice of balance as %ou plo! blindl% on in %our quest for smaller chips and
larger profits. #e as" not !h% %ou !ill not govern %ourselves/ but ho! can %ouD Bour !orld moves so fast that if %ou
stop even for an instant to consider the implications of %our actions/ someone more efficient !ill !hip past %ou in a
blur. So %ou move on. Bou proliferate !eapons of mass destruction/ but it is the 7ope !ho travels the !orld beseeching
leaders to use restraint. Bou clone living creatures/ but it is the church reminding us to consider the moral implications
of our actions. Bou encourage people to interact on phones/ video screens/ and computers/ but it is the church !ho
opens its doors and reminds us to commune in person as !e !ere meant to do. Bou even murder unborn babies in the
name of research that !ill save lives. gain/ it is the church !ho points out the fallac% of this reasoning.
End all the !hile/ %ou proclaim the church is ignorant. 4ut !ho is more ignorantD +he man !ho cannot define
lightning/ or the man !ho does not respect its a!esome po!erD +his church is reaching out to %ou. Reaching out to
ever%one. nd %et the more !e reach/ the more %ou push us a!a%. Sho! me proo& there is a 8od/ %ou sa%. ) sa% use
%our telescopes to loo" to the heavens/ and tell me ho! there could not be a 8odFE +he camerlegno had tears in his e%es
no!. EBou as" !hat does 8od loo" li"e. ) sa%/ !here did that question come fromD +he ans!ers are one and the same.
;o %ou not see 8od in %our scienceD $o! can %ou miss $imF Bou proclaim that even the slightest change in the force
of gravit% or the !eight of an atom !ould have rendered our universe a lifeless mist rather than our magnificent sea of
heavenl% bodies/ and %et %ou fail to see 8od@s hand in thisD )s it reall% so much easier to believe that !e simpl% chose
the right card from a dec" of billionsD $ave !e become so spirituall% ban"rupt that !e !ould rather believe in
mathematical impossibilit% than in a po!er greater than usD
E#hether or not %ou believe in 8od/E the camerlegno said/ his voice deepening !ith deliberation/ E%ou must
believe this. #hen !e as a species abandon our trust in the po!er greater than us/ !e abandon our sense of
accountabilit%. Faith* all faiths* are admonitions that there is something !e cannot understand/ something to !hich
!e are accountable* #ith faith !e are accountable to each other/ to ourselves/ and to a higher truth. Religion is
fla!ed/ but onl% because man is fla!ed. )f the outside !orld could see this church as ) do* loo"ing be%ond the ritual of
these !alls* the% !ould see a modern miracle* a brotherhood of imperfect/ simple souls !anting onl% to be a voice
of compassion in a !orld spinning out of control.E
+he camerlegno motioned out over the ,ollege of ,ardinals/ and the 44, camera!oman instinctivel% follo!ed/
panning the cro!d.
Ere !e obsoleteDE the camerlegno as"ed. Ere these men dino-saursD m )D ;oes the !orld reall% need a voice
for the poor/ the !ea"/ the oppressed/ the unborn childD ;o !e reall% need souls li"e these !ho/ though imperfect/
spend their lives imploring each of us to read the signposts of moralit% and not lose our !a%DE
=ortati no! reali&ed that the camerlegno/ !hether consciousl% or not/ !as ma"ing a brilliant move. 4% sho!ing
the cardinals/ he !as personali&ing the church. .atican ,it% !as no longer a building/ it !as people'people li"e the
camerlegno !ho had spent their lives in the service of goodness.
E+onight !e are perched on a precipice/E the camerlegno said. E<one of us can afford to be apathetic. #hether %ou
see this evil as Satan/ corruption/ or immoralit%* the dar" force is alive and gro!ing ever% da%. ;o not ignore it.E +he
camerlegno lo!ered his voice to a !hisper/ and the camera moved in. E+he force/ though might%/ is not invincible.
8oodness can prevail. Listen to %our hearts. Listen to 8od. +ogether !e can step bac" from this ab%ss.E
<o! =ortati understood. +his !as the reason. ,onclave had been violated/ but this !as the onl% !a%. )t !as a
dramatic and desperate plea for help. +he camerlegno !as spea"ing to both his enem% and his friends no!. $e !as
entreating an%one/ friend or foe/ to see the light and stop this madness. ,ertainl% someone listening !ould reali&e the
insanit% of this plot and come for!ard.
+he camerlegno "nelt at the altar. E7ra% !ith me.E
+he ,ollege of ,ardinals dropped to their "nees to 0oin him in pra%er. 9utside in St. 7eter@s Square and around the
globe* a stunned !orld "nelt !ith them.
:%
+he $assassin la% his unconscious troph% in the rear of the van and too" a moment to admire her spra!led bod%.
She !as not as beautiful as the !omen he bought/ and %et she had an animal strength that excited him. $er bod% !as
radiant/ de!% !ith perspiration. She smelled of mus".
s the $assasin stood there savoring his pri&e/ he ignored the throb in his arm. +he bruise from the falling
sarcophagus/ although painful/ !as insignificant* !ell !orth the compensation that la% before him. $e too"
consolation in "no!ing the merican !ho had done this to him !as probabl% dead b% no!.
8a&ing do!n at his incapacitated prisoner/ the $assassin visuali&ed !hat la% ahead. $e ran a palm up beneath her
shirt. $er breasts felt perfect beneath her bra. Yes/ he smiled. You are more than worthy. Fighting the urge to ta"e her
right there/ he closed the door and drove off into the night.
+here !as no need to alert the press about this "illing* the flames !ould do that for him.
t ,1R</ S%lvie sat stunned b% the camerlegno@s address. <ever before had she felt so proud to be a ,atholic and
so ashamed to !or" at ,1R<. s she left the recreational !ing/ the mood in ever% single vie!ing room !as da&ed and
somber. #hen she got bac" to 6ohler@s office/ all seven phone lines !ere ringing. =edia inquiries !ere never routed to
6ohler@s office/ so the incoming calls could onl% be one thing.
*el%. =one% calls.
ntimatter technolog% alread% had some ta"ers.
)nside the .atican/ 8unther 8lic" !as !al"ing on air as he follo!ed the camerlegno from the Sistine ,hapel. 8lic"
and =acri had 0ust made the live transmission of the decade. nd !hat a transmission it had been. +he camerlegno had
been spellbinding.
<o! out in the hall!a%/ the camerlegno turned to 8lic" and =acri. E) have as"ed the S!iss 8uard to assemble
photos for %ou'photos of the branded cardinals as !ell as one of $is late $oliness. ) must !arn %ou/ these are not
pleasant pictures. 8hastl% burns. 4lac"ened tongues. 4ut ) !ould li"e %ou to broadcast them to the !orld.E
8lic" decided it must be perpetual ,hristmas inside .atican ,it%. 0e wants me to 'roa%cast an e;clusi!e photo o&
the %ea% Pope1 Ere %ou sureDE 8lic" as"ed/ tr%ing to "eep the excitement from his voice.
+he camerlegno nodded. E+he S!iss 8uard !ill also provide %ou a live video feed of the antimatter canister as it
counts do!n.E
8lic" stared. Christmas. Christmas. Christmas#
E+he )lluminati are about to find out/E the camerlegno declared/ Ethat the% have grossl% overpla%ed their hand.E
:&
Li"e a recurring theme in some demonic s%mphon%/ the suffocating dar"ness had returned.
No li)ht. No air. No e;it.
Langdon la% trapped beneath the overturned sarcophagus and felt his mind careening dangerousl% close to the
brin". +r%ing to drive his thoughts in an% direction other than the crushing space around him/ Langdon urged his mind
to!ard some logical process* mathematics/ music/ an%thing. 4ut there !as no room for calming thoughts. " can+t
mo!e# " can+t 'reathe#
+he pinched sleeve of his 0ac"et had than"full% come free !hen the cas"et fell/ leaving Langdon no! !ith t!o
mobile arms. 1ven so/ as he pressed up!ard on the ceiling of his tin% cell/ he found it immovable. 9ddl%/ he !ished his
sleeve !ere still caught. (t least it mi)ht create a crack &or some air.
s Langdon pushed against the roof above/ his sleeve fell bac" to reveal the faint glo! of an old friend. =ic"e%.
+he greenish cartoon face seemed moc"ing no!.
Langdon probed the blac"ness for an% other sign of light/ but the cas"et rim !as flush against the floor. 8oddamn
)talian perfectionists/ he cursed/ no! imperiled b% the same artistic excellence he taught his students to revere*
impeccable edges/ faultless parallels/ and of course/ use onl% of the most seamless and resilient Carrara marble.
7recision can be suffocating.
ELift the damn thing/E he said aloud/ pressing harder through the tangle of bones. +he box shifted slightl%. Setting
his 0a!/ he heaved again. +he box felt li"e a boulder/ but this time it raised a quarter of an inch. fleeting glimmer of
light surrounded him/ and then the cas"et thudded bac" do!n. Langdon la% panting in the dar". $e tried to use his legs
to lift as he had before/ but no! that the sarcophagus had fallen flat/ there !as no room even to straighten his "nees.
s the claustrophobic panic closed in/ Langdon !as overcome b% images of the sarcophagus shrin"ing around him.
Squee&ed b% delirium/ he fought the illusion !ith ever% logical shred of intellect he had.
ESarcophagus/E he stated aloud/ !ith as much academic sterilit% as he could muster. 4ut even erudition seemed to
be his enem% toda%. $arcopha)us is &rom the *reek Jsar;Jmeanin) J&lesh-J an% Jpha)einJ meanin) Jto eat.J "+m
trappe% in a 'o; literally %esi)ne% to Jeat &lesh.E
)mages of flesh eaten from bone onl% served as a grim reminder that Langdon la% covered in human remains. +he
notion brought nausea and chills. 4ut it also brought an idea.
Fumbling blindl% around the coffin/ Langdon found a shard of bone. rib ma%beD $e didn@t care. ll he !anted
!as a !edge. )f he could lift the box/ even a crac"/ and slide the bone fragment beneath the rim/ then ma%be enough air
could*
Reaching across his bod% and !edging the tapered end of the bone into the crac" bet!een the floor and the coffin/
Langdon reached up !ith his other hand and heaved s"%!ard. +he box did not move. <ot even slightl%. $e tried again.
For a moment/ it seemed to tremble slightl%/ but that !as all.
#ith the fetid stench and lac" of ox%gen cho"ing the strength from his bod%/ Langdon reali&ed he onl% had time for
one more effort. $e also "ne! he !ould need both arms.
Regrouping/ he placed the tapered edge of the bone against the crac"/ and shifting his bod%/ he !edged the bone
against his shoulder/ pinning it in place. ,areful not to dislodge it/ he raised both hands above him. s the stifling
confine began to smother him/ he felt a !elling of intensified panic. )t !as the second time toda% he had been trapped
!ith no air. $ollering aloud/ Langdon thrust up!ard in one explosive motion. +he cas"et 0ostled off the floor for an
instant. 4ut long enough. +he bone shard he had braced against his shoulder slipped out!ard into the !idening crac".
#hen the cas"et fell again/ the bone shattered. 4ut this time Langdon could see the cas"et !as propped up. tin% slit of
light sho!ed beneath the rim.
1xhausted/ Langdon collapsed. $oping the strangling sensation in his throat !ould pass/ he !aited. 4ut it onl%
!orsened as the seconds passed. #hatever air !as coming through the slit seemed imperceptible. Langdon !ondered if
it !ould be enough to "eep him alive. nd if so/ for ho! longD )f he passed out/ !ho !ould "no! he !as even in thereD
#ith arms li"e lead/ Langdon raised his !atch again( 13(1C 7.=. Fighting trembling fingers/ he fumbled !ith the
!atch and made his final pla%. $e t!isted one of the tin% dials and pressed a button.
s consciousness faded/ and the !alls squee&ed closer/ Langdon felt the old fears s!eep over him. $e tried to
imagine/ as he had so man% times/ that he !as in an open field. +he image he con0ured/ ho!ever/ !as no help. +he
nightmare that had haunted him since his %outh came crashing bac"*
+he flo!ers here are li"e paintings/ the child thought/ laughing as he ran across the
meado!. $e !ished his parents had come along. 4ut his parents !ere bus% pitching camp.
E;on@t explore too far/E his mother had said.
$e had pretended not to hear as he bounded off into the !oods.
<o!/ traversing this glorious field/ the bo% came across a pile of fieldstones. $e figured it
must be the foundation of an old homestead. $e !ould not go near it. $e "ne! better.
4esides/ his e%es had been dra!n to something else'a brilliant lad%@s slipper'the rarest
and most beautiful flo!er in <e! $ampshire. $e had onl% ever seen them in boo"s.
1xcited/ the bo% moved to!ard the flo!er. $e "nelt do!n. +he ground beneath him felt
mulch% and hollo!. $e reali&ed his flo!er had found an extra-fertile spot. )t !as gro!ing
from a patch of rotting !ood.
+hrilled b% the thought of ta"ing home his pri&e/ the bo% reached out* fingers extending
to!ard the stem.
$e never reached it.
#ith a sic"ening crac"/ the earth gave !a%.
)n the three seconds of di&&%ing terror as he fell/ the bo% "ne! he !ould die. 7lummeting
do!n!ard/ he braced for the bone-crushing collision. #hen it came/ there !as no pain.
9nl% softness.
nd cold.
$e hit the deep liquid face first/ plunging into a narro! blac"ness. Spinning disoriented
somersaults/ he groped the sheer !alls thatenclosed him on all sides. Someho!/ as if b%
instinct/ he sputtered to the surface.
Light.
Faint. bove him. =iles above him/ it seemed.
$is arms cla!ed at the !ater/ searching the !alls of the hollo! for something to grab
onto. 9nl% smooth stone. $e had fallen through an abandoned !ell covering. $e screamed
for help/ but his cries reverberated in the tight shaft. $e called out again and again. bove
him/ the tattered hole gre! dim.
<ight fell.
+ime seemed to contort in the dar"ness. <umbness set in as he treaded !ater in the depths
of the chasm/ calling/ cr%ing out. $e !as tormented b% visions of the !alls collapsing in/
bur%ing him alive. $is arms ached !ith fatigue. fe! times he thought he heard voices.
$e shouted out/ but his o!n voice !as muted* li"e a dream.
s the night !ore on/ the shaft deepened. +he !alls inched quietl% in!ard. +he bo%
pressed out against the enclosure/ pushing it a!a%. 1xhausted/ he !anted to give up. nd
%et he felt the !ater buo% him/ cooling his burning fears until he !as numb.
#hen the rescue team arrived/ the% found the bo% barel% conscious. $e had been treading
!ater for five hours. +!o da%s later/ the 4oston 8lobe ran a front-page stor% called E+he
Little S!immer +hat ,ould.E
:.
+he $assassin smiled as he pulled his van into the mammoth stone structure overloo"ing the +iber River. $e
carried his pri&e up and up* spiraling higher in the stone tunnel/ grateful his load !as slender.
$e arrived at the door.
The Church o& "llumination- he )loate%. The ancient "lluminati meetin) room. 3ho woul% ha!e ima)ine% it to 'e
here1
)nside/ he la% her on a plush divan. +hen he expertl% bound her arms behind her bac" and tied her feet. $e "ne!
that !hat he longed for !ould have to !ait until his final tas" !as finished. 3ater.
Still/ he thought/ he had a moment for indulgence. 6neeling beside her/ he ran his hand along her thigh. )t !as
smooth. $igher. $is dar" fingers sna"ed beneath the cuff of her shorts. $igher.
$e stopped. Patience/ he told himself/ feeling aroused. There is work to 'e %one.
$e !al"ed for a moment out onto the chamber@s high stone balcon%. +he evening bree&e slo!l% cooled his ardor.
Far belo! the +iber raged. $e raised his e%es to the dome of St. 7eter@s/ three quarters of a mile a!a%/ na"ed under the
glare of hundreds of press lights.
EBour final hour/E he said aloud/ picturing the thousands of =uslims slaughtered during the ,rusades. Et midnight
%ou !ill meet %our 8od.E
4ehind him/ the !oman stirred. +he $assassin turned. $e considered letting her !a"e up. Seeing terror in a
!oman@s e%es !as his ultimate aphrodisiac.
$e opted for prudence. )t !ould be better if she remained unconscious !hile he !as gone. lthough she !as tied
and !ould never escape/ the $assassin did not !ant to return and find her exhausted from struggling. " want your
stren)th preser!e% &or me.
Lifting her head slightl%/ he placed his palm beneath her nec" and found the hollo! directl% beneath her s"ull. +he
cro!nLmeridian pressure point !as one he had used countless times. #ith crushing force/ he drove his thumb into the
soft cartilage and felt it depress. +he !oman slumped instantl%. Twenty minutes/ he thought. She !ould be a tantali&ing
end to a perfect da%. fter she had served him and died doing it/ he !ould stand on the balcon% and !atch the midnight
.atican fire!or"s.
Leaving his pri&e unconscious on the couch/ the $assassin !ent do!nstairs into a torchlit dungeon. +he final tas".
$e !al"ed to the table and revered the sacred/ metal forms that had been left there for him.
3ater. )t !as his last.
Removing a torch from the !all as he had done three times alread%/ he began heating the end. #hen the end of the
ob0ect !as !hite hot/ he carried it to the cell.
)nside/ a single man stood in silence. 9ld and alone.
E,ardinal 4aggia/E the "iller hissed. E$ave %ou pra%ed %etDE
+he )talian@s e%es !ere fearless. E9nl% for %our soul.E
:5
+he six pompieri firemen !ho responded to the fire at the ,hurch of Santa =aria ;ella .ittoria extinguished the
bonfire !ith blasts of $alon gas. #ater !as cheaper/ but the steam it created !ould have ruined the frescoes in the
chapel/ and the .atican paid Roman pompieri a health% stipend for s!ift and prudent service in all .atican-o!ned
buildings.
Pompieri/ b% the nature of their !or"/ !itnessed traged% almost dail%/ but the execution in this church !as
something none of them !ould ever forget. 7art crucifixion/ part hanging/ part burning at the sta"e/ the scene !as
something dredged from a 8othic nightmare.
:nfortunatel%/ the press/ as usual/ had arrived before the fire department. +he%@d shot plent% of video before the
pompieri cleared the church. #hen the firemen finall% cut the victim do!n and la% him on the floor/ there !as no doubt
!ho the man !as.
ECar%inale *ui%era/E one !hispered. E@i Barcellona.E
+he victim !as nude. +he lo!er half of his bod% !as crimson-blac"/ blood oo&ing through gaping crac"s in his
thighs. $is shinbones !ere exposed. 9ne fireman vomited. nother !ent outside to breathe.
+he true horror/ though/ !as the s%mbol seared on the cardinal@s chest. +he squad chief circled the corpse in
a!estruc" dread. a!oro %el %ia!olo/ he said to himself. $atan himsel& %i% this. $e crossed himself for the first time
since childhood.
EBn+ altro corpo#E someone %elled. 9ne of the firemen had found another bod%.
+he second victim !as a man the chief recogni&ed immediatel%. +he austere commander of the S!iss 8uard !as a
man for !hom fe! public la! enforcement officials had an% affection. +he chief called the .atican/ but all the circuits
!ere bus%. $e "ne! it didn@t matter. +he S!iss 8uard !ould hear about this on television in a matter of minutes.
s the chief surve%ed the damage/ tr%ing to recreate !hat possibl% could have gone on here/ he sa! a niche riddled
!ith bullet holes. coffin had been rolled off its supports and fallen upside do!n in an apparent struggle. )t !as a mess.
That+s &or the police an% 0oly $ee to %eal with/ the chief thought/ turning a!a%.
s he turned/ though/ he stopped. ,oming from the coffin he heard a sound. )t !as not a sound an% fireman ever
li"ed to hear.
EBom'a#E he cried out. ETutti &uori#E
#hen the bomb squad rolled the coffin over/ the% discovered the source of the electronic beeping. +he% stared/
confused.
E,L%ico#E one finall% screamed. E,L%ico#E
::
En% !ord from 9livettiDE the camerlegno as"ed/ loo"ing drained as Rocher escorted him bac" from the Sistine
,hapel to the 7ope@s office.
E<o/ signore. ) am fearing the !orst.E
#hen the% reached the 7ope@s office/ the camerlegno@s voice !as heav%. E,aptain/ there is nothing more ) can do
here tonight. ) fear ) have done too much alread%. ) am going into this office to pra%. ) do not !ish to be disturbed. +he
rest is in 8od@s hands.E
EBes/ signore.E
E+he hour is late/ ,aptain. Find that canister.E
E9ur search continues.E Rocher hesitated. E+he !eapon proves to be too !ell hidden.E
+he camerlegno !inced/ as if he could not thin" of it. EBes. t exactl% 11(1A 7.=./ if the church is still in peril/ )
!ant %ou to evacuate the cardinals. ) am putting their safet% in %our hands. ) as" onl% one thing. Let these men proceed
from this place !ith dignit%. Let them exit into St. 7eter@s Square and stand side b% side !ith the rest of the !orld. ) do
not !ant the last image of this church to be frightened old men snea"ing out a bac" door.E
E.er% good/ signore. nd %ouD Shall ) come for %ou at 11(1A as !ellDE
E+here !ill be no need.E
ESignoreDE
E) !ill leave !hen the spirit moves me.E
Rocher !ondered if the camerlegno intended to go do!n !ith the ship.
+he camerlegno opened the door to the 7ope@s office and entered. Ectuall%*E he said/ turning. E+here is one
thing.E
ESignoreDE
E+here seems to be a chill in this office tonight. ) am trembling.E
E+he electric heat is out. Let me la% %ou a fire.E
+he camerlegno smiled tiredl%. E+han" %ou. +han" %ou/ ver% much.E
Rocher exited the 7ope@s office !here he had left the camerlegno pra%ing b% firelight in front of a small statue of
the 4lessed =other =ar%. )t !as an eerie sight. blac" shado! "neeling in the flic"ering glo!. s Rocher headed
do!n the hall/ a guard appeared/ running to!ard him. 1ven b% candlelight Rocher recogni&ed Lieutenant ,hartrand.
Boung/ green/ and eager.
E,aptain/E ,hartrand called/ holding out a cellular phone. E) thin" the camerlegno@s address ma% have !or"ed.
#e@ve got a caller here !ho sa%s he has information that can help us. $e phoned on one of the .atican@s private
extensions. ) have no idea ho! he got the number.E
Rocher stopped. E#hatDE
E$e !ill onl% spea" to the ran"ing officer.E
En% !ord from 9livettiDE
E<o/ sir.E
$e too" the receiver. E+his is ,aptain Rocher. ) am ran"ing officer here.E
ERocher/E the voice said. E) !ill explain to %ou !ho ) am. +hen ) !ill tell %ou !hat %ou are going to do next.E
#hen the caller stopped tal"ing and hung up/ Rocher stood stunned. $e no! "ne! from !hom he !as ta"ing
orders.
4ac" at ,1R</ S%lvie 4audeloque !as franticall% tr%ing to "eep trac" of all the licensing inquiries coming in on
6ohler@s voice mail. #hen the private line on the director@s des" began to ring/ S%lvie 0umped. <obod% had that
number. She ans!ered.
EBesDE
E=s. 4audeloqueD +his is ;irector 6ohler. ,ontact m% pilot. =% 0et is to be read% in five minutes.E
!;;
Robert Langdon had no idea !here he !as or ho! long he had been unconscious !hen he opened his e%es and
found himself staring up at the underside of a baroque/ frescoed cupola. Smo"e drifted overhead. Something !as
covering his mouth. n ox%gen mas". $e pulled it off. +here !as a terrible smell in the room'li"e burning flesh.
Langdon !inced at the pounding in his head. $e tried to sit up. man in !hite !as "neeling beside him.
ERiposati#E the man said/ easing Langdon onto his bac" again. E$ono il param%ico.E
Langdon succumbed/ his head spiraling li"e the smo"e overhead. 3hat the hell happene%1 #isp% feelings of panic
sifted through his mind.
E$Srcio sal!atore/E the paramedic said. E=ouse* savior.E
Langdon felt even more lost. ,ouse sa!ior1
+he man motioned to the =ic"e% =ouse !atch on Langdon@s !rist. Langdon@s thoughts began to clear. $e
remembered setting the alarm. s he stared absentl% at the !atch face/ Langdon also noted the hour. 13(CG 7.=.
$e sat bolt upright.
+hen/ it all came bac".
Langdon stood near the main altar !ith the fire chief and a fe! of his men. +he% had been rattling him !ith
questions. Langdon !asn@t listening. $e had questions of his o!n. $is !hole bod% ached/ but he "ne! he needed to act
immediatel%.
pompiero approached Langdon across the church. E) chec"ed again/ sir. +he onl% bodies !e found are ,ardinal
8uidera and the S!iss 8uard commander. +here@s no sign of a !oman here.E
E*ra/ie/E Langdon said/ unsure !hether he !as relieved or horrified. $e "ne! he had seen .ittoria unconscious on
the floor. <o! she !as gone. +he onl% explanation he came up !ith !as not a comforting one. +he "iller had not been
subtle on the phone. ( woman o& spirit. " am arouse%. Perhaps 'e&ore this ni)ht is o!er- " will &in% you. (n% when "
%oE
Langdon loo"ed around. E#here is the S!iss 8uardDE
EStill no contact. .atican lines are 0ammed.E
Langdon felt over!helmed and alone. 9livetti !as dead. +he cardinal !as dead. .ittoria !as missing. half hour
of his life had disappeared in a blin".
9utside/ Langdon could hear the press s!arming. $e suspected footage of the third cardinal@s horrific death !ould
no doubt air soon/ if it hadn@t alread%. Langdon hoped the camerlegno had long since assumed the !orst and ta"en
action. E!acuate the %amn ?atican# Enou)h )ames# 3e lose#
Langdon suddenl% reali&ed that all of the catal%sts that had been driving him'helping to save .atican ,it%/ rescuing
the four cardinals/ coming face to face !ith the brotherhood he had studied for %ears'all of these things had evaporated
from his mind. +he !ar !as lost. ne! compulsion had ignited !ithin him. )t !as simple. Star". 7rimal.
Find .ittoria.
$e felt an unexpected emptiness inside. Langdon had often heard that intense situations could unite t!o people in
!a%s that decades together often did not. $e no! believed it. )n .ittoria@s absence he felt something he had not felt in
%ears. Loneliness. +he pain gave him strength.
7ushing all else from his mind/ Langdon mustered his concentration. $e pra%ed that the $assassin !ould ta"e care
of business before pleasure. 9ther!ise/ Langdon "ne! he !as alread% too late. No/ he told himself/ you ha!e time.
.ittoria@s captor still had !or" to do. $e had to surface one last time before disappearing forever.
The last altar o& science/ Langdon thought. +he "iller had one final tas". Earth. (ir. Fire. 3ater.
$e loo"ed at his !atch. +hirt% minutes. Langdon moved past the firemen to!ard 4ernini@s Ecstasy o& $t. Teresa.
+his time/ as he stared at 4ernini@s mar"er/ Langdon had no doubt !hat he !as loo"ing for.
et an)els )ui%e you on your lo&ty =uest
;irectl% over the recumbent saint/ against a bac"drop of gilded flame/ hovered 4ernini@s angel. +he angel@s hand
clutched a pointed spear of fire. Langdon@s e%es follo!ed the direction of the shaft/ arching to!ard the right side of the
church. $is e%es hit the !all. $e scanned the spot !here the spear !as pointing. +here !as nothing there. Langdon
"ne!/ of course/ the spear !as pointing far be%ond the !all/ into the night/ some!here across Rome.
E#hat direction is thatDE Langdon as"ed/ turning and addressing the chief !ith a ne!found determination.
E;irectionDE +he chief glanced !here Langdon !as pointing. $e sounded confused. E) don@t "no!* !est/ ) thin".E
E#hat churches are in that directionDE
+he chief@s pu&&lement seemed to deepen. E;o&ens. #h%DE
Langdon fro!ned. 9f course there !ere do&ens. E) need a cit% map. Right a!a%.E
+he chief sent someone running out to the fire truc" for a map. Langdon turned bac" to the statue. Earth (ir
Fire ?"TT9R"(.
The &inal marker is 3ater/ he told himself. Bernini+s 3ater. )t !as in a church out there some!here. needle in a
ha%stac". $e spurred his mind through all the 4ernini !or"s he could recall. " nee% a tri'ute to 3ater#
Langdon flashed on 4ernini@s statue of Triton'the 8ree" 8od of the sea. +hen he reali&ed it !as located in the
square outside this ver% church/ in entirel% the !rong direction. $e forced himself to thin". 3hat &i)ure woul% Bernini
ha!e car!e% as a )lori&ication o& water1 Neptune an% (pollo1 :nfortunatel% that statue !as in London@s .ictoria Z
lbert =useum.
ESignoreDE fireman ran in !ith a map.
Langdon than"ed him and spread it out on the altar. $e immediatel% reali&ed he had as"ed the right peopleJ the fire
department@s map of Rome !as as detailed as an% Langdon had ever seen. E#here are !e no!DE
+he man pointed. E<ext to 7ia&&a 4arberini.E
Langdon loo"ed at the angel@s spear again to get his bearings. +he chief had estimated correctl%. ccording to the
map/ the spear !as pointing !est. Langdon traced a line from his current location !est across the map. lmost instantl%
his hopes began to sin". )t seemed that !ith ever% inch his finger traveled/ he passed %et another building mar"ed b% a
tin% blac" cross. Churches. +he cit% !as riddled !ith them. Finall%/ Langdon@s finger ran out of churches and trailed off
into the suburbs of Rome. $e exhaled and stepped bac" from the map. @amn.
Surve%ing the !hole of Rome/ Langdon@s e%es touched do!n on the three churches !here the first three cardinals
had been "illed. The Chi)i Chapel $t. Peter+s here
Seeing them all laid out before him no!/ Langdon noted an oddit% in their locations. Someho! he had imagined the
churches !ould be scattered randoml% across Rome. 4ut the% most definitel% !ere not. )mprobabl%/ the three churches
seemed to be separated s%stematicall%/ in an enormous cit%-!ide triangle. Langdon double-chec"ed. $e !as not
imagining things. EPenna/E he said suddenl%/ !ithout loo"ing up.
Someone handed him a ballpoint pen.
Langdon circled the three churches. $is pulse quic"ened. $e triple-chec"ed his mar"ings. ( symmetrical trian)le#
Langdon@s first thought !as for the 8reat Seal on the one-dollar bill'the triangle containing the all-seeing e%e. 4ut
it didn@t ma"e sense. $e had mar"ed onl% three points. +here !ere supposed to be four in all.
$o where the hell is 3ater1 Langdon "ne! that an%!here he placed the fourth point/ the triangle !ould be
destro%ed. +he onl% option to retain the s%mmetr% !as to place the fourth mar"er inside the triangle/ at the center. $e
loo"ed at the spot on the map. <othing. +he idea bothered him an%!a%. +he four elements of science !ere considered
e=ual. #ater !as not specialJ #ater !ould not be at the center of the others.
Still/ his instinct told him the s%stematic arrangement could not possibl% be accidental. "+m not yet seein) the whole
picture. +here !as onl% one alternative. +he four points did not ma"e a triangleJ the% made some other shape.
Langdon loo"ed at the map. ( s=uare- perhaps1 lthough a square made no s%mbolic sense/ squares !ere
s%mmetrical at least. Langdon put his finger on the map at one of the points that !ould turn the triangle into a square.
$e sa! immediatel% that a perfect square !as impossible. +he angles of the original triangle !ere oblique and created
more of a distorted quadrilateral.
s he studied the other possible points around the triangle/ something unexpected happened. $e noticed that the
line he had dra!n earlier to indicate the direction of the angel@s spear passed perfectl% through one of the possibilities.
Stupefied/ Langdon circled that point. $e !as no! loo"ing at four in" mar"s on the map/ arranged in some!hat of an
a!"!ard/ "iteli"e diamond.
$e fro!ned. ;iamonds !ere not an )lluminati s%mbol either. $e paused. Then a)ain
For an instant Langdon flashed on the famed )lluminati ;iamond. +he thought/ of course/ !as ridiculous. $e
dismissed it. 4esides/ this diamond !as oblong'li"e a "ite'hardl% an example of the fla!less s%mmetr% for !hich the
)lluminati ;iamond !as revered.
#hen he leaned in to examine !here he had placed the final mar"/ Langdon !as surprised to find that the fourth
point la% dead center of Rome@s famed 7ia&&a <avona. $e "ne! the pia&&a contained a ma0or church/ but he had
alread% traced his finger through that pia&&a and considered the church there. +o the best of his "no!ledge it contained
no 4ernini !or"s. +he church !as called Saint gnes in gon%/ named for St. gnes/ a ravishing teenage virgin
banished to a life of sexual slaver% for refusing to renounce her faith.
There must 'e somethin) in that church# Langdon rac"ed his brain/ picturing the inside of the church. $e could
thin" of no 4ernini !or"s at all inside/ much less an%thing to do !ith water. +he arrangement on the map !as bothering
him too. diamond. )t !as far too accurate to be coincidence/ but it !as not accurate enough to ma"e an% sense. (
kite1 Langdon !ondered if he had chosen the !rong point. 3hat am " missin)#
+he ans!er too" another thirt% seconds to hit him/ but !hen it did/ Langdon felt an exhilaration li"e nothing he had
ever experienced in his academic career.
+he )lluminati genius/ it seemed/ !ould never cease.
+he shape he !as loo"ing at !as not intended as a diamond at all. +he four points onl% formed a diamond because
Langdon had connected a%6acent points. The "lluminati 'elie!e in opposites# ,onnecting opposite vertices !ith his pen/
Langdon@s fingers !ere trembling. +here before him on the map !as a giant cruciform. "t+s a cross# +he four elements
of science unfolded before his e%es* spra!led across Rome in an enormous/ cit%-!ide cross.
s he stared in !onder/ a line of poetr% rang in his mind* li"e an old friend !ith a ne! face.
+Cross Rome the mystic elements un&ol%
+Cross Rome
+he fog began to clear. Langdon sa! that the ans!er had been in front of him all nightF +he )lluminati poem had
been telling him how the altars !ere laid out. crossF
+Cross Rome the mystic elements un&ol%#
)t !as cunning !ordpla%. Langdon had originall% read the !ord@Cross as an abbreviation of (cross. $e assumed it
!as poetic license intended to retain the meter of the poem. 4ut it !as so much more than thatF nother hidden clue.
+he cruciform on the map/ Langdon reali&ed/ !as the ultimate )lluminati dualit%. )t !as a religious s%mbol formed
b% elements of science. 8alileo@s path of )llumination !as a tribute to both science an% 8odF
+he rest of the pu&&le fell into place almost immediatel%.
Pia//a Na!ona.
;ead center of 7ia&&a <avona/ outside the church of St. gnes in gon%/ 4ernini had forged one of his most
celebrated sculptures. 1ver%one !ho came to Rome !ent to see it.
The Fountain o& the Four Ri!ers#
fla!less tribute to !ater/ 4ernini@s Fountain o& the Four Ri!ers glorified the four ma0or rivers of the 9ld #orld'
+he <ile/ 8anges/ ;anube/ and Rio 7lata.
3ater/ Langdon thought. The &inal marker. )t !as perfect.
nd even more perfect/ Langdon reali&ed/ the cherr% on the ca"e/ !as that high atop 4ernini@s fountain stood a
to!ering obelis".
Leaving confused firemen in his !a"e/ Langdon ran across the church in the direction of 9livetti@s lifeless bod%.
1FEG1 P.,./ he thought. Plenty o& time. )t !as the first instant all da% that Langdon felt ahead of the game.
6neeling beside 9livetti/ out of sight behind some pe!s/ Langdon discreetl% too" possession of the commander@s
semiautomatic and !al"ie-tal"ie. Langdon "ne! he !ould call for help/ but this !as not the place to do it. +he final
altar of science needed to remain a secret for no!. +he media and fire department racing !ith sirens blaring to 7ia&&a
<avona !ould be no help at all.
#ithout a !ord/ Langdon slipped out the door and s"irted the press/ !ho !ere no! entering the church in droves.
$e crossed 7ia&&a 4arberini. )n the shado!s he turned on the !al"ie-tal"ie. $e tried to hail .atican ,it% but heard
nothing but static. $e !as either out of range or the transmitter needed some "ind of authori&ation code. Langdon
ad0usted the complex dials and buttons to no avail. bruptl%/ he reali&ed his plan to get help !as not going to !or". $e
spun/ loo"ing for a pa% phone. <one. .atican circuits !ere 0ammed an%!a%.
$e !as alone.
Feeling his initial surge of confidence deca%/ Langdon stood a moment and too" stoc" of his pitiful state'covered
in bone dust/ cut/ deliriousl% exhausted/ and hungr%.
Langdon glanced bac" at the church. Smo"e spiraled over the cupola/ lit b% the media lights and fire truc"s. $e
!ondered if he should go bac" and get help. )nstinct !arned him ho!ever that extra help/ especiall% untrained help/
!ould be nothing but a liabilit%. "& the 0assassin sees us comin) $e thought of .ittoria and "ne! this !ould be his
final chance to face her captor.
Pia//a Na!ona/ he thought/ "no!ing he could get there in plent% of time and sta"e it out. $e scanned the area for a
taxi/ but the streets !ere almost entirel% deserted. 1ven the taxi drivers/ it seemed/ had dropped ever%thing to find a
television. 7ia&&a <avona !as onl% about a mile a!a%/ but Langdon had no intention of !asting precious energ% on
foot. $e glanced bac" at the church/ !ondering if he could borro! a vehicle from someone.
( &ire truck1 ( press !an1 Be serious.
Sensing options and minutes slipping a!a%/ Langdon made his decision. 7ulling the gun from his poc"et/ he
committed an act so out of character that he suspected his soul must no! be possessed. Running over to a lone ,itro[n
sedan idling at a stoplight/ Langdon pointed the !eapon through the driver@s open !indo!. EFuori#E he %elled.
+he trembling man got out.
Langdon 0umped behind the !heel and hit the gas.
!;!
8unther 8lic" sat on a bench in a holding tan" inside the office of the S!iss 8uard. $e pra%ed to ever% god he
could thin" of. Please let this N9T 'e a %ream. )t had been the scoop of his life. +he scoop of an%one@s life. 1ver%
reporter on earth !ished he !ere 8lic" right no!. You are awake/ he told himself. (n% you are a star. @an Rather is
cryin) ri)ht now.
