danbrown.angels&demons-第30节

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d　create　a　clean　enough　environment　to　get　a　reading　on　that　canister's　magnetic　field。〃
　Vittoria　looked　surprised；　and　then　impressed。　〃You　want　to　black　out　Vatican　City？〃　
　〃Possibly。　I　don't　yet　know　if　it's　possible；　but　it　is　one　option　I　want　to　explore。〃
　〃The　cardinals　would　certainly　wonder　what　happened；〃　Vittoria　remarked。
　Olivetti　shook　his　head。　〃Conclaves　are　held　by　candlelight。　The　cardinals　would　never　know。　After　conclave　is　sealed；　I　could　pull　all　except　a　few　of　my　perimeter　guards　and　begin　a　search。　A　hundred　men　could　cover　a　lot　of　ground　in　five　hours。〃
　〃Four　hours；〃　Vittoria　corrected。　〃I　need　to　fly　the　canister　back　to　CERN。　Detonation　is　unavoidable　without　recharging　the　batteries。〃
　〃There's　no　way　to　recharge　here？〃
　Vittoria　shook　her　head。　〃The　interface　is　plex。　I'd　have　brought　it　if　I　could。〃
　〃Four　hours　then；〃　Olivetti　said；　frowning。　〃Still　time　enough。　Panic　serves　no　one。　Signore；　you　have　ten　minutes。　Go　to　the　chapel；　seal　conclave。　Give　my　men　some　time　to　do　their　job。　As　we　get　closer　to　the　critical　hour；　we　will　make　the　critical　decisions。〃
　Langdon　wondered　how　close　to　〃the　critical　hour〃　Olivetti　would　let　things　get。
　The　camerlegno　looked　troubled。　〃But　the　college　will　ask　about　the　preferiti　。　。　。　especially　about　Baggia　。　。　。　where　they　are。〃
　〃Then　you　will　have　to　think　of　something；　signore。　Tell　them　you　served　the　four　cardinals　something　at　tea　that　disagreed　with　them。〃　
　The　camerlegno　looked　riled。　〃Stand　on　the　altar　of　the　Sistine　Chapel　and　lie　to　the　College　of　Cardinals？〃
　〃For　their　own　safety。　Una　bugia　veniale。　A　white　lie。　Your　job　will　be　to　keep　the　peace。〃　Olivetti　headed　for　the　door。　〃Now　if　you　will　excuse　me；　I　need　to　get　started。〃
　〃andante；〃　the　camerlegno　urged；　〃we　cannot　simply　turn　our　backs　on　missing　cardinals。〃
　Olivetti　stopped　in　the　doorway。　〃Baggia　and　the　others　are　currently　outside　our　sphere　of　influence。　We　must　let　them　go　。　。　。　for　the　good　of　the　whole。　The　military　calls　it　triage。〃　
　〃Don't　you　mean　abandonment？〃　
　His　voice　hardened。　〃If　there　were　any　way；　signore　。　。　。　any　way　in　heaven　to　locate　those　four　cardinals；　I　would　lay　down　my　life　to　do　it。　And　yet　。　。　。〃　He　pointed　across　the　room　at　the　window　where　the　early　evening　sun　glinted　off　an　endless　sea　of　Roman　rooftops。　〃Searching　a　city　of　five　million　is　not　within　my　power。　I　will　not　waste　precious　time　to　appease　my　conscience　in　a　futile　exercise。　I'm　sorry。〃
　Vittoria　spoke　suddenly。　〃But　if　we　caught　the　killer；　couldn't　you　make　him　talk？〃　
　Olivetti　frowned　at　her。　〃Soldiers　cannot　afford　to　be　saints；　Ms。　Vetra。　Believe　me；　I　empathize　with　your　personal　incentive　to　catch　this　man。〃
　〃It's　not　only　personal；〃　she　said。　〃The　killer　knows　where　the　antimatter　is　。　。　。　and　the　missing　cardinals。　If　we　could　somehow　find　him　。　。　。〃
　〃Play　into　their　hands？〃　Olivetti　said。　〃Believe　me；　removing　all　protection　from　Vatican　City　in　order　to　stake　out　hundreds　of　churches　is　what　the　Illuminati　hope　we　will　do　。　。　。　wasting　precious　time　and　manpower　when　we　should　be　searching　。　。　。　or　worse　yet；　leaving　the　Vatican　Bank　totally　unprotected。　Not　to　mention　the　remaining　cardinals。〃
