danbrown.angels&demons-第2节

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s　campus　nickname…〃The　Dolphin〃…was　a　reference　both　to　his　affable　nature　and　his　legendary　ability　to　dive　into　a　pool　and　outmaneuver　the　entire　opposing　squad　in　a　water　polo　match。　
　As　Langdon　sat　alone；　absently　gazing　into　the　darkness；　the　silence　of　his　home　was　shattered　again；　this　time　by　the　ring　of　his　fax　machine。　Too　exhausted　to　be　annoyed；　Langdon　forced　a　tired　chuckle。
　God's　people；　he　thought。　Two　thousand　years　of　waiting　for　their　Messiah；　and　they're　still　persistent　as　hell。　
　Wearily；　he　returned　his　empty　mug　to　the　kitchen　and　walked　slowly　to　his　oak…paneled　study。　The　ining　fax　lay　in　the　tray。　Sighing；　he　scooped　up　the　paper　and　looked　at　it。　
　Instantly；　a　wave　of　nausea　hit　him。　
　The　image　on　the　page　was　that　of　a　human　corpse。　The　body　had　been　stripped　naked；　and　its　head　had　been　twisted；　facing　pletely　backward。　On　the　victim's　chest　was　a　terrible　burn。　The　man　had　been　branded　。　。　。　imprinted　with　a　single　word。　It　was　a　word　Langdon　knew　well。　Very　well。　He　stared　at　the　ornate　lettering　in　disbelief。
　
　
　
　〃Illuminati；〃　he　stammered；　his　heart　pounding。　It　can't　be　。　。　。
　In　slow　motion；　afraid　of　what　he　was　about　to　witness；　Langdon　rotated　the　fax　180　degrees。　He　looked　at　the　word　upside　down。
　Instantly；　the　breath　went　out　of　him。　It　was　like　he　had　been　hit　by　a　truck。　Barely　able　to　believe　his　eyes；　he　rotated　the　fax　again；　reading　the　brand　right…side　up　and　then　upside　down。　
　〃Illuminati；〃　he　whispered。
　Stunned；　Langdon　collapsed　in　a　chair。　He　sat　a　moment　in　utter　bewilderment。　Gradually；　his　eyes　were　drawn　to　the　blinking　red　light　on　his　fax　machine。　Whoever　had　sent　this　fax　was　still　on　the　line　。　。　。　waiting　to　talk。　Langdon　gazed　at　the　blinking　light　a　long　time。　
　Then；　trembling；　he　picked　up　the　receiver。　
　
　2

　Do　I　have　your　attention　now？〃　the　man's　voice　said　when　Langdon　finally　answered　the　line。
　〃Yes；　sir；　you　damn　well　do。　You　want　to　explain　yourself？〃
　〃I　tried　to　tell　you　before。〃　The　voice　was　rigid；　mechanical。　〃I'm　a　physicist。　I　run　a　research　facility。　We've　had　a　murder。　You　saw　the　body。〃
　〃How　did　you　find　me？〃　Langdon　could　barely　focus。　His　mind　was　racing　from　the　image　on　the　fax。
　〃I　already　told　you。　The　Worldwide　Web。　The　site　for　your　book；　The　Art　of　the　Illuminati。〃　
　Langdon　tried　to　gather　his　thoughts。　His　book　was　virtually　unknown　in　mainstream　literary　circles；　but　it　had　developed　quite　a　following　on…line。　Nonetheless；　the　caller's　claim　still　made　no　sense。　〃That　page　has　no　contact　information；〃　Langdon　challenged。　〃I'm　certain　of　it。〃
　〃I　have　people　here　at　the　lab　very　adept　at　extracting　user　information　from　the　Web。〃
　Langdon　was　skeptical。　〃Sounds　like　your　lab　knows　a　lot　about　the　Web。〃
　〃We　should；〃　the　man　fired　back。　〃We　invented　it。〃　
　Something　in　the　man's　voice　told　Langdon　he　was　not　joking。
　〃I　must　see　you；〃　the　caller　insisted。　〃This　is　not　a　matter　we　can　discuss　on　the　phone。　My　lab　is　only　an　hour's　flight　from　Boston。〃
