Chapter 57 Chapter fifty-six

Four unmarked Alfa Romeo Type 155s gallop down Via Coronari like fighter jets taking off from a runway.There were twelve Swiss guards in plain clothes, armed with chipperdini semi-automatics, localized nerve gas canisters, and long-range stun guns.The three snipers carried laser guns.Olivetti, sitting in the passenger seat of the lead car, turned back to look at Langdon and Victoria, eyes blazing. "You promised me a reasonable explanation, and that's the explanation I got?" Langdon felt cramped in the small car. "I understand you—" "No, you don't understand at all!" Olivetti didn't raise his voice at all, but his momentum doubled. "I've removed a dozen of my sharpest men from the Vatican to guard tonight's conclave, and in so doing only to spy on the Pantheon, based on a certain Yankee I've never met who claims to have cracked it. The first four-hundred-year-old poem. And, I delegated the search for antimatter weapons to second-class officials."

Langdon resisted the urge to pull the fifth page out of his pocket and wave it in front of Olivetti. "All I know is that the information we found mentions Raphael's tomb, and Raphael's tomb is in the Pantheon." The officer driving nodded and said, "He's right, Commander. My wife and I—" "Drive your car," Olivetti snapped.He turned to Langdon and said, "How can a killer commit an assassination in such a crowded place and then slip away unnoticed?" "I don't know," Langdon said, "but apparently the Illuminati are extremely clever. They broke into both CERN and the Vatican, and we only found out about the first murder by luck." The area where it happened. Pantheon gave you a chance to catch this guy."

"It's so contradictory," Olivetti said. "A chance? I think you said there was a road, and a series of signs. If the Pantheon is right, then we can find other roads along this road." Marked so we'll have four chances to catch this guy." "I hoped so, too," Langdon said. "That way we'd find . . . what we should have found a hundred years ago." The Pantheon was the first altar of science, and Langdon had a bittersweet realization of that. History always likes to play cruel jokes on those who pursue it.After so many years, the Path of Light is still intact, and all the statues are still in their original positions. The possibility of this is very slim, but Langdon has a bit of fantasy, thinking that he can walk along this road until it ends, and then rush forward. Enter the sacred Illuminati hideout.Alas, he realized that was impossible. "In the late nineteenth century, the Holy See moved and destroyed all the statues in the Pantheon."

Victoria looked rather shocked. "why?" "These statues are pagan gods of Mount Olympus. Unfortunately, this means that the first logo is missing... so—" "Is there hope?" Victoria asked. "Is there hope of finding the Path of Light and the other signs?" Langdon shook his head. "We had one chance and that was the Pantheon, after that there was no way." Olivetti stared at them for a while before turning his head to face the front. "Pull over," he yelled at the driver. The driver hurriedly turned the car to the side of the road and applied the brakes.The other three Alfa Romeos also slammed on the brakes behind them, and the convoy of the Swiss Guard came to a screeching halt.

"What are you doing!" Victoria yelled. "It's my duty," said Olivetti, turning from his seat, his voice firm. "Mr. Langdon, when you told me you'd explain the situation to me on the way, I thought I'd be able to figure out why my people were here on the way to the Pantheon, but that's not the case. Because By coming here, I have abandoned important duties, and I have found your theory of pure sacrifices and ancient poems meaningless, and of course I cannot continue. I am canceling this task." He pulled out the intercom. turn it on. Victoria reached across the seat and grabbed his arm. "you can not do that!"

Olivetti flung the walkie-talkie violently, glaring at Victoria. "Have you ever been to the Pantheon, Ms. Wittler?" "No, but I—" "Let me tell you a little about the Pantheon. The Pantheon was just a single room, a circular building made of stone and cement, with one opening, no windows, just a narrow opening. The entrance was always covered by As many as four armed Roman police guarded the sides, guarding the temple from art vandals, anti-Christian terrorists and wandering tourists." "What are you going to say?" she asked coldly. "What am I going to say?" Olivetti grabbed his seat tightly. "What I'm trying to say is that what you've just told me is going to happen is completely impossible! Can you give a plausible scenario for killing a cardinal in the Pantheon? First, how can one carry A hostage walks past the guards into the Pantheon? How is it possible to kill him and escape?" Olivetti leaned over from his seat, his coffee-smelling breath was on Langdon's face at this moment . "How could he do it, Mr. Langdon? You've given me a reasonable idea."

Langdon felt the car shrink, squeezing him inside.I have no idea!I am not a killer!I don't know how he will do it!All I know is—"Give me an idea?" Victoria said playfully, her tone calm. "Does this look good to you? This killer flies over in a helicopter and throws a screaming branded cardinal through a hole in the roof, and the cardinal falls dead on the marble floor. " Everyone in the car turned to look at Victoria, and Langdon wondered what to think.You're horribly thinking, ma'am, but you're quick enough. Olivetti frowned. "It's possible, I admit...but hardly—"

“Or this killer drugged that cardinal,” Victoria said, “and he wheeled him to the Pantheon like some old tourist. He pushed him into the Pantheon, and then Quietly cut his throat and go out." The statement seemed to sober Olivetti a little. good!Langdon thought. "Or," she said, "the killer might—" "All right," said Olivetti, "that's enough." He took a deep breath.At this time, someone knocked on the car window violently, and everyone jumped out.It was a soldier getting out of another vehicle.Olivetti rolled down the window. "Are you all right, Commander?" The guard was wearing casual clothes.He pulled up the sleeve of his denim shirt to reveal a black military stopwatch. "It's seven forty, Commander. It will be some time before we reach our destination."

Olivetti nodded vaguely, but did not speak for a long time.He ran a finger back and forth across the dashboard, drawing a line in the dust.He studied Langdon in the mirror, and Langdon felt he was being watched carefully.Finally Olivetti turned around and said reluctantly to the guard: "I would like to split up and drive to Piazza del Circus, Via dell'Orfani, Piazza San Ignacio and Sant'Elegance. Ustaccio Square. There should be more than two blocks between the front and rear of the car. Once you park your cars, get ready and wait for my order. I'll give you three minutes."

"Very well, sir." The guard returned to his car. Langdon gave Victoria a deep nod, she smiled back, and for a split second Langdon felt an unexpected sympathy... an attraction between them. The Commander sat in his seat and turned to stare at Langdon. "Mr. Langdon, it's best that none of us get angry this time." Langdon smiled uneasily.How can you pocket it?