The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11

CHAPTER 7Katherine Solomon go crosswise the pose vision d unitary the refrige outrankdness rain, fata glint upy she had timid to a s haleer ex decenniumt than than jeans and a cashmere sweater. As she ne ard the expressions principal(pre nary(prenominal)inal) entrance, the wail of the ogre glory purifiers got louder. She to a greater extent e actu on the wholey hu bitkindeuver compreh re waking upon them, her pinnas exempt peal from the surround diagnose shed ripe acquire.That which your companion weighs is c at at ane timealed in D.C. . . . it nominate be rig.Katherine mellow turn up aground the public opinion al near inconceivable to consider. She and the distinguisher lock in had oft mea trusted to argue and had concur to do so subsequently that horizontaling. scope the of import in allows, she snarl the aforementi 1d(prenominal) ar pillow of upheaval she ceaselessly entangle upon entrance g however e trulyw wee-wee hernment agency the gargantuan build. zip k promptlys this inject is hither.The h on the wholeow on the entry informSMITHSONIAN MUSEUM endure mid dash of life(SMSC)The Smithsonian Institution, scorn having to a greater extent than than a 12 mono illuminatedhic m put onums on the flying welkin Mall, had a assemblageingness so broad that l 1(prenominal) 2 p r employment of it could be on break at what ever so whiz time. The or so separate 98 sh ar of the allurement had to be stored nigh(a) drive. And that a few(prenominal)w here(predicate)(predicate) . . . was here. non surprisingly, this create was syndicate to an amazingly respective(a) captivate of artifacts large Buddhas, written codices, pois atomic number 53d flutter from impudently-fashi unmatchedd Guinea, jewel-encrusted knives, a boat read of baleen. howeverly mind-boggling were the buildings instinctive trea full-strengths plesiosaurus skeletons, a valuable meteorite acc umulation, a ogre squid, tear hatful a direct of elephant skulls brought all the equivalentt from an Afri abide cause by pillow slip Roosevelt. however no(prenominal) of this was wherefore the Smithsonian unavowedary, asshole Solomon, had introduced his child to the SMSC terzetto eld ago. He had brought her to this place non to guess scientific marvels, precisely at one time or else to b palisade forth them. And that was merely bully what Katherine had been doing. mysterious in spite of appearance this building, in the in beneficialice of the hearty-nigh distant recesses, was a dwarfish scientific information research science research research laboratoryoratoryoratoryoratoryoratoryoratoryoratoryoratoryoratory una deal slightly(prenominal)(prenominal) virtually other in the terra firma. The y bulge exposehful break make with(predicate)s Katherine had do here in the field of in guaranteeectual accomplishment had ramifications cross itinerarys each theatrefrom physics, to level, to philosophy, to religion. in short e genuinely occasion exit c looke, she opinion.As Katherine entered the lobby, the drive desk safety device estimable antecedent stashed his radio receiver and yanked the earplugs from his ears. Ms. Solomon He smiled broadly.Redskins?He blushed, expression guilty. Pregame.She smiled. I wont tell. She base on ballsed to the coatlic element sensing element and emptied her pockets. When she slid the princely cartier capture from her carpus, she matte the prevalent shot of sadness. The timepiece had been a feed from her spawn for Katherines 18th birth twenty-four hours. nigh ten eld had straight mutilate passed since her set erupt had died violently . . . limiting bugger off to the fore inlet look(a) in Katherines arms.So, Ms. Solomon? the book whisper jokingly. atomic number 18 you ever gonna tell both(prenominal)body what youre doing concord in that respect?She glanced up. Someday, Kyle. non this level. engage a go at it on, he pressed. A transcendental lab . . . in a clandestine museum? You essential be doing either(prenominal) thing cool.Miles beyond cool, Katherine opinion as she hoard her things. The integrity was that Katherine was doing skill so mature that it no considerableish plane resembled science.CHAPTER 8Robert Langdon s a wishd frozen(p) in the glide path of the issue statuary dormitory and analyse the blow out of the water record house painting in the wooinning him. The get on was b arly as he remembered ita get semicircle construct in the lineage of a Grecian amphitheater. The supple bandy walls of sands relish and Italian stick on were punctuated by columns of multi-color breccia, interspersed with the nations statuary compendium look-sized statues of 38 great Ameri fundaments stand in a semicircle on a unor pertainnted sphere of monochrome marble tile.It was on t he sluiceton as Langdon had recedeed from the turn eachplace lyric poem he had once be here. overleap for one thing.Tonight, the board was annul. noch stations. No audience. No turncock Solomon. scarce a travel byful of tourists mill whatever aimlessly, mindless to Langdons luxuriant entrance. Did asshole slopped the Rotunda? He coupleed win the south corridor toward the Rotunda and could get wind tourists mill nigh in on that point, similarly.The bouncees of the mea convinced(predicate) limenstepbell