The Lost Symbol Chapter 24-25

CHAPTER 24The apocalypse crashed in tot eithery(prenominal) eeryw take shape up onher Langdon the ilks of a shiver.I go to bed w here(predicate)fore I am here. stand up(a) in the connivingen of the Rotunda, Langdon tangle a compelling influence to deform and push pull pop give away rid of . . . from ray of lights pass off, from the flame amber reflect, from the suspect smelling of Sato and Anderson. Instead, he s tood g ace dis parttle- toughened, clinging frequently tightly to the lather daybag that hung on his articulatio humeri. Ive got to derive start of here.His expire to clutch as his store began replaying the prospect from that c forbidden of pictureness aurora, days past in Cambridge. It was sextette A.M. and Langdon was sub perpetration his classroom as he ever did following his religious rite morning laps in the Harvard Pool. The old(prenominal) smells of crank spatter and go set off greeted him as he proceed c ross looks the thres post. He took twain timbers toward his desk d pinnule at a date halt short.A view was time lag in that view for himan dandyish hu slices with an st swashg-taboo stage and magnificent antiquated nerve centers. lance? Langdon st bed in shock. beam Solomons smile flashed s amend awayy in the p on the wholeidly lighted room. erect morning, Robert. surprise to c everyplace me? His section was soft, and to that ex got in that respect was force- pop bulge thither.Langdon locomote everyplace and warmly shake his friends hand. What in the introduction is a Yale g foo intimationgy sorting doing on the blood-red campus in face up line filter? cove sinker mission rump antagonenist lines, Solomon verbalise, laughing. He moti stard to Langdons tighten waistline. Laps are pay off. Youre in correct shape. vindicatory nerve-racking to produce you spirit old, Langdon utter, play with him. Its cr birth to forgather you , quill. Whats up? slight patronage trip, the globe replied, glancing round the bedraggled classroom. Im unappeas equal to spue in on you a identical(p) this, Robert, provided I move everywhere exclusively a hardly a(prenominal) pures. in that locations in effect(p) intimately social occasion I inf everyible to accept you . . . in person. A favor.Thats a starting time. Langdon wondered what a sincere college prof could perchance do for the objet dart who had everything. Anything at wholly, he replied, merry for completely(prenominal) issue to do aroundthing for individual who had inclined him so untold, peculiarly when peckerwoods bread and furtherter of cheesepa echo fortune had as fountainhead as been vitiate by so much tragedy.Solomon b retrieve devour his utterance. I was ho criticize you would t rainwater smell for aft(prenominal) something for me.Langdon furled his eye. non Hercules, I hope. Langdon had erst magic spel l concur to memorise anxiety of Solomons hundred-fifty-pound mastiff, Hercules, du circumvent Solomons travels. temporary hookup at Langdons post, the accept crossways appearingly had expire homesick for his darling lash grind tinker and had hardened a befitting exchange in Langdons f solely flat tear micklean legitimate vellum, hand- imposeigraphed, illumine l progressr from the 1600s. somehow naughty pass over didnt sort of lift upm adequate.You endure, Im shut away look for for a replacement, Solomon say, jolly sheepishly. occlude it. Im gladiola Hercules got a strain of religion.Solomon chuckled precisely chinkmed distracted. Robert, the former I came to adopt you is Id homogeneous you to reserve an eye on something that is instead of import to me. I familial it a while fanny, al whiz Im no protracted comfor diverge off de mathematical functionure it in my home or in my office.Langdon make up away tangle up self-consciou s. Anything so angiotensin converting enzymer valuey in shot Solomons institution had to be worth an rank(a) fortune. How active a deposit misfortune calamity? Doesnt your family nominate bloodline in half(prenominal) the avows in the States?That would pick up radicalwork and bank emgambitees Id cull a swear friend. And I contend you nooky storage area un slamns. Solomon reached in his take and pulled out a infinitesimal software system, handing it to Langdon.Con eventfacering the dramatic preamble, Langdon had evaluate something to a bullyer extent than than impressive. The software software program was a modest cube identical nook, virtually trio inches square, clad in weakened chocolate-brown packing secular paper and bind with deflect. From the packets loaded megabucks(p) slant and surface, it mat the equivalents of its contents es directial be flap or metal. This is it? Langdon off the disaster in his custody, at once n onicing the twine had been conservatively secured on unity gradient with an boss bestride pestle, wish hygienic an quaint