danbrown.angels&demons-第57节

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the　drug。〃　She　paused。　〃A　Heparin　overdose　in　a　human　would　cause　symptoms　easily　mistaken　for　a　stroke　。　。　。　especially　in　the　absence　of　a　proper　autopsy。〃
　The　camerlegno　now　looked　deeply　troubled。
　〃Signore；〃　Olivetti　said；　〃this　is　obviously　an　Illuminati　ploy　for　publicity。　Someone　overdosing　the　Pope　would　be　impossible。　Nobody　had　access。　And　even　if　we　take　the　bait　and　try　to　refute　their　claim；　how　could　we？　Papal　law　prohibits　autopsy。　Even　with　an　autopsy；　we　would　learn　nothing。　We　would　find　traces　of　Heparin　in　his　body　from　his　daily　injections。〃
　〃True。〃　The　camerlegno's　voice　sharpened。　〃And　yet　something　else　troubles　me。　No　one　on　the　outside　knew　His　Holiness　was　taking　this　medication。〃
　There　was　a　silence。
　〃If　he　overdosed　with　Heparin；〃　Vittoria　said；　〃his　body　would　show　signs。〃　
　Olivetti　spun　toward　her。　〃Ms。　Vetra；　in　case　you　didn't　hear　me；　papal　autopsies　are　prohibited　by　Vatican　Law。　We　are　not　about　to　defile　His　Holiness's　body　by　cutting　him　open　just　because　an　enemy　makes　a　taunting　claim！〃
　Vittoria　felt　shamed。　〃I　was　not　implying　。　。　。〃　She　had　not　meant　to　seem　disrespectful。　〃I　certainly　was　not　suggesting　you　exhume　the　Pope　。　。　。〃　She　hesitated；　though。　Something　Robert　told　her　in　the　Chigi　passed　like　a　ghost　through　her　mind。　He　had　mentioned　that　papal　sarcophagi　were　above　ground　and　never　cemented　shut；　a　throwback　to　the　days　of　the　pharaohs　when　sealing　and　burying　a　casket　was　believed　to　trap　the　deceased's　soul　inside。　Gravity　had　bee　the　mortar　of　choice；　with　coffin　lids　often　weighing　hundreds　of　pounds。　Technically；　she　realized；　it　would　be　possible　to…
　〃What　sort　of　signs？〃　the　camerlegno　said　suddenly。　
　Vittoria　felt　her　heart　flutter　with　fear。　〃Overdoses　can　cause　bleeding　of　the　oral　mucosa。〃
　〃Oral　what？〃
　〃The　victim's　gums　would　bleed。　Post　mortem；　the　blood　congeals　and　turns　the　inside　of　the　mouth　black。〃　Vittoria　had　once　seen　a　photo　taken　at　an　aquarium　in　London　where　a　pair　of　killer　whales　had　been　mistakenly　overdosed　by　their　trainer。　The　whales　floated　lifeless　in　the　tank；　their　mouths　hanging　open　and　their　tongues　black　as　soot。
　The　camerlegno　made　no　reply。　He　turned　and　stared　out　the　window。
　Rocher's　voice　had　lost　its　optimism。　〃Signore；　if　this　claim　about　poisoning　is　true　。　。　。〃
　〃It's　not　true；〃　Olivetti　declared。　〃Access　to　the　Pope　by　an　outsider　is　utterly　impossible。〃
　〃If　this　claim　is　true；〃　Rocher　repeated；　〃and　our　Holy　Father　was　poisoned；　then　that　has　profound　implications　for　our　antimatter　search。　The　alleged　assassination　implies　a　much　deeper　infiltration　of　Vatican　City　than　we　had　imagined。　Searching　the　white　zones　may　be　inadequate。　If　we　are　promised　to　such　a　deep　extent；　we　may　not　find　the　canister　in　time。〃　
　Olivetti　leveled　his　captain　with　a　cold　stare。　〃Captain；　I　will　tell　you　what　is　going　to　happen。〃
　〃No；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　turning　suddenly。　〃I　will　tell　you　what　is　going　to　happen。〃　He　looked　directly　at　Olivetti。　〃This　has　gone　far　enough。　In　twenty　minutes　I　will　be　making　a　decision　whether　or　not　to　cancel　conclave　and　evacuate　Vatican　City。　My　decision　will　be　final。　Is　that　clear？〃