　The　point　hit　home。
　〃How　about　the　Roman　Police？〃　the　camerlegno　asked。　〃We　could　alert　citywide　enforcement　of　the　crisis。　Enlist　their　help　in　finding　the　cardinals'　captor。〃
　〃Another　mistake；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃You　know　how　the　Roman　Carbonieri　feel　about　us。　We'd　get　a　half…hearted　effort　of　a　few　men　in　exchange　for　their　selling　our　crisis　to　the　global　media。　Exactly　what　our　enemies　want。　We'll　have　to　deal　with　the　media　soon　enough　as　it　is。〃
　I　will　make　your　cardinals　media　luminaries；　Langdon　thought；　recalling　the　killer's　words。　The　first　cardinal's　body　appears　at　eight　o'clock。　Then　one　every　hour。　The　press　will　love　it。
　The　camerlegno　was　talking　again；　a　trace　of　anger　in　his　voice。　〃mander；　we　cannot　in　good　conscience　do　nothing　about　the　missing　cardinals！〃
　Olivetti　looked　the　camerlegno　dead　in　the　eye。　〃The　prayer　of　St。　Francis；　signore。　Do　you　recall　it？〃
　The　young　priest　spoke　the　single　line　with　pain　in　his　voice。　〃God；　grant　me　strength　to　accept　those　things　I　cannot　change。〃
　〃Trust　me；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃This　is　one　of　those　things。〃　Then　he　was　gone。
　
　44

　The　central　office　of　the　British　Broadcast　Corporation　（BBC）　is　in　London　just　west　of　Piccadilly　Circus。　The　switchboard　phone　rang；　and　a　junior　content　editor　picked　up。
　〃BBC；〃　she　said；　stubbing　out　her　Dunhill　cigarette。
　The　voice　on　the　line　was　raspy；　with　a　Mid…East　accent。　〃I　have　a　breaking　story　your　network　might　be　interested　in。〃　
　The　editor　took　out　a　pen　and　a　standard　Lead　Sheet。　〃Regarding？〃　
　〃The　papal　election。〃
　She　frowned　wearily。　The　BBC　had　run　a　preliminary　story　yesterday　to　mediocre　response。　The　public；　it　seemed；　had　little　interest　in　Vatican　City。　〃What's　the　angle？〃　
　〃Do　you　have　a　TV　reporter　in　Rome　covering　the　election？〃　
　〃I　believe　so。〃
　〃I　need　to　speak　to　him　directly。〃　
　〃I'm　sorry；　but　I　cannot　give　you　that　number　without　some　idea…〃
　〃There　is　a　threat　to　the　conclave。　That　is　all　I　can　tell　you。〃
　The　editor　took　notes。　〃Your　name？〃
　〃My　name　is　immaterial。〃
　The　editor　was　not　surprised。　〃And　you　have　proof　of　this　claim？〃
　〃I　do。〃
　〃I　would　be　happy　to　take　the　information；　but　it　is　not　our　policy　to　give　out　our　reporters'　numbers　unless…〃
　〃I　understand。　I　will　call　another　network。　Thank　you　for　your　time。　Good…b…〃
　〃Just　a　moment；〃　she　said。　〃Can　you　hold？〃
　The　editor　put　the　caller　on　hold　and　stretched　her　neck。　The　art　of　screening　out　potential　crank　calls　was　by　no　means　a　perfect　science；　but　this　caller　had　just　passed　the　BBC's　two　tacit　tests　for　authenticity　of　a　phone　source。　He　had　refused　to　give　his　name；　and　he　was　eager　to　get　off　the　phone。　Hacks　and　glory　hounds　usually　whined　and　pleaded。
　Fortunately　for　her；　reporters　lived　in　eternal　fear　of　missing　the　big　story；　so　they　seldom　chastised　her　for　passing　along　the　occasional　delusional　psychotic。　Wasting　five　minutes　of　a　reporter's　time　was　forgivable。　Missing　a　headline　was　not。
