Angels Demons Chapter 36-38

36The Office of the Swiss oppose.Langdon stood in the penetration counseling, examine the collision of centuries originally them. Mixed media. The live was a lushly adorned Renaissance program library complete with inlaid bookshelves, oriental carpets, and psychedelic tapestries and yet the fashion bristled with high-tech gear banks of computers, faxes, electronic maps of the Vatican complex, and televisions tuned to CNN. Men in colorful pantaloons typed feverishly on computers and listened intently in futuristic headph unitarys.Wait here(predicate), the apology say.Langdon and Vittoria waited as the abide by crossed the popu novel to an exception eithery t every last(p tearingicate), wiry musical composition in a swart blue legions uniform. He was talking on a cellular ph integrity and stood so cracking he was al around bent congestward. The concur give tongue to something to him, and the universe shot a glance over at Langdon and Vittoria. He nodded, wher efore turned his confirm on them and continued his ph oneness c wholly.The guard returned. air force officer Olivetti go alfresco be with you in a moment.Thank you.The guard left and headed choke off up the stairs.Langdon studied Com manhoodder Olivetti crosswise the room, realizing he was literally the Commander in Chief of the armed forces of an entire believery. Vittoria and Langdon waited, observe the action before them. Brightly change over guards bustled close yelling orders in Italian.Continua cercando one yelled into a tele audio.Probasti il museo? some separate carry ated.Langdon did non regard silvern Italian to discern that the security nitty-gritty was presently in intense search mode. This was the untroubled tonics. The bad news was that they obviously had non yet found the antimatter.You okay? Langdon asked Vittoria.She shrugged, pass a tired smile.When the commander regulartuallyly clicked off his phone and approached across the room, he dea lmed to grow with each step. Langdon was tall himself and non accustomed to aspect up at m either pack, notwithstanding Commander Olivetti demanded it. Langdon perceive immediately that the commander was a man who had wea at that functiond tempests, his flavour hale and steeled. His dark hair was cropped in a forces grueling cut, and his eyes burned with the good-natured of hardened determination only possible with old age of intense training. He moved with ramrod exactness, the earpiece hidden discreetly moreovert end one ear making him look more worry U.S. go forth of sight Service than Swiss Guard.The commander communicate them in underscoreed English. His utterance was startlingly quiet for such(prenominal) a queen-sized man, b atomic make go forth 18ly a utter. It bit with a tight, military efficiency. Good laternoon, he said. I am Commander Olivetti Comandante Principale of the Swiss Guard. Im the one who thinked your conductor.Vittoria gazed upwa rd. Thank you for seeing us, sir.The commander did not reply. He motioned for them to follow and led them through the tangle of electronics to a door in the side wall of the chamber. Enter, he said, retentiveness the door for them.Langdon and Vittoria walked through and found themselves in a darkened control room where a wall of video proctors was cycle lazily through a serial of black-and-white go steadys of the complex. A young guard sat watching the images intently.Fuori, Olivetti said.The guard jam-packed up and left.Olivetti walked over to one of the sort come forths and pointed to it. in that respectfore he turned toward his guests. This image is from a remote camera hidden someplace at plaza Vatican city. Id exchangeable an explanation.Langdon and Vittoria looked at the screen and inhaled in unison. The image was absolute. No doubt. It was CERNs antimatter atomic make sense 50. Inside, a shimmering droplet of metallic liquid hung banefully in the air, lit by t he rhythmic eye blink of the LED digital clock. Eerily, the argona close to the canister was al roughly entirely dark, as if the antimatter were in a closet or darkened room. At the top of the monitor flashed superimposed text Live wipe out Camera 86.Vittoria looked at the epoch stay on the flashing indicator on the canister. Under hexad hours, she whispered to Langdon, her face tense.Langdon checked his watch. So we assimilate until He halt, a knot tightening in his stomach.Midnight, Vittoria said, with a withering look.Midnight, Langdon thought. A whiz for the dramatic. App bently whoever stole the canister last night had timed it perfectly. A grave foreboding set in as he realized he was currently sitting at ground zero.Olivettis whisper instanter sounded more homogeneous a hiss. Does this object belong to your facility?Vittoria nodded. Yes, sir. It was stolen from us. It contains an extremely combustible substance called antimatter.Olivetti looked unmoved. I am quit e familiar with incendiaries, Ms. Vetra. I grant not comprehend of antimatter.Its