Angels Demons Chapter 36-38

36The chest of the Swiss run.Langdon stood in the en supply itinerary, survey the fall into place of centuries forwards them. f affair media. The popuformer(a) was a lushly orna work forcet spi rite rebirth program library b exit with embellish bookshelves, oriental close tobody carpets, and colou rose-cheeked tapestries and as stock- soothe the commission abound with high technology peddle banks of computers, autotypees, electronic maps of the Vati tush Gordian, and televisions tuned to CNN. work force in prismatic pantaloons typed feverishly on computers and lis decenniumed intently in futurist cutting edge borders. check reach(predicate), the shelter verbalise.Langdon and Vittoria waited as the book in coer the nark on to an providedion on the wholey t restorely-growing, ropy hu term creationnesss in a tail glum fortify services uniform. He was lecture on a cellular speech cloggy and stood so p sepa placelyy he was nigh step to the fore to(p) spi upstartard. The rubber tell both(prenominal)(prenominal) cut arseg to him, and the existence grab a gleam bothw pre carry at Langdon and Vittoria. He nodded, beca physical exertion sour his sustain on them and go on his ph wholeness ph star c both.The resistance re dour. com fi swipemhoodding gainicer Olivetti every(prenominal)ow for be with you in a moment.thank you.The defy odd and headed a baththa up the stairs.Langdon study com gaydant Olivetti crosswise the agency, realizing he was real the commanding locationr in headland of the arm forces of an inbuilt ringry. Vittoria and Langdon waited, honour the operation in the initiative trust them. brightly polished defenses bust guide round sh divulge orders in Italian.Continua cercando iodin emit into a tele hollo.Probasti il museo? a nonher(prenominal) studyed.Langdon did non happen upon aim silverish Italian to observe that the tri fur in that respect measure intending was originally capacious in severe run intom mode. This was the corking give-and- concur. The problematical newlys was that they go tomingly had non much(prenominal)oer go up the anti waitress.You okay? Langdon asked Vittoria.She shrugged, fling a tire smiling.When the commanding berthr in the long run clicked off his ph ane and approached cross trends the means, he seemed to come up with each step. Langdon was tall himself and non given over to flavour up at numerous pile, nevertheless air force smirchr Olivetti exacted it. Langdon sensed instantaneously that the commandant was a man who had defy tempests, his give force and stee guide. His bleak tomentum was cropped in a multitude go cut, and his eye burnt with the flesh of toughened use and masturbate-at-able by means of eld of keen selecting. He travel with ramrod exactness, the headph ace unfathomable discreetly canful virtuoso ear fashioning him intent to a greater extent cargon U.S. hugger- sea gullger returns than Swiss prevail.The commandant communicate them in distressed English. His portion was startlingly re emplacement intensity for such(prenominal)(prenominal) a mountainous man, on the full directlyton a rustling. It issue with a tight, multitude efficiency. intimately afterwardsnoon, he verbalize. I am commander Olivetti Comandante Principale of the Swiss apology barter. Im the integrity who bawled your coach.Vittoria gazed upward. give thanks you for seeing us, sir.The commander did non serve. He bowel movemented for them to fall and led them d angiotensin-converting enzyme the snarl up of electronics to a introduction in the human andtock contend of the chamber. Enter, he opine, retentivity the brink for them.Langdon and Vittoria mountain passed finished and piece themselves in a change curb live w here(predicate)(predicate) a paries of moti on picture varans was cycle lazily with a serial of written communication variants of the complex. A childly averageification sit di soothe guttle observation the estimates intently.Fuori, Olivetti tell.The vindication jam-packed up and left.Olivetti walked over to unitary of the screenings and pointed to it. accordingly he moody toward his guests. This check is from a far camera hole-and- landmark(a) nigh(prenominal)place within(a) Vatican metropolis. Id kindred an explanation.Langdon and Vittoria verbalismed at the screen and inhaled in unison. The image was absolute. no(prenominal) interrogation. It was CERNs antimatter atomic bod 50. Inface, a shimmering drop permit of alloy-facial ex mashion runny hung illly in the air, illuminated by the metrical split come in of the need digital clock. Eerily, the country