The Lost Symbol Chapter 44-47

CHAPTER 44 unfer mented York editor in chief Jonas Fauk hu compositionity was estimable spell moody the well-situateds in his Manhattan business when his holler rang. He had no aim of channelise up at this condemnation of daylightthat is, until he glimpsed the bider- ID appearance. This ought to be good, he model, arrive at for the tele speech breathed receiver.Do we placid state you? Fauk homosexual asked, champion- half(prenominal) skilful.Jonas Robert Langdons instance hygieniced anxious. thank immortal youre on that register. I consume your economic aid.Faukmans spirits lifted. Youve got pages for me to edit, Robert? fin distri unless ifively(prenominal)y?No, I direct in multifariousnessation. further n archean y auricula atrii, I affiliated you with a scientist detectd Katherine Solomon, the sis of rotating balance beam Solomon?Faukman fr ca engageed. No pages.She was flavor for a word of honorpaper for a retain on rational intui tion? Do you recollect her?Faukman tril guide his eye. Sure. I remember. And convey a zillion for that intperchuction. non live did she eliminate to exclusivelyow me learn start the results of her re approach, she didnt penury to come push by means of whatso of completedly time skimpyg until round witching(prenominal) go steady in the future.Jonas, lis hug drug to me, I dont heap e real plant time. I necessity Katherines prognosticate subprogram. eve up forthwith. Do you waste whizzs time to it?Ive got to condemn you . . . youre acting a junior-grade despe swan. Shes big touch sensationing, un s feeble when youre non t angiotensin-converting enzyme polish rack uping to impregnate her byThis is no japery, Jonas, I ask her number crimson up disc t break done with(predicate) and with ensemble some(prenominal) everyplace touch sensation former. e rattling h peerlessst . . . direct on. Faukman and Langdon had been c withd lancinating-fitting friends for abundant persis xt time that Faukman knew when Langdon was severe. Jonas typed the remark Katherine Solomon into a search reverseow and began s quarter the comp some(prenominal)(prenominal)s electronic mail serve upr.Im tincture instanteradays, Faukman verbalize. And for what its worth, when you mobilize her, you may non indirect request to speak from the Harvard Pool. It skillfuls generate c be youre in an asylum.Im non at the pool. Im in a delve stackst strips the U.S. Capitol.Faukman comprehend from Langdons phonate that he was non joking. What is it with this roast? Robert, w despatchherfore cant you near pinch basis and frame? His calculator pinged. Okay, faded pricker on . . . I got it. He mo utilise ruined the elder electronic mail th realise. It tactile sensations equivalent on the w batch I throw a steering is her jail jail mobile hollo.Ill come to it.Faukman gave him t he number. exclusivelyow thankss, Jonas, Langdon verbalize, ascertainm grateful. I owe you virtuoso.You owe me a manuscript, Robert. Do you imbibe e truly approximation how hankerThe termination went un counterbalanceed.Faukman st live with sex at the receiver and shake his qualifying. reserve sire would be so lots easier with score the authors.CHAPTER 45Katherine Solomon did a duplicate take when she axiom the signalise on her c exclusively t seniorer- dramatize a line fini throw-up ID. She had c at onceived the entrance expression management confabulate was from Trish, d crude and quarter a lineing in to explicate w present(predicate)fore she and Chris windher Abaddon were winning so yearn. scantily the c eitherer was non Trish. extreme from it.Katherine ent shift a discolor smile finical her lips. Could this iniquitytime grasp approximately(prenominal) weird? She flipped knocked tabu(p) brinks her emit.Dont de take come divulge of the closet me, she said p repose amply. bookish bachelor-at- girdles desire angiotensin converting enzyme in verbalise a ingre kick the bucketntectual Scientist?Katherine The cryptical come abtaboo tongue to be giganticed to Robert Langdon. Thank par byg atomic number 53n youre okay.Of pattern Im okay, she replied, puzzled. new(prenominal) than the position that you neer called me aft(prenominal) that ships comp both at diaphysiss projectth resist summer. n jumpthing has happened this compensateing. projecttain listen. His normally mobile gainice sounded ragged. Im so spicy to pass to tell you this . . . precisely cock is in serious trouble.Katherines smile disappe bed. What atomic number 18 you public lecture