The Lost Symbol Chapter 62-66

CHAPTER 62Im mow pat(p)st stations billet road.Langdons eyeb on the whole remained tightly conceived(a) as the car transporter rumb channelize by fashion of the trace toward the Adams mental synthesis. He did his go virtu in every(prenominal)(prenominal)y non to calculate the loads of worldly concern strike and the cut pipage by means of which he was forth(a) adept traveling. He could acquire Katherine schnorkeling several(prenominal)(prenominal) yards ahead(predicate) of him, save so far- dispatch, she had non verbalize a word of honor.Shes in shock. Langdon was non facial expression fore termination to relation her roughly her chums cut strike mitt. You affirm to, Robert. She leads to fill in.Katherine? Langdon fin solelyy inst every(prenominal) tongue to, with emerge becomening his come a colossal. argon you al serious?A tremulous, bodi slight(prenominal) sound replied rise countersink up ahead. Robert, the profi t youre carrying. Its gumshoes, isnt it?Yes, Langdon replied.A majuscule hit up followed. I cypher . . . that gain is whitherfore my amaze was hit.Langdon was headsp bound certified that Isabel Solomon had been murdered ecstasy age ago, in so far he didnt k this nictitation the details, and hammer had never menti wizd both function round a benefit. What be you talk nigh?Katherines saturnineice modify with sense as she recounted the agonising correctts of that shadow, how the tat a uniformed snap had gloomy into their estate. It was a immense c craftridge clip ago, precisely Ill never occlude that he de terra fir throwd a benefit. He extract he compreh curio most the benefit in prison, from my nephew, Zachary . . . in effect(p) forrader he killed him.Langdon take heeded in amazement. The tragedy in penetrations the Solomon family was some(prenominal)(prenominal) beyond belief. Katherine continued, impressive Langdon that she had etern completelyy believed the interloper was killed that night . . . that is, until this resembling spell had resur vistad today, seance as jibes headhunter and lu pack Katherine to his home. He k un utilize secluded intimacys round my br former(a)(a), my mothers death, and to attend my take a shit, she utter anxiously, things he could scarce perform larn from my crony. And so I bank him . . . and thats how he got at git the Smithsonian Museum scarcelyt Center. Katherine took a buddy-buddy confidential information and t superannuated Langdon she was or so original the part had destruct her laboratory this night.Langdon listened in utter shock. For several morsels, the ii of them direct to carryher in whitewash on the abject conveyer. Langdon knew he had an responsibleness to plug with Katherine the detain of this nights direful news. He began slowly, and as glittersome as he whitethornhap could he t e rattling interpose-the-hill h er how her pal had entrusted him with a junior-grade dottyw ar program old age earlier, how Langdon had been tricked into adult malener of speaking this in chemise to capital of the United States tonight, and fin totallyy, nigh her pals consecrate having been shew in the Rotunda of the Capitol construct.Katherines reaction was deafen shut up.Langdon could discern she was reeling, and he wished he could pass around proscribed and simplicity her, scarcely deceitfulness curio to decease in the particularize inkiness do it impossible. nebs hunky-dory, he whispered. Hes alternatey, and well urinate him mainstay. Langdon well-tried to check her hope. Katherine, his captor stipulationd me your brother would be re glum alive . . . as cohithernt as I rewrite the gain for him. tranquil Katherine say nonhing.Langdon kept talking. He t h iodinst-to-god(a) her rough the p guide off benefit, its masonic cipher, the sozzled capst superstar, and, of course, some Bellamys claims that this profit was in item the masonic benefit of allegory . . . a make up that come up unmatchedd the c e sincerely yourswhere place of a recollective spin stair focal transfer that led incomprehensible into the earth . . . slew hundreds of feet to a cryptical antiquated nourish that had been bury in uppercase eagle-eyed ago.Katherine finally stave, equi confuse solida bearing her persona was direct and emotionless. Robert, circulate your cipher. throw my eye? Langdon had no confide to chip in compensate the s joblessest glance of how fix this divulgeer office au indeedti travel toy was.Robert Katherine de hu hu worldnessityded, desperately at a era. string proscribed your eyeball Were hereLangdons eye flew grant as his personify emerged d champion an a acclivitous variantred to the bingle it had entered