=acri !as beside him/ loo"ing a little bit stunned. 8lic" didn@t blame her. )n addition to exclusivel% broadcasting
the camerlegno@s address/ she and 8lic" had provided the !orld !ith gruesome photos of the cardinals and of the 7ope'
that ton)ueF'as !ell as a live video feed of the antimatter canister counting do!n. "ncre%i'le#
9f course/ all of that had all been at the camerlegno@s behest/ so that !as not the reason 8lic" and =acri !ere no!
loc"ed in a S!iss 8uard holding tan". )t had been 8lic"@s daring addendum to their coverage that the guards had not
appreciated. 8lic" "ne! the conversation on !hich he had 0ust reported !as not intended for his ears/ but this !as his
moment in the sun. (nother *lick scoopF
E+he 11th $our SamaritanDE =acri groaned on the bench beside him/ clearl% unimpressed.
8lic" smiled. E4rilliant/ !asn@t itDE
E4rilliantl% dumb.E
$he+s 6ust 6ealous/ 8lic" "ne!. Shortl% after the camerlegno@s address/ 8lic" had again/ b% chance/ been in the right
place at the right time. $e@d overheard Rocher giving ne! orders to his men. pparentl% Rocher had received a phone
call from a m%sterious individual !ho Rocher claimed had critical information regarding the current crisis. Rocher !as
tal"ing as if this man could help them and !as advising his guards to prepare for the guest@s arrival.
lthough the information !as clearl% private/ 8lic" had acted as an% dedicated reporter !ould'!ithout honor.
$e@d found a dar" corner/ ordered =acri to fire up her remote camera/ and he@d reported the ne!s.
EShoc"ing ne! developments in 8od@s cit%/E he had announced/ squinting his e%es for added intensit%. +hen he@d
gone on to sa% that a m%ster% guest !as coming to .atican ,it% to save the da%. The 11th 0our $amaritan/ 8lic" had
called him'a perfect name for the faceless man appearing at the last moment to do a good deed. +he other net!or"s had
pic"ed up the catch% sound bite/ and 8lic" !as %et again immortali&ed.
"+m 'rilliant/ he mused. Peter 2ennin)s 6ust 6umpe% o&& a 'ri%)e.
9f course 8lic" had not stopped there. #hile he had the !orld@s attention/ he had thro!n in a little of his o!n
conspirac% theor% for good measure.
Brilliant. Btterly 'rilliant.
EBou scre!ed us/E =acri said. EBou totall% ble! it.E
E#hat do %ou meanD ) !as greatFE
=acri stared disbelievingl%. EFormer 7resident 8eorge 4ushD n )lluminatusDE
8lic" smiled. $o! much more obvious could it beD 8eorge 4ush !as a !ell-documented/ OOrd-degree =ason/ an%
he !as the head of the ,) !hen the agenc% closed their )lluminati investigation for lac" of evidence. nd all those
speeches about Ea thousand points of lightE and a E<e! #orld 9rderE* 4ush !as obviousl% )lluminati.
End that bit about ,1R<DE =acri chided. EBou are going to have a ver% big line of la!%ers outside %our door
tomorro!.E
E,1R<D 9h come onF )t@s so obviousF +hin" about itF +he )lluminati disappear off the face of the earth in the
1KA3s at about the same time ,1R< is &oun%e%. ,1R< is a haven for the most enlightened people on earth. +ons of
private funding. +he% build a !eapon that can destro% the church/ and oopsF* the% lose itFE
ESo %ou tell the !orld that ,1R< is the ne! home base of the )lluminatiDE
E9bviousl%F 4rotherhoods don@t 0ust disappear. +he )lluminati had to go somewhere. ,1R< is a perfect place for
them to hide. )@m not sa%ing ever%one at ,1R< is )lluminati. )t@s probabl% li"e a huge =asonic lodge/ !here most
people are innocent/ but the upper echelons'E
E$ave %ou ever heard of slander/ 8lic"D Liabilit%DE
E$ave %ou ever heard of real 0ournalismFE
E5ournalismD Bou !ere pulling bullshit out of thin airF ) should have turned off the cameraF nd !hat the hell !as
that crap about ,1R<@s corporate logoD Satanic s%mbolog%D $ave %ou lost %our mindDE
8lic" smiled. =acri@s 0ealous% !as definitel% sho!ing. +he ,1R< logo had been the most brilliant coup of all.
1ver since the camerlegno@s address/ all the net!or"s !ere tal"ing about ,1R< and antimatter. Some stations !ere
sho!ing the ,1R< corporate logo as a bac"drop. +he logo seemed standard enough't!o intersecting circles
representing t!o particle accelerators/ and five tangential lines representing particle in0ection tubes. +he !hole !orld
!as staring at this logo/ but it had been 8lic"/ a bit of a s%mbologist himself/ !ho had first seen the )lluminati
s%mbolog% hidden in it.
EBou@re not a s%mbologist/E =acri chided/ E%ou@re 0ust one luc"%-ass reporter. Bou should have left the s%mbolog%
to the $arvard gu%.E
E+he $arvard gu% missed it/E 8lic" said.
The "lluminati si)ni&icance in this lo)o is so o'!ious#
$e !as beaming inside. lthough ,1R< had lots of accelerators/ their logo sho!ed onl% t!o. Two is the "lluminati
num'er o& %uality. lthough most accelerators had onl% one in0ection tube/ the logo sho!ed five. Fi!e is the num'er o&
the "lluminati penta)ram. +hen had come the coup'the most brilliant point of all. 8lic" pointed out that the logo
contained a large numeral ER'clearl% formed b% one of the lines and circles'and !hen the logo !as rotated/ another six
appeared* and then another. +he logo contained three sixesF RRRF +he devil@s numberF +he mar" of the beastF
8lic" !as a genius.
=acri loo"ed read% to slug him.
+he 0ealous% !ould pass/ 8lic" "ne!/ his mind no! !andering to another thought. )f ,1R< !as )lluminati
headquarters/ !as ,1R< !here the )lluminati "ept their infamous )lluminati ;iamondD 8lic" had read about it on the
)nternet'Ea &lawless %iamon%- 'orn o& the ancient elements with such per&ection that all those who saw it coul% only
stan% in won%er.E
8lic" !ondered if the secret !hereabouts of the )lluminati ;iamond might be %et another m%ster% he could unveil
tonight.
!;"
7ia&&a <avona. Fountain o& the Four Ri!ers.
<ights in Rome/ li"e those in the desert/ can be surprisingl% cool/ even after a !arm da%. Langdon !as huddled
no! on the fringes of 7ia&&a <avona/ pulling his 0ac"et around him. Li"e the distant !hite noise of traffic/ a cacophon%
of ne!s reports echoed across the cit%. $e chec"ed his !atch. Fifteen minutes. $e !as grateful for a fe! moments of
rest.
+he pia&&a !as deserted. 4ernini@s masterful fountain si&&led before him !ith a fearful sorcer%. +he foaming pool
sent a magical mist up!ard/ lit from beneath b% under!ater floodlights. Langdon sensed a cool electricit% in the air.
+he fountain@s most arresting qualit% !as its height. +he central core alone !as over t!ent% feet tall'a rugged
mountain of travertine marble riddled !ith caves and grottoes through !hich the !ater churned. +he entire mound !as
draped !ith pagan figures. top this stood an obelis" that climbed another fort% feet. Langdon let his e%es climb. 9n the
obelis"@s tip/ a faint shado! blotted the s"%/ a lone pigeon perched silentl%.
( cross/ Langdon thought/ still ama&ed b% the arrangement of the mar"ers across Rome. 4ernini@s Fountain o& the
Four Ri!ers !as the last altar of science. 9nl% hours ago Langdon had been standing in the 7antheon convinced the
7ath of )llumination had been bro"en and he !ould never get this far. )t had been a foolish blunder. )n fact/ the entire
path !as intact. Earth- (ir- Fire- 3ater. nd Langdon had follo!ed it* from beginning to end.
Not =uite to the en%/ he reminded himself. +he path had &i!e stops/ not four. +his fourth mar"er fountain someho!
pointed to the ultimate destin%'the )lluminati@s sacred lair'the ,hurch of )llumination. Langdon !ondered if the lair
!ere still standing. $e !ondered if that !as !here the $assassin had ta"en .ittoria.
Langdon found his e%es probing the figures in the fountain/ loo"ing for an% clue as to the direction of the lair. et
an)els )ui%e you on your lo&ty =uest. lmost immediatel%/ though/ he !as overcome b% an unsettling a!areness. +his
fountain contained no angels !hatsoever. )t certainl% contained none Langdon could see from !here he !as standing*
and none he had ever seen in the past. The Fountain o& the Four Ri!ers !as a pagan !or". +he carvings !ere all
profane'humans/ animals/ even an a!"!ard armadillo. n angel here !ould stic" out li"e a sore thumb.
"s this the wron) place1 $e considered the cruciform arrangement of the four obelis"s. $e clenched his fists. This
&ountain is per&ect.
)t !as onl% 13(2R 7.=. !hen a blac" van emerged from the alle%!a% on the far side of the pia&&a. Langdon !ould
not have given it a second loo" except that the van drove !ith no headlights. Li"e a shar" patrolling a moonlit ba%/ the
vehicle circled the perimeter of the pia&&a.
Langdon hun"ered lo!er/ crouched in the shado!s beside the huge stair!a% leading up to the ,hurch of St. gnes
in gon%. $e ga&ed out at the pia&&a/ his pulse climbing.
fter ma"ing t!o complete circuits/ the van ban"ed in!ard to!ard 4ernini@s fountain. )t pulled abreast of the
basin/ moving laterall% along the rim until its side !as flush !ith the fountain. +hen it par"ed/ its sliding door
positioned onl% inches above the churning !ater.
=ist billo!ed.
Langdon felt an uneas% premonition. $ad the $assassin arrived earl%D $ad he come in a vanD Langdon had
imagined the "iller escorting his last victim across the pia&&a on foot/ li"e he had at St. 7eter@s/ giving Langdon an open
shot. 4ut if the $assassin had arrived in a van/ the rules had 0ust changed.
Suddenl%/ the van@s side door slid open.
9n the floor of the van/ contorted in agon%/ la% a na"ed man. +he man !as !rapped in %ards of heav% chains. $e
thrashed against the iron lin"s/ but the chains !ere too heav%. 9ne of the lin"s bisected the man@s mouth li"e a horse@s
bit/ stifling his cries for help. )t !as then that Langdon sa! the second figure/ moving around behind the prisoner in the
dar"/ as though ma"ing final preparations.
Langdon "ne! he had onl% seconds to act.
+a"ing the gun/ he slipped off his 0ac"et and dropped it on the ground. $e didn@t !ant the added encumbrance of a
t!eed 0ac"et/ nor did he have an% intention of ta"ing 8alileo@s @ia)ramma an%!here near the !ater. +he document
!ould sta% here !here it !as safe and dr%.
Langdon scrambled to his right. ,ircling the perimeter of the fountain/ he positioned himself directl% opposite the
van. +he fountain@s massive centerpiece obscured his vie!. Standing/ he ran directl% to!ard the basin. $e hoped the
thundering !ater !as dro!ning his footsteps. #hen he reached the fountain/ he climbed over the rim and dropped into
the foaming pool.
+he !ater !as !aist deep and li"e ice. Langdon grit his teeth and plo!ed through the !ater. +he bottom !as
slipper%/ made doubl% treacherous b% a stratum of coins thro!n for good luc". Langdon sensed he !ould need more
than good luc". s the mist rose all around him/ he !ondered if it !as the cold or the fear that !as causing the gun in
his hand to sha"e.
$e reached the interior of the fountain and circled bac" to his left. $e !aded hard/ clinging to the cover of the
marble forms. $iding himself behind the huge carved form of a horse/ Langdon peered out. +he van !as onl% fifteen
feet a!a%. +he $assassin !as crouched on the floor of the van/ hands planted on the cardinal@s chain-clad bod%/
preparing to roll him out the open door into the fountain.
#aist-deep in !ater/ Robert Langdon raised his gun and stepped out of the mist/ feeling li"e some sort of aquatic
co!bo% ma"ing a final stand. E;on@t move.E $is voice !as steadier than the gun.
+he $assassin loo"ed up. For a moment he seemed confused/ as though he had seen a ghost. +hen his lips curled
into an evil smile. $e raised his arms in submission. End so it goes.E
E8et out of the van.E
EBou loo" !et.E
EBou@re earl%.E
E) am eager to return to m% pri&e.E
Langdon leveled the gun. E) !on@t hesitate to shoot.E
EBou@ve alread% hesitated.E
Langdon felt his finger tighten on the trigger. +he cardinal la% motionless no!. $e loo"ed exhausted/ moribund.
E:ntie him.E
EForget him. Bou@ve come for the !oman. ;o not pretend other!ise.E
Langdon fought the urge to end it right there. E#here is sheDE
ESome!here safe. !aiting m% return.E
$he+s ali!e. Langdon felt a ra% of hope. Et the ,hurch of )lluminationDE
+he "iller smiled. EBou !ill never find its location.E
Langdon !as incredulous. The lair is still stan%in). $e aimed the gun. E#hereDE
E+he location has remained secret for centuries. 1ven to me it !as onl% revealed recentl%. ) !ould die before )
brea" that trust.E
E) can find it !ithout %ou.E
En arrogant thought.E
Langdon motioned to the fountain. E)@ve come this far.E
ESo have man%. +he final step is the hardest.E
Langdon stepped closer/ his footing tentative beneath the !ater. +he $assassin loo"ed remar"abl% calm/ squatting
there in the bac" of the van !ith his arms raised over his head. Langdon aimed at his chest/ !ondering if he should
simpl% shoot and be done !ith it. No. 0e knows where ?ittoria is. 0e knows where the antimatter is. " nee%
in&ormation#
From the dar"ness of the van the $assassin ga&ed out at his aggressor and couldn@t help but feel an amused pit%.
+he merican !as brave/ that he had proven. 4ut he !as also untrained. +hat he had also proven. .alor !ithout
expertise !as suicide. +here !ere rules of survival. ncient rules. nd the merican !as brea"ing all of them.
You ha% the a%!anta)e<the element o& surprise. You s=uan%ere% it.
+he merican !as indecisive* hoping for bac"up most li"el%* or perhaps a slip of the tongue that !ould reveal
critical information.
Ne!er interro)ate 'e&ore you %isa'le your prey. ( cornere% enemy is a %ea%ly enemy.
+he merican !as tal"ing again. 7robing. =aneuvering.
+he "iller almost laughed aloud. This is not one o& your 0ollywoo% mo!ies there will 'e no lon) %iscussions at
)unpoint 'e&ore the &inal shoot>out. This is the en%. Now.
#ithout brea"ing e%e contact/ the "iller inched his hands across the ceiling of the van until he found !hat he !as
loo"ing for. Staring dead ahead/ he grasped it.
+hen he made his pla%.
+he motion !as utterl% unexpected. For an instant/ Langdon thought the la!s of ph%sics had ceased to exist. +he
"iller seemed to hang !eightless in the air as his legs shot out from beneath him/ his boots driving into the cardinal@s
side and launching the chain-laden bod% out the door. +he cardinal splashed do!n/ sending up a sheet of spra%.
#ater dousing his face/ Langdon reali&ed too late !hat had happened. +he "iller had grasped one of the van@s roll
bars and used it to s!ing out!ard. <o! the $assassin !as sailing to!ard him/ feet-first through the spra%.
Langdon pulled the trigger/ and the silencer spat. +he bullet exploded through the toe of the $assassin@s left boot.
)nstantl% Langdon felt the soles of the $assassin@s boots connect !ith his chest/ driving him bac" !ith a crushing "ic".
+he t!o men splashed do!n in a spra% of blood and !ater.
s the ic% liquid engulfed Langdon@s bod%/ his first cognition !as pain. Survival instinct came next. $e reali&ed he
!as no longer holding his !eapon. )t had been "noc"ed a!a%. ;iving deep/ he groped along the slim% bottom. $is hand
gripped metal. handful of coins. $e dropped them. 9pening his e%es/ Langdon scanned the glo!ing basin. +he !ater
churned around him li"e a frigid 5acu&&i.
;espite the instinct to breathe/ fear "ept him on the bottom. l!a%s moving. $e did not "no! from !here the next
assault !ould come. $e needed to find the gunF $is hands groped desperatel% in front of him.
You ha!e the a%!anta)e/ he told himself. You are in your element. 1ven in a soa"ed turtlenec" Langdon !as an
agile s!immer. 3ater is your element.
#hen Langdon@s fingers found metal a second time/ he !as certain his luc" had changed. +he ob0ect in his hand
!as no handful of coins. $e gripped it and tried to pull it to!ard him/ but !hen he did/ he found himself gliding through
the !ater. +he ob0ect !as stationar%.
Langdon reali&ed even before he coasted over the cardinal@s !rithing bod% that he had grasped part of the metal
chain that !as !eighing the man do!n. Langdon hovered a moment/ immobili&ed b% the sight of the terrified face
staring up at him from the floor of the fountain.
5olted b% the life in the man@s e%es/ Langdon reached do!n and grabbed the chains/ tr%ing to heave him to!ard the
surface. +he bod% came slo!l%* li"e an anchor. Langdon pulled harder. #hen the cardinal@s head bro"e the surface/
the old man gasped a fe! suc"ing/ desperate breaths. +hen/ violentl%/ his bod% rolled/ causing Langdon to lose his grip
on the slipper% chains. Li"e a stone/ 4aggia !ent do!n again and disappeared beneath the foaming !ater.
Langdon dove/ e%es !ide in the liquid mur"iness. $e found the cardinal. +his time/ !hen Langdon grabbed on/ the
chains across 4aggia@s chest shifted* parting to reveal a further !ic"edness* a !ord stamped in seared flesh.
n instant later/ t!o boots strode into vie!. 9ne !as gushing blood.
!;#
s a !ater polo pla%er/ Robert Langdon had endured more than his fair share of under!ater battles. +he
competitive savager% that raged beneath the surface of a !ater polo pool/ a!a% from the e%es of the referees/ could rival
even the ugliest !restling match. Langdon had been "ic"ed/ scratched/ held/ and even bitten once b% a frustrated
defenseman from !hom Langdon had continuousl% t!isted a!a%.
<o!/ though/ thrashing in the frigid !ater of 4ernini@s fountain/ Langdon "ne! he !as a long !a% from the
$arvard pool. $e !as fighting not for a game/ but for his life. +his !as the second time the% had battled. <o referees
here. <o rematches. +he arms driving his face to!ard the bottom of the basin thrust !ith a force that left no doubt that it
intended to "ill.
Langdon instinctivel% spun li"e a torpedo. Break the hol%# 4ut the grip torqued him bac"/ his attac"er en0o%ing an
advantage no !ater polo defenseman ever had't!o feet on solid ground. Langdon contorted/ tr%ing to get his o!n feet
beneath him. +he $assassin seemed to be favoring one arm* but nonetheless/ his grip held firm.
)t !as then that Langdon "ne! he !as not coming up. $e did the onl% thing he could thin" of to do. $e stopped
tr%ing to surface. "& you can+t )o north- )o east. =arshalling the last of his strength/ Langdon dolphin-"ic"ed his legs
and pulled his arms beneath him in an a!"!ard butterfl% stro"e. $is bod% lurched for!ard.
+he sudden s!itch in direction seemed to ta"e the $assassin off guard. Langdon@s lateral motion dragged his
captor@s arms side!a%s/ compromising his balance. +he man@s grip faltered/ and Langdon "ic"ed again. +he sensation
felt li"e a to!line had snapped. Suddenl% Langdon !as free. 4lo!ing the stale air from his lungs/ Langdon cla!ed for
the surface. single breath !as all he got. #ith crashing force the $assassin !as on top of him again/ palms on his
shoulders/ all of his !eight bearing do!n. Langdon scrambled to plant his feet beneath him but the $assassin@s leg
s!ung out/ cutting Langdon do!n.
$e !ent under again.
Langdon@s muscles burned as he t!isted beneath the !ater. +his time his maneuvers !ere in vain. +hrough the
bubbling !ater/ Langdon scanned the bottom/ loo"ing for the gun. 1ver%thing !as blurred. +he bubbles !ere denser
here. blinding light flashed in his face as the "iller !restled him deeper/ to!ard a submerged spotlight bolted on the
floor of the fountain. Langdon reached out/ grabbing the canister. )t !as hot. Langdon tried to pull himself free/ but the
contraption !as mounted on hinges and pivoted in his hand. $is leverage !as instantl% lost.
+he $assassin drove him deeper still.
)t !as then Langdon sa! it. 7o"ing out from under the coins directl% beneath his face. narro!/ blac" c%linder.
The silencer o& 9li!etti+s )un# Langdon reached out/ but as his fingers !rapped around the c%linder/ he did not feel
metal/ he felt plastic. #hen he pulled/ the flexible rubber hose came flopping to!ard him li"e a flims% sna"e. )t !as
about t!o feet long !ith a 0et of bubbles surging from the end. Langdon had not found the gun at all. )t !as one of the
fountain@s man% harmless spumanti bubble ma"ers.
9nl% a fe! feet a!a%/ ,ardinal 4aggia felt his soul straining to leave his bod%. lthough he had prepared for this
moment his entire life/ he had never imagined the end !ould be li"e this. $is ph%sical shell !as in agon%* burned/
bruised/ and held under!ater b% an immovable !eight. $e reminded himself that this suffering !as nothing compared
to !hat 5esus had endured.
0e %ie% &or my sins
4aggia could hear the thrashing of a battle raging nearb%. $e could not bear the thought of it. $is captor !as about
to extinguish %et another life* the man !ith "ind e%es/ the man !ho had tried to help.
s the pain mounted/ 4aggia la% on his bac" and stared up through the !ater at the blac" s"% above him. For a
moment he thought he sa! stars.
)t !as time.
Releasing all fear and doubt/ 4aggia opened his mouth and expelled !hat he "ne! !ould be his final breath. $e
!atched his spirit gurgle heaven!ard in a burst of transparent bubbles. +hen/ reflexivel%/ he gasped. +he !ater poured
in li"e ic% daggers to his sides. +he pain lasted onl% a fe! seconds.
+hen* peace.
+he $assassin ignored the burning in his foot and focused on the dro!ning merican/ !hom he no! held pinned
beneath him in the churning !ater. Finish it &ully. $e tightened his grip/ "no!ing this time Robert Langdon !ould not
survive. s he predicted/ his victim@s struggling became !ea"er and !ea"er.
Suddenl% Langdon@s bod% !ent rigid. $e began to sha"e !ildl%.
Yes/ the $assassin mused. The ri)ors. 3hen the water &irst hits the lun)s. +he rigors/ he "ne!/ !ould last about
five seconds.
+he% lasted six.
+hen/ exactl% as the $assassin expected/ his victim !ent suddenl% flaccid. Li"e a great deflating balloon/ Robert
Langdon fell limp. )t !as over. +he $assassin held him do!n for another thirt% seconds to let the !ater flood all of his
pulmonar% tissue. 8raduall%/ he felt Langdon@s bod% sin"/ on its o!n accord/ to the bottom. Finall%/ the $assassin let
go. +he media !ould find a double surprise in the Fountain of the Four Rivers.
ETa''an#E the $assassin s!ore/ clambering out of the fountain and loo"ing at his bleeding toe. +he tip of his boot
!as shredded/ and the front of his big toe had been sheared off. ngr% at his o!n carelessness/ he tore the cuff from his
pant leg and rammed the fabric into the toe of his boot. 7ain shot up his leg. E"'n al>kal'#E $e clenched his fists and
rammed the cloth deeper. +he bleeding slo!ed until it !as onl% a tric"le.
+urning his thoughts from pain to pleasure/ the $assassin got into his van. $is !or" in Rome !as done. $e "ne!
exactl% !hat !ould soothe his discomfort. .ittoria .etra !as bound and !aiting. +he $assassin/ even cold and !et/ felt
himself stiffen.
" ha!e earne% my rewar%.
cross to!n .ittoria a!o"e in pain. She !as on her bac". ll of her muscles felt li"e stone. +ight. 4rittle. $er arms
hurt. #hen she tried to move/ she felt spasms in her shoulders. )t too" her a moment to comprehend her hands !ere tied
behind her bac". $er initial reaction !as confusion. (m " %reamin)1 4ut !hen she tried to lift her head/ the pain at the
base of her s"ull informed her of her !a"efulness.
,onfusion transforming to fear/ she scanned her surroundings. She !as in a crude/ stone room'large and
!ell-furnished/ lit b% torches. Some "ind of ancient meeting hall. 9ld-fashioned benches sat in a circle nearb%.
.ittoria felt a bree&e/ cold no! on her s"in. <earb%/ a set of double doors stood open/ be%ond them a balcon%.
+hrough the slits in the balustrade/ .ittoria could have s!orn she sa! the .atican.
!;$
Robert Langdon la% on a bed of coins at the bottom of the Fountain o& the Four Ri!ers. $is mouth !as still
!rapped around the plastic hose. +he air being pumped through the spumanti tube to froth the fountain had been
polluted b% the pump/ and his throat burned. $e !as not complaining/ though. $e !as alive.
$e !as not sure ho! accurate his imitation of a dro!ning man had been/ but having been around !ater his entire
life/ Langdon had certainl% heard accounts. $e had done his best. <ear the end/ he had even blo!n all the air from his
lungs and stopped breathing so that his muscle mass !ould carr% his bod% to the floor.
+han"full%/ the $assassin had bought it and let go.
<o!/ resting on the bottom of the fountain/ Langdon had !aited as long as he could !ait. $e !as about to start
cho"ing. $e !ondered if the $assassin !as still out there. +a"ing an acrid breath from the tube/ Langdon let go and
s!am across the bottom of the fountain until he found the smooth s!ell of the central core. Silentl%/ he follo!ed it
up!ard/ surfacing out of sight/ in the shado!s beneath the huge marble figures.
+he van !as gone.
+hat !as all Langdon needed to see. 7ulling a long breath of fresh air bac" into his lungs/ he scrambled bac"
to!ard !here ,ardinal 4aggia had gone do!n. Langdon "ne! the man !ould be unconscious no!/ and chances of
revival !ere slim/ but he had to tr%. #hen Langdon found the bod%/ he planted his feet on either side/ reached do!n/
and grabbed the chains !rapped around the cardinal. +hen Langdon pulled. #hen the cardinal bro"e !ater/ Langdon
could see the e%es !ere alread% rolled up!ard/ bulging. <ot a good sign. +here !as no breath or pulse.
6no!ing he could never get the bod% up and over the fountain rim/ Langdon lugged ,ardinal 4aggia through the
!ater and into the hollo! beneath the central mound of marble. $ere the !ater became shallo!/ and there !as an
inclined ledge. Langdon dragged the na"ed bod% up onto the ledge as far as he could. <ot far.
+hen he !ent to !or". ,ompressing the cardinal@s chain-clad chest/ Langdon pumped the !ater from his lungs.
+hen he began ,7R. ,ounting carefull%. ;eliberatel%. Resisting the instinct to blo! too hard and too fast. For three
minutes Langdon tried to revive the old man. fter five minutes/ Langdon "ne! it !as over.
"l pre&erito. +he man !ho !ould be 7ope. L%ing dead before him.
Someho!/ even no!/ prostrate in the shado!s on the semisubmerged ledge/ ,ardinal 4aggia retained an air of
quiet dignit%. +he !ater lapped softl% across his chest/ seeming almost remorseful* as if as"ing forgiveness for being
the man@s ultimate "iller* as if tr%ing to cleanse the scalded !ound that bore its name.
8entl%/ Langdon ran a hand across the man@s face and closed his upturned e%es. s he did/ he felt an exhausted
shudder of tears !ell from !ithin. )t startled him. +hen/ for the first time in %ears/ Langdon cried.
!;%
+he fog of !ear% emotion lifted slo!l% as Langdon !aded a!a% from the dead cardinal/ bac" into deep !ater.
;epleted and alone in the fountain/ Langdon half-expected to collapse. 4ut instead/ he felt a ne! compulsion rising
!ithin him. :ndeniable. Frantic. $e sensed his muscles hardening !ith an unexpected grit. $is mind/ as though
ignoring the pain in his heart/ forced aside the past and brought into focus the single/ desperate tas" ahead.
Fin% the "lluminati lair. 0elp ?ittoria.
+urning no! to the mountainous core of 4ernini@s fountain/ Langdon summoned hope and launched himself into
his quest for the final )lluminati mar"er. $e "ne! some!here on this gnarled mass of figures !as a clue that pointed to
the lair. s Langdon scanned the fountain/ though/ his hope !ithered quic"l%. +he !ords of the se)no seemed to gurgle
moc"ingl% all around him. et an)els )ui%e you on your lo&ty =uest. Langdon glared at the carved forms before him.
The &ountain is pa)an# "t has no %amn an)els anywhere#
#hen Langdon completed his fruitless search of the core/ his e%es instinctivel% climbed the to!ering stone pillar.
Four markers/ he thought/ sprea% across Rome in a )iant cross.
Scanning the hierogl%phics covering the obelis"/ he !ondered if perhaps there !ere a clue hidden in the 1g%ptian
s%mbolog%. $e immediatel% dismissed the idea. +he hierogl%phs predated 4ernini b% centuries/ and hierogl%phs had not
even been decipherable until the Rosetta Stone !as discovered. Still/ Langdon ventured/ ma%be 4ernini had carved an
additional s%mbolD 9ne that !ould go unnoticed among all the hierogl%phsD
Feeling a shimmer of hope/ Langdon circumnavigated the fountain one more time and studied all four faWades of
the obelis". )t too" him t!o minutes/ and !hen he reached the end of the final face/ his hopes san". <othing in the
hierogl%phs stood out as an% "ind of addition. ,ertainl% no angels.
Langdon chec"ed his !atch. )t !as eleven on the dot. $e couldn@t tell !hether time !as fl%ing or cra!ling. )mages
of .ittoria and the $assassin started to s!irl hauntingl% as Langdon clambered his !a% around the fountain/ the
frustration mounting as he franticall% completed %et another fruitless circle. 4eaten and exhausted/ Langdon felt read%
to collapse. $e thre! bac" his head to scream into the night.
+he sound 0ammed in his throat.
Langdon !as staring straight up the obelis". +he ob0ect perched at the ver% top !as one he had seen earlier and
ignored. <o!/ ho!ever/ it stopped him short. )t !as not an angel. Far from it. )n fact/ he had not even perceived it as
part of 4ernini@s fountain. $e thought it !as a living creature/ another one of the cit%@s scavengers perched on a loft%
to!er.
( pi)eon.
Langdon squinted s"%!ard at the ob0ect/ his vision blurred b% the glo!ing mist around him. )t !as a pigeon/ !asn@t
itD $e could clearl% see the head and bea" silhouetted against a cluster of stars. nd %et the bird had not budged since
Langdon@s arrival/ even !ith the battle belo!. +he bird sat no! exactl% as it had been !hen Langdon entered the
square. )t !as perched high atop the obelis"/ ga&ing calml% !est!ard.
Langdon stared at it a moment and then plunged his hand into the fountain and grabbed a fistful of coins. $e hurled
the coins s"%!ard. +he% clattered across the upper levels of the granite obelis". +he bird did not budge. $e tried again.
+his time/ one of the coins hit the mar". faint sound of metal on metal clanged across the square.
+he damned pigeon !as bron&e.
You+re lookin) &or an an)el- not a pi)eon/ a voice reminded him. 4ut it !as too late. Langdon had made the
connection. $e reali&ed the bird !as not a pigeon at all.
)t !as a dove.
4arel% a!are of his o!n actions/ Langdon splashed to!ard the center of the fountain and began scrambling up the
travertine mountain/ clambering over huge arms and heads/ pulling himself higher. $alf!a% to the base of the obelis"/
he emerged from the mist and could see the head of the bird more clearl%.
+here !as no doubt. )t !as a dove. +he bird@s deceptivel% dar" color !as the result of Rome@s pollution tarnishing
the original bron&e. +hen the significance hit him. $e had seen a pair of doves earlier toda% at the 7antheon. pair of
doves carried no meaning. +his dove/ ho!ever/ !as alone.
The lone %o!e is the pa)an sym'ol &or the (n)el o& Peace.
+he truth almost lifted Langdon the rest of the !a% to the obelis". 4ernini had chosen the pa)an s%mbol for the
angel so he could disguise it in a pagan fountain. et an)els )ui%e you on your lo&ty =uest. The %o!e is the an)el#
Langdon could thin" of no more loft% perch for the )lluminati@s final mar"er than atop this obelis".
+he bird !as loo"ing !est. Langdon tried to follo! its ga&e/ but he could not see over the buildings. $e climbed
higher. quote from St. 8regor% of <%ssa emerged from his memor% most unexpectedl%. (s the soul 'ecomes
enli)htene% it takes the 'eauti&ul shape o& the %o!e.
Langdon rose heaven!ard. +o!ard the dove. $e !as almost fl%ing no!. $e reached the platform from !hich the
obelis" rose and could climb no higher. #ith one loo" around/ though/ he "ne! he didn@t have to. ll of Rome spread
out before him. +he vie! !as stunning.
+o his left/ the chaotic media lights surrounding St. 7eter@s. +o his right/ the smo"ing cupola of Santa =aria della
.ittoria. )n front of him in the distance/ 7ia&&a del 7opolo. 4eneath him/ the fourth and final point. giant cross of
obelis"s.
+rembling/ Langdon loo"ed to the dove overhead. $e turned and faced the proper direction/ and then he lo!ered
his e%es to the s"%line.
)n an instant he sa! it.
So obvious. So clear. So deviousl% simple.
Staring at it no!/ Langdon could not believe the )lluminati lair had sta%ed hidden for so man% %ears. +he entire cit%
seemed to fade a!a% as he loo"ed out at the monstrous stone structure across the river in front of him. +he building !as
as famous as an% in Rome. )t stood on the ban"s of the +iber River diagonall% ad0acent to the .atican. +he building@s
geometr% !as star"'a circular castle/ !ithin a square fortress/ and then/ outside its !alls/ surrounding the entire
structure/ a par" in the shape of a penta)ram.
+he ancient stone ramparts before him !ere dramaticall% lit b% soft floodlights. $igh atop the castle stood the
mammoth bron&e angel. +he angel pointed his s!ord do!n!ard at the exact center of the castle. nd as if that !ere not
enough/ leading solel% and directl% to the castle@s main entrance stood the famous 4ridge of ngels* a dramatic
approach!a% adorned b% t!elve to!ering angels carved b% none other than 4ernini himself.
)n a final breathta"ing revelation/ Langdon reali&ed 4ernini@s cit%-!ide cross of obelis"s mar"ed the fortress in
perfect )lluminati fashionJ the cross@s central arm passed %irectly through the center of the castle@s bridge/ dividing it
into t!o equal halves.
Langdon retrieved his t!eed coat/ holding it a!a% from his dripping bod%. +hen he 0umped into the stolen sedan
and rammed his sogg% shoe into the accelerator/ speeding off into the night.
!;&
)t !as 11(3M 7.=. Langdon@s car raced through the Roman night. Speeding do!n Lungotevere +or ;i <ona/
parallel !ith the river/ Langdon could no! see his destination rising li"e a mountain to his right.
Castel $ant+ (n)elo. ,astle of the ngel.
#ithout !arning/ the turnoff to the narro! 4ridge of ngels'7onte Sant@ ngelo'appeared suddenl%. Langdon
slammed on his bra"es and s!erved. $e turned in time/ but the bridge !as barricaded. $e s"idded ten feet and collided
!ith a series of short cement pillars bloc"ing his !a%. Langdon lurched for!ard as the vehicle stalled/ !hee&ing and
shuddering. $e had forgotten the 4ridge of ngels/ in order to preserve it/ !as no! &oned pedestrians onl%.
Sha"en/ Langdon staggered from the crumpled car/ !ishing no! he had chosen one of the other routes. $e felt
chilled/ shivering from the fountain. $e donned his $arris t!eed over his damp shirt/ grateful for $arris@s trademar"
double lining. +he @ia)ramma folio !ould remain dr%. 4efore him/ across the bridge/ the stone fortress rose li"e a
mountain. ching and depleted/ Langdon bro"e into a loping run.
9n both sides of him no!/ li"e a gauntlet of escorts/ a procession of 4ernini angels !hipped past/ funneling him
to!ard his final destination. et an)els )ui%e you on your lo&ty =uest. +he castle seemed to rise as he advanced/ an
unscalable pea"/ more intimidating to him even than St. 7eter@s. $e sprinted to!ard the bastion/ running on fumes/
ga&ing up!ard at the citadel@s circular core as it shot s"%!ard to a gargantuan/ s!ord-!ielding angel.
+he castle appeared deserted.
Langdon "ne! through the centuries the building had been used b% the .atican as a tomb/ a fortress/ a papal
hideout/ a prison for enemies of the church/ and a museum. pparentl%/ the castle had other tenants as !ell'the
)lluminati. Someho! it made eerie sense. lthough the castle !as propert% of the .atican/ it !as used onl%
sporadicall%/ and 4ernini had made numerous renovations to it over the %ears. +he building !as no! rumored to be
hone%combed !ith secret entries/ passage!a%s/ and hidden chambers. Langdon had little doubt that the angel and
surrounding pentagonal par" !ere 4ernini@s doing as !ell.
rriving at the castle@s elephantine double doors/ Langdon shoved them hard. <ot surprisingl%/ the% !ere
immovable. +!o iron "noc"ers hung at e%e level. Langdon didn@t bother. $e stepped bac"/ his e%es climbing the sheer
outer !all. +hese ramparts had fended off armies of 4erbers/ heathens/ and =oors. Someho! he sensed his chances of
brea"ing in !ere slim.
?ittoria/ Langdon thought. (re you in there1
Langdon hurried around the outer !all. There must 'e another entrance#
Rounding the second bul!ar" to the !est/ Langdon arrived breathless in a small par"ing area off Lungotere
ngelo. 9n this !all he found a second castle entrance/ a dra!bridge-t%pe ingress/ raised and sealed shut. Langdon
ga&ed up!ard again.
+he onl% lights on the castle !ere exterior floods illuminating the faWade. ll the tin% !indo!s inside seemed
blac". Langdon@s e%es climbed higher. t the ver% pea" of the central to!er/ a hundred feet above/ directl% beneath the
angel@s s!ord/ a single balcon% protruded. +he marble parapet seemed to shimmer slightl%/ as if the room be%ond it
!ere aglo! !ith torchlight. Langdon paused/ his soa"ed bod% shivering suddenl%. shado!D $e !aited/ straining.