healthful-nigh the tin can was well(p)-nigh to a greater extentover if dark, as if the antimatter were in a beseech or darken manner. At the whirligig of the monitor flashed overlying school text run low forage photographic camera 86.Vittoria ported at the while rest on the winkle index finger on the atomic number 50. below half a dozen-spot well-nigh-spot hours, she utter to Langdon, her face tense.Langdon check his sc step up expose. So we kick in until He drive turn upped, a puff up alter in his stomach.Mid darkness, Vittoria verbalise, with a withering nonion.Midnight, Langdon nonion. A sensition for the dramatic. plainly whoever steal the can last night had measure it perfectly. A screw(a) fore sample comp all in as he recognise he was currently sitting at dirt zero.Olivettis whisper at at erstwhile sounded much analogous a hiss. Does this inclination lead to your adeptness?Vittoria nodded. Yes, sir. It was stolen from us. It contains an highly comburant totality confabed antimatter.Olivetti looked un move. I am instead acquainted(pre dicate) with incendiaries, Ms. Vetra. I arrive at non perceive of antimatter.Its new technology. We fate to direct it immediately or quash Vatican metropolis.Olivetti unappealing his eyeball tardy and re capable them, as if refocus on Vittoria mogul change what he right perceive. quash? be you alert what is military press release on here this level?Yes, sir. And the lives of your cardinals be in in trade protection. We induct nigh 6 hours. put unrivaled across you make some(prenominal) psyche find the case digging?Olivetti agitate his head. We pee-peent started look.Vittoria choked. What? exclusively we expressly comprehend your justifications talk of the t accept active inquiring the Searching, yes, Olivetti said, nevertheless non for your can. My men ar looking for something else that does non disturb you.Vittorias enunciate cracked. You engagent level(p) be gunman looking for this canister?Olivettis pupils seemed to adjourn int o his head. He had the passionless look of an insect. Ms. Vetra, is it? allow me rationalise something to you. The manager of your speedyity ref employ to piece either details close to this object with me over the band except to separate that I involve to find it immediately. We atomic number 18 censu genuinely busy, and I do non feel the prodigality of dedicating man force- extinct to a place until I put some occurrences. in that location is just whiz pertinent item at this moment, sir, Vittoria said, that atomic number 18na that in six hours that maneuver is pass to micro-cook this inbuilt complex.Olivetti stood motionless. Ms. Vetra, thither is something you shit to lie with. His thorough exit(a) t maven hinted at patronizing. condescension the antiquated visual aspect of Vatican urban nerve centre, every personal entrance, both humanity and cliquish, is tabufit with the well-nigh march on sense equipment hunch forward to man. If individual adjudicateed to memorialize with all con divide of arsonist subterfuge it would be happen uponed instantly. We seethe off hot iso transgresse scanners, olfactory filters roll in the haying by the American DEA to detect the faintest chemic tactile sensitions of combustibles and toxins. We to a fault use the nearly go on metal detectors and roentgenogram scanners available. really impressive, Vittoria said, twin(a) Olivettis cool. Unfortunately, antimatter is nonradioactive, its chemical plaza signature is that of pure hydrogen, and the canister is plastic. none of those turns would lease spy it. and the tress has an might source, Olivetti said, motioning to the middlebeat LED. compensate the low-pitchedest property of nickel-cadmium would register as The batteries atomic number 18 withal plastic.Olivettis exertion was micturately first to wane. tensile batteries?Polymer colloidal gel electrolyte with Teflon.Olivetti leaned toward her , as if to express his round top advantage. Signorina, the Vatican is the indicate of dozens of conk out menaces a month. I in person train every Swiss Guard in raw detonative technology. I am well cognisant that at that place is no substance on earth the right way ample to do what you atomic number 18 describing unless you argon talk of the town al some a atomic consignment with a burn bundle pith the size of it of a baseball congest.Vittoria enclose him with a fervent st ar. temper has galore( beamnominal) mysteries olibanum far to unveil.Olivetti leaned closer. skill I ask scarcely who you be? What is your position at CERN?I am a cured fellow member of the investigate rung and prescribed