guard appeared； running toward him。 Even by candlelight Rocher recognized Lieutenant Chartrand。 Young； green； and eager。
〃Captain；〃 Chartrand called； holding out a cellular phone。 〃I think the camerlegno's address may have worked。 We've got a caller here who says he has information that can help us。 He phoned on one of the Vatican's private extensions。 I have no idea how he got the number。〃
Rocher stopped。 〃What？〃
〃He will only speak to the ranking officer。〃
〃Any word from Olivetti？〃
〃No； sir。〃
He took the receiver。 〃This is Captain Rocher。 I am ranking officer here。〃
〃Rocher；〃 the voice said。 〃I will explain to you who I am。 Then I will tell you what you are going to do next。〃
When the caller stopped talking and hung up； Rocher stood stunned。 He now knew from whom he was taking orders。
Back at CERN； Sylvie Baudeloque was frantically trying to keep track of all the licensing inquiries ing in on Kohler's voice mail。 When the private line on the director's desk began to ring； Sylvie jumped。 Nobody had that number。 She answered。
〃Yes？〃
〃Ms。 Baudeloque？ This is Director Kohler。 Contact my pilot。 My jet is to be ready in five minutes。〃
100
Robert Langdon had no idea where he was or how long he had been unconscious when he opened his eyes and found himself staring up at the underside of a baroque； frescoed cupola。 Smoke drifted overhead。 Something was covering his mouth。 An oxygen mask。 He pulled it off。 There was a terrible smell in the room…like burning flesh。
Langdon winced at the pounding in his head。 He tried to sit up。 A man in white was kneeling beside him。
〃Riposati！〃 the man said； easing Langdon onto his back again。 〃Sono il paramйdico。〃
Langdon succumbed； his head spiraling like the smoke overhead。 What the hell happened？ Wispy feelings of panic sifted through his mind。
〃Sуrcio salvatore；〃 the paramedic said。 〃Mouse 。 。 。 savior。〃
Langdon felt even more lost。 Mouse savior？
The man motioned to the Mickey Mouse watch on Langdon's wrist。 Langdon's thoughts began to clear。 He remembered setting the alarm。 As he stared absently at the watch face； Langdon also noted the hour。 10：28 P。M。
He sat bolt upright。
Then； it all came back。
Langdon stood near the main altar with the fire chief and a few of his men。 They had been rattling him with questions。 Langdon wasn't listening。 He had questions of his own。 His whole body ached； but he knew he needed to act immediately。
A pompiero approached Langdon across the church。 〃I checked again； sir。 The only bodies we found are Cardinal Guidera and the Swiss Guard mander。 There's no sign of a woman here。〃
〃Grazie；〃 Langdon said； unsure whether he was relieved or horrified。 He knew he had seen Vittoria unconscious on the floor。 Now she was gone。 The only explanation he came up with was not a forting one。 The killer had not been subtle on the phone。 A woman of spirit。 I am aroused。 Perhaps before this night is over； I will find you。 And when I do 。 。 。〃
Langdon looked around。 〃Where is the Swiss Guard？〃
〃Still no contact。 Vatican lines are jammed。〃
Langdon felt overwhelmed and alone。 Olivetti was dead。 The cardinal was dead。 Vittoria was missing。 A half hour of his life had disappeared in a blink。
Outside； Langdon could hear the press swarming。 He suspected footage of the third cardinal's horrific death would no doubt air soon； if it hadn't already。 Langdon hoped the camerlegno had long since assumed the worst and taken action。 Evacuate the damn Vatican！ Enough games！ We lose！
Langdon suddenly realized that all of the catalysts that had been driving him…helping to save Vatican City； rescuing the four cardinals； ing face to face with the brotherhood he had studied for years…all of these things had evaporated from his mind。 The war was lost。 A new pulsion had ignited within him。 It was simple。 Stark。 Primal。
Find Vittoria。
He felt an unexpected emptiness inside。 Langdon had often heard that intense situations could unite two people in ways that decades together often did not。 He now believed it。 In Vittoria's absence he felt something he had not felt in years。 Loneliness。 The pain gave him strength。