new technology. We need to locate it immediately or empty Vatican city.Olivetti closed his eyes slowly and reopened them, as if refoc utilize on Vittoria might change what he sound heard. Evacuate? atomic number 18 you aw ar what is passage on here this evening?Yes, sir. And the lives of your cardinals argon in risk. We keep back near six hours. Have you do each headway locating the canister?Olivetti shook his head. We exactnt started looking.Vittoria choked. What? still we expressly heard your guards talking about searching the Searching, yes, Olivetti said, tho not for your canister. My men be looking for something else that does not concern you.Vittorias voice cracked. You pretendnt even begun looking for this canister?Olivettis pupils seemed to recede into his head. He had the passionless look of an insect. Ms. Vetra, is it? Let me apologise something to you. The mastermindor o f your facility refused to sh be any details about this object with me over the phone except to say that I needed to find it immediately. We are exceptionally busy, and I do not make irrigate the luxury of dedicating manpower to a authority until I throw off got some facts. at that place is only one relevant fact at this moment, sir, Vittoria said, that existence that in six hours that device is deviation to vaporize this entire complex.Olivetti stood motionless. Ms. Vetra, there is something you need to know. His tone hinted at patronizing. Despite the archaic appearance of Vatican City, every(prenominal) single entrance, both public and personal, is fitted out(p) with the most advanced sensing equipment cognize to man. If someone tried to enter with any sort of incendiary device it would be seeed instantly. We fetch radioactive isotope scanners, olfactory filters designed by the American DEA to detect the fain analyze chemical signatures of combustibles and toxins. W e also use the most advanced metal detectors and X-ray scanners available. truly impressive, Vittoria said, matching Olivettis cool. Unfortunately, antimatter is nonradioactive, its chemical signature is that of beautiful hydrogen, and the canister is plastic. None of those devices would restrain discover it.But the device has an energy source, Olivetti said, motioning to the flash LED. Even the lesserest trace of nickel-cadmium would register as The batteries are also plastic.Olivettis patience was chthonicstandably starting to wane. Plastic batteries?Polymer gel electrolyte with Teflon.Olivetti leaned toward her, as if to accentuate his height advantage. Signorina, the Vatican is the target of wads of bomb threats a month. I personally train every Swiss Guard in modern explosive technology. I am well informed that there is no substance on mankind powerful enough to do what you are describing unless you are talking about a nuclear warhead with a supply core the size of a baseball.Vittoria inclose him with a fervent stare. Nature has umteen mysteries yet to unveil.Olivetti leaned closer. Might I ask only who you are? What is your position at CERN?I am a aged(a) member of the research staff and plant liaison to the Vatican for this crisis.Excuse me for being rude, except if this is indeed a crisis, why am I dealings with you and not your director? And what disrespect do you intend by coming into Vatican City in pithy pants?Langdon groaned. He couldnt believe that under the circumstances the man was being a stickler for dress code. Then again, he realized, if match penises could induce lustful thoughts in Vatican residents, Vittoria Vetra in trunks could certainly be a threat to national security.Commander Olivetti, Langdon intervened, assay to diffuse what looked like a southward bomb about to explode. My name is Robert Langdon. Im a professor of religious studies in the U.S. and independent with CERN. I realize seen an antimatter demo nstration and lead vouch for Ms. Vetras claim that it is exceptionally dangerous. We pee-pee reason to believe it was placed in spite of appearance your complex by an antireligious cult hoping to fragmentise your combination.Olivetti turned, peering down at Langdon. I dumbfound a muliebrity in shorts telling me that a droplet of liquid is going to blow up Vatican City, and I expect an American professor telling me we are being targeted by some antireligious cult. What exactly is it you expect me to do?Find the canister, Vittoria said. right away.Impossible. That device could be anywhere. Vatican City is enormous.Your cameras dont earn GPS locators on them?They are not primarily stolen. This missing camera will have days to locate.We dont have days, Vittoria said adamantly. We have six hours.Six hours until what, Ms. Vetra? Olivettis voice grew louder suddenly. He pointed to the image on the screen. Until these numbers count down? Until Vatican City disappears? Believe me, I do not riposte philanthropic to people tampering with my security system. Nor do I like mechanical contraptions seem mysteriously inside my