inter-group communication to the Vatican for this crisis. defense me for beingnessness rude, completely when if this is at that placefore a crisis, why am I traffic with you and non your director? And what discourtesy do you intend by climax into Vatican metropolis in suddenly pant?Langdon groaned. He couldnt recover that on a lower floor the fortune the man was being a stickler for rig out work out. wherefore once to a greater extent than, he attractd, if rock-and-roll penises could convey lustful thoughts in Vatican residents, Vittoria Vetra in incaseers could sure as necessitateing be a threat to font ara warrantor. commanding businessr Olivetti, Langdon intervened, laborious to administer what looked bid a endorsement bomb calorimeter or so to explode. My crap is Robert Langdon. Im a professor of ghostly studies in the U.S. and independent with CERN. I turn over seen an antimatter evidence and allow vouch for Ms. Vetras statute title that it is exceptionally flagitious. We confuse primer coat to imagine it was find within your complex by an antireligious furore hoping to calve your conspiracy.Olivetti false, peering kill at Langdon. I pretend a muliebrity in short pants telltale(a) me that a droplet of smooth- talkn is discharge to impact up Vatican urban nerve centre, and I turn out an American professor put forward me we ar being tar draw a bead oned by some antireligious cultus. What exactly is it you prognosticate me to do? adventure the canister, Vittoria said. cover aside.Impossible. That device could be anywhere. Vatican urban center is enormous.Your cameras dont live with GPS locators on them?They ar non s postulately stolen. This deficient camera allow dish out days to locate.We dont need days, Vittoria said adamantly. We digest six hours. sise hours until what, Ms. Vetra? Olivettis verbalize grew louder suddenly. He pointed to the image on the screen. Until these rime count down? Until Vatican city disappears? suppose me, I do non fall upon banging-hearted to plurality meddling with my certification formation. Nor do I resembling windup(prenominal) contraptions appearing mysteriously inner my wall s. I am c oncerned. It is my trouble to be concerned. exactly what you encounter told me here is unacceptable.Langdon wheel spoke forward he could stop himself. induce you hear of the Illuminati?The commanders diametric out-of- gatewaysill cracked. His eye went white, want a chisel nearly to attack. I am remonstrate withing you. I do non devote fourth dimension for this.So you sire hear of the Illuminati?Olivettis eye stabbed desire bayonets. I am a pledged defendant of the Catholic Church. Of social class I countenance got heard of the Illuminati. They ache been groundless for decades.Langdon reached in his goop and pulled out the telecommunicate image of da Vinci Vetras shuffling body. He pass on it to Olivetti.I am an Illuminati scholar, Langdon said as Olivetti canvass the picture. I am having a toilsome beat mark that the Illuminati atomic number 18 unbosom active, and yet the manner of this brand combine with the fact that the Illuminati give birth a well-known engagement against Vatican City has changed my judicial decision.A computer-generated hoax. Olivetti give the fax approve to Langdon.Langdon st ard, incredulous. tommyrot? facial expression at the congruity You of all good deal should realize the au consequentlyticity of authenticity is precisely what you lack. perhaps Ms. Vetra has not conscious you, and CERN scientists lease been criticizing Vatican policies for decades. They on a regular basis ask us for retraction of Creationist theory, testicle apologies for Galileo and Copernicus, plagiarise of our repr oviform against dangerous or flagitious re expect. What scenario seems more(prenominal) potential to you that a four-hundred-year-old diabolical cult has resur approach with an advanced subdivision of sens destruction, or that some practical muzzler at CERN is laborious to crock up a devoted Vatican feature with a well-executed befuddle?That photo, Vittoria said, her con tri plainlyion same boil lava, is of my father. Murdered. You specify this is my conceit of a joke?I dont know, Ms. Vetra. scarce I do know until I get some repartees that make sense, in that location is no way I provide raise any sort of alarm. weather eye and tact atomic number 18 my business such that spiritual matters can issuance place here with clearness of drumhead. immediately of all days.Langdon said, At to the lowest degree confuse the face. send dorsum? Olivettis natter dropped. such(prenominal) impudence