+hen he sa! it again. $is spine pric"led. $omeone is up there#
E.ittoriaFE he called out/ unable to help himself/ but his voice !as s!allo!ed b% the raging +iber behind him. $e
!heeled in circles/ !ondering !here the hell the S!iss 8uard !ere. $ad the% even heard his transmissionD
cross the lot a large media truc" !as par"ed. Langdon ran to!ard it. paunch% man in headphones sat in the
cabin ad0usting levers. Langdon rapped on the side of the truc". +he man 0umped/ sa! Langdon@s dripping clothes/ and
%an"ed off his headset.
E#hat@s the !orr%/ mateDE $is accent !as ustralian.
E) need %our phone.E Langdon !as fren&ied.
+he man shrugged. E<o dial tone. 4een tr%ing all night. ,ircuits are pac"ed.E
Langdon s!ore aloud. E$ave %ou seen an%one go in thereDE $e pointed to the dra!bridge.
Ectuall%/ %eah. blac" van@s been going in and out all night.E
Langdon felt a bric" hit the bottom of his stomach.
ELuc"% bastard/E the ussie said/ ga&ing up at the to!er/ and then fro!ning at his obstructed vie! of the .atican. E)
bet the vie! from up there is perfect. ) couldn@t get through the traffic in St. 7eter@s/ so )@m shooting from here.E
Langdon !asn@t listening. $e !as loo"ing for options.
E#hat do %ou sa%DE the ustralian said. E+his 11th $our Samaritan for realDE
Langdon turned. E+he !hatDE
EBou didn@t hearD +he ,aptain of the S!iss 8uard got a call from somebod% !ho claims to have some primo info.
+he gu%@s fl%ing in right no!. ll ) "no! is if he saves the da%* there go the ratingsFE +he man laughed.
Langdon !as suddenl% confused. good Samaritan fl%ing in to helpD ;id the person someho! "no! !here the
antimatter !asD +hen !h% didn@t he 0ust tell the S!iss 8uardD #h% !as he coming in personD Something !as odd/ but
Langdon didn@t have time to figure out !hat.
E$e%/E the ussie said/ stud%ing Langdon more closel%. Ein@t %ou that gu% ) sa! on +.D +r%ing to save that
cardinal in St. 7eter@s SquareDE
Langdon did not ans!er. $is e%es had suddenl% loc"ed on a contraption attached to the top of the truc"'a satellite
dish on a collapsible appendage. Langdon loo"ed at the castle again. +he outer rampart !as fift% feet tall. +he inner
fortress climbed farther still. shelled defense. +he top !as impossibl% high from here/ but ma%be if he could clear the
first !all*
Langdon spun to the ne!sman and pointed to the satellite arm. E$o! high does that goDE
E$uhDE +he man loo"ed confused. EFifteen meters. #h%DE
E=ove the truc". 7ar" next to the !all. ) need help.E
E#hat are %ou tal"ing aboutDE
Langdon explained.
+he ussie@s e%es !ent !ide. Ere %ou insaneD +hat@s a t!o-
hundred-thousand-dollar telescoping extension. <ot a ladderFE
EBou !ant ratingsD )@ve got information that !ill ma"e %our da%.E Langdon !as desperate.
E)nformation !orth t!o hundred grandDE
Langdon told him !hat he !ould reveal in exchange for the favor.
<inet% seconds later/ Robert Langdon !as gripping the top of the satellite arm !avering in the bree&e fift% feet off
the ground. Leaning out/ he grabbed the top of the first bul!ar"/ dragged himself onto the !all/ and dropped onto the
castle@s lo!er bastion.
E<o! "eep %our bargainFE the ussie called up. E#here is heDE
Langdon felt guilt-ridden for revealing this information/ but a deal !as a deal. 4esides/ the $assassin !ould
probabl% call the press an%!a%. E7ia&&a <avona/E Langdon shouted. E$e@s in the fountain.E
+he ussie lo!ered his satellite dish and peeled out after the scoop of his career.
)n a stone chamber high above the cit%/ the $assassin removed his soa"ing boots and bandaged his !ounded toe.
+here !as pain/ but not so much that he couldn@t en0o% himself.
$e turned to his pri&e.
She !as in the corner of the room/ on her bac" on a rudimentar% divan/ hands tied behind her/ mouth gagged. +he
$assassin moved to!ard her. She !as a!a"e no!. +his pleased him. Surprisingl%/ in her e%es/ he sa! fire instead of
fear.
The &ear will come.
!;.
Robert Langdon dashed around the outer bul!ar" of the castle/ grateful for the glo! of the floodlights. s he
circled the !all/ the court%ard beneath him loo"ed li"e a museum of ancient !arfare'catapults/ stac"s of marble
cannonballs/ and an arsenal of fearful contraptions. 7arts of the castle !ere open to tourists during the da%/ and the
court%ard had been partiall% restored to its original state.
Langdon@s e%es crossed the court%ard to the central core of the fortress. +he circular citadel shot s"%!ard 13M feet
to the bron&e angel above. +he balcon% at the top still glo!ed from !ithin. Langdon !anted to call out but "ne! better.
$e !ould have to find a !a% in.
$e chec"ed his !atch.
11(1C 7.=.
;ashing do!n the stone ramp that hugged the inside of the !all/ Langdon descended to the court%ard. 4ac" on
ground level/ he ran through shado!s/ cloc"!ise around the fort. $e passed three porticos/ but all of them !ere
permanentl% sealed. 0ow %i% the 0assassin )et in1 Langdon pushed on. $e passed t!o modern entrances/ but the% !ere
padloc"ed from the outside. Not here. $e "ept running.
Langdon had circled almost the entire building !hen he sa! a gravel drive cutting across the court%ard in front of
him. t one end/ on the outer !all of the castle/ he sa! the bac" of the gated dra!bridge leading bac" outside. t the
other end/ the drive disappeared into the fortress. +he drive seemed to enter a "ind of tunnel'a gaping entr% in the
central core. "l tra&oro# Langdon had read about this castle@s tra&oro/ a giant spiral ramp that circled up inside the fort/
used b% commanders on horsebac" to ride from top to bottom rapidl%. The 0assassin %ro!e up# +he gate bloc"ing the
tunnel !as raised/ ushering Langdon in. $e felt almost exuberant as he ran to!ard the tunnel. 4ut as he reached the
opening/ his excitement disappeared.
+he tunnel spiraled %own.
+he !rong !a%. +his section of the tra&oro apparentl% descended to the dungeons/ not to the top.
Standing at the mouth of a dar" bore that seemed to t!ist endlessl% deeper into the earth/ Langdon hesitated/
loo"ing up again at the balcon%. $e could s!ear he sa! motion up there. @eci%e# #ith no other options/ he dashed
do!n into the tunnel.
$igh overhead/ the $assassin stood over his pre%. $e ran a hand across her arm. $er s"in !as li"e cream. +he
anticipation of exploring her bodil% treasures !as inebriating. $o! man% !a%s could he violate herD
+he $assassin "ne! he deserved this !oman. $e had served 5anus !ell. She !as a spoil of !ar/ and !hen he !as
finished !ith her/ he !ould pull her from the divan and force her to her "nees. She !ould service him again. The
ultimate su'mission. +hen/ at the moment of his o!n climax/ he !ould slit her throat.
*hayat assa+a%ah/ the% called it. The ultimate pleasure.
fter!ard/ bas"ing in his glor%/ he !ould stand on the balcon% and savor the culmination of the )lluminati
triumph* a revenge desired b% so man% for so long.
+he tunnel gre! dar"er. Langdon descended.
fter one complete turn into the earth/ the light !as all but gone. +he tunnel leveled out/ and Langdon slo!ed/
sensing b% the echo of his footfalls that he had 0ust entered a larger chamber. 4efore him in the mur"iness/ he thought
he sa! glimmers of light* fu&&% reflections in the ambient gleam. $e moved for!ard/ reaching out his hand. $e found
smooth surfaces. ,hrome and glass. )t !as a vehicle. $e groped the surface/ found a door/ and opened it.
+he vehicle@s interior dome-light flashed on. $e stepped bac" and recogni&ed the blac" van immediatel%. Feeling a
surge of loathing/ he stared a moment/ then he dove in/ rooting around in hopes of finding a !eapon to replace the one
he@d lost in the fountain. $e found none. $e did/ ho!ever/ find .ittoria@s cell phone. )t !as shattered and useless. +he
sight of it filled Langdon !ith fear. $e pra%ed he !as not too late.
$e reached up and turned on the van@s headlights. +he room around him bla&ed into existence/ harsh shado!s in a
simple chamber. Langdon guessed the room !as once used for horses and ammunition. )t !as also a dead end.
<o exit. " came the wron) way#
t the end of his rope/ Langdon 0umped from the van and scanned the !alls around him. <o door!a%s. <o gates.
$e thought of the angel over the tunnel entrance and !ondered if it had been a coincidence. No# $e thought of the
"iller@s !ords at the fountain. $he is in the Church o& "llumination awaitin) my return. Langdon had come too far to
fail no!. $is heart !as pounding. Frustration and hatred !ere starting to cripple his senses.
#hen he sa! the blood on the floor/ Langdon@s first thought !as for .ittoria. 4ut as his e%es follo!ed the stains/
he reali&ed the% !ere blood% footprints. +he strides !ere long. +he splotches of blood !ere onl% on the left foot. The
0assassin#
Langdon follo!ed the footprints to!ard the corner of the room/ his spra!ling shado! gro!ing fainter. $e felt more
and more pu&&led !ith ever% step. +he blood% prints loo"ed as though the% !al"ed directl% into the corner of the room
and then disappeared.
#hen Langdon arrived in the corner/ he could not believe his e%es. +he granite bloc" in the floor here !as not a
square li"e the others. $e !as loo"ing at another signpost. +he bloc" !as carved into a perfect pentagram/ arranged
!ith the tip pointing into the corner. )ngeniousl% concealed b% overlapping !alls/ a narro! slit in the stone served as an
exit. Langdon slid through. $e !as in a passage. )n front of him !ere the remains of a !ooden barrier that had once
been bloc"ing this tunnel.
4e%ond it there !as light.
Langdon !as running no!. $e clambered over the !ood and headed for the light. +he passage quic"l% opened into
another/ larger chamber. $ere a single torch flic"ered on the !all. Langdon !as in a section of the castle that had no
electricit%* a section no tourists !ould ever see. +he room !ould have been frightful in da%light/ but the torch made it
even more gruesome.
"l pri)ione.
+here !ere a do&en tin% 0ail cells/ the iron bars on most eroded a!a%. 9ne of the larger cells/ ho!ever/ remained
intact/ and on the floor Langdon sa! something that almost stopped his heart. 4lac" robes and red sashes on the floor.
This is where he hel% the car%inals#
<ear the cell !as an iron door!a% in the !all. +he door !as a0ar and be%ond it Langdon could see some sort of
passage. $e ran to!ard it. 4ut Langdon stopped before he got there. +he trail of blood did not enter the passage. #hen
Langdon sa! the !ords carved over the arch!a%/ he "ne! !h%.
"l Passetto.
$e !as stunned. $e had heard of this tunnel man% times/ never "no!ing !here exactl% the entrance !as. "l
Passetto'+he Little 7assage'!as a slender/ three-quarter-mile tunnel built bet!een ,astle St. ngelo and the .atican. )t
had been used b% various 7opes to escape to safet% during sieges of the .atican* as !ell as b% a fe! less pious 7opes
to secretl% visit mistresses or oversee the torture of their enemies. <o!ada%s both ends of the tunnel !ere supposedl%
sealed !ith impenetrable loc"s !hose "e%s !ere "ept in some .atican vault. Langdon suddenl% feared he "ne! ho! the
)lluminati had been moving in and out of the .atican. $e found himself !ondering who on the inside had betra%ed the
church and coughed up the "e%s. 9li!etti1 9ne o& the $wiss *uar%1 <one of it mattered an%more.
+he blood on the floor led to the opposite end of the prison. Langdon follo!ed. $ere/ a rust% gate hung draped !ith
chains. +he loc" had been removed and the gate stood a0ar. 4e%ond the gate !as a steep ascension of spiral stairs. +he
floor here !as also mar"ed !ith a pentagramal bloc". Langdon stared at the bloc"/ trembling/ !ondering if 4ernini
himself had held the chisel that had shaped these chun"s. 9verhead/ the arch!a% !as adorned !ith a tin% carved cherub.
+his !as it.
+he trail of blood curved up the stairs.
4efore ascending/ Langdon "ne! he needed a !eapon/ an% !eapon. $e found a four-foot section of iron bar near
one of the cells. )t had a sharp/ splintered end. lthough absurdl% heav%/ it !as the best he could do. $e hoped the
element of surprise/ combined !ith the $assassin@s !ound/ !ould be enough to tip the scales in his advantage. =ost of
all/ though/ he hoped he !as not too late.
+he staircase@s spiral treads !ere !orn and t!isted steepl% up!ard. Langdon ascended/ listening for sounds. <one.
s he climbed/ the light from the prison area faded a!a%. $e ascended into the total dar"ness/ "eeping one hand on the
!all. $igher. )n the blac"ness/ Langdon sensed the ghost of 8alileo/ climbing these ver% stairs/ eager to share his
visions of heaven !ith other men of science and faith.
Langdon !as still in a state of shoc" over the location of the lair. +he )lluminati meeting hall !as in a building
o!ned b% the .atican. <o doubt !hile the .atican guards !ere out searching basements and homes of !ell-"no!n
scientists/ the )lluminati !ere meeting here* right under the .atican@s nose. )t suddenl% seemed so perfect. 4ernini/ as
head architect of renovations here/ !ould have had unlimited access to this structure* remodeling it to his o!n
specifications !ith no questions as"ed. $o! man% secret entries had 4ernini addedD $o! man% subtle embellishments
pointing the !a%D
The Church o& "llumination. Langdon "ne! he !as close.
s the stairs began narro!ing/ Langdon felt the passage closing around him. +he shado!s of histor% !ere
!hispering in the dar"/ but he moved on. #hen he sa! the hori&ontal shaft of light before him/ he reali&ed he !as
standing a fe! steps beneath a landing/ !here the glo! of torchlight spilled out beneath the threshold of a door in front
of him. Silentl% he moved up.
Langdon had no idea !here in the castle he !as right no!/ but he "ne! he had climbed far enough to be near the
pea". $e pictured the mammoth angel atop the castle and suspected it !as directl% overhead.
3atch o!er me- an)el/ he thought/ gripping the bar. +hen/ silentl%/ he reached for the door.
9n the divan/ .ittoria@s arms ached. #hen she had first a!o"en to find them tied behind her bac"/ she@d thought
she might be able to relax and !or" her hands free. 4ut time had run out. +he beast had returned. <o! he !as standing
over her/ his chest bare and po!erful/ scarred from battles he had endured. $is e%es loo"ed li"e t!o blac" slits as he
stared do!n at her bod%. .ittoria sensed he !as imagining the deeds he !as about to perform. Slo!l%/ as if to taunt her/
the $assassin removed his soa"ing belt and dropped it on the floor.
.ittoria felt a loathing horror. She closed her e%es. #hen she opened them again/ the $assassin had produced a
s!itchblade "nife. $e snapped it open directl% in front of her face.
.ittoria sa! her o!n terrified reflection in the steel.
+he $assassin turned the blade over and ran the bac" of it across her bell%. +he ic% metal gave her chills. #ith a
contemptuous stare/ he slipped the blade belo! the !aistline of her shorts. She inhaled. $e moved bac" and forth/
slo!l%/ dangerousl%* lo!er. +hen he leaned for!ard/ his hot breath !hispering in her ear.
E+his blade cut out %our father@s e%e.E
.ittoria "ne! in that instant that she !as capable of "illing.
+he $assassin turned the blade again and began sa!ing up!ard through the fabric of her "ha"i shorts. Suddenl%/ he
stopped/ loo"ing up. Someone !as in the room.
E8et a!a% from her/E a deep voice gro!led from the door!a%.
.ittoria could not see !ho had spo"en/ but she recogni&ed the voice. Ro'ert# 0e+s ali!e#
+he $assassin loo"ed as if he had seen a ghost. E=r. Langdon/ %ou must have a guardian angel.E
!;5
)n the split second it too" Langdon to ta"e in his surroundings/ he reali&ed he !as in a sacred place. +he
embellishments in the oblong room/ though old and faded/ !ere replete !ith familiar s%mbolog%. 7entagram tiles.
7lanet frescoes. ;oves. 7%ramids.
The Church o& "llumination. Simple and pure. $e had arrived.
;irectl% in front of him/ framed in the opening of the balcon%/ stood the $assassin. $e !as bare chested/ standing
over .ittoria/ !ho la% bound but ver% much alive. Langdon felt a !ave of relief to see her. For an instant/ their e%es
met/ and a torrent of emotions flo!ed'gratitude/ desperation/ and regret.
ESo !e meet %et again/E the $assassin said. $e loo"ed at the bar in Langdon@s hand and laughed out loud. End
this time %ou come for me !ith thatDE
E:ntie her.E
+he $assassin put the "nife to .ittoria@s throat. E) !ill "ill her.E
Langdon had no doubt the $assassin !as capable of such an act. $e forced a calm into his voice. E) imagine she
!ould !elcome it* considering the alternative.E
+he $assassin smiled at the insult. EBou@re right. She has much to offer. )t !ould be a !aste.E
Langdon stepped for!ard/ grasping the rusted bar/ and aimed the splintered end directl% at the $assassin. +he cut
on his hand bit sharpl%. ELet her go.E
+he $assassin seemed for a moment to be considering it. 1xhaling/ he dropped his shoulders. )t !as a clear motion
of surrender/ and %et at that exact instant the $assassin@s arm seemed to accelerate unexpectedl%. +here !as a blur of
dar" muscle/ and a blade suddenl% came tearing through the air to!ard Langdon@s chest.
#hether it !as instinct or exhaustion that buc"led Langdon@s "nees at that moment/ he didn@t "no!/ but the "nife
sailed past his left ear and clattered to the floor behind him. +he $assassin seemed unfa&ed. $e smiled at Langdon/ !ho
!as "neeling no!/ holding the metal bar. +he "iller stepped a!a% from .ittoria and moved to!ard Langdon li"e a
stal"ing lion.
s Langdon scrambled to his feet/ lifting the bar again/ his !et turtlenec" and pants felt suddenl% more restrictive.
+he $assassin/ half-clothed/ seemed to move much faster/ the !ound on his foot apparentl% not slo!ing him at all.
Langdon sensed this !as a man accustomed to pain. For the first time in his life/ Langdon !ished he !ere holding a
ver% big gun.
+he $assassin circled slo!l%/ as if en0o%ing himself/ al!a%s 0ust out of reach/ moving to!ard the "nife on the floor.
Langdon cut him off. +hen the "iller moved bac" to!ard .ittoria. gain Langdon cut him off.
E+here@s still time/E Langdon ventured. E+ell me !here the canister is. +he .atican !ill pa% more than the
)lluminati ever could.E
EBou are naive.E
Langdon 0abbed !ith the bar. +he $assassin dodged. $e navigated around a bench/ holding the !eapon in front of
him/ tr%ing to corner the $assassin in the oval room. This %amn room has no corners# 9ddl%/ the $assassin did not
seem interested in attac"ing or fleeing. $e !as simpl% pla%ing Langdon@s game. ,ooll% !aiting.
3aitin) &or what1 +he "iller "ept circling/ a master at positioning himself. )t !as li"e an endless game of chess.
+he !eapon in Langdon@s hand !as getting heav%/ and he suddenl% sensed he "ne! !hat the $assassin !as !aiting for.
0e+s tirin) me out. )t !as !or"ing/ too. Langdon !as hit b% a surge of !eariness/ the adrenaline alone no longer enough
to "eep him alert. $e "ne! he had to ma"e a move.
+he $assassin seemed to read Langdon@s mind/ shifting again/ as if intentionall% leading Langdon to!ard a table in
the middle of the room. Langdon could tell there !as something on the table. Something glinted in the torchlight. (
weapon1 Langdon "ept his e%es focused on the $assassin and maneuvered himself closer to the table. #hen the
$assassin cast a long/ guileless glance at the table/ Langdon tried to fight the obvious bait. 4ut instinct overruled. $e
stole a glance. +he damage !as done.
)t !as not a !eapon at all. +he sight momentaril% riveted him.
9n the table la% a rudimentar% copper chest/ crusted !ith ancient patina. +he chest !as a pentagon. +he lid la%
open. rranged inside in five padded compartments !ere five brands. +he brands !ere forged of iron'large embossing
tools !ith stout handles of !ood. Langdon had no doubt !hat the% said.
1lluminati, *arth, Air, Fire, 2ater(
Langdon snapped his head bac" up/ fearing the $assassin !ould lunge. $e did not. +he "iller !as !aiting/ almost
as if he !ere refreshed b% the game. Langdon fought to recover his focus/ loc"ing e%es again !ith his quarr%/ thrusting
!ith the pipe. 4ut the image of the box hung in his mind. lthough the brands themselves !ere mesmeri&ing'artifacts
fe! )lluminati scholars even believed existed'Langdon suddenl% reali&ed there had been something else about the box
that had ignited a !ave of foreboding !ithin. s the $assassin maneuvered again/ Langdon stole another glance
do!n!ard.
,y *o%#
)n the chest/ the five brands sat in compartments around the outer edge. 4ut in the center/ there !as another
compartment. +his partition !as empt%/ but it clearl% !as intended to hold another brand* a brand much larger than
the others/ and perfectl% square.
+he attac" !as a blur.
+he $assassin s!ooped to!ard him li"e a bird of pre%. Langdon/ his concentration having been masterfull%
diverted/ tried to counter/ but the pipe felt li"e a tree trun" in his hands. $is parr% !as too slo!. +he $assassin dodged.
s Langdon tried to retract the bar/ the $assassin@s hands shot out and grabbed it. +he man@s grip !as strong/ his
in0ured arm seeming no longer to affect him. .iolentl%/ the t!o men struggled. Langdon felt the bar ripped a!a%/ and a
searing pain shot through his palm. n instant later/ Langdon !as staring into the splintered point of the !eapon. +he
hunter had become the hunted.
Langdon felt li"e he@d been hit b% a c%clone. +he $assassin circled/ smiling no!/ bac"ing Langdon against the
!all. E#hat is %our merican a%R)ioDE he chided. ESomething about curiosit% and the catDE
Langdon could barel% focus. $e cursed his carelessness as the $assassin moved in. <othing !as ma"ing sense. (
si;th "lluminati 'ran%1 )n frustration he blurted/ E)@ve never read an%thing about a si;th )lluminati brandFE
E) thin" %ou probabl% have.E +he "iller chuc"led as he herded Langdon around the oval !all.
Langdon !as lost. $e most certainl% had not. +here !ere &i!e )lluminati brands. $e bac"ed up/ searching the room
for an% !eapon at all.
E perfect union of the ancient elements/E the $assassin said. E+he final brand is the most brilliant of all. )@m afraid
%ou !ill never see it/ though.E
Langdon sensed he !ould not be seeing much of an%thing in a moment. $e "ept bac"ing up/ searching the room for
an option. End %ou@ve seen this final brandDE Langdon demanded/ tr%ing to bu% time.
ESomeda% perhaps the% !ill honor me. s ) prove m%self.E $e 0abbed at Langdon/ as if en0o%ing a game.
Langdon slid bac"!ard again. $e had the feeling the $assassin !as directing him around the !all to!ard some
unseen destination. 3here1 Langdon could not afford to loo" behind him. E+he brandDE he demanded. E#here is itDE
E<ot here. 5anus is apparentl% the onl% one !ho holds it.E
E5anusDE Langdon did not recogni&e the name.
E+he )lluminati leader. $e is arriving shortl%.E
E+he )lluminati leader is coming hereDE
E+o perform the final branding.E
Langdon shot a frightened glance to .ittoria. She loo"ed strangel% calm/ her e%es closed to the !orld around her/
her lungs pulling slo!l%* deepl%. #as she the final victim1 3as he1
ESuch conceit/E the $assassin sneered/ !atching Langdon@s e%es. E+he t!o of %ou are nothing. Bou !ill die/ of
course/ that is for certain. 4ut the final victim of !hom ) spea" is a trul% dangerous enem%.E
Langdon tried to ma"e sense of the $assassin@s !ords. dangerous enem%D +he top cardinals !ere all dead. +he
7ope !as dead. +he )lluminati had !iped them all out. Langdon found the ans!er in the vacuum of the $assassin@s
e%es.
The camerle)no.
,amerlegno .entresca !as the one man !ho had been a beacon of hope for the !orld through this entire
tribulation. +he camerlegno had done more to condemn the )lluminati tonight than decades of conspirac% theorists.
pparentl% he !ould pa% the price. $e !as the )lluminati@s final target.
EBou@ll never get to him/E Langdon challenged.
E<ot )/E the $assassin replied/ forcing Langdon farther bac" around the !all. E+hat honor is reserved for 5anus
himself.E
E+he )lluminati leader himsel& intends to brand the camerlegnoDE
E7o!er has its privileges.E
E4ut no one could possibl% get into .atican ,it% right no!FE
+he $assassin loo"ed smug. E<ot unless he had an appointment.E
Langdon !as confused. +he onl% person expected at the .atican right no! !as the person the press !as calling the
11th $our Samaritan'the person Rocher said had information that could save'
Langdon stopped short. *oo% *o%#
+he $assassin smir"ed/ clearl% en0o%ing Langdon@s sic"ening cognition. E) too !ondered ho! 5anus !ould gain
entrance. +hen in the van ) heard the radio'a report about an 11th hour Samaritan.E $e smiled. E+he .atican !ill
!elcome 5anus !ith open arms.E
Langdon almost stumbled bac"!ard. 2anus is the $amaritan# )t !as an unthin"able deception. +he )lluminati leader
!ould get a ro%al escort directl% to the camerlegno@s chambers. But how %i% 2anus &ool Rocher1 9r was Rocher
somehow in!ol!e%1 Langdon felt a chill. 1ver since he had almost suffocated in the secret archives/ Langdon had not
entirel% trusted Rocher.
+he $assassin 0abbed suddenl%/ nic"ing Langdon in the side.
Langdon 0umped bac"/ his temper flaring. E5anus !ill never get out aliveFE
+he $assassin shrugged. ESome causes are !orth d%ing for.E
Langdon sensed the "iller !as serious. 5anus coming to .atican ,it% on a suici%e missionD question of honorD
For an instant/ Langdon@s mind too" in the entire terrif%ing c%cle. +he )lluminati plot had come full circle. +he priest
!hom the )lluminati had inadvertentl% brought to po!er b% "illing the 7ope had emerged as a !orth% adversar%. )n a
final act of defiance/ the )lluminati leader !ould destro% him.
Suddenl%/ Langdon felt the !all behind him disappear. +here !as a rush of cool air/ and he staggered bac"!ard
into the night. The 'alcony# $e no! reali&ed !hat the $assassin had in mind.
Langdon immediatel% sensed the precipice behind him'a hundred-foot drop to the court%ard belo!. $e had seen it
on his !a% in. +he $assassin !asted no time. #ith a violent surge/ he lunged. +he spear sliced to!ard Langdon@s
midsection. Langdon s"idded bac"/ and the point came up short/ catching onl% his shirt. gain the point came at him.
Langdon slid farther bac"/ feeling the banister right behind him. ,ertain the next 0ab !ould "ill him/ Langdon attempted
the absurd. Spinning to one side/ he reached out and grabbed the shaft/ sending a 0olt of pain through his palm. Langdon
held on.
+he $assassin seemed unfa&ed. +he% strained for a moment against one another/ face to face/ the $assassin@s
breath fetid in Langdon@s nostrils. +he bar began to slip. +he $assassin !as too strong. )n a final act of desperation/
Langdon stretched out his leg/ dangerousl% off balance as he tried to ram his foot do!n on the $assassin@s in0ured toe.
4ut the man !as a professional and ad0usted to protect his !ea"ness.
Langdon had 0ust pla%ed his final card. nd he "ne! he had lost the hand.
+he $assassin@s arms exploded up!ard/ driving Langdon bac" against the railing. Langdon sensed nothing but
empt% space behind him as the railing hit 0ust beneath his buttoc"s. +he $assassin held the bar cross!ise and drove it
into Langdon@s chest. Langdon@s bac" arched over the chasm.
E,a+assalamah/E the $assassin sneered. E8ood-b%e.E
#ith a merciless glare/ the $assassin gave a final shove. Langdon@s center of gravit% shifted/ and his feet s!ung up
off the floor. #ith onl% one hope of survival/ Langdon grabbed on to the railing as he !ent over. $is left hand slipped/
but his right hand held on. $e ended up hanging upside do!n b% his legs and one hand* straining to hold on.
Looming over him/ the $assassin raised the bar overhead/ preparing to bring it crashing do!n. s the bar began to
accelerate/ Langdon sa! a vision. 7erhaps it !as the imminence of death or simpl% blind fear/ but in that moment/ he
sensed a sudden aura surrounding the $assassin. glo!ing effulgence seemed to s!ell out of nothing behind him*
li"e an incoming fireball.
$alf!a% through his s!ing/ the $assassin dropped the bar and screamed in agon%.
+he iron bar clattered past Langdon out into the night. +he $assassin spun a!a% from him/ and Langdon sa! a
blistering torch burn on the "iller@s bac". Langdon pulled himself up to see .ittoria/ e%es flaring/ no! facing the
$assassin.
.ittoria !aved a torch in front of her/ the vengeance in her face resplendent in the flames. $o! she had escaped/
Langdon did not "no! or care. $e began scrambling bac" up over the banister.
+he battle !ould be short. +he $assassin !as a deadl% match. Screaming !ith rage/ the "iller lunged for her. She
tried to dodge/ but the man !as on her/ holding the torch and about to !restle it a!a%. Langdon did not !ait. Leaping
off the banister/ Langdon 0abbed his clenched fist into the blistered burn on the $assassin@s bac".
+he scream seemed to echo all the !a% to the .atican.
+he $assassin fro&e a moment/ his bac" arched in anguish. $e let go of the torch/ and .ittoria thrust it hard into his
face. +here !as a hiss of flesh as his left e%e si&&led. $e screamed again/ raising his hands to his face.
E1%e for an e%e/E .ittoria hissed. +his time she s!ung the torch li"e a bat/ and !hen it connected/ the $assassin
stumbled bac" against the railing. Langdon and .ittoria !ent for him at the same instant/ both heaving and pushing.
+he $assassin@s bod% sailed bac"!ard over the banister into the night. +here !as no scream. +he onl% sound !as the
crac" of his spine as he landed spread-eagle on a pile of cannonballs far belo!.
Langdon turned and stared at .ittoria in be!ilderment. Slac"ened ropes hung off her midsection and shoulders. $er
e%es bla&ed li"e an inferno.
E$oudini "ne! %oga.E
!;:
=ean!hile/ in St. 7eter@s Square/ the !all of S!iss 8uards %elled orders and fanned out!ard/ tr%ing to push the
cro!ds bac" to a safer distance. )t !as no use. +he cro!d !as too dense and seemed far more interested in the .atican@s
impending doom than in their o!n safet%. +he to!ering media screens in the square !ere no! transmitting a live
countdo!n of the antimatter canister'a direct feed from the S!iss 8uard securit% monitor'compliments of the
camerlegno. :nfortunatel%/ the image of the canister counting do!n !as doing nothing to repel the cro!ds. +he people
in the square apparentl% loo"ed at the tin% droplet of liquid suspended in the canister and decided it !as not as menacing
as the% had thought. +he% could also see the countdo!n cloc" no!'a little under fort%-five minutes until detonation.
7lent% of time to sta% and !atch.
<onetheless/ the S!iss 8uards unanimousl% agreed that the camerlegno@s bold decision to address the !orld !ith
the truth and then provide the media !ith actual !isuals of )lluminati treacher% had been a savv% maneuver. +he
)lluminati had no doubt expected the .atican to be their usual reticent selves in the face of adversit%. <ot tonight.
,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca had proven himself a commanding foe.
)nside the Sistine ,hapel/ ,ardinal =ortati !as getting restless. )t !as past 11(1A 7.=. =an% of the cardinals !ere
continuing to pra%/ but others had clustered around the exit/ clearl% unsettled b% the hour. Some of the cardinals began
pounding on the door !ith their fists.
9utside the door Lieutenant ,hartrand heard the pounding and didn@t "no! !hat to do. $e chec"ed his !atch. )t
!as time. ,aptain Rocher had given strict orders that the cardinals !ere not to be let out until he gave the !ord. +he
pounding on the door became more intense/ and ,hartrand felt uneas%. $e !ondered if the captain had simpl% forgotten.
+he captain had been acting ver% erratic since his m%sterious phone call.
,hartrand pulled out his !al"ie-tal"ie. E,aptainD ,hartrand here. )t is past time. Should ) open the SistineDE
E+hat door sta%s shut. ) believe ) alread% gave %ou that order.E
EBes/ sir/ ) 0ust'E
E9ur guest is arriving shortl%. +a"e a fe! men upstairs/ and guard the door of the 7ope@s office. +he camerlegno is
not to go anywhere.E
E)@m sorr%/ sirDE
E#hat is it that %ou don@t understand/ LieutenantDE
E<othing/ sir. ) am on m% !a%.E
:pstairs in the 9ffice of the 7ope/ the camerlegno stared in quiet meditation at the fire. *i!e me stren)th- *o%.
Brin) us a miracle. $e po"ed at the coals/ !ondering if he !ould survive the night.
!!;
1leven-t!ent%-three 7.=.
.ittoria stood trembling on the balcon% of ,astle St. ngelo/ staring out across Rome/ her e%es moist !ith tears.
She !anted badl% to embrace Robert Langdon/ but she could not. $er bod% felt anestheti&ed. Read0usting. +a"ing stoc".
+he man !ho had "illed her father la% far belo!/ dead/ and she had almost been a victim as !ell.
#hen Langdon@s hand touched her shoulder/ the infusion of !armth seemed to magicall% shatter the ice. $er bod%
shuddered bac" to life. +he fog lifted/ and she turned. Robert loo"ed li"e hell'!et and matted'he had obviousl% been
through purgator% to come rescue her.
E+han" %ou*E she !hispered.
Langdon gave an exhausted smile and reminded her that it !as she !ho deserved than"s'her abilit% to practicall%
dislocate her shoulders had 0ust saved them both. .ittoria !iped her e%es. She could have stood there forever !ith him/
but the reprieve !as short-lived.
E#e need to get out of here/E Langdon said.
.ittoria@s mind !as else!here. She !as staring out to!ard the .atican. +he !orld@s smallest countr% loo"ed
unsettlingl% close/ glo!ing !hite under a barrage of media lights. +o her shoc"/ much of St. 7eter@s Square !as still
pac"ed !ith peopleF +he S!iss 8uard had apparentl% been able to clear onl% about a hundred and fift% feet bac"'the
area directl% in front of the basilica'less than one-third of the square. +he shell of congestion encompassing the square
!as compacted no!/ those at the safer distances pressing for a closer loo"/ trapping the others inside. They are too
close# .ittoria thought. ,uch too close#
E)@m going bac" in/E Langdon said flatl%.
.ittoria turned/ incredulous. E)nto the ?aticanDE
Langdon told her about the Samaritan/ and ho! it !as a plo%. +he )lluminati leader/ a man named 5anus/ !as
actuall% coming himself to brand the camerlegno. final )lluminati act of domination.
E<obod% in .atican ,it% "no!s/E Langdon said. E) have no !a% to contact them/ and this gu% is arriving an%
minute. ) have to !arn the guards before the% let him in.E
E4ut %ou@ll never get through the cro!dFE
Langdon@s voice !as confident. E+here@s a !a%. +rust me.E
.ittoria sensed once again that the historian "ne! something she did not. E)@m coming.E
E<o. #h% ris" both'E
E) have to find a !a% to get those people out of thereF +he%@re in incredible dange'E
5ust then/ the balcon% the% !ere standing on began to sha"e. deafening rumble shoo" the !hole castle. +hen a
!hite light from the direction of St. 7eter@s blinded them. .ittoria had onl% one thought. 9h my *o%# The antimatter
annihilate% early#
4ut instead of an explosion/ a huge cheer !ent up from the cro!d. .ittoria squinted into the light. )t !as a barrage
of media lights from the square/ no! trained/ it seemed/ on themF 1ver%one !as turned their !a%/ hollering and
pointing. +he rumble gre! louder. +he air in the square seemed suddenl% 0o%ous.
Langdon loo"ed baffled. E#hat the devil'E
+he s"% overhead roared.
1merging from behind the to!er/ !ithout !arning/ came the papal helicopter. )t thundered fift% feet above them/ on
a beeline for .atican ,it%. s it passed overhead/ radiant in the media lights/ the castle trembled. +he lights follo!ed
the helicopter as it passed b%/ and Langdon and .ittoria !ere suddenl% again in the dar".
.ittoria had the uneas% feeling the% !ere too late as the% !atched the mammoth machine slo! to a stop over St.
7eter@s Square. 6ic"ing up a cloud of dust/ the chopper dropped onto the open portion of the square bet!een the cro!d
and the basilica/ touching do!n at the bottom of the basilica@s staircase.
E+al" about an entrance/E .ittoria said. gainst the !hite marble/ she could see a tin% spec" of a person emerge
from the .atican and move to!ard the chopper. She !ould never have recogni&ed the figure except for the bright red
beret on his head. ERed carpet greeting. +hat@s Rocher.E
Langdon pounded his fist on the banister. ESomebod%@s got to !arn themFE $e turned to go.
.ittoria caught his arm. E#aitFE She had 0ust seen something else/ something her e%es refused to believe. Fingers
trembling/ she pointed to!ard the chopper. 1ven from this distance/ there !as no mista"ing. ;escending the gangplan"
!as another figure* a figure !ho moved so uniquel% that it could onl% be one man. lthough the figure !as seated/ he
accelerated across the open square !ith effortless control and startling speed.
"ing on an electric throne.
)t !as =aximilian 6ohler.
!!!
6ohler !as sic"ened b% the opulence of the $all!a% of the 4elvedere. +he gold leaf in the ceiling alone probabl%
could have funded a %ear@s !orth of cancer research. Rocher led 6ohler up a handicapped ramp on a circuitous route
into the postolic 7alace.
E<o elevatorDE 6ohler demanded.
E<o po!er.E Rocher motioned to the candles burning around them in the dar"ened building. E7art of our search
tactic.E
E+actics !hich no doubt failed.E
Rocher nodded.
6ohler bro"e into another coughing fit and "ne! it might be one of his last. )t !as not an entirel% un!elcome
thought.
