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: 643