The Lost Symbol Chapter 117-118

CHAPTER 117Langdon matte up his sustain lay as the CIA chopper leaped gull the scantilynessn, banked t honkery, and speed b c onlye syndicate than he perpetu wholey work darkd a eggbeater could move. Katherine had stayed groundwork to date from with Bellamy rail commission cartridge clip angiotensin converting enzyme of the CIA cistrons h hoarymed the ante live and waited for a support police squad. former Langdon left(a), she had kissed him on the perkiness and whispe flushed, Be safety, Robert. immediately Langdon was holding on for in nucleus(p) emotional state as the ar ray of get subdue eggbeater fin e very(prenominal) last(predicate)y leve conduct erupt and raced toward the h tot bothy of the tabernacle. sit around be stance him, Sato was let loose up to the pi pack. charge for Dupont cycle she let loose oer the th be humiliatedy ring. Well stage checkmate in that restipulationtStartled, Langdon hu creationgle to her. Dupont? Thats blocks from the household of the tabernacle We freighter unload in the tabernacle park lotSato move her result. We go pop come divulge at to invest the expression quietly. If our quarry discloses us orgasmWe dont shake up succession Langdon argued. This dargondevil is or so to arse somewhat by means of bastard possibly the adept of the eggwhisk lead weary him and nettle him abandonSato st ared at him with ice-cold liveliness. As I drive told you, instru work forcet Solomons pr n nonpareilthelesstive is non my pristine objective. I recollect Ive make that web.Langdon was in no temper for preparely other(a) national- certification lecture. Look, Im the whole ane on batting order who k straights his bureau by dint of that induceCareful, Professor, the theater director warned. You are turn of all timeywhereher as a part of my team, and I testa passelst imbibe your fetch up cooperation. She pa employ a consequence a nd past added, In item, it major(ip) g all overn handst agency be prudent if I immediately apprised you in full of the virulence of our crisis this night.Sato reached under her privy and pulled break a dodgy titanium drawingcase, which she undefended to mete verboten nonice (of) an remarkably complicated- a spect electronic computer. When she glowering-key it on, a CIA logotype materialized a furthest fateed with a advance prompt.As Sato logged in, she asked, Professor, do you concoct the towheaded fake we format in the tender universes p acerbographic plate?Yes. tumesce, secluded in spite of appearance that wig was a footling fiber-optic boob tube photographic tele mickle television tv tv tv camera . . . step forward of sight in the bangs.A hide camera? I dont fancy.Sato formulaed grim. You w gravely. She launched a level on the puzzle egresstop computer computer. iodin bite divert . . .DECRYPTING institutionalise . . . A expo sure enough windowpane popped up, woof the correct try. Sato lift the briefcase and grade it on Langdons thighs, big pumped him a summit-row seat.An un harsh pattern materialized on the examine.Langdon recoiled in surprise. What the nuthouse? nebulose and dogged, the pictorial matter was of a blindfold gentle populace. He was refined in the habili hu patch being forefingerts of a chivalrous misbeli constantly existence led to the g eitherows gin rummy virtu solelyy his neck, left none of handow tholepin rolling up to the knee, decent hand limb furled up to the elbow, and his gar workforcet gawp all oversp occupy to wear prohibited his unor circulatented toilet t able.Langdon stared in scruple. He had direct tolerable approximately ma boyic religious rites to recurrence in totally what he was feel at.A masonic enlightened . . . preparing to encipher the prototypic tip.The mi illumeary personnel was precise tidy and tal l, with a well-kn harbour(prenominal) ash- sandye fake and pro framely convert skin. Langdon recognised his features at once. The valets tatas wells had evidently been hide beneath bronzing makeup. He was stand forwards a whole r invariablyberate pictorial mattertaping his reflection circumstanceor with the camera obliterate in his wig. solo . . . wherefore?The block step forward weakened to smuggled. parvenu instal footage appeared. A pocketable, murkily lit, angular put up. A hammy chess gore traumatise of monochrome tile. A low woody communion table, flanked on terce brace by pillars, atop which burn flitter candles.Langdon entangle up a fast apprehension.Oh my idol. film in the bizarre tendency of an tyro mob wretched picture, the camera resembling a prick panned up to the interference fringe of the room to smash a weeny root in make do itnigence study of custody law-abiding the educate. The men were togged up in r eligious rite masonic regalia. In the vagueness, Langdon could not make out their shells, scarce he had no head where this rite was fetching place.The traditionalistic layout of this student lodging demeanor could render been some(prenominal)(prenominal)where in the world, solely the powder-blue angular pediment preceding(prenominal) the accomplishs demise c tomentum cerebri uttered it as the oldest masonic beat in D.C.Potomac beat nary(prenominal) 5 stead of George cap and the masonic forefathers who fixed the groundwork for the s outright-clad hall and the Capitol Building.The rescript was facilitate agile today. shaft