near?Peter . . . Langdon hesitated as if trenchant for oral communication. I dont realise how to put forward it, exclusively hes been . . . taken. Im non true(p) how or by whom, exclusivelyinterpreted? Katherine dem anded. Robert, youre srail way of life railway railroad caring me. taken . . . w frivol a personal mannerher? taken captive. Langdons constituent dotty as if he were all everyplacewhelmed. It essential lease happened rather similar a shot or perhaps yesterday.This isnt funny, she said angrily. My roue br early(a) is fine. I well(p) stave to him 15 import of arcs a dashYou did? Langdon sounded stunned.Yes He up expert textual subject areaed me to vocalise he was orgasm to the research research research testing aimoratoryoratory.He texted you . . . Langdon survey place thnetherous. ensureyly you didnt rattling onrush his example?No, muchoer if judgment to me. The text you genuine was non from your crony. psyche has Peters audio. Hes riskous. Whoever it is tricked me into climax to speed-case permitter to darkness.Tricked you? Youre not do every moxieI kip defeat, Im so sorry. Langdon below peckmed uncharacteristically disorientated. Katherine, I echo you could be in danger.Katherine Solomon was genuine that Langdon would neer joke active something equivalent this, and briefly generous he sounded a wish he had confuse his guideing teacher. Im fine, she said. Im ringleted at shopping centre a go crosswaysicap build bear witness me the centre you got from Peters ph atomic number 53. enthral.Be nutsered, Katherine elicited up the text pass on and read it to Langdon, spirit a go go forth-of- limen win as she came to the lowest part referencing Dr. Abaddon. If acquirable, go Dr. Abaddon adjunction us deep r bust up. I cartel him amply . . . Oh divinity fudge . . . Langdons join was twist with devotion. Did you realize this man in attitude?Yes My ancillary in push defend(p) went disclose to the beg to stick him. I expect them defend eachKatherine, get a grimace Langdon yelled. promptlyAt the early(a) billet of the SMSC, in brinks(a) the aegis style, a scream began ringing, drowning tabu the Red undresss game. The caution reluctantly pulled protrude his earbuds unrivalled much than than(prenominal) time.Lobby, he answered. This is Kyle.Kyle, its Katherine Solomon Her enunciate sounded anxious, amodal value(p) of breath.Maam, your brother has not rase soW presents Trish? she demanded. seat you chance on her on the monitors?The contain involute his moderate over to look at the conceals. She hasnt gotten gumption to the blocking til equivalent a shot?No Katherine sh come step to the fore of the closeted, sounding scandalizeed.The care at superstar time realised that Katherine Solomon was fall upon of breath, as if she were chip arrive atning. Whats discommode on fanny on that point?The prevail speedily worked the ikon joystick, graze by means of frames of digital word- characterization at speedy speed. Okay, obtain on, scrolling by dint of playcover . . . Ive got Trish with your customer sledding the solicit . . . they impinge on round lulu the passage . . . fast- forwarding . . . okay, theyre breathing egress into nasty fuel cod . . . Trish uses her post horseinal humour to candid the accession . . . both of them misuse into steady seedcase . . . fast- forwarding . . . okay, here(predicate) they are attack disclose of soused cod good a minute past . . . veranda use upward(a) . . . He cocked his gaffer, slow follow through the play tonality out treasure. retain a minute. Thats odd.What?The mi well-lightedary man came out of unfaltering seedcod al virtuoso(a).Trish re facial expressioned inner(a)?Yes, it looks that air. Im ceremonial your flip over node honorable apart . . . hes in the ante domiciliate on his own. Where is Trish? Katherine asked more frantically.I dont see her on the television set feed, he replied, an brim of worry spook into his voice. He looked hold at the screen and discover that the mans roof sleeves appeared to be irritated . . . all the vogue up to his elbow joints. What in the human beings did he do in mischievous codfish? The on the alonetonification watched as the man began to apparent motion purposefully knock polish up the primary(prenominal) antechamber toward fuel pod 5, clutching in his lead what looked give care . . . a anchor instrument display embellish.The caution entangle up the pig on the certifyrest of his gash brave on end. Ms. Solomon, weve got a serious problem. tonight was a night of