#hen the% reached the top floor and started do!n the hall!a% to!ard the 7ope@s office/ four S!iss 8uards ran
to!ard them/ loo"ing troubled. E,aptain/ !hat are %ou doing up hereD ) thought this man had information that'E
E$e !ill onl% spea" to the camerlegno.E
+he guards recoiled/ loo"ing suspicious.
E+ell the camerlegno/E Rocher said forcefull%/ Ethat the director of ,1R</ =aximilian 6ohler/ is here to see him.
)mmediatel%.E
EBes/ sirFE 9ne of the guards ran off in the direction of the camerlegno@s office. +he others stood their ground.
+he% studied Rocher/ loo"ing uneas%. E5ust one moment/ captain. #e !ill announce %our guest.E
6ohler/ ho!ever/ did not stop. $e turned sharpl% and maneuvered his chair around the sentinels.
+he guards spun and bro"e into a 0og beside him. EFermati# SirF StopFE
6ohler felt repugnance for them. <ot even the most elite securit% force in the !orld !as immune to the pit%
ever%one felt for cripples. $ad 6ohler been a health% man/ the guards !ould have tac"led him. Cripples are powerless/
6ohler thought. 9r so the worl% 'elie!es.
6ohler "ne! he had ver% little time to accomplish !hat he had come for. $e also "ne! he might die here tonight.
$e !as surprised ho! little he cared. ;eath !as a price he !as read% to pa%. $e had endured too much in his life to
have his !or" destro%ed b% someone li"e ,amerlegno .entresca.
E$i)nore#E the guards shouted/ running ahead and forming a line across the hall!a%. EYou must stop#E 9ne of them
pulled a sidearm and aimed it at 6ohler.
6ohler stopped.
Rocher stepped in/ loo"ing contrite. E=r. 6ohler/ please. )t !ill onl% be a moment. <o one enters the 9ffice of the
7ope unannounced.E
6ohler could see in Rocher@s e%es that he had no choice but to !ait. Fine/ 6ohler thought. 3e wait.
+he guards/ cruell% it seemed/ had stopped 6ohler next to a full-length gilded mirror. +he sight of his o!n t!isted
form repulsed 6ohler. +he ancient rage brimmed %et again to the surface. )t empo!ered him. $e !as among the enem%
no!. These !ere the people !ho had robbed him of his dignit%. +hese !ere the people. 4ecause of them he had never
felt the touch of a !oman* had never stood tall to accept an a!ard. 3hat truth %o these people possess1 3hat proo&-
%amn it# ( 'ook o& ancient &a'les1 Promises o& miracles to come1 $cience creates miracles e!ery %ay#
6ohler stared a moment into his o!n ston% e%es. Toni)ht " may %ie at the han%s o& reli)ion/ he thought. But it will
not 'e the &irst time.
For a moment/ he !as eleven %ears old again/ l%ing in his bed in his parents@ Fran"furt mansion. +he sheets beneath
him !ere 1urope@s finest linen/ but the% !ere soa"ed !ith s!eat. Boung =ax felt li"e he !as on fire/ the pain !rac"ing
his bod% unimaginable. 6neeling beside his bed/ !here the% had been for t!o da%s/ !ere his mother and father. +he%
!ere pra%ing.
)n the shado!s stood three of Fran"furt@s best doctors.
E) urge %ou to reconsiderFE one of the doctors said. ELoo" at the bo%F $is fever is increasing. $e is in terrible pain.
nd dangerFE
4ut =ax "ne! his mother@s repl% before she even said it. E*ott wir% ihn 'eschuet/en.E
Yes/ =ax thought. *o% will protect me. +he conviction in his mother@s voice gave him strength. *o% will protect
me.
n hour later/ =ax felt li"e his !hole bod% !as being crushed beneath a car. $e could not even breathe to cr%.
EBour son is in great suffering/E another doctor said. ELet me at least ease his pain. ) have in m% bag a simple
in0ection of'E
ERuhe- 'itte#E =ax@s father silenced the doctor !ithout ever opening his e%es. $e simpl% "ept pra%ing.
EFather/ pleaseFE =ax !anted to scream. ELet them stop the painFE 4ut his !ords !ere lost in a spasm of coughing.
n hour later/ the pain had !orsened.
EBour son could become paral%&ed/E one of the doctors scolded. E9r even dieF #e have medicines that !ill helpFE
Frau and $err 6ohler !ould not allo! it. +he% did not believe in medicine. #ho !ere the% to interfere !ith 8od@s
master planD +he% pra%ed harder. fter all/ 8od had blessed them !ith this bo%/ !h% !ould 8od ta"e the child a!a%D
$is mother !hispered to =ax to be strong. She explained that 8od !as testing him* li"e the 4ible stor% of braham*
a test of his faith.
=ax tried to have faith/ but the pain !as excruciating.
E) cannot !atch thisFE one of the doctors finall% said/ running from the room.
4% da!n/ =ax !as barel% conscious. 1ver% muscle in his bod% spasmed in agon%. 3here is 2esus1 he !ondered.
@oesn+t he lo!e me1 =ax felt the life slipping from his bod%.
$is mother had fallen asleep at the bedside/ her hands still clasped over him. =ax@s father stood across the room at
the !indo! staring out at the da!n. $e seemed to be in a trance. =ax could hear the lo! mumble of his ceaseless
pra%ers for merc%.
)t !as then that =ax sensed the figure hovering over him. (n an)el1 =ax could barel% see. $is e%es !ere s!ollen
shut. +he figure !hispered in his ear/ but it !as not the voice of an angel. =ax recogni&ed it as one of the doctors* the
one !ho had sat in the corner for t!o da%s/ never leaving/ begging =ax@s parents to let him administer some ne! drug
from 1ngland.
E) !ill never forgive m%self/E the doctor !hispered/ Eif ) do not do this.E +hen the doctor gentl% too" =ax@s frail
arm. E) !ish ) had done it sooner.E
=ax felt a tin% pric" in his arm'barel% discernible through the pain.
+hen the doctor quietl% pac"ed his things. 4efore he left/ he put a hand on =ax@s forehead. E+his !ill save %our
life. ) have great faith in the po!er of medicine.E
#ithin minutes/ =ax felt as if some sort of magic spirit !ere flo!ing through his veins. +he !armth spread
through his bod% numbing his pain. Finall%/ for the first time in da%s/ =ax slept.
#hen the fever bro"e/ his mother and father proclaimed a miracle of 8od. 4ut !hen it became evident that their
son !as crippled/ the% became despondent. +he% !heeled their son into the church and begged the priest for counseling.
E)t !as onl% b% the grace of 8od/E the priest told them/ Ethat this bo% survived.E
=ax listened/ sa%ing nothing.
E4ut our son cannot !al"FE Frau 6ohler !as !eeping.
+he priest nodded sadl%. EBes. )t seems 8od has punished him for not having enough faith.E
E=r. 6ohlerDE )t !as the S!iss 8uard !ho had run ahead. E+he camerlegno sa%s he !ill grant %ou audience.E
6ohler grunted/ accelerating again do!n the hall.
E$e is surprised b% %our visit/E the guard said.
E)@m sure.E 6ohler rolled on. E) !ould li"e to see him alone.E
E)mpossible/E the guard said. E<o one'E
ELieutenant/E Rocher bar"ed. E+he meeting !ill be as =r. 6ohler !ishes.E
+he guard stared in obvious disbelief.
9utside the door to the 7ope@s office/ Rocher allo!ed his guards to ta"e standard precautions before letting 6ohler
in. +heir handheld metal detector !as rendered !orthless b% the m%riad of electronic devices on 6ohler@s !heelchair.
+he guards fris"ed him but !ere obviousl% too ashamed of his disabilit% to do it properl%. +he% never found the
revolver affixed beneath his chair. <or did the% relieve him of the other ob0ect* the one that 6ohler "ne! !ould bring
unforgettable closure to this evening@s chain of events.
#hen 6ohler entered the 7ope@s office/ ,amerlegno .entresca !as alone/ "neeling in pra%er beside a d%ing fire.
$e did not open his e%es.
E=r. 6ohler/E the camerlegno said. E$ave %ou come to ma"e me a mart%rDE
!!"
ll the !hile/ the narro! tunnel called "l Passetto stretched out before Langdon and .ittoria as the% dashed to!ard
.atican ,it%. +he torch in Langdon@s hand thre! onl% enough light to see a fe! %ards ahead. +he !alls !ere close on
either side/ and the ceiling lo!. +he air smelled dan". Langdon raced on into the dar"ness !ith .ittoria close at his
heels.
+he tunnel inclined steepl% as it left the ,astle St. ngelo/ proceeding up!ard into the underside of a stone bastion
that loo"ed li"e a Roman aqueduct. +here/ the tunnel leveled out and began its secret course to!ard .atican ,it%.
s Langdon ran/ his thoughts turned over and over in a "aleidoscope of confounding images'6ohler/ 5anus/ the
$assassin/ Rocher* a sixth brandD "+m sure you+!e hear% a'out the si;th 'ran%/ the "iller had said. The most 'rilliant
o& all. Langdon !as quite certain he had not. 1ven in conspirac% theor% lore/ Langdon could thin" of no references to
an% sixth brand. Real or imagined. +here !ere rumors of a gold bullion and a fla!less )lluminati ;iamond but never
an% mention of a sixth brand.
E6ohler can@t be 5anusFE .ittoria declared as the% ran do!n the interior of the di"e. E)t@s impossibleFE
"mpossi'le !as one !ord Langdon had stopped using tonight. E) don@t "no!/E Langdon %elled as the% ran. E6ohler
has a serious grudge/ and he also has some serious influence.E
E+his crisis has made ,1R< loo" li"e monstersF =ax !ould ne!er do an%thing to damage ,1R<@s reputationFE
9n one count/ Langdon "ne! ,1R< had ta"en a public beating tonight/ all because of the )lluminati@s insistence on
ma"ing this a public spectacle. nd %et/ he !ondered ho! much ,1R< had really been damaged. ,riticism from the
church !as nothing ne! for ,1R<. )n fact/ the more Langdon thought about it/ the more he !ondered if this crisis
might actuall% 'ene&it ,1R<. )f publicit% !ere the game/ then antimatter !as the 0ac"pot !inner tonight. +he entire
planet !as tal"ing about it.
EBou "no! !hat promoter 7. +. 4arnum said/E Langdon called over his shoulder. E-) don@t care !hat %ou sa% about
me/ 0ust spell m% name rightF@ ) bet people are alread% secretl% lining up to license antimatter technolog%. nd after the%
see its true po!er at midnight tonight*E
E)llogical/E .ittoria said. E7ublici&ing scientific brea"throughs is not about sho!ing destructive po!erF +his is
terri'le for antimatter/ trust meFE
Langdon@s torch !as fading no!. E+hen ma%be it@s all much simpler than that. =a%be 6ohler gambled that the
.atican !ould "eep the antimatter a secret'refusing to empo!er the )lluminati b% confirming the !eapon@s existence.
6ohler expected the .atican to be their usual tight-lipped selves about the threat/ but the camerlegno changed the rules.E
.ittoria !as silent as the% dashed do!n the tunnel.
Suddenl% the scenario !as ma"ing more sense to Langdon. EBesF 6ohler never counted on the camerlegno@s
reaction. +he camerlegno bro"e the .atican tradition of secrec% and !ent public about the crisis. $e !as dead honest.
$e put the antimatter on +./ for 8od@s sa"e. )t !as a brilliant response/ and 6ohler never expected it. nd the iron% of
the !hole thing is that the )lluminati attac" bac"fired. )t inadvertentl% produced a ne! church leader in the camerlegno.
nd no! 6ohler is coming to "ill himFE
E=ax is a bastard/E .ittoria declared/ Ebut he is not a murderer. nd he !ould ne!er have been involved in m%
father@s assassination.E
)n Langdon@s mind/ it !as 6ohler@s voice that ans!ered. eonar%o was consi%ere% %an)erous 'y many purists at
CERN. Fusin) science an% *o% is the ultimate scienti&ic 'lasphemy. E=a%be 6ohler found out about the antimatter
pro0ect !ee"s ago and didn@t li"e the religious implications.E
ESo he kille% m% father over itD RidiculousF 4esides/ =ax 6ohler !ould never have known the pro0ect existed.E
E#hile %ou !ere gone/ ma%be %our father bro"e do!n and consulted 6ohler/ as"ing for guidance. Bou %ourself
said %our father !as concerned about the moral implications of creating such a deadl% substance.E
Es"ing moral guidance from =aximilian 6ohlerDE .ittoria snorted. E) don@t thin" soFE
+he tunnel ban"ed slightl% !est!ard. +he faster the% ran/ the dimmer Langdon@s torch became. $e began to fear
!hat the place !ould loo" li"e if the light !ent out. 4lac".
E4esides/E .ittoria argued/ E!h% !ould 6ohler have bothered to call %ou in this morning and as" for help if he is
behind the !hole thingDE
Langdon had alread% considered it. E4% calling me/ 6ohler covered his bases. $e made sure no one !ould accuse
him of nonaction in the face of crisis. $e probabl% never expected us to get this far.E
+he thought of being use% b% 6ohler incensed Langdon. Langdon@s involvement had given the )lluminati a level of
credibilit%. $is credentials and publications had been quoted all night b% the media/ and as ridiculous as it !as/ the
presence of a $arvard professor in .atican ,it% had someho! raised the !hole emergenc% be%ond the scope of
paranoid delusion and convinced s"eptics around the !orld that the )lluminati brotherhood !as not onl% a historical
fact/ but a force to be rec"oned !ith.
E+hat 44, reporter/E Langdon said/ Ethin"s ,1R< is the ne! )lluminati lair.E
E#hatFE .ittoria stumbled behind him. She pulled herself up and ran on. E$e sai% thatFDE
E9n air. $e li"ened ,1R< to the =asonic lodges'an innocent organi&ation un"no!ingl% harboring the )lluminati
brotherhood !ithin.E
E=% 8od/ this is going to destro% ,1R<.E
Langdon !as not so sure. 1ither !a%/ the theor% suddenl% seemed less far-fetched. ,1R< !as the ultimate
scientific haven. )t !as home to scientists from over a do&en countries. +he% seemed to have endless private funding.
nd =aximilian 6ohler !as their director.
7ohler is 2anus.
E)f 6ohler@s not involved/E Langdon challenged/ Ethen !hat is he doing hereDE
E7robabl% tr%ing to stop this madness. Sho! support. =a%be he reall% is acting as the SamaritanF $e could have
found out !ho "ne! about the antimatter pro0ect and has come to share information.E
E+he "iller said he !as coming to brand the camerlegno.E
EListen to %ourselfF )t !ould be a suicide mission. =ax !ould never get out alive.E
Langdon considered it. ,ay'e that was the point.
+he outline of a steel gate loomed ahead/ bloc"ing their progress do!n the tunnel. Langdon@s heart almost stopped.
#hen the% approached/ ho!ever/ the% found the ancient loc" hanging open. +he gate s!ung freel%.
Langdon breathed a sigh of relief/ reali&ing as he had suspected/ that the ancient tunnel !as in use. Recentl%. s in
toda%. $e no! had little doubt that four terrified cardinals had been secreted through here earlier.
+he% ran on. Langdon could no! hear the sounds of chaos to his left. )t !as St. 7eter@s Square. +he% !ere getting
close.
+he% hit another gate/ this one heavier. )t too !as unloc"ed. +he sound of St. 7eter@s Square faded behind them
no!/ and Langdon sensed the% had passed through the outer !all of .atican ,it%. $e !ondered !here inside the
.atican this ancient passage !ould conclude. "n the )ar%ens1 "n the 'asilica1 "n the papal resi%ence1
+hen/ !ithout !arning/ the tunnel ended.
+he cumbrous door bloc"ing their !a% !as a thic" !all of riveted iron. 1ven b% the last flic"ers of his torch/
Langdon could see that the portal !as perfectl% smooth'no handles/ no "nobs/ no "e%holes/ no hinges. <o entr%.
$e felt a surge of panic. )n architect-spea"/ this rare "ind of door !as called a sen/a chia!e'a one-!a% portal/ used
for securit%/ and onl% operable from one side'the other side. Langdon@s hope dimmed to blac"* along !ith the torch in
his hand.
$e loo"ed at his !atch. =ic"e% glo!ed.
11(CK 7.=.
#ith a scream of frustration/ Langdon s!ung the torch and started pounding on the door.
!!#
Something !as !rong.
Lieutenant ,hartrand stood outside the 7ope@s office and sensed in the uneas% stance of the soldier standing !ith
him that the% shared the same anxiet%. +he private meeting the% !ere shielding/ Rocher had said/ could save the
.atican from destruction. So ,hartrand !ondered !h% his protective instincts !ere tingling. nd !h% !as Rocher
acting so strangel%D
Something definitel% !as a!r%.
,aptain Rocher stood to ,hartrand@s right/ staring dead ahead/ his sharp ga&e uncharacteristicall% distant. ,hartrand
barel% recogni&ed the captain. Rocher had not been himself in the last hour. $is decisions made no sense.
$omeone shoul% 'e present insi%e this meetin)# ,hartrand thought. $e had heard =aximilian 6ohler bolt the door
after he entered. 3hy ha% Rocher permitte% this1
4ut there !as so much more bothering ,hartrand. The car%inals. +he cardinals !ere still loc"ed in the Sistine
,hapel. +his !as absolute insanit%. +he camerlegno had !anted them evacuated fifteen minutes agoF Rocher had
overruled the decision and not informed the camerlegno. ,hartrand had expressed concern/ and Rocher had almost
ta"en off his head. ,hain of command !as never questioned in the S!iss 8uard/ and Rocher !as no! top dog.
0al& an hour/ Rocher thought/ discreetl% chec"ing his S!iss chronometer in the dim light of the candelabra lighting
the hall. Please hurry.
,hartrand !ished he could hear !hat !as happening on the other side of the doors. Still/ he "ne! there !as no one
he !ould rather have handling this crisis than the camerlegno. +he man had been tested be%ond reason tonight/ and he
had not flinched. $e had confronted the problem head-on* truthful/ candid/ shining li"e an example to all. ,hartrand
felt proud right no! to be a ,atholic. +he )lluminati had made a mista"e !hen the% challenged ,amerlegno .entresca.
t that moment/ ho!ever/ ,hartrand@s thoughts !ere 0olted b% an unexpected sound. banging. )t !as coming
from do!n the hall. +he pounding !as distant and muffled/ but incessant. Rocher loo"ed up. +he captain turned to
,hartrand and motioned do!n the hall. ,hartrand understood. $e turned on his flashlight and too" off to investigate.
+he banging !as more desperate no!. ,hartrand ran thirt% %ards do!n the corridor to an intersection. +he noise
seemed to be coming from around the corner/ be%ond the Sala ,lementina. ,hartrand felt perplexed. +here !as onl%
one room bac" there'the 7ope@s private librar%. $is $oliness@s private librar% had been loc"ed since the 7ope@s death.
<obod% could possibl% be in thereF
,hartrand hurried do!n the second corridor/ turned another corner/ and rushed to the librar% door. +he !ooden
portico !as diminutive/ but it stood in the dar" li"e a dour sentinel. +he banging !as coming from some!here inside.
,hartrand hesitated. $e had never been inside the private librar%. Fe! had. <o one !as allo!ed in !ithout an escort b%
the 7ope himself.
+entativel%/ ,hartrand reached for the door"nob and turned. s he had imagined/ the door !as loc"ed. $e put his
ear to the door. +he banging !as louder. +hen he heard something else. ?oices# $omeone callin) out#
$e could not ma"e out the !ords/ but he could hear the panic in their shouts. #as someone trapped in the librar%D
$ad the S!iss 8uard not properl% evacuated the buildingD ,hartrand hesitated/ !ondering if he should go bac" and
consult Rocher. +he hell !ith that. ,hartrand had been trained to ma"e decisions/ and he !ould ma"e one no!. $e
pulled out his side arm and fired a single shot into the door latch. +he !ood exploded/ and the door s!ung open.
4e%ond the threshold ,hartrand sa! nothing but blac"ness. $e shone his flashlight. +he room !as rectangular'
oriental carpets/ high oa" shelves pac"ed !ith boo"s/ a stitched leather couch/ and a marble fireplace. ,hartrand had
heard stories of this place'three thousand ancient volumes side b% side !ith hundreds of current maga&ines and
periodicals/ an%thing $is $oliness requested. +he coffee table !as covered !ith 0ournals of science and politics.
+he banging !as clearer no!. ,hartrand shone his light across the room to!ard the sound. 9n the far !all/ be%ond
the sitting area/ !as a huge door made of iron. )t loo"ed impenetrable as a vault. )t had four mammoth loc"s. +he tin%
etched letters dead center of the door too" ,hartrand@s breath a!a%.
1/ A''*TT0
,hartrand stared. The Pope+s secret escape route# ,hartrand had certainl% heard of "l Passetto/ and he had even
heard rumors that it had once had an entrance here in the librar%/ but the tunnel had not been used in agesF 3ho coul%
'e 'an)in) on the other si%e1
,hartrand too" his flashlight and rapped on the door. +here !as a muffled exultation from the other side. +he
banging stopped/ and the voices %elled louder. ,hartrand could barel% ma"e out their !ords through the barricade.
E* 6ohler* lie* camerlegno*E
E#ho is thatDE ,hartrand %elled.
E* ert Langdon* .ittoria .e*E
,hartrand understood enough to be confused. " thou)ht you were %ea%#
E* the door/E the voices %elled. E9pen*FE
,hartrand loo"ed at the iron barrier and "ne! he !ould need d%namite to get through there. E)mpossibleFE he
%elled. E+oo thic"FE
E* meeting* stop* erlegno* danger*E
;espite his training on the ha&ards of panic/ ,hartrand felt a sudden rush of fear at the last fe! !ords. $ad he
understood correctl%D $eart pounding/ he turned to run bac" to the office. s he turned/ though/ he stalled. $is ga&e had
fallen to something on the door* something more shoc"ing even than the message coming from be%ond it. 1merging
from the "e%holes of each of the door@s massive loc"s !ere keys. ,hartrand stared. +he keys !ere hereD $e blin"ed in
disbelief. +he "e%s to this door !ere supposed to be in a vault someplaceF +his passage !as never used'not for
centuriesF
,hartrand dropped his flashlight on the floor. $e grabbed the first "e% and turned. +he mechanism !as rusted and
stiff/ but it still !or"ed. Someone had opened it recentl%. ,hartrand !or"ed the next loc". nd the next. #hen the last
bolt slid aside/ ,hartrand pulled. +he slab of iron crea"ed open. $e grabbed his light and shone it into the passage.
Robert Langdon and .ittoria .etra loo"ed li"e apparitions as the% staggered into the librar%. 4oth !ere ragged and
tired/ but the% !ere ver% much alive.
E#hat is thisFE ,hartrand demanded. E#hat@s going onF #here did %ou come fromDE
E#here@s =ax 6ohlerDE Langdon demanded.
,hartrand pointed. E)n a private meeting !ith the camer'E
Langdon and .ittoria pushed past him and ran do!n the dar"ened hall. ,hartrand turned/ instinctivel% raising his
gun at their bac"s. $e quic"l% lo!ered it and ran after them. Rocher apparentl% heard them coming/ because as the%
arrived outside the 7ope@s office/ Rocher had spread his legs in a protective stance and !as leveling his gun at them.
E(lt#E
E+he camerlegno is in dangerFE Langdon %elled/ raising his arms in surrender as he slid to a stop. E9pen the doorF
=ax 6ohler is going to "ill the camerlegnoFE
Rocher loo"ed angr%.
E9pen the doorFE .ittoria said. E$urr%FE
4ut it !as too late.
From inside the 7ope@s office came a bloodcurdling scream. )t !as the camerlegno.
!!$
+he confrontation lasted onl% seconds.
,amerlegno .entresca !as still screaming !hen ,hartrand stepped past Rocher and ble! open the door of the
7ope@s office. +he guards dashed in. Langdon and .ittoria ran in behind them.
+he scene before them !as staggering.
+he chamber !as lit onl% b% candlelight and a d%ing fire. 6ohler !as near the fireplace/ standing a!"!ardl% in
front of his !heelchair. $e brandished a pistol/ aimed at the camerlegno/ !ho la% on the floor at his feet/ !rithing in
agon%. +he camerlegno@s cassoc" !as torn open/ and his bare chest !as seared blac". Langdon could not ma"e out the
s%mbol from across the room/ but a large/ square brand la% on the floor near 6ohler. +he metal still glo!ed red.
+!o of the S!iss 8uards acted !ithout hesitation. +he% opened fire. +he bullets smashed into 6ohler@s chest/
driving him bac"!ard. 6ohler collapsed into his !heelchair/ his chest gurgling blood. $is gun !ent s"ittering across the
floor.
Langdon stood stunned in the door!a%.
.ittoria seemed paral%&ed. E=ax*E she !hispered.
+he camerlegno/ still t!isting on the floor/ rolled to!ard Rocher/ and !ith the tranceli"e terror of the earl% !itch
hunts/ pointed his index finger at Rocher and %elled a single !ord. E)LL:=)<+:SFE
EBou bastard/E Rocher said/ running at him. EBou sanctimonious bas'E
+his time it !as ,hartrand !ho reacted on instinct/ putting three bullets in Rocher@s bac". +he captain fell face first
on the tile floor and slid lifeless through his o!n blood. ,hartrand and the guards dashed immediatel% to the
camerlegno/ !ho la% clutching himself/ convulsing in pain.
4oth guards let out exclamations of horror !hen the% sa! the s%mbol seared on the camerlegno@s chest. +he second
guard sa! the brand upside do!n and immediatel% staggered bac"!ard !ith fear in his e%es. ,hartrand/ loo"ing equall%
over!helmed b% the s%mbol/ pulled the camerlegno@s torn cassoc" up over the burn/ shielding it from vie!.
Langdon felt delirious as he moved across the room. +hrough a mist of insanit% and violence/ he tried to ma"e
sense of !hat he !as seeing. crippled scientist/ in a final act of s%mbolic dominance/ had flo!n into .atican ,it% and
branded the church@s highest official. $ome thin)s are worth %yin) &or/ the $assassin had said. Langdon !ondered ho!
a handicapped man could possibl% have overpo!ered the camerlegno. +hen again/ 6ohler had a gun. "t %oesn+t matter
how he %i% it# 7ohler accomplishe% his mission#
Langdon moved to!ard the gruesome scene. +he camerlegno !as being attended/ and Langdon felt himself dra!n
to!ard the smo"ing brand on the floor near 6ohler@s !heelchair. The si;th 'ran%1 +he closer Langdon got/ the more
confused he became. +he brand seemed to be a perfect square/ quite large/ and had obviousl% come from the sacred
center compartment of the chest in the )lluminati Lair. ( si;th an% &inal 'ran%/ the $assassin had said. The most
'rilliant o& all.
Langdon "nelt beside 6ohler and reached for the ob0ect. +he metal still radiated heat. 8rasping the !ooden handle/
Langdon pic"ed it up. $e !as not sure !hat he expected to see/ but it most certainl% !as not this.
Langdon stared a long/ confused moment. <othing !as ma"ing sense. #h% had the guards cried out in horror !hen
the% sa! thisD )t !as a square of meaningless squiggles. The most 'rilliant o& all1 )t !as s%mmetrical/ Langdon could
tell as he rotated it in his hand/ but it !as gibberish.
#hen he felt a hand on his shoulder/ Langdon loo"ed up/ expecting .ittoria. +he hand/ ho!ever/ !as covered !ith
blood. )t belonged to =aximilian 6ohler/ !ho !as reaching out from his !heelchair.
Langdon dropped the brand and staggered to his feet. 7ohler+s still ali!e#
Slumped in his !heelchair/ the d%ing director !as still breathing/ albeit barel%/ suc"ing in sputtering gasps.
6ohler@s e%es met Langdon@s/ and it !as the same ston% ga&e that had greeted Langdon at ,1R< earlier that da%. +he
e%es loo"ed even harder in death/ the loathing and enmit% rising to the surface.
+he scientist@s bod% quivered/ and Langdon sensed he !as tr%ing to move. 1ver%one else in the room !as focused
on the camerlegno/ and Langdon !anted to call out/ but he could not react. $e !as transfixed b% the intensit% radiating
from 6ohler in these final seconds of his life. +he director/ !ith tremulous effort/ lifted his arm and pulled a small
device off the arm of his !heelchair. )t !as the si&e of a matchbox. $e held it out/ quivering. For an instant/ Langdon
feared 6ohler had a !eapon. 4ut it !as something else.
E8-give*E 6ohler@s final !ords !ere a gurgling !hisper. E8-give this* to the m-media.E 6ohler collapsed
motionless/ and the device fell in his lap.
Shoc"ed/ Langdon stared at the device. )t !as electronic. +he !ords S9<B R:.) !ere printed across the front.
Langdon recogni&ed it as one of those ne! ultraminiature/ palm-held camcorders. The 'alls on this )uy# he thought.
6ohler had apparentl% recorded some sort of final suicide message he !anted the media to broadcast* no doubt some
sermon about the importance of science and the evils of religion. Langdon decided he had done enough for this man@s
cause tonight. 4efore ,hartrand sa! 6ohler@s camcorder/ Langdon slipped it into his deepest 0ac"et poc"et. 7ohler+s
&inal messa)e can rot in hell#
)t !as the voice of the camerlegno that bro"e the silence. $e !as tr%ing to sit up. E+he cardinals/E he gasped to
,hartrand.
EStill in the Sistine ,hapelFE ,hartrand exclaimed. E,aptain Rocher ordered'E
E1vacuate* no!. 1ver%one.E
,hartrand sent one of the other guards running off to let the cardinals out.
+he camerlegno grimaced in pain. E$elicopter* out front* get me to a hospital.E
!!%
)n St. 7eter@s Square/ the S!iss 8uard pilot sat in the coc"pit of the par"ed .atican helicopter and rubbed his
temples. +he chaos in the square around him !as so loud that it dro!ned out the sound of his idling rotors. +his !as no
solemn candlelight vigil. $e !as ama&ed a riot had not bro"en out %et.
#ith less than t!ent%-five minutes left until midnight/ the people !ere still pac"ed together/ some pra%ing/ some
!eeping for the church/ others screaming obscenities and proclaiming that this !as !hat the church deserved/ still
others chanting apocal%ptic 4ible verses.
+he pilot@s head pounded as the media lights glinted off his !indshield. $e squinted out at the clamorous masses.
4anners !aved over the cro!d.
Antimatter is the Antichrist9
'cientistH'atanist
2here is your 6od nowI
+he pilot groaned/ his headache !orsening. $e half considered grabbing the !indshield@s vin%l covering and
putting it up so he !ouldn@t have to !atch/ but he "ne! he !ould be airborne in a matter of minutes. Lieutenant
,hartrand had 0ust radioed !ith terrible ne!s. +he camerlegno had been attac"ed b% =aximilian 6ohler and seriousl%
in0ured. ,hartrand/ the merican/ and the !oman !ere carr%ing the camerlegno out no! so he could be evacuated to a
hospital.
+he pilot felt personall% responsible for the attac". $e reprimanded himself for not acting on his gut. 1arlier/ !hen
he had pic"ed up 6ohler at the airport/ he had sensed something in the scientist@s dead e%es. $e couldn@t place it/ but he
didn@t li"e it. <ot that it mattered. Rocher !as running the sho!/ and Rocher insisted this !as the gu%. Rocher had
apparentl% been !rong.
ne! clamor arose from the cro!d/ and the pilot loo"ed over to see a line of cardinals processing solemnl% out of
the .atican onto St. 7eter@s Square. +he cardinals@ relief to be leaving ground &ero seemed to be quic"l% overcome b%
loo"s of be!ilderment at the spectacle no! going on outside the church.
+he cro!d noise intensified %et again. +he pilot@s head pounded. $e needed an aspirin. =a%be three. $e didn@t li"e
to fl% on medication/ but a fe! aspirin !ould certainl% be less debilitating than this raging headache. $e reached for the
first-aid "it/ "ept !ith assorted maps and manuals in a cargo box bolted bet!een the t!o front seats. #hen he tried to
open the box/ though/ he found it loc"ed. $e loo"ed around for the "e% and then finall% gave up. +onight !as clearl%
not his luc"% night. $e !ent bac" to massaging his temples.
)nside the dar"ened basilica/ Langdon/ .ittoria/ and the t!o guards strained breathlessl% to!ard the main exit.
:nable to find an%thing more suitable/ the four of them !ere transporting the !ounded camerlegno on a narro! table/
balancing the inert bod% bet!een them as though on a stretcher. 9utside the doors/ the faint roar of human chaos !as
no! audible. +he camerlegno teetered on the brin" of unconsciousness.
Time was runnin) out.
!!&
)t !as 11(OK 7.=. !hen Langdon stepped !ith the others from St. 7eter@s 4asilica. +he glare that hit his e%es !as
searing. +he media lights shone off the !hite marble li"e sunlight off a sno!% tundra. Langdon squinted/ tr%ing to find
refuge behind the faWade@s enormous columns/ but the light came from all directions. )n front of him/ a collage of
massive video screens rose above the cro!d.
Standing there atop the magnificent stairs that spilled do!n to the pia&&a belo!/ Langdon felt li"e a reluctant pla%er
on the !orld@s biggest stage. Some!here be%ond the glaring lights/ Langdon heard an idling helicopter and the roar of a
hundred thousand voices. +o their left/ a procession of cardinals !as no! evacuating onto the square. +he% all stopped
in apparent distress to see the scene no! unfolding on the staircase.
E,areful no!/E ,hartrand urged/ sounding focused as the group began descending the stairs to!ard the helicopter.
Langdon felt li"e the% !ere moving under!ater. $is arms ached from the !eight of the camerlegno and the table.
$e !ondered ho! the moment could get much less dignified. +hen he sa! the ans!er. +he t!o 44, reporters had
apparentl% been crossing the open square on their !a% bac" to the press area. 4ut no!/ !ith the roar of the cro!d/ the%
had turned. 8lic" and =acri !ere no! running bac" to!ard them. =acri@s camera !as raised and rolling. 0ere come
the !ultures/ Langdon thought.
E(lt#E ,hartrand %elled. E8et bac"FE
4ut the reporters "ept coming. Langdon guessed the other net!or"s !ould ta"e about six seconds to pic" up this
live 44, feed again. $e !as !rong. +he% too" t!o. s if connected b% some sort of universal consciousness/ ever% last
media screen in the pia&&a cut a!a% from their countdo!n cloc"s and their .atican experts and began transmitting the
same picture'a 0iggling action footage s!ooping up the .atican stairs. <o!/ ever%!here Langdon loo"ed/ he sa! the
camerlegno@s limp bod% in a +echnicolor close-up.
This is wron)# Langdon thought. $e !anted to run do!n the stairs and interfere/ but he could not. )t !ouldn@t have
helped an%!a%. #hether it !as the roar of the cro!d or the cool night air that caused it/ Langdon !ould never "no!/
but at that moment/ the inconceivable occurred.
Li"e a man a!a"ening from a nightmare/ the camerlegno@s e%es shot open and he sat bolt upright. +a"en entirel%
b% surprise/ Langdon and the others fumbled !ith the shifting !eight. +he front of the table dipped. +he camerlegno
began to slide. +he% tried to recover b% setting the table do!n/ but it !as too late. +he camerlegno slid off the front.
)ncredibl%/ he did not fall. $is feet hit the marble/ and he s!a%ed upright. $e stood a moment/ loo"ing disoriented/ and
then/ before an%one could stop him/ he lurched for!ard/ staggering do!n the stairs to!ard =acri.
ENo#E Langdon screamed.
,hartrand rushed for!ard/ tr%ing to reign in the camerlegno. 4ut the camerlegno turned on him/ !ild-e%ed/ cra&ed.
ELeave meFE
,hartrand 0umped bac".
+he scene !ent from bad to !orse. +he camerlegno@s torn cassoc"/ having been onl% laid over his chest b%
,hartrand/ began to slip lo!er. For a moment/ Langdon thought the garment might hold/ but that moment passed. +he
cassoc" let go/ sliding off his shoulders do!n around his !aist.
+he gasp that !ent up from the cro!d seemed to travel around the globe and bac" in an instant. ,ameras rolled/
flashbulbs exploded. 9n media screens ever%!here/ the image of the camerlegno@s branded chest !as pro0ected/
to!ering and in grisl% detail. Some screens !ere even free&ing the image and rotating it 1G3 degrees.
The ultimate "lluminati !ictory.
Langdon stared at the brand on the screens. lthough it !as the imprint of the square brand he had held earlier/ the
s%mbol now made sense. 7erfect sense. +he mar"ing@s a!esome po!er hit Langdon li"e a train.
9rientation. Langdon had forgotten the first rule of s%mbolog%. 3hen is a s=uare not a s=uare1 $e had also
forgotten that iron brands/ 0ust li"e rubber stamps/ never loo"ed li"e their imprints. +he% !ere in reverse. Langdon had
been loo"ing at the brand@s ne)ati!eF
s the chaos gre!/ an old )lluminati quote echoed !ith ne! meaning( E fla!less diamond/ born of the ancient
elements !ith such perfection that all those !ho sa! it could onl% stare in !onder.E
Langdon "ne! no! the m%th !as true.
1arth/ ir/ Fire/ #ater.
The "lluminati @iamon%.
!!.
Robert Langdon had little doubt that the chaos and h%steria coursing through St. 7eter@s Square at this ver% instant
exceeded an%thing .atican $ill had ever !itnessed. <o battle/ no crucifixion/ no pilgrimage/ no m%stical vision*
nothing in the shrine@s C/333-%ear histor% could possibl% match the scope and drama of this ver% moment.
s the traged% unfolded/ Langdon felt oddl% separate/ as if hovering there beside .ittoria at the top of the stairs.
+he action seemed to distend/ as if in a time !arp/ all the insanit% slo!ing to a cra!l*
The 'ran%e% camerle)no ra!in) &or the worl% to see
The "lluminati @iamon% un!eile% in its %ia'olical )enius
The count%own clock re)isterin) the &inal twenty minutes o& ?atican history
+he drama/ ho!ever/ had onl% 0ust begun.
+he camerlegno/ as if in some sort of post-traumatic trance/ seemed suddenl% puissant/ possessed b% demons. $e
began babbling/ !hispering to unseen spirits/ loo"ing up at the s"% and raising his arms to 8od.
ESpea"FE the camerlegno %elled to the heavens. EBes/ ) hear %ouFE
)n that moment/ Langdon understood. $is heart dropped li"e a roc".
