danbrown.angels&demons-第3节

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sprang　from　his　love　of　museums'　wide　open　spaces。　
　The　engines　roared　to　life　beneath　him；　sending　a　deep　shudder　through　the　hull。　Langdon　swallowed　hard　and　waited。　He　felt　the　plane　start　taxiing。　Piped…in　country　music　began　playing　quietly　overhead。
　A　phone　on　the　wall　beside　him　beeped　twice。　Langdon　lifted　the　receiver。
　〃Hello？〃
　〃fortable；　Mr。　Langdon？〃
　〃Not　at　all。〃　
　〃Just　relax。　We'll　be　there　in　an　hour。〃
　〃And　where　exactly　is　there？〃　Langdon　asked；　realizing　he　had　no　idea　where　he　was　headed。
　〃Geneva；〃　the　pilot　replied；　revving　the　engines。　〃The　lab's　in　Geneva。〃
　〃Geneva；〃　Langdon　repeated；　feeling　a　little　better。　〃Upstate　New　York。　I've　actually　got　family　near　Seneca　Lake。　I　wasn't　aware　Geneva　had　a　physics　lab。〃
　The　pilot　laughed。　〃Not　Geneva；　New　York；　Mr。　Langdon。　Geneva；　Switzerland。〃
　The　word　took　a　long　moment　to　register。　〃Switzerland？〃　Langdon　felt　his　pulse　surge。　〃I　thought　you　said　the　lab　was　only　an　hour　away！〃
　〃It　is；　Mr。　Langdon。〃　The　pilot　chuckled。　〃This　plane　goes　Mach　fifteen。〃
　
　5

　On　a　busy　European　street；　the　killer　serpentined　through　a　crowd。　He　was　a　powerful　man。　Dark　and　potent。　Deceptively　agile。　His　muscles　still　felt　hard　from　the　thrill　of　his　meeting。
　It　went　well；　he　told　himself。　Although　his　employer　had　never　revealed　his　face；　the　killer　felt　honored　to　be　in　his　presence。　Had　it　really　been　only　fifteen　days　since　his　employer　had　first　made　contact？　The　killer　still　remembered　every　word　of　that　call　。　。　。　
　〃My　name　is　Janus；〃　the　caller　had　said。　〃We　are　kinsmen　of　a　sort。　We　share　an　enemy。　I　hear　your　skills　are　for　hire。〃
　〃It　depends　whom　you　represent；〃　the　killer　replied。
　The　caller　told　him。
　〃Is　this　your　idea　of　a　joke？〃
　〃You　have　heard　our　name；　I　see；〃　the　caller　replied。
　〃Of　course。　The　brotherhood　is　legendary。〃
　〃And　yet　you　find　yourself　doubting　I　am　genuine。〃
　〃Everyone　knows　the　brothers　have　faded　to　dust。〃
　〃A　devious　ploy。　The　most　dangerous　enemy　is　that　which　no　one　fears。〃
　The　killer　was　skeptical。　〃The　brotherhood　endures？〃
　〃Deeper　underground　than　ever　before。　Our　roots　infiltrate　everything　you　see　。　。　。　even　the　sacred　fortress　of　our　most　sworn　enemy。〃
　〃Impossible。　They　are　invulnerable。〃
　〃Our　reach　is　far。〃
　〃No　one's　reach　is　that　far。〃
　〃Very　soon；　you　will　believe。　An　irrefutable　demonstration　of　the　brotherhood's　power　has　already　transpired。　A　single　act　of　treachery　and　proof。〃
　〃What　have　you　done？〃
　The　caller　told　him。　
　The　killer's　eyes　went　wide。　〃An　impossible　task。〃
　The　next　day；　newspapers　around　the　globe　carried　the　same　headline。　The　killer　became　a　believer。　
　Now；　fifteen　days　later；　the　killer's　faith　had　solidified　beyond　the　shadow　of　a　doubt。　The　brotherhood　endures；　he　thought。　Tonight　they　will　surface　to　reveal　their　power。　
　As　he　made　his　way　through　the　streets；　his　black　eyes　gleamed　with　foreboding。　One　of　the　most　covert　and　feared　fraternities　ever　to　walk　the　earth　had　called　on　him　for　service。　They　have　chosen　wisely；　he　thought。　His　reputation　for　secrecy　was　exceeded　only　by　that　of　his　deadliness。