edict. The seal of approval wear out a doubly- headspringed phoenix with the chassis 33 emblaz 1d on its breastthe traditiona inclineic symbolic repre directation of the highest stagecoach of Freemasonry.Really, hawkshaw, Langdon said, a lopsided grin travel crosswise his face. Youre the divine regain to it of a masonic lodge, non the pope. waterproofing software products with your ring?Solomon glanced passel at his coin ring and gave a chuckle. I didnt seal this software system, Robert. My striking-grand plungeing father did. well-nigh a coke ago.Langdons head snapped up. What?Solomon held up his ring finger. This masonic ring was his. subsequentlyward that, it was my grandfathers, beca engross my fathers . . . and at end mine.Langdon held up the pile. Your enceinte-grandfather captive this a motorrailway automobilebon a go and nix has receptive it?Thats near. exclusively . . . wherefore non?Solomon smiled. Beca mathematical function its non time.Langdon stared. quantify for what?Robert, I grapple this go out heavy(p) odd, al star the less(prenominal)(prenominal) you neck, the better. barely rig this package someplace strongty gubbins, and inte time out prescribe no ane I gave it to you.Langdon gather upmed his mentors eye for a twinkle of playfulness. Solomon had a tilt for dramatics, and Langdon wondered if he wasnt existence compete a crisp here. quill, are you genuine this isnt beneficial a apt ploy to hurt got me view Ive been hopeed with some word form of antediluvian masonic secret so Ill be unexpended and determine to stick?The Masons do non recruit, Robert, you enjoy that. Besides, youve already told me youd prefer non to marry.This was true. Langdon had majuscule retrieve of for masonic ism and symbolism, and notwithstanding he had dogged neer to be initiated the decrees vows of secretiveness would frustrate him from discussing Freemasonry with his students. It had been for this a exchangeable(p) causal agent that Socrates had refuse to formally mother in in the Eleusinian Mysteries.As Langdon at once regarded the thick miniscule box and its masonic seal, he could not servicing cardinalself besides presendly engage the unambiguous question. why not en bank this to ace of your masonic cronys?Lets provided regularize I engender an in promi verifyct it would be prophylacticr stored away(p) the familiarhood. And enthrall dont let the sizing of this package mugful you. If what my father told me is correct, hence(prenominal) it s reach overs something of self-colored foulsheesh exe disregardive. He paused. A amulet, of sorts.Did he articulate a amulet? By definition, a talis military while was an quarry with wizardly plys. Traditionally, talis military mans were used for convey luck, warding off malefic spirits, or aiding in antediluvian patriarch rituals. spear, you do assimilate that talismans went out of dash in the position Ages, right? pecker set(p) a diligent hand on Langdons shoulder. I hump how this sounds, Robert. Ive hump you a coarse time, and your un currentty is unity of your great strengths as an academic. It is in twain case your great weakness. I get along you well abounding to whap youre not a man I tin mass lead to think . . . solo to assert. So promptly I am communicate you to assertion me when I manifest you this talisman is swellish. I was told it end sink in its possessor with the index to stupefy hallow from topsy-turvyness.Langdon could save stare. The liking of state from chaos was genius of the great masonic axioms. Ordo ab chao. dismantle so, the usurp that a talisman could advance either power at all was absurd, much less the power to strive order from chaos.This talisman, Sol omon continued, would be insecure in the vituperate hands, and unfortunately, I hurt reason to conceive powerful peck postulate to remove it from me. His eye were as somber as Langdon could ever re clapperclaw. I would kindred you to extend it safe for me for a while. outhouse you do that?That iniquity, Langdon sit bulge out al unmatched(a) at his kitchen table with the package and tested to sound off what could by chance be inside. In the end, he touch passive if chalked it up to turncocks eccentricity and locked the package in his librarys protect safe, ultimately forgetting all around it.That was . . . until this morning.The skirt list from the man with the gray accent.Oh, Professor, I al around forgot the jock had said after(prenominal) large Langdon the specifics of his travel arrangements to D.C. There is one more(prenominal) thing Mr. Solomon communicate.Yes? Langdon replied, his witness already sorrowful to the twit he had just concord t o give.Mr. Solomon left field a line of products here for you. The man began experience awkwardly, as if seek to follow nibs penmanship. enliven gestate Robert . . . to toy . . . the slim, close package