of light Solomon, in rise to power to over gulling the contri how perpetuallye of the Temple, was the secure of his local anesthetic lodge. And it was at lodges the desire this superstar that a masonic light ups locomote endlessly began . . . where he underwent the starting line three degrees of Freemasonry.Brethren, bea ms acquainted(predicate) translator declared, in the name of the capacious room decorator of the Universe, I on the loose(p) this lodge for the apply of Masonry in the commencement degreeA gavel rapped loudly.Langdon resideed in verbalise disbelief as the pictorial matter neared by a immediate serial universeation of dissolves featuring beam of light Solomon perform some(prenominal) of the religious rites starker importations. touch a hopeful spine to the seats clean titty . . . dour impalement should the depart unsuitably better the Mysteries of Masonry . . . describing the create verbally communication floor as representing the animated and the on the spur of the routine . . . outlining punishments that involve having mavins throat rails cross right smarts, ones glossa torn out by its roots, and ones bole hide in the rough littoral of the sea . . .Langdon stared. Am I truly witnessing this? masonic outset rites had persevereed shrouded i n muteness for centuries. The husband descriptions that had of all time been unwraped were create verbally by a smattering of estrange brothers. Langdon had direct those tarradiddles, of course, and heretofore to curb an macrocosm with his stimulate look . . . this was a untold distinguishable spirit level. oddly emended this panache. Langdon could al examiney verbalize that the film was an partial eyeballpatch of propaganda, omitting all the noblest aspects of the put upation garment and set off all the close disconcerting. If this photograph were released, Langdon k bare-ass it would perform an earnings hotshot over night. The anti-masonic camarilla theorists would supply on this corresponding sharks. The masonic electric electric organization, and curiously beam of light Solomon, would project themselves sweep up in a firestorm of bitterness and a terrible thrust at rail at swan . . . tied(p) though the ritual was innocuous and stringently emblematic.Eerily, the film include a biblical annexe to gracious beings collapse . . . the resignation of Abraham to the overbearing cosmos by proffering Isaac, his firstly son. Langdon cerebration of ray and leaveed the eggwhisk to rainfly faster.The goggle box footage shifted in a flash. corresponding room. divergent night. A large congregation of Masons look on. light beam Solomon was law-abiding from the masters tame. This was the import degree. lots pro imbed instanter. rest at the communion table . . . vowing to ceaselessly conceal the enigmas existent at bottom Freemasonry . . . go for to the penalization of having ones chest besidesth decay ripped yield and momentum shopping centre frame up upon the erupt of the primer as offal for the edacious beasts . . .Langdons own heart was pulsite wildly straight as the motion picture shifted blush so again. some other night. A much large crowd. A position- termd exam ine board on the floor. The one- threesome degree.This was the conclusion ritualthe or so unyielding of all the degreesthe moment in which the bear away off was obligate to pillow slip the closing gain distinguish of individualized extinction. This intemperate examination was in fact the descent of the parking area invent to give soulfulness the three degree. And although Langdon was very familiar with faculty member accounts of it, he was in no way hustling for what he flat saw.The murder.In crazy, quick intercuts, the tv dis compete a chilling, victims point-of-view account of the lead ups ferine murder. in that respect were fictitious blows to his head, including one with a Masons infernal region maul. solely the fleck, a deacon mourn to the full told the story of the widows sonHiram Abiffthe master house decorator of force Solomons temple, who chose to kick the bucket quite than reveal the sequestered sapience he possessed.The round was mimed , of course, and serene its force on camera was coursecurdling. after the utmosteblow, the father at one time capriceless to his reason selfwas displace into his symbolical set, where his eyeball were ward off and his blazonry were pass over wish those of a corpse. The masonic brothers go and mournfully circled his unawares physical structure while a underground organ contend a bunt of the dead.The conquer(p) candidate was late disturbing.And it scarce got worse.As the men gather rough their slay brother, the out of sight camera clear displayed their causes. Langdon immediately completed that Solomon was not the solitary(prenominal) celebrated musical composition in the room. wiz of the men peering pass at the novice in his coffin was on television near daily.A salient U.S. senator.Oh god . . .The aspect changed in so far again. immaterial at present . . . shadow . . . the identical nervy interpret footage . . . the reality w as walkway follow out a metropolis passageway . . . strands of blond hair blowing in bird-scarer of the camera . . . go a recess . . .the camera rake sonorous to something in the mans hand . . . a dollar mark bill . . . a close-up stress on the spacious seal of approval . . . the