danbrown.angels&demons-第56节

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　MSNBC　was　now　running　tape。　The　Swiss　Guards　carried　the　body　of　Cardinal　Ebner　down　the　stairs　outside　Santa　Maria　del　Popolo　and　lifted　him　into　an　Alpha　Romeo。　The　tape　froze　and　zoomed　in　as　the　cardinal's　naked　body　became　visible　just　before　they　deposited　him　in　the　trunk　of　the　car。
　〃Who　the　hell　shot　this　footage？〃　Olivetti　demanded。
　The　MSNBC　reporter　kept　talking。　〃This　is　believed　to　be　the　body　of　Cardinal　Ebner　of　Frankfurt；　Germany。　The　men　removing　his　body　from　the　church　are　believed　to　be　Vatican　Swiss　Guard。〃　The　reporter　looked　like　she　was　making　every　effort　to　appear　appropriately　moved。　They　closed　in　on　her　face；　and　she　became　even　more　somber。　〃At　this　time；　MSNBC　would　like　to　issue　our　viewers　a　discretionary　warning。　The　images　we　are　about　to　show　are　exceptionally　vivid　and　may　not　be　suitable　for　all　audiences。〃　
　Vittoria　grunted　at　the　station's　feigned　concern　for　viewer　sensibility；　recognizing　the　warning　as　exactly　what　it　was…the　ultimate　media　〃teaser　line。〃　Nobody　ever　changed　channels　after　a　promise　like　that。
　The　reporter　drove　it　home。　〃Again；　this　footage　may　be　shocking　to　some　viewers。〃
　〃What　footage？〃　Olivetti　demanded。　〃You　just　showed…〃
　The　shot　that　filled　the　screen　was　of　a　couple　in　St。　Peter's　Square；　moving　through　the　crowd。　Vittoria　instantly　recognized　the　two　people　as　Robert　and　herself。　In　the　corner　of　the　screen　was　a　text　overlay：　COURTESY　OF　THE　BBC。　A　bell　was　tolling。
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Vittoria　said　aloud。　〃Oh　。　。　。　no。〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　confused。　He　turned　to　Olivetti。　〃I　thought　you　said　you　confiscated　this　tape！〃
　Suddenly；　on　television；　a　child　was　screaming。　The　image　panned　to　find　a　little　girl　pointing　at　what　appeared　to　be　a　bloody　homeless　man。　Robert　Langdon　entered　abruptly　into　the　frame；　trying　to　help　the　little　girl。　The　shot　tightened。
　Everyone　in　the　Pope's　office　stared　in　horrified　silence　as　the　drama　unfolded　before　them。　The　cardinal's　body　fell　face　first　onto　the　pavement。　Vittoria　appeared　and　called　orders。　There　was　blood。　A　brand。　A　ghastly；　failed　attempt　to　administer　CPR。
　〃This　astonishing　footage；〃　the　reporter　was　saying；　〃was　shot　only　minutes　ago　outside　the　Vatican。　Our　sources　tell　us　this　is　the　body　of　Cardinal　Lamassй　from　France。　How　he　came　to　be　dressed　this　way　and　why　he　was　not　in　conclave　remain　a　mystery。　So　far；　the　Vatican　has　refused　to　ment。〃　The　tape　began　to　roll　again。
　〃Refused　ment？〃　Rocher　said。　〃Give　us　a　damn　minute！〃
　The　reporter　was　still　talking；　her　eyebrows　furrowing　with　intensity。　〃Although　MSNBC　has　yet　to　confirm　a　motive　for　the　attack；　our　sources　tell　us　that　responsibility　for　the　murders　has　been　claimed　by　a　group　calling　themselves　the　Illuminati。〃
　Olivetti　exploded。　〃What！〃　
　〃。　。　。　find　out　more　about　the　Illuminati　by　visiting　our　website　at…〃
　〃Non　й　posibile！〃　Olivetti　declared。　He　switched　channels。
