danbrown.angels&demons-第9节

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　〃You　think　Vetra's　work　is　why　he　was　killed？〃
　〃Quite　possibly。　Leonardo　told　me　he　was　working　on　something　groundbreaking。　That　is　all　he　said。　He　had　bee　very　secretive　about　the　project。　He　had　a　private　lab　and　demanded　seclusion；　which　I　gladly　afforded　him　on　account　of　his　brilliance。　His　work　had　been　consuming　huge　amounts　of　electric　power　lately；　but　I　refrained　from　questioning　him。〃　Kohler　rotated　toward　the　study　door。　〃There　is；　however；　one　more　thing　you　need　to　know　before　we　leave　this　flat。〃
　Langdon　was　not　sure　he　wanted　to　hear　it。
　〃An　item　was　stolen　from　Vetra　by　his　murderer。〃
　〃An　item？〃
　〃Follow　me。〃　
　The　director　propelled　his　wheelchair　back　into　the　fog…filled　living　room。　Langdon　followed；　not　knowing　what　to　expect。　Kohler　maneuvered　to　within　inches　of　Vetra's　body　and　stopped。　He　ushered　Langdon　to　join　him。　Reluctantly；　Langdon　came　close；　bile　rising　in　his　throat　at　the　smell　of　the　victim's　frozen　urine。
　〃Look　at　his　face；〃　Kohler　said。
　Look　at　his　face？　Langdon　frowned。　I　thought　you　said　something　was　stolen。　
　Hesitantly；　Langdon　knelt　down。　He　tried　to　see　Vetra's　face；　but　the　head　was　twisted　180　degrees　backward；　his　face　pressed　into　the　carpet。　
　Struggling　against　his　handicap　Kohler　reached　down　and　carefully　twisted　Vetra's　frozen　head。　Cracking　loudly；　the　corpse's　face　rotated　into　view；　contorted　in　agony。　Kohler　held　it　there　a　moment。　
　〃Sweet　Jesus！〃　Langdon　cried；　stumbling　back　in　horror。　Vetra's　face　was　covered　in　blood。　A　single　hazel　eye　stared　lifelessly　back　at　him。　The　other　socket　was　tattered　and　empty。　〃They　stole　his　eye？　〃
　
　14

　Langdon　stepped　out　of　Building　C　into　the　open　air；　grateful　to　be　outside　Vetra's　flat。　The　sun　helped　dissolve　the　image　of　the　empty　eye　socket　emblazoned　into　his　mind。
　〃This　way；　please；〃　Kohler　said；　veering　up　a　steep　path。　The　electric　wheelchair　seemed　to　accelerate　effortlessly。　〃Ms。　Vetra　will　be　arriving　any　moment。〃
　Langdon　hurried　to　keep　up。　
　〃So；〃　Kohler　asked。　〃Do　you　still　doubt　the　Illuminati's　involvement？〃　
　Langdon　had　no　idea　what　to　think　anymore。　Vetra's　religious　affiliations　were　definitely　troubling；　and　yet　Langdon　could　not　bring　himself　to　abandon　every　shred　of　academic　evidence　he　had　ever　researched。　Besides；　there　was　the　eye　。　。　。　
　〃I　still　maintain；〃　Langdon　said；　more　forcefully　than　he　intended。　〃that　the　Illuminati　are　not　responsible　for　this　murder。　The　missing　eye　is　proof。〃
　〃What？〃　
　〃Random　mutilation；〃　Langdon　explained；　〃is　very　。　。　。　un…Illuminati。　Cult　specialists　see　desultory　defacement　from　inexperienced　fringe　sects…zealots　who　mit　random　acts　of　terrorism…but　the　Illuminati　have　always　been　more　deliberate。〃
　〃Deliberate？　Surgically　removing　someone's　eyeball　is　not　deliberate？〃
　〃It　sends　no　clear　message。　It　serves　no　higher　purpose。〃
　Kohler's　wheelchair　stopped　short　at　the　top　of　the　hill。　He　turned。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　believe　me；　that　missing　eye　does　indeed　serve　a　higher　purpose　。　。　。　a　much　higher　purpose。〃
