INT PAPAL OFFICE NIGHT-- the papal office, where the Camerlengo, Rocher, Olivetti, and
Vittoria are gathered again, as are HALF A DOZEN other security
officers. It's crowded, busy, little knots of jurisdictional
arguments and competing theories around the room.
The Camerlengo, at his desk, is stunned, speaking to Olivetti.
Langdon edges close enough to hear, but not too close.
CAMERLENGO
When did this call come in?
OLIVETTI
Three, four minutes ago. The same
voice as on the tape. We're
analyzing the accent now, Alsatian is
our best guess at the moment.
CAMERLENGO
And he actually claimed responsibility
for the death of His Holiness?
OLIVETTI
Not personally, but he said it was the
Illuminati. He said they murdered
him.
CAMERLENGO
That's ridiculous, the Holy Father
died of a stroke. Did he say how
they claim to have done it?
OLIVETTI
The Pope's own medication. A drug
known as Heparin?
There is silence for a moment. Rocher looks up. Looks away.
VITTORIA
The Pope took Heparin?
CAMERLENGO
He had thrombophlebitis. He took an
injection once a day. But no one
knew that.
OLIVETTI
Someone knew.
59.
ROCHER
His Holiness had health concerns; he
was subject to seizures as well. But
he took steps to make sure he was --
watched. For safety. That's all
he wished to be made public, and
that's all we should discuss.
VITTORIA
(ignoring him)
Heparin is lethal in the wrong dosage.
An overdose would cause massive
internal bleeding and brain
hemorrhages. At first it might look
like a stroke, but in a few days his
body would show signs, we could easily-
Rocher spins on her, livid.
ROCHER
Ms. Vetra, in case you're unaware,
papal autopsies are prohibited by
Vatican Law. We are not about to
defile His Holiness's body just
because his enemies claim to-
CAMERLENGO
Of course we're not. We'll make a
public announcement refuting this
absurd claim.
Father Simeon, Cardinal Mortati's aide, steps forward.
FR. SIMEON
I'm afraid that's out of the question.
Cardinal Mortati has insisted this
entire matter be kept internal.
CAMERLENGO
Cardinal Mortati shouldn't even be
aware of this, he's locked in
conclave.
FR. SIMEON
His final instructions before sealing
the doors were very clear -- no outside
communications unless absolutely
necessary.
CAMERLENGO
Cardinal Mortati will remember that he
is Dean of the College of Cardinals,
not His Holiness himself.
60.
FR. SIMEON
As you say. Yet, technically, now that
Conclave has begun, it is his
privilege and duty to control public
announcements. I've drafted a short
release about the incident in the
square, but any other statements are
specifically prohibited. For that, the
Cardinal has asked me to remind you --
we have a chimney.
The Camerlengo just stares at him, a power struggle. Which he is
going to lose.
CAMERLENGO
As you say.
(turns away)
Commander Rocher, the search for the
device?
ROCHER
We've turned the power off and on to
about twenty percent of Vatican City.
Nothing on the video yet.
CAMERLENGO
Mr. Langdon, you've been right so far,
if belatedly, about the Path. It's now
nine fifteen, how quickly can you find
the next church?
Langdon refers to a map spread out on the desk.
LANGDON
The line of the breath in the carving
points due east, directly away from
Vatican City, but there are five
lines, so there's room for error.
While he talks, an AIDE in a business suit is ushered quietly in
the door by a Swiss Guardsman. He's carrying a satchel.
Vittoria recognizes him, and he goes to her.
LANGDON (cont'd)
There are about twenty churches that
intersect it. None of their names
invoke "fire," but there must be a
Bernini sculpture inside one of them
that does. I'm going to need to get
back into the Archives to find it.
61.
CAMERLENGO
(to Olivetti)
Escort him.
Langdon looks to Vittoria -- you coming? She looks up from a table,
where she's opened the satchel brought in by the Aide. She holds
two leather-bound books in her hand.
VITTORIA
The journals I asked for. I'd like
to stay here and study them. If
Leonardo told anyone else about our
project, that could be the killer.
CAMERLENGO
Fine.
The group starts to break up, half of them headed for the doors.
As Langdon rolls up the map on the desk, the Camerlengo notices
his black clothes for the first time.
CAMERLENGO (cont'd)
Professor, would it surprise you to
find those clothes suit you?
Langdon manages a sliver of a smile, starting to like this guy.
LANGDON
It would surprise the hell out of me.
CUT TO:
EXT ST. PETER'S SQUARE NIGHT
St. Peter's has been cleared out, the throng moved to barricades
at its edges so that the crime scene can be properly investigated.
Flashbulbs POP everywhere.
The row of TV REPORTERS is nearly shoulder to shoulder, and we
move along them --- first up is an ITALIAN REPORTER:
ITALIAN REPORTER
(SUBTITLED)
-- a statement just released by the
Vatican expressing sympathy for the
family of the mugging victim, a
tourist from Dusseldorf --
Still moving, we pass a CHINESE REPORTER.
62.
CHINESE REPORTER
(SUBTITLED)
--- who is now confirmed dead.
Vatican Police have a suspect in
custody, and after photographing the
crime scene ---
Still moving, a FRENCH REPORTER.
FRENCH REPORTER
(SUBTITLED)
--- will allow the crowds of faithful
back into St. Peter's Square, where
security will be doubled.
Still moving, a BBC REPORTER, in English.
BBC REPORTER
Sadly, the Vatican spokesman points
out, where crowds go --
And finally, an AMERICAN.
AMERICAN REPORTER
--- so often follows crime. We're
trying now to get the name of the
tourist who was- wait a-
The American Reporter looks confused, somebody's talking to her in
her earpiece.
AMERICAN REPORTER (cont'd)
We're getting word now of -- smoke,
smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney,
apparently there's been another vote I
And almost as one, the row of TV cameras all swing away from the
crime scene in the square and up, to the Sistine Chapel chimney,
where there is indeed a thick cloud --
--- of black smoke. Still no new pope, and the subject is
effectively changed.
CUT TO:
Date: 2015-12-18; view: 510
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