按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Padre；〃 Langdon said； in his best Italian accent。 He bowed his head as he extended his hand。
〃No； no；〃 the camerlegno insisted； lifting Langdon back up。 〃His Holiness's office does not make me holy。 I am merely a priest…a chamberlain serving in a time of need。〃
Langdon stood upright。
〃Please；〃 the camerlegno said； 〃everyone sit。〃 He arranged some chairs around his desk。 Langdon and Vittoria sat。 Olivetti apparently preferred to stand。
The camerlegno seated himself at the desk； folded his hands； sighed； and eyed his visitors。
〃Signore；〃 Olivetti said。 〃The woman's attire is my fault。 I…〃
〃Her attire is not what concerns me；〃 the camerlegno replied； sounding too exhausted to be bothered。 〃When the Vatican operator calls me a half hour before I begin conclave to tell me a woman is calling from your private office to warn me of some sort of major security threat of which I have not been informed； that concerns me。〃
Olivetti stood rigid； his back arched like a soldier under intense inspection。
Langdon felt hypnotized by the camerlegno's presence。 Young and wearied as he was； the priest had the air of some mythical hero…radiating charisma and authority。
〃Signore；〃 Olivetti said； his tone apologetic but still unyielding。 〃You should not concern yourself with matters of security。 You have other responsibilities。〃
〃I am well aware of my other responsibilities。 I am also aware that as direttore intermediario； I have a responsibility for the safety and well…being of everyone at this conclave。 What is going on here？〃
〃I have the situation under control。〃
〃Apparently not。〃
〃Father；〃 Langdon interrupted； taking out the crumpled fax and handing it to the camerlegno； 〃please。〃
mander Olivetti stepped forward； trying to intervene。 〃Father； please do not trouble your thoughts with…〃
The camerlegno took the fax； ignoring Olivetti for a long moment。 He looked at the image of the murdered Leonardo Vetra and drew a startled breath。 〃What is this？〃
〃That is my father；〃 Vittoria said； her voice wavering。 〃He was a priest and a man of science。 He was murdered last night。〃
The camerlegno's face softened instantly。 He looked up at her。 〃My dear child。 I'm so sorry。〃 He crossed himself and looked again at the fax； his eyes seeming to pool with waves of abhorrence。 〃Who would 。 。 。 and this burn on his 。 。 。〃 The camerlegno paused； squinting closer at the image。
〃It says Illuminati；〃 Langdon said。 〃No doubt you are familiar with the name。〃
An odd look came across the camerlegno's face。 〃I have heard the name； yes； but 。 。 。〃
〃The Illuminati murdered Leonardo Vetra so they could steal a new technology he was…〃
〃Signore；〃 Olivetti interjected。 〃This is absurd。 The Illuminati？ This is clearly some sort of elaborate hoax。〃
The camerlegno seemed to ponder Olivetti's words。 Then he turned and contemplated Langdon so fully that Langdon felt the air leave his lungs。 〃Mr。 Langdon； I have spent my life in the Catholic Church。 I am familiar with the Illuminati lore 。 。 。 and the legend of the brandings。 And yet I must warn you； I am a man of the present tense。 Christianity has enough real enemies without resurrecting ghosts。〃
〃The symbol is authentic；〃 Langdon said； a little too defensively he thought。 He reached over and rotated the fax for the camerlegno。
The camerlegno fell silent when he saw the symmetry。
〃Even modern puters；〃 Langdon added； 〃have been unable to forge a symmetrical ambigram of this word。〃
The camerlegno folded his hands and said nothing for a long time。 〃The Illuminati are dead；〃 he finally said。 〃Long ago。 That is historical fact。〃
Langdon nodded。 〃Yesterday； I would have agreed with you。〃
〃Yesterday？〃
〃Before today's chain of events。 I believe the Illuminati have resurfaced to make good on an ancient pact。〃
〃Forgive me。 My history is rusty。 What ancient pact is this？〃
Langdon took a deep breath。 〃The destruction of Vatican City。〃
〃Destroy Vatican City？〃 The camerlegno looked less frightened than confused。 〃But that would be impossible。〃
Vittoria shook her head。 〃I'm afraid we have some more bad news。〃
40
Is this true？〃 the camerlegno demanded； looking amazed as he turned from Vittoria to Olivetti。
〃Signore；〃 Olivetti assured； 〃I'll admit there is some sort of device here。 It is visible on one of our security monitors； but as for Ms。 Vetra's claims as to the power of this substance； I cannot possibly…〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 the camerlegno said。 〃You can see this thing？〃
〃Yes； signore。 On wireless camera #86。〃