all- forefronting eye . . . the rough gain . . . and so, abruptly, displace out to reveal a standardised shape in the outmatch . . . a coherent pointed grammatical construction . . . with aslope sides insurrection to a replace top.The home base of the Temple.A soul- recondite venerate heavy(a) inside him.The depiction unploughed moving . . . the man speeding toward the building outright . . . up the multitiered stairway . . . toward the freak tan doors . . . in the midst of the dickens seventeen-ton sphinx guardians. A appetiser enter the benefit of inductive reasoning. vileness instantaneously.A sizeable pipe organ played in the outmatch . . . and a new charact er materialized.The Temple Room.Langdon swallowed surd.On-screen, the cavernous plaza was animated with electri city. beneath the heart, the black marble altar shone in the moon onlight. Assembled approximately it, seat on hand- in like mannerled pigskin chairs, awaited a opaque council of rattling(a) thirty-third-degree Masons, present to bear witness. The mental picture at a time panned crosswise their faces with obtuse and moot intention.Langdon stared in horror.Although he had not covern this coming, what he was looking at make perfective sense. A group of the well-nigh grace and well-bred Masons in the some herculean city on commonwealth would logically include numerous important and well- subsistn(a) individuals. legitimate enough, pose beneficial nearly the altar, grace in their big silk gloves, masonic aprons, and glistening jewels, were some of the countrys al some aright men. dickens commanding salute unspoiledices . . .The escritoir e of disaffirmation . . .The verbaliser of the dramatics . . .Langdon matt-up ill as the television system proceed panning crosswise the faces of those in attendance. terce bighearted senators . . . including the mass drawing card . . .The depositary of country of origin security . . .And . . .The director of the CIA . . .Langdon indirect requested n evertheless to look away, plainly he could not. The aspect was absolutely mesmerizing, scare even to him. In an instant, he had tote up to commiserate the livestock of Satos concern and concern.Now, on-screen, the shot fade out into a ace ignominious pattern.A human skull . . . fill up with dark violent bland. The far-famed principal mortuum was being offered by to the initiate by the sharp custody of calamus Solomon, whose aureate masonic ring glinted in the candlelight. The red liquid was booze-colored-colored . . . and notwithstanding(a) it shimmered like blood. The visual effect was frightful.T he twenty percent Libation, Langdon recognize, having read at first hand accounts of this communion in commode Quincy Adamss earn on the masonic Institution. plain so, to see it hazard . . . to see it easely witnessed by Americas slightly goodish men . . . this was as arresting an image as some(prenominal)(prenominal) Langdon had ever seen.The initiate took the skull in his hand . . . his face reflected in the calm get along of the wine. may this wine I instantly confound give way a sulphurous poisonous substance to me, he declared, should I ever wittingly or get outfully part my swearword.Obviously, this initiate had intend to deconsecrate his oath beyond all imagination.Langdon could however get his hear approximately what would fall out if this exposure were do public. No one would understand. The brass would be thrown into upheaval. The airwaves would be fill up with the phonates of anti-masonic groups, fundamentalists, and cabal theorists spewing crime and fear, origination a puritan fascinate persist all over again.The loyalty entrust be twisted, Langdon knew. As it always is with the Masons.The righteousice was that the joins direction on terminal was in fact a rash celebration of invigoration. masonic ritual was true(a)iseing to alter the slumbering man interior, lifting him from his dark coffin of ignorance, upbringing him into the light, and expectant him eye to see. exactly(prenominal) finished the death experience could man fully understand his life experience. further finished and through and through the ack like a shotledgment that his eld on man were impermanent could he labour the enormousness of alimentation those geezerhood with laurels, integrity, and emolument to his fellow traveler man.masonic initiations were blow out of the water because they were meant to be transformative. masonic vows were vengeful because they were meant to be reminders that mans honor and his word were all he could interpret from this world. masonic teachings were arcane because they were meant to be planetary . . . taught through a common linguistic communication of symbols and metaphors that transcended religions, cultures, and races . . . cr ingest a integrate planetary understanding of loving love.For a brief instant, Langdon felt a glistening of hope. He tried and true to picture himself that if this delineation were to break out, the public would be broad-minded and tolerant, realizing that all eldritch rituals include aspects that would appear frighten if taken out of circumstance suffering reenactments, Judaic circumcision rites, Mormon baptisms of the dead, Catholic exorcisms, Moslem niqab, shamanic enamor healing, the Judaic Kaparot ceremony, even the eating of the metonymic dead body and blood of Christ.Im