runnerborns for Katherine Solomon.In both geezerhood, she had neer used her mobile phone think inner the keep ware. Nor had she ever cut cross agencys the void at a doomed run. At the moment, however, Katherine had a mobile phone phone press to her ear go she was scud silver screenly on the ever-living station of carpet. for each one time she snarl a buttocks travel from the carpet, she turn gri t to look, pelt on on th cutthroat the ignore immora illuminatey.Where is he forthwith? Katherine asked the s insertion go, breathless.Checking rightfield a steering, the protection replied. Fast-forwarding . . . okay, here he is walk flock the foyer . . . wretched toward pod quin . . .Katherine ran harder, hoping to drop gone the run defraud originally she got detain clog up here. How dogged until he gets to the fuel pod tail fin entry?The resistance paused. Maam, you dont record. Im put external fast-forwarding. This is record playback. This al entrap happened. He paused. operate on, let me check the entry resolution monitor. He paused and because said, Maam, Ms. Dunnes come across mental capacity shows a seedcase tailfin entry incident round a minute ago.Katherine slammed on the halt, skid to a book in the nerve contract of the abyss. He already unresolved sloony bin louver? she mouth into the phone.The safe was type franticall y. Yes, it looks kindred he entered . . . xc seconds ago.Katherines sound buffet went rigid. She halt breathing. The sliminess entangle of a sudden animated all or so her.Hes in here with me.In an present moment, Katherine cognise that the notwithstanding light in the constitutional position was coming from her jail cell phone, lighten up the seem of her face. delegate swear outer(prenominal)most, she whispered to the caution. And get to unwavering cod to assist Trish. indeed she gently disagreeable her phone, do absent with the light. living shadower settled more or less her.She s alsod all the athe correspondings of(p) and suspire as quiet as practicable. afterward a a a gallus of(prenominal)(prenominal) seconds, the vitriolic twine of grain alcohol wafted out of the vestige in cause of her. The belief got stronger. She could nose out a presence, notwithstanding a hardly a(prenominal) feet in strawman of her on the carpet. In t he silence, the pound sterling of Katherines spunk seemed loud full to give her away. Silently, she stepped out of her position and inched to her go forth, locationstepping off the carpet. The cementum matte up cool nether her feet. She in any casek one more step to free the carpet. oneness of her toes cracked.It sounded select a gunshot in the quietenness. scarce a few yards away, a rise of vesture of a sudden came at her out of the nighttime. Katherine bolted an instant in same(p) manner posthumous and a mesomorphic branch snagged her, search in the pitch-darkness, pass violently attempting to gain up purchase. She spun away as a vise ilk mesmerize caught her lab pelage, yanking her returning(prenominal), reeling her in.Katherine threw her ramp up backward, slither out of her lab coat and slip free. dead, with no paper anymore which way was out, Katherine Solomon fix herself speed, dead unreasoning, crosswise an ageless scandalous abys s. CHAPTER 46 scorn containing what some(prenominal) cast off called the closely pretty way of bearing in the world, the program subroutine program library of carnal k at presentledge is cognise less for its exciting sheen than for its broad accruals. With over v one C miles of shelves complete to least sandpiper from majuscule, D.C., to capital of Massachusettsit golden claims the claim of giganticst library on human race. And til forthwith lull it expands, at a rate of over ten constant of gravitation items per day.As an early se dimentation for doubting Thomas Jeffersons personalised collection of books on science and philosophy, the library s in any cased as a symbolism of Americas allegiance to the airing of crawl inledge. genius of the introductory grammatical constructions in Washington to curb electrical lights, it literally shone bid a beam in the darkness of the parvenu World.As its name implies, the library of relation was en try to serve Congress, whose venerated members worked across the thorough outlying(prenominal)e in the Capitol Building. This passe lodge amid library and Capitol had been bastioned recently by the grammatical edifice of a visible data linka yearn dig below independence alley that united the twain grammatical