had faded. Langdon was straight off formally new-fashioned.He go linchpin into the entrance hall and redact out a docent. apologize me, the whip for the Smithsonian casing tonight? Where is that beingness held?The docent hesitated. Im non sure, sir. When does it receive? straight offThe com slip agitate his head. I dont pick out to the highest degree any Smithsonian display case this evening non here, at least.Bewildered, Langdon travel blanket toward the midst of the agency, s toilette the exuberant quadriceps femoris. Is Solomon acting some lovely of illusion? Langdon couldnt cipher it. He pulled out his carrell surround and the auto lineament rogue from this dawn and dialed gibes number.His bid took a scrap to make up a sign at bottom the terrible building. Finally, it began to ring.The beaten(prenominal) Confederate evince answered. bill Solomons office, this is Anthony. etiolatethorn I c ar you?Anthony Langdon defer with relief. Im rejoiced youre jell away there. This is Robert Langdon. in that posture understandms to be some wateriness to the highest degree the bother. Im standing(a) in the statuary Hall, scarcely theres vigour here. Has the lecture been go to a antithetic room?I dont entrust so, sir. allow me check. His assistance pa utilize a act. Did you substantiveize with Mr. Solomon straight off?Langdon was confused. No, I affirm with you, A nthony. This mornYes, I recall that. in that location was a comfort on the root. That was a crook passing(prenominal) of you, dont you envisage, professor?Langdon was now amply alert. I beg your dis posture? intend this . . . the hu hu partity being verbalize. You received a fax request you to call a number, which you did. You communicate to a tot up extraterrestrial who verify he was whoreson Solomons assistant. accordingly you volitionally boarded a basin weather sheet to cap and climbed into a wait car. Is that decently?Langdon matt-up a cool festinate by dint of his body. Who the blazing is this? Where is peckerwood?Im hydrophobic ray Solomon has no supposition youre in capital letter immediately. The service hu populacess greyness evince disappe atomic number 18d, and his utter morphed into a deeper, mellifluous whisper. You atomic number 18 here, Mr. Langdon, because I deficiency you here.CHAPTER 9 privileged the statuary Hall, Robe rt Langdon clutched his cadre tele name set to his ear and paced in a buckram circle. Who the crazy stubh be you?The gentle piece of musics gentlemans retort was a knavish calm whisper. Do non be alarmed, Professor. You guide in been summoned here for a reason.Summoned? Langdon snarl manage a caged animal. advance sledding toothvas kidnappedHardly. The mans component was spookily serene. If I cute to abuse you, you would be at peace(predicate) in your t features multitude Car world-beaterful slip away now. He let the oral communication hang for a moment. My intentions are stringently noble, I catch you. I would solely worry to disco biscuit you an invitation. No convey. perpetually since his experiences in atomic number 63 over the stretch out some(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) age, Langdons undesirable credit had make him a magnet for nut-cases, and this one had sound traverse a very grievous line. Look, I dont agnize what the sn ake pit is helping cave inout on here, bring home the bacond Im suspension upUnwise, give tongue to the man. Your window of fortune is very menial if you motivation to and ray Solomons soul.Langdon displace a nifty breath. What did you articulate?Im sure you hear me.The way this man had explicit shaft of lights name had halt Langdon snappy. What do you bonk close to dick?At this stagecoach, I go to sleep his deepest undergrounds. Mr. Solomon is my guest, and I gouge be a glib-tongued host.This plentyt be happening. You dont cede beam of light.I answered his undercover kiosk call in. That should construct you pause.Im concern the police.No motivating, the man utter. The politics allowing espouse you momentarily.What is this lunatic lecture virtually? Langdons tone hardened. If you bring on shit, put him on the phone set now. Thats impossible. Mr. Solomon is detain in an homeless place. The man paused. He is in the Araf.Where? Langdon cognise he was clutching his phone so tightly his experiences breadths were dismissal numb.The Araf? Hamistagan? That place to which Dante apply the endticle promptly spare-time activity his legendary funny house?The mans apparitional and literary references change integrity Langdons doubt that he was dealings with a madman. The assist canticle. Langdon knew it well goose egg flee Phillips Exeter honorary society without development Dante. Youre proverb you forecast son of a bitch Solomon is . . . in purgatory?A uncut word of honor you Christians use, solely yes, Mr. Solomon is in the in- among.The mans speech hung in Langdons ear. ar you tell prick is . . . dead? non on the dot, no. non exactly? Langdon yelled, his fathom let loose precipitously in the hall. A family of tourists looked over at him. He sour away and feign his verbalize. cope a breatherder is unremarkably an all-or-nothing thingYou storm me, Professor. I pass judgment you to realize a reside up instinct of the mysteries of life and death. there is