Chapter 40 Chapter 38 Vatican Press Release Center

When Andrea arrived at the news center, she couldn't help sticking out her tongue.Not just because of the temperature here, but because she remembered that she forgot her press card at the hotel just after she left the house, so she had to yell at the stupid taxi driver to turn around.There was so much traffic on the streets that it was almost impossible to get back.Her carelessness was almost fatal: she had set off an hour earlier, hoping to arrive earlier so she would have a chance to have a few words with Joque Bowser, the Vatican's press secretary.You can ask about Cardinal Robaya's "evaporation".Now, her plan was completely ruined by carelessness.

The press room is connected to the Great Hall, which was built by John Paul II when he was pope. It is very modern and has more than 6,000 seats. It is overcrowded on Wednesday, because that is the day when the Pope preaches. .The door of the press room leads directly to the street, next to the Holy See. The newsroom's own lobby can hold 185 people.Andrea originally thought that if she arrived 15 minutes earlier, she would definitely find a good seat, but it was clear that more than 300 reporters here had the same idea as her.The house was already full of people.In order to report the Pope's funeral and the election of the new Pope in the morning, more than 3,420 formal news media from more than 90 countries came here.More than 20,000 people, mostly Catholics, came from the comfort of their homes this morning to say goodbye to the late pope.

I'm here now, Andrea thought, and if I, Andrea Otiro, were seen by that professor at the journalism school, he would be shocked! Well, she'll be in the press center, waiting for the news on how to vote, but there are no seats here.Andrea leaned against the wall at the entrance, which was the only place of entry and exit, so she could make contact if Bowser came. She looked calmly at the interview notes, which were about the press releaser.The man was a doctor turned journalist, a member of the Catholic Church of Opus Dei, born in Cartagena, Spain.According to these reports, he was an extremely serious man, like a cold-blooded fish.He was approaching seventy, and from an unofficial source, Andrea knew that he was one of the most powerful men in the Vatican.He's known over the years what information to get out of John Paul II's lips before releasing it to the public.If he feels something is a secret, it will always be a secret.It was impossible to leak to a second person here at Bowser.His résumé was impressive, and Andrea looked at the long list of awards and medals he had received, such as knighthood, princely medal, membership of Opus Dei, and more.His achievements would take more than two pages, with each line being a different reward.He looks like a tough guy to bite.

But I have good teeth, damn it!Because Andrea was lost in thought, she didn't notice the sudden commotion in the news hall. First there was one sound, like the first drop of rain falling, then three or four rings, and suddenly there was a rainstorm of telephone ringing, piercing and chaotic. Lots of phones seem to be turned on at the same time.The noise lasted for about 40 seconds, as journalists tapped computer keyboards while holding phones, their heads tilted at an angle, and people began to complain loudly. "Okay, everyone, our phones are busy, and there are 15 minutes left, we don't have time to edit the news."

Andrea heard a person speaking in Spanish not far in front of her, and she elbowed herself to make way for the female reporter, who had brown skin and graceful lines.Her accent led Andrea to guess that she was from Mexico. "Hello! My name is Andrea from Globo Mail Spain, listen, can you tell me why all these phones are ringing at the same time?" "This is a message from the Vatican Press Office. If they have important information, send us a message. It's the latest technology, the best way to keep us informed. But if we're all in one place, the voice That's annoying. The news just now is that Bowser might be a little late."

Andrea was very excited, it was not easy to get news from these thousands of reporters. "Don't tell me you haven't updated your phone, have you?" The Mexican reporter looked at Andrea like the wig she was wearing was askew. "Ah, not yet, no one told me that." "Oh honey, did you see that girl over there?" "The one with the blonde hair?" "No, the one in the gray top with the folder in his hand. You go to her and tell her you want to join the cell service. Then they'll put you in the database within half an hour." Andrea did as she was told.She went over to the girl, said what she meant in all the Italian she knew, and the girl asked for her press pass and entered her phone number into the electronic memo.