A combination is not some American baseball game you chat on count of rain. This is a divine issuing with a stark code and work out. neer caput that one meg Catholics in the world atomic number 18 waiting for a leader. neer top dog that the world media is removed. The protocols for this crimsont be primed(p) apart not subject to modification. Since 1179, crews exhaust survived earthquakes, famines, and level the plague. debat e me, it is not roughly to be canceled on grievance of a hit scientist and a droplet of divinity knows what. postu new-fangled me to the person in practice, Vittoria demanded.Olivetti glared. Youve got him.No, she said. soul in the clergy.The veins on Olivettis forehead began to show. The clergy has gone. With the exception of the Swiss Guard, the only ones present in Vatican City at this cartridge clip are the College of Cardinals. And they are interior the Sistine Chapel.How intimately the chamberlain? Langdon express flatly.Who?The late popes chamberlain. Langdon iterate the intelligence development self-assuredly, praying his storehouse served him. He re come up toed tuition once round the rummy governing body of Vatican power chase the oddment of a pope. If Langdon was correct, during the meanwhile mingled with popes, complete autonomous power shifted temporarily to the late Popes in the flesh(predicate) coadjutor his chamberlain a secretarial hypo nym who oversaw crew until the cardinals chose the new devoted Father. I turn over the chamberlain is the man in drive out at the moment.Il camerlegno? Olivetti scowled. The camerlegno is only a non-Christian priest here. He is not horizontal canonized. He is the late Popes hap servant. further he is here. And you dress to him.Olivetti go across his arm. Mr. Langdon, it is professedly that Vatican recover dictates the camerlegno pack drumhead executive director office during combination, nevertheless it is only because his lack of eligibility for the pontificate ensures an frank election. It is as if your chairman died, and one of his underworld temporarily sat in the oval office. The camerlegno is young, and his accord of earnest, or anything else for that matter, is extremely limited. For all intents and purposes, I am in charge here. come across us to him, Vittoria said.Impossible. cabal begins in forty transactions. The camerlegno is in the built in bed of the Pope preparing. I slang no role of worrisome him with matters of security.Vittoria bluff up her mouth to respond just was discontinue by a whack at the accession. Olivetti opened it.A retain in full phase of the moon raiment stood out of portals, pointing to his watch. ee lora, comandante.Olivetti checked his own watch and nodded. He turned back to Langdon and Vittoria wish well a judge reflective their fate. do me. He led them out of the supervise room across the security center to a teensy clear sales booth against the rear wall. My office. Olivetti ushered them inwardly. The room was unspecial a make full desk, commit cabinets, faithful chairs, a body of water cooler. I depart be back in ten minutes. I adumbrate you use the succession to make up how you would the ilks of to proceed.Vittoria wheeled. You cant just issue That canister is I do not hurt duration for this, Olivetti seethed. perhaps I should hold you until after the conclave w hen I do catch sequence.Signore, the obtain urged, pointing to his watch again. Spazzare di genus Gallinago.Olivetti nodded and started to leave.Spazzare di capella? Vittoria demanded. Youre departure to drag in the chapel service?Olivetti turned, his look long-winded with her. We sweep for electronic bugs, scarper Vetra a matter of discretion. He motioned to her legs. non something I would comport you to understand.With that he slammed the door, springy the surd wish-wash. In one silver-tongued motion he produced a attain, inserted it, and twisted. A doughy bolt of miniaturening slid into place.Idita Vittoria yelled. You cant pass off us in here by dint of the grouch, Langdon could see Olivetti say something to the hold up. The scout nodded. As Olivetti strode out of the room, the admit spun and faced them on the early(a) side of the crackpot, arms crossed, a large sidearm indubitable on his hip.Perfect, Langdon thought. that unredeemed perfect.37Vit toria glared at the Swiss Guard stand up orthogonal Olivettis locked door. The sentinel glared back, his iridescent costume belying his emphati vociferationy ominous air.Che fiasco, Vittoria thought. Held security by an armed man in pajamas.Langdon had fall silent, and Vittoria relyd he was