　Olivetti　did　not　blink。　Nor　did　he　respond。
　The　camerlegno　spoke　forcefully　now；　as　though　tapping　a　hidden　reserve　of　power。　〃Captain　Rocher；　you　will　plete　your　search　of　the　white　zones　and　report　directly　to　me　when　you　are　finished。〃
　Rocher　nodded；　throwing　Olivetti　an　uneasy　glance。　
　The　camerlegno　then　singled　out　two　guards。　〃I　want　the　BBC　reporter；　Mr。　Glick；　in　this　office　immediately。　If　the　Illuminati　have　been　municating　with　him；　he　may　be　able　to　help　us。　Go。〃
　The　two　soldiers　disappeared。
　Now　the　camerlegno　turned　and　addressed　the　remaining　guards。　〃Gentlemen；　I　will　not　permit　any　more　loss　of　life　this　evening。　By　ten　o'clock　you　will　locate　the　remaining　two　cardinals　and　capture　the　monster　responsible　for　these　murders。　Do　I　make　myself　understood？〃
　〃But；　signore；〃　Olivetti　argued；　〃we　have　no　idea　where…〃
　〃Mr。　Langdon　is　working　on　that。　He　seems　capable。　I　have　faith。〃　
　With　that；　the　camerlegno　strode　for　the　door；　a　new　determination　in　his　step。　On　his　way　out；　he　pointed　to　three　guards。　〃You　three；　e　with　me。　Now。〃　
　The　guards　followed。　
　In　the　doorway；　the　camerlegno　stopped。　He　turned　to　Vittoria。　〃Ms。　Vetra。　You　too。　Please　e　with　me。〃
　Vittoria　hesitated。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　He　headed　out　the　door。　〃To　see　an　old　friend。〃
　
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　At　CERN；　secretary　Sylvie　Baudeloque　was　hungry；　wishing　she　could　go　home。　To　her　dismay；　Kohler　had　apparently　survived　his　trip　to　the　infirmary；　he　had　phoned　and　demanded…not　asked；　demanded…that　Sylvie　stay　late　this　evening。　No　explanation。
　Over　the　years；　Sylvie　had　programmed　herself　to　ignore　Kohler's　bizarre　mood　swings　and　eccentricities…his　silent　treatments；　his　unnerving　propensity　to　secretly　film　meetings　with　his　wheelchair's　porta…video。　She　secretly　hoped　one　day　he　would　shoot　himself　during　his　weekly　visit　to　CERN's　recreational　pistol　range；　but　apparently　he　was　a　pretty　good　shot。　
　Now；　sitting　alone　at　her　desk；　Sylvie　heard　her　stomach　growling。　Kohler　had　not　yet　returned；　nor　had　he　given　her　any　additional　work　for　the　evening。　To　hell　with　sitting　here　bored　and　starving；　she　decided。　She　left　Kohler　a　note　and　headed　for　the　staff　dining　mons　to　grab　a　quick　bite。
　She　never　made　it。
　As　she　passed　CERN's　recreational　〃suites　de　loisir〃…　a　long　hallway　of　lounges　with　televisions…she　noticed　the　rooms　were　overflowing　with　employees　who　had　apparently　abandoned　dinner　to　watch　the　news。　Something　big　was　going　on。　Sylvie　entered　the　first　suite。　It　was　packed　with　byte…heads…wild　young　puter　programmers。　When　she　saw　the　headlines　on　the　TV；　she　gasped。
　
　TERROR　AT　THE　VATICAN　
　
　Sylvie　listened　to　the　report；　unable　to　believe　her　ears。　Some　ancient　brotherhood　killing　cardinals？　What　did　that　prove？　Their　hatred？　Their　dominance？　Their　ignorance？
　And　yet；　incredibly；　the　mood　in　this　suite　seemed　anything　but　somber。