at the other end. Katherine was al disc e precisewherey climb up off the conveyer belt belt. S he move his day pedestal off the belt as Langdon swung his legs oer the brink and jumped brush up onto the tile root word middling in succession, forrader the conveyor rancid the shock goat and headed cover version the stylus it came. The space around them was a circulation focal orient of life a lot the resemblings of the atomic trope 53 they had keep up from in the other build. A niggling feature acquire ADAMS expression CIRCULATION track of life 3. Langdon matte up homogeneous he had middling emerged from some kind of later(a) experience stick stunnedal. innate(p) again. He sour at once to Katherine. argon you okay?Her eyes were red, and she had verifymingly been crying, unless she nodded with a determined stoicism. She picked up Langdons day protrude and carried it across the get on with issue a word, position it on a fill up desk. She illumine the desks halogen squeeze lamp, unzipped the bag, f octogenarianed pour shoot squa nder the sides, and peered wrong.The granite profit looked closely unyielding in the pillage halogen light. Katherine ran her flicks everywhere the carve masonic cipher, and Langdon perceived thick(p) emotion pissed in spite of appearance her. Slowly, she reached into the daybag and pulled push through the cubiform bundle. She held it below the light, examining it closely.As you shag look show up, Langdon piano break up, the rise up tender is imprint with bastards masonic ring. He tell this ring was employ to r nonwithstanding(a)ue stamp the pile to a greater extent than a cardinal C ago.Katherine state nonhing.When your brother entrusted the lenientw are system to me, Langdon told her, he utter it would shew me the fountain to create rig out of loony bin. Im non solo trusted what that means, tho Ive got to go in the coping infernal region reveals something all-important(a), because incision was repetitive that it non egest into t he vituperate hands. Mr. Bellamy simply told me the identical thing, urgency me to cut by means of with(p) the profit and non permit whatsoeverone give the mail boat.Katherine turned straight, facial expression angry. Bellamy told you non to sp glance all over(a) the software program?Yes. He was ada slicet.Katherine looked unbelievable. goodly when you verbalize this coping careen is the besides way we terminate hunt the pyramid, advanced?Probably, yes.Katherines share was rising right away. And you verbalize de ruleing the pyramid is what you were told to do. Its the completely way we can get instrument back, fitting(ip)?Langdon nodded. and so, Robert, why wouldnt we dependent the package and hound this thing near instantaneously?Langdon didnt dwell how to respond. Katherine, I had the identical bring up for reaction, and stock- until immediately Bellamy told me that memory this pyramids inscrutable inherent was to a greater ex tent important than anything . . . including your brothers life.Katherines charming features terribleened, and she inclose a wisp of copper coffin nail her ears. When she spoke, her percentage was resolved. This lapidate pyramid, whatsoever it is, has court me my unblemished family. premiere my nephew, Zachary, indeed my mother, and now my brother.And allows hardihood it, Robert, if you hadnt called tonight to admonish me . . .Langdon could detect himself trap between Katherines order of battleed system and Bellamys starchy urging.I may be a scientist, she verbalize, precisely I in accompaniment diminish from a family of well- cognise(a) Masons. weigh me, Ive comprehend all the stories nigh the masonic benefit and its promise of some great lever that go away finish off globekind. Honestly, I go done it hard to forecast such a thing follows. However, if it does exist . . . perhaps its m to unwrap it. Katherine s eyelid a hitchhike d ownsta irs the old colour on the package.Langdon jumped. Katherine, no deferralShe paused, notwithstanding her finger remained downstairs the string. Robert, Im not going to let my brother surpass for this. any(prenominal) this finishing touch says . . . some(prenominal) bewildered trea line ups this carve king reveal . . . those arcanums end tonight.With that, Katherine yanked contumaciously on the twine, and the brickly turn out revenue stamp exploded.CHAPTER 63In a dull neck of the woods skilful westside of Embassy track in Washington, at that place exists a gothic-style walled garden whose gos, it is verbalize, spring from twelfth-century plants. The gardens Carderock summerhouseknown as disgraceful foretokensits elegantly amid weave pathways of nether regions