　Langdon　stood　in　the　dim　light　of　his　study　and　analyzed　the　fax　in　his　hand。　The　image　was　overpowering；　possibly　representing　the　epigraphical　find　of　the　century；　a　decade　of　his　research　confirmed　in　a　single　symbol。
　〃It's　urgent；〃　the　voice　pressured。
　Langdon's　eyes　were　locked　on　the　brand。　Illuminati；　he　read　over　and　over。　His　work　had　always　been　based　on　the　symbolic　equivalent　of　fossils…ancient　documents　and　historical　hearsay…but　this　image　before　him　was　today。　Present　tense。　He　felt　like　a　paleontologist　ing　face　to　face　with　a　living　dinosaur。
　〃I've　taken　the　liberty　of　sending　a　plane　for　you；〃　the　voice　said。　〃It　will　be　in　Boston　in　twenty　minutes。〃
　Langdon　felt　his　mouth　go　dry。　An　hour's　flight　。　。　。　
　〃Please　forgive　my　presumption；〃　the　voice　said。　〃I　need　you　here。〃
　Langdon　looked　again　at　the　fax…an　ancient　myth　confirmed　in　black　and　white。　The　implications　were　frightening。　He　gazed　absently　through　the　bay　window。　The　first　hint　of　dawn　was　sifting　through　the　birch　trees　in　his　backyard；　but　the　view　looked　somehow　different　this　morning。　As　an　odd　bination　of　fear　and　exhilaration　settled　over　him；　Langdon　knew　he　had　no　choice。　
　〃You　win；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　me　where　to　meet　the　plane。〃
　
　3

　Thousands　of　miles　away；　two　men　were　meeting。　The　chamber　was　dark。　Medieval。　Stone。
　〃Benvenuto；〃　the　man　in　charge　said。　He　was　seated　in　the　shadows；　out　of　sight。　〃Were　you　successful？〃
　〃Si；〃　the　dark　figure　replied。　〃Perfectamente。〃　His　words　were　as　hard　as　the　rock　walls。　
　〃And　there　will　be　no　doubt　who　is　responsible？〃
　〃None。〃
　〃Superb。　Do　you　have　what　I　asked　for？〃
　The　killer's　eyes　glistened；　black　like　oil。　He　produced　a　heavy　electronic　device　and　set　it　on　the　table。　
　The　man　in　the　shadows　seemed　pleased。　〃You　have　done　well。〃
　〃Serving　the　brotherhood　is　an　honor；〃　the　killer　said。
　〃Phase　two　begins　shortly。　Get　some　rest。　Tonight　we　change　the　world。〃
　
　4

　Robert　Langdon's　Saab　900S　tore　out　of　the　Callahan　Tunnel　and　emerged　on　the　east　side　of　Boston　Harbor　near　the　entrance　to　Logan　Airport。　Checking　his　directions　Langdon　found　Aviation　Road　and　turned　left　past　the　old　Eastern　Airlines　Building。　Three　hundred　yards　down　the　access　road　a　hangar　loomed　in　the　darkness。　A　large　number　〃4〃was　painted　on　it。　He　pulled　into　the　parking　lot　and　got　out　of　his　car。　
　A　round…faced　man　in　a　blue　flight　suit　emerged　from　behind　the　building。　〃Robert　Langdon？〃　he　called。　The　man's　voice　was　friendly。　He　had　an　accent　Langdon　couldn't　place。　
　〃That's　me；〃　Langdon　said；　locking　his　car。
　〃Perfect　timing；〃　the　man　said。　〃I've　just　landed。　Follow　me；　please。〃　
　As　they　circled　the　building；　Langdon　felt　tense。　He　was　not　accustomed　to　cryptic　phone　calls　and　secret　rendezvous　with　strangers。　Not　knowing　what　to　expect　he　had　donned　his　usual　classroom　attire…a　pair　of　chinos；　a　turtleneck；　and　a　Harris　tweed　suit　jacket。　As　they　walked；　he　thought　about　the　fax　in　his　jacket　pocket；　still　unable　to　believe　the　image　it　depicted。