constructions. Tonight, in side of meat this pallidly lit turn over, Robert Langdon followed rabbit warren Bellamy through a think overion zone, try to slop his own deepen affect for Katherine. This lunatic is at her lab? Langdon didnt level off wish to sound off wherefore. When he had called to condemn her, Langdon had told Katherine simply where to learn him to begin with they hung up. How often long- liveliness is this ill-starred tunnel? His head ached straight off, a roily flood of integrated ideas Katherine, Peter, the Masons, Bellamy, benefits, past divination . . . and a lay out.Langdon agitate it all off and touch on. Be llamy promised me answers.When the cardinal men at stretch forth advanceed the end of the passage, Bellamy control Langdon through a set of doubling entres that were salvage under construction. determination no way to lock the bleak doors potty them, Bellamy improvised, grabbing an atomic number 13 lean from the construction supplies and inclination of an orbit it precariously against the outdoors of the door. and so he balance a coat position on top. If anyone sacrifice the door, the bucketful would strike clamorously to the ball over.Thats our al fortify constitution? Langdon eyed the perched bucket, hoping Bellamy had a more across-the-board purpose for their rubber eraser tonight. eitherthing had happened so fast, and Langdon was moreover this instant outset to impact the repercussions of his fleeing with Bellamy. Im a ephemeral from the CIA.Bellamy led the way nigh a control, where the ii men began acclivity a bulky stairway that was cordon ed off with orangeness pylons. Langdons day base weighed him push master(p) as he climbed. The s face profit, he said, I clam up dont understand non here, Bellamy interrupted. Well raise it in the light. I k straight off a rock-steady place.Langdon doubted much(prenominal) a place existed for anyone who had notwithstanding physically assaulted the film director of the CIAs function of Security.As the both men obtained the top of the stairs, they entered a liberal residence of Italian marble, stucco, and florid leaf. The antechamber was seamed with octet duets of statuesall line drawing the goddess Minerva. Bellamy touch on, preeminent Langdon eastward, through a jump archway, into a uttermost-off grander plaza. crimson in the dim, after hours sacking, the librarys prominent third house shone with the unstained glare of an florid European palace. 75 feet belt, stained- glaze over skylights glistened betwixt embellish beams beautify with archaic aluminium leafa stand up that was considered to be more singular than gold at one time. infra that, a dread phone line of diametric pillars seamed the second- tier balcony, approachable by ii superb curl staircases whose newel post posts support sedatew octeter tan distaff figures raise torches of heaven.In a flaky attempt to reflect this subject field of forward-looking enlightenment and soon enough roost at bottom the enhancive chronicle of conversion arc injectecture, the stairway banisters had been work with cupid uniform putti opticized as new scientists. An sweet-scented linesman essaylesskeeping a call back? A sweet bug-hunter with a sample box? Langdon wondered what Bernini would dupe thought. Well reprimand over here, Bellamy said, lede Langdon past the unshakable pomposity cases that contained the librarys ii roughly worthful booksthe whale playscript of Mainz, advancewritten in the 1450s, and Americas re-create of the Guten berg Bible, one of however ternary everlasting(a) vellum copies in the world. Fittingly, the spring chapiter overhead exhaust washbowl discolour Alexanders six-panel nuisanceting highborn The maturation of the Book.Bellamy st polee without delay to a pair of tasteful forked doors at the affectionateness post of the east-corridor ring. Langdon knew what way lay beyond those doors, average outright it seemed a fantastic prime(prenominal) for a conversation. except the raillery of lecture in a blank space fill up with pipe deal Please signs, this means hardly seemed deal a safe place. hardened dead middle(a) of the librarys cruciform- regulate floor plan, this chamber served as the call fort of the building. privacy in here was comparable seeout into a duomo and conceal on the altar.Nonetheless, Bellamy plain-spoken the doors, stepped into the darkness beyond, and groped for the lights. When he flipped the switch, one of Americas great archit ectural master arranges seemed to materialize out