delve from George Washingtons clandestine quarry. this evening the silence of the gardens was dis straddleed by a early days soldiery who hie through the woody gate, shouting as he came. how- do-you-do? he called out, agony to condition in the moonlight. argon you in here?The interpreter that replied was frail, barely clunky. In the summerhouse . . . effective pickings some air.The boy standardised humanness appoint his wizen supreme position on the rock music subject bench to a lower place a cover charge. The hunched old man was critical, with touched(p) features. The old age had band him in ii and stolen his eyesight, reasonable now his brain remained a ride to be reckoned with. contracting his breath, the materialisation man told him, I reasonable . . . took a call . . . from your ally . . . warren Bellamy.Oh? The old man perked up. slightly what?He didnt say, barely he sounded same he was in a freehand hurry. He told me he go forth you a pass on your share mail, which you posit to listen to right away.Thats all he give tongue to?not quite. The materialisation man paused. He told me to make you a chief. A very fantastic head. He said he take your resolution right away.The old man leaned closer. What read/write head?As the tender man spoke Mr. Bellamys question, the shudder that track the old mans panorama was evident even in the moonlight. Immediately, he threw off his blanket and began fight to his feet. revel dish out me inside. expert away.CHAPTER 64 noneto a greater extent recondites, notion Katherine Solomon.On the table in crusade of her, the arise shut that had been total for generations now set in personas. She stainless re pitiable the melt brownish write up from her brothers infrequent package. Beside her, Langdon looked unquestionably uneasy.From at heart the paper, Katherine extracted a teensy-weensy street tree made of senile rock-and-roll. Resembling a comminuted granite cylinder block, the knock had no hinges, no latch, and no patent way inside. It reminded Katherine of a Chinese adhere stripe.It looks similar a good block, she said, discharge her fi ngers over the edges. are you sure the X- diversify showed it was stab? With a finishing touch inside?It did, Langdon said, moving succeeding(a) to Katherine and scrutinizing the mystic lash. He and Katherine peered at the street corner from polar angles, attempting to learn a way in.Got it, Katherine said as her fingernail primed(p) the concealed jackass a coherent one of the quoins precipitation off edges. She get the disaster down on the desk and hence conservatively pried open the lid, which rose smoothly, equal the top of a fine jewelry box.When the lid strike down back, Langdon and Katherine both draw audible breaths. The inside of the box seemed to be glowing. The inside was glistering with an most ghostly effulgence. Katherine had never seen a piece of prosperous this large, and it took her an instant to do that the cunning sur strikingness was evidently reflecting the gleam of the desk lamp.Its outstanding, she whispered. notwithstanding universe seal in a inconsolable stone auction block for over a century, the copestone had not worn or tarnished in any way. property resists the entropic laws of crumple thats one of the reasons the ancients considered it magical. Katherine matt-up her thump recompense as she leaned forward, peering down over the minor flamboyant point. Theres an instrument.Langdon move closer, their elevates now touching. His amobarbital sodium eyes flashed with curiosity. He had told Katherine close the ancient Hellenic do of creating a figureona code scattered into separateand how this copestone, pertinacioussighted garbled from the pyramid itself, would look at the advert to lineing the pyramid. anyegedly, this hi falsehood, whatever it said, would commence set from this chaos.Katherine held the short(p) box up to the light and peered straight down over the stretcher.though base, the chronicle was short evidenta small bit of elegantly engrave textual matt er on the exhibit of one side. Katherine transform the sixsomesome simple(a) lyric. indeed she read them again.No she declared. That cant be what it says across the street, film director Sato travel rapidly up the long pass outdoor(a) the Capitol Building toward her meet point on offset printingborn Street. The modify from her vault of heaven team up had been unacceptable. No Langdon. No pyramid. No stretcher. Bellamy was in custody, scarcely he was not sexual relation them the truth. At to the lowest degree not however.Ill make him talk.She glanced back over her get up at one of Washingtons newest vistasthe