danbrown.angels&demons-第23节

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　The　guard　returned。　〃mander　Olivetti　will　be　with　you　in　a　moment。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　The　guard　left　and　headed　back　up　the　stairs。　
　Langdon　studied　mander　Olivetti　across　the　room；　realizing　he　was　actually　the　mander　in　Chief　of　the　armed　forces　of　an　entire　country。　Vittoria　and　Langdon　waited；　observing　the　action　before　them。　Brightly　dressed　guards　bustled　about　yelling　orders　in　Italian。
　〃Continua　cercando！〃　one　yelled　into　a　telephone。
　〃Probasti　il　museo？〃another　asked。
　Langdon　did　not　need　fluent　Italian　to　discern　that　the　security　center　was　currently　in　intense　search　mode。　This　was　the　good　news。　The　bad　news　was　that　they　obviously　had　not　yet　found　the　antimatter。
　〃You　okay？〃　Langdon　asked　Vittoria。
　She　shrugged；　offering　a　tired　smile。
　When　the　mander　finally　clicked　off　his　phone　and　approached　across　the　room；　he　seemed　to　grow　with　each　step。　Langdon　was　tall　himself　and　not　accustomed　to　looking　up　at　many　people；　but　mander　Olivetti　demanded　it。　Langdon　sensed　immediately　that　the　mander　was　a　man　who　had　weathered　tempests；　his　face　hale　and　steeled。　His　dark　hair　was　cropped　in　a　military　buzz　cut；　and　his　eyes　burned　with　the　kind　of　hardened　determination　only　attainable　through　years　of　intense　training。　He　moved　with　ramrod　exactness；　the　earpiece　hidden　discreetly　behind　one　ear　making　him　look　more　like　U。S。　Secret　Service　than　Swiss　Guard。
　The　mander　addressed　them　in　accented　English。　His　voice　was　startlingly　quiet　for　such　a　large　man；　barely　a　whisper。　It　bit　with　a　tight；　military　efficiency。　〃Good　afternoon；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　mander　Olivetti…andante　Principale　of　the　Swiss　Guard。　I'm　the　one　who　called　your　director。〃
　Vittoria　gazed　upward。　〃Thank　you　for　seeing　us；　sir。〃
　The　mander　did　not　respond。　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；　holding　the　door　for　them。
　Langdon　and　Vittoria　walked　through　and　found　themselves　in　a　darkened　control　room　where　a　wall　of　video　monitors　was　cycling　lazily　through　a　series　of　black…and…white　images　of　the　plex。　A　young　guard　sat　watching　the　images　intently。
　〃Fuori；〃　Olivetti　said。
　The　guard　packed　up　and　left。
　Olivetti　walked　over　to　one　of　the　screens　and　pointed　to　it。　Then　he　turned　toward　his　guests。　〃This　image　is　from　a　remote　camera　hidden　somewhere　inside　Vatican　City。　I'd　like　an　explanation。〃
　Langdon　and　Vittoria　looked　at　the　screen　and　inhaled　in　unison。　The　image　was　absolute。　No　doubt。　It　was　CERN's　antimatter　canister。　Inside；　a　shimmering　droplet　of　metallic　liquid　hung　ominously　in　the　air；　lit　by　the　rhythmic　blinking　of　the　LED　digital　clock。　Eerily；　the　area　around　the　canister　was　almost　entirely　dark；　as　if　the　antimatter　were　in　a　closet　or　darkened　room。　At　the　top　of　the　monitor　flashed　superimposed　text：　LIVE　FEED…CAMERA　#86。
　Vittoria　looked　at　the　time　remaining　on　the　flashing　indicator　on　the　canister。　〃Under　six　hours；〃　she　whispered　to　Langdon；　her　face　tense。　
　Langdon　checked　his　watch。　〃So　we　have　until　。　。　。〃　He　stopped；　a　knot　tightening　in　his　stomach。　
　〃Midnight；〃　Vittoria　said；　with　a　withering　look。
　Midnight；　Langdon　thought。　A　flair　for　the　dramatic。　Apparently　whoever　stole　the　canister　last　night　had　timed　it　perfectly。　A　stark　foreboding　set　in　as　he　realized　he　was　currently　sitting　at　ground　zero。
　Olivetti's　whisper　now　sounded　more　like　a　hiss。　〃Does　this　object　belong　to　your　facility？〃　
　Vittoria　nodded。　〃Yes；　sir。　It　was　stolen　from　us。　It　contains　an　extremely　bustible　substance　called　antimatter。〃　
　Olivetti　looked　unmoved。　〃I　am　quite　familiar　with　incendiaries；　Ms。　Vetra。　I　have　not　heard　of　antimatter。〃
　〃It's　new　technology。　We　need　to　locate　it　immediately　or　evacuate　Vatican　City。〃
　Olivetti　closed　his　eyes　slowly　and　reopened　them；　as　if　refocusing　on　Vittoria　might　change　what　he　just　heard。　〃Evacuate？　Are　you　aware　what　is　going　on　here　this　evening？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　And　the　lives　of　your　cardinals　are　in　danger。　We　have　about　six　hours。　Have　you　made　any　headway　locating　the　canister？〃
　Olivetti　shook　his　head。　〃We　haven't　started　looking。〃