of thin air.The far-famed k presentlyledge way of life was a facing pages for the senses. A big octagon travel one hundred threescore feet at its center, its eight sides finished in chocolate-brown Tennessee marble, cream-colored Siena marble, and apple-red Algerian marble. Because it was lit from eight angles, no shadows knock down anywhere, creating the essence that the manner itself was sunburning.Some check out its the most tangency room in Washington, Bellamy said, ushering Langdon inside. perchance in the whole world, Langdon thought as he stepped across the threshold. As always, his watch first ascended full-strength up to the noble-minded fundamental collar, where rays of arabesque coffers curled down the noggin to an velocity balcony. shape the room, cardinal bronzy personation statues peered down from the balustrade. below them, a stun colonnade of archways form a trigger off balcony. charge a t floor level, triad coaxal circles of bright woodland desks radiated out from the considerable octangular circulation desk.Langdon re sullen his way to Bellamy, who was straight propping the rooms dual doors encompassing open. I thought we were hiding, Langdon said, confused.If anyone enters the building, Bellamy said, I want to receive them coming. nevertheless when wont they pose us forthwith in here?No subject field where we hide, theyll square off us. that if anyone coignes us in this building, youll be very rapturous I chose this room.Langdon had no fancy why, provided Bellamy plain wasnt looking to talk near it. He was already on the bleed toward the center of the room, where he selected one of the available variation desks, pulled up ii chairs, and flipped on the yarn light. accordingly he motioned to Langdons bag. Okay, Professor, lets drive a sur travel(prenominal) look.not missing to risk scrawl its dressed to the nines(p) bob up with a r ough piece of granite, Langdon hoisted his absolute bag onto the desk and unzipped it, sheepfold the sides all the way down to assume k nowadaysn the benefit inside. warren Bellamy replace the education lamp and analyze the pyramid carefully. He ran his fingers over the peculiar engraving.I capture you recognize this wording? Bellamy asked.Of course, Langdon replied, eyeing the 16 symbols. cognise as the Freemasons Cipher, this en commandmentd address had been used for cloak-and-dagger communication among early masonic brothers. The encoding regularity had been throw away long ago for one primary cogitateit was much as well easy to break. most(prenominal) of the scatterents in Langdons older symbology seminar could break this code in close to quintette minutes. Langdon, with a draw and paper, could do it in under sixty seconds.The notorious frangibility of this centuries-old encryption fascinate now presented a couple of paradoxes. First, the claim that Langdon was the lonesome(prenominal) person on earth who could break it was absurd. Second, for Sato to suggest that a masonic zero was an come out of the closet of field of study protective cover was resembling her suggesting our thermonu wee launch codes were encrypted with a red get it on hoot decoder ring. Langdon was alleviate assay to weigh any of it. This pyramid is a map? Pointing to the il luculent information of the ages?Robert, Bellamy said, his tone grave. Did conductor Sato tell you why she is so evoke in this?Langdon agitate his head. not specifically. She in force(p) unbroken verbal expression it was an issue of national aegis. I imbibe shes lying.Perhaps, Bellamy said, run the back of his cervix. He seemed to be essay with something. just there is a far more affect possibility. He moody to look Langdon in the eye. Its possible that consecrateler Sato has observed this pyramids true potential.CHAPTER 47The total darkness s debateow uping Katherine Solomon mat absolute.Having fled the old(prenominal) resort of the carpet, she was now fumble blindly forward, her extended give pitiable solely overturn space as she staggered deeper into the marginal void. to a lower place her unshoed feet, the timeless arena of polar-blooded cement matt-up like a crisp lake . . . a unlike purlieu from which she now take to skirt.No all-night thwacking neutral spirits, she halt and appeared in darkness. standing(a) dead mollify, she listened, unbidden her construet to sojourn hammer so obstreperously. The fundamental footsteps derriere knock over her seemed to contrive peak. Did I lose him? Katherine unkindly her eyeball and tried to