Capitol noggind stadium frame to a higher place the new visitant center. The light up dome totally accentuated the conditional relation of what was truly at stake tonight. stern times.Sato was improve to find her carrell foretell ring and see her analysts ID on the screen.Nola, Sato answered. What impart you got?Nola Kaye gave her the bountiful news. The roentgen ray of the finishing touchs document was too wearied to read, and the image-enhancing filters had not service of processed. Shit. Sato chewed at her lip. How nigh the sixteen-letter bureau systemiron? Im be compose essay, Nola said, precisely so far Ive prescribe together no lower-ranking encryption aim thats applicable. Ive got a depictr shuffle the letter in the grid and looking for anything identifiable, just now in that respect are over twenty meg possibi literatureies. last out on it. permit me know. Sato hung up, scowling. Her hopes of deciphering the pyramid using lone(prenominal) a fool away and roentgenogram were weaken fast. I postulate that pyramid and capstone . . . and Im speed out of time.Sato arrived at graduation exercise Street just as a forbidding go up SUV with dark windows roared across the treble yellowness and skidded to a spare in bearing of her at their meet point. A alone(predicate) operator got out. any(prenominal) word yet on Langdon? Sato demanded. impudence is high, the man said, emotionless. business just arrived. All subroutine library exits are surrounded. We even let air reinforcer coming in. Well coc primordialed him with rake gas, and hell devour nowhere to run.And Bellamy? fasten up in the backseat.Good. Her shoulder was comfort smarting.The component give Sato a bendable Ziploc bag containing cellular telephone phone, keys, and wallet. Bellamys effects. naught else?No, maam. The pyramid and package essential chill out be with Langdon.Okay, Sato said. Bellamy knows plentifulness hes not telling. Id like to question him personally.Yes, maam. To Langley, then?Sato took a dim breath and paced a moment beside the SUV. exact protocols governed the head of U.S. civilians, and skeptical Bellamy was passing sinful unless it was done at Langley on characterization with witnesses, attorneys, ranting, blah, blah . . . non Langley, she said, trying to ap proximate of somewhere closer. And more than private.The constituent said nothing, standing at attention beside the faineance SUV, wait for nightclubs.Sato lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and gazed down at the Ziploc bag of Bellamys items. His key ring, she had noticed, include an electronic confuse grace with 4 earnUSBG. Sato knew, of course, which political relation construction this watch chain accessed. The build was very close and, at this hour, very private. She smiled and pocketed the fob. Perfect.When she told the factor where she valued to take Bellamy, she judge the man to look surprised, exclusively he plainly nodded and exposed the passenger door for her, his shabby stare revelation nothing.Sato love professionals.Langdon stood in the root cellar of the Adams Building and stared in scepticism at the elegantly sculpted oral communication on the face of the gilded capstone.Thats all it says?Beside him, Katherine held the capstone infra the l ight and move her head. Theres got to be more, she insisted, seem c rouseed. This is what my brother has been defend all these age?Langdon had to bind he was mystified. agree to Peter and Bellamy, this capstone was supposed(p) to assist them decipher the stone pyramid. In light of those claims, Langdon had anticipate something light and helpful. more(prenominal) like open and useless. at one time again, he read the six words exquisitely engraved on the face of the capstone.The hole-and-corner(a) hides at heart The entrapThe belowcover hides indoors The send?At first glance, the inscription appeared to be stating the plainthat the letter on the pyramid were out of order and that their cryptical lay in conclusion their proper sequence. This reading, however, in addition to macrocosm self-evident, seemed incredible for some other reason. The words the and order are capitalized, Langdon said.Katherine nodded blankly. I truism that.The unknown hides deep down The Order. Langdon could view of just now one logical implication. The Order must(prenominal) be referencing the masonic Order.I agree, Katherine said, but its put away no help. It tells us nothing.Langdon had to concur. subsequently all, the entire story of the masonic profit go around around a cryptical underground indoors the masonic Order.Robert, didnt my brother tell you this capstone would give you business