danbrown.angels&demons-第18节

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　〃The　group？　A　terrorist　group？〃
　〃Vittoria；　they　stole　a　quarter　gram　of　antimatter。〃
　Vittoria　looked　at　Robert　Langdon　standing　there　across　the　room。　Everything　began　falling　into　place。　That　explains　some　of　the　secrecy。　She　was　amazed　it　hadn't　occurred　to　her　earlier。　Kohler　had　called　the　authorities　after　all。　The　authorities。　Now　it　seemed　obvious。　Robert　Langdon　was　American；　clean…cut；　conservative；　obviously　very　sharp。　Who　else　could　it　be？　Vittoria　should　have　guessed　from　the　start。　She　felt　a　newfound　hope　as　she　turned　to　him。
　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I　want　to　know　who　killed　my　father。　And　I　want　to　know　if　your　agency　can　find　the　antimatter。〃
　Langdon　looked　flustered。　〃My　agency？〃
　〃You're　with　U。S。　Intelligence；　I　assume。〃
　〃Actually　。　。　。　no。〃
　Kohler　intervened。　〃Mr。　Langdon　is　a　professor　of　art　history　at　Harvard　University。〃
　Vittoria　felt　like　she　had　been　doused　with　ice　water。　〃An　art　teacher？〃
　〃He　is　a　specialist　in　cult　symbology。〃　Kohler　sighed。　〃Vittoria；　we　believe　your　father　was　killed　by　a　satanic　cult。〃
　Vittoria　heard　the　words　in　her　mind；　but　she　was　unable　to　process　them。　A　satanic　cult。
　〃The　group　claiming　responsibility　calls　themselves　the　Illuminati。〃
　Vittoria　looked　at　Kohler　and　then　at　Langdon；　wondering　if　this　was　some　kind　of　perverse　joke。　〃The　Illuminati？〃　she　demanded。　〃As　in　the　Bavarian　Illuminati？〃
　Kohler　looked　stunned。　〃You've　heard　of　them？〃　
　Vittoria　felt　the　tears　of　frustration　welling　right　below　the　surface。　〃Bavarian　Illuminati：　New　World　Order。　Steve　Jackson　puter　games。　Half　the　techies　here　play　it　on　the　Internet。〃　Her　voice　cracked。　〃But　I　don't　understand　。　。　。〃
　Kohler　shot　Langdon　a　confused　look。
　Langdon　nodded。　〃Popular　game。　Ancient　brotherhood　takes　over　the　world。　Semihistorical。　I　didn't　know　it　was　in　Europe　too。〃
　Vittoria　was　bewildered。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　The　Illuminati？　It's　a　puter　game！〃
　〃Vittoria；〃　Kohler　said；　〃the　Illuminati　is　the　group　claiming　responsibility　for　your　father's　death。〃
　Vittoria　mustered　every　bit　of　courage　she　could　find　to　fight　the　tears。　She　forced　herself　to　hold　on　and　assess　the　situation　logically。　But　the　harder　she　focused；　the　less　she　understood。　Her　father　had　been　murdered。　CERN　had　suffered　a　major　breach　of　security。　There　was　a　bomb　counting　down　somewhere　that　she　was　responsible　for。　And　the　director　had　nominated　an　art　teacher　to　help　them　find　a　mythical　fraternity　of　Satanists。
　Vittoria　felt　suddenly　all　alone。　She　turned　to　go；　but　Kohler　cut　her　off。　He　reached　for　something　in　his　pocket。　He　produced　a　crumpled　piece　of　fax　paper　and　handed　it　to　her。
　Vittoria　swayed　in　horror　as　her　eyes　hit　the　image。
　〃They　branded　him；〃　Kohler　said。　〃They　branded　his　goddamn　chest。〃
　
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　Secretary　Sylvie　Baudeloque　was　now　in　a　panic。　She　paced　outside　the　director's　empty　office。　Where　the　hell　is　he？　What　do　I　do？　