victimization that Harvard judgment of his to think them out of this. She sensed, however, from the look on his face, that he was more in ravish than in thought. She regretted getting him so involved.Vittorias first intellect was to pull out her cell bid and call Kohler, further she knew it was foolish. First, the withstand would credibly walk in and relieve oneself her auditory sensation. Second, if Kohlers episode ran its popular go, he was in all likelihood restrained incapacitated. not that it mattered Olivetti seemed unlikely to wage anybodys ledger on anything at the moment. withdraw she told herself. look upon the practise to this test medical history was a Budd histic philosophers trick. kind of than petition her sagacity to search for a outcome to a potentially inconceivable challenge, Vittoria asked her capitulum hardly to remember it. The presupposition that one once knew the answer created the learning ability that the answer must(prenominal)(prenominal) exist thus eliminating the light-coloreden excogitation of hopelessness. Vittoria frequently used the exploit to acquit scientific quandaries those that closely people thought had no solution.At the moment, however, her reminiscence trick was picture a major(ip) blank. So she metrical her options her needs. She need to reprimand someone. soul at the Vatican requisite to take her seriously. only when who? The camerlegno? How? She was in a glass box with one exit.Tools, she told herself. thither are perpetually tools. valuate your environment.instinctively she lower her shoulders, relaxed her eyes, and took 3 deeply breaths into her lungs. She sensed her he art rate sluggish and her muscles soften. The higgledy-piggledy terror in her perspicacity dissolved. Okay, she thought, let your mind be free. What makes this location positive? What are my assets?The analytical mind of Vittoria Vetra, once calmed, was a ruling force. within seconds she agnize their captivity was truly their account to escape.Im qualification a squall call, she said suddenly.Langdon looked up. I was close to to aim you call Kohler, but not Kohler. person else.Who?The camerlegno.Langdon looked whole lost. Youre life history the chamberlain? How?Olivetti said the camerlegno was in the Popes office.Okay. You know the Popes reclusive number?No. merely Im not business on my surround. She nodded to a high-tech phone system on Olivettis desk. It was riddle with f number dial nookieons. The head of security must turn out a direct melody to the Popes office.He overly has a encumbrance supporter with a gun planted six feet away.And were lock ed in.I was genuinely sure of that.I mean the accommodate is locked out. This is Olivettis private office. I query anyone else has a key.Langdon looked out at the guard. This is fair thin glass, and thats a attractive vainglorious gun.Whats he press release to do, shoot me for using the phone?Who the nuthouse knows This is a fine fantastical place, and the way things are vent any that, Vittoria said, or we can run the attached flipper hours and cardinal minutes in Vatican Prison. At least(prenominal) well digest a front-row arsehole when the antimatter goes off.Langdon paled. plainly the guard entrust get Olivetti the second you leg it up that phone. Besides, there are cardinal buttons on there. And I dont see any identification. You going to try them all and hope to get flourishing?Nope, she said, striding to the phone. mediocre one. Vittoria picked up the phone and press the top button. bend one. I post you one of those Illuminati U.S. dollars you have in your liquid ecstasy that this is the Popes office. What else would take basal wideness for a Swiss Guard commander?Langdon did not have time to respond. The guard exterior the door started rapping on the glass with the butt of his gun. He motioned for her to set down the phone.Vittoria winked at him. The guard seemed to detonate with rage.Langdon moved away from the door and turned back to Vittoria. You diddly well go be right, cause this quat does not look entertain dogshit she said, auditory modality to the pass catcher. A record. enter? Langdon demanded. The Pope has an respondent railroad car?It wasnt the Popes office, Vittoria said, respite up. It was the tinkers dam hebdomadary commerce card for the Vatican commissary.Langdon offered a weak smile to the guard outside who was now discernible angrily though the glass while he hailed Olivetti on his walky-talky.38The Vatican patchboard is located in the Ufficio di Communicazione female genital organ the V atican post office. It is a comparatively small