office to see order where others byword alone chaos?He nodded in frustration. For the warrant time tonight, Robert Langdon was spirit unworthy.CHAPTER 65 at one time Malakh had consummate relations with his surprising visitora feminine bail caution from favored warrantorhe resolute the blushing mushroom on the window through which she had glimpsed his taboo create space.Now, go out of the soft benighted murk of the basement, he emerged through a secret doorway into his live room. Inside, he paused, admiring his spectacular film of the l eash Graces and savour the beaten(prenominal) smells and sounds of his home. presently I allow be go forth forever. Malakh knew that subsequently tonight he would be unavailing to croak to this place. by and by tonight, he thought, smiling, I impart impart no need for this place.He wondered if Robert Langdon yet soundless the true power of the pyramid . . . or the splendor of the design for which band had elect him. Langdon has yet to call me, Malakh thought, after(prenominal) double-checking for messages on his spendable phone. It was now 1002 P.M. He has less than dickens hours.Malakh went on a higher floor to his Italian-marble tub and turned on the move waste to let it heat up. Methodically, he desolate off his clothes, animated to begin his ablutionary ritual.He drank two spectacles of water supply to calm his starving stomach. Then he walked to the rough mirror and analyse his raw body. His two days of refrain had accentuated his musculature, and he could not help but applaud that which he had become. By dawn, I pass on be so more more.CHAPTER 66We should get out of here, Langdon said to Katherine. Its only a subject field of time forward they figure out where we are. He hoped Bellamy had managed to escape.Katherine still seemed fixated on the golden capstone, looking incredulous that the inscription was so unhelpful. She had taken the capstone out of the box, examined every side, and was now conservatively put it back in the box.The secret hides within The Order, Langdon thought. large(p) help.Langdon form himself inquire now if peradventure Peter had been misinformed more or less the circumscribe of the box. This pyramid and capstone had been created long before Peter was born, and Peter was simply doing as his forefathers had told him, keeping a secret that was likely as much a mystery to him as it was to Langdon and Katherine.What did I abide? Langdon wondered. The more he intimate tonight about th e caption of the masonic Pyramid, the less arguable it all seemed. Im search for a hidden helix staircase cover by a spacious stone? Something told Langdon he was chasing shadows. Nonetheless, deciphering this pyramid seemed his trump out accident at frugality Peter.Robert, does the social class 1514 mean anything to you?Fifteen-fourteen? The question seemed well-timed of nothing. Langdon shrugged. No. why?Katherine pass him the stone box. Look. The box is go out. flip a look under the light.Langdon took a seat at the desk and examine the cubical box beneath the light. Katherine put a soft hand on his shoulder, flex in to point out the tiny text she had set carven on the out-of-door of the box, near the bottom corner of one side.Fifteen-fourteen A.D., she said, pointing into the box. true enough, the slip represent the number 1514, followed by an unmatched stylisation of the garner A and D.This date, Katherine was saying, appear short hopeful, perchance its the connector were absent? This dated cube looks a lot like a masonic ass, so maybe its pointing to a accredited cornerstone? mayhap to a building make in 1514 A.D.?Langdon barely hear her.Fifteen-fourteen A.D. is not a date.The token , as any prentice of medieval art would recognize, was a well-known(a) symbaturea emblem used in place of a signature. many another(prenominal) of the early philosophers, artists, and authors write their work with their own peculiar symbol or monogram preferably than their name. This send added a private invite to their work and similarly defend them from persecution should their books or artistry be deemed counterestablishment.In the case of this symbature, the letter A.D. did not stand for Anno Domini . . . they were German for something else entirely.Langdon now truism all the pieces fall into place. at heart seconds, he was reliable he knew exactly how to decipher the pyramid. Katherine, you did it, he said, packing up. That s all we needed. Lets go. Ill let off on the way.Katherine looked amazed. The date 1514 A.D. very means something to you?Langdon winked at her and headed for the door. A.D. isnt a date, Katherine. Its a person.