　This　station　had　a　Hispanic　male　reporter。　〃…a　satanic　cult　known　as　the　Illuminati；　who　some　historians　believe…〃　
　Olivetti　began　pressing　the　remote　wildly。　Every　channel　was　in　the　middle　of　a　live　update。　Most　were　in　English。
　〃…Swiss　Guards　removing　a　body　from　a　church　earlier　this　evening。　The　body　is　believed　to　be　that　of　Cardinal…〃
　〃…lights　in　the　basilica　and　museums　are　extinguished　leaving　speculation…〃
　〃…will　be　speaking　with　conspiracy　theorist　Tyler　Tingley；　about　this　shocking　resurgence…〃
　〃…rumors　of　two　more　assassinations　planned　for　later　this　evening…〃
　〃…questioning　now　whether　papal　hopeful　Cardinal　Baggia　is　among　the　missing…〃
　Vittoria　turned　away。　Everything　was　happening　so　fast。　Outside　the　window；　in　the　settling　dark；　the　raw　magnetism　of　human　tragedy　seemed　to　be　sucking　people　toward　Vatican　City。　The　crowd　in　the　square　thickened　almost　by　the　instant。　Pedestrians　streamed　toward　them　while　a　new　batch　of　media　personnel　unloaded　vans　and　staked　their　claim　in　St。　Peter's　Square。
　Olivetti　set　down　the　remote　control　and　turned　to　the　camerlegno。　〃Signore；　I　cannot　imagine　how　this　could　happen。　We　took　the　tape　that　was　in　that　camera！〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　momentarily　too　stunned　to　speak。
　Nobody　said　a　word。　The　Swiss　Guards　stood　rigid　at　attention。
　〃It　appears；〃　the　camerlegno　said　finally；　sounding　too　devastated　to　be　angry；　〃that　we　have　not　contained　this　crisis　as　well　as　I　was　led　to　believe。〃　He　looked　out　the　window　at　the　gathering　masses。　〃I　need　to　make　an　address。〃
　Olivetti　shook　his　head。　〃No；　signore。　That　is　exactly　what　the　Illuminati　want　you　to　do…confirm　them；　empower　them。　We　must　remain　silent。〃　
　〃And　these　people？〃　The　camerlegno　pointed　out　the　window。　〃There　will　be　tens　of　thousands　shortly。　Then　hundreds　of　thousands。　Continuing　this　charade　only　puts　them　in　danger。　I　need　to　warn　them。　Then　we　need　to　evacuate　our　College　of　Cardinals。〃
　〃There　is　still　time。　Let　Captain　Rocher　find　the　antimatter。〃
　The　camerlegno　turned。　〃Are　you　attempting　to　give　me　an　order？〃
　〃No；　I　am　giving　you　advice。　If　you　are　concerned　about　the　people　outside；　we　can　announce　a　gas　leak　and　clear　the　area；　but　admitting　we　are　hostage　is　dangerous。〃
　〃mander；　I　will　only　say　this　once。　I　will　not　use　this　office　as　a　pulpit　to　lie　to　the　world。　If　I　announce　anything　at　all；　it　will　be　the　truth。〃
　〃The　truth？　That　Vatican　City　is　threatened　to　be　destroyed　by　satanic　terrorists？　It　only　weakens　our　position。〃
　The　camerlegno　glared。　〃How　much　weaker　could　our　position　be？〃
　Rocher　shouted　suddenly；　grabbing　the　remote　and　increasing　the　volume　on　the　television。　Everyone　turned。
　On　air；　the　woman　from　MSNBC　now　looked　genuinely　unnerved。　Superimposed　beside　her　was　a　photo　of　the　late　Pope。　〃　。　。　。　breaking　information。　This　just　in　from　the　BBC　。　。　。〃　She　glanced　off　camera　as　if　to　confirm　she　was　really　supposed　to　make　this　announcement。　Apparently　getting　confirmation；　she　turned　and　grimly　faced　the　viewers。　〃The　Illuminati　have　just　claimed　responsibility　for　。　。　。〃　She　hesitated。　〃They　have　claimed　responsibility　for　the　death　of　the　Pope　fifteen　days　ago。〃