"You are now connected to our general database." The girl is very good at modern technology, but her smile is professional. "You'll get an escalation in about 15 minutes. I need you to sign this form to confirm that we can send you a message." Andrea signed her name under a page that the girl pulled out from the folder. She quickly glanced at what was written on it, and thanked the girl. Andrea went back to where she had been standing to read more about Bowser, and after a while someone said he was coming.Andrea stared at the door, but the Spaniard slipped in through a small hidden door backstage.He has now climbed onto the stage.He pretended to be quietly arranging his notes in order to give the photographers time to take pictures and the reporters to sit down.

Andrea cursed her fate, then elbowed her way to the front, but still some distance from the dais, where the Vatican spokesman stood behind it.Andrea had to push the people ahead, and now that everyone was seated, Andrea walked as close as possible to where Bowser was standing. "Mr. Bowser, I'm Andrea Otiro, Daily Globe and Mail reporter. I've been trying to get in touch with you this week but I can't get in touch..." "Wait a minute." The speaker barely looked at her at all. "But Mr. Bowser, you don't understand, and I want to confirm something with you..."

"Miss, I have already said, wait a moment, we are going to start." Andrea was so angry that he didn't even look at her, it was so rude.She's used to men listening to her as long as she looks at them, doing whatever she wants. "But now, I remind you that I represent a very important Spanish newspaper." She tried to tell Bowser that she was from a major Spanish media, but it didn't work.Bowser gave her a cool look. "What did you say your name was?" "Andrea Otiro." "Which newspaper?" "The Globe and Mail." "Where's Paloma?"

Paloma is usually a reporter for the Vatican News.She had planned to spend a few days in Spain before flying to Italy, but unfortunately broke her leg before arriving.As a result, this opportunity fell into Andrea's hands. At this time, Bowser asked her, which was really inappropriate for Andrea. "She can't come, she has a problem." Bowser frowned, the expression only a longtime member of Opus Holy Cross would make.Andrea became alert, and she couldn't help but take a step back. "Miss, please look at the people behind you." Bowser said, pointing to the seat behind. "These are your colleagues. They are from CNN, BBC, Reuters, and hundreds of news media outlets. Some are in You were great friends with the Vatican before you were born, and they're all waiting for this press conference. Now please do me a favor and get back in your seat."