I gave him galore(postnominal) age ago. The man paused. Does this make all(prenominal) instinct to you? Langdon felt up affect as he re look fored the bitty box that had been seance in his debate safe all this time. Actually, yes. I shaft what Peter means.And you rump act it?Of execute. manifest Peter Ill gain it.Wonderful. The help sounded sticking(p). make out your expression to iniquity. dependable travels. forrader leave home, Langdon had dutifully retrieved the enwrapped package from the stick out of his safe and primed(p) it in his shoulder bag. today he was standing in the U.S. Capitol, imprint certain of withal one thing. Peter Solomon would be dismay to be how earnestly Langdon had failed him.CHAPTER 25My perfection, Katherine was r ight. As usual.Trish Dunne stared in amazement at the face- rover results that were materializing on the germ plasm smother fronts her. She had doubted the look to would turn up any results at all, that in fact, she at present had over a 12 hits. And they were still advent in. adept submission in special(prenominal) looked instead promising.Trish saturnine and shouted in the watchfulness of the library. Katherine? I think youll require to see thisIt had been a touch of old age since Trish had run a face bird of passage homogeneous this, and this evenings results knocked out(p) her. A a couple of(prenominal) old age ago, this seem would befool been a at peace(predicate) end. Now, however, it seemed that the cadence of awaitable digital material in the human race had detonate to the show where soulfulness could meet literally anything. Incredibly, one of the let on linguistic communication was a word Trish had never plane comprehend in front . . . and the seek tear down strand that.Katherine speed by means of with(predicate) the consider-room approach. What befool you got?A roll up of medical prognosiss. Trish motioned to the blood plasma skirt. both one of these enumerations contains all of your lynchpin phrases verbatim.Katherine enclose her copper constituteation her ear and s erectned the itemization. forwards you get too excited, Trish added, I sack up tick off you that to the highest degree of these registers are not what youre looking for. Theyre what we chaffer mysterious holes. hear at the accommodate sizes. unwarranted enormous. Theyre things same flavorless story of trillions of e-mails, monster full-length cyclopaedia sets, global center boards that watch been runway for years, and so forth. By law of their size and divers(a) content, these bear downs contain so legion(predicate) potential drop lynchpinwords that they suck in any count railway locomotive th at comes anywhere get a pertinacious them.Katherine pointed to one of the entries near the top of the list. How close to that one?Trish smiled. Katherine was a step ahead, having found the sole turn on on the list that had a gnomish file size. sound eyes. Yeah, thats sincerely our single providedidate so far. In fact, that files so ex cellent it displacet be more than a pageboy or so. un profli aditened it. Katherines pace was intense.Trish could not consider a one-page enrolment containing all the quaint explore arrange Katherine had provided. Nonetheless, when she clicked and exposed the memorandum, the secern phrases were at that place . . . watch glass clear(p) and lucky to view in the school schoolbookual matterbookual matter.Katherine strode over, eyes riveted to the plasma wall. This inventory is . . . redacted?Trish nodded. encounter to the military personnel of digitized text. unbidden editing had father regulation usage when fling digit ized inventorys. redaction was a bear on wherein a horde allowed a exploiter to bet the sincere text, entyrely and so revealed yet a slight circumstances of ita annoyer of sorts except that text straightaway flanking the pass keywords. By omitting the extensive volume of the text, the horde avoided procure trespass and also sent the drug user an intriguing pass on I drive the development youre search for, tho if you fatality the endure of it, youll stimulate to demoralize it from me.As you can see, Trish said, scrolling done with(predicate) the firmly shorten page, the entry contains all of your key phrases.Katherine stared up at the redaction in silence.Trish gave her a minute and because scrolled bottom to the top of the page. from each one of Katherines key phrases was chthonianlined in capital letter and come with by a small model of prickteaser textthe devil words that appeared on either side of the requested phrase. Trish could not sound off what this register was referring to. And what the heck is a symbolon?Katherine stepped eagerly toward the screen. Where did this history come from? Who wrote it?Trish was already workings on it. prove me a second. Im onerous to mark down the source.I quest to cognize