　The　pilot　seemed　to　sense　Langdon's　anxiety。　〃Flying's　not　a　problem　for　you；　is　it；　sir？〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　Langdon　replied。　Branded　corpses　are　a　problem　for　me。　Flying　I　can　handle。　
　The　man　led　Langdon　the　length　of　the　hangar。　They　rounded　the　corner　onto　the　runway。
　Langdon　stopped　dead　in　his　tracks　and　gaped　at　the　aircraft　parked　on　the　tarmac。　〃We're　riding　in　that？〃
　The　man　grinned。　〃Like　it？〃
　Langdon　stared　a　long　moment。　〃Like　it？　What　the　hell　is　it？〃
　
　The　craft　before　them　was　enormous。　It　was　vaguely　reminiscent　of　the　space　shuttle　except　that　the　top　had　been　shaved　off；　leaving　it　perfectly　flat。　Parked　there　on　the　runway；　it　resembled　a　colossal　wedge。　Langdon's　first　impression　was　that　he　must　be　dreaming。　The　vehicle　looked　as　airworthy　as　a　Buick。　The　wings　were　practically　nonexistent…just　two　stubby　fins　on　the　rear　of　the　fuselage。　A　pair　of　dorsal　guiders　rose　out　of　the　aft　section。　The　rest　of　the　plane　was　hull…about　200　feet　from　front　to　back…no　windows；　nothing　but　hull。
　〃Two　hundred　fifty　thousand　kilos　fully　fueled；〃　the　pilot　offered；　like　a　father　bragging　about　his　newborn。　〃Runs　on　slush　hydrogen。　The　shell's　a　titanium　matrix　with　silicon　carbide　fibers。　She　packs　a　20：1　thrust/weight　ratio；　most　jets　run　at　7：1。　The　director　must　be　in　one　helluva　a　hurry　to　see　you。　He　doesn't　usually　send　the　big　boy。〃
　〃This　thing　flies？〃　Langdon　said。
　The　pilot　smiled。　〃Oh　yeah。〃　He　led　Langdon　across　the　tarmac　toward　the　plane。　〃Looks　kind　of　startling；　I　know；　but　you　better　get　used　to　it。　In　five　years；　all　you'll　see　are　these　babies…HSCT's…High　Speed　Civil　Transports。　Our　lab's　one　of　the　first　to　own　one。〃
　Must　be　one　hell　of　a　lab；　Langdon　thought。
　〃This　one's　a　prototype　of　the　Boeing　X…33；〃　the　pilot　continued；　〃but　there　are　dozens　of　others…the　National　Aero　Space　Plane；　the　Russians　have　Scramjet；　the　Brits　have　HOTOL。　The　future's　here；　it's　just　taking　some　time　to　get　to　the　public　sector。　You　can　kiss　conventional　jets　good…bye。〃
　Langdon　looked　up　warily　at　the　craft。　〃I　think　I'd　prefer　a　conventional　jet。〃
　The　pilot　motioned　up　the　gangplank。　〃This　way；　please；　Mr。　Langdon。　Watch　your　step。〃
　
　Minutes　later；　Langdon　was　seated　inside　the　empty　cabin。　The　pilot　buckled　him　into　the　front　row　and　disappeared　toward　the　front　of　the　aircraft。　
　The　cabin　itself　looked　surprisingly　like　a　wide…body　mercial　airliner。　The　only　exception　was　that　it　had　no　windows；　which　made　Langdon　uneasy。　He　had　been　haunted　his　whole　life　by　a　mild　case　of　claustrophobia…the　vestige　of　a　childhood　incident　he　had　never　quite　overe。
　Langdon's　aversion　to　closed　spaces　was　by　no　means　debilitating；　but　it　had　always　frustrated　him。　It　manifested　itself　in　subtle　ways。　He　avoided　enclosed　sports　like　racquetball　or　squash；　and　he　had　gladly　paid　a　small　fortune　for　his　airy；　high…ceilinged　Victorian　home　even　though　economical　faculty　housing　was　readily　available。　Langdon　had　often　suspected　his　attraction　to　the　art　world　as　a　young　boy　sprang　from　his　love　of　museums'　wide　open　spaces。　
　The　engines　roared　to　life　beneath　him；　sendi