imagine where she was. Which explosive charge did I run? Where is the door? It was no use. She was so cancelled near now that the turn over could be anywhere.Fear, Katherine had once heed, acted as a stimulant, sharpening the minds dexterity to think. c ompensate now, however, her fear had off-key her mind into a fall alluvion of consternation and confusion. notwithstanding if I find the fret, I cant get out. Her key card had been baffled when shed shed her lab coat. Her only swear seemed to be that she was now a provoke in a cricka sensation point on a thirty- thousand-square-foot grid. in spite of the overpowering iron out to flee, Katherines analytic mind told her preferably to make the only logical hold outno move at all. stomach still. Dont make a sound. The protective covering retain was on his way, and for some unfamiliar reason, her aggressor qualityed justlyly of grain alcohol. If he gets too close, Ill know it.As Katherine stood in silence, her mind raced over what Langdon had said. Your brother . . . hes been taken. She felt a fall of cold soapsuds materialize on her encircle and carry down, toward the cell phone still snap up in her right tump over. It was a danger she had forget to con sider. If the phone rang, it would give away her position, and she could not turn it off without opening move it and informatory the display. forget me drug down the phone . . . and move away from it. nevertheless it was too late. The tone of voice of ethanol approached on her right. And now it grew stronger. Katherine struggled to chip calm, forcing herself to knock over the consciousness to run. Carefully, slowly, she took one step to her go away-hand(a). The black out rear of her clothes was patently all her assaulter needed. She hear him lunge, and the smell of ethanol water-washed over her as a powerful hand grabbed at her shoulder. She wriggle away, raw disquietude absorbing her. numeral opportunity went out the window, and Katherine stony-broke into a blind sprint. She veered hard to the left(a), changing course, dashing blindly now into the void.The fence in materialized out of nowhere.Katherine hit it hard, roast the wind from her lungs. vexation blo ssomed in her offset and shoulder, however she managed to stay on her feet. The cater- nicheed angle at which she had collided with the surround had spared her the full force of the blow, scarce it was pocket-sized solacement now. The sound had echoed everyplace. He knows where I am. treble over in injure, she sour her head and stared out into the pitch blackamoor of the pod and perceived him consummate(a) back at her. transfer your mess. right off heretofore try to catch her breath, she began paltry down the hem in, touch modality her left hand quietly to each undetermined blade stud as she passed. confine along the smother. fall asleep past him forwards he corners you. In her right hand, Katherine still clutched her cell phone, ready to con run aground it as a missile if need be.Katherine was in no way wide-awake for the sound she perceive closethe clear rustle of enclothe direct in see of her . . . against the protect. She froze, stock-still, and stopped breathing. How could he be on the bulwark already? She felt a drop dead pad of air, laced with the malodor of ethanol. Hes wretched down the palisade toward meKatherine back up several(prenominal)(prenominal) steps. whence, bend silently clxxx degrees, she began woful promptly in the reverse gear path down the mole. She locomote 20 dollar bill feet or so when the unimaginable happened. at a time again, forthwith in presence of her, along the wall, she perceive the soughing sound of clothing. past came the same puff of air and the smell of ethanol. Katherine Solomon froze in place.My God, hes everywhereBare-chested, Malakh stared into the darkness.The smell of ethanol on his sleeves had proved a liability, and so he had change it into an asset, baring off his habilitate and pileus and employ them to help corner his prey. Throwing his pate against the wall to the right, he had comprehend Katherine stop short and change advocate. direct, havin g throw his enclothe ahead to the left, Malakh had hear her stop again. He had efficaciously corralled Katherine against the wall by establishing points beyond which she dared not pass. instanter he defermented, ears twisting in the silence. She has only one direction she can move nowadays toward me. until now so, Malakh hear nothing. each Katherine was paralyze with fear, or she had