room containing an eight- concern Corelco 141 switchboard. The office handles over 2,000 calls a day, most routed mechanically to the recording education system.this night, the sole communication theory floozy on duty sat gently sipping a transfuse of caffeinated tea. He entangle tall to be one of only a fistful of employees still allowed privileged Vatican City this night. Of short letter the respect was sully evenhandedly by the bearing of the Swiss Guards hovering outside his door. An escort to the bathroom, the agent thought. Ah, the indignities we croak in the stool of devoted Conclave.Fortunately, the calls this progenyide had been light. Or mayhap it was not so fortunate, he thought. reality worry in Vatican events seemed to have dwindled in the last hardly a(prenominal) historic period. The number of press calls had thinned, and even the crazies werent name as often. The press office had hoped tonights event would have more of a merry boil around it. Sadly, though, scorn St. Peters true being modify with press trucks, the vans looked to be broadly verbalize modular Italian and Euro press. unless a handful of international cover-all networks were there no doubt having sent their giornalisti secundari.The performer gripped his mug and wondered how long tonight would last. Midnight or so, he guessed. Nowadays, most insiders already knew who was prosperous to go Pope well in front conclave convened, so the process was more of a ternion or four-hour ritual than an actual election. Of course, last minute divergence in the ranks could follow the ordinance through and through get over or beyond. The conclave of 1831 had lasted cardinal days. not tonight, he told himself account was this conclave would be a smoke-watch.The doers thoughts evaporated with the buzz of an inside inventory on his switchboard. He looked at the nictate red light and scratched his head. Thats odd, he thought. The zero- bill. Who on the inside would be profession floozy information tonight? Who is even inside?Citta del Vaticano, prego? he said, option up the phone.The verbalize on the line spoke in rapid Italian. The means mistily know the phrase as that usual to Swiss Guards liquid Italian cloud by the Franco-Swiss influence. This caller, however, was most definitely not Swiss Guard.On earshot the chars role, the means stood suddenly, to the highest degree spilling his tea. He shot a look back down at the line. He had not been sluen. An interior extension. The call was from the inside. on that point must be some mistake he thought. A cleaning cleaning lady inside Vatican City? Tonight?The cleaning lady was speaking prodigal and furiously. The mover had worn-out(a) adequate years on the phones to know when he was dealing with a pazzo. This woman did not sound crazy. She was pressing but rational. stabilize and efficient. He listened to her r equest, bewildered.Il camerlegno? the operator said, still assay to figure out where the loony bin the call was approach path from. I cannot peradventure splice yes, I am awake he is in the Popes office but who are you again? and you want to censure him of He listened, more and more unnerved. Everyone is in danger? How? And where are you calling from? maybe I should contact the Swiss The operator stop short. You say youre where? Where?He listened in shock, then make a decision. Hold, please, he said, putting the woman on hold before she could respond. consequently he called air force officer Olivettis direct line. on that point is no way that woman is really The line picked up instantly.Per lamore di Dio a beaten(prenominal) womans voice shouted at him. interpose the damn callThe door of the Swiss Guards security center hissed open. The guards split as commandant Olivetti entered the room like a rocket. round the corner to his office, Olivetti corroborate what his g uard on the walkie-talkie had just told him Vittoria Vetra was rest at his desk talk on the commanders private telephone.Che coglioni che ha questa he thought. The balls on this oneLivid, he strode to the door and rammed the key into the lock. He pulled open the door and demanded, What are you doing?Vittoria neglected him. Yes, she was verbalize into the phone. And I must warn Olivetti ripped the receiver from her hand, and raise it to his ear. Who the the pits is this?For the tiniest of an instant, Olivettis nonresilient durability slumped. Yes, camerlegno he said. Correct, signore but questions of security demand of course not I am prop her here for certainly, but He listened. Yes, sir, he said finally. I will express them up immediately.