next-some ridiculous line about "Harrison Ford in Harris tweed"-and because this evening he had figured it was finally safe again to wear his Harris tweed and Burberry turtleneck, he decided to take action.
"thank you, Monique,"Langdon said, standing prematurely and edging her away from the podium."Boston Magazine clearly had a
for fiction." He turned to the audience with an embarrassed sigh. "and if i find which one of you provided that article, I'll have the consulate deport you."
The crowd laughed.
"well, folks, as you all know, i 'm here tonight to talk about the power of symbols.."
The ringing of Langdon's hotel phone once again broke the silence.
As expected, it was the concierge. "Mr. Langdon, again my apologies. I am calling to inform you that your guest is now en route to your room. I thought i should alert you."
Langdon was wide awake now. "you sent someone to my room?"
"I apologize, monsieur, but a man like this ... I cannot presume the authority to stop him."
"who exactly is he?"
but the concierge was gone.
Almost immediately, a heavy fist punded on Langdon's door.
Uncertain, Langdon slid off the bed, feeling his toes sink deep into the savonnerie carpet. He donned the hotel bathrobe and moved toward the door. "who is it?"
"Mr. Langdon? i need to speak with you." The man's English was accented-a sharp, authoritative bark. "My name is Lieutenant Jerome Collet. Direction Centrale Police Judiciaire."
Langdon paused. THE JUDICIAL POLICE? The DCPJ was the rough equivalent of the U.S. FBI
leaving the security chain in place. Langdon opened the door a few inches. The face staring back at him was thin and washed out. The man was exceptionally lean, dressed in an official-looking blue uniform.
"May I come in?" the agent asked.
Langdon hesitated, feeling uncertain as the stranger's sallow eyes studied him. "what is this all about?"
"My capitanine requires your expertise in a private matter."
"Now?" Langdon managed. "It's after midnight."
"Am i correct that you were scheduled to meet with the curator of the Louvre this evening?"
Langdon felt a sudden surge of uneasiness. He and the revered curator Jacques Sauniere had been slated to meet for drinks after Langdon's lecture tonight, but Sauniere had never shown up. "yes. How did you know that?"
"we found your name in his daily planner."
"I trust nothing is wrong."
The agent gave a dire sigh and slid a Polaroid snapshot through the narrow opening in the door.
When Langdon saw the photo, his entire body went rigid.
"This phot was taken less than an hour ago. Inside the louvre."
As langdon stared at the bizarre image, his initial revulsion and shock gave way to a sudden upwelling of anger.
"who would do this!"
"We had hoped that you might help us answer that very question, considering your knowledge in symbology and your plans to meet with him."
Langdon stared at the picture, his horror now laced with fear. The image was gruesome and profoundly starange, bringing with it an unsettling sense of Deja vu. alittle over a year ago, loangdon had recieved a photograph of a crpse and a similar request for help. Twenty-four hours later, he had almsot lost his life inside Vatican City. This phot was entirely different, and yet something about the scenario felt disquietingly familiar.
The agent checked his watch. "My capitaine is waiting, Sir."
Landon barely heard him. His eyes were still riveted on the picture. "This symbol here, and the way his body is so oddly..."
"positioned?" the agent offered.
Langdon nodded, feeling a chill as he looked up."I can not imagine who would do this to someone."
The agent looked grim. "you do not understand, Mr. Langdon. What you see in this photograph..." He paused. "Monsieur Sauniere did that to himself."
Chapter 2
One Mile away, the hulking albino named Silas imped through the front gate of the luxurious brwonstone residence on Rue La Bruyere. The spiked cilice belt that he wore around his thigh cut into his flesh, and yet his sould sang with satisfaction of service to the lord.
Pain is good.
His red eyes scanned the lobby as he entered the residence. Empty. He climbed the stairs quietly, not wanting to awaken any of his fellow numeraries. His bedroom door was open; locks were forbidden here. He entered, closing the door behind him.
The room was spartan-hardwood floors, apine dresser, a canvas mat in the corner that served as his bed. He was a visitor here this week, and yet for many years he had been blessed with a similar sanctuary in New York City.
The Lord has provided me shelter and purpose in my life. Tonight, at last, Silas felt he had begun to repay his debt. Hurrying to the dresser, he found the cell phone hidden in his bottom drawer and placed a call.
"yes?" a male voice answered.
"Teacher, i have returned."
"Speak,"the voice commanded, sounding pleased to hear from him.
"All four are gone. The three senechaux... and the Grand Master himself."
there was a momentary pause, as if for prayer. "then i assume you have the information?"
"All four concurred. Independently."
"and you believed them?"
"Their agreement was too great for coincidence."
An excited breath. "Excellent. I had feared the brotherhood's reputation for secrecy might prevail."
"The prospect of death is strong motivation."
"so, my pupil, tell me what i must know."
Silas knew the information he had gleaned from his victims would come as a shock. "Teacher, all four confirmed the existence of the clef de voute.. the legendary keystone."
He heard a quick intake of breath over the phone and could feel the Teacher's excitement. "The keystone. Exactly as we suspected.
According to lore, the brotherhood had created a map of stone-a clef de voute.. or keystone-an engraved tablet that revealed the final resting place of the brotherhood's greatest secret... information so powerful that its protection was the reason for the brotherhood's very existence.
"when we possess the keystone," the teacher said, " we will be only one step away."