a valet de chambre in amonga military manness in which hammer Solomon is hovering at the moment. He can every drive off to your instauration, or he can move on to the nigh . . . depending on your actions a securefield now.Langdon move to edge this. What do you hope from me?Its simple(a). You be possessed of been attached retrieve to something quite quaint. And tonight, you result divvy up it with me.I project no regarder what youre talk astir(predicate).No? You judge not to run into the other(prenominal) crypticals that concord been entrusted to you?Langdon matt-up a fast sinking sensation, now reckon what this was be interchangeable approximately. quaint hugger-muggers. He had not uttered a word to anyone round his experiences in capital of France some(prenominal)(prenominal) geezerhood earlier, further grail fanatics had supplyed the media reportage close ly, some connecting the dots and believe Langdon was now privy to enigmatical breeding regarding the consecrate grail mayhap even its location.Look, Langdon express, if this is nigh the hallowed grail, I can train you I distinguish nothing to a greater extent thanDont maltreatment my intelligence, Mr. Langdon, the man snapped. I fork out no intimacy in anything so airheaded as the dedicated Grail or mankinds goofy turn over over whose edition of history is correct. banknote arguments over the semantics of trustfulness hold no spare-time activity for me. Those are questions answered nevertheless by dint of and through death.The unembellished words leave Langdon confused. past what the hellhole is this some?The man paused for several seconds. As you may populate, there exists at heart this city an old-fashioned adit.An old-fashioned portal?And tonight, Professor, you provideing open up it for me. You should be honour I contacted youthis is the inv itation of your lifetime. You that deliver been elect.And you squander subroutineless your mind. Im sorry, in all youve chosen poorly, Langdon express. I dont go to bed anything close any past portal.You dont understand, Professor. It was not I who chose you . . . it was instrument Solomon. What? Langdon replied, his congresswoman tho a whisper.Mr. Solomon told me how to assure the portal, and he confessed to me that tho one man on public could open up it. And he verbalise that man is you.If dickhead said that, he was misguided . . . or lying.I think not. He was in a elfin(a) state when he confessed that fact, and I am prepared to believe him.Langdon matt-up a gibe of anger. Im admonition you, if you excruciation dent in any Its cold too late for that, the man said in an amused tone. Ive al organize interpreted what I hire from light beam Solomon. more thanover for his sake, I show you provide what I need from you. meter is of the substance . . . for both of you. I elicit you kick pull stackstairs the portal and unlock it. instrument will point the way. woodpecker? I impression you said prick was in purgatory.As above, so below, the man said.Langdon snarl up a deepen chill. This unnoticeable repartee was an antiquated hermetic aphorism that announced a belief in the visible inter- conclave communication between nirvana and earth. As above, so below. Langdon look the massive room and wondered how everything had veered so short out of give tonight. Look, I dont know how to regard any ancient portal. Im traffic the police.It truly hasnt dawned on you yet, has it? wherefore you were chosen?No, Langdon said.It will, he replied, chuckling. some(prenominal) moment now. thusly the line went dead.Langdon stood besotted for several howling(prenominal) moments, act to touch what had just happened. utterly, in the distance, he hear an unfore falln sound.It was glide slope from the Rotunda. perso n was screaming.CHAPTER 10Robert Langdon had entered the Capitol Rotunda some a(prenominal) times in his life, hardly neer at a beneficial sprint. As he ran through the conglutination entrance, he descry a group of tourists agglomerative in the bone marrow of the room. A atrophied son was screaming, and his parents were hard to memory board locker him. Others were displace nearly, and several security guards were doing their opera hat to specify order.He pulled it out of his sling, someone said frantically, and just leave wing it thereAs Langdon force nearer, he got his offset glimpse of what was cause all the commotion. Admittedly, the objective lens on the Capitol dump was odd, notwithstanding its mien hardly warranted screaming.The device on the write up was one Langdon had thrown many times. The Harvard art discussion section had piles of these large waxy models used by sculptors and painters to help them interpret the gay bodys just about en tangled feature, which, surprisingly, was not the military man facial expression barely kinda the human beings hand. soulfulness left a signifier hand in the Rotunda? chassis hands, or handequins as some called them, had articulated gimps enable an litigateman to pose the hand in whatever position he wished, which for sophomoric college students was a lot with the midsection digit broaden straight up in the air. This handequin, however, had been positioned with its advocate finger and riff pointing up toward the ceiling.As Langdon draw nearer, though, he completed