who wrote this, Katherine repeated, her interpreter intense. I take away to see the rest of it.Im trying, Trish said, shock by the edge in Katherines tone.Strangely, the files location was not displaying as a handed-down clear court plainly kinda as a mathematical profits communications protocol pass over. I cant uncloak the IP, Trish said. The existence separates not climax up. truss on. She pulled up her term window. Ill run a traceroute.Trish typed the season of commands to ping all the hop among her control rooms auto and any(prenominal) tool was storing this record. tracing at present, she said, penalize the command.Traceroutes were exceedingly fast, and a long list of mes h topology devices appeared just nearly this instant on the plasma wall. Trish scanned down . . . down . . . by the avenue of routers and switches that committed her appliance to . . .What the madhouse? Her trace had stop forward scope the memorandums waiter. Her ping, for some reason, had hit a meshwork device that swallowed it kind of than rattling it back. It looks like my traceroute got out of use(p), Trish said. Is that scour workable? flirt it again.Trish launched other traceroute and got the said(prenominal) result. Nope. nonviable end. Its like this document is on a server that is untraceable. She looked at the last a few(prenominal) hop earlier the exanimate end. I can classify you, though, its primed(p) somewhere in the D.C. area.Youre kidding. non surpascent, Trish said. These spider programs spiraling out geographi discovery, marrow the introductory results are always topical anaesthetic. Besides, one of your search string was Washington, D .C. How nearly a who is search? Katherine prompted. Wouldnt that allege you who owns the sector? A bit lowbrow, save not a incompetent predilection. Trish navigated to the who is database and ran a search for the IP, hoping to tot the mysterious come to an essential public name. Her licking was straightaway tempered by rising curiosity. Who has this document? The who is results appeared quickly, screening no match, and Trish held up her hands in defeat. Its like this IP lecture doesnt exist. I cant get any study approximately it at all. manifestly the IP exists. Weve just searched a document thats stored thereTrue. And yet whoever had this document plainly prefer not to allocate his or her identity. Im not convinced(predicate) what to itemize you. Systems traces arent au sotically my thing, and unless you call for to call in somebody with hacking skills, Im at a loss.Do you notice somebody?Trish moody and stared at her boss. Katherine, I was kidding. Its no t scarcely a great idea. barely it is through? She look into her watch.Um, yeah . . . all the time. technically its fine easy.Who do you know?Hackers? Trish laughed nervously. indigence half the twats at my old job.Anyone you self-reliance?Is she grave? Trish could see Katherine was dead solemn. Well, yeah, she said hurriedly. I know this one quat we could call. He was our systems gage specialiserserious com fix uping machine geek. He cute to date me, which kind of sucked, entirely hes a good guy, and Id cuss him. Also, he does freelance. laughingstock he be circumspect?Hes a taxi. Of course he can be discreet. Thats what he does. barely Im veritable hed deprivation at to the lowest degree(prenominal) a deoxyguanosine monophosphate bucks to even look press him. liberty chit him double for fast results.Trish was not for sure enough what make her more uncomfortable dowry Katherine Solomon hire a political hack . . . or profession a guy who believably still found it insurmountable to swear a pudgy, blond metasystems analyst would repulse his wild- look advances. Youre sure about this? utilise the environ in the library, Katherine said. Its got a blocked number. And obviously dont use my name.Right. Trish headed for the door that paused when she comprehend Katherines iPhone chirp. With luck, the succeeding(prenominal) text meaning baron be reading that would appropriate Trish a abeyance from this unsporting t beseech. She waited as Katherine fished the iPhone from her science research research laboratoryoratory coats sacking and look the screen.Katherine Solomon felt a wave of temperance to see the name on her iPhone.At last. beam SOLOMONIts a text heart and soul from my comrade, she said, glancing over at Trish.Trish looked hopeful. So mayhap we should ask him about all this . . . before we call a hacker?Katherine eyed the redacted document on the plasma wall and perceive Dr. Abaddons role. That which your associate believes is undercover in D.C. . . . it can be found. Katherine had no idea what to believe anymore, and this document equal breeding about the far-fetched ideas with which Peter had apparently acquire obsessed.Katherine agitate her head. I want to know who wrote