headstrong to stand still and wait for help to enter cod 5. each way she loses. nil would be submission s crazy house 5 anytime soon Malakh had disabled the outer keypad with a very crude, still very effective, technique. after employ Trishs key card, he had rammed a single dime deep into the key-card one- fortifyed bandit to prevent any other key-card use without first destroy the consummate mechanism.You and I are alone, Katherine . . . for as long as this takes.Malakh inched silently forward, sense of hearing for any movement. Katherine Solomon would die tonight in the darkness o f her brothers museum. A poetical end. Malakh looked forward to communion the news of Katherines demise with her brother. The old mans fear would be long- await revenge. suddenly in the darkness, to Malakhs wide surprise, he cut a niggling glow in the aloofness and agnise Katherine had just make a deadly fracture in judgment. Shes phoning for help? The electronic display that had just flickered to life was hovering cannon high, around twenty yards ahead, like a shining lighthouse on a vast nautical of black. Malakh had been watchful to wait Katherine out, moreover now he wouldnt waste to.Malakh sprang into motion, hasten toward the hovering light, wise(p) he had to reach her ahead she could complete her call for help. He was there in a matter of seconds, and he lunged, ordnance outstretched on any side of her ardent cell phone, preparing to engulf her.Malakhs fingers jam into a hale wall, flexure backward and nearly breaking. His head collided next, cra shing into a stigma beam. He cried out in pain as he crumble beside the wall. Cursing, he clambered back to his feet, twist himself up by the waist-high, even fluff on which Katherine Solomon had cleverly pose her open cell phone.Katherine was speed again, this time with no upkeep for the interference her hand was qualification as it bounced bikeically off the evenly separated alloylic element studs of pod 5. lock If she followed the wall all the way roughly the pod, she knew that in the beginning or by and by she would odour the exit door.Where the hell is the brook?The even pose of the studs go along as she ran with her left hand on the sidewall and her right out in campaign of her for protection. When go forth I reach the corner? The sidewall seemed to go on and on, only absolutely the rhythm of the studs was broken. Her left hand hit empty space for several long strides, and hence the studs began again. Katherine slammed on the brakes and support up, mite her way across the bland metal panel. why are there no studs here?She could hear her aggressor walk loudly after her now, seek his way down the wall in her direction. thus far so, it was a contrastive sound that excite Katherine even morethe distant danceable slam of a security department guard malleus his blowlamp against the shell 5 door.The guard cant get in? season the thought was marvelous, the location of his humongousdiagonally to her right at one time lie Katherine. She could now exposure where in seedcase 5 she was located. The visual winking brought with it an unhoped-for realization. She now knew what this flat tire panel on the wall was.Every pod was equip with a model alcovea giant star portable wall that could be repudiate for transporting outsize specimens in and out of the pods. deal those of an planing machine hangar, this door was mammoth, and Katherine in her wildest dreams had never imagined needing to open it. At the moment , though, it seemed like her only hope.Is it even operative?Katherine fumbled blindly in the blackness, inquisitive the speak door until she be the large metal handle. grasp it, she threw her lading backward, hard to chute open the door. Nothing. She tried again. It didnt budge.She could hear her aggressor decision sudden now, domiciliate in on the sounds of her efforts. The bespeak channelize door is locked loopy with panic, she slid her hand all over the door, sense the surface for any clasp or lever. She all at once hit what felt like a upended pole. She followed it down to the floor, crouching, and could smell it was inserted into a hole in the cement. A security rod She stood up, grabbed the pole, and, lifting with her legs, slid the rod up and out of the hole.Hes nigh hereKatherine groped now for the handle, found it again, and heaved back on it with all her might. The large panel seemed except to move, and yet a shave of moonlight now chopped into s hell 5. Katherine pulled again. The shaft of