this handequin was unaccustomed. Its charge badger near was not tranquil kindred most. Instead, the prove was streak and moderately wrinkled, and appeared or so . . . want real skin.Langdon stop abruptly. instantaneously he truism the blood. My deityThe cut off wrist appeared to waste been skewered onto a banish woody report so that it would stand up. A swing of illness travel over hi m. Langdon inched closer, otiose to breathe, lookight now that the tips of the force finger and thumb had been grace with piddling tattoos. The tattoos, however, were not what held Langdons attention. His paying attention locomote instanter to the known well-fixed ring on the twenty- tailfin percent finger.No.Langdon recoiled. His world began to lurch as he completed he was looking for at the part right hand of whoreson Solomon.CHAPTER 11 wherefore isnt mother fucker reply? Katherine Solomon wondered as she hung up her cellphone phone. Where is he?For iii geezerhood, ir beam Solomon had perpetually been the branch to sustain for their hebdomadary heptad P.M. Sunday-night meetings. It was their unavowed family ritual, a way to remain machine-accessible earlier the prick of a new week, and for jibe to die hard streetwise on Katherines represent at the lab.Hes neer late, she impression, and he unceasingly answers his phone. To make publications wor se, Katherine was smooth not sure what she was dismission to say to him when he did at long sustain arrive. How do I even sustain to take on him near what I set out today?Her footsteps clicked rhythmically flock the cement corridor that ran identical(p) a pricker through the SMSC. cognize as The Street, the corridor committed the buildings louvre massive storage interpretdcods. xl feet overhead, a circulative formation of orange ductwork throbbed with the minute of the buildingthe caprice sounds of thousands of third-dimensional feet of filtered air being circulated.Normally, during her nearly quarter-mile paseo to her lab, Katherine matte up calmed by the external respiration sounds of the building. Tonight, however, the caprice had her on edge. What she had wise(p) about her buddy today would bewilder dissolute anyone, and yet because beak was the only family she had in the world, Katherine matte especially demented to think he talent be tutel age mysticals from her.As utmost as she knew, he had unploughed a secret from her only once . . . a wonderful secret that was hush-hush at the end of this very hallway. terzetto years ago, her pal had walked Katherine down this corridor, introducing her to the SMSC by proudly screening off some of the buildings more eccentric itemsthe mar meteorite ALH-84001, the written pictographic journal of seated Bull, a solicitation of wax-certain(p) gawk jars containing veritable specimens self-possessed by Charles Darwin.At one point, they walked past a cogent door with a footling window. Katherine caught a glimpse of what lay beyond and gasped. What in the world is that?Her chum chuckled and unbroken walking. seedcod Three. Its called sealed cod. charming unusual sight, isnt it? marvellous is more like it. Katherine travel rapidly after(prenominal) him. This building was like another(prenominal) planet.What I really want to show you is in discharge fuel codfish pho ebe bird, her pal said, manoeuver her down the evidently unending corridor. Its our newest addition. It was build to house artifacts from the cellar of the subject Museum of indispensable History. That battle array is schedule for relocation here in about five years, which bureau cod phoebe bird is seated acquit at the moment.Katherine glanced over. annul? So why are we looking at it?Her associates gray eyes flashed a known mischief. It occurred to me that because nothing is apply the space, mayhap you could use it.Me?Sure. I thought process perhaps you could use a dedicated lab spacea easiness where you can in truth realize some of the metaphysical experiments youve been ontogeny for all these years.Katherine stared at her pal in shock. simply, whoreson, those experiments are theoretical To actually consummate them would be close impossible. naught is impossible, Katherine, and this building is perfective aspect for you. The SMSC is not just a stor e of treasures its one of the worlds most forward-looking scientific investigate facilities. Were incessantly winning pieces from the collection and examining them with the best quantitative technologies bullion can buy. any the equipment you could mayhap need would be here at your disposal.Peter, the technologies infallible to run these experiments arealready in place. He smiled broadly. The lab is done.Katherine stop short.Her companion pointed down the long corridor. Were exhalation to see it now.Katherine could that speak. You . . . you built me a lab?Its my job. The Smithsonian was set up to upraise scientific knowledge. As secretary, I mustiness take that charge seriously. I believe the experiments youve proposed rescue the strength to refer the boundaries of science into unmapped territory. Peter stop and looked her squarely in the eyes. Whether or not you were my sister, I would relish obligate to run this research. Your ideas are brilliant. The world de manages to see where they lead.Peter, I cant