Chapter 30

           "MaximilianKohler.Kindlycallyourofficeimmediately."

           BlazingsunbeamsfloodedLangdon’seyesastheelevatordoorsopenedintothemainatrium.Beforetheechooftheannouncementontheintercomoverheadfaded,everyelectronicdeviceonKohler’swheelchairstartedbeepingandbuzzingsimultaneously.Hispager.Hisphone.HisE-mail.Kohlerglanceddownattheblinkinglightsinapparentbewilderment.Thedirectorhadresurfaced,andhewasbackinrange.

           "DirectorKohler.Pleasecallyouroffice."

           ThesoundofhisnameonthePAseemedtostartleKohler.

           Heglancedup,lookingangeredandthenalmostimmediatelyconcerned.Langdon’seyesmethis,andVittoria’stoo.Thethreeofthemweremotionlessamoment,asifallthetensionbetweenthemhadbeenerasedandreplacedbyasingle,unifyingforeboding.

           Kohlertookhiscellphonefromthearmrest.Hedialedanextensionandfoughtoffanothercoughingfit.VittoriaandLangdonwaited.

           "Thisis…DirectorKohler,"hesaid,wheezing."Yes?Iwassubterranean,outofrange."Helistened,hisgrayeyeswidening."Who?Yes,patchitthrough."Therewasapause."Hello?ThisisMaximilianKohler.IamthedirectorofCERN.WithwhomamIspeaking?"

           VittoriaandLangdonwatchedinsilenceasKohlerlistened.

           "Itwouldbeunwise,"Kohlerfinallysaid,"tospeakofthisbyphone.Iwillbethereimmediately."Hewascoughingagain."Meetme…atLeonardodaVinciAirport.Fortyminutes."Kohler’sbreathseemedtobefailinghimnow.Hedescendedintoafitofcoughingandbarelymanagedtochokeoutthewords,"Locatethecanisterimmediately…Iamcoming.