〃Who's the dapper？〃
Chinita moved in for a close…up。 〃Haven't seen him before。〃 She tightened in on the man's face and smiled。 〃But I wouldn't mind seeing him again。〃
Robert Langdon dashed down the stairs outside the church and into the middle of the piazza。 It was getting dark now； the springtime sun setting late in southern Rome。 The sun had dropped below the surrounding buildings； and shadows streaked the square。
〃Okay； Bernini；〃 he said aloud to himself。 〃Where the hell is your angel pointing？〃
He turned and examined the orientation of the church from which he had just e。 He pictured the Chigi Chapel inside； and the sculpture of the angel inside that。 Without hesitation he turned due west； into the glow of the impending sunset。 Time was evaporating。
〃Southwest；〃 he said； scowling at the shops and apartments blocking his view。 〃The next marker is out there。〃
Racking his brain； Langdon pictured page after page of Italian art history。 Although very familiar with Bernini's work； Langdon knew the sculptor had been far too prolific for any nonspecialist to know all of it。 Still； considering the relative fame of the first marker…Habakkuk and the Angel…Langdon hoped the second marker was a work he might know from memory。
Earth； Air； Fire； Water； he thought。 Earth they had found…inside the Chapel of the Earth…Habakkuk； the prophet who predicted the earth's annihilation。
Air is next。 Langdon urged himself to think。 A Bernini sculpture that has something to do with Air！ He was drawing a total blank。 Still he felt energized。 I'm on the path of Illumination！ It is still intact！
Looking southwest； Langdon strained to see a spire or cathedral tower jutting up over the obstacles。 He saw nothing。 He needed a map。 If they could figure out what churches were southwest of here； maybe one of them would spark Langdon's memory。 Air； he pressed。 Air。 Bernini。 Sculpture。 Air。 Think！
Langdon turned and headed back up the cathedral stairs。 He was met beneath the scaffolding by Vittoria and Olivetti。
〃Southwest；〃 Langdon said； panting。 〃The next church is southwest of here。〃
Olivetti's whisper was cold。 〃You sure this time？〃
Langdon didn't bite。 〃We need a map。 One that shows all the churches in Rome。〃
The mander studied him a moment； his expression never changing。
Langdon checked his watch。 〃We only have half an hour。〃
Olivetti moved past Langdon down the stairs toward his car； parked directly in front of the cathedral。 Langdon hoped he was going for a map。
Vittoria looked excited。 〃So the angel's pointing southwest？ No idea which churches are southwest？〃
〃I can't see past the damn buildings。〃 Langdon turned and faced the square again。 〃And I don't know Rome's churches well enou…〃 He stopped。
Vittoria looked startled。 〃What？〃
Langdon looked out at the piazza again。 Having ascended the church stairs； he was now higher； and his view was better。 He still couldn't see anything； but he realized he was moving in the right direction。 His eyes climbed the tower of rickety scaffolding above him。 It rose six stories； almost to the top of the church's rose window； far higher than the other buildings in the square。 He knew in an instant where he was headed。
Across the square； Chinita Macri and Gunther Glick sat glued to the windshield of the BBC van。
〃You getting this？〃 Gunther asked。
Macri tightened her shot on the man now climbing the scaffolding。 〃He's a little well dressed to be playing Spiderman if you ask me。〃
〃And who's Ms。 Spidey？〃
Chinita glanced at the attractive woman beneath the scaffolding。 〃Bet you'd like to find out。〃
〃Think I should call editorial？〃
〃Not yet。 Let's watch。 Better to have something in the can before we admit we abandoned conclave。〃
〃You think somebody really killed one of the old farts in there？〃
Chinita clucked。 〃You're definitely going to hell。〃
〃And I'll be taking the Pulitzer with me。〃
71
The scaffolding seemed less stable the higher Langdon climbed。 His view of Rome； however； got better with every step。 He continued upward。
He was breathing harder than he expected when he reached the upper tier。 He pulled himself onto the last platform； brushed off the plaster； and stood up。 The height did not bother him at all。 In fact； it was invigorating。
The view was staggering。 Like an ocean on fire； the red…tiled rooftops of Rome spread out before him； glowing in the scarlet sunset。 From that spot； for the first time in his life； Langdon saw beyond the pollution and traffic of Rome to its ancient roots…Cittа di Dio…The city of God。
Squinting into the sunset； Langdon scanned the rooftops for a church steeple or bell tower。 But as he looked farther and farther toward the horizon； he saw nothing。 There are hundreds of churches in Rome； he thought。 There must be one southwest of here！ If the church is even visible； he reminded himself。 Hell； if the church is even still standing！
Forcing his eyes to trace the line slowly； he attempted the search again。 He knew； of course； that not all churches would have visible spires； especially smaller； out…of…the…way sanctuaries。 Not to mention； Rome had changed dramatically since the 1600s when churches were by law the tallest buildings allowed。 Now； as Langdon looked out； he saw apartment buildings； high…rises； TV towers。
For the second time； Langdon's eye reached the horizon without seeing anything。 Not one single spire。 In the distance； on the very edge of Rome； Michelangelo's massive dome blotted the setting sun。 St。 Peter's Basilica。 Vatican City。 Langdon found himself wondering how the cardinals were faring； and if the Swiss Guards' search had turned up the antimatter。 Something told him it hadn't 。 。 。 and wouldn't。
The poem was rattling through his head again。 He considered it； carefully； line by line。 From Santi's earthly tomb with demon's hole。 They had found Santi's tomb。 'Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold。 The mystic elements were Earth； Air； Fire； Water。 The path of light is laid； the sacred test。 The path of Illumination formed by Bernini's sculptures。 Let angels guide you on your lofty quest。
The angel was pointing southwest 。 。 。
〃Front stairs！〃 Glick exclaimed； pointing wildly through the windshield of the BBC van。 〃Something's going on！〃
Macri dropped her shot back down to the main entrance。 Something was definitely going on。 At the bottom of the stairs； the military…looking man had pulled one of the Alpha Romeos close to the stairs and opened the trunk。 Now he was scanning the square as if checking for onlookers。 For a moment； Macri thought the man had spotted them； but his eyes kept moving。 Apparently satisfied； he pulled out a walkie…talkie and spoke into it。
Almost instantly； it seemed an army emerged from the church。 Like an American football team breaking from a huddle； the soldiers formed a straight line across the top of the stairs。 Moving like a human wall； they began to descend。 Behind them； almost entirely hidden by the wall； four soldiers seemed to be carrying something。 Something heavy。 Awkward。
Glick leaned forward on the dashboard。 〃Are they stealing something from the church？〃
Chinita tightened her shot even more； using the telephoto to probe the wall of men； looking for an opening。 One split second； she willed。 A single frame。 That's all I need。 But the men moved as one。 e on！ Macri stayed with them； and it paid off。 When the soldiers tried to lift the object into the trunk； Macri found her opening。 Ironically； it was the older man who faltered。 Only for an instant； but long enough。 Macri had her frame。 Actually； it was more like ten frames。
〃Call editorial；〃 Chinita said。 〃We've got a dead body。〃
Far away； at CERN； Maximilian Kohler maneuvered his wheelchair into Leonardo Vetra's study。 With mechanical efficiency； he began sifting through Vetra's files。 Not finding what he was after； Kohler moved to Vetra's bedroom。 The top drawer of his bedside table was locked。 Kohler pried it open with a knife from the kitchen。
Inside Kohler found exactly what he was looking for。
72
Langdon swung off the scaffolding and dropped back to the ground。 He brushed the plaster dust from his clothes