〃Then why haven't you recovered it？〃 The camerlegno's voice echoed anger now。
〃Very difficult； signore。〃 Olivetti stood straight as he explained the situation。
The camerlegno listened； and Vittoria sensed his growing concern。 〃Are you certain it is inside Vatican City？〃 the camerlegno asked。 〃Maybe someone took the camera out and is transmitting from somewhere else。〃
〃Impossible；〃 Olivetti said。 〃Our external walls are shielded electronically to protect our internal munications。 This signal can only be ing from the inside or we would not be receiving it。〃
〃And I assume；〃 he said； 〃that you are now looking for this missing camera with all available resources？〃
Olivetti shook his head。 〃No； signore。 Locating that camera could take hundreds of man hours。 We have a number of other security concerns at the moment； and with all due respect to Ms。 Vetra； this droplet she talks about is very small。 It could not possibly be as explosive as she claims。〃
Vittoria's patience evaporated。 〃That droplet is enough to level Vatican City！ Did you even listen to a word I told you？〃
〃Ma'am；〃 Olivetti said； his voice like steel； 〃my experience with explosives is extensive。〃
〃Your experience is obsolete；〃 she fired back； equally tough。 〃Despite my attire； which I realize you find troublesome； I am a senior level physicist at the world's most advanced subatomic research facility。 I personally designed the antimatter trap that is keeping that sample from annihilating right now。 And I am warning you that unless you find that canister in the next six hours； your guards will have nothing to protect for the next century but a big hole in the ground。〃
Olivetti wheeled to the camerlegno； his insect eyes flashing rage。 〃Signore； I cannot in good conscience allow this to go any further。 Your time is being wasted by pranksters。 The Illuminati？ A droplet that will destroy us all？〃
〃Basta；〃 the camerlegno declared。 He spoke the word quietly and yet it seemed to echo across the chamber。 Then there was silence。 He continued in a whisper。 〃Dangerous or not； Illuminati or no Illuminati； whatever this thing is； it most certainly should not be inside Vatican City 。 。 。 no less on the eve of the conclave。 I want it found and removed。 Organize a search immediately。〃
Olivetti persisted。 〃Signore； even if we used all the guards to search the plex； it could take days to find this camera。 Also； after speaking to Ms。 Vetra； I had one of my guards consult our most advanced ballistics guide for any mention of this substance called antimatter。 I found no mention of it anywhere。 Nothing。〃
Pompous ass； Vittoria thought。 A ballistics guide？ Did you try an encyclopedia？ Under A！
Olivetti was still talking。 〃Signore； if you are suggesting we make a naked…eye search of the entirety of Vatican City then I must object。〃
〃mander。〃 The camerlegno's voice simmered with rage。 〃May I remind you that when you address me； you are addressing this office。 I realize you do not take my position seriously…nonetheless； by law； I am in charge。 If I am not mistaken； the cardinals are now safely within the Sistine Chapel； and your security concerns are at a minimum until the conclave breaks。 I do not understand why you are hesitant to look for this device。 If I did not know better it would appear that you are causing this conclave intentional danger。〃
Olivetti looked scornful。 〃How dare you！ I have served your Pope for twelve years！ And the Pope before that for fourteen years！ Since 1438 the Swiss Guard have…〃
The walkie…talkie on Olivetti's belt squawked loudly； cutting him off。 〃andante？〃
Olivetti snatched it up and pressed the transmitter。 〃Sto ocupato！ Cosa voi！！〃
〃Scusi；〃 the Swiss Guard on the radio said。 〃munications here。 I thought you would want to be informed that we have received a bomb threat。〃
Olivetti could not have looked less interested。 〃So handle it！ Run the usual trace； and write it up。〃
〃We did； sir； but the caller 。 。 。〃 The guard paused。 〃I would not trouble you； mander； except that he mentioned the substance you just asked me to research。 Antimatter。〃
Everyone in the room exchanged stunned looks。
〃He mentioned what？〃 Olivetti stammered。
〃Antimatter； sir。 While we were trying to run a trace； I did some additional research on his claim。 The information on antimatter is 。 。 。 well； frankly； it's quite troubling。〃
〃I thought you said the ballistics guide showed no mention of it。〃
〃I found it on…line。〃
Alleluia； Vittoria thought。
〃The substance appears to be quite explosive；〃 the guard said。 〃It's hard to imagine this information is accurate but it says here that pound for pound antimatter carri