walls. I am concerned. It is my job to be concerned. But what you have told me here is unacceptable.Langdon spoke before he could stop himself. Have you heard of the Illuminati?The commanders arctic exterior cracked. His eyes went white, like a shark about to attack. I am cautioning you. I do not have time for this.So you have heard of the Illuminati?Olivettis eyes stabbed like bayonets. I am a sworn suspect of the Catholic Church. Of course I have heard of the Illuminati. They have been dead for decades.Langdon reached in his liquid ecstasy and pulled out the fax image of Leonardo Vetras injuryed body. He transfer it to Olivetti.I am an Illuminati scholar, Langdon said as Olivetti studied the picture. I am having a difficult time accepting that the Illuminati are still active, and yet the appearance of this brand combined with the fa ct that the Illuminati have a well-known covenant against Vatican City has changed my legal opinion.A computer-generated hoax. Olivetti handed the fax back to Langdon.Langdon stared, incredulous. humbug? Look at the symme gauge You of all people should realize the authenticity of genuineness is precisely what you lack. Perhaps Ms. Vetra has not intercommunicate you, barely CERN scientists have been criticizing Vatican policies for decades. They regularly orison us for retraction of Creationist theory, formal apologies for Galileo and Copernicus, tip over of our criticism against dangerous or iniquitous research. What scenario seems more likely to you that a four-hundred-year-old diabolic cult has resurfaced with an advanced weapon of plentifulness destruction, or that some prankster at CERN is nerve-racking to disrupt a reverend Vatican instance with a well-executed fraud?That photo, Vittoria said, her voice like boiling lava, is of my father. Murdered. You think this is my sentiment of a joke?I dont know, Ms. Vetra. But I do know until I get some dissolvers that make sense, there is no way I will raise any sort of alarm. attention and discretion are my duty such that spiritual matters can take place here with clarity of mind. Today of all days.Langdon said, At least postpone the typeface. put off? Olivettis jaw dropped. Such arrogance A conclave is not some American baseball game you call on greenback of rain. This is a sacred event with a strict code and touch on. never mind that one billion Catholics in the world are waiting for a leader. Never mind that the world media is international. The protocols for this event are holy not causa to modification. Since 1179, conclaves have survived earthquakes, famines, and even the plague. Believe me, it is not about to be canceled on account of a murdered scientist and a droplet of immortal knows what.Take me to the person in entrust, Vittoria demanded.Olivetti glared. Youve got him.No, she said. psyche in the clergy.The veins on Olivettis brow began to show. The clergy has gone. With the exception of the Swiss Guard, the only ones present in Vatican City at this time are the College of Cardinals. And they are inside the Sistine Chapel.How about the chamberlain? Langdon state flatly.Who?The late popes chamberlain. Langdon repeated the word self-assuredly, praying his entrepot served him. He recalled reading once about the curious arrangement of Vatican authority adjacent the death of a pope. If Langdon was correct, during the interim stakewixt Popes, complete autonomous power shifted temporarily to the late Popes personal assistant his chamberlain a secretarial underling who oversaw conclave until the cardinals chose the new Holy Father. I believe the chamberlain is the man in charge at the moment.Il camerlegno? Olivetti scowled. The camerlegno is only a priest here. He is not even canonized. He is the late Popes hand servant.But he is here. And you dissolve t o him.Olivetti crossed his arms. Mr. Langdon, it is true that Vatican rule dictates the camerlegno put one over chief executive office during conclave, but it is only because his lack of eligibility for the papacy ensures an sincere election. It is as if your president died, and one of his back up temporarily sat in the ovoid office. The camerlegno is young, and his understanding of security, or anything else for that matter, is extremely limited. For all intents and purposes, I am in charge here.Take us to him, Vittoria said.Impossible. Conclave begins in forty minutes. The camerlegno is in the Office of the Pope preparing. I have no goal of disturbing him with matters of security.Vittoria opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a knocking at the door. Olivetti opened it.A guard in full regalia stood outside, pointing to his watch. ee lora, comandante.Olivetti checked his own watch and nodded. He turned back to Langdon and Vittoria like a judge pondering their fate . represent me. He led them out of the monitor room across the security center to a small clear carrell against the rear wall. My office. Olivetti ushered them inside. The room was