Chapter 14

           LangdonsteppedoutofBuildingCintotheopenair,gratefultobeoutsideVetra’sflat.Thesunhelpeddissolvetheimageoftheemptyeyesocketemblazonedintohismind.

           "Thisway,please,"Kohlersaid,veeringupasteeppath.Theelectricwheelchairseemedtoaccelerateeffortlessly."Ms.Vetrawillbearrivinganymoment."

           Langdonhurriedtokeepup.

           "So,"Kohlerasked."DoyoustilldoubttheIlluminati’sinvolvement?"

           Langdonhadnoideawhattothinkanymore.Vetra’sreligiousaffiliationsweredefinitelytroubling,andyetLangdoncouldnotbringhimselftoabandoneveryshredofacademicevidencehehadeverresearched.Besides,therewastheeye…

           "Istillmaintain,"Langdonsaid,moreforcefullythanheintended."thattheIlluminatiarenotresponsibleforthismurder.Themissingeyeisproof."

           "What?"

           "Randommutilation,"Langdonexplained,"isvery…un—Illuminati.Cultspecialistsseedesultorydefacementfrominexperiencedfringesects—zealotswhocommitrandomactsofterrorism—buttheIlluminatihavealwaysbeenmoredeliberate."

           "Deliberate?Surgicallyremovingsomeone’seyeballisnotdeliberate?"

           "Itsendsnoclearmessage.Itservesnohigherpurpose."

           Kohler’swheelchairstoppedshortatthetopofthehill.Heturned."Mr.Langdon,believeme,thatmissingeyedoesindeedserveahigherpurpose…amuchhigherpurpose."

           Asthetwomencrossedthegrassyrise,thebeatingofhelicopterbladesbecameaudibletothewest.Achopperappeared,archingacrosstheopenvalleytowardthem.Itbankedsharply,thenslowedtoahoveroverahelipadpaintedonthegrass.