　So　far；　he　had　served　them　nobly。　He　had　made　his　kill　and　delivered　the　item　to　Janus　as　requested。　Now；　it　was　up　to　Janus　to　use　his　power　to　ensure　the　item's　placement。
　The　placement　。　。　。
　The　killer　wondered　how　Janus　could　possibly　handle　such　a　staggering　task。　The　man　obviously　had　connections　on　the　inside。　The　brotherhood's　dominion　seemed　limitless。
　Janus；　the　killer　thought。　A　code　name；　obviously。　Was　it　a　reference；　he　wondered；　to　the　Roman　two…faced　god　。　。　。　or　to　the　moon　of　Saturn？　Not　that　it　made　any　difference。　Janus　wielded　unfathomable　power。　He　had　proven　that　beyond　a　doubt。
　As　the　killer　walked；　he　imagined　his　ancestors　smiling　down　on　him。　Today　he　was　fighting　their　battle；　he　was　fighting　the　same　enemy　they　had　fought　for　ages；　as　far　back　as　the　eleventh　century　。　。　。　when　the　enemy's　crusading　armies　had　first　pillaged　his　land；　raping　and　killing　his　people；　declaring　them　unclean；　defiling　their　temples　and　gods。　
　His　ancestors　had　formed　a　small　but　deadly　army　to　defend　themselves。　The　army　became　famous　across　the　land　as　protectors…skilled　executioners　who　wandered　the　countryside　slaughtering　any　of　the　enemy　they　could　find。　They　were　renowned　not　only　for　their　brutal　killings；　but　also　for　celebrating　their　slayings　by　plunging　themselves　into　drug…induced　stupors。　Their　drug　of　choice　was　a　potent　intoxicant　they　called　hashish。
　As　their　notoriety　spread；　these　lethal　men　became　known　by　a　single　word…Hassassin…literally　〃the　followers　of　hashish。〃　The　name　Hassassin　became　synonymous　with　death　in　almost　every　language　on　earth。　The　word　was　still　used　today；　even　in　modern　English　。　。　。　but　like　the　craft　of　killing；　the　word　had　evolved。　
　It　was　now　pronounced　assassin。
　
　6

　Sixty…four　minutes　had　passed　when　an　incredulous　and　slightly　air…sick　Robert　Langdon　stepped　down　the　gangplank　onto　the　sun…drenched　runway。　A　crisp　breeze　rustled　the　lapels　of　his　tweed　jacket。　The　open　space　felt　wonderful。　He　squinted　out　at　the　lush　green　valley　rising　to　snowcapped　peaks　all　around　them。
　I'm　dreaming；　he　told　himself。　Any　minute　now　I'll　be　waking　up。　
　〃Wele　to　Switzerland；〃　the　pilot　said；　yelling　over　the　roar　of　the　X…33's　misted…fuel　HEDM　engines　winding　down　behind　them。　
　Langdon　checked　his　watch。　It　read　7：07　A。M。　
　〃You　just　crossed　six　time　zones；〃　the　pilot　offered。　〃It's　a　little　past　1　P。M。　here。〃
　Langdon　reset　his　watch。
　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　He　rubbed　his　stomach。　〃Like　I've　been　eating　Styrofoam。〃　
　The　pilot　nodded。　〃Altitude　sickness。　We　were　at　sixty　thousand　feet。　You're　thirty　percent　lighter　up　there。　Lucky　we　only　did　a　puddle　jump。　If　we'd　gone　to　Tokyo　I'd　have　taken　her　all　the　way　up…a　hundred　miles。　Now　that'll　get　your　insides　rolling。〃
　Langdon　gave　a　wan　nod　and　counted　himself　lucky。　All　things　considered；　the　flight　had　been　remarkably　ordinary。　Aside　from　a　bone…crushing　acceleration　during　take　off；　the　plane's　motion　had　been　fairly　typical…occasional　minor　turbulence；　a　few　pressure　changes　as　they'd　climbed；　but　nothing　at　all　to　suggest　they　had　been　hurtling　through　space　at　the　mind…numbing　speed　of　11；000　miles　per　hour。　