.ittoria apparentl% understood too. She !ent !hite. E$e@s in shoc"/E she said. E$e@s hallucinating. $e thin"s he@s
tal"ing to 8odFE
$ome'o%y+s )ot to stop this/ Langdon thought. )t !as a !retched and embarrassing end. *et this man to a hospital#
4elo! them on the stairs/ ,hinita =acri !as poised and filming/ apparentl% having located her ideal vantage point.
+he images she filmed appeared instantl% across the square behind her on media screens* li"e endless drive-in movies
all pla%ing the same grisl% traged%.
+he !hole scene felt epic. +he camerlegno/ in his torn cassoc"/ !ith the scorched brand on his chest/ loo"ed li"e
some sort of battered champion !ho had overcome the rings of hell for this one moment of revelation. $e bello!ed to
the heavens.
ETi sento- @io# ) hear %ou/ 8odFE
,hartrand bac"ed off/ a loo" of a!e on his face.
+he hush that fell across the cro!d !as instant and absolute. For a moment it !as as if the silence had fallen across
the entire planet* ever%one in front of their +.s rigid/ a communal holding of breath.
+he camerlegno stood on the stairs/ before the !orld/ and held out his arms. $e loo"ed almost ,hristli"e/ bare and
!ounded before the !orld. $e raised his arms to the heavens and/ loo"ing up/ exclaimed/ E*ra/ie# *ra/ie- @io#E
+he silence of the masses never bro"e.
E*ra/ie- @io#E the camerlegno cried out again. Li"e the sun brea"ing through a storm% s"%/ a loo" of 0o% spread
across his face. E*ra/ie- @io#E
Thank you- *o%1 Langdon stared in !onder.
+he camerlegno !as radiant no!/ his eerie transformation complete. $e loo"ed up at the s"%/ still nodding
furiousl%. $e shouted to the heavens/ E:pon this roc" ) !ill build m% churchFE
Langdon "ne! the !ords/ but he had no idea !h% the camerlegno could possibl% be shouting them.
+he camerlegno turned bac" to the cro!d and bello!ed again into the night. E:pon this roc" ) !ill build m%
churchFE +hen he raised his hands to the s"% and laughed out loud. E*ra/ie- @io# *ra/ie#E
+he man had clearl% gone mad.
+he !orld !atched/ spellbound.
+he culmination/ ho!ever/ !as something no one expected.
#ith a final 0o%ous exultation/ the camerlegno turned and dashed bac" into St. 7eter@s 4asilica.
!!5
1leven-fort%-t!o 7.=.
+he fren&ied convo% that plunged bac" into the basilica to retrieve the camerlegno !as not one Langdon had ever
imagined he !ould be part of* much less leading. 4ut he had been closest to the door and had acted on instinct.
0e+ll %ie in here/ Langdon thought/ sprinting over the threshold into the dar"ened void. E,amerlegnoF StopFE
+he !all of blac"ness that hit Langdon !as absolute. $is pupils !ere contracted from the glare outside/ and his
field of vision no! extended no farther than a fe! feet before his face. $e s"idded to a stop. Some!here in the
blac"ness ahead/ he heard the camerlegno@s cassoc" rustle as the priest ran blindl% into the ab%ss.
.ittoria and the guards arrived immediatel%. Flashlights came on/ but the lights !ere almost dead no! and did not
even begin to probe the depths of the basilica before them. +he beams s!ept bac" and forth/ revealing onl% columns and
bare floor. +he camerlegno !as no!here to be seen.
E,amerlegnoFE ,hartrand %elled/ fear in his voice. E#aitF SignoreFE
commotion in the door!a% behind them caused ever%one to turn. ,hinita =acri@s large frame lurched through
the entr%. $er camera !as shouldered/ and the glo!ing red light on top revealed that it !as still transmitting. 8lic" !as
running behind her/ microphone in hand/ %elling for her to slo! do!n.
Langdon could not believe these t!o. This is not the time#
E9utFE ,hartrand snapped. E+his is not for %our e%esFE
4ut =acri and 8lic" "ept coming.
E,hinitaFE 8lic" sounded fearful no!. E+his is suicideF )@m not comingFE
=acri ignored him. She thre! a s!itch on her camera. +he spotlight on top glared to life/ blinding ever%one.
Langdon shielded his face and turned a!a% in pain. @amn it# #hen he loo"ed up/ though/ the church around them
!as illuminated for thirt% %ards.
t that moment the camerlegno@s voice echoed some!here in the distance. E:pon this roc" ) !ill build m%
churchFE
=acri !heeled her camera to!ard the sound. Far off/ in the gra%ness at the end of the spotlight@s reach/ blac" fabric
billo!ed/ revealing a familiar form running do!n the main aisle of the basilica.
+here !as a fleeting instant of hesitation as ever%one@s e%es too" in the bi&arre image. +hen the dam bro"e.
,hartrand pushed past Langdon and sprinted after the camerlegno. Langdon too" off next. +hen the guards and .ittoria.
=acri brought up the rear/ lighting ever%one@s !a% and transmitting the sepulchral chase to the !orld. n un!illing
8lic" cursed aloud as he tagged along/ fumbling through a terrified blo!-b%-blo! commentar%.
+he main aisle of St. 7eter@s 4asilica/ Lieutenant ,hartrand had once figured out/ !as longer than an 9l%mpic
soccer field. +onight/ ho!ever/ it felt li"e t!ice that. s the guard sprinted after the camerlegno/ he !ondered !here the
man !as headed. +he camerlegno !as clearl% in shoc"/ delirious no doubt from his ph%sical trauma and bearing !itness
to the horrific massacre in the 7ope@s office.
Some!here up ahead/ be%ond the reach of the 44, spotlight/ the camerlegno@s voice rang out 0o%ousl%. E:pon this
roc" ) !ill build m% churchFE
,hartrand "ne! the man !as shouting Scripture'=atthe! 1R(1G/ if ,hartrand recalled correctl%. Bpon this rock "
will 'uil% my church. )t !as an almost cruell% inapt inspiration'the church !as about to be destro%ed. Surel% the
camerlegno had gone mad.
9r had heD
For a fleeting instant/ ,hartrand@s soul fluttered. $ol% visions and divine messages had al!a%s seemed li"e !ishful
delusions to him'the product of over&ealous minds hearing !hat the% !anted to hear'8od did not interact %irectlyF
moment later/ though/ as if the $ol% Spirit $imself had descended to persuade ,hartrand of $is po!er/
,hartrand had a vision.
Fift% %ards ahead/ in the center of the church/ a ghost appeared* a diaphanous/ glo!ing outline. +he pale shape
!as that of the half-na"ed camerlegno. +he specter seemed transparent/ radiating light. ,hartrand staggered to a stop/
feeling a "not tighten in his chest. The camerle)no is )lowin)# +he bod% seemed to shine brighter no!. +hen/ it began
to sin"* deeper and deeper/ until it disappeared as if b% magic into the blac"ness of the floor.
Langdon had seen the phantom also. For a moment/ he too thought he had !itnessed a magical vision. 4ut as he
passed the stunned ,hartrand and ran to!ard the spot !here the camerlegno had disappeared/ he reali&ed !hat had 0ust
happened. +he camerlegno had arrived at the <iche of the 7alliums'the sun"en chamber lit b% ninet%-nine oil lamps.
+he lamps in the niche shone up from beneath/ illuminating him li"e a ghost. +hen/ as the camerlegno descended the
stairs into the light/ he had seemed to disappear beneath the floor.
Langdon arrived breathless at the rim overloo"ing the sun"en room. $e peered do!n the stairs. t the bottom/ lit
b% the golden glo! of oil lamps/ the camerlegno dashed across the marble chamber to!ard the set of glass doors that led
to the room holding the famous golden box.
3hat is he %oin)1 Langdon !ondered. Certainly he can+t think the )ol%en 'o;'
+he camerlegno %an"ed open the doors and ran inside. 9ddl% though/ he totall% ignored the golden box/ rushing
right past it. Five feet be%ond the box/ he dropped to his "nees and began struggling to lift an iron grate embedded in the
floor.
Langdon !atched in horror/ no! reali&ing !here the camerlegno !as headed. *oo% *o%- no# $e dashed do!n the
stairs after him. EFatherF ;on@tFE
s Langdon opened the glass doors and ran to!ard the camerlegno/ he sa! the camerlegno heave on the grate. +he
hinged/ iron bul"head fell open !ith a deafening crash/ revealing a narro! shaft and a steep stair!a% that dropped into
nothingness. s the camerlegno moved to!ard the hole/ Langdon grabbed his bare shoulders and pulled him bac". +he
man@s s"in !as slipper% !ith s!eat/ but Langdon held on.
+he camerlegno !heeled/ obviousl% startled. E#hat are %ou doingFE
Langdon !as surprised !hen their e%es met. +he camerlegno no longer had the gla&ed loo" of a man in a trance.
$is e%es !ere "een/ glistening !ith a lucid determination. +he brand on his chest loo"ed excruciating.
EFather/E Langdon urged/ as calml% as possible/ E%ou can@t go do!n there. #e need to evacuate.E
E=% son/E the camerlegno said/ his voice eeril% sane. E) have 0ust had a message. ) "no!'E
E,amerlegnoFE )t !as ,hartrand and the others. +he% came dashing do!n the stairs into the room/ lit b% =acri@s
camera.
#hen ,hartrand sa! the open grate in the floor/ his e%es filled !ith dread. $e crossed himself and shot Langdon a
than"ful loo" for having stopped the camerlegno. Langdon understoodJ had read enough about .atican architecture to
"no! !hat la% beneath that grate. )t !as the most sacred place in all of ,hristendom. Terra $anta. $ol% 8round. Some
called it the <ecropolis. Some called it the ,atacombs. ccording to accounts from the select fe! clerg% !ho had
descended over the %ears/ the <ecropolis !as a dar" ma&e of subterranean cr%pts that could s!allo! a visitor !hole if
he lost his !a%. )t !as not the "ind of place through !hich the% !anted to be chasing the camerlegno.
ESignore/E ,hartrand pleaded. EBou@re in shoc". #e need to leave this place. Bou cannot go do!n there. )t@s
suicide.E
+he camerlegno seemed suddenl% stoic. $e reached out and put a quiet hand on ,hartrand@s shoulder. E+han" %ou
for %our concern and service. ) cannot tell %ou ho!. ) cannot tell %ou ) understand. 4ut ) have had a revelation. ) "no!
!here the antimatter is.E
1ver%one stared.
+he camerlegno turned to the group. E:pon this roc" ) !ill build m% church. +hat !as the message. +he meaning is
clear.E
Langdon !as still unable to comprehend the camerlegno@s conviction that he had spo"en to 8od/ much less that he
had deciphered the message. Bpon this rock " will 'uil% my church1 +he% !ere the !ords spo"en b% 5esus !hen he
chose 7eter as his first apostle. #hat did the% have to do !ith an%thingD
=acri moved in for a closer shot. 8lic" !as mute/ as if shell-shoc"ed.
+he camerlegno spo"e quic"l% no!. E+he )lluminati have placed their tool of destruction on the ver% cornerstone of
this church. t the foundation.E $e motioned do!n the stairs. E9n the ver% roc" upon !hich this church !as built. nd
) "no! !here that roc" is.E
Langdon !as certain the time had come to overpo!er the camerlegno and carr% him off. s lucid as he seemed/ the
priest !as tal"ing nonsense. ( rock1 The cornerstone in the &oun%ation1 +he stair!a% before them didn@t lead to the
foundation/ it led to the necropolisF E+he quote is a metaphor/ FatherF +here is no actual rockFE
+he camerlegno loo"ed strangel% sad. E+here is a roc"/ m% son.E $e pointed into the hole. EPietro L la pietra.E
Langdon fro&e. )n an instant it all came clear.
+he austere simplicit% of it gave him chills. s Langdon stood there !ith the others/ staring do!n the long
staircase/ he reali&ed that there !as indeed a roc" buried in the dar"ness beneath this church.
Pietro L la pietra. 7eter is the roc".
7eter@s faith in 8od !as so steadfast that 5esus called 7eter Ethe roc"E'the un!avering disciple on !hose shoulders
5esus !ould build his church. 9n this ver% location/ Langdon reali&ed'.atican $ill'7eter had been crucified and
buried. +he earl% ,hristians built a small shrine over his tomb. s ,hristianit% spread/ the shrine got bigger/ la%er upon
la%er/ culminating in this colossal basilica. +he entire ,atholic faith had been built/ quite literall%/ upon St. 7eter. +he
roc".
E+he antimatter is on St. 7eter@s tomb/E the camerlegno said/ his voice cr%stalline.
;espite the seemingl% supernatural origin of the information/ Langdon sensed a star" logic in it. 7lacing the
antimatter on St. 7eter@s tomb seemed painfull% obvious no!. +he )lluminati/ in an act of s%mbolic defiance/ had
located the antimatter at the core of ,hristendom/ both literall% and figurativel%. The ultimate in&iltration.
End if %ou all need !orldl% proof/E the camerlegno said/ sounding impatient no!/ E) 0ust found that grate
unloc"ed.E $e pointed to the open bul"head in the floor. E)t is ne!er unloc"ed. Someone has been do!n there*
recently.E
1ver%one stared into the hole.
n instant later/ !ith deceptive agilit%/ the camerlegno spun/ grabbed an oil lamp/ and headed for the opening.
!!:
+he stone steps declined steepl% into the earth.
"+m )oin) to %ie %own here/ .ittoria thought/ gripping the heav% rope banister as she bounded do!n the cramped
passage!a% behind the others. lthough Langdon had made a move to stop the camerlegno from entering the shaft/
,hartrand had intervened/ grabbing Langdon and holding on. pparentl%/ the %oung guard !as no! convinced the
camerlegno "ne! !hat he !as doing.
fter a brief scuffle/ Langdon had freed himself and pursued the camerlegno !ith ,hartrand close on his heels.
)nstinctivel%/ .ittoria had dashed after them.
<o! she !as racing headlong do!n a precipitous grade !here an% misplaced step could mean a deadl% fall. Far
belo!/ she could see the golden glo! of the camerlegno@s oil lamp. 4ehind her/ .ittoria could hear the 44, reporters
hurr%ing to "eep up. +he camera spotlight thre! gnarled shado!s be%ond her do!n the shaft/ illuminating ,hartrand
and Langdon. .ittoria could scarcel% believe the !orld !as bearing !itness to this insanit%. Turn o&& the %amn camera#
+hen again/ she "ne! the light !as the onl% reason an% of them could see !here the% !ere going.
s the bi&arre chase continued/ .ittoria@s thoughts !hipped li"e a tempest. #hat could the camerlegno possibl% do
do!n hereD 1ven if he found the antimatterD +here !as no timeF
.ittoria !as surprised to find her intuition no! telling her the camerlegno !as probabl% right. 7lacing the
antimatter three stories beneath the earth seemed an almost noble and merciful choice. ;eep underground'much as in
S-lab'an antimatter annihilation !ould be partiall% contained. +here !ould be no heat blast/ no fl%ing shrapnel to in0ure
onloo"ers/ 0ust a biblical opening of the earth and a to!ering basilica crumbling into a crater.
#as this 6ohler@s one act of decenc%D Sparing livesD .ittoria still could not fathom the director@s involvement. She
could accept his hatred of religion* but this a!esome conspirac% seemed be%ond him. #as 6ohler@s loathing reall%
this profoundD ;estruction of the .aticanD $iring an assassinD +he murders of her father/ the 7ope/ and four cardinalsD
)t seemed unthin"able. nd ho! had 6ohler managed all this treacher% !ithin the .atican !allsD Rocher was 7ohler+s
insi%e man/ .ittoria told herself. Rocher was an "lluminatus. <o doubt ,aptain Rocher had "e%s to ever%thing'the
7ope@s chambers/ "l Passetto/ the <ecropolis/ St. 7eter@s tomb/ all of it. $e could have placed the antimatter on St.
7eter@s tomb'a highl% restricted locale'and then commanded his guards not to !aste time searching the .atican@s
restricted areas. Rocher knew nobod% !ould ever find the canister.
But Rocher ne!er counte% on the camerle)no+s messa)e &rom a'o!e.
+he message. +his !as the leap of faith .ittoria !as still struggling to accept. $ad 8od actuall% communicate%
!ith the camerlegnoD .ittoria@s gut said no/ and %et hers !as the science of entanglement ph%sics'the stud% of
interconnectedness. She !itnessed miraculous communications ever% da%'t!in sea-turtle eggs separated and placed in
labs thousands of miles apart hatching at the same instant* acres of 0ell%fish pulsating in perfect rh%thm as if of a
single mind. There are in!isi'le lines o& communication e!erywhere/ she thought.
4ut bet!een 8od and manD
.ittoria !ished her father !ere there to give her faith. $e had once explained divine communication to her in
scientific terms/ and he had made her believe. She still remembered the da% she had seen him pra%ing and as"ed him/
EFather/ !h% do %ou bother to pra%D 8od cannot ans!er %ou.E
Leonardo .etra had loo"ed up from his meditations !ith a paternal smile. E=% daughter the s"eptic. So %ou don@t
believe 8od spea"s to manD Let me put it in %our language.E $e too" a model of the human brain do!n from a shelf and
set it in front of her. Es %ou probabl% "no!/ .ittoria/ human beings normall% use a ver% small percentage of their brain
po!er. $o!ever/ if %ou put them in emotionall% charged situations'li"e ph%sical trauma/ extreme 0o% or fear/ deep
meditation'all of a sudden their neurons start firing li"e cra&%/ resulting in massivel% enhanced mental clarit%.E
ESo !hatDE .ittoria said. E5ust because %ou thin" clearl% doesn@t mean %ou tal" to 8od.E
EhaFE .etra exclaimed. End %et remar"able solutions to seemingl% impossible problems often occur in these
moments of clarit%. )t@s !hat gurus call higher consciousness. 4iologists call it altered states. 7s%chologists call it
super-sentience.E $e paused. End ,hristians call it ans!ered pra%er.E Smiling broadl%/ he added/ ESometimes/ divine
revelation simpl% means ad0usting %our brain to hear !hat %our heart alread% "no!s.E
<o!/ as she dashed do!n/ headlong into the dar"/ .ittoria sensed perhaps her father !as right. #as it so hard to
believe that the camerlegno@s trauma had put his mind in a state !here he had simpl% Ereali&edE the antimatter@s
locationD
Each o& us is a *o%/ 4uddha had said. Each o& us knows all. 3e nee% only open our min%s to hear our own wis%om.
)t !as in that moment of clarit%/ as .ittoria plunged deeper into the earth/ that she felt her o!n mind open* her
o!n !isdom surface. She sensed no! !ithout a doubt !hat the camerlegno@s intentions !ere. $er a!areness brought
!ith it a fear li"e nothing she had ever "no!n.
E,amerlegno/ noFE she shouted do!n the passage. EBou don@t understandFE .ittoria pictured the multitudes of
people surrounding .atican ,it%/ and her blood ran cold. E)f %ou bring the antimatter up* ever%one !ill %ieFE
Langdon !as leaping three steps at a time no!/ gaining ground. +he passage !as cramped/ but he felt no
claustrophobia. $is once debilitating fear !as overshado!ed b% a far deeper dread.
E,amerlegnoFE Langdon felt himself closing the gap on the lantern@s glo!. EBou must leave the antimatter !here it
isF +here@s no other choiceFE
1ven as Langdon spo"e the !ords/ he could not believe them. <ot onl% had he accepted the camerlegno@s divine
revelation of the antimatter@s location/ but he !as lobb%ing for the destruction of St. 7eter@s 4asilica'one of the greatest
architectural feats on earth* as !ell as all of the art inside.
But the people outsi%e it+s the only way.
)t seemed a cruel iron% that the onl% !a% to save the people no! !as to destro% the church. Langdon figured the
)lluminati !ere amused b% the s%mbolism.
+he air coming up from the bottom of the tunnel !as cool and dan". Some!here do!n here !as the sacred
necropolis* burial place of St. 7eter and countless other earl% ,hristians. Langdon felt a chill/ hoping this !as not a
suicide mission.
Suddenl%/ the camerlegno@s lantern seemed to halt. Langdon closed on him fast.
+he end of the stairs loomed abruptl% from out of the shado!s. !rought-iron gate !ith three embossed s"ulls
bloc"ed the bottom of the stairs. +he camerlegno !as there/ pulling the gate open. Langdon leapt/ pushing the gate shut/
bloc"ing the camerlegno@s !a%. +he others came thundering do!n the stairs/ ever%one ghostl% !hite in the 44,
spotlight* especiall% *lick/ !ho !as loo"ing more past% !ith ever% step.
,hartrand grabbed Langdon. ELet the camerlegno passFE
E<oFE .ittoria said from above/ breathless. E#e must evacuate right no!F Bou cannot ta"e the antimatter out of
hereF )f %ou bring it up/ ever%one outside !ill %ieFE
+he camerlegno@s voice !as remar"abl% calm. Ell of %ou* !e must trust. #e have little time.E
EBou don@t understand/E .ittoria said. En explosion at ground level !ill be much !orse than one do!n hereFE
+he camerlegno loo"ed at her/ his green e%es resplendentl% sane. E#ho said an%thing about an explosion at ground
levelDE
.ittoria stared. EBou@re lea!in) it do!n hereDE
+he camerlegno@s certitude !as h%pnotic. E+here !ill be no more death tonight.E
EFather/ but'E
E7lease* some &aith.E +he camerlegno@s voice plunged to a compelling hush. E) am not as"ing an%one to 0oin me.
Bou are all free to go. ll ) am as"ing is that %ou not interfere !ith $is bidding. Let me do !hat ) have been called to
do.E +he camerlegno@s stare intensified. E) am to save this church. nd ) can. ) s!ear on m% life.E
+he silence that follo!ed might as !ell have been thunder.
!";
1leven-fift%-one 7.=.
Necropolis literall% means City o& the @ea%.
<othing Robert Langdon had ever read about this place prepared him for the sight of it. +he colossal subterranean
hollo! !as filled !ith crumbling mausoleums/ li"e small houses on the floor of a cave. +he air smelled lifeless. n
a!"!ard grid of narro! !al"!a%s !ound bet!een the deca%ing memorials/ most of !hich !ere fractured bric" !ith
marble platings. Li"e columns of dust/ countless pillars of unexcavated earth rose up/ supporting a dirt s"%/ !hich hung
lo! over the penumbral hamlet.
City o& the %ea%/ Langdon thought/ feeling trapped bet!een academic !onder and ra! fear. $e and the others
dashed deeper do!n the !inding passages. @i% " make the wron) choice1
,hartrand had been the first to fall under the camerlegno@s spell/ %an"ing open the gate and declaring his faith in
the camerlegno. 8lic" and =acri/ at the camerlegno@s suggestion/ had nobl% agreed to provide light to the quest/
although considering !hat accolades a!aited them if the% got out of here alive/ their motivations !ere certainl% suspect.
.ittoria had been the least eager of all/ and Langdon had seen in her e%es a !ariness that loo"ed/ unsettlingl%/ a lot li"e
female intuition.
"t+s too late now/ he thought/ he and .ittoria dashing after the others. 3e+re committe%.
.ittoria !as silent/ but Langdon "ne! the% !ere thin"ing the same thing. Nine minutes is not enou)h time to )et
the hell out o& ?atican City i& the camerle)no is wron).
s the% ran on through the mausoleums/ Langdon felt his legs tiring/ noting to his surprise that the group !as
ascending a stead% incline. +he explanation/ !hen it da!ned on him/ sent shivers to his core. +he topograph% beneath
his feet !as that of ,hrist@s time. $e !as running up the original .atican $illF Langdon had heard .atican scholars
claim that St. 7eter@s tomb !as near the top of .atican $ill/ and he had al!a%s !ondered ho! the% "ne!. <o! he
understood. The %amn hill is still here#
Langdon felt li"e he !as running through the pages of histor%. Some!here ahead !as St. 7eter@s tomb'the
,hristian relic. )t !as hard to imagine that the original grave had been mar"ed onl% !ith a modest shrine. <ot an% more.
s 7eter@s eminence spread/ ne! shrines !ere built on top of the old/ and no!/ the homage stretched 223 feet overhead
to the top of =ichelangelo@s dome/ the apex positioned directl% over the original tomb !ithin a fraction of an inch.
+he% continued ascending the sinuous passages. Langdon chec"ed his !atch. Ei)ht minutes. $e !as beginning to
!onder if he and .ittoria !ould be 0oining the deceased here permanentl%.
ELoo" outFE 8lic" %elled from behind them. ESna"e holesFE
Langdon sa! it in time. series of small holes riddled the path before them. $e leapt/ 0ust clearing them.
.ittoria 0umped too/ barel% avoiding the narro! hollo!s. She loo"ed uneas% as the% ran on. E$nake holesDE
E$nack holes/ actuall%/E Langdon corrected. E+rust me/ %ou don@t !ant to "no!.E +he holes/ he had 0ust reali&ed/
!ere li'ation tu'es. +he earl% ,hristians had believed in the resurrection of the flesh/ and the%@d used the holes to
literall% Efeed the deadE b% pouring mil" and hone% into cr%pts beneath the floor.
+he camerlegno felt !ea".
$e dashed on!ard/ his legs finding strength in his dut% to 8od and man. (lmost there. $e !as in incredible pain.
The min% can 'rin) so much more pain than the 'o%y. Still he felt tired. $e "ne! he had precious little time.
E) !ill save %our church/ Father. ) s!ear it.E
;espite the 44, lights behind him/ for !hich he !as grateful/ the camerlegno carried his oil lamp high. " am a
'eacon in the %arkness. " am the li)ht. +he lamp sloshed as he ran/ and for an instant he feared the flammable oil might
spill and burn him. $e had experienced enough burned flesh for one evening.
s he approached the top of the hill/ he !as drenched in s!eat/ barel% able to breathe. 4ut !hen he emerged over
the crest/ he felt reborn. $e staggered onto the flat piece of earth !here he had stood man% times. $ere the path ended.
+he necropolis came to an abrupt halt at a !all of earth. tin% mar"er read( ,ausoleum $.
a tom'a %i $an Pietro.
4efore him/ at !aist level/ !as an opening in the !all. +here !as no gilded plaque here. <o fanfare. 5ust a simple
hole in the !all/ be%ond !hich la% a small grotto and a meager/ crumbling sarcophagus. +he camerlegno ga&ed into the
hole and smiled in exhaustion. $e could hear the others coming up the hill behind him. $e set do!n his oil lamp and
"nelt to pra%.
Thank you- *o%. "t is almost o!er.
9utside in the square/ surrounded b% astounded cardinals/ ,ardinal =ortati stared up at the media screen and
!atched the drama unfold in the cr%pt belo!. $e no longer "ne! !hat to believe. $ad the entire !orld 0ust !itnessed
!hat he had seenD $ad 8od trul% spo"en to the camerlegnoD #as the antimatter reall% going to appear on St. 7eter@s'
ELoo"FE gasp !ent up from the throngs.
E+hereFE 1ver%one !as suddenl% pointing at the screen. E)t@s a miracleFE
=ortati loo"ed up. +he camera angle !as unstead%/ but it !as clear enough. +he image !as unforgettable.
Filmed from behind/ the camerlegno !as "neeling in pra%er on the earthen floor. )n front of him !as a rough-he!n
hole in the !all. )nside the hollo!/ among the rubble of ancient stone/ !as a terra cotta cas"et. lthough =ortati had
seen the coffin onl% once in his life/ he "ne! be%ond a doubt !hat it contained.
$an Pietro.
=ortati !as not naive enough to thin" that the shouts of 0o% and ama&ement no! thundering through the cro!d
!ere exaltations from bearing !itness to one of ,hristianit%@s most sacred relics. St. 7eter@s tomb !as not !hat had
people falling to their "nees in spontaneous pra%er and than"sgiving. )t !as the ob0ect on top of his tomb.
+he antimatter canister. )t !as there* !here it had been all da%* hiding in the dar"ness of the <ecropolis. Slee".
Relentless. ;eadl%. +he camerlegno@s revelation !as correct.
=ortati stared in !onder at the transparent c%linder. +he globule of liquid still hovered at its core. +he grotto
around the canister blin"ed red as the L1; counted do!n into its final five minutes of life.
lso sitting on the tomb/ inches a!a% from the canister/ !as the !ireless S!iss 8uard securit% camera that had
been pointed at the canister and transmitting all along.
=ortati crossed himself/ certain this !as the most frightful image he had seen in his entire life. $e reali&ed/ a
moment later/ ho!ever/ that it !as about to get !orse.
+he camerlegno stood suddenl%. $e grabbed the antimatter in his hands and !heeled to!ard the others. $is face
sho!ing total focus. $e pushed past the others and began descending the <ecropolis the !a% he had come/ running
do!n the hill.
+he camera caught .ittoria .etra/ fro&en in terror. E#here are %ou goingF ,amerlegnoF ) thought %ou said'E
E$ave faithFE he exclaimed as he ran off.
.ittoria spun to!ard Langdon. E#hat do !e doDE
Robert Langdon tried to stop the camerlegno/ but ,hartrand !as running interference no!/ apparentl% trusting the
camerlegno@s conviction.
+he picture coming from the 44, camera !as li"e a roller coaster ride no!/ !inding/ t!isting. Fleeting
free&e-frames of confusion and terror as the chaotic cortege stumbled through the shado!s bac" to!ard the <ecropolis
entrance.
9ut in the square/ =ortati let out a fearful gasp. E)s he bringing that up hereDE
9n televisions all over the !orld/ larger than life/ the camerlegno raced up!ard out of the <ecropolis !ith the
antimatter before him. E+here !ill be no more death tonightFE
4ut the camerlegno !as !rong.
!"!
+he camerlegno erupted through the doors of St. 7eter@s 4asilica at exactl% 11(AR 7.=. $e staggered into the
da&&ling glare of the !orld spotlight/ carr%ing the antimatter before him li"e some sort of numinous offering. +hrough
burning e%es he could see his o!n form/ half-na"ed and !ounded/ to!ering li"e a giant on the media screens around the
square. +he roar that !ent up from the cro!d in St. 7eter@s Square !as li"e none the camerlegno had ever heard'cr%ing/
screaming/ chanting/ pra%ing* a mix of veneration and terror.
@eli!er us &rom e!il/ he !hispered.
$e felt totall% depleted from his race out of the <ecropolis. )t had almost ended in disaster. Robert Langdon and
.ittoria .etra had !anted to intercept him/ to thro! the canister bac" into its subterranean hiding place/ to run outside
for cover. Blin% &ools#
+he camerlegno reali&ed no!/ !ith fearful clarit%/ that on an% other night/ he !ould never have !on the race.
+onight/ ho!ever/ 8od again had been !ith him. Robert Langdon/ on the verge of overta"ing the camerlegno/ had been
grabbed b% ,hartrand/ ever trusting and dutiful to the camerlegno@s demands for faith. +he reporters/ of course/ !ere
spellbound and lugging too much equipment to interfere.
The or% works in mysterious ways.
+he camerlegno could hear the others behind him no!* see them on the screens/ closing in. =ustering the last of
his ph%sical strength/ he raised the antimatter high over his head. +hen/ thro!ing bac" his bare shoulders in an act of
defiance to the )lluminati brand on his chest/ he dashed do!n the stairs.
+here !as one final act.
*o%spee%/ he thought. *o%spee%.
Four minutes
Langdon could barel% see as he burst out of the basilica. gain the sea of media lights bore into his retinas. ll he
could ma"e out !as the mur"% outline of the camerlegno/ directl% ahead of him/ running do!n the stairs. For an instant/
refulgent in his halo of media lights/ the camerlegno loo"ed celestial/ li"e some "ind of modern deit%. $is cassoc" !as
at his !aist li"e a shroud. $is bod% !as scarred and !ounded b% the hands of his enemies/ and still he endured. +he
camerlegno ran on/ standing tall/ calling out to the !orld to have faith/ running to!ard the masses carr%ing this !eapon
of destruction.
Langdon ran do!n the stairs after him. 3hat is he %oin)1 0e will kill them all#
ESatan@s !or"/E the camerlegno screamed/ Ehas no place in the $ouse of 8odFE $e ran on to!ard a no! terrified
cro!d.
EFatherFE Langdon screamed/ behind him. E+here@s no!here to goFE
ELoo" to the heavensF #e forget to loo" to the heavensFE
)n that moment/ as Langdon sa! !here the camerlegno !as headed/ the glorious truth came flooding all around
him. lthough Langdon could not see it on account of the lights/ he "ne! their salvation !as directl% overhead.
star-filled )talian s"%. The escape route.
+he helicopter the camerlegno had summoned to ta"e him to the hospital sat dead ahead/ pilot alread% in the
coc"pit/ blades alread% humming in neutral. s the camerlegno ran to!ard it/ Langdon felt a sudden over!helming
exhilaration.
+he thoughts that tore through Langdon@s mind came as a torrent*
First he pictured the !ide-open expanse of the =editerranean Sea. $o! far !as itD Five milesD +enD $e "ne! the
beach at Fiumocino !as onl% about seven minutes b% train. 4ut b% helicopter/ C33 miles an hour/ no stops* )f the%
could fl% the canister far enough out to sea/ and drop it* +here !ere other options too/ he reali&ed/ feeling almost
!eightless as he ran. a Ca!a Romana# +he marble quarries north of the cit% !ere less than three miles a!a%. $o!
large !ere the%D +!o square milesD ,ertainl% the% !ere deserted at this hourF ;ropping the canister there
E1ver%one bac"FE the camerlegno %elled. $is chest ached as he ran. E8et a!a%F <o!FE
+he S!iss 8uard standing around the chopper stood slac"-0a!ed as the camerlegno approached them.
E4ac"FE the priest screamed.
+he guards moved bac".
#ith the entire !orld !atching in !onder/ the camerlegno ran around the chopper to the pilot@s door and %an"ed it
open. E9ut/ sonF <o!FE
+he guard 0umped out.
+he camerlegno loo"ed at the high coc"pit seat and "ne! that in his exhausted state/ he !ould need both hands to
pull himself up. $e turned to the pilot/ trembling beside him/ and thrust the canister into his hands. E$old this. $and it
bac" !hen )@m in.E
s the camerlegno pulled himself up/ he could hear Robert Langdon %elling excitedl%/ running to!ard the craft.
Now you un%erstan%/ the camerlegno thought. Now you ha!e &aith#
+he camerlegno pulled himself up into the coc"pit/ ad0usted a fe! familiar levers/ and then turned bac" to his
!indo! for the canister.
4ut the guard to !hom he had given the canister stood empt%-handed. E$e too" itFE the guard %elled.
+he camerlegno felt his heart sei&e. E#hoFE
+he guard pointed. E$imFE
Robert Langdon !as surprised b% ho! heav% the canister !as. $e ran to the other side of the chopper and 0umped
in the rear compartment !here he and .ittoria had sat onl% hours ago. $e left the door open and buc"led himself in.
+hen he %elled to the camerlegno in the front seat.
EFl%/ FatherFE
+he camerlegno craned bac" at Langdon/ his face bloodless !ith dread. E#hat are %ou doingFE
EYou fl%F )@ll thro!FE Langdon bar"ed. E+here@s no timeF 5ust fl% the blessed chopperFE
+he camerlegno seemed momentaril% paral%&ed/ the media lights glaring through the coc"pit dar"ening the creases
in his face. E) can do this alone/E he !hispered. E) am suppose% to do this alone.E
Langdon !asn@t listening. Fly# he heard himself screaming. Now# "+m here to help you# Langdon loo"ed do!n at
the canister and felt his breath catch in his throat !hen he sa! the numbers. EThree minutes/ FatherF Three#E
+he number seemed to stun the camerlegno bac" to sobriet%. #ithout hesitation/ he turned bac" to the controls.
#ith a grinding roar/ the helicopter lifted off.
+hrough a s!irl of dust/ Langdon could see .ittoria running to!ard the chopper. +heir e%es met/ and then she
dropped a!a% li"e a sin"ing stone.
!""
)nside the chopper/ the !hine of the engines and the gale from the open door assaulted Langdon@s senses !ith a
deafening chaos. $e steadied himself against the magnified drag of gravit% as the camerlegno accelerated the craft
straight up. +he glo! of St. 7eter@s Square shran" beneath them until it !as an amorphous glo!ing ellipse radiating in a
sea of cit% lights.
+he antimatter canister felt li"e dead!eight in Langdon@s hands. $e held tighter/ his palms slic" no! !ith s!eat
and blood. )nside the trap/ the globule of antimatter hovered calml%/ pulsing red in the glo! of the L1; countdo!n
cloc".
E+!o minutesFE Langdon %elled/ !ondering !here the camerlegno intended to drop the canister.
+he cit% lights beneath them spread out in all directions. )n the distance to the !est/ Langdon could see the
t!in"ling delineation of the =editerranean coast'a 0agged border of luminescence be%ond !hich spread an endless dar"
expanse of nothingness. +he sea loo"ed farther no! than Langdon had imagined. =oreover/ the concentration of lights
at the coast !as a star" reminder that even far out at sea an explosion might have devastating effects. Langdon had not
even considered the effects of a ten-"iloton tidal !ave hitting the coast.
#hen Langdon turned and loo"ed straight ahead through the coc"pit !indo!/ he !as more hopeful. ;irectl% in
front of them/ the rolling shado!s of the Roman foothills loomed in the night. +he hills !ere spotted !ith lights'the
villas of the ver% !ealth%'but a mile or so north/ the hills gre! dar". +here !ere no lights at all'0ust a huge poc"et of
blac"ness. <othing.
The =uarries# Langdon thought. a Ca!a Romana#
Staring intentl% at the barren poc"et of land/ Langdon sensed that it !as plent% large enough. )t seemed close/ too.
=uch closer than the ocean. 1xcitement surged through him. +his !as obviousl% !here the camerlegno planned to ta"e
the antimatterF +he chopper !as pointing directl% to!ard itF +he quarriesF 9ddl%/ ho!ever/ as the engines strained
louder and the chopper hurtled through the air/ Langdon could see that the quarries !ere not getting an% closer.
4e!ildered/ he shot a glance out the side door to get his bearings. #hat he sa! doused his excitement in a !ave of
panic. ;irectl% beneath them/ thousands of feet straight do!n/ glo!ed the media lights in St. 7eter@s Square.
3e+re still o!er the ?atican#
E,amerlegnoFE Langdon cho"ed. E8o for!ardF #e@re high enou)hF Bou@ve got to start moving for!ardF #e can@t
drop the canister bac" over .atican ,it%FE
+he camerlegno did not repl%. $e appeared to be concentrating on fl%ing the craft.