　Yawning；　she　looked　at　her　puter　and　typed　in　the　keywords　〃Vatican　City。〃　When　she　saw　the　name　of　the　field　reporter　covering　the　papal　election；　she　chuckled　to　herself。　He　was　a　new　guy　the　BBC　had　just　brought　up　from　some　trashy　London　tabloid　to　handle　some　of　the　BBC's　more　mundane　coverage。　Editorial　had　obviously　started　him　at　the　bottom　rung。　
　He　was　probably　bored　out　of　his　mind；　waiting　all　night　to　record　his　live　ten…second　video　spot。　He　would　most　likely　be　grateful　for　a　break　in　the　monotony。
　The　BBC　content　editor　copied　down　the　reporter's　satellite　extension　in　Vatican　City。　Then；　lighting　another　cigarette；　she　gave　the　anonymous　caller　the　reporter's　number。
　
　45

　It　won't　work；〃　Vittoria　said；　pacing　the　Pope's　office。　She　looked　up　at　the　camerlegno。　〃Even　if　a　Swiss　Guard　team　can　filter　electronic　interference；　they　will　have　to　be　practically　on　top　of　the　canister　before　they　detect　any　signal。　And　that's　if　the　canister　is　even　accessible　。　。　。　unenclosed　by　other　barriers。　What　if　it's　buried　in　a　metal　box　somewhere　on　your　grounds？　Or　up　in　a　metal　ventilating　duct。　There's　no　way　they'll　trace　it。　And　what　if　the　Swiss　Guards　have　been　infiltrated？　Who's　to　say　the　search　will　be　clean？〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　drained。　〃What　are　you　proposing；　Ms。　Vetra？〃
　Vittoria　felt　flustered。　Isn't　it　obvious！　〃I　am　proposing；　sir；　that　you　take　other　precautions　immediately。　We　can　hope　against　all　hope　that　the　mander's　search　is　successful。　At　the　same　time；　look　out　the　window。　Do　you　see　those　people？　Those　buildings　across　the　piazza？　Those　media　vans？　The　tourists？　They　are　quite　possibly　within　range　of　the　blast。　You　need　to　act　now。〃　
　The　camerlegno　nodded　vacantly。　
　Vittoria　felt　frustrated。　Olivetti　had　convinced　everyone　there　was　plenty　of　time。　But　Vittoria　knew　if　news　of　the　Vatican　predicament　leaked　out；　the　entire　area　could　fill　with　onlookers　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　She　had　seen　it　once　outside　the　Swiss　Parliament　building。　During　a　hostage　situation　involving　a　bomb；　thousands　had　congregated　outside　the　building　to　witness　the　oute。　Despite　police　warnings　that　they　were　in　danger；　the　crowd　packed　in　closer　and　closer。　Nothing　captured　human　interest　like　human　tragedy。　
　〃Signore；〃　Vittoria　urged；　〃the　man　who　killed　my　father　is　out　there　somewhere。　Every　cell　in　this　body　wants　to　run　from　here　and　hunt　him　down。　But　I　am　standing　in　your　office　。　。　。　because　I　have　a　responsibility　to　you。　To　you　and　others。　Lives　are　in　danger；　signore。　Do　you　hear　me？〃　
　The　camerlegno　did　not　answer。
　Vittoria　could　hear　her　own　heart　racing。　Why　couldn't　the　Swiss　Guard　trace　that　damn　caller？　The　Illuminati　assassin　is　the　key！　He　knows　where　the　antimatter　is　。　。　。　hell；　he　knows　where　the　cardinals　are！　Catch　the　killer；　and　everything　is　solved。
　Vittoria　sensed　she　was　starting　to　e　unhinged；　an　alien　distress　she　recalled　only　faintly　from　childhood；　the　orphanage　years；　frustration　with　no　tools　to　han