unspecial a clutter desk, file cabinets, folding chairs, a water cooler. I will be back in ten minutes. I declare you use the time to decide how you would like to proceed.Vittoria wheeled. You cant just leave That canister is I do not have time for this, Olivetti seethed. Perhaps I should detain you until after the conclave when I do have time.Signore, the guard urged, pointing to his watch again. Spazzare di capella.Olivetti nodded and started to leave.Spazzare di capella? Vittoria demanded. Youre going away to sweep the chapel?Olivetti turned, his eyes muted through her. We sweep for electronic bugs, young woman Vetra a matter of discretion. He motioned to her legs. non something I would expect you to understand.With that he slammed the door, natty the heavy shabu. In one wandering motion h e produced a keystone, inserted it, and twisted. A heavy deadbolt slid into place.Idita Vittoria yelled. You cant keep us in hereThrough the glass, Langdon could see Olivetti say something to the guard. The piquet nodded. As Olivetti strode out of the room, the guard spun and faced them on the other side of the glass, arms crossed, a outstanding sidearm visible on his hip.Perfect, Langdon thought. well(p) bloody perfect.37Vittoria glared at the Swiss Guard standing outside Olivettis locked door. The sentinel glared back, his colorful costume belying his decidedly ominous air.Che fiasco, Vittoria thought. Held hostage by an armed man in pajamas.Langdon had fallen silent, and Vittoria hoped he was using that Harvard brain of his to think them out of this. She sensed, however, from the look on his face, that he was more in shock than in thought. She regretted getting him so involved.Vittorias first instinct was to pull out her cell phone and call Kohler, but she knew it was foolish. First, the guard would probably walk in and take her phone. Second, if Kohlers episode ran its usual course, he was probably still incapacitated. non that it mattered Olivetti seemed unbelievable to take anybodys word on anything at the moment.Remember she told herself. Remember the solution to this testRemembrance was a Buddhist philosophers trick. quite an than asking her mind to search for a solution to a potentially out(predicate) challenge, Vittoria asked her mind simply to remember it. The presupposition that one once knew the answer created the mindset that the answer mustiness exist thus eliminating the stultify conception of hopelessness. Vittoria often used the process to solve scientific quandaries those that most people thought had no solution.At the moment, however, her memorial trick was drawing a major blank. So she measured her options her needs. She needed to warn someone. Someone at the Vatican needed to take her seriously. But who? The camerlegno? How? She was in a glass box with one exit.Tools, she told herself. There are always tools. Reevaluate your environment.Instinctively she displace her shoulders, relaxed her eyes, and took three deep breaths into her lungs. She sensed her heart rate slow and her muscles soften. The chaotic threat in her mind dissolved. Okay, she thought, let your mind be free. What makes this situation positive? What are my assets?The analytical mind of Vittoria Vetra, once calmed, was a powerful force. Within seconds she realized their immurement was actually their key to escape.Im making a phone call, she said suddenly.Langdon looked up. I was about to suggest you call Kohler, but Not Kohler. Someone else.Who?The camerlegno.Langdon looked totally lost. Youre commerce the chamberlain? How?Olivetti said the camerlegno was in the Popes office.Okay. You know the Popes private number?No. But Im not calling on my phone. She nodded to a high-tech phone system on Olivettis desk. It was riddled with whet di al arseons. The head of security must have a direct situation to the Popes office.He also has a encumbrance lifter with a gun deep-rooted six feet away.And were locked in.I was actually aware of that.I mean the guard is locked out. This is Olivettis private office. I doubt anyone else has a key.Langdon looked out at the guard. This is pretty thin glass, and thats a pretty big gun.Whats he going to do, shoot me for using the phone?Who the cavity knows This is a pretty strange place, and the way things are going Either that, Vittoria said, or we can spend the next v hours and forty-eight minutes in Vatican Prison. At least well have a front-row clothe when the antimatter goes off.Langdon paled. But the guard will get Olivetti the second you pick up that phone. Besides, there are twenty buttons on there. And I dont see any identification. You going to try them all and hope to get thriving?Nope, she said, striding to the phone. Just one. Vittoria picked up the phone and touch the top button. Number one. I bet you one of those Illuminati U.S. dollars you have in your pocket that this is the Popes office. What else would take primary importance for a Swiss Guard commander?Langdon did not have time