Pushing all else from his mind； Langdon mustered his concentration。 He prayed that the Hassassin would take care of business before pleasure。 Otherwise； Langdon knew he was already too late。 No； he told himself； you have time。 Vittoria's captor still had work to do。 He had to surface one last time before disappearing forever。
The last altar of science； Langdon thought。 The killer had one final task。 Earth。 Air。 Fire。 Water。
He looked at his watch。 Thirty minutes。 Langdon moved past the firemen toward Bernini's Ecstasy of St。 Teresa。 This time； as he stared at Bernini's marker； Langdon had no doubt what he was looking for。
Let angels guide you on your lofty quest 。 。 。
Directly over the recumbent saint； against a backdrop of gilded flame； hovered Bernini's angel。 The angel's hand clutched a pointed spear of fire。 Langdon's eyes followed the direction of the shaft； arching toward the right side of the church。 His eyes hit the wall。 He scanned the spot where the spear was pointing。 There was nothing there。 Langdon knew； of course； the spear was pointing far beyond the wall； into the night； somewhere across Rome。
〃What direction is that？〃 Langdon asked； turning and addressing the chief with a newfound determination。
〃Direction？〃 The chief glanced where Langdon was pointing。 He sounded confused。 〃I don't know 。 。 。 west； I think。〃
〃What churches are in that direction？〃
The chief's puzzlement seemed to deepen。 〃Dozens。 Why？〃
Langdon frowned。 Of course there were dozens。 〃I need a city map。 Right away。〃
The chief sent someone running out to the fire truck for a map。 Langdon turned back to the statue。 Earth 。 。 。 Air 。 。 。 Fire 。 。 。 VITTORIA。
The final marker is Water； he told himself。 Bernini's Water。 It was in a church out there somewhere。 A needle in a haystack。 He spurred his mind through all the Bernini works he could recall。 I need a tribute to Water！
Langdon flashed on Bernini's statue of Triton…the Greek God of the sea。 Then he realized it was located in the square outside this very church； in entirely the wrong direction。 He forced himself to think。 What figure would Bernini have carved as a glorification of water？ Neptune and Apollo？ Unfortunately that statue was in London's Victoria & Albert Museum。
〃Signore？〃 A fireman ran in with a map。
Langdon thanked him and spread it out on the altar。 He immediately realized he had asked the right people； the fire department's map of Rome was as detailed as any Langdon had ever seen。 〃Where are we now？〃
The man pointed。 〃Next to Piazza Barberini。〃
Langdon looked at the angel's spear again to get his bearings。 The chief had estimated correctly。 According to the map； the spear was pointing west。 Langdon traced a line from his current location west across the map。 Almost instantly his hopes began to sink。 It seemed that with every inch his finger traveled； he passed yet another building marked by a tiny black cross。 Churches。 The city was riddled with them。 Finally； Langdon's finger ran out of churches and trailed off into the suburbs of Rome。 He exhaled and stepped back from the map。 Damn。
Surveying the whole of Rome； Langdon's eyes touched down on the three churches where the first three cardinals had been killed。 The Chigi Chapel 。 。 。 St。 Peter's 。 。 。 here 。 。 。
Seeing them all laid out before him now； Langdon noted an oddity in their locations。 Somehow he had imagined the churches would be scattered randomly across Rome。 But they most definitely were not。 Improbably； the three churches seemed to be separated systematically； in an enormous city…wide triangle。 Langdon double…checked。 He was not imagining things。 〃Penna；〃 he said suddenly； without looking up。
Someone handed him a ballpoint pen。
Langdon circled the three churches。 His pulse quickened。 He triple…checked his markings。 A symmetrical triangle！
Langdon's first thought was for the Great Seal on the one…dollar bill…the triangle containing the all…seeing eye。 But it didn't make sense。 He had marked only three poin