　It　had　been　a　bizarre　day。　Of　course；　any　day　working　for　Maximilian　Kohler　had　the　potential　to　be　strange；　but　Kohler　had　been　in　rare　form　today。
　〃Find　me　Leonardo　Vetra！〃　he　had　demanded　when　Sylvie　arrived　this　morning。
　Dutifully；　Sylvie　paged；　phoned；　and　E…mailed　Leonardo　Vetra。　
　Nothing。　
　So　Kohler　had　left　in　a　huff；　apparently　to　go　find　Vetra　himself。　When　he　rolled　back　in　a　few　hours　later；　Kohler　looked　decidedly　not　well　。　。　。　not　that　he　ever　actually　looked　well；　but　he　looked　worse　than　usual。　He　locked　himself　in　his　office；　and　she　could　hear　him　on　his　modem；　his　phone；　faxing；　talking。　Then　Kohler　rolled　out　again。　He　hadn't　been　back　since。　
　Sylvie　had　decided　to　ignore　the　antics　as　yet　another　Kohlerian　melodrama；　but　she　began　to　get　concerned　when　Kohler　failed　to　return　at　the　proper　time　for　his　daily　injections；　the　director's　physical　condition　required　regular　treatment；　and　when　he　decided　to　push　his　luck；　the　results　were　never　pretty…respiratory　shock；　coughing　fits；　and　a　mad　dash　by　the　infirmary　personnel。　Sometimes　Sylvie　thought　Maximilian　Kohler　had　a　death　wish。
　She　considered　paging　him　to　remind　him；　but　she'd　learned　charity　was　something　Kohlers's　pride　despised。　Last　week；　he　had　bee　so　enraged　with　a　visiting　scientist　who　had　shown　him　undue　pity　that　Kohler　clambered　to　his　feet　and　threw　a　clipboard　at　the　man's　head。　King　Kohler　could　be　surprisingly　agile　when　he　was　pissй。　
　At　the　moment；　however；　Sylvie's　concern　for　the　director's　health　was　taking　a　back　burner　。　。　。　replaced　by　a　much　more　pressing　dilemma。　The　CERN　switchboard　had　phoned　five　minutes　ago　in　a　frenzy　to　say　they　had　an　urgent　call　for　the　director。　
　〃He's　not　available；〃　Sylvie　had　said。　
　Then　the　CERN　operator　told　her　who　was　calling。
　Sylvie　half　laughed　aloud。　〃You're　kidding；　right？〃　She　listened；　and　her　face　clouded　with　disbelief。　〃And　your　caller　ID　confirms…〃　Sylvie　was　frowning。　〃I　see。　Okay。　Can　you　ask　what　the…〃　She　sighed。　〃No。　That's　fine。　Tell　him　to　hold。　I'll　locate　the　director　right　away。　Yes；　I　understand。　I'll　hurry。〃
　But　Sylvie　had　not　been　able　to　find　the　director。　She　had　called　his　cell　line　three　times　and　each　time　gotten　the　same　message：　〃The　mobile　customer　you　are　trying　to　reach　is　out　of　range。〃　Out　of　range？　How　far　could　he　go？　So　Sylvie　had　dialed　Kohler's　beeper。　Twice。　No　response。　Most　unlike　him。　She'd　even　E…mailed　his　mobile　puter。　Nothing。　It　was　like　the　man　had　disappeared　off　the　face　of　the　earth。
　So　what　do　I　do？　she　now　wondered。　
　Short　of　searching　CERN's　entire　plex　herself；　Sylvie　knew　there　was　only　one　other　way　to　get　the　director's　attention。　He　would　not　be　pleased；　but　the　man　on　the　phone　was　not　someone　the　director　should　keep　waiting。　Nor　did　it　sound　like　the　caller　was　in　any　mood　to　be　told　the　director　was　unavailable。
　Startled　with　her　own　boldness；　Sylvie　made　her　decision。　She　walked　into　Kohler's　office　and　went　to　the　metal　box　on　his　wall　behind　his　desk。　She　opened　the　cover；　stared　at　the　controls；　and　found　the　correct　button。
　Then　she　took　a　deep　breath　and　grabbed　the　microphone。
　