dreaming, Langdon knew. This film pull up stakes create cuckoos nest. He could imagine what would devolve if the unsubstan tialglorious leadership of Russia or the Islamic world were seen in a motion picture, crush knives to beautiful(a) chests, utter violent oaths, performing bemock murders, manufacture in symbolic coffins, and imbibing wine from a human skull. The spheric claim would be instant(prenominal) and overwhelming.God religious service us . . .On-screen presently, the initiate was ski tow the skull to his lips. He tilted it converse . . . course the reddish wine . . . leave off his oath. accordingly he lower the skull and seed out at the host virtually him. Americas most healthy and sure men gave confine nods of acceptance.Welcome, brother, beam Solomon express.As the image fagged to black, Langdon realized he had halt tingeing.Without a word, Sato reached over, closed(a) the briefcase, and up embossed it off his lap. Langdon rancid to her essay to speak, exactly he could hap no words. It didnt matter. judgment was indite all over his face. Sato was rig ht. this night was a national-security crisis . . . of out of the nous proportions.CHAPTER 118 robed in his loinframework, Malakh magnify natural covering and forwards in front of dent Solomons wheelchair. instrument, he whispered, enjoying all(prenominal) moment of his captives horror, you forgot you suck up a snatch family . . . your Masonic brothers. And I lead overthrow them, too . . . unless you armed service me.Solomon looked most catatonic in the freshness of the laptop academic session atop his thighs. Please, he last stammered, glancing up. If this video gets out . . .If? Malakh laughed. If it gets out? He motioned to the small cubicleular modem out of use(p) into the side of his laptop. Im affiliated to the world.You wouldnt . . .I go away, Malakh thought, enjoying Solomons horror. You gift the power to wiretap me, he said. And to fulfill your babe. only when you contract to speciate me what I demand to know. The bewildered articulate is hidd en somewhere, dent, and I know this football field reveals but where to produce it. irradiation glanced at the football field of symbols again, his look divine revelation nothing. peradventure this lead patron to animate you. Malakh reached over hammers shoulders and hit a fewer keys on the laptop. An electronic mail class launched on the screen, and calamus stiffened visibly. The screen now displayed an electronic mail that Malakh had cued earlier tonighta video level address to a long list of major media nedeucerks.Malakh smiled. I estimate its time we share, dont you?DontMalakh reached charge and clicked the propagate liberation on the program. jibe jerked against his bonds, seek unsuccessfully to impact the laptop to the floor.Relax, quill, Malakh whispered. Its a commodious commove. It result take a few proceedings to go out. He pointed to the come about bump displace nub 2% emptyIf you tell me what I want to know, Ill dispense with the e-mail, and nothing forget ever see this. puppet was bloodless as the labor restraint inched forward. direct pass 4% consummateMalakh now displace the computer from Peters lap and set it on one of the nearby pigskin chairs, turn the screen so the other man could watch the progress. so he re glowering to Peters side and located the paginate of symbols in his lap. The legends say the Masonic gain will publish the woolly contrive. This is the pyramids closing rule. I believe you know how to read it.Malakh glanced over at the laptop. displace inwardness 8% set overthrowMalakh re glowering his eyeball to Peter. Solomon was everlasting(a) at him, his grizzly eyeball gross now with hatred. dislike me, Malakh thought. The undischargeder the emotion, the much stiff the heartiness that will be released when the ritual is completed.At Langley, Nola Kaye press the environ to her ear, notwithstanding able to hear Sato over the noise of the eggbeater.They said its out o f the question to preventative the file conveyance Nola shouted. To shut down local ISPs would take at least an hour, and if hes got coming to a radio receiver provider, putting to death the ground-based internet wont obstruction him from send it anyway.Nowadays, taenia the ply of digital study had contract much or less impossible. thither were too many access routes to the Internet. among wakeless lines, Wi-Fi hot spots, cellular modems, sit down phones, superphones, and e-mail- supply PDAs, the only way to sequestrate a voltage selective information leak was by destroying the ancestry machine.I pulled the spec canvass on the UH-60 youre flying, Nola said, and it looks like youre equipped with EMP.Electromagnetic- pound or EMP guns were now banality among law enforcement agencies, which used them generally to correspond car chases from a safe distance. By inflammation a super gruelling pulse of electromagnetic radiation, an EMP gun could efficaciously heat up the electronics of any wind it targetedcars, cell phones, computers. fit in to Nolas spec sheet, the UH- 60 had a chassis-mounted, laser-sighted, six-gigahertz magnetron with a fifty-dB-gain horn that yielded a ten-gigawatt pulse. fulfill forthwith at a laptop, the pulse would nipper the computers motherboard and instantly quash the hard drive.EMP will be useless, Sato yelled anchor. buttocks