　
　As　the　two　men　crossed　the　grassy　rise；　the　beating　of　helicopter　blades　became　audible　to　the　west。　A　chopper　appeared；　arching　across　the　open　valley　toward　them。　It　banked　sharply；　then　slowed　to　a　hover　over　a　helipad　painted　on　the　grass。
　Langdon　watched；　detached；　his　mind　churning　circles　like　the　blades；　wondering　if　a　full　night's　sleep　would　make　his　current　disorientation　any　clearer。　Somehow；　he　doubted　it。
　As　the　skids　touched　down；　a　pilot　jumped　out　and　started　unloading　gear。　There　was　a　lot　of　it…duffels；　vinyl　wet　bags；　scuba　tanks；　and　crates　of　what　appeared　to　be　high…tech　diving　equipment。　
　Langdon　was　confused。　〃Is　that　Ms。　Vetra's　gear？〃　he　yelled　to　Kohler　over　the　roar　of　the　engines。　
　Kohler　nodded　and　yelled　back；　〃She　was　doing　biological　research　in　the　Balearic　Sea。〃
　〃I　thought　you　said　she　was　a　physicist！　〃
　〃She　is。　She's　a　Bio　Entanglement　Physicist。　She　studies　the　interconnectivity　of　life　systems。　Her　work　ties　closely　with　her　father's　work　in　particle　physics。　Recently　she　disproved　one　of　Einstein's　fundamental　theories　by　using　atomically　synchronized　cameras　to　observe　a　school　of　tuna　fish。〃
　Langdon　searched　his　host's　face　for　any　glint　of　humor。　Einstein　and　tuna　fish？　He　was　starting　to　wonder　if　the　X…33　space　plane　had　mistakenly　dropped　him　off　on　the　wrong　planet。　
　A　moment　later；　Vittoria　Vetra　emerged　from　the　fuselage。　Robert　Langdon　realized　today　was　going　to　be　a　day　of　endless　surprises。　Descending　from　the　chopper　in　her　khaki　shorts　and　white　sleeveless　top；　Vittoria　Vetra　looked　nothing　like　the　bookish　physicist　he　had　expected。　Lithe　and　graceful；　she　was　tall　with　chestnut　skin　and　long　black　hair　that　swirled　in　the　backwind　of　the　rotors。　Her　face　was　unmistakably　Italian…not　overly　beautiful；　but　possessing　full；　earthy　features　that　even　at　twenty　yards　seemed　to　exude　a　raw　sensuality。　As　the　air　currents　buffeted　her　body；　her　clothes　clung；　accentuating　her　slender　torso　and　small　breasts。　
　〃Ms。　Vetra　is　a　woman　of　tremendous　personal　strength；〃　Kohler　said；　seeming　to　sense　Langdon's　captivation。　〃She　spends　months　at　a　time　working　in　dangerous　ecological　systems。　She　is　a　strict　vegetarian　and　CERN's　resident　guru　of　Hatha　yoga。〃
　Hatha　yoga？　Langdon　mused。　The　ancient　Buddhist　art　of　meditative　stretching　seemed　an　odd　proficiency　for　the　physicist　daughter　of　a　Catholic　priest。
　Langdon　watched　Vittoria　approach。　She　had　obviously　been　crying；　her　deep　sable　eyes　filled　with　emotions　Langdon　could　not　place。　Still；　she　moved　toward　them　with　fire　and　mand。　Her　limbs　were　strong　and　toned；　radiating　the　healthy　luminescence　of　Mediterranean　flesh　that　had　enjoyed　long　hours　in　the　sun。　
　〃Vittoria；〃　Kohler　said　as　she　approached。　〃My　deepest　condolences。　It's　a　terrible　loss　for　science　。　。　。　for　all　of　us　here　at　CERN。〃
　Vittoria　nodded　gratefully。　When　she　spoke；　her　voice　was　smooth…a　throaty；　accented　English。　〃Do　you　know　who　is　responsible　yet？〃
　〃We're　still　working　on　it。〃