　Vittoria　choked。　〃What？　But　we　expressly　heard　your　guards　talking　about　searching　the…〃
　〃Searching；　yes；〃　Olivetti　said；　〃but　not　for　your　canister。　My　men　are　looking　for　something　else　that　does　not　concern　you。〃
　Vittoria's　voice　cracked。　〃You　haven't　even　begun　looking　for　this　canister？〃
　Olivetti's　pupils　seemed　to　recede　into　his　head。　He　had　the　passionless　look　of　an　insect。　〃Ms。　Vetra；　is　it？　Let　me　explain　something　to　you。　The　director　of　your　facility　refused　to　share　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　have　the　luxury　of　dedicating　manpower　to　a　situation　until　I　get　some　facts。〃
　〃There　is　only　one　relevant　fact　at　this　moment；　sir；〃　Vittoria　said；　〃that　being　that　in　six　hours　that　device　is　going　to　vaporize　this　entire　plex。〃
　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　single　entrance；　both　public　and　private；　is　equipped　with　the　most　advanced　sensing　equipment　known　to　man。　If　someone　tried　to　enter　with　any　sort　of　incendiary　device　it　would　be　detected　instantly。　We　have　radioactive　isotope　scanners；　olfactory　filters　designed　by　the　American　DEA　to　detect　the　faintest　chemical　signatures　of　bustibles　and　toxins。　We　also　use　the　most　advanced　metal　detectors　and　X…ray　scanners　available。〃
　〃Very　impressive；〃　Vittoria　said；　matching　Olivetti's　cool。　〃Unfortunately；　antimatter　is　nonradioactive；　its　chemical　signature　is　that　of　pure　hydrogen；　and　the　canister　is　plastic。　None　of　those　devices　would　have　detected　it。〃
　〃But　the　device　has　an　energy　source；〃　Olivetti　said；　motioning　to　the　blinking　LED。　〃Even　the　smallest　trace　of　nickel…cadmium　would　register　as…〃
　〃The　batteries　are　also　plastic。〃
　Olivetti's　patience　was　clearly　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　dozens　of　bomb　threats　a　month。　I　personally　train　every　Swiss　Guard　in　modern　explosive　technology。　I　am　well　aware　that　there　is　no　substance　on　earth　powerful　enough　to　do　what　you　are　describing　unless　you　are　talking　about　a　nuclear　warhead　with　a　fuel　core　the　size　of　a　baseball。〃
　Vittoria　framed　him　with　a　fervent　stare。　〃Nature　has　many　mysteries　yet　to　unveil。〃　
　Olivetti　leaned　closer。　〃Might　I　ask　exactly　who　you　are？　What　is　your　position　at　CERN？〃
　〃I　am　a　senior　member　of　the　research　staff　and　appointed　liaison　to　the　Vatican　for　this　crisis。〃
　〃Excuse　me　for　being　rude；　but　if　this　is　indeed　a　crisis；　why　am　I　dealing　with　you　and　not　your　director？　And　what　disrespect　do　you　intend　by　ing　into　Vatican　City　in　short　pants？〃
　Langdon　groaned。　He　couldn't　believe　that　under　the　circumstances　the　man　was　being　a　stickler　for　dress　code。　Then　again；　he　realized；　if　stone　penises　could　induce　lustful　thoughts　in　Vatican　residents；　Vittoria　Vetra　in　shorts　could　certainly　be　a　threat　to　national　security。
　〃mander　Olivetti；〃　Langdon　intervened；　trying　to　diffuse　what　looked　like　a　second　bomb　about　to　explode。　〃My　name　is　Robert　Langdon。　I'm　a　professor　of　religious　studies　in　the　U。S。　and　unaffiliated　with　CERN。　I　have　seen　an　antimatter　demonstration　and　will　vouch　for　Ms。　Vetra's　claim　that　it　is　exceptionally　dangerous。　We　have　reason　to　believe　it　was　placed　inside　your　plex　by　an　antireligious　cult　hoping　to　disrupt　your　conclave。〃　
　Olivetti　turned；　peering　down　at　Langdon。　〃I　have　a　woman　in　shorts　telling　me　that　a　droplet　of　liquid　is　going　to　blow　up　Vatican　City；　and　I　have　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　don't　have　GPS　locators　on　them？〃
　〃They　are　not　generally　stolen。　This　missing　camera　will　take　days　to　locate。〃
　〃We　don't　have　days；〃　Vittoria　said　adamantly。　〃We　have　six　hours。〃
　〃Six　hours　until　what；　Ms。　Vetra？〃　Olivetti's　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　take　kindly　to　people　tampering　with　my　security　system。　Nor　do　I　like　mechanical　contraptions　appearing　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　mander's　icy　exterior　cracked。　His　eyes　went　white；　like　a　shark　about　to　attack。　〃I　am　warning　you。　I　do　not　have　time　for　this。〃
　〃So　you　have　heard　of　the　Illuminati？〃
　Olivetti's　eyes　stabbed　like　bayonets。　〃I　am　a　sworn　defendant　of　the　Catholic　Church。　Of　course　I　have　heard　of　the　Illuminati。　They　have　been　dead　for　decades。〃
　Langdon　reac