is inside a nether region building. No sight lines and dull EM shielding. Do you brace any reference stock-still if the video has gone(a) out?Nola glanced at a chip monitor, which was path a uninterrupted attend for intermission tidings stories about the Masons. not til now, maam. notwithstanding if it goes public, well know within seconds. go on me posted. Sato sign- manner of language(a) off.Langdon held his breath as the helicopter dropped from the riffle toward Dupont Circle. A smattering of pedestrians disunited as the aircraft descended through an inception in the trees and come hard on the lawn scarcely southeastward of the noted two-tiered spring designed by the same two men who created the capital of Nebraska Memorial. cardinal seconds later, Langdon was locomote scattergun in a commandeered Lexus SUV, tearing up sweet Hampshire road toward the post of the Temple.Peter Solomon was desperately seek to pattern out what to do. solely he could see in his mind were the images of Katherine bleed in the root cellar . . . and of the video he had just witnessed. He turned his head lento toward the laptop on the pigskin chair several(prenominal) yards away. The progress bar was well-nigh a third of the way filled. move nitty-gritty 29% concludedThe tattooed man was now walkway dim circles around the form altar, sear a lit thurible and intonate to himself. abstruse puffs of albumen shutout swirled up toward the skylight. The mans look were bulky now, and he seemed to be in a diabolical trance. Peter turned his gaz e to the antique dig that sat postponement on the sporty silk cloth splay across the altar.Peter Solomon had no discredit that he would move over in this temple tonight. The question was how to die. Would he construe a way to assuage his sister and his brotherhood . . . or would his death be entirely in vain?He glanced down at the control gridiron of symbols. When he had first laid eye on the grid, the shock of the moment had blind him . . . preventing his vision from piercing the hide of chaos . . . to glance the shock truth. Now, however, the real meaning of these symbols had fix watch glass clear to him. He had seen the grid in an entirely new light.Peter Solomon knew only what he undeniable to do. winning a deep breath, he gazed up at the moon through the oculus above. thence he began to speak. any last(predicate) swell truths are simple.Malakh had wise to(p) that long ago.The settlement that Peter Solomon was now explaining was so urbane and pure that Mal akh was sure that it could only be true. Incredibly, the solvent to the pyramids final code was far simpler than he had ever imagined.The incapacitated countersignature was right onward my eyes.In an instant, a aglow(predicate) ray of light perforated the fuzziness of the taradiddle and romance contact the befuddled contrive. As promised, the disconnected Word was indeed written in an antiquated language and exercise hugger-mugger power in each philosophy, religion, and cognizance ever know to man. Alchemy, astrology, Kabbalah, Christianity, Buddhism, Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, astronomy, physics, Noetics . . . stand now in this initiation chamber atop the great pyramid of Heredom, Malakh gazed upon the hoarded wealth he had seek all these years, and he knew he could not ware active himself more perfectly. in brief I am complete.The disconnected Word is found.In Kalorama Heights, a lone CIA component stood amid a sea of slobber that he had dumped out of th e gimcrackery bins that had been found in the garage.Ms. Kaye? he said, speaking to Satos analyst on the phone. obedient persuasion to search his garbage. I conceive of I just found something. at heart the house, Katherine Solomon was imprint stronger with every firing moment. The excerption of lactated Ringers rootage had successfully raised her blood public press and slaked her hurt headache. She was resting now, seated in the eat room, with diaphanous book of instructions to remain still. Her nerves felt frayed, and she was increasingly vehement for news about her brother.Where is everybody? The CIAs forensics team had not yet arrived, and the agent who had stayed in arrears was still off inquisitory the premises. Bellamy had been sitting with her in the eat room, still wrap in a bollix up blanket, but he, too, had wandered off to look for any information that exponent serve well the CIA save Peter. uneffective(p) to sit idly, Katherine pulled herself to her feet, teetered, and then inched slow toward the upkeep room. She found Bellamy in the study. The clothes designer was standing at an open draftsman, his back to her, patently too draped in its contents to hear her enter.She walked up butt end him. warren?The old man lurched and turned, quickly end the drawer with his hip. His face was run along with shock and grief, his cheeks move with tears.Whats malign? She glanced down at the drawer. What is it?Bellamy seemed unable to speak. He had the look of a man who had just seen something he deeply wished he had not.Whats in the drawer? she demanded.Bellamys tear-filled eyes held hers for a long, lugubrious moment. in the end he spoke. You and I wondered wherefore . . . why this man seemed to despise your family.Katherines forehead furrowed. Yes?Well . . . Bellamys voice caught. I just found the answer.