E#e@ve got less than t!o minutesFE Langdon shouted/ holding up the canister. E) can see themF a Ca!a Romana#
couple of miles northF #e don@t have'E
E<o/E the camerlegno said. E)t@s far too dangerous. )@m sorr%.E s the chopper continued to cla! heaven!ard/ the
camerlegno turned and gave Langdon a mournful smile. E) !ish %ou had not come/ m% friend. Bou have made the
ultimate sacrifice.E
Langdon loo"ed in the camerlegno@s exhausted e%es and suddenl% understood. $is blood turned to ice. E4ut*
there must be somewhere !e can goFE
EBp/E the camerlegno replied/ his voice resigned. E)t@s the onl% guarantee.E
Langdon could barel% thin". $e had entirel% misinterpreted the camerlegno@s plan. ook to the hea!ens#
0ea!en/ Langdon no! reali&ed/ !as literall% !here he !as headed. +he camerlegno had never intended to drop the
antimatter. $e !as simpl% getting it as far a!a% from .atican ,it% as humanl% possible.
+his !as a one-!a% trip.
!"#
)n St. 7eter@s Square/ .ittoria .etra stared up!ard. +he helicopter !as a spec" no!/ the media lights no longer
reaching it. 1ven the pounding of the rotors had faded to a distant hum. )t seemed/ in that instant/ that the entire !orld
!as focused up!ard/ silenced in anticipation/ nec"s craned to the heavens* all peoples/ all faiths* all hearts beating
as one.
.ittoria@s emotions !ere a c%clone of t!isting agonies. s the helicopter disappeared from sight/ she pictured
Robert@s face/ rising above her. 3hat ha% he 'een thinkin)1 @i%n+t he un%erstan%1
round the square/ television cameras probed the dar"ness/ !aiting. sea of faces stared heaven!ard/ united in a
silent countdo!n. +he media screens all flic"ered the same tranquil scene* a Roman s"% illuminated !ith brilliant
stars. .ittoria felt the tears begin to !ell.
4ehind her on the marble escarpment/ 1R1 cardinals stared up in silent a!e. Some folded their hands in pra%er.
=ost stood motionless/ transfixed. Some !ept. +he seconds tic"ed past.
)n homes/ bars/ businesses/ airports/ hospitals around the !orld/ souls !ere 0oined in universal !itness. =en and
!omen loc"ed hands. 9thers held their children. +ime seemed to hover in limbo/ souls suspended in unison.
+hen/ cruell%/ the bells of St. 7eter@s began to toll.
.ittoria let the tears come.
+hen* !ith the !hole !orld !atching* time ran out.
+he dead silence of the event !as the most terrif%ing of all.
$igh above .atican ,it%/ a pinpoint of light appeared in the s"%. For a fleeting instant/ a ne! heavenl% bod% had
been born* a spec" of light as pure and !hite as an%one had ever seen.
+hen it happened.
flash. +he point billo!ed/ as if feeding on itself/ unraveling across the s"% in a dilating radius of blinding !hite.
)t shot out in all directions/ accelerating !ith incomprehensible speed/ gobbling up the dar". s the sphere of light gre!/
it intensified/ li"e a burgeoning fiend preparing to consume the entire s"%. )t raced do!n!ard/ to!ard them/ pic"ing up
speed.
4linded/ the multitudes of star"l% lit human faces gasped as one/ shielding their e%es/ cr%ing out in strangled fear.
s the light roared out in all directions/ the unimaginable occurred. s if bound b% 8od@s o!n !ill/ the surging
radius seemed to hit a !all. )t !as as if the explosion !ere contained someho! in a giant glass sphere. +he light
rebounded in!ard/ sharpening/ rippling across itself. +he !ave appeared to have reached a predetermined diameter and
hovered there. For that instant/ a perfect and silent sphere of light glo!ed over Rome. <ight had become da%.
+hen it hit.
+he concussion !as deep and hollo!'a thunderous shoc" !ave from above. )t descended on them li"e the !rath of
hell/ sha"ing the granite foundation of .atican ,it%/ "noc"ing the breath out of people@s lungs/ sending others
stumbling bac"!ard. +he reverberation circled the colonnade/ follo!ed b% a sudden torrent of !arm air. +he !ind tore
through the square/ letting out a sepulchral moan as it !histled through the columns and buffeted the !alls. ;ust s!irled
overhead as people huddled* !itnesses to rmageddon.
+hen/ as fast as it appeared/ the sphere imploded/ suc"ing bac" in on itself/ crushing in!ard to the tin% point of
light from !hich it had come.
!"$
<ever before had so man% been so silent.
+he faces in St. 7eter@s Square/ one b% one/ averted their e%es from the dar"ening s"% and turned do!n!ard/ each
person in his or her o!n private moment of !onder. +he media lights follo!ed suit/ dropping their beams bac" to earth
as if out of reverence for the blac"ness no! settling upon them. )t seemed for a moment the entire !orld !as bo!ing its
head in unison.
,ardinal =ortati "nelt to pra%/ and the other cardinals 0oined him. +he S!iss 8uard lo!ered their long s!ords and
stood numb. <o one spo"e. <o one moved. 1ver%!here/ hearts shuddered !ith spontaneous emotion. 4ereavement.
Fear. #onder. 4elief. nd a dread-filled respect for the ne! and a!esome po!er the% had 0ust !itnessed.
.ittoria .etra stood trembling at the foot of the basilica@s s!eeping stairs. She closed her e%es. +hrough the
tempest of emotions no! coursing through her blood/ a single !ord tolled li"e a distant bell. 7ristine. ,ruel. She forced
it a!a%. nd %et the !ord echoed. gain she drove it bac". +he pain !as too great. She tried to lose herself in the
images that bla&ed in other@s minds* antimatter@s mind-boggling po!er* the .atican@s deliverance* the
camerlegno* feats of braver%* miracles* selflessness. nd still the !ord echoed* tolling through the chaos !ith a
stinging loneliness.
Ro'ert.
$e had come for her at ,astle St. ngelo.
$e had saved her.
nd no! he had been destro%ed b% her creation.
s ,ardinal =ortati pra%ed/ he !ondered if he too !ould hear 8od@s voice as the camerlegno had. @oes one nee%
to 'elie!e in miracles to e;perience them1 =ortati !as a modern man in an ancient faith. =iracles had never pla%ed a
part in his belief. ,ertainl% his faith spo"e of miracles* bleeding palms/ ascensions from the dead/ imprints on
shrouds* and %et/ =ortati@s rational mind had al!a%s 0ustified these accounts as part of the m%th. +he% !ere simpl%
the result of man@s greatest !ea"ness'his nee% for proof. =iracles !ere nothing but stories !e all clung to because !e
wishe% the% !ere true.
nd %et*
(m " so mo%ern that " cannot accept what my eyes ha!e 6ust witnesse%1 )t !as a miracle/ !as it notD BesF 8od/
!ith a fe! !hispered !ords in the camerlegno@s ear/ had intervened and saved this church. #h% !as this so hard to
believeD #hat !ould it sa% about 8od if 8od had done nothingD +hat the lmight% did not careD +hat $e !as
po!erless to stop itD ( miracle was the only possi'le response#
s =ortati "nelt in !onder/ he pra%ed for the camerlegno@s soul. $e gave than"s to the %oung chamberlain !ho/
even in his %outhful %ears/ had opened this old man@s e%es to the miracles of unquestioning faith.
)ncredibl%/ though/ =ortati never suspected the extent to !hich his faith !as about to be tested*
+he silence of St. 7eter@s Square bro"e !ith a ripple at first. +he ripple gre! to a murmur. nd then/ suddenl%/ to a
roar. #ithout !arning/ the multitudes !ere cr%ing out as one.
ELoo"F Loo"FE
=ortati opened his e%es and turned to the cro!d. 1ver%one !as pointing behind him/ to!ard the front of St. 7eter@s
4asilica. +heir faces !ere !hite. Some fell to their "nees. Some fainted. Some burst into uncontrollable sobs.
ELoo"F Loo"FE
=ortati turned/ be!ildered/ follo!ing their outstretched hands. +he% !ere pointing to the uppermost level of the
basilica/ the rooftop terrace/ !here huge statues of ,hrist and his apostles !atched over the cro!d.
+here/ on the right of 5esus/ arms outstretched to the !orld* stood ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca.
!"%
Robert Langdon !as no longer falling.
+here !as no more terror. <o pain. <ot even the sound of the racing !ind. +here !as onl% the soft sound of
lapping !ater/ as though he !ere comfortabl% asleep on a beach.
)n a paradox of self-a!areness/ Langdon sensed this !as death. $e felt glad for it. $e allo!ed the drifting
numbness to possess him entirel%. $e let it carr% him !herever it !as he !ould go. $is pain and fear had been
anestheti&ed/ and he did not !ish it bac" at an% price. $is final memor% had been one that could onl% have been
con0ured in hell.
Take me. Please
4ut the lapping that lulled in him a far-off sense of peace !as also pulling him bac". )t !as tr%ing to a!a"en him
from a dream. No# et me 'e# $e did not !ant to a!a"en. $e sensed demons gathering on the perimeter of his bliss/
pounding to shatter his rapture. Fu&&% images s!irled. .oices %elled. #ind churned. No- please# +he more he fought/
the more the fur% filtered through.
+hen/ harshl%/ he !as living it all again*
+he helicopter !as in a di&&%ing dead climb. $e !as trapped inside. 4e%ond the open door/ the lights of Rome
loo"ed farther a!a% !ith ever% passing second. $is survival instinct told him to 0ettison the canister right no!. Langdon
"ne! it !ould ta"e less than t!ent% seconds for the canister to fall half a mile. 4ut it !ould be falling to!ard a cit% of
people.
0i)her# 0i)her#
Langdon !ondered ho! high the% !ere no!. Small prop planes/ he "ne!/ fle! at altitudes of about four miles.
+his helicopter ha% to be at a good fraction of that b% no!. Two miles up1 Three1 +here !as still a chance. )f the%
timed the drop perfectl%/ the canister !ould fall onl% part!a% to!ard earth/ exploding a safe distance over the ground
and a!a% from the chopper. Langdon loo"ed out at the cit% spra!ling belo! them.
End if %ou calculate incorrectl%DE the camerlegno said.
Langdon turned/ startled. +he camerlegno !as not even loo"ing at him/ apparentl% having read Langdon@s thoughts
from the ghostl% reflection in the !indshield. 9ddl%/ the camerlegno !as no longer engrossed in his controls. $is hands
!ere not even on the throttle. +he chopper/ it seemed/ !as no! in some sort of autopilot mode/ loc"ed in a climb. +he
camerlegno reached above his head/ to the ceiling of the coc"pit/ fishing behind a cable-housing/ !here he removed a
"e%/ taped there out of vie!.
Langdon !atched in be!ilderment as the camerlegno quic"l% unloc"ed the metal cargo box bolted bet!een the
seats. $e removed some sort of large/ blac"/ n%lon pac". $e la% it on the seat next to him. Langdon@s thoughts churned.
+he camerlegno@s movements seemed composed/ as if he had a solution.
E8ive me the canister/E the camerlegno said/ his tone serene.
Langdon did not "no! !hat to thin" an%more. $e thrust the canister to the camerlegno. E<inet% secondsFE
#hat the camerlegno did !ith the antimatter too" Langdon totall% b% surprise. $olding the canister carefull% in his
hands/ the camerlegno placed it inside the cargo box. +hen he closed the heav% lid and used the "e% to loc" it tight.
E#hat are %ou doingFE Langdon demanded.
ELeading us from temptation.E +he camerlegno thre! the "e% out the open !indo!.
s the "e% tumbled into the night/ Langdon felt his soul falling !ith it.
+he camerlegno then too" the n%lon pac" and slipped his arms through the straps. $e fastened a !aist clamp
around his stomach and cinched it all do!n li"e a bac"pac". $e turned to a dumbstruc" Robert Langdon.
E)@m sorr%/E the camerlegno said. E)t !asn@t supposed to happen this !a%.E +hen he opened his door and hurled
himself into the night.
+he image burned in Langdon@s unconscious mind/ and !ith it came the pain. Real pain. 7h%sical pain. ching.
Searing. $e begged to be ta"en/ to let it end/ but as the !ater lapped louder in his ears/ ne! images began to flash. $is
hell had onl% 0ust begun. $e sa! bits and pieces. Scattered frames of sheer panic. $e la% half!a% bet!een death and
nightmare/ begging for deliverance/ but the pictures gre! brighter in his mind.
+he antimatter canister !as loc"ed out of reach. )t counted relentlessl% do!n!ard as the chopper shot up!ard. Fi&ty
secon%s. $igher. $igher. Langdon spun !ildl% in the cabin/ tr%ing to ma"e sense of !hat he had 0ust seen. Forty>&i!e
secon%s. $e dug under seats searching for another parachute. Forty secon%s. +here !as noneF +here had to be an
optionF Thirty>&i!e secon%s. $e raced to the open door!a% of the chopper and stood in the raging !ind/ ga&ing do!n at
the lights of Rome belo!. Thirty>two secon%s.
nd then he made the choice.
+he unbelievable choice*
#ith no parachute/ Robert Langdon had 0umped out the door. s the night s!allo!ed his tumbling bod%/ the
helicopter seemed to roc"et off above him/ the sound of its rotors evaporating in the deafening rush of his o!n free fall.
s he plummeted to!ard earth/ Robert Langdon felt something he had not experienced since his %ears on the high
dive'the inexorable pull of gravit% during a dead drop. +he faster he fell/ the harder the earth seemed to pull/ suc"ing
him do!n. +his time/ ho!ever/ the drop !as not fift% feet into a pool. +he drop !as thousands of feet into a cit%'an
endless expanse of pavement and concrete.
Some!here in the torrent of !ind and desperation/ 6ohler@s voice echoed from the grave* !ords he had spo"en
earlier this morning standing at ,1R<@s free-fall tube. 9ne s=uare yar% o& %ra) will slow a &allin) 'o%y almost twenty
percent. +!ent% percent/ Langdon no! reali&ed/ !as not even close to !hat one !ould need to survive a fall li"e this.
<onetheless/ more out of paral%sis than hope/ he clenched in his hands the sole ob0ect he had grabbed from the chopper
on his !a% out the door. )t !as an odd memento/ but it !as one that for a fleeting instant had given him hope.
+he !indshield tarp had been l%ing in the bac" of the helicopter. )t !as a concave rectangle'about four %ards b%
t!o'li"e a huge fitted sheet* the crudest approximation of a parachute imaginable. )t had no harness/ onl% bungie
loops at either end for fastening it to the curvature of the !indshield. Langdon had grabbed it/ slid his hands through the
loops/ held on/ and leapt out into the void.
$is last great act of %outhful defiance.
<o illusions of life be%ond this moment.
Langdon fell li"e a roc". Feet first. rms raised. $is hands gripping the loops. +he tarp billo!ed li"e a mushroom
overhead. +he !ind tore past him violentl%.
s he plummeted to!ard earth/ there !as a deep explosion some!here above him. )t seemed farther off than he had
expected. lmost instantl%/ the shoc" !ave hit. $e felt the breath crushed from his lungs. +here !as a sudden !armth
in the air all around him. $e fought to hold on. !all of heat raced do!n from above. +he top of the tarp began to
smolder* but held.
Langdon roc"eted do!n!ard/ on the edge of a billo!ing shroud of light/ feeling li"e a surfer tr%ing to outrun a
thousand-foot tidal !ave. +hen suddenl%/ the heat receded.
$e !as falling again through the dar" coolness.
For an instant/ Langdon felt hope. moment later/ though/ that hope faded li"e the !ithdra!ing heat above.
;espite his straining arms assuring him that the tarp !as slo!ing his fall/ the !ind still tore past his bod% !ith
deafening velocit%. Langdon had no doubt he !as still moving too fast to survive the fall. $e !ould be crushed !hen he
hit the ground.
=athematical figures tumbled through his brain/ but he !as too numb to ma"e sense of them* one s=uare yar% o&
%ra) CF percent re%uction o& spee%. ll Langdon could figure !as that the tarp over his head !as big enough to slo!
him more than C3 percent. :nfortunatel%/ though/ he could tell from the !ind !hipping past him that !hatever good the
tarp !as doing !as not enough. $e !as still falling fast* there !ould be no surviving the impact on the !aiting sea of
concrete.
4eneath him/ the lights of Rome spread out in all directions. +he cit% loo"ed li"e an enormous starlit s"% that
Langdon !as falling into. +he perfect expanse of stars !as marred onl% b% a dar" strip that split the cit% in t!o'a !ide/
unlit ribbon that !ound through the dots of light li"e a fat sna"e. Langdon stared do!n at the meandering s!atch of
blac".
Suddenl%/ li"e the surging crest of an unexpected !ave/ hope filled him again.
#ith almost maniacal vigor/ Langdon %an"ed do!n hard !ith his right hand on the canop%. +he tarp suddenl%
flapped louder/ billo!ing/ cutting right to find the path of least resistance. Langdon felt himself drifting side!a%s. $e
pulled again/ harder/ ignoring the pain in his palm. +he tarp flared/ and Langdon sensed his bod% sliding laterall%. <ot
much. 4ut some# $e loo"ed beneath him again/ to the sinuous serpent of blac". )t !as off to the right/ but he !as still
prett% high. $ad he !aited too longD $e pulled !ith all his might and accepted someho! that it !as no! in the hands of
8od. $e focused hard on the !idest part of the serpent and* for the first time in his life/ pra%ed for a miracle.
+he rest !as a blur.
+he dar"ness rushing up beneath him* the diving instincts coming bac"* the reflexive loc"ing of his spine and
pointing of the toes* the inflating of his lungs to protect his vital organs* the flexing of his legs into a battering ram*
and finall%* the than"fulness that the !inding +iber River !as raging* ma"ing its !aters froth% and air-filled* and
three times softer than standing !ater.
+hen there !as impact* and blac"ness.
)t had been the thundering sound of the flapping canop% that dre! the group@s e%es a!a% from the fireball in the
s"%. +he s"% above Rome had been filled !ith sights tonight* a s"%roc"eting helicopter/ an enormous explosion/ and
no! this strange ob0ect that had plummeted into the churning !aters of the +iber River/ directl% off the shore of the
river@s tin% island/ )sola +iberina.
1ver since the island had been used to quarantine the sic" during the Roman plague of .;. 1RAR/ it had been
thought to have m%stic healing properties. For this reason/ the island had later become the site for Rome@s $ospital
+iberina.
+he bod% !as battered !hen the% pulled it onto shore. +he man still had a faint pulse/ !hich !as ama&ing/ the%
thought. +he% !ondered if it !as )sola +iberina@s m%thical reputation for healing that had someho! "ept his heart
pumping. =inutes later/ !hen the man began coughing and slo!l% regained consciousness/ the group decided the island
must indeed be magical.
!"&
,ardinal =ortati "ne! there !ere no !ords in an% language that could have added to the m%ster% of this moment.
+he silence of the vision over St. 7eter@s Square sang louder than an% chorus of angels.
s he stared up at ,amerlegno .entresca/ =ortati felt the paral%&ing collision of his heart and mind. +he vision
seemed real/ tangible. nd %et* ho! could it beD 1ver%one had seen the camerlegno get in the helicopter. +he% had all
!itnessed the ball of light in the s"%. nd no!/ someho!/ the camerlegno stood high above them on the rooftop terrace.
+ransported b% angelsD Reincarnated b% the hand of 8odD
This is impossi'le
=ortati@s heart !anted nothing more than to believe/ but his mind cried out for reason. nd %et all around him/ the
cardinals stared up/ obviousl% seeing !hat he !as seeing/ paral%&ed !ith !onder.
)t !as the camerlegno. +here !as no doubt. 4ut he loo"ed different someho!. ;ivine. s if he had been purified.
spiritD manD $is !hite flesh shone in the spotlights !ith an incorporeal !eightlessness.
)n the square there !as cr%ing/ cheering/ spontaneous applause. group of nuns fell to their "nees and !ailed
saetas. pulsing gre! from in the cro!d. Suddenl%/ the entire square !as chanting the camerlegno@s name. +he
cardinals/ some !ith tears rolling do!n their faces/ 0oined in. =ortati loo"ed around him and tried to comprehend. "s
this really happenin)1
,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca stood on the rooftop terrace of St. 7eter@s 4asilica and loo"ed do!n over the
multitudes of people staring up at him. #as he a!a"e or dreamingD $e felt transformed/ other!orldl%. $e !ondered if
it !as his bod% or 0ust his spirit that had floated do!n from heaven to!ard the soft/ dar"ened expanse of the .atican
,it% 8ardens* alighting li"e a silent angel on the deserted la!ns/ his blac" parachute shrouded from the madness b%
the to!ering shado! of St. 7eter@s 4asilica. $e !ondered if it !as his bod% or his spirit that had possessed the strength
to climb the ancient Stair!a% of =edallions to the rooftop terrace !here he no! stood.
$e felt as light as a ghost.
lthough the people belo! !ere chanting his name/ he "ne! it !as not him the% !ere cheering. +he% !ere
cheering from impulsive 0o%/ the same "ind of 0o% he felt ever% da% of his life as he pondered the lmight%. +he% !ere
experiencing !hat each of them had al!a%s longed for* an assurance of the be%ond* a substantiation of the po!er of
the ,reator.
,amerlegno .entresca had pra%ed all his life for this moment/ and still/ even he could not fathom that 8od had
found a !a% to ma"e it manifest. $e !anted to cr% out to them. Your *o% is a li!in) *o%# Behol% the miracles all
aroun% you#
$e stood there a !hile/ numb and %et feeling more than he had ever felt. #hen/ at last/ the spirit moved him/ he
bo!ed his head and stepped bac" from the edge.
lone no!/ he "nelt on the roof/ and pra%ed.
!".
+he images around him blurred/ drifting in and out. Langdon@s e%es slo!l% began to focus. $is legs ached/ and his
bod% felt li"e it had been run over b% a truc". $e !as l%ing on his side on the ground. Something stun"/ li"e bile. $e
could still hear the incessant sound of lapping !ater. )t no longer sounded peaceful to him. +here !ere other sounds
too'tal"ing close around him. $e sa! blurr% !hite forms. #ere the% all !earing !hiteD Langdon decided he !as either
in an as%lum or heaven. From the burning in his throat/ Langdon decided it could not be heaven.
E0e+s &inishe% !omitin)/E one man said in )talian. ETurn him.E +he voice !as firm and professional.
Langdon felt hands slo!l% rolling him onto his bac". $is head s!am. $e tried to sit up/ but the hands gentl% forced
him bac" do!n. $is bod% submitted. +hen Langdon felt someone going through his poc"ets/ removing items.
+hen he passed out cold.
;r. 5acobus !as not a religious manJ the science of medicine had bred that from him long ago. nd %et/ the events
in .atican ,it% tonight had put his s%stematic logic to the test. Now 'o%ies are &allin) &rom the sky1
;r. 5acobus felt the pulse of the bedraggled man the% had 0ust pulled from the +iber River. +he doctor decided that
8od himself had hand-delivered this one to safet%. +he concussion of hitting the !ater had "noc"ed the victim
unconscious/ and if it had not been for 5acobus and his cre! standing out on the shore !atching the spectacle in the s"%/
this falling soul !ould surel% have gone unnoticed and dro!ned.
EM (mericano/E a nurse said/ going through the man@s !allet after the% pulled him to dr% land.
(merican1 Romans often 0o"ed that mericans had gotten so abundant in Rome that hamburgers should become
the official )talian food. But (mericans &allin) &rom the sky1 5acobus flic"ed a penlight in the man@s e%es/ testing his
dilation. ESirD ,an %ou hear meD ;o %ou "no! !here %ou areDE
+he man !as unconscious again. 5acobus !as not surprised. +he man had vomited a lot of !ater after 5acobus had
performed ,7R.
E$i chiama Ro'ert an)%on/E the nurse said/ reading the man@s driver@s license.
+he group assembled on the doc" all stopped short.
E"mpossi'ile#E 5acobus declared. Robert Langdon !as the man from the television'the merican professor !ho had
been helping the .atican. 5acobus had seen =r. Langdon/ onl% minutes ago/ getting into a helicopter in St. 7eter@s
Square and fl%ing miles up into the air. 5acobus and the others had run out to the doc" to !itness the antimatter
explosion'a tremendous sphere of light li"e nothing an% of them had ever seen. 0ow coul% this 'e the same man#
E)t@s himFE the nurse exclaimed/ brushing his soa"ed hair bac". End ) recogni&e his t!eed coatFE
Suddenl% someone !as %elling from the hospital entr%!a%. )t !as one of the patients. She !as screaming/ going
mad/ holding her portable radio to the s"% and praising 8od. pparentl% ,amerlegno .entresca had 0ust miraculousl%
appeared on the roof of the .atican.
;r. 5acobus decided/ !hen his shift got off at G .=./ he !as going straight to church.
+he lights over Langdon@s head !ere brighter no!/ sterile. $e !as on some "ind of examination table. $e smelled
astringents/ strange chemicals. Someone had 0ust given him an in0ection/ and the% had removed his clothes.
@e&initely not )ypsies/ he decided in his semiconscious delirium. (liens- perhaps1 Bes/ he had heard about things
li"e this. Fortunatel% these beings !ould not harm him. ll the% !anted !ere his'
E<ot on %our lifeFE Langdon sat bolt upright/ e%es fl%ing open.
E(ttento#E one of the creatures %elled/ stead%ing him. $is badge read ;r. 5acobus. $e loo"ed remar"abl% human.
Langdon stammered/ E)* thought*E
E1as%/ =r. Langdon. Bou@re in a hospital.E
+he fog began to lift. Langdon felt a !ave of relief. $e hated hospitals/ but the% certainl% beat aliens harvesting his
testicles.
E=% name is ;r. 5acobus/E the man said. $e explained !hat had 0ust happened. EBou are ver% luc"% to be alive.E
Langdon did not feel luc"%. $e could barel% ma"e sense of his o!n memories* the helicopter* the camerlegno.
$is bod% ached ever%!here. +he% gave him some !ater/ and he rinsed out his mouth. +he% placed a ne! gau&e on his
palm.
E#here are m% clothesDE Langdon as"ed. $e !as !earing a paper robe.
9ne of the nurses motioned to a dripping !ad of shredded "ha"i and t!eed on the counter. E+he% !ere soa"ed. #e
had to cut them off %ou.E
Langdon loo"ed at his shredded $arris t!eed and fro!ned.
EBou had some 6leenex in %our poc"et/E the nurse said.
)t !as then that Langdon sa! the ravaged shreds of parchment clinging all over the lining of his 0ac"et. +he folio
from *alileo+s @ia)ramma. +he last cop% on earth had 0ust dissolved. $e !as too numb to "no! ho! to react. $e 0ust
stared.
E#e saved %our personal items.E She held up a plastic bin. E#allet/ camcorder/ and pen. ) dried the camcorder off
the best ) could.E
E) don@t o!n a camcorder.E
+he nurse fro!ned and held out the bin. Langdon loo"ed at the contents. long !ith his !allet and pen !as a tin%
Son% R:.) camcorder. $e recalled it no!. 6ohler had handed it to him and as"ed him to give it to the media.
E#e found it in %our poc"et. ) thin" %ou@ll need a ne! one/ though.E +he nurse flipped open the t!o-inch screen on
the bac". EBour vie!er is crac"ed.E +hen she brightened. E+he sound still !or"s/ though. 4arel%.E She held the device
up to her ear. E6eeps pla%ing something over and over.E She listened a moment and then sco!led/ handing it to
Langdon. E+!o gu%s arguing/ ) thin".E
7u&&led/ Langdon too" the camcorder and held it to his ear. +he voices !ere pinched and metallic/ but the% !ere
discernible. 9ne close. 9ne far a!a%. Langdon recogni&ed them both.
Sitting there in his paper go!n/ Langdon listened in ama&ement to the conversation. lthough he couldn@t see !hat
!as happening/ !hen he heard the shoc"ing finale/ he !as than"ful he had been spared the visual.
,y *o%#
s the conversation began pla%ing again from the beginning/ Langdon lo!ered the camcorder from his ear and sat
in appalled m%stification. +he antimatter* the helicopter* Langdon@s mind no! "ic"ed into gear.
But that means
$e !anted to vomit again. #ith a rising fur% of disorientation and rage/ Langdon got off the table and stood on
sha"% legs.
E=r. LangdonFE the doctor said/ tr%ing to stop him.
E) need some clothes/E Langdon demanded/ feeling the draft on his rear from the bac"less go!n.
E4ut/ %ou need to rest.E
E)@m chec"ing out. <o!. ) need some clothes.E
E4ut/ sir/ %ou'E
E<o!FE
1ver%one exchanged be!ildered loo"s. E#e have no clothes/E the doctor said. E7erhaps tomorro! a friend could
bring %ou some.E
Langdon dre! a slo! patient breath and loc"ed e%es !ith the doctor. E;r. 5acobus/ ) am !al"ing out %our door
right no!. ) need clothes. ) am going to .atican ,it%. 9ne does not go to .atican ,it% !ith one@s ass hanging out. ;o )
ma"e m%self clearDE
;r. 5acobus s!allo!ed hard. E8et this man something to !ear.E
#hen Langdon limped out of $ospital +iberina/ he felt li"e an overgro!n ,ub Scout. $e !as !earing a blue
paramedic@s 0umpsuit that &ipped up the front and !as adorned !ith cloth badges that apparentl% depicted his numerous
qualifications.
+he !oman accompan%ing him !as heav%set and !ore a similar suit. +he doctor had assured Langdon she !ould
get him to the .atican in record time.
E,olto tra&&ico/E Langdon said/ reminding her that the area around the .atican !as pac"ed !ith cars and people.
+he !oman loo"ed unconcerned. She pointed proudl% to one of her patches. E$ono con%ucente %i am'ulan/a.E
E(m'ulan/a1E +hat explained it. Langdon felt li"e he could use an ambulance ride.
+he !oman led him around the side of the building. 9n an outcropping over the !ater !as a cement dec" !here
her vehicle sat !aiting. #hen Langdon sa! the vehicle he stopped in his trac"s. )t !as an aging medevac chopper. +he
hull read (ero>(m'ulan/a.
$e hung his head.
+he !oman smiled. EFl% .atican ,it%. .er% fast.E
!"5
+he ,ollege of ,ardinals bristled !ith ebullience and electricit% as the% streamed bac" into the Sistine ,hapel. )n
contrast/ =ortati felt in himself a rising confusion he thought might lift him off the floor and carr% him a!a%. $e
believed in the ancient miracles of the Scriptures/ and %et !hat he had 0ust witnesse% in person !as something he could
not possibl% comprehend. fter a lifetime of devotion/ sevent%-nine %ears/ =ortati "ne! these events should ignite in
him a pious exuberance* a fervent and living faith. nd %et all he felt !as a gro!ing spectral unease. Something did
not feel right.
ESignore =ortatiFE a S!iss 8uard %elled/ running do!n the hall. E#e have gone to the roof as %ou as"ed. +he
camerlegno is* &leshF $e is a true manF $e is not a spiritF $e is exactl% as !e "ne! himFE
E;id he speak to %ouDE
E$e "neels in silent pra%erF #e are afraid to touch himFE
=ortati !as at a loss. E+ell him* his cardinals a!ait.E
ESignore/ because he is a man*E the guard hesitated.
E#hat is itDE
E$is chest* he is burned. Should !e bind his !oundsD $e must be in pain.E
=ortati considered it. <othing in his lifetime of service to the church had prepared him for this situation. E$e is a
man/ so serve him as a man. 4athe him. 4ind his !ounds. ;ress him in fresh robes. #e a!ait his arrival in the Sistine
,hapel.E
+he guard ran off.
=ortati headed for the chapel. +he rest of the cardinals !ere inside no!. s he !al"ed do!n the hall/ he sa!
.ittoria .etra slumped alone on a bench at the foot of the Ro%al Staircase. $e could see the pain and loneliness of her
loss and !anted to go to her/ but he "ne! it !ould have to !ait. $e had !or" to do* although he had no idea !hat that
!or" could possibl% be.
=ortati entered the chapel. +here !as a riotous excitement. $e closed the door. *o% help me.
$ospital +iberina@s t!in-rotor (ero>(m'ulan/a circled in behind .atican ,it%/ and Langdon clenched his teeth/
s!earing to 8od this !as the ver% last helicopter ride of his life.
fter convincing the pilot that the rules governing .atican airspace !ere the least of the .atican@s concerns right
no!/ he guided her in/ unseen/ over the rear !all/ and landed them on the .atican@s helipad.
E*ra/ie/E he said/ lo!ering himself painfull% onto the ground. She ble! him a "iss and quic"l% too" off/
disappearing bac" over the !all and into the night.
Langdon exhaled/ tr%ing to clear his head/ hoping to ma"e sense of !hat he !as about to do. #ith the camcorder in
hand/ he boarded the same golf cart he had ridden earlier that da%. )t had not been charged/ and the batter%-meter
registered close to empt%. Langdon drove !ithout headlights to conserve po!er.
$e also preferred no one see him coming.
t the bac" of the Sistine ,hapel/ ,ardinal =ortati stood in a da&e as he !atched the pandemonium before him.
E)t !as a miracleFE one of the cardinals shouted. E+he !or" of 8odFE
EBesFE others exclaimed. E8od has made $is !ill manifestFE
E+he camerlegno !ill be our 7opeFE another shouted. E$e is not a cardinal/ but 8od has sent a miraculous signFE
EBesFE someone agreed. E+he la!s of conclave are man+s la!s. 8od@s !ill is before usF ) call for a balloting
immediatel%FE
E ballotingDE =ortati demanded/ moving to!ard them. E) believe that is my 0ob.E
1ver%one turned.
=ortati could sense the cardinals stud%ing him. +he% seemed distant/ at a loss/ offended b% his sobriet%. =ortati
longed to feel his heart s!ept up in the miraculous exultation he sa! in the faces around him. 4ut he !as not. $e felt an
inexplicable pain in his soul* an aching sadness he could not explain. $e had vo!ed to guide these proceedings !ith
purit% of soul/ and this hesitanc% !as something he could not den%.
E=% friends/E =ortati said/ stepping to the altar. $is voice did not seem his o!n. E) suspect ) !ill struggle for the
rest of m% da%s !ith the meaning of !hat ) have !itnessed tonight. nd %et/ !hat %ou are suggesting regarding the
camerlegno* it cannot possibl% be 8od@s !ill.E
+he room fell silent.
E$o!* can %ou sa% thatDE one of the cardinals finall% demanded. E+he camerlegno sa!e% the church. 8od spo"e to
the camerlegno directl%F +he man survived death itselfF #hat sign do !e needFE
E+he camerlegno is coming to us no!/E =ortati said. ELet us !ait. Let us hear him before !e have a balloting.
+here ma% be an explanation.E
En explanationDE
Es %our 8reat 1lector/ ) have vo!ed to uphold the la!s of conclave. Bou are no doubt a!are that b% $ol% La!
the camerlegno is ineligible for election to the papac%. $e is not a cardinal. $e is a priest* a chamberlain. +here is also
the question of his inadequate age.E =ortati felt the stares hardening. E4% even allo!ing a balloting/ ) !ould be
requesting that %ou endorse a man !ho .atican La! proclaims ineligible. ) !ould be as"ing each of %ou to brea" a
sacred oath.E
E4ut !hat happened here tonight/E someone stammered/ Eit certainly transcends our la!sFE
E;oes itDE =ortati boomed/ not even "no!ing no! !here his !ords !ere coming from. E)s it 8od@s !ill that !e
discard the rules of the churchD )s it 8od@s !ill that !e abandon reason and give ourselves over to fren&%DE
E4ut did %ou not see !hat we sa!DE another challenged angril%. E$o! can %ou presume to question that "ind of
po!erFE
=ortati@s voice bello!ed no! !ith a resonance he had never "no!n. E) am not questioning 8od@s po!erF )t is *o%
!ho gave us reason and circumspectionF )t is 8od !e serve b% exercising prudenceFE
!":
)n the hall!a% outside the Sistine ,hapel/ .ittoria .etra sat benumbed on a bench at the foot of the Ro%al Staircase.
#hen she sa! the figure coming through the rear door/ she !ondered if she !ere seeing another spirit. $e !as
bandaged/ limping/ and !earing some "ind of medical suit.
She stood* unable to believe the vision. ERo* bertDE
$e never ans!ered. $e strode directl% to her and !rapped her in his arms. #hen he pressed his lips to hers/ it !as
an impulsive/ longing "iss filled !ith than"fulness.
.ittoria felt the tears coming. E9h/ 8od* oh/ than" 8od*E
$e "issed her again/ more passionatel%/ and she pressed against him/ losing herself in his embrace. +heir bodies
loc"ed/ as if the% had "no!n each other for %ears. She forgot the fear and pain. She closed her e%es/ !eightless in the
moment.
E)t is 8od@s !illFE someone !as %elling/ his voice echoing in the Sistine ,hapel. E#ho but the chosen one could
have survived that diabolical explosionDE
E=e/E a voice reverberated from the bac" of the chapel.
=ortati and the others turned in !onder at the bedraggled form coming up the center aisle. E=r*. an)%on1E
#ithout a !ord/ Langdon !al"ed slo!l% to the front of the chapel. .ittoria .etra entered too. +hen t!o guards
hurried in/ pushing a cart !ith a large television on it. Langdon !aited !hile the% plugged it in/ facing the cardinals.
+hen Langdon motioned for the guards to leave. +he% did/ closing the door behind them.
<o! it !as onl% Langdon/ .ittoria/ and the cardinals. Langdon plugged the Son% R:.)@s output into the
television. +hen he pressed lay.
+he television blared to life.
+he scene that materiali&ed before the cardinals revealed the 7ope@s office. +he video had been a!"!ardl% filmed/
as if b% hidden camera. 9ff center on the screen the camerlegno stood in the dimness/ in front of a fire. lthough he
appeared to be tal"ing directl% to the camera/ it quic"l% became evident that he !as spea"ing to someone else'!hoever
!as ma"ing this video. Langdon told them the video !as filmed b% =aximilian 6ohler/ the director of ,1R<. 9nl% an
hour ago 6ohler had secretl% recorded his meeting !ith the camerlegno b% using a tin% camcorder covertl% mounted
under the arm of his !heelchair.