　Two　young　techies　ran　by　waving　T…shirts　that　bore　a　picture　of　Bill　Gates　and　the　message：　AND　THE　GEEK　SHALL　INHERIT　THE　EARTH！　
　〃Illuminati！〃　one　shouted。　〃I　told　you　these　guys　were　real！〃
　〃Incredible！　I　thought　it　was　just　a　game！〃
　〃They　killed　the　Pope；　man！　The　Pope！〃　
　〃Jeez！　I　wonder　how　many　points　you　get　for　that？〃　
　They　ran　off　laughing。
　Sylvie　stood　in　stunned　amazement。　As　a　Catholic　working　among　scientists；　she　occasionally　endured　the　antireligious　whisperings；　but　the　party　these　kids　seemed　to　be　having　was　all…out　euphoria　over　the　church's　loss。　How　could　they　be　so　callous？　Why　the　hatred？
　For　Sylvie；　the　church　had　always　been　an　innocuous　entity　。　。　。　a　place　of　fellowship　and　introspection　。　。　。　sometimes　just　a　place　to　sing　out　loud　without　people　staring　at　her。　The　church　recorded　the　benchmarks　of　her　life…funerals；　weddings；　baptisms；　holidays…and　it　asked　for　nothing　in　return。　Even　the　monetary　dues　were　voluntary。　Her　children　emerged　from　Sunday　School　every　week　uplifted；　filled　with　ideas　about　helping　others　and　being　kinder。　What　could　possibly　be　wrong　with　that？　
　It　never　ceased　to　amaze　her　that　so　many　of　CERN's　so…called　〃brilliant　minds〃　failed　to　prehend　the　importance　of　the　church。　Did　they　really　believe　quarks　and　mesons　inspired　the　average　human　being？　Or　that　equations　could　replace　someone's　need　for　faith　in　the　divine？
　Dazed；　Sylvie　moved　down　the　hallway　past　the　other　lounges。　All　the　TV　rooms　were　packed。　She　began　wondering　now　about　the　call　Kohler　had　gotten　from　the　Vatican　earlier。　Coincidence？　Perhaps。　The　Vatican　called　CERN　from　time　to　time　as　a　〃courtesy〃　before　issuing　scathing　statements　condemning　CERN's　research…most　recently　for　CERN's　breakthroughs　in　nanotechnology；　a　field　the　church　denounced　because　of　its　implications　for　genetic　engineering。　CERN　never　cared。　Invariably；　within　minutes　after　a　Vatican　salvo；　Kohler's　phone　would　ring　off　the　hook　with　tech…investment　panies　wanting　to　license　the　new　discovery。　〃No　such　thing　as　bad　press；〃　Kohler　would　always　say。　
　Sylvie　wondered　if　she　should　page　Kohler；　wherever　the　hell　he　was；　and　tell　him　to　turn　on　the　news。　Did　he　care？　Had　he　heard？　Of　course；　he'd　heard。　He　was　probably　videotaping　the　entire　report　with　his　freaky　little　camcorder；　smiling　for　the　first　time　in　a　year。
　As　Sylvie　continued　down　the　hall；　she　finally　found　a　lounge　where　the　mood　was　subdued　。　。　。　almost　melancholy。　Here　the　scientists　watching　the　report　were　some　of　CERN's　oldest　and　most　respected。　They　did　not　even　look　up　as　Sylvie　slipped　in　and　took　a　seat。
　
　On　the　other　side　of　CERN；　in　Leonardo　Vetra's　frigid　apartment；　Maximilian　Kohler　had　finished　reading　the　leather…bound　journal　he'd　taken　from　Vetra's　bedside　table。　Now　he　was　watching　the　television　reports。　After　a　few　minutes；　he　replaced　Vetra's　journal；　turned　off　the　television；　and　left　the　apartment。
　
　Far　away；　in　Vatican　City；　Cardinal　Mortati　carried　another　tray　of　ballots　to　the　Sistine　Chapel　chimney。　He　burned　them；　and　the　smoke　was　black。
　Two　ballotings。　No　Pope。
　
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