〃Ms。 Vetra；〃 Olivetti interrupted。 〃You've said enough。〃
She covered the receiver； clearly annoyed。 〃mander； this is the president of CERN。 Certainly he has a right to…〃
〃He has a right；〃 Olivetti snapped； 〃to be here handling this situation。 You're on an open cellular line。 You've said enough。〃
Vittoria took a deep breath。 〃Max？〃
〃I may have some information for you；〃 Max said。 〃About your father 。 。 。 I may know who he told about the antimatter。〃
Vittoria's expression clouded。 〃Max； my father said he told no one。〃
〃I'm afraid； Vittoria； your father did tell someone。 I need to check some security records。 I will be in touch soon。〃 The line went dead。
Vittoria looked waxen as she returned the phone to her pocket。
〃You okay？〃 Langdon asked。
Vittoria nodded； her trembling fingers revealing the lie。
〃The church is on Piazza Barberini；〃 Olivetti said； killing the siren and checking his watch。 〃We have nine minutes。〃
When Langdon had first realized the location of the third marker； the position of the church had rung some distant bell for him。 Piazza Barberini。 Something about the name was familiar 。 。 。 something he could not place。 Now Langdon realized what it was。 The piazza was the sight of a controversial subway stop。 Twenty years ago； construction of the subway terminal had created a stir among art historians who feared digging beneath Piazza Barberini might topple the multiton obelisk that stood in the center。 City planners had removed the obelisk and replaced it with a small fountain called the Triton。
In Bernini's day； Langdon now realized； Piazza Barberini had contained an obelisk！ Whatever doubts Langdon had felt that this was the location of the third marker now totally evaporated。
A block from the piazza； Olivetti turned into an alley； gunned the car halfway down； and skidded to a stop。 He pulled off his suit jacket； rolled up his sleeves； and loaded his weapon。
〃We can't risk your being recognized；〃 he said。 〃You two were on television。 I want you across the piazza； out of sight； watching the front entrance。 I'm going in the back。〃 He produced a familiar pistol and handed it to Langdon。 〃Just in case。〃
Langdon frowned。 It was the second time today he had been handed the gun。 He slid it into his breast pocket。 As he did； he realized he was still carrying the folio from Diagramma。 He couldn't believe he had forgotten to leave it behind。 He pictured the Vatican Curator collapsing in spasms of outrage at the thought of this priceless artifact being packed around Rome like some tourist map。 Then Langdon thought of the mess of shattered glass and strewn documents that he'd left behind in the archives。 The curator had other problems。 If the archives even survive the night 。 。 。
Olivetti got out of the car and motioned back up the alley。 〃The piazza is that way。 Keep your eyes open and don't let yourselves be seen。〃 He tapped the phone on his belt。 〃Ms。 Vetra； let's retest our auto dial。〃
Vittoria removed her phone and hit the auto dial number she and Olivetti had programmed at the Pantheon。 Olivetti's phone vibrated in silent…ring mode on his belt。
The mander nodded。 〃Good。 If you see anything； I want to know。〃 He cocked his weapon。 〃I'll be inside waiting。 This heathen is mine。〃
At that moment； very nearby； another cellular phone was ringing。
The Hassassin answered。 〃Speak。〃
〃It is I；〃 the voice said。 〃Janus。〃
The Hassassin smiled。 〃Hello； master。〃
〃Your position may be known。 Someone is ing to stop you。〃
〃They are too late。 I have already made the arrangements here。〃
〃Good。 Make sure you escape alive。 There is work yet to be done。〃
〃Those who stand in my way will die。〃
〃Those who stand in your way are knowledgeable。〃
〃You speak of an American scholar？〃
〃You are aware of him？〃
The Hassassin chuckled。 〃Cool…tempered but naпve。 He spoke to me on the phone earlier。 He is with a female who seems quite the opposite。〃 The killer felt a stirring of arousal as he recalled the fiery temperament of Leonardo Vetra's daughter。
There was a momentary silence on the line； the first hesitation the Hassassin had ever sensed from his Illuminati master。 Finally； Janus spoke。 〃Eliminate them if need be。〃
The killer smiled。 〃Consider it done。〃 He felt a warm anticipation spreading through his body。 Although the woman I may keep as a prize。
89
War had broken out in St。 Peter's Square。
The piazza had exploded into a frenzy of aggression。 Media trucks skidded into place like assault vehicles claiming beachheads。 Reporters unfurled high…tech electronics like soldiers arming for battle。 All around the perimeter of the square； networks jockeyed for position as they raced to erect the newest weapon in media wars…flat…screen displays。
Flat…screen displays were enormous video screens that could be assembled on top of trucks or portable scaffolding。 The screens served as a kind of billboard advertisement for the network； broadcasting that network's coverage and corporate logo like a drive…in movie。 If a screen were well…situated…in front of the action； for example…a peting network could not shoot the story without including an advertisement for their petitor。
The square was quickly being not only a multimedia extravaganza； but a frenzied public vigil。 Onlookers poured in from all directions。 Open space in the usually limitless square was fast being a valuable modity。 People clustered around the towering flat…screen displays； listening to live reports in stunned excitement。
Only a hundred yards away； inside the thick walls of St。 Peter's Basilica； the world was serene。 Lieutenant Chartrand and three other guards moved through the darkness。 Wearing their infrared goggles； they fanned out across the nave； swinging their detectors before them。 The search of Vatican City's public access areas so far had yielded nothing。
〃Better remove your goggles up here；〃 the senior guard said。
Chartrand was already doing it。 They were nearing the Niche of the Palliums…the sunken area in the center of the basilica。 It was lit by ninety…nine oil lamps； and the amplified infrared would have seared their eyes。
Chartrand enjoyed being out of the heavy goggles； and he stretched his neck as they descended into the sunken niche to scan the area。 The room was beautiful 。 。 。 golden and glowing。 He had not been down here yet。
It seemed every day since Chartrand had arrived in Vatican City he had learned some new Vatican mystery。 These oil lamps were one of them。 There were exactly ninety…nine lamps burning at all times。 It was tradition。 The clergy vigilantly refilled the lamps with sacred oils such that no lamp ever burned out。 It was said they would burn until the end of time。
Or at least until midnight； Chartrand thought； feeling his mouth go dry again。
Chartrand swung his detector over the oil lamps。 Nothing hidden in here。 He was not surprised； the canister； according to the video feed； was hidden in a dark area。
As he moved across the niche； he came to a bulkhead grate covering a hole in the floor。 The hole led to a steep and narrow stairway that went straight down。 He had heard stories about what lay down there。 Thankfully； they would not have to descend。 Rocher's orders were clear。 Search only the public access areas； ignore the white zones。
〃What's that smell？〃 he asked； turning away from the grate。 The niche smelled intoxicatingly sweet。
〃Fumes from the lamps；〃 one of them replied。
Chartrand was surprised。 〃Smells more like cologne than kerosene。〃
〃It's not kerosene。 These lamps are close to the papal altar； so they take a special； ambiental mixture…ethanol； sugar； butane； and perfume。〃
〃Butane？〃 Chartrand eyed the lamps uneasily。
The guard nodded。 〃Don't spill any。 Smells like heaven； but burns like hell。〃
The guards had pleted searching the Niche of the Palliums and were moving across the basilica again when their walkie…talkies went off。
It was an update。 The guards listened in shock。
Apparently there were troubling new developments； which could not be shared on…air； but the camerlegno had decided to break tradition and enter conclave to address the cardinals。 Never before in history h