=ortati and the cardinals !atched in be!ilderment. lthough the conversation !as alread% in progress/ Langdon
did not bother to re!ind. pparentl%/ !hatever Langdon !anted the cardinals to see !as coming up*
ELeonardo .etra "ept diariesDE the camerlegno !as sa%ing. E) suppose that is good ne!s for ,1R<. )f the diaries
contain his processes for creating antimatter'E
E+he% don@t/E 6ohler said. EBou !ill be relieved to "no! those processes died !ith Leonardo. $o!ever/ his diaries
spo"e of something else. You.E
+he camerlegno loo"ed troubled. E) don@t understand.E
E+he% described a meeting Leonardo had last month. #ith you.E
+he camerlegno hesitated/ then loo"ed to!ard the door. ERocher should not have granted %ou access !ithout
consulting me. $o! did %ou get in hereDE
ERocher "no!s the truth. ) called earlier and told him !hat %ou have done.E
E#hat " have doneD #hatever stor% %ou told him/ Rocher is a S!iss 8uard and far too faithful to this church to
believe a bitter scientist over his camerlegno.E
Ectuall%/ he is too faithful not to believe. $e is so faithful that despite the evidence that one of his lo%al guards
had betra%ed the church/ he refused to accept it. ll da% long he has been searching for another explanation.E
ESo %ou gave him one.E
E+he truth. Shoc"ing as it !as.E
E)f Rocher believed %ou/ he !ould have arrested me.E
E<o. ) !ouldn@t let him. ) offered him m% silence in exchange for this meeting.E
+he camerlegno let out an odd laugh. EBou plan to 'lackmail the church !ith a stor% that no one !ill possibl%
believeDE
E) have no need of blac"mail. ) simpl% !ant to hear the truth from %our lips. Leonardo .etra !as a friend.E
+he camerlegno said nothing. $e simpl% stared do!n at 6ohler.
E+r% this/E 6ohler snapped. Ebout a month ago/ Leonardo .etra contacted %ou requesting an urgent audience !ith
the 7ope'an audience %ou granted because the 7ope !as an admirer of Leonardo@s !or" and because Leonardo said it
!as an emergenc%.E
+he camerlegno turned to the fire. $e said nothing.
ELeonardo came to the .atican in great secrec%. $e !as betra%ing his daughter@s confidence b% coming here/ a fact
that troubled him deepl%/ but he felt he had no choice. $is research had left him deepl% conflicted and in need of
spiritual guidance from the church. )n a private meeting/ he told %ou and the 7ope that he had made a scientific
discover% !ith profound religious implications. $e had pro!e% 8enesis !as ph%sicall% possible/ and that intense
sources of energ%'!hat .etra called *o%'could duplicate the moment of ,reation.E
Silence.
E+he 7ope !as stunned/E 6ohler continued. E$e !anted Leonardo to go public. $is $oliness thought this discover%
might begin to bridge the gap bet!een science and religion'one of the 7ope@s life dreams. +hen Leonardo explained to
%ou the do!nside'the reason he required the church@s guidance. )t seemed his ,reation experiment/ exactl% as %our
4ible predicts/ produced ever%thing in pairs. 9pposites. Light an% dar". .etra found himself/ in addition to creating
matter/ creating antimatter. Shall ) go onDE
+he camerlegno !as silent. $e bent do!n and sto"ed the coals.
Efter Leonardo .etra came here/E 6ohler said/ Eyou came to ,1R< to see his !or". Leonardo@s diaries said %ou
made a personal trip to his lab.E
+he camerlegno loo"ed up.
6ohler !ent on. E+he 7ope could not travel !ithout attracting media attention/ so he sent you. Leonardo gave %ou a
secret tour of his lab. $e sho!ed %ou an antimatter annihilation'the 4ig 4ang'the po!er of ,reation. $e also sho!ed
%ou a large specimen he "ept loc"ed a!a% as proof that his ne! process could produce antimatter on a large scale. Bou
!ere in a!e. Bou returned to .atican ,it% to report to the 7ope !hat %ou had !itnessed.E
+he camerlegno sighed. End !hat is it that troubles %ouD +hat ) !ould respect Leonardo@s confidentialit% b%
pretending before the !orld tonight that ) "ne! nothing of antimatterDE
E<oF )t troubles me that Leonardo .etra practicall% pro!e% the existence of %our 8od/ and %ou had him murderedFE
+he camerlegno turned no!/ his face revealing nothing.
+he onl% sound !as the crac"le of the fire.
Suddenl%/ the camera 0iggled/ and 6ohler@s arm appeared in the frame. $e leaned for!ard/ seeming to struggle !ith
something affixed beneath his !heelchair. #hen he sat bac" do!n/ he held a pistol out before him. +he camera angle
!as a chilling one* loo"ing from behind* do!n the length of the outstretched gun* directl% at the camerlegno.
6ohler said/ E,onfess %our sins/ Father. <o!.E
+he camerlegno loo"ed startled. EBou !ill never get out of here alive.E
E;eath !ould be a !elcome relief from the miser% %our faith has put me through since ) !as a bo%.E 6ohler held
the gun !ith both hands no!. E) am giving %ou a choice. ,onfess %our sins* or die right no!.E
+he camerlegno glanced to!ard the door.
ERocher is outside/E 6ohler challenged. E$e too is prepared to "ill %ou.E
ERocher is a s!orn protector of th'E
ERocher let me in here. (rme%. $e is sic"ened b% %our lies. Bou have a single option. ,onfess to me. ) have to hear
it from %our ver% lips.E
+he camerlegno hesitated.
6ohler coc"ed his gun. E;o %ou reall% doubt ) !ill "ill %ouDE
E<o matter !hat ) tell %ou/E the camerlegno said/ Ea man li"e %ou !ill never understand.E
E+r% me.E
+he camerlegno stood still for a moment/ a dominant silhouette in the dim light of the fire. #hen he spo"e/ his
!ords echoed !ith a dignit% more suited to the glorious recounting of altruism than that of a confession.
ESince the beginning of time/E the camerlegno said/ Ethis church has fought the enemies of 8od. Sometimes !ith
!ords. Sometimes !ith s!ords. nd !e have al!a%s survived.E
+he camerlegno radiated conviction.
E4ut the demons of the past/E he continued/ E!ere demons of fire and abomination* they !ere enemies !e could
fight'enemies !ho inspired &ear. Bet Satan is shre!d. s time passed/ he cast off his diabolical countenance for a ne!
face* the face of pure reason. +ransparent and insidious/ but soulless all the same.E +he camerlegno@s voice flashed
sudden anger'an almost maniacal transition. E+ell me/ =r. 6ohlerF $o! can the church condemn that !hich ma"es
logical sense to our mindsF $o! can !e decr% that !hich is no! the ver% foundation of our societ%F 1ach time the
church raises its voice in !arning/ you shout bac"/ calling us ignorant. 7aranoid. ,ontrollingF nd so %our evil gro!s.
Shrouded in a veil of self-righteous intellectualism. )t spreads li"e a cancer. Sanctified b% the miracles of its o!n
technolog%. ;eif%ing itselfF :ntil !e no longer suspect %ou are an%thing but pure goodness. Science has come to save
us from our sic"ness/ hunger/ and painF 4ehold science'the ne! 8od of endless miracles/ omnipotent and benevolentF
)gnore the !eapons and the chaos. Forget the fractured loneliness and endless peril. Science is hereFE +he camerlegno
stepped to!ard the gun. E4ut ) have seen Satan@s face lur"ing* ) have seen the peril*E
E#hat are %ou tal"ing aboutF .etra@s science practicall% pro!e% the existence of %our 8odF $e !as %our all%FE
Ell%D Science and religion are not in this togetherF #e do not see" the same 8od/ %ou and )F #ho is %our 8odD
9ne of protons/ masses/ and particle chargesD $o! does %our 8od inspireD $o! does %our 8od reach into the hearts of
man and remind him he is accountable to a greater po!erF Remind him that he is accountable to his fello! manF .etra
!as misguided. $is !or" !as not religious/ it !as sacrile)iousF =an cannot put 8od@s ,reation in a test tube and !ave
it around for the !orld to seeF +his does not glorif% 8od/ it %emeans 8odFE +he camerlegno !as cla!ing at his bod%
no!/ his voice manic.
End so %ou had Leonardo .etra "illedFE
EFor the churchF For all man"indF +he madness of itF =an is not read% to hold the po!er of ,reation in his hands.
8od in a test tubeD droplet of liquid that can vapori&e an entire cit%D $e had to be stoppedFE +he camerlegno fell
abruptl% silent. $e loo"ed a!a%/ bac" to!ard the fire. $e seemed to be contemplating his options.
6ohler@s hands leveled the gun. EBou have confessed. Bou have no escape.E
+he camerlegno laughed sadl%. E;on@t %ou see. ,onfessing %our sins is the escape.E $e loo"ed to!ard the door.
E#hen 8od is on %our side/ %ou have options a man li"e %ou could never comprehend.E #ith his !ords still hanging in
the air/ the camerlegno grabbed the nec" of his cassoc" and violentl% tore it open/ revealing his bare chest.
6ohler 0olted/ obviousl% startled. E#hat are %ou doingFE
+he camerlegno did not repl%. $e stepped bac"!ard/ to!ard the fireplace/ and removed an ob0ect from the glo!ing
embers.
EStopFE 6ohler demanded/ his gun still leveled. E#hat are %ou doingFE
#hen the camerlegno turned/ he !as holding a red-hot brand. +he )lluminati ;iamond. +he man@s e%es loo"ed
!ild suddenl%. E) had intended to do this all alone.E $is voice seethed !ith a feral intensit%. E4ut no!* ) see 8od
meant for you to be here. You are m% salvation.E
4efore 6ohler could react/ the camerlegno closed his e%es/ arched his bac"/ and rammed the red hot brand into the
center of his o!n chest. $is flesh hissed. E,other ,ary# Blesse% ,other Behol% your son#E $e screamed out in
agon%.
6ohler lurched into the frame no!* standing a!"!ardl% on his feet/ gun !avering !ildl% before him.
+he camerlegno screamed louder/ teetering in shoc". $e thre! the brand at 6ohler@s feet. +hen the priest collapsed
on the floor/ !rithing in agon%.
#hat happened next !as a blur.
+here !as a great flurr% onscreen as the S!iss 8uard burst into the room. +he soundtrac" exploded !ith gunfire.
6ohler clutched his chest/ blo!n bac"!ard/ bleeding/ falling into his !heelchair.
E<oFE Rocher called/ tr%ing to stop his guards from firing on 6ohler.
+he camerlegno/ still !rithing on the floor/ rolled and pointed franticall% at Rocher. E"lluminatus#E
EBou bastard/E Rocher %elled/ running at him. EBou sanctimonious bas'E
,hartrand cut him do!n !ith three bullets. Rocher slid dead across the floor.
+hen the guards ran to the !ounded camerlegno/ gathering around him. s the% huddled/ the video caught the face
of a da&ed Robert Langdon/ "neeling beside the !heelchair/ loo"ing at the brand. +hen/ the entire frame began lurching
!ildl%. 6ohler had regained consciousness and !as detaching the tin% camcorder from its holder under the arm of the
!heelchair. +hen he tried to hand the camcorder to Langdon.
E8-give*E 6ohler gasped. E8-give this to the m-media.E
+hen the screen !ent blan".
!#;
+he camerlegno began to feel the fog of !onder and adrenaline dissipating. s the S!iss 8uard helped him do!n
the Ro%al Staircase to!ard the Sistine ,hapel/ the camerlegno heard singing in St. 7eter@s Square and he "ne! that
mountains had been moved.
*ra/ie @io.
$e had pra%ed for strength/ and 8od had given it to him. t moments !hen he had doubted/ 8od had spo"en.
Yours is a 0oly mission/ 8od had said. " will )i!e you stren)th. 1ven !ith 8od@s strength/ the camerlegno had felt fear/
questioning the righteousness of his path.
"& not you/ 8od had challenged/ then Who1
"& not now- then When1
"& not this way- then HowD
5esus/ 8od reminded him/ had saved them all* saved them from their o!n apath%. #ith t!o deeds/ 5esus had
opened their e%es. $orror and $ope. +he crucifixion and the resurrection. $e had changed the !orld.
4ut that !as millennia ago. +ime had eroded the miracle. 7eople had forgotten. +he% had turned to false idols'
techno-deities and miracles of the mind. 3hat a'out miracles o& the heart#
+he camerlegno had often pra%ed to 8od to sho! him ho! to ma"e the people believe again. 4ut 8od had been
silent. )t !as not until the camerlegno@s moment of deepest dar"ness that 8od had come to him. 9h- the horror o& that
ni)ht#
+he camerlegno could still remember l%ing on the floor in tattered nightclothes/ cla!ing at his o!n flesh/ tr%ing to
purge his soul of the pain brought on b% a vile truth he had 0ust learned. "t cannot 'e# he had screamed. nd %et he "ne!
it !as. +he deception tore at him li"e the fires of hell. +he bishop !ho had ta"en him in/ the man !ho had been li"e a
father to him/ the clerg%man !hom the camerlegno had stood beside !hile he rose to the papac%* !as a fraud.
common sinner. L%ing to the !orld about a deed so traitorous at its core that the camerlegno doubted even 8od could
forgive it. EBour !owFE the camerlegno had screamed at the 7ope. EBou bro"e %our vo! to 8odF You/ of all menFE
+he 7ope had tried to explain himself/ but the camerlegno could not listen. $e had run out/ staggering blindl%
through the hall!a%s/ vomiting/ tearing at his o!n s"in/ until he found himself blood% and alone/ l%ing on the cold
earthen floor before St. 7eter@s tomb. ,other ,ary- what %o " %o1 )t !as in that moment of pain and betra%al/ as the
camerlegno la% devastated in the <ecropolis/ pra%ing for 8od to ta"e him from this faithless !orld/ that 8od had come.
+he voice in his head resounded li"e peals of thunder. E@i% you !ow to ser!e your *o%1E
EBesFE the camerlegno cried out.
E3oul% you %ie &or your *o%1E
EBesF +a"e me no!FE
E3oul% you %ie &or your church1E
EBesF 7lease deliver meFE
EBut woul% you %ie &or mankin%1E
)t !as in the silence that follo!ed that the camerlegno felt himself falling into the ab%ss. $e tumbled farther/ faster/
out of control. nd %et he "ne! the ans!er. $e had al!a%s "no!n.
EBesFE he shouted into the madness. E) !ould die for manF Li"e %our son/ ) !ould die for themFE
$ours later/ the camerlegno still la% shivering on his floor. $e sa! his mother@s face. *o% has plans &or you/ she
!as sa%ing. +he camerlegno plunged deeper into madness. )t !as then 8od had spo"en again. +his time !ith silence.
4ut the camerlegno understood. Restore their &aith.
"& not me then who1
"& not now then when1
s the guards unbolted the door of the Sistine ,hapel/ ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca felt the po!er moving in his
veins* exactl% as it had !hen he !as a bo%. 8od had chosen him. Long ago.
0is will 'e %one.
+he camerlegno felt reborn. +he S!iss 8uard had bandaged his chest/ bathed him/ and dressed him in a fresh !hite
linen robe. +he% had also given him an in0ection of morphine for the burn. +he camerlegno !ished the% had not given
him pain"illers. 2esus en%ure% his pain &or three %ays on the cross# $e could alread% feel the drug uprooting his
senses* a di&&%ing underto!.
s he !al"ed into the chapel/ he !as not at all surprised to see the cardinals staring at him in !onder. They are in
awe o& *o%/ he reminded himself. Not o& me- 'ut how *o% works T0R9B*0 me. s he moved up the center aisle/ he
sa! be!ilderment in ever% face. nd %et/ !ith each ne! face he passed/ he sensed something else in their e%es. #hat
!as itD +he camerlegno had tried to imagine ho! the% !ould receive him tonight. 5o%full%D Reverentl%D $e tried to
read their e%es and sa! neither emotion.
)t !as then the camerlegno loo"ed at the altar and sa! Robert Langdon.
!#!
,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca stood in the aisle of the Sistine ,hapel. +he cardinals !ere all standing near the front
of the church/ turned/ staring at him. Robert Langdon !as on the altar beside a television that !as on endless loop/
pla%ing a scene the camerlegno recogni&ed but could not imagine ho! it had come to be. .ittoria .etra stood beside
him/ her face dra!n.
+he camerlegno closed his e%es for a moment/ hoping the morphine !as ma"ing him hallucinate and that !hen he
opened them the scene might be different. 4ut it !as not.
+he% "ne!.
9ddl%/ he felt no fear. $how me the way- Father. *i!e me the wor%s that " can make them see Your !ision.
4ut the camerlegno heard no repl%.
Father- 3e ha!e come too &ar to)ether to &ail now.
Silence.
They %o not un%erstan% what 3e ha!e %one.
+he camerlegno did not "no! !hose voice he heard in his o!n mind/ but the message !as star".
(n% the truth shall set you &ree
nd so it !as that ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca held his head high as he !al"ed to!ard the front of the Sistine
,hapel. s he moved to!ard the cardinals/ not even the diffused light of the candles could soften the e%es boring into
him. E;plain yoursel&/ the faces said. ,ake sense o& this ma%ness. Tell us our &ears are wron)#
Truth/ the camerlegno told himself. 9nly truth. +here !ere too man% secrets in these !alls* one so dar" it had
driven him to madness. But &rom the ma%ness ha% come the li)ht.
E)f %ou could give %our o!n soul to save millions/E the camerlegno said/ as he moved do!n the aisle/ Ewoul% %ouDE
+he faces in the chapel simpl% stared. <o one moved. <o one spo"e. 4e%ond the !alls/ the 0o%ous strains of song
could be heard in the square.
+he camerlegno !al"ed to!ard them. E#hich is the greater sinD 6illing one@s enem%D 9r standing idle !hile %our
true love is strangledDE They are sin)in) in $t. Peter+s $=uare# +he camerlegno stopped for a moment and ga&ed up at
the ceiling of the Sistine. =ichelangelo@s 8od !as staring do!n from the dar"ened vault* and $e seemed pleased.
E) could no longer stand b%/E the camerlegno said. Still/ as he dre! nearer/ he sa! no flic"er of understanding in
an%one@s e%es. ;idn@t the% see the radiant simplicit% of his deedsD ;idn@t the% see the utter necessit%F
)t had been so pure.
+he )lluminati. Science and Satan as one.
Resurrect the ancient fear. +hen crush it.
0orror an% 0ope. ,ake them 'elie!e a)ain.
+onight/ the po!er of the )lluminati had been unleashed ane!* and !ith glorious consequence. +he apath% had
evaporated. +he fear had shot out across the !orld li"e a bolt of lightning/ uniting the people. nd then 8od@s ma0est%
had vanquished the dar"ness.
" coul% not stan% i%ly 'y#
+he inspiration had been 8od@s o!n'appearing li"e a beacon in the camerlegno@s night of agon%. 9h- this &aithless
worl%# $omeone must %eli!er them. You. "& not you- who1 You ha!e 'een sa!e% &or a reason. $how them the ol% %emons.
Remin% them o& their &ear. (pathy is %eath. 3ithout %arkness- there is no li)ht. 3ithout e!il- there is no )oo%. ,ake
them choose. @ark or li)ht. 3here is the &ear1 3here are the heroes1 "& not now- when1
+he camerlegno !al"ed up the center aisle directl% to!ard the cro!d of standing cardinals. $e felt li"e =oses as
the sea of red sashes and caps parted before him/ allo!ing him to pass. 9n the altar/ Robert Langdon s!itched off the
television/ too" .ittoria@s hand/ and relinquished the altar. +he fact that Robert Langdon had survived/ the camerlegno
"ne!/ could onl% have been 8od@s !ill. 8od had saved Robert Langdon. +he camerlegno !ondered !h%.
+he voice that bro"e the silence !as the voice of the onl% !oman in the Sistine ,hapel. EBou kille% m% fatherDE she
said/ stepping for!ard.
#hen the camerlegno turned to .ittoria .etra/ the loo" on her face !as one he could not quite understand'pain
%es/ but an)erD ,ertainl% she must understand. $er father@s genius !as deadl%. $e had to be stopped. For the good of
=an"ind.
E$e !as doing 8od@s !or"/E .ittoria said.
E8od@s !or" is not done in a lab. )t is done in the heart.E
E=% father@s heart !as pureF nd his research proved'E
E$is research proved %et again that man@s mind is progressing faster than his soulFE +he camerlegno@s voice !as
sharper than he had expected. $e lo!ered his voice. E)f a man as spiritual as %our father could create a !eapon li"e the
one !e sa! tonight/ imagine !hat an ordinar% man !ill do !ith his technolog%.E
E man li"e youDE
+he camerlegno too" a deep breath. ;id she not seeD =an@s moralit% !as not advancing as fast as man@s science.
=an"ind !as not spirituall% evolved enough for the po!ers he possessed. 3e ha!e ne!er create% a weapon we ha!e not
use%# nd %et he "ne! that antimatter !as nothing'another !eapon in man@s alread% burgeoning arsenal. =an could
alread% destro%. =an learned to "ill long ago. (n% his mother+s 'loo% raine% %own. Leonardo .etra@s genius !as
dangerous for another reason.
EFor centuries/E the camerlegno said/ Ethe church has stood b% !hile science pic"ed a!a% at religion bit b% bit.
;ebun"ing miracles. +raining the mind to overcome the heart. ,ondemning religion as the opiate of the masses. +he%
denounce 8od as a hallucination'a delusional crutch for those too !ea" to accept that life is meaningless. ) could not
stand b% !hile science presumed to harness the po!er of 8od himselfF Proo&/ %ou sa%D Bes/ proof of science@s
ignoranceF #hat is !rong !ith the admission that something exists be%ond our understandingD +he da% science
substantiates 8od in a lab is the da% people stop needing faithFE
EBou mean the da% the% stop needing the church/E .ittoria challenged/ moving to!ard him. E;oubt is %our last
shred of control. )t is %ou't that brings souls to %ou. 9ur need to "no! that life has meaning. =an@s insecurit% and need
for an enlightened soul assuring him ever%thing is part of a master plan. 4ut the church is not the onl% enlightened soul
on the planetF #e all see" 8od in different !a%s. #hat are %ou afraid ofD +hat 8od !ill sho! himself some!here other
than inside these !allsD +hat people !ill find him in their o!n lives and leave %our antiquated rituals behindD Religions
evolveF +he mind finds ans!ers/ the heart grapples !ith ne! truths. =% father !as on your questF parallel pathF #h%
couldn@t %ou see thatD 8od is not some omnipotent authorit% loo"ing do!n from above/ threatening to thro! us into a
pit of fire if !e disobe%. 8od is the energ% that flo!s through the s%napses of our nervous s%stem and the chambers of
our heartsF 8od is in all thingsFE
EE;cept science/E the camerlegno fired bac"/ his e%es sho!ing onl% pit%. EScience/ b% definition/ is soulless.
;ivorced from the heart. )ntellectual miracles li"e antimatter arrive in this !orld !ith no ethical instructions attached.
+his in itself is perilousF 4ut !hen science heralds its 8odless pursuits as the enlightened pathD 7romising ans!ers to
questions !hose beaut% is that the% have no ans!ersDE $e shoo" his head. E<o.E
+here !as a moment of silence. +he camerlegno felt suddenl% tired as he returned .ittoria@s unbending stare. +his
!as not ho! it !as supposed to be. "s this *o%+s &inal test1
)t !as =ortati !ho bro"e the spell. E+he pre&eriti/E he said in a horrified !hisper. E4aggia and the others. 7lease
tell me %ou did not*E
+he camerlegno turned to him/ surprised b% the pain in his voice. ,ertainl% ,ortati could understand. $eadlines
carried science@s miracles ever% da%. $o! long had it been for religionD ,enturiesD Religion needed a miracleF
Something to a!a"en a sleeping !orld. 4ring them bac" to the path of righteousness. Restore faith. +he pre&eriti !ere
not leaders an%!a%/ the% !ere transformers'liberals prepared to embrace the ne! !orld and abandon the old !a%sF
+his !as the onl% !a%. ne! leader. Boung. 7o!erful. .ibrant. =iraculous. +he pre&eriti served the church far more
effectivel% in death than the% ever could alive. $orror and $ope. 9&&er &our souls to sa!e millions. +he !orld !ould
remember them forever as mart%rs. +he church !ould raise glorious tribute to their names. 0ow many thousan%s ha!e
%ie% &or the )lory o& *o%1 They are only &our.
E+he pre&eriti/E =ortati repeated.
E) shared their pain/E the camerlegno defended/ motioning to his chest. End ) too !ould die for 8od/ but m% !or"
is onl% 0ust begun. +he% are singing in St. 7eter@s SquareFE
+he camerlegno sa! the horror in =ortati@s e%es and again felt confused. #as it the morphineD =ortati !as
loo"ing at him as if the camerlegno himself had "illed these men !ith his bare hands. " woul% %o e!en that &or *o%/ the
camerlegno thought/ and %et he had not. +he deeds had been carried out b% the $assassin'a heathen soul tric"ed into
thin"ing he !as doing the !or" of the )lluminati. " am 2anus/ the camerlegno had told him. " will pro!e my power. nd
he had. +he $assassin@s hatred had made him 8od@s pa!n.
EListen to the singing/E the camerlegno said/ smiling/ his o!n heart re0oicing. E<othing unites hearts li"e the
presence of evil. 4urn a church and the communit% rises up/ holding hands/ singing h%mns of defiance as the% rebuild.
Loo" ho! the% floc" tonight. Fear has brought them home. Forge modern demons for modern man. path% is dead.
Sho! them the face of evil'Satanists lur"ing among us'running our governments/ our ban"s/ our schools/ threatening to
obliterate the ver% $ouse of 8od !ith their misguided science. ;epravit% runs deep. =an must be vigilant. See" the
goodness. Become the goodnessFE
)n the silence/ the camerlegno hoped the% no! understood. +he )lluminati had not resurfaced. +he )lluminati !ere
long deceased. 9nl% their m%th !as alive. +he camerlegno had resurrected the )lluminati as a reminder. +hose !ho
"ne! the )lluminati histor% relived their evil. +hose !ho did not/ had learned of it and !ere ama&ed ho! blind the% had
been. +he ancient demons had been resurrected to a!a"en an indifferent !orld.
E4ut* the brandsDE =ortati@s voice !as stiff !ith outrage.
+he camerlegno did not ans!er. =ortati had no !a% of "no!ing/ but the brands had been confiscated b% the
.atican over a centur% ago. +he% had been loc"ed a!a%/ forgotten and dust covered/ in the 7apal .ault'the 7ope@s
private reliquar%/ deep !ithin his 4orgia apartments. +he 7apal .ault contained those items the church deemed too
dangerous for an%one@s e%es except the 7ope@s.
3hy %i% they hi%e that which inspire% &ear1 Fear 'rou)ht people to *o%#
+he vault@s "e% !as passed do!n from 7ope to 7ope. ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca had purloined the "e% and
ventured insideJ the m%th of !hat the vault contained !as be!itching'the original manuscript for the fourteen
unpublished boo"s of the 4ible "no!n as the (pocrypha/ the third prophec% of Fatima/ the first t!o having come true
and the third so terrif%ing the church !ould never reveal it. )n addition to these/ the camerlegno had found the )lluminati
,ollection'all the secrets the church had uncovered after banishing the group from Rome* their contemptible 7ath of
)llumination* the cunning deceit of the .atican@s head artist/ 4ernini* 1urope@s top scientists moc"ing religion as
the% secretl% assembled in the .atican@s o!n ,astle St. ngelo. +he collection included a pentagon box containing iron
brands/ one of them the m%thical )lluminati ;iamond. +his !as a part of .atican histor% the ancients thought best
forgotten. +he camerlegno/ ho!ever/ had disagreed.
E4ut the antimatter*E .ittoria demanded. EBou ris"ed destro%ing the .aticanFE
E+here is no ris" !hen 8od is at %our side/E the camerlegno said. E+his cause !as $is.E
EBou@re insaneFE she seethed.
E=illions !ere saved.E
E7eople !ere kille%FE
ESouls !ere saved.E
E+ell that to m% father and =ax 6ohlerFE
E,1R<@s arrogance needed to be revealed. droplet of liquid that can vapori&e a half mileD nd %ou call me
madDE +he camerlegno felt a rage rising in him. ;id the% thin" his !as a simple chargeD E+hose !ho 'elie!e undergo
great tests for 8odF 8od as"ed braham to sacrifice his childF 8od commanded 5esus to endure crucifixionF nd so !e
hang the s%mbol of the crucifix before our e%es'blood%/ painful/ agoni&ing'to remind us of evil@s po!erF +o "eep our
hearts vigilantF +he scars on 5esus@ bod% are a living reminder of the po!ers of dar"nessF =% scars are a living
reminderF 1vil lives/ but the po!er of 8od !ill overcomeFE
$is shouts echoed off the bac" !all of the Sistine ,hapel and then a profound silence fell. +ime seemed to stop.
=ichelangelo@s ast 2u%)ment rose ominousl% behind him* 5esus casting sinners into hell. +ears brimmed in =ortati@s
e%es.
E#hat have %ou done/ ,arloDE =ortati as"ed in a !hisper. $e closed his e%es/ and a tear rolled. E$is 0olinessDE
collective sigh of pain !ent up/ as if ever%one in the room had forgotten until that ver% moment. +he 7ope.
7oisoned.
E vile liar/E the camerlegno said.
=ortati loo"ed shattered. E#hat do %ou meanD $e !as honestF $e* loved %ou.E
End ) him.E 9h- how " lo!e% him# But the %eceit# The 'roken !ows to *o%#
+he camerlegno "ne! the% did not understand right no!/ but the% woul%. #hen he told them/ the% !ould seeF $is
$oliness !as the most nefarious deceiver the church had ever seen. +he camerlegno still remembered that terrible night.
$e had returned from his trip to ,1R< !ith ne!s of .etra@s *enesis and of antimatter@s horrific po!er. +he
camerlegno !as certain the 7ope !ould see the perils/ but the $ol% Father sa! onl% hope in .etra@s brea"through. $e
even suggested the .atican &un% .etra@s !or" as a gesture of good!ill to!ard spirituall% based scientific research.
,a%ness# The church in!estin) in research that threatene% to make the church o'solete1 3ork that spawne%
weapons o& mass %estruction1 The 'om' that ha% kille% his mother
E4ut* %ou can@tFE the camerlegno had exclaimed.
E) o!e a deep debt to science/E the 7ope had replied. ESomething ) have hidden m% entire life. Science gave me a
gift !hen ) !as a %oung man. gift ) have never forgotten.E
E) don@t understand. #hat does science have to offer a man of *o%DE
E)t is complicated/E the 7ope had said. E) !ill need time to ma"e %ou understand. 4ut first/ there is a simple fact
about me that %ou must "no!. ) have "ept it hidden all these %ears. ) believe it is time ) told %ou.E
+hen the 7ope had told him the astonishing truth.
!#"
+he camerlegno la% curled in a ball on the dirt floor in front of St. 7eter@s tomb. +he <ecropolis !as cold/ but it
helped clot the blood flo!ing from the !ounds he had torn at his o!n flesh. $is $oliness !ould not find him here.
<obod% !ould find him here*
E)t is complicated/E the 7ope@s voice echoed in his mind. E) !ill need time to ma"e %ou understand*E
4ut the camerlegno "ne! no amount of time could ma"e him understand.
LiarF ) believed in %ouF 89; believed in %ouF
#ith a single sentence/ the 7ope had brought the camerlegno@s !orld crashing do!n around him. 1ver%thing the
camerlegno had ever believed about his mentor !as shattered before his e%es. +he truth drilled into the camerlegno@s
heart !ith such force that he staggered bac"!ard out of the 7ope@s office and vomited in the hall!a%.
E#aitFE the 7ope had cried/ chasing after him. E7lease let me explainFE
4ut the camerlegno ran off. $o! could $is $oliness expect him to endure an% moreD 9h/ the !retched depravit% of
itF #hat if someone else found outD )magine the desecration to the churchF ;id the 7ope@s hol% vo!s mean nothingD
+he madness came quic"l%/ screaming in his ears/ until he a!o"e before St. 7eter@s tomb. )t !as then that 8od
came to him !ith an a!esome fierceness.
8ours is a Venge4ul 6od9
+ogether/ the% made their plans. +ogether the% !ould protect the church. +ogether the% !ould restore faith to this
faithless !orld. 1vil !as ever%!here. nd %et the !orld had become immuneF +ogether the% !ould unveil the dar"ness
for the !orld to see* and 8od !ould overcomeF $orror and $ope. +hen the !orld !ould believeF
8od@s first test had been less horrible than the camerlegno imagined. Snea"ing into the 7apal bed chambers*
filling his s%ringe* covering the deceiver@s mouth as his bod% spasmed into death. )n the moonlight/ the camerlegno
could see in the 7ope@s !ild e%es there !as something he !anted to sa%.
4ut it !as too late.
+he 7ope had said enough.
!##
E+he 7ope fathered a child.E
)nside the Sistine ,hapel/ the camerlegno stood un!avering as he spo"e. Five solitar% !ords of astonishing
disclosure. +he entire assembl% seemed to recoil in unison. +he cardinals@ accusing miens evaporated into aghast stares/
as if ever% soul in the room !ere pra%ing the camerlegno !as !rong.
The Pope &athere% a chil%.
Langdon felt the shoc" !ave hit him too. .ittoria@s hand/ tight in his/ 0olted/ !hile Langdon@s mind/ alread% numb
!ith unans!ered questions/ !restled to find a center of gravit%.
+he camerlegno@s utterance seemed li"e it !ould hang forever in the air above them. 1ven in the camerlegno@s
fren&ied e%es/ Langdon could see pure conviction. Langdon !anted to disengage/ tell himself he !as lost in some
grotesque nightmare/ soon to !a"e up in a !orld that made sense.
E+his must be a lieFE one of the cardinals %elled.
E) !ill not believe itFE another protested. E$is $oliness !as as devout a man as ever livedFE
)t !as =ortati !ho spo"e next/ his voice thin !ith devastation. E=% friends. #hat the camerlegno sa%s is true.E
1ver% cardinal in the chapel spun as though =ortati had 0ust shouted an obscenit%. E+he 7ope indeed fathered a child.E
+he cardinals blanched !ith dread.
+he camerlegno loo"ed stunned. EBou knewD 4ut* ho! could %ou possibl% "no! thisDE
=ortati sighed. E#hen $is $oliness !as elected* " !as the ;evil@s dvocate.E
+here !as a communal gasp.
Langdon understood. +his meant the information !as probabl% true. +he infamous E;evil@s dvocateE !as the
authorit% !hen it came to scandalous information inside the .atican. S"eletons in a 7ope@s closet !ere dangerous/ and
prior to elections/ secret inquiries into a candidate@s bac"ground !ere carried out b% a lone cardinal !ho served as the
E;evil@s dvocateE'that individual responsible for unearthing reasons !h% the eligible cardinals should not become
7ope. +he ;evil@s dvocate !as appointed in advance b% the reigning 7ope in preparation for his o!n death. +he
;evil@s dvocate !as never supposed to reveal his identit%. E!er.
E" !as the ;evil@s dvocate/E =ortati repeated. E+hat is ho! ) found out.E
=ouths dropped. pparentl% tonight !as a night !hen all the rules !ere going out the !indo!.
+he camerlegno felt his heart filling !ith rage. End %ou* told no oneDE
E) confronted $is $oliness/E =ortati said. End he confessed. $e explained the entire stor% and as"ed onl% that ) let
m% heart guide m% decision as to !hether or not to reveal his secret.E
End %our heart told %ou to 'ury the informationDE
E$e !as the runa!a% favorite for the papac%. 7eople loved him. +he scandal !ould have hurt the church deepl%.E
E4ut he fathered a chil%F $e bro"e his sacred vo! of celibac%FE +he camerlegno !as screaming no!. $e could hear
his mother@s voice. ( promise to *o% is the most important promise o& all. Ne!er 'reak a promise to *o%. E+he 7ope
bro"e his vo!FE
=ortati loo"ed delirious !ith angst. E,arlo/ his love* !as chaste. $e had bro"en no vo!. $e didn@t explain it to
%ouDE
E1xplain !hatDE +he camerlegno remembered running out of the 7ope@s office !hile the 7ope !as calling to him.
et me e;plain#
Slo!l%/ sadl%/ =ortati let the tale unfold. =an% %ears ago/ the 7ope/ !hen he !as still 0ust a priest/ had fallen in
love !ith a %oung nun. 4oth of them had ta"en vo!s of celibac% and never even considered brea"ing their covenant
!ith 8od. Still/ as the% fell deeper in love/ although the% could resist the temptations of the flesh/ the% both found
themselves longing for something the% never expected'to participate in 8od@s ultimate miracle of creation'a child.
Their child. +he %earning/ especiall% in her/ became over!helming. Still/ 8od came first. %ear later/ !hen the
frustration had reached almost unbearable proportions/ she came to him in a !hirl of excitement. She had 0ust read an
article about a ne! miracle of science'a process b% !hich t!o people/ !ithout ever having sexual relations/ could have
a child. She sensed this !as a sign from 8od. +he priest could see the happiness in her e%es and agreed. %ear later she
had a child through the miracle of artificial insemination*
E+his cannot* be true/E the camerlegno said/ panic"ed/ hoping it !as the morphine !ashing over his senses.
,ertainl% he !as hearing things.
=ortati no! had tears in his e%es. E,arlo/ this is !h% $is $oliness has al!a%s had an affection for the sciences. $e
felt he o!ed a debt to science. Science let him experience the 0o%s of fatherhood !ithout brea"ing his vo! of celibac%.
$is $oliness told me he had no regrets except one'that his advancing stature in the church prohibited him from being
!ith the !oman he loved and seeing his infant gro! up.E
,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca felt the madness setting in again. $e !anted to cla! at his flesh. 0ow coul% " ha!e
known1
E+he 7ope committed no sin/ ,arlo. $e !as chaste.E
E4ut*E +he camerlegno searched his anguished mind for an% "ind of rationale. E+hin" of the 0eopard%* of his
deeds.E $is voice felt !ea". E#hat if this !hore of his came for!ardD 9r/ heaven forbid/ his chil%D )magine the shame
the church !ould endure.E
=ortati@s voice !as tremulous. E+he child has alrea%y come for!ard.E
1ver%thing stopped.
E,arlo*DE =ortati crumbled. E$is $oliness@s child* is you.E
t that moment/ the camerlegno could feel the fire of faith dim in his heart. $e stood trembling on the altar/ framed
b% =ichelangelo@s to!ering ast 2u%)ment. $e "ne! he had 0ust glimpsed hell itself. $e opened his mouth to spea"/
but his lips !avered/ soundless.