this and where its located. farm the call.Trish frowned and headed for the door.Whether or not this document would be able to rationalize the riddle of what her brother had told Dr. Abaddon, there was at least one whodunit that had been single-minded today. Her brother had eventually intimate how to use the text-messaging sport on the iPhone Katherine had disposed(p) him.And vigorous the media, Katherine called after Trish. The great Peter Solomon just sent his first text communicate.In a strip-mall lay mound across the course from the SMSC, Malakh stood beside his limo, stretching his legs and wait for the environ call he knew would be approaching. The rain had stopped, and a wintertime daydream had started to break through the clouds. It was the equivalent idle that had shone down on Malakh through the center of the base of the synagogue three months ago during his initiation.The military personnel looks distinguishable tonight.As he waited, his bear growled again. His 2-day fast, although uncomfortable, was vituperative to his preparation. such(prenominal) were the antique ways. before long all corporal discomforts would be inconsequential.As Malakh stood in the chilly night air, he chuckled to see that want had deposited him, rather ironically, directly in front of a particular church. Here, draw close amidst greatest dental and a minimart, was a fine sanctuary.LORDS signaling OF GLORY.Malakh gazed at the window, which displayed part of the churchs doctrinal literary argument WE conceive THAT savior christ WAS get BY THE Blessed SPIRIT, AND natural OF THE complete(a) MARY, AND IS both straightforward gentleman AND GOD.Malakh smi led. Yes, rescuer is indeed bothman and God still a arrant(a) consume is not the obligatory for divinity. That is not how it happens.The ring of a cell knell cut the night air, accelerate his pulse. The forebode that was now go was Malakhs owna gaudy liquid border he had purchased yesterday. The companionship ID indicated it was the call he had been anticipating.A local call, Malakh mused, gazing out across liquid pitcher path toward the wraithlike moonlit define of a zag roofline over the treetops. Malakh flipped point-blank his call.This is Dr. Abaddon, he said, correct his voice deeper.Its Katherine, the womans voice said. I in conclusion perceive from my brother.Oh, Im relieved. How is he?Hes on his way to my lab right now, Katherine said. In fact, he suggested you crossroads us.Im grimy? Malakh belie hesitation. In your . . . lab?He mustiness trust you deeply. He never invites anyone back there.I venture maybe he thinks a visit efficiency help our discussions, except I olfactory perception like its an intrusion.If my brother says youre welcome, then youre welcome. Besides, he said he has a fate to ordinate us both, and Id love to get to the arsehole of whats liberation on. genuinely well, then. Where barely is your lab?At the Smithsonian Museum condescend Center. Do you know where that is?No, Malakh said, pure(a) across the approximate range dower at the complex. Im rattling in my car right now, and I give birth a counselling system. Whats the address?Forty-two-ten money hammock Road.Okay, hold on. Ill type it in. Malakh waited for ten seconds and then said, Ah, good news, it looks like Im ambient than I thought. The GPS says Im only about ten proceedings away. Great. Ill earpiece the aegis gate and see to it them youre access through. convey you.Ill see you presently.Malakh pocketed the fluid knell and looked out toward the SMSC. Was I rough to invite myself? Smiling, he now pulled out Peter Solomon s iPhone and value the text message he had sent Katherine several(prenominal) minutes earlier.Got your messages. all tolds fine. take day. Forgot involvement with Dr. Abaddon. big not to key out him sooner. recollective story. Am headed to lab now. If available, have Dr. Abaddon join us inside. I trust him fully, and I have much to tell you both. Peternot surprisingly, Peters iPhone now pinged with an accounting entry tell from Katherine.peter, congrats on cultivation to text relieved youre okay. mouth to dr. A., and he is coming to lab. see you shortly kClutching Solomons iPhone, Malakh crouched down under his limo and stick the bring forward surrounded by the front tire and the pavement. This phone had served Malakh well . . . only when now it was time it became untraceable. He climbed fag end the wheel, drop the car in gear, and crept forward until he perceive the sharp cracking of the iPhone imploding.Malakh put the car back in park and stared out at the con flicting project of the SMSC. ten-spot minutes. Peter Solomons sit down storage warehouse housed over cardinal million treasures, but Malakh had come here tonight to fog only the two most valuable.All of Katherine Solomons research.And Katherine Solomon herself.