Chapter 64

           LangdonandVittoria’staxicompletedtheone-milesprintupthewideViadellaScrofainjustoveraminute.TheyskiddedtoastoponthesouthsideofthePiazzadelPopolojustbeforeeight.Nothavinganylire,LangdonoverpaidthedriverinU.S.dollars.HeandVittoriajumpedout.ThepiazzawasquietexceptforthelaughterofahandfuloflocalsseatedoutsidethepopularRosatiCafé—ahotspotoftheItalianliterati.Thebreezesmelledofespressoandpastry.

           LangdonwasstillinshockoverhismistakeatthePantheon.Withacursoryglanceatthissquare,however,hissixthsensewasalreadytingling.ThepiazzaseemedsubtlyfilledwithIlluminatisignificance.Notonlywasitlaidoutinaperfectlyellipticalshape,butdeadcenterstoodatoweringEgyptianobelisk—asquarepillarofstonewithadistinctivelypyramidaltip.SpoilsofRome’simperialplundering,obeliskswerescatteredacrossRomeandreferredtobysymbologistsas"LoftyPyramids"—skywardextensionsofthesacredpyramidalform.

           AsLangdon’seyesmovedupthemonolith,though,hissightwassuddenlydrawntosomethingelseinthebackground.Somethingevenmoreremarkable.

           "We’reintherightplace,"hesaidquietly,feelingasuddenexposedwariness."Havealookatthat."LangdonpointedtotheimposingPortadelPopolo—thehighstonearchwayatthefarendofthepiazza.Thevaultedstructurehadbeenoverlookingthepiazzaforcenturies.Deadcenterofthearchway’shighestpointwasasymbolicengraving."Lookfamiliar?"

           Vittorialookedupatthehugecarving.