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ithin his Borgia apartments。 The Papal Vault contained those items the church deemed too dangerous for anyone's eyes except the Pope's。
Why did they hide that which inspired fear？ Fear brought people to God！
The vault's key was passed down from Pope to Pope。 Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca had purloined the key and ventured inside； the myth of what the vault contained was bewitching…the original manuscript for the fourteen unpublished books of the Bible known as the Apocrypha； the third prophecy of Fatima； the first two having e true and the third so terrifying the church would never reveal it。 In addition to these； the camerlegno had found the Illuminati Collection…all the secrets the church had uncovered after banishing the group from Rome 。 。 。 their contemptible Path of Illumination 。 。 。 the cunning deceit of the Vatican's head artist； Bernini 。 。 。 Europe's top scientists mocking religion as they secretly assembled in the Vatican's own Castle St。 Angelo。 The collection included a pentagon box containing iron brands； one of them the mythical Illuminati Diamond。 This was a part of Vatican history the ancients thought best forgotten。 The camerlegno； however； had disagreed。
〃But the antimatter 。 。 。〃 Vittoria demanded。 〃You risked destroying the Vatican！〃
〃There is no risk when God is at your side；〃 the camerlegno said。 〃This cause was His。〃
〃You're insane！〃 she seethed。
〃Millions were saved。〃
〃People were killed！〃
〃Souls were saved。〃
〃Tell that to my father and Max Kohler！〃
〃CERN's arrogance needed to be revealed。 A droplet of liquid that can vaporize a half mile？ And you call me mad？〃 The camerlegno felt a rage rising in him。 Did they think his was a simple charge？ 〃Those who believe undergo great tests for God！ God asked Abraham to sacrifice his child！ God manded Jesus to endure crucifixion！ And so we hang the symbol of the crucifix before our eyes…bloody； painful； agonizing…to remind us of evil's power！ To keep our hearts vigilant！ The scars on Jesus' body are a living reminder of the powers of darkness！ My scars are a living reminder！ Evil lives； but the power of God will overe！〃
His shouts echoed off the back wall of the Sistine Chapel and then a profound silence fell。 Time seemed to stop。 Michelangelo's Last Judgment rose ominously behind him 。 。 。 Jesus casting sinners into hell。 Tears brimmed in Mortati's eyes。
〃What have you done； Carlo？〃 Mortati asked in a whisper。 He closed his eyes； and a tear rolled。 〃His Holiness？〃
A collective sigh of pain went up； as if everyone in the room had forgotten until that very moment。 The Pope。 Poisoned。
〃A vile liar；〃 the camerlegno said。
Mortati looked shattered。 〃What do you mean？ He was honest！ He 。 。 。 loved you。〃
〃And I him。〃 Oh； how I loved him！ But the deceit！ The broken vows to God！
The camerlegno knew they did not understand right now； but they would。 When he told them； they would see！ His Holiness was the most nefarious deceiver the church had ever seen。 The camerlegno still remembered that terrible night。 He had returned from his trip to CERN with news of Vetra's Genesis and of antimatter's horrific power。 The camerlegno was certain the Pope would see the perils； but the Holy Father saw only hope in Vetra's breakthrough。 He even suggested the Vatican fund Vetra's work as a gesture of goodwill toward spiritually based scientific research。
Madness！ The church investing in research that threatened to make the church obsolete？ Work that spawned weapons of mass destruction？ The bomb that had killed his mother 。 。 。
〃But 。 。 。 you can't！〃 the camerlegno had exclaimed。
〃I owe a deep debt to science；〃 the Pope had replied。 〃Something I have hidden my entire life。 Science gave me a gift when I was a young man。 A gift I have never forgotten。〃
〃I don't understand。 What does science have to offer a man of God？〃
〃It is plicated；〃 the Pope had said。 〃I will need time to make you understand。 But first； there is a simple fact about me that you must know。 I have kept it hidden all these years。 I believe it is time I told you。〃
Then the Pope had told him the astonishing truth。
132
The camerlegno lay curled in a ball on the dirt floor in front of St。 Peter's tomb。 The Necropolis was cold； but it helped clot the blood flowing from the wounds he had torn at his own flesh。 His Holiness would not find him here。 Nobody would find him here 。 。 。
〃It is plicated；〃 the Pope's voice echoed in his mind。 〃I will need time to make you understand 。 。 。〃
But the camerlegno knew no amount of time could make him understand。
Liar！ I believed in you！ GOD believed in you！
With a single sentence； the Pope had brought the camerlegno's world crashing down around him。 Everything the camerlegno had ever believed about his mentor was shattered before his eyes。 The truth drilled into the camerlegno's heart with such force that he staggered backward out of the Pope's office and vomited in the hallway。
〃Wait！〃 the Pope had cried； chasing after him。 〃Please let me explain！〃
But the camerlegno ran off。 How could His Holiness expect him to endure any more？ Oh； the wretched depravity of it！ What if someone else found out？ Imagine the desecration to the church！ Did the Pope's holy vows mean nothing？
The madness came quickly； screaming in his ears； until he awoke before St。 Peter's tomb。 It was then that God came to him with an awesome fierceness。
YOURS IS A VENGEFUL GOD！
Together； they made their plans。 Together they would protect the church。 Together they would restore faith to this faithless world。 Evil was everywhere。 And yet the world had bee immune！ Together they would unveil the darkness for the world to see 。 。 。 and God would overe！ Horror and Hope。 Then the world would believe！
God's first test had been less horrible than the camerlegno imagined。 Sneaking into the Papal bed chambers 。 。 。 filling his syringe 。 。 。 covering the deceiver's mouth as his body spasmed into death。 In the moonlight； the camerlegno could see in the Pope's wild eyes there was something he wanted to say。
But it was too late。
The Pope had said enough。
133
The Pope fathered a child。〃
Inside the Sistine Chapel； the camerlegno stood unwavering as he spoke。 Five solitary words of astonishing disclosure。 The entire assembly seemed to recoil in unison。 The cardinals' accusing miens evaporated into aghast stares； as if every soul in the room were praying the camerlegno was wrong。
The Pope fathered a child。
Langdon felt the shock wave hit him too。 Vittoria's hand； tight in his； jolted； while Langdon's mind； already numb with unanswered questions； wrestled to find a center of gravity。
The camerlegno's utterance seemed like it would hang forever in the air above them。 Even in the camerlegno's frenzied eyes； Langdon could see pure conviction。 Langdon wanted to disengage； tell himself he was lost in some grotesque nightmare； soon to wake up in a world that made sense。
〃This must be a lie！〃 one of the cardinals yelled。
〃I will not believe it！〃 another protested。 〃His Holiness was as devout a man as ever lived！〃
It was Mortati who spoke next； his voice thin with devastation。 〃My friends。 What the