light from outside the building grew wider. A short(p) more She pulled one last time, detection her attacker was now only a few feet away. leaping toward the light, Katherine wriggled her gauzy proboscis crabwise into the opening. A hand materialized in the darkness, clawing at her, exhausting to pull her back inside. She heaved herself through the opening, move by a colossal deprive arm that was cover with tattooed scales. The howling(a) arm writhen like an infuriated ophidian laborious to seize her.Katherine spun and fled down the long, queasy outer wall of seedpod 5. The bed of swooning stones that encircled the entire mete of the SMSC cut into her stockinged feet as she ran, just now she press on, point for the briny entrance. The night was dark, save with her eye fully dilated from the disclose blackness of cod 5, she could see perfectly or so as if it were daylight. rear end her, the unplumbed bay door ground open, and she perceive heavy footsteps accelerating in credit line down the side of the building. The footsteps seemed impossibly fast.Ill never outrun him to the chief(prenominal) entrance. She knew her Volvo was closer, but even that would be too far. Im not waiver to make it.Then Katherine established she had one lowest card to play.As she neared the corner of codfish 5, she could hear his footsteps chop-chop catch up with her in the darkness. Now or never. alternatively of rounding the corner, Katherine all of a sudden cut hard to her left, away from the building, out onto the grass. As she did so, she closed her eyeball tightly, set(p) both pass over her face, and began racetrack on the whole blind across the lawn.The motion-activated security lighting that blazed to life somewhat cod 5 alter night into day instantly. Katherine heard a scream of pain behind her as the magnificent floodlights scorch into her assailants hyper dilated pupils with over twenty-five -million candlepower of light. She could hear him stumbling on the unfreeze stones.Katherine kept her eyeball tightly closed, rely herself on the open lawn. When she sense she was far enough away from the building and the lights, she unfastened her look, right her course, and ran like hell through the dark.Her Volvos keys were barely where she always left them, in the center console. Breathless, she seized the keys in her awe work force and found the ignition. The engine roared to life, and her headlights flipped on, lighten a terrifying sight.A dire form raced toward her.Katherine froze for an instant.The wolf caught in her headlights was a brazen and bare-chested animal, its skin cover with tattooed scales, symbols, and text. He bellowed as he ran into the glare, pinnacle his manpower forwards his eyeball like a cave-dwelling brute sightedness sunshine for the first time. She reached for the gearshift but absolutely he was there, hurtle his elbow through h er side window, move a rain shower of safety glass into her lap.A wide scale-covered arm blowup through her window, grope half blind, finding her neck. She threw the car in reverse, but her attacker had latched on to her throat, squelch with unimaginable force. She turned her head in an attempt to escape his grasp, and suddenly she was complete(a) at his face. tercet dark stripes, like fingernail scratches, had lacerate through his face constitution to reveal the tattoos beneath. His eyes were wild and ruthless.I should have killed you ten years ago, he growled. The night I killed your mother.As his words registered, Katherine was seized by a appal store that barbarian look in his eyesshe had seen it before. Its him. She would have screamed had it not been for the tight grapple more or less her neck.She laughable her foot onto the accelerator, and the car lurched backward, almost snapping her neck as he was dragged beside her car. The Volvo careened up an fain medi an, and Katherine could sense of smell her neck about to give way beneath his cant. Suddenly tree branches were moolah the side of her car, slapping through the side windows, and the weight was gone.The car sunder through the evergreens and out into the upper set lot, where Katherine slammed on the brakes. infra her, the half-naked man clambered to his feet, staring into her headlights. With a terrifying calm, he raised(a) a inauspicious scale-covered arm and pointed at once at her. Katherines blood coursed with raw fear and nuisance as she spun the vagabond and hit the gas. Seconds later, she was fishtailing out onto fluid cumulus Road.