Ангелы и демоны

Chapter 89

           TheywerenearingtheNicheofthePalliums—thesunkenareainthecenterofthebasilica.Itwaslitbyninety-nineoillamps,andtheamplifiedinfraredwouldhavesearedtheireyes.

           Chartrandenjoyedbeingoutoftheheavygoggles,andhestretchedhisneckastheydescendedintothesunkennichetoscanthearea.Theroomwasbeautiful…goldenandglowing.Hehadnotbeendownhereyet.

           ItseemedeverydaysinceChartrandhadarrivedinVaticanCityhehadlearnedsomenewVaticanmystery.Theseoillampswereoneofthem.Therewereexactlyninety-ninelampsburningatalltimes.Itwastradition.Theclergyvigilantlyrefilledthelampswithsacredoilssuchthatnolampeverburnedout.Itwassaidtheywouldburnuntiltheendoftime.

           Oratleastuntilmidnight,Chartrandthought,feelinghismouthgodryagain.

           Chartrandswunghisdetectorovertheoillamps.Nothinghiddeninhere.Hewasnotsurprised;thecanister,accordingtothevideofeed,washiddeninadarkarea.

           Ashemovedacrosstheniche,hecametoabulkheadgratecoveringaholeinthefloor.Theholeledtoasteepandnarrowstairwaythatwentstraightdown.Hehadheardstoriesaboutwhatlaydownthere.Thankfully,theywouldnothavetodescend.Rocher’sorderswereclear.Searchonlythepublicaccessareas;ignorethewhitezones.

           "What’sthatsmell?"heasked,turningawayfromthegrate.Thenichesmelledintoxicatinglysweet.

           "Fumesfromthelamps,"oneofthemreplied.

           Chartrandwassurprised."Smellsmorelikecolognethankerosene."

           "It’snotkerosene.

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