　The　camerlegno's　jaw　fell。　
　Rocher　dropped　the　remote　control。　
　Vittoria　could　barely　process　the　information。　
　〃By　Vatican　law；〃　the　woman　continued；　〃no　formal　autopsy　is　ever　performed　on　a　Pope；　so　the　Illuminati　claim　of　murder　cannot　be　confirmed。　Nonetheless；　the　Illuminati　hold　that　the　cause　of　the　late　Pope's　death　was　not　a　stroke　as　the　Vatican　reported；　but　poisoning。〃　
　The　room　went　totally　silent　again。
　Olivetti　erupted。　〃Madness！　A　bold…faced　lie！〃
　Rocher　began　flipping　channels　again。　The　bulletin　seemed　to　spread　like　a　plague　from　station　to　station。　Everyone　had　the　same　story。　Headlines　peted　for　optimal　sensationalism。
　
　MURDER　AT　THE　VATICAN　
　POPE　POISONED　
　SATAN　TOUCHES　HOUSE　OF　GOD　
　
　The　camerlegno　looked　away。　〃God　help　us。〃
　As　Rocher　flipped；　he　passed　a　BBC　station。　〃…tipped　me　off　about　the　killing　at　Santa　Maria　de　Popolo…〃
　〃Wait！〃　the　camerlegno　said。　〃Back。〃
　Rocher　went　back。　On　screen；　a　prim…looking　man　sat　at　a　BBC　news　desk。　Superimposed　over　his　shoulder　was　a　still　snapshot　of　an　odd…looking　man　with　a　red　beard。　Underneath　his　photo；　it　said：　GUNTHER　GLICK…LIVE　IN　VATICAN　CITY。　Reporter　Glick　was　apparently　reporting　by　phone；　the　connection　scratchy。　〃。　。　。　my　videographer　got　the　footage　of　the　cardinal　being　removed　from　the　Chigi　Chapel。〃
　〃Let　me　reiterate　for　our　viewers；〃　the　anchorman　in　London　was　saying；　〃BBC　reporter　Gunther　Glick　is　the　man　who　first　broke　this　story。　He　has　been　in　phone　contact　twice　now　with　the　alleged　Illuminati　assassin。　Gunther；　you　say　the　assassin　phoned　only　moments　ago　to　pass　along　a　message　from　the　Illuminati？〃
　〃He　did。〃
　〃And　their　message　was　that　the　Illuminati　were　somehow　responsible　for　the　Pope's　death？〃　The　anchorman　sounded　incredulous。
　〃Correct。　The　caller　told　me　that　the　Pope's　death　was　not　a　stroke；　as　the　Vatican　had　thought；　but　rather　that　the　Pope　had　been　poisoned　by　the　Illuminati。〃
　Everyone　in　the　Pope's　office　froze。
　〃Poisoned？〃　the　anchorman　demanded。　〃But　。　。　。　but　how！〃　
　〃They　gave　no　specifics；〃　Glick　replied；　〃except　to　say　that　they　killed　him　with　a　drug　known　as　。　。　。〃…there　was　a　rustling　of　papers　on　the　line…〃something　known　as　Heparin。〃
　The　camerlegno；　Olivetti；　and　Rocher　all　exchanged　confused　looks。　
　〃Heparin？〃　Rocher　demanded；　looking　unnerved。　〃But　isn't　that　。　。　。　？〃
　The　camerlegno　blanched。　〃The　Pope's　medication。〃
　Vittoria　was　stunned。　〃The　Pope　was　on　Heparin？〃
　〃He　had　thrombophlebitis；〃　the　camerlegno　said。　〃He　took　an　injection　once　a　day。〃
　Rocher　looked　flabbergasted。　〃But　Heparin　isn't　a　poison。　Why　would　the　Illuminati　claim…〃
　〃Heparin　is　lethal　in　the　wrong　dosages；〃　Vittoria　offered。　〃It's　a　powerful　anticoagulant。　An　overdose　would　cause　massive　internal　bleeding　and　brain　hemorrhages。〃
　Olivetti　eyed　her　suspiciously。　〃How　would　you　know　that？〃
　〃Marine　biologists　use　it　on　sea　mammals　in　captivity　to　prevent　blood　clotting　from　decreased　activity。　Animals　have　died　from　improper　administration　of　the　drug。〃　She　paused。　〃A　Heparin　overdose　in　a　human　would　caus