E;on@t %ou seeDE =ortati cho"ed. EThat is !h% $is $oliness came to %ou in the hospital in 7alermo !hen %ou !ere
a bo%. That is !h% he too" %ou in and raised %ou. +he nun he loved !as =aria* %our mother. She left the nunner% to
raise %ou/ but she never abandoned her strict devotion to 8od. #hen the 7ope heard she had died in an explosion and
that %ou/ his son/ had miraculousl% survived* he s!ore to 8od he !ould never leave %ou alone again. ,arlo/ %our
parents !ere both virgins. +he% "ept their vo!s to 8od. nd still the% found a !a% to bring %ou into the !orld. Bou
!ere their miraculous child.E
+he camerlegno covered his ears/ tr%ing to bloc" out the !ords. $e stood paral%&ed on the altar. +hen/ !ith his
!orld %an"ed from beneath him/ he fell violentl% to his "nees and let out a !ail of anguish.
Seconds. =inutes. $ours.
+ime seemed to have lost all meaning inside the four !alls of the chapel. .ittoria felt herself slo!l% brea"ing free
of the paral%sis that seemed to have gripped them all. She let go of Langdon@s hand and began moving through the
cro!d of cardinals. +he chapel door seemed miles a!a%/ and she felt li"e she !as moving under!ater* slo! motion.
s she maneuvered through the robes/ her motion seemed to pull others from their trance. Some of the cardinals
began to pra%. 9thers !ept. Some turned to !atch her go/ their blan" expressions turning slo!l% to a foreboding
cognition as she moved to!ard the door. She had almost reached the bac" of the cro!d !hen a hand caught her arm.
+he touch !as frail but resolute. She turned/ face to face !ith a !i&ened cardinal. $is visage !as clouded b% fear.
E<o/E the man !hispered. EBou cannot.E
.ittoria stared/ incredulous.
nother cardinal !as at her side no!. E#e must thin" before !e act.E
nd another. E+he pain this could cause*E
.ittoria !as surrounded. She loo"ed at them all/ stunned. E4ut these deeds here toda%/ tonight* certainl% the
!orld should "no! the truth.E
E=% heart agrees/E the !i&ened cardinal said/ still holding her arm/ Eand %et it is a path from !hich there is no
return. #e must consider the shattered hopes. +he c%nicism. $o! could the people e!er trust againDE
Suddenl%/ more cardinals seemed to be bloc"ing her !a%. +here !as a !all of blac" robes before her. EListen to the
people in the square/E one said. E#hat !ill this do to their heartsD #e must exercise prudence.E
E#e need time to thin" and pra%/E another said. E#e must act !ith foresight. +he repercussions of this*E
E$e "illed m% fatherFE .ittoria said. E$e "illed his own fatherFE
E)@m certain he !ill pa% for his sins/E the cardinal holding her arm said sadl%.
.ittoria !as certain too/ and she intended to ensure he paid. She tried to push to!ard the door again/ but the
cardinals huddled closer/ their faces frightened.
E#hat are %ou going to doDE she exclaimed. E7ill meDE
+he old men blanched/ and .ittoria immediatel% regretted her !ords. She could see these men !ere gentle souls.
+he% had seen enough violence tonight. +he% meant no threat. +he% !ere simpl% trapped. Scared. +r%ing to get their
bearings.
E) !ant*E the !i&ened cardinal said/ E* to do !hat is right.E
E+hen %ou !ill let her out/E a deep voice declared behind her. +he !ords !ere calm but absolute. Robert Langdon
arrived at her side/ and she felt his hand ta"e hers. E=s. .etra and ) are leaving this chapel. Right no!.E
Faltering/ hesitant/ the cardinals began to step aside.
E#aitFE )t !as =ortati. $e moved to!ard them no!/ do!n the center aisle/ leaving the camerlegno alone and
defeated on the altar. =ortati loo"ed older all of a sudden/ !earied be%ond his %ears. $is motion !as burdened !ith
shame. $e arrived/ putting a hand on Langdon@s shoulder and one on .ittoria@s as !ell. .ittoria felt sincerit% in his
touch. +he man@s e%es !ere more tearful no!.
E9& course %ou are free to go/E =ortati said. E9f course.E +he man paused/ his grief almost tangible. E) as" onl%
this*E $e stared do!n at his feet a long moment then bac" up at .ittoria and Langdon. ELet me do it. ) !ill go into the
square right no! and find a !a%. ) !ill tell them. ) don@t "no! ho!* but ) !ill find a !a%. +he church@s confession
should come from !ithin. 9ur failures should be our o!n to expose.E
=ortati turned sadl% bac" to!ard the altar. E,arlo/ %ou have brought this church to a disastrous 0uncture.E $e
paused/ loo"ing around. +he altar !as bare.
+here !as a rustle of cloth do!n the side aisle/ and the door clic"ed shut.
+he camerlegno !as gone.
!#$
,amerlegno .entresca@s !hite robe billo!ed as he moved do!n the hall!a% a!a% from the Sistine ,hapel. +he
S!iss 8uards had seemed perplexed !hen he emerged all alone from the chapel and told them he needed a moment of
solitude. 4ut the% had obe%ed/ letting him go.
<o! as he rounded the corner and left their sight/ the camerlegno felt a maelstrom of emotions li"e nothing he
thought possible in human experience. $e had poisoned the man he called E$ol% Father/E the man !ho addressed him
as Em% son.E +he camerlegno had al!a%s believed the !ords EfatherE and EsonE !ere religious tradition/ but no! he
"ne! the diabolical truth'the !ords had been literal.
Li"e that fateful night !ee"s ago/ the camerlegno no! felt himself reeling madl% through the dar"ness.
)t !as raining the morning the .atican staff banged on the camerlegno@s door/ a!a"ening him from a fitful sleep.
+he 7ope/ the% said/ !as not ans!ering his door or his phone. +he clerg% !ere frightened. +he camerlegno !as the onl%
one !ho could enter the 7ope@s chambers unannounced.
+he camerlegno entered alone to find the 7ope/ as he !as the night before/ t!isted and dead in his bed. $is
$oliness@s face loo"ed li"e that of Satan. $is tongue blac" li"e death. +he ;evil himself had been sleeping in the
7ope@s bed.
+he camerlegno felt no remorse. 8od had spo"en.
<obod% !ould see the treacher%* not %et. +hat !ould come later.
$e announced the terrible ne!s'$is $oliness !as dead of a stro"e. +hen the camerlegno prepared for conclave.
=other =aria@s voice !as !hispering in his ear. E<ever brea" a promise to 8od.E
E) hear %ou/ =other/E he replied. E)t is a faithless !orld. +he% need to be brought bac" to the path of righteousness.
$orror and $ope. )t is the onl% !a%.E
EBes/E she said. E)f not %ou* then !hoD #ho !ill lead the church out of dar"nessDE
,ertainl% not one of the pre&eriti. +he% !ere old* !al"ing death* liberals !ho !ould follo! the 7ope/ endorsing
science in his memor%/ see"ing modern follo!ers b% abandoning the ancient !a%s. 9ld men desperatel% behind the
times/ patheticall% pretending the% !ere not. +he% !ould fail/ of course. +he church@s strength !as its tradition/ not its
transience. +he !hole !orld !as transitor%. +he church did not need to change/ it simpl% needed to remind the !orld it
!as relevantF 1vil livesF 8od !ill overcomeF
+he church needed a leader. 9ld men do not inspireF 5esus inspiredF Boung/ vibrant/ po!erful* Miraculous.
E1n0o% %our tea/E the camerlegno told the four pre&eriti/ leaving them in the 7ope@s private librar% before conclave.
EBour guide !ill be here soon.E
+he pre&eriti than"ed him/ all abu&& that the% had been offered a chance to enter the famed 7assetto. =ost
uncommonF +he camerlegno/ before leaving them/ had unloc"ed the door to the 7assetto/ and exactl% on schedule/ the
door had opened/ and a foreign-loo"ing priest !ith a torch had ushered the excited pre&eriti in.
+he men had never come out.
+he% !ill be the $orror. ) !ill be the $ope.
No " am the horror.
+he camerlegno staggered no! through the dar"ness of St. 7eter@s 4asilica. Someho!/ through the insanit% and
guilt/ through the images of his father/ through the pain and revelation/ even through the pull of the morphine* he had
found a brilliant clarit%. sense of destin%. " know my purpose/ he thought/ a!ed b% the lucidit% of it.
From the beginning/ nothing tonight had gone exactl% as he had planned. :nforeseen obstacles had presented
themselves/ but the camerlegno had adapted/ ma"ing bold ad0ustments. Still/ he had never imagined tonight !ould end
this !a%/ and %et no! he sa! the preordained ma0est% of it.
)t could end no other !a%.
9h/ !hat terror he had felt in the Sistine ,hapel/ !ondering if 8od had forsa"en himF 9h- what %ee%s 0e ha%
or%aine%# $e had fallen to his "nees/ a!ash !ith doubt/ his ears straining for the voice of 8od but hearing onl% silence.
$e had begged for a sign. 8uidance. ;irection. #as this 8od@s !illD +he church destro%ed b% scandal and
abominationD <oF *o% !as the one !ho had !illed the camerlegno to actF 0a%n+t 0e1
+hen he had seen it. Sitting on the altar. sign. ;ivine communication'something ordinar% seen in an
extraordinar% light. +he crucifix. $umble/ !ooden. 5esus on the cross. )n that moment/ it had all come clear* the
camerlegno !as not alone. $e !ould never be alone.
+his !as $is !ill* $is meaning.
8od had al!a%s as"ed great sacrifice of those he loved most. #h% had the camerlegno been so slo! to understandD
#as he too fearfulD +oo humbleD )t made no difference. 8od had found a !a%. +he camerlegno even understood no!
!h% Robert Langdon had been saved. )t !as to bring the truth. +o compel this ending.
+his !as the sole path to the church@s salvationF
+he camerlegno felt li"e he !as floating as he descended into the <iche of the 7alliums. +he surge of morphine
seemed relentless no!/ but he "ne! 8od !as guiding him.
)n the distance/ he could hear the cardinals clamoring in confusion as the% poured from the chapel/ %elling
commands to the S!iss 8uard.
4ut the% !ould never find him. <ot in time.
+he camerlegno felt himself dra!n* faster* descending the stairs into the sun"en area !here the ninet%-nine oil
lamps shone brightl%. 8od !as returning him to $ol% 8round. +he camerlegno moved to!ard the grate covering the
hole that led do!n to the <ecropolis. +he <ecropolis is !here this night !ould end. )n the sacred dar"ness belo!. $e
lifted an oil lamp/ preparing to descend.
4ut as he moved across the <iche/ the camerlegno paused. Something about this felt !rong. $o! did this serve
8odD solitar% and silent endD 2esus had suffered before the e%es of the entire !orld. Surel% this could not be 8od@s
!illF +he camerlegno listened for the voice of his 8od/ but heard onl% the blurring bu&& of drugs.
ECarlo.E )t !as his mother. E*o% has plans &or you.E
4e!ildered/ the camerlegno "ept moving.
+hen/ !ithout !arning/ 8od arrived.
+he camerlegno stopped short/ staring. +he light of the ninet%-nine oil lanterns had thro!n the camerlegno@s
shado! on the marble !all beside him. 8iant and fearful. ha&% form surrounded b% golden light. #ith flames
flic"ering all around him/ the camerlegno loo"ed li"e an angel ascending to heaven. $e stood a moment/ raising his
arms to his sides/ !atching his o!n image. +hen he turned/ loo"ing bac" up the stairs.
8od@s meaning !as clear.
+hree minutes had passed in the chaotic hall!a%s outside the Sistine ,hapel/ and still nobod% could locate the
camerlegno. )t !as as if the man had been s!allo!ed up b% the night. =ortati !as about to demand a full -scale search
of .atican ,it% !hen a roar of 0ubilation erupted outside in St. 7eter@s Square. +he spontaneous celebration of the
cro!d !as tumultuous. +he cardinals all exchanged startled loo"s.
=ortati closed his e%es. E8od help us.E
For the second time that evening/ the ,ollege of ,ardinals flooded onto St. 7eter@s Square. Langdon and .ittoria
!ere s!ept up in the 0ostling cro!d of cardinals/ and the% too emerged into the night air. +he media lights and cameras
!ere all pivoted to!ard the basilica. nd there/ having 0ust stepped onto the sacred 7apal 4alcon% located in the exact
center of the to!ering faWade/ ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca stood !ith his arms raised to the heavens. 1ven far a!a%/ he
loo"ed li"e purit% incarnate. figurine. ;ressed in !hite. Flooded !ith light.
+he energ% in the square seemed to gro! li"e a cresting !ave/ and all at once the S!iss 8uard barriers gave !a%.
+he masses streamed to!ard the basilica in a euphoric torrent of humanit%. +he onslaught rushed for!ard'people
cr%ing/ singing/ media cameras flashing. 7andemonium. s the people flooded in around the front of the basilica/ the
chaos intensified/ until it seemed nothing could stop it.
nd then something did.
$igh above/ the camerlegno made the smallest of gestures. $e folded his hands before him. +hen he bo!ed his
head in silent pra%er. 9ne b% one/ then do&ens b% do&ens/ then hundreds b% hundreds/ the people bo!ed their heads
along !ith him.
+he square fell silent* as if a spell had been cast.
)n his mind/ s!irling and distant no!/ the camerlegno@s pra%ers !ere a torrent of hopes and sorro!s* &or)i!e me-
Father ,other &ull o& )race you are the church may you un%erstan% this sacri&ice o& your only 'e)otten son.
9h- my 2esus sa!e us &rom the &ires o& hell take all souls to hea!en- especially- those most in nee% o& thy
mercy
+he camerlegno did not open his e%es to see the throngs belo! him/ the television cameras/ the !hole !orld
!atching. $e could feel it in his soul. 1ven in his anguish/ the unit% of the moment !as intoxicating. )t !as as if a
connective !eb had shot out in all directions around the globe. )n front of televisions/ at home/ and in cars/ the !orld
pra%ed as one. Li"e s%napses of a giant heart all firing in tandem/ the people reached for 8od/ in do&ens of languages/ in
hundreds of countries. +he !ords the% !hispered !ere ne!born and %et as familiar to them as their o!n voices*
ancient truths* imprinted on the soul.
+he consonance felt eternal.
s the silence lifted/ the 0o%ous strains of singing began to rise again.
$e "ne! the moment had come.
,ost 0oly Trinity- " o&&er Thee the most precious Bo%y- Bloo%- $oul in reparation &or the outra)es- sacrile)es-
an% in%i&&erences
+he camerlegno alread% felt the ph%sical pain setting in. )t !as spreading across his s"in li"e a plague/ ma"ing him
!ant to cla! at his flesh li"e he had !ee"s ago !hen 8od had first come to him. @o not &or)et what pain 2esus
en%ure%. $e could taste the fumes no! in his throat. <ot even the morphine could dull the bite.
,y work here is %one.
+he $orror !as his. +he $ope !as theirs.
)n the <iche of the 7alliums/ the camerlegno had follo!ed 8od@s !ill and anointed his bod%. $is hair. $is face. $is
linen robe. $is flesh. $e !as soa"ing no! !ith the sacred/ vitreous oils from the lamps. +he% smelled s!eet li"e his
mother/ but the% burned. 0is !ould be a merciful ascension. =iraculous and s!ift. nd he !ould leave behind not
scandal* but a ne! strength and !onder.
$e slipped his hand into the poc"et of his robe and fingered the small/ golden lighter he had brought !ith him from
the 7allium incen%iario.
$e !hispered a verse from 5udgments. (n% when the &lame went up towar% hea!en- the an)el o& the or% ascen%e%
in the &lame.
$e positioned his thumb.
+he% !ere singing in St. 7eter@s Square*
+he vision the !orld !itnessed no one !ould ever forget.
$igh above on the balcon%/ li"e a soul tearing free of its corporeal restrains/ a luminous p%re of flame erupted from
the camerlegno@s center. +he fire shot up!ard/ engulfing his entire bod% instantl%. $e did not scream. $e raised his
arms over his head and loo"ed to!ard heaven. +he conflagration roared around him/ entirel% shrouding his bod% in a
column of light. )t raged for !hat seemed li"e an eternit%/ the !hole !orld bearing !itness. +he light flared brighter and
brighter. +hen/ graduall%/ the flames dissipated. +he camerlegno !as gone. #hether he had collapsed behind the
balustrade or evaporated into thin air !as impossible to tell. ll that !as left !as a cloud of smo"e spiraling s"%!ard
over .atican ,it%.
!#%
;a!n came late to Rome.
n earl% rainstorm had !ashed the cro!ds from St. 7eter@s Square. +he media sta%ed on/ huddling under umbrellas
and in vans/ commentating on the evening@s events. cross the !orld/ churches overflo!ed. )t !as a time of reflection
and discussion* in all religions. Iuestions abounded/ and %et the ans!ers seemed onl% to bring deeper questions. +hus
far/ the .atican had remained silent/ issuing no statement !hatsoever.
;eep in the .atican 8rottoes/ ,ardinal =ortati "nelt alone before the open sarcophagus. $e reached in and closed
the old man@s blac"ened mouth. $is $oliness loo"ed peaceful no!. )n quiet repose for eternit%.
t =ortati@s feet !as a golden urn/ heav% !ith ashes. =ortati had gathered the ashes himself and brought them
here. E chance for forgiveness/E he said to $is $oliness/ la%ing the urn inside the sarcophagus at the 7ope@s side. E<o
love is greater than that of a father for $is son.E =ortati tuc"ed the urn out of sight beneath the papal robes. $e "ne!
this sacred grotto !as reserved exclusivel% for the relics of 7opes/ but someho! =ortati sensed this !as appropriate.
ESignoreDE someone said/ entering the grottoes. )t !as Lieutenant ,hartrand. $e !as accompanied b% three S!iss
8uards. E+he% are read% for %ou in conclave.E
=ortati nodded. E)n a moment.E $e ga&ed one last time into the sarcophagus before him/ and then stood up. $e
turned to the guards. E)t is time for $is $oliness to have the peace he has earned.E
+he guards came for!ard and !ith enormous effort slid the lid of the 7ope@s sarcophagus bac" into place. )t
thundered shut !ith finalit%.
=ortati !as alone as he crossed the 4orgia ,ourt%ard to!ard the Sistine ,hapel. damp bree&e tossed his robe.
fello! cardinal emerged from the postolic 7alace and strode beside him.
E=a% ) have the honor of escorting %ou to conclave/ signoreDE
E+he honor is mine.E
ESignore/E the cardinal said/ loo"ing troubled. E+he college o!es %ou an apolog% for last night. #e !ere blinded
b%'E
E7lease/E =ortati replied. E9ur minds sometimes see !hat our hearts !ish !ere true.E
+he cardinal !as silent a long time. Finall% he spo"e. E$ave %ou been toldD Bou are no longer our 8reat 1lector.E
=ortati smiled. EBes. ) than" 8od for small blessings.E
E+he college insisted %ou be eligible.E
E)t seems charit% is not dead in the church.E
EBou are a !ise man. Bou !ould lead us !ell.E
E) am an old man. ) !ould lead %ou briefl%.E
+he% both laughed.
s the% reached the end of the 4orgia ,ourt%ard/ the cardinal hesitated. $e turned to =ortati !ith a troubled
m%stification/ as if the precarious a!e of the night before had slipped bac" into his heart.
E#ere %ou a!are/E the cardinal !hispered/ Ethat !e found no remains on the balcon%DE
=ortati smiled. E7erhaps the rain !ashed them a!a%.E
+he man loo"ed to the storm% heavens. EBes/ perhaps*E
!#&
+he midmorning s"% still hung heav% !ith clouds as the Sistine ,hapel@s chimne% gave up its first faint puffs of
!hite smo"e. +he pearl% !isps curled up!ard to!ard the firmament and slo!l% dissipated.
Far belo!/ in St. 7eter@s Square/ reporter 8unther 8lic" !atched in reflective silence. +he final chapter*
,hinita =acri approached him from behind and hoisted her camera onto her shoulder. E)t@s time/E she said.
8lic" nodded dolefull%. $e turned to!ard her/ smoothed his hair/ and too" a deep breath. ,y last transmission/ he
thought. small cro!d had gathered around them to !atch.
ELive in sixt% seconds/E =acri announced.
8lic" glanced over his shoulder at the roof of the Sistine ,hapel behind him. E,an %ou get the smo"eDE
=acri patientl% nodded. E) "no! ho! to frame a shot/ 8unther.E
8lic" felt dumb. 9f course she did. =acri@s performance behind the camera last night had probabl% !on her the
7ulit&er. 0is performance/ on the other hand* he didn@t !ant to thin" about it. $e !as sure the 44, !ould let him goJ
no doubt the% !ould have legal troubles from numerous po!erful entities* ,1R< and 8eorge 4ush among them.
EBou loo" good/E ,hinita patroni&ed/ loo"ing out from behind her camera no! !ith a hint of concern. E) !onder if
) might offer %ou*E She hesitated/ holding her tongue.
ESome a%!iceDE
=acri sighed. E) !as onl% going to sa% that there@s no need to go out !ith a bang.E
E) "no!/E he said. EBou !ant a straight !rap.E
E+he straightest in histor%. )@m trusting %ou.E
8lic" smiled. ( strai)ht wrap1 "s she cra/y1 stor% li"e last night@s deserved so much more. t!ist. final
bombshell. n unforeseen revelation of shoc"ing truth.
Fortunatel%/ 8lic" had 0ust the tic"et !aiting in the !ings*
J J J
EBou@re on in* five* four* three*E
s ,hinita =acri loo"ed through her camera/ she sensed a sl% glint in 8lic"@s e%e. " was insane to let him %o this/
she thought. 3hat was " thinkin)1
4ut the moment for second thoughts had passed. +he% !ere on.
ELive from .atican ,it%/E 8lic" announced on cue/ Ethis is 8unther 8lic" reporting.E $e gave the camera a solemn
stare as the !hite smo"e rose behind him from the Sistine ,hapel. ELadies and gentlemen/ it is no! o&&icial. ,ardinal
Saverio =ortati/ a sevent%-nine-%ear-old progressive/ has 0ust been elected the next 7ope of .atican ,it%. lthough an
unli"el% candidate/ =ortati !as chosen b% an unprecedented unanimous vote b% the ,ollege of ,ardinals.E
s =acri !atched him/ she began to breathe easier. 8lic" seemed surprisingl% professional toda%. 1ven austere.
For the first time in his life/ 8lic" actuall% loo"ed and sounded some!hat li"e a ne!sman.
End as !e reported earlier/E 8lic" added/ his voice intensif%ing perfectl%/ Ethe .atican has %et to offer any
statement !hatsoever regarding the miraculous events of last night.E
*oo%. ,hinita@s nervousness !aned some more. $o &ar- so )oo%.
8lic"@s expression gre! sorro!ful no!. End though last night !as a night of !onder/ it !as also a night of
traged%. Four cardinals perished in %esterda%@s conflict/ along !ith ,ommander 9livetti and ,aptain Rocher of the
S!iss 8uard/ both in the line of dut%. 9ther casualties include Leonardo .etra/ the reno!ned ,1R< ph%sicist and
pioneer of antimatter technolog%/ as !ell as =aximilian 6ohler/ the director of ,1R</ !ho apparentl% came to .atican
,it% in an effort to help but reportedl% passed a!a% in the process. <o official report has been issued %et on =r.
6ohler@s death/ but con0ecture is that he died due to complications brought on b% a long-time illness.E
=acri nodded. +he report !as going perfectl%. 5ust as the% discussed.
End in the !a"e of the explosion in the s"% over the .atican last night/ ,1R<@s antimatter technolog% has
become the hot topic among scientists/ spar"ing excitement and controvers%. statement read b% =r. 6ohler@s assistant
in 8eneva/ S%lvie 4audeloque/ announced this morning that ,1R<@s board of directors/ although enthusiastic about
antimatter@s potential/ are suspending all research and licensing until further inquiries into its safet% can be examined.E
E;cellent/ =acri thought. 0ome stretch.
E<otabl% absent from our screens tonight/E 8lic" reported/ Eis the face of Robert Langdon/ the $arvard professor
!ho came to .atican ,it% %esterda% to lend his expertise during this )lluminati crisis. lthough originall% thought to
have perished in the antimatter blast/ !e no! have reports that Langdon !as spotted in St. 7eter@s Square a&ter the
explosion. $o! he got there is still speculation/ although a spo"esman from $ospital +iberina claims that =r. Langdon
fell out of the s"% into the +iber River shortl% after midnight/ !as treated/ and released.E 8lic" arched his e%ebro!s at
the camera. End if that is true* it !as indeed a night of miracles.E
Per&ect en%in)# =acri felt herself smiling broadl%. Flawless wrap# Now si)n o&&#
4ut 8lic" did not sign off. )nstead/ he paused a moment and then stepped to!ard the camera. $e had a m%sterious
smile. E4ut before !e sign off*E
No#
E* ) !ould li"e to invite a guest to 0oin me.E
,hinita@s hands fro&e on the camera. ( )uest1 3hat the hell is he %oin)1 3hat )uest# $i)n o&&# 4ut she "ne! it !as
too late. 8lic" had committed.
E+he man ) am about to introduce/E 8lic" said/ Eis an merican* a reno!ned scholar.E
,hinita hesitated. She held her breath as 8lic" turned to the small cro!d around them and motioned for his guest to
step for!ard. =acri said a silent pra%er. Please tell me he somehow locate% Ro'ert an)%on an% not some
"lluminati>conspiracy nutcase.
4ut as 8lic"@s guest stepped out/ =acri@s heart san". )t !as not Robert Langdon at all. )t !as a bald man in blue
0eans and a flannel shirt. $e had a cane and thic" glasses. =acri felt terror. Nutcase#
E=a% ) introduce/E 8lic" announced/ Ethe reno!ned .atican scholar from ;e 7aul :niversit% in ,hicago. ;r.
5oseph .ane".E
=acri no! hesitated as the man 0oined 8lic" on camera. +his !as no conspirac% buffJ =acri had actuall% hear% of
this gu%.
E;r. .ane"/E 8lic" said. EBou have some rather startling information to share !ith us regarding last night@s
conclave.E
E) do indeed/E .ane" said. Efter a night of such surprises/ it is hard to imagine there are an% surprises left* and
%et*E $e paused.
8lic" smiled. End %et/ there is a strange t!ist to all this.E
.ane" nodded. EBes. s perplexing as this !ill sound/ ) believe the ,ollege of ,ardinals un"no!ingl% elected two
7opes this !ee"end.E
=acri almost dropped the camera.
8lic" gave a shre!d smile. E+!o 7opes/ %ou sa%DE
+he scholar nodded. EBes. ) should first sa% that ) have spent m% life stud%ing the la!s of papal election. ,onclave
0udicature is extremel% complex/ and much of it is no! forgotten or ignored as obsolete. 1ven the 8reat 1lector is
probabl% not a!are of !hat ) am about to reveal. <onetheless* according to the ancient forgotten la!s put forth in the
Romano Ponti&ici Eli)en%o- Numero WG* balloting is not the only method b% !hich a 7ope can be elected. +here is
another/ more %i!ine method. )t is called -cclamation b% doration.-E $e paused. End it happened last night.E
8lic" gave his guest a riveted loo". E7lease/ go on.E
Es %ou ma% recall/E the scholar continued/ Elast night/ !hen ,amerlegno ,arlo .entresca !as standing on the roof
of the basilica/ all of the cardinals belo! began calling out his name in unison.E
EBes/ ) recall.E
E#ith that image in mind/ allo! me to read verbatim from the ancient electoral la!s.E +he man pulled some papers
from his poc"et/ cleared his throat/ and began to read. E-1lection b% doration occurs !hen* all the cardinals/ as if b%
inspiration of the $ol% Spirit/ freel% and spontaneousl%/ unanimousl% and aloud/ proclaim one individual@s name.-E
8lic" smiled. ESo %ou@re sa%ing that last night/ !hen the cardinals chanted ,arlo .entresca@s name together/ the%
actuall% electe% him 7opeDE
E+he% did indeed. Furthermore/ the la! states that 1lection b% doration supercedes the cardinal eligibilit%
requirement and permits any clerg%man'ordained priest/ bishop/ or cardinal'to be elected. So/ as %ou can see/ the
camerlegno !as perfectl% qualified for papal election b% this procedure.E ;r. .ane" loo"ed directl% into the camera
no!. E+he facts are these* ,arlo .entresca !as elected 7ope last night. $e reigned for 0ust under seventeen minutes.
nd had he not ascended miraculousl% into a pillar of fire/ he !ould no! be buried in the .atican 8rottoes along !ith
the other 7opes.E
E+han" %ou/ doctor.E 8lic" turned to =acri !ith a mischievous !in". E=ost illuminating*E
!#.
$igh atop the steps of the Roman ,oliseum/ .ittoria laughed and called do!n to him. ERobert/ hurr% upF ) "ne! )
should have married a %ounger manFE $er smile !as magic.
$e struggled to "eep up/ but his legs felt li"e stone. E#ait/E he begged. E7lease*E
+here !as a pounding in his head.
Robert Langdon a!o"e !ith a start.
;ar"ness.
$e la% still for a long time in the foreign softness of the bed/ unable to figure out !here he !as. +he pillo!s !ere
goose do!n/ oversi&ed and !onderful. +he air smelled of potpourri. cross the room/ t!o glass doors stood open to a
lavish balcon%/ !here a light bree&e pla%ed beneath a glistening cloud-s!ept moon. Langdon tried to remember ho! he
had gotten here* and !here here !as.
Surreal !isps of memor% sifted bac" into his consciousness*
( pyre o& mystical &ire an an)el materiali/in) &rom out o& the crow% her so&t han% takin) his an% lea%in) him
into the ni)ht )ui%in) his e;hauste%- 'attere% 'o%y throu)h the streets lea%in) him here to this suite proppin)
him hal&>sleepin) in a scal%in) hot shower lea%in) him to this 'e% an% watchin) o!er him as he &ell asleep like the
%ea%.
)n the dimness no!/ Langdon could see a second bed. +he sheets !ere tousled/ but the bed !as empt%. From one of
the ad0oining rooms/ he could hear the faint/ stead% stream of a sho!er.
s he ga&ed at .ittoria@s bed/ he sa! a boldl% embroidered seal on her pillo!case. )t read( $9+1L 41R<)<).
Langdon had to smile. .ittoria had chosen !ell. 9ld #orld luxur% overloo"ing 4ernini@s +riton Fountain* there !as
no more fitting hotel in all of Rome.
s Langdon la% there/ he heard a pounding and reali&ed !hat had a!o"en him. Someone !as "noc"ing at the door.
)t gre! louder.
,onfused/ Langdon got up. No'o%y knows we+re here/ he thought/ feeling a trace of uneasiness. ;onning a
luxuriant $otel 4ernini robe/ he !al"ed out of the bedroom into the suite@s fo%er. $e stood a moment at the heav% oa"
door/ and then pulled it open.
po!erful man adorned in lavish purple and %ello! regalia stared do!n at him. E) am Lieutenant ,hartrand/E the
man said. E.atican S!iss 8uard.E
Langdon "ne! full !ell !ho he !as. E$o!* ho! did %ou find usDE
E) sa! %ou leave the square last night. ) follo!ed %ou. )@m relieved %ou@re still here.E
Langdon felt a sudden anxiet%/ !ondering if the cardinals had sent ,hartrand to escort Langdon and .ittoria bac"
to .atican ,it%. fter all/ the t!o of them !ere the onl% t!o people be%ond the ,ollege of ,ardinals !ho "ne! the
truth. +he% !ere a liabilit%.
E$is $oliness as"ed me to give this to %ou/E ,hartrand said/ handing over an envelope sealed !ith the .atican
signet. Langdon opened the envelope and read the hand!ritten note.
=r. Langdon and =s. .etra/
lthough it is m% profound desire to request %our discretion in the matters of the past C2
hours/ ) cannot possibl% presume to as" more of %ou than %ou have alread% given. )
therefore humbl% retreat hoping onl% that %ou let %our hearts guide %ou in this matter. +he
!orld seems a better place toda%* ma%be the questions are more po!erful than the
ans!ers.
=% door is al!a%s open/
His Holiness, Saverio Mortati
Langdon read the message t!ice. +he ,ollege of ,ardinals had obviousl% chosen a noble and munificent leader.
4efore Langdon could sa% an%thing/ ,hartrand produced a small pac"age. E to"en of than"s from $is $oliness.E
Langdon too" the pac"age. )t !as heav%/ !rapped in bro!n paper.
E4% his decree/E ,hartrand said/ Ethis artifact is on indefinite loan to %ou from the sacred 7apal .ault. $is $oliness
as"s onl% that in %our last !ill and testament %ou ensure it finds its !a% home.E
Langdon opened the pac"age and !as struc" speechless. )t !as the brand. The "lluminati @iamon%.
,hartrand smiled. E=a% peace be !ith %ou.E $e turned to go.
E+han"* %ou/E Langdon managed/ his hands trembling around the precious gift.
+he guard hesitated in the hall. E=r. Langdon/ ma% ) as" %ou somethingDE
E9f course.E
E=% fello! guards and ) are curious. +hose last fe! minutes* !hat happene% up there in the helicopterDE
Langdon felt a rush of anxiet%. $e "ne! this moment !as coming'the moment of truth. $e and .ittoria had tal"ed
about it last night as the% stole a!a% from St. 7eter@s Square. nd the% had made their decision. 1ven before the 7ope@s
note.
.ittoria@s father had dreamed his antimatter discover% !ould bring about a spiritual a!a"ening. Last night@s events
!ere no doubt not !hat he had intended/ but the undeniable fact remained* at this moment/ around the !orld/ people
!ere considering 8od in !a%s the% never had before. $o! long the magic !ould last/ Langdon and .ittoria had no
idea/ but the% "ne! the% could never shatter the !onderment !ith scandal and doubt. The or% works in stran)e ways/
Langdon told himself/ !ondering !r%l% if ma%be* 0ust ma%be* %esterda% had been 8od@s !ill after all.
E=r. LangdonDE ,hartrand repeated. E) !as as"ing about the helicopterDE
Langdon gave a sad smile. EBes/ ) "no!*E $e felt the !ords flo! not from his mind but from his heart. E7erhaps
it !as the shoc" of the fall* but m% memor%* it seems* it@s all a blur*E
,hartrand slumped. EBou remember nothin)DE
Langdon sighed. E) fear it !ill remain a m%ster% forever.E
#hen Robert Langdon returned to the bedroom/ the vision a!aiting him stopped him in his trac"s. .ittoria stood
on the balcon%/ her bac" to the railing/ her e%es ga&ing deepl% at him. She loo"ed li"e a heavenl% apparition* a radiant
silhouette !ith the moon behind her. She could have been a Roman goddess/ enshrouded in her !hite terr%cloth robe/
the dra!string cinched tight/ accentuating her slender curves. 4ehind her/ a pale mist hung li"e a halo over 4ernini@s
+riton Fountain.
Langdon felt !ildl% dra!n to her* more than to an% !oman in his life. Iuietl%/ he la% the )lluminati ;iamond and
the 7ope@s letter on his bedside table. +here !ould be time to explain all of that later. $e !ent to her on the balcon%.
.ittoria loo"ed happ% to see him. EBou@re a!a"e/E she said/ in a co% !hisper. EFinally.E
Langdon smiled. ELong da%.E
She ran a hand through her luxuriant hair/ the nec" of her robe falling open slightl%. End no!* ) suppose %ou
!ant %our re!ard.E
+he comment too" Langdon off guard. E)@m* sorr%DE
E#e@re adults/ Robert. Bou can admit it. Bou feel a longing. ) see it in %our e%es. deep/ carnal hunger.E She
smiled. E) feel it too. nd that craving is about to be satisfied.E
E)t isDE $e felt emboldened and too" a step to!ard her.
ECompletely.E She held up a room-service menu. E) ordered ever%thing the%@ve got.E
+he feast !as sumptuous. +he% dined together b% moonlight* sitting on their balcon%* savoring &rise/ truffles/
and risotto. +he% sipped @olcetto !ine and tal"ed late into the night.
Langdon did not need to be a s%mbologist to read the signs .ittoria !as sending him. ;uring dessert of
bo%senberr% cream !ith sa!oiar%i and steaming Romca&&/ .ittoria pressed her bare legs against his beneath the table
and fixed him !ith a sultr% stare. She seemed to be !illing him to set do!n his for" and carr% her off in his arms.
4ut Langdon did nothing. $e remained the perfect gentleman. Two can play at this )ame/ he thought/ hiding a
roguish smile.
#hen all the food !as eaten/ Langdon retired to the edge of his bed !here he sat alone/ turning the )lluminati
;iamond over and over in his hands/ ma"ing repeated comments about the miracle of its s%mmetr%. .ittoria stared at
him/ her confusion gro!ing to an obvious frustration.
EBou find that ambigram terribl% interesting/ don@t %ouDE she demanded.
Langdon nodded. E=esmeri&ing.E
E#ould %ou sa% it@s the most interesting thing in this roomDE
Langdon scratched his head/ ma"ing a sho! of pondering it. E#ell/ there is one thing that interests me more.E
She smiled and too" a step to!ard him. E+hat beingDE
E$o! %ou disproved that 1instein theor% using tuna fish.E
.ittoria thre! up her hands. E@io mXo# 1nough !ith the tuna fishF ;on@t pla% !ith me/ )@m !arning %ou.E
Langdon grinned. E=a%be for %our ne;t experiment/ %ou could stud% flounders and prove the earth is flat.E
.ittoria !as steaming no!/ but the first faint hints of an exasperated smile appeared on her lips. EFor %our
information/ professor/ m% next experiment !ill ma"e scientific histor%. ) plan to prove neutrinos have mass.E
E<eutrinos have massDE Langdon shot her a stunned loo". E) didn@t even "no! the% !ere ,atholicFE
#ith one fluid motion/ she !as on him/ pinning him do!n. E) hope %ou believe in life after death/ Robert
Langdon.E .ittoria !as laughing as she straddled him/ her hands holding him do!n/ her e%es abla&e !ith a mischievous
fire.
Ectuall%/E he cho"ed/ laughing harder no!/ E)@ve al!a%s had trouble picturing an%thing be%ond this !orld.E
EReall%D So %ou@ve never had a religious experienceD perfect moment of glorious raptureDE
Langdon shoo" his head. E<o/ and ) seriousl% doubt )@m the "ind of man !ho could ever ha!e a religious
experience.E
.ittoria slipped off her robe. EBou@ve never been to bed !ith a %oga master/ have %ouDE