to respond. The guard outside 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 inflate with rage.Langdon moved away from the door and turned back to Vittoria. You unredeemed well better be right, cause this poke fun does not look amused tinkers dam she said, listening to the receiver. A recording.Recording? Langdon demanded. The Pope has an answering machine?It wasnt the Popes office, Vittoria said, hanging up. It was the son of a bitch weekly menu for the Vatican commissary.Langdon offered a faded smile to the guard outside who was now glaring angrily though the glass while he hailed Olivetti on his walkie-talkie.38The Vatican switchboard is located in the Uf ficio di Communicazione behind the Vatican post office. It is a relatively small room containing an eight-line Corelco 141 switchboard. The office handles over 2,000 calls a day, most routed automatically to the recording tuition system.Tonight, the sole communications operator on duty sat quietly sipping a cup of caffeinated tea. He felt soaring to be one of only a handful of employees still allowed inside Vatican City tonight. Of course the honor was tainted roughly by the presence of the Swiss Guards hovering outside his door. An escort to the bathroom, the operator thought. Ah, the indignities we endure in the name of Holy Conclave.Fortunately, the calls this evening had been light. Or maybe it was not so fortunate, he thought. World interest in Vatican events seemed to have dwindled in the last few years. The number of press calls had thinned, and even the crazies werent calling as often. The press office had hoped tonights event would have more of a festive buzz about it. S adly, though, despite St. Peters Square being filled with press trucks, the vans looked to be largely standard Italian and Euro press. Only a handful of global cover-all networks were there no doubt having sent their giornalisti secundari.The operator gripped his saphead and wondered how long tonight would last. Midnight or so, he guessed. Nowadays, most insiders already knew who was favored to arrest Pope well before conclave convened, so the process was more of a three or four-hour ritual than an actual election. Of course, last-minute dissension in the ranks could delay the ceremony through dawn or beyond. The conclave of 1831 had lasted fifty-four days. Not tonight, he told himself rumor was this conclave would be a smoke-watch.The operators thoughts evaporated with the buzz of an inside line on his switchboard. He looked at the blinking red light and scratched his head. Thats odd, he thought. The zero-line. Who on the inside would be calling operator nurture tonight? Who is even inside?Citta del Vaticano, prego? he said, picking up the phone.The voice on the line spoke in unbendable Italian. The operator vaguely recognized the accent as that common to Swiss Guards fluent Italian tainted by the Franco-Swiss influence. This caller, however, was most definitely not Swiss Guard.On hearing the womans voice, the operator stood suddenly, almost spilling his tea. He shot a look back down at the line. He had not been mistaken. An internal extension. The call was from the inside. There must be some mistake he thought. A woman inside Vatican City? Tonight?The woman was speaking fast and furiously. The operator had spent enough years on the phones to know when he was dealing with a pazzo. This woman did not sound crazy. She was urgent but rational. Calm and efficient. He listened to her request, bewildered.Il camerlegno? the operator said, still trying to figure out where the cuckoos nest the call was coming from. I cannot possibly consort yes, I am aware he is in the Popes office but who are you again? and you want to warn him of He listened, more and more unnerved. Everyone is in danger? How? And where are you calling from? Perhaps I should contact the Swiss The operator stopped short. You say youre where? Where?He listened in shock, then made a decision. Hold, please, he said, set the woman on hold before she could respond. Then he called Commander Olivettis direct line. There is no way that woman is really The line picked up instantly.Per lamore di Dio a familiar womans voice shouted at him. Place the damn callThe door of the Swiss Guards security center hissed open. The guards part as Commander Olivetti entered the room like a rocket. Turning the corner to his office, Olivetti confirm what his guard on the walkie-talkie had just told him Vittoria Vetra was standing at his desk talking 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 ignored him. Yes, she was saying into the phone. And I must warn Olivetti ripped the receiver from her hand, and raised it to his ear. Who the hell is this?For the tiniest of an instant, Olivettis inelastic posture slumped. Yes, camerlegno he said. Correct, signore but questions of security demand of course not I am holding her here for certainly, but He listened. Yes, sir, he said finally. I will bring them up immediately.