　She　turned　to　Langdon；　holding　out　a　slender　hand。　〃My　name　is　Vittoria　Vetra。　You're　from　Interpol；　I　assume？〃
　Langdon　took　her　hand；　momentarily　spellbound　by　the　depth　of　her　watery　gaze。　〃Robert　Langdon。〃　He　was　unsure　what　else　to　say。
　〃Mr。　Langdon　is　not　with　the　authorities；〃　Kohler　explained。　〃He　is　a　specialist　from　the　U。S。　He's　here　to　help　us　locate　who　is　responsible　for　this　situation。〃　
　Vittoria　looked　uncertain。　〃And　the　police？〃
　Kohler　exhaled　but　said　nothing。
　〃Where　is　his　body？〃　she　demanded。
　〃Being　attended　to。〃
　The　white　lie　surprised　Langdon。　
　〃I　want　to　see　him；〃　Vittoria　said。
　〃Vittoria；〃　Kohler　urged；　〃your　father　was　brutally　murdered。　You　would　be　better　to　remember　him　as　he　was。〃
　Vittoria　began　to　speak　but　was　interrupted。
　〃Hey；　Vittoria！〃　voices　called　from　the　distance。　〃Wele　home！〃　
　She　turned。　A　group　of　scientists　passing　near　the　helipad　waved　happily。
　〃Disprove　any　more　of　Einstein's　theories？〃　one　shouted。
　Another　added；　〃Your　dad　must　be　proud！〃
　Vittoria　gave　the　men　an　awkward　wave　as　they　passed。　Then　she　turned　to　Kohler；　her　face　now　clouded　with　confusion。　〃Nobody　knows　yet？〃
　〃I　decided　discretion　was　paramount。〃
　〃You　haven't　told　the　staff　my　father　was　murdered？　〃　Her　mystified　tone　was　now　laced　with　anger。　
　Kohler's　tone　hardened　instantly。　〃Perhaps　you　forget；　Ms。　Vetra；　as　soon　as　I　report　your　father's　murder；　there　will　be　an　investigation　of　CERN。　Including　a　thorough　examination　of　his　lab。　I　have　always　tried　to　respect　your　father's　privacy。　Your　father　has　told　me　only　two　things　about　your　current　project。　One；　that　it　has　the　potential　to　bring　CERN　millions　of　francs　in　licensing　contracts　in　the　next　decade。　And　two；　that　it　is　not　ready　for　public　disclosure　because　it　is　still　hazardous　technology。　Considering　these　two　facts；　I　would　prefer　strangers　not　poke　around　inside　his　lab　and　either　steal　his　work　or　kill　themselves　in　the　process　and　hold　CERN　liable。　Do　I　make　myself　clear？〃
　Vittoria　stared；　saying　nothing。　Langdon　sensed　in　her　a　reluctant　respect　and　acceptance　of　Kohler's　logic。
　〃Before　we　report　anything　to　the　authorities；〃　Kohler　said；　〃I　need　to　know　what　you　two　were　working　on。　I　need　you　to　take　us　to　your　lab。〃
　〃The　lab　is　irrelevant；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃Nobody　knew　what　my　father　and　I　were　doing。　The　experiment　could　not　possibly　have　anything　to　do　with　my　father's　murder。〃
　Kohler　exhaled　a　raspy；　ailing　breath。　〃Evidence　suggests　otherwise。〃　
　〃Evidence？　What　evidence？〃
　Langdon　was　wondering　the　same　thing。
　Kohler　was　dabbing　his　mouth　again。　〃You'll　just　have　to　trust　me。〃
　It　was　clear；　from　Vittoria's　smoldering　gaze；　that　she　did　not。
　
　15

　Langdon　strode　silently　behind　Vittoria　and　Kohler　as　they　moved　back　into　the　main　atrium　where　Langdon's　bizarre　visit　had　begun。　Vittoria's　legs　drove　in　fluid　efficiency…like　an　Olympic　diver…a　potency；　Langdon　figured；　no　doubt　born　from　the　flexibility　and　control　of　yoga。　He　could　hear　her　breathing　slowly　and　deliberately；　as　if　somehow　trying　to　filter　her　grief。　
　Langdon　wanted　to　say　something　to　her；