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　Vittoria　did　not　remember　how　they　had　gotten　to　the　main　elevator；　but　they　were　there。　Ascending。　Kohler　was　behind　her；　his　breathing　labored　now。　Langdon's　concerned　gaze　passed　through　her　like　a　ghost。　He　had　taken　the　fax　from　her　hand　and　slipped　it　in　his　jacket　pocket　away　from　her　sight；　but　the　image　was　still　burned　into　her　memory。　
　As　the　elevator　climbed；　Vittoria's　world　swirled　into　darkness。　Papa！　In　her　mind　she　reached　for　him。　For　just　a　moment；　in　the　oasis　of　her　memory；　Vittoria　was　with　him。　She　was　nine　years　old；　rolling　down　hills　of　edelweiss　flowers；　the　Swiss　sky　spinning　overhead。　
　Papa！　Papa！　
　Leonardo　Vetra　was　laughing　beside　her；　beaming。　〃What　is　it；　angel？〃　
　〃Papa！〃　she　giggled；　nuzzling　close　to　him。　〃Ask　me　what's　the　matter！〃
　〃But　you　look　happy；　sweetie。　Why　would　I　ask　you　what's　the　matter？〃
　〃Just　ask　me。〃　
　He　shrugged。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　She　immediately　started　laughing。　〃What's　the　matter？　Everything　is　the　matter！　Rocks！　Trees！　Atoms！　Even　anteaters！　Everything　is　the　matter！〃
　He　laughed。　〃Did　you　make　that　up？〃
　〃Pretty　smart；　huh？〃
　〃My　little　Einstein。〃
　She　frowned。　〃He　has　stupid　hair。　I　saw　his　picture。〃
　〃He's　got　a　smart　head；　though。　I　told　you　what　he　proved；　right？〃
　Her　eyes　widened　with　dread。　〃Dad！　No！　You　promised！〃
　〃E=MC2！〃　He　tickled　her　playfully。　〃E=MC2！〃
　〃No　math！　I　told　you！　I　hate　it！〃
　〃I'm　glad　you　hate　it。　Because　girls　aren't　even　allowed　to　do　math。〃
　Vittoria　stopped　short。　〃They　aren't？〃
　〃Of　course　not。　Everyone　knows　that。　Girls　play　with　dollies。　Boys　do　math。　No　math　for　girls。　I'm　not　even　permitted　to　talk　to　little　girls　about　math。〃
　〃What！　But　that's　not　fair！〃
　〃Rules　are　rules。　Absolutely　no　math　for　little　girls。〃
　Vittoria　looked　horrified。　〃But　dolls　are　boring！〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　her　father　said。　〃I　could　tell　you　about　math；　but　if　I　got　caught　。　。　。〃　He　looked　nervously　around　the　deserted　hills。　
　Vittoria　followed　his　gaze。　〃Okay；〃　she　whispered；　〃just　tell　me　quietly。〃
　
　The　motion　of　the　elevator　startled　her。　Vittoria　opened　her　eyes。　He　was　gone。
　Reality　rushed　in；　wrapping　a　frosty　grip　around　her。　She　looked　to　Langdon。　The　earnest　concern　in　his　gaze　felt　like　the　warmth　of　a　guardian　angel；　especially　in　the　aura　of　Kohler's　chill。　
　A　single　sentient　thought　began　pounding　at　Vittoria　with　unrelenting　force。
　Where　is　the　antimatter？　
　The　horrifying　answer　was　only　a　moment　away。
　
　30

　Maximilian　Kohler。　Kindly　call　your　office　immediately。〃　
　Blazing　sunbeams　flooded　Langdon's　eyes　as　the　elevator　doors　opened　into　the　main　atrium。　Before　the　echo　of　the　announcement　on　the　inter　overhead　faded；　every　electronic　device　on　Kohler's　wheelchair　started　beeping　and　buzzing　simultaneously。　His　pager。　His　phone。　His　E…mail。　Kohler　glanced　down　at　the　blinking　lights　in　apparent　bewilderment。　The　director　had　resurfaced；　and　he　was　back　in　range。
　〃Director　Kohler。　Please　call　your　office。〃
　The　sound　of　his　name　on　the　PA　seemed　to　startle　Kohler。　
　He　glanced　up；　looking　angered　and　then　almost　immediately　concern