Andrea turned around, her face flushed with embarrassment, and the reporters sitting in the first few rows laughed. Some of them really looked very old, like the marble sculptures of the Italian sculptor Bernini.As Andrea pushed back to get back to where she kept her computer in the back, she heard Bowser cracking jokes with the old guys in Italian in the front row.They laughed, and she heard it clearly, and had no doubt that they were talking about herself.Many people turned their heads to look at her, and Andrea blushed up to her ears.With her head down and her arms stretched out, she squeezed from the narrow corridor to the door, feeling as if she was swimming in an ocean of people.She finally came to the place where she was standing just now, almost forgot to pick up her computer, and rushed straight to the door.The woman who recorded her information just now came over and put her hand on Andrea's arm. "Remember, if you go out of this room, you are not allowed to come back until the press conference is over. The door is locked, that's the rule." Like a theater, Andrea thought, like a theater. She shook off the woman's hand and walked out without a word.The door closed behind her, loudly, but it didn't take away from the insult she had just received.Now that she's outside, she feels slightly better.She needed a cigarette, right now, but she searched all her pockets and found only a pack of mints.It takes nicotine for her to be comforted. "It's really not the time to give up at this time." She opened the mints, grabbed three and popped them into her mouth.The smell wasn't great, like vomit, but at least they kept her mouth open.It won't help much, but who cares. Andrea always remembered this scene in the future.She would remember being in that corridor, leaning against the stone gate, trying to comfort herself, while she was scolding herself for being so stupid, making a fool of herself in front of everyone like a child. But none of that was why she thought about it so often.She thinks about it often because of the horrible discovery that nearly cost her her life, and because of it, that she finally connects with a man who will change her life.The man made Andrea want to run to say thank you, because it was a good thing she was here waiting for the mints to melt in her mouth and calm herself, instead of walking away immediately.How long does it take for a peppermint to melt?Not for long, of course, but it felt like forever to Andrea.Now every part of her body expected to be back at the hotel and in bed immediately.She forced herself to stay where she was because she didn't want to retreat like a lost dog with her tail between her legs. Those three mints were going to change her life, and quite possibly the history of the West World, too.Just be in the right place at the right time. There is only a little bit of sugar left in the mouth, which has touched the gums.Just then, a messenger came over.He wears a bright orange uniform with a baseball cap and a large wrap around his shoulders.He seemed in a hurry, and when he saw Andrea, he rushed towards her. "Excuse me, is this the place for the press conference?" "yes." "I have an urgent email to the following people: Mike Wilhelm of CNN, Ber Han Goethe of RTL TV..." Andrea interrupted him with resentment in her tone. "Dude, take it easy, the press conference has already started, you have to wait here for an hour." The messenger looked at her as if she was looking at an unreasonable illusion. "Impossible, they told me..." Seeing his appearance, Andrea couldn't help feeling maliciously satisfied. "You know, that's the rule." The messenger covered his face with his hands, he was very desperate. "You don't understand, ma'am, I've missed deliveries a few times this month. The express delivery has to be delivered to the addressee within an hour, or they don't pay. Here are 10 letters, 30 euros each. I'm late If we do, our company will lose the line of the Vatican, and they will kick me out, for sure!" Andrea relented, she is not a bad person.Sometimes impulsive, doing things without going through the brain, and also fickle.Sometimes she uses lies and luck to get her way.But she is a good person.She looked at the messenger, his ID card was on the bag, and she saw his name.This is Andrea's greatness: she can always remember people's names. "Listen, Guse, I'm sorry. But you can't open this door even if you want to, unless you open it from the inside. See for yourself, there's no lock and no handle." The messenger, arms folded in his overalls, grunted into the air, desperate.He's trying to figure it out.Suddenly he stared at Andrea, and the way Andrea looked at him, she must have stared at her chest a few times, and Andrea has had this kind of experience of being stared at since puberty, she I have long been used to it.But she found that the messenger's eyes stopped on the press card hanging on her chest. "Okay, I see. I'll give you these emails, and I'm done." Andrea's identity card had the Vatican's coat of arms insignia, and the messenger must have assumed she worked there. "Listen to me, Guse." "Don't call me Gusai, call me Beibo." The messenger said, taking out his schoolbag. "Bebo, I really can't..." "Look, please do me a favor, don't worry about signing, I will sign. I will write a few strokes for each signature, and I will be done. Just promise me that you will hand it to them as soon as the door is opened." .” "But……" Bebo already has the 10 letters in his hand. "Every letter has the names of journalists on it and the sender is sure they are all in there. So don't worry. OK? I have to go, I have another letter to deliver, it's at the Vatican Police, and a It's Ramamola Street, bye, thank you!" Before Andrea could say anything, the crazy messenger had turned around and ran away. Andrea stood there, looking at the envelopes, not knowing what to do.These letters were addressed to the ten most famous media outlets in the world, and Andrea knew four of them, and knew that at least two of them were in the conference room. The envelope is half the size of a normal envelope, and everything is the same except for the address.Due to professional sensitivity, Andrea became curious, and suddenly the alarm bell in her heart sounded. She saw the same name on every letter, in the upper left corner, in handwriting: Express, please open now. Andrea's morality lasted five seconds before it was melted by her mints.She looked around. There was no one in the street, no one to witness her stealing the mail.She picked out one at random and opened it, trying not to damage the original envelope. "Just curious." There are two things in the envelope.One was a Blusens CD-ROM with the same words on the envelope written in marker.The other was a note in English: Andrea couldn't help but think it must be a joke, but there was only one way to see if it was.She took the laptop out of her bag, opened it, and put the CD in.She cursed at the manual for her computer's operating system in the languages ​​she knew—Spanish, English, and terrible Italian.Finally the computer booted up, and she discovered that the disc was a movie. After 40 seconds, Andrea was scared to death by the movie and rushed out to vomit.