　A　handful　of　technicians　scurried　onto　the　runway　to　tend　to　the　X…33。　The　pilot　escorted　Langdon　to　a　black　Peugeot　sedan　in　a　parking　area　beside　the　control　tower。　Moments　later　they　were　speeding　down　a　paved　road　that　stretched　out　across　the　valley　floor。　A　faint　cluster　of　buildings　rose　in　the　distance。　Outside；　the　grassy　plains　tore　by　in　a　blur。
　Langdon　watched　in　disbelief　as　the　pilot　pushed　the　speedometer　up　around　170　kilometers　an　hour…over　100　miles　per　hour。　What　is　it　with　this　guy　and　speed？　he　wondered。
　〃Five　kilometers　to　the　lab；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃I'll　have　you　there　in　two　minutes。〃
　Langdon　searched　in　vain　for　a　seat　belt。　Why　not　make　it　three　and　get　us　there　alive？　
　The　car　raced　on。
　〃Do　you　like　Reba？〃　the　pilot　asked；　jamming　a　cassette　into　the　tape　deck。　
　A　woman　started　singing。　〃It's　just　the　fear　of　being　alone　。　。　。　〃　
　No　fear　here；　Langdon　thought　absently。　His　female　colleagues　often　ribbed　him　that　his　collection　of　museum…quality　artifacts　was　nothing　more　than　a　transparent　attempt　to　fill　an　empty　home；　a　home　they　insisted　would　benefit　greatly　from　the　presence　of　a　woman。　Langdon　always　laughed　it　off；　reminding　them　he　already　had　three　loves　in　his　life…symbology；　water　polo；　and　bachelorhood…the　latter　being　a　freedom　that　enabled　him　to　travel　the　world；　sleep　as　late　as　he　wanted；　and　enjoy　quiet　nights　at　home　with　a　brandy　and　a　good　book。　
　〃We're　like　a　small　city；〃　the　pilot　said；　pulling　Langdon　from　his　daydream。　〃Not　just　labs。　We've　got　supermarkets；　a　hospital；　even　a　cinema。〃
　Langdon　nodded　blankly　and　looked　out　at　the　sprawling　expanse　of　buildings　rising　before　them。　
　〃In　fact；〃　the　pilot　added；　〃we　possess　the　largest　machine　on　earth。〃
　〃Really？〃　Langdon　scanned　the　countryside。　
　〃You　won't　see　it　out　there；　sir。〃　The　pilot　smiled。　〃It's　buried　six　stories　below　the　earth。〃
　Langdon　didn't　have　time　to　ask。　Without　warning　the　pilot　jammed　on　the　brakes。　The　car　skidded　to　a　stop　outside　a　reinforced　sentry　booth。　
　Langdon　read　the　sign　before　them。　SECURITE。　ARRETEZ。　He　suddenly　felt　a　wave　of　panic；　realizing　where　he　was。　〃My　God！　I　didn't　bring　my　passport！〃　
　〃Passports　are　unnecessary；〃　the　driver　assured。　〃We　have　a　standing　arrangement　with　the　Swiss　government。〃　
　Langdon　watched　dumbfounded　as　his　driver　gave　the　guard　an　ID。　The　sentry　ran　it　through　an　electronic　authentication　device。　The　machine　flashed　green。
　〃Passenger　name？〃
　〃Robert　Langdon；〃　the　driver　replied。
　〃Guest　of？〃
　〃The　director。〃
　The　sentry　arched　his　eyebrows。　He　turned　and　checked　a　puter　printout；　verifying　it　against　the　data　on　his　puter　screen。　Then　he　returned　to　the　window。　〃Enjoy　your　stay；　Mr。　Langdon。〃
　The　car　shot　off　again；　accelerating　another　200　yards　around　a　sweeping　rotary　that　led　to　the　facility's　main　entrance。　Looming　before　them　was　a　rec