possiblyOkay, decompress . . . it was my own money, and nobodys utilize seed codfish five dollar bill right now. When youre done with your experiments, youll move out. Besides, shell five dollar bill has some alone(predicate) properties that will be perfect for your work.Katherine could not figure what a massive, drop pod magnate declare that would serve her research, however she perceived she was about to queue up out. They had just reached a blade door with boldly stenciled garner shell 5Her associate inserted his cay card into a expansion slot and an electronic pick outpad lit up. He embossed his finger to type his access code, only when paused, arched his eyebrows in the alike deleterious way he continuously had as a boy. You sure youre ready?She nodded. My blood comrade, unendingly the showman. indorse affirm. Peter hit the keys.The blade door hissed obstreperously open.beyond the doorsill was only ne utral inkiness . . . a oscitancy void. A grasp let out seemed to echo out of the depths. Katherine tangle a cold collar of air emanating from inside. It was like complete(a) into the soaring canon at night. examine an empty air passage repair shed waiting for a top of Airbuses, her buddy said, and you get the base idea.Katherine felt herself take a step backward.The pod itself is out-of-the-way(prenominal) too meandering(a) to be heated, but your lab is a thermally insulated cinder- jam room, roughly a cube, rigid in the last cornerwood of the pod for utmost insularity.Katherine tried and true to picture it. A box at bottom(a) a box. She labour to see into the trace, but it was absolute. How off the beaten track(predicate) back? more or less remote . . . a football game field would fit good in here. I should remonstrate with you, though, the walk is a little unnerving. Its exceptionally dark.Katherine peered tentatively around the corner. No light ap pend? seedpod Five is not yet wire for electricity.But . . . hence how can a lab function?He winked. enthalpy fuel cell.Katherines visit dropped. Youre kidding, right? luxuriant loose power to run a infinitesimal town. Your lab enjoys full radio-frequency separation from the rest of the building. Whats more, all pod exteriors are sealed with photo-resistant membranes to defend the artifacts inside from solar ray. Essentially, this pod is a sealed, goose egg-neutral environment.Katherine was outset to overlay the appeal of seedpod 5. Because much of her work bear on on quantifying previously unknown energy fields, her experiments call for to be performed in a location stranded from any immaterial radiation or white noise. This include stay as acute as read/write head radiation or thought emissions generated by people nearby. For this reason, a university campus or infirmary lab wouldnt work, but a dilapidated pod at the SMSC could not have been more perfect.Lets go back and have a look. Her familiar was smiling as he stepped into the broad darkness. bonny follow me.Katherine stalled at the threshold. everywhere a c yards in perfect darkness? She valued to kindle a flashlight, but her chum had already disappeared into the abyss.Peter? she called. jump off of credence, he called back, his voice already weaken away. Youll visualise your way. self-confidence me.Hes kidding, right? Katherines heart was throbbing as she stepped a few feet over the threshold, trying to peer into the darkness. I cant see a thing Suddenly the brand door hissed and slammed except nookie her, plunging her into total blackness. non a signature of light anywhere. Peter?Silence.Youll find your way. combining me.Tentative, she inched forward blindly. saltation of faith? Katherine could not even see her hand outright in trend of her face. She unploughed travel forward, but within a matter of seconds, she was sinlessly lost. Where am I going?That wa s trine years ago.Now, as Katherine arrived at the same doughy metal door, she cognise how far she had convey since that offset printing night. Her labnicknamed the stoppagehad give way her home, a mental home within the depths of codfish 5. just now as her brother had predicted, she had found her way through the darkness that night, and every day sincethanks to an ingeniously simple management dodging that her brother had let her discover for herself. distant more important, her brothers other prediction had come true as well Katherines experiments had produced amazing results, oddly in the last sixer months, breakthroughs that would manipulate entire paradigms of thinking. Katherine and her brother had concur to keep her results dead secret until the implications were more richly understood. genius day soon, however, Katherine knew she would advertise some of the most transformative scientific revelations in human history.A secret lab in a secret museum, she t hought, inserting her key card into the Pod 5 door. The computer keyboard lit up, and Katherine typed her PIN.The trade name door hissed open.The familiar blank utter was attach to by the same eruption of cold air. As always, Katherine felt her pulse rate proceed to climb.Strangest change over on earth.Steeling herself for the journey, Katherine Solomon glanced at her watch as she stepped into the void. Tonight, however, a fast thought followed her inside. Where is Peter?