«Let’s just say I’m a skeptic,» he told Sato. «I have never seen anything in the real world to suggest the Ancient Mysteries are anything other than legend — a recurring mythological archetype. It seems to me that if it were possible for humans to acquire miraculous powers, there would be evidence. And yet, so far, history has given us no men with superhuman powers.»

Sato arched her eyebrows. «That’s not entirely true.»

Langdon hesitated, realizing that for many religious people, there was indeed a precedent for human gods, Jesus being the most obvious. «Admittedly,» he said, «there are plenty of educated people who believe this empowering wisdom truly exists, but I’m not yet convinced.»

«Is Peter Solomon one of those people?» Sato asked, glancing toward the hand on the floor.

Langdon could not bring himself to look at the hand. «Peter comes from a family lineage that has always had a passion for all things ancient and mystical.»

«Was that a yes?» Sato asked.

«I can assure you that even if Peter believes the Ancient Mysteries are real, he does not believe they are accessible through some kind of portal hidden in Washington, D.C. He understands metaphorical symbolism, which is something his captor apparently does not.»

Sato nodded. «So you believe this portal is a metaphor.»

«Of course,» Langdon said. «In theory, anyway. It’s a very common metaphor — a mystical portal through which one must travel to become enlightened. Portals and doorways are common symbolic constructs that represent transformative rites of passage. To look for a literal portal would be like trying to locate the actual Gates of Heaven.»

Sato seemed to consider this momentarily. «But it sounds like Mr. Solomon’s captor believes you can unlock an actual portal.»

Langdon exhaled. «He’s made the same error many zealots make — confusing metaphor with a literal reality.» Similarly, early alchemists had toiled in vain to transform lead into gold, never realizing that lead-to-gold was nothing but a metaphor for tapping into true human potential — that of taking a dull, ignorant mind and transforming it into a bright, enlightened one.

sato motioned to the hand. «if this man wants you to locate some kind of portal for him, why wouldn’t he simply tell you how to find it? Why all the dramatics? Why give you a tattooed hand?»

Langdon had asked himself the same question and the answer was unsettling. «Well, it seems the man we are dealing with, in addition to being mentally unstable, is also highly educated. This hand is proof that he is well versed in the Mysteries as well as their codes of secrecy. Not to mention with the history of this room.»

«I don’t understand.»

«Everything he has done tonight was done in perfect accordance with ancient protocols. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is a sacred invitation, and therefore it must be presented in a sacred place.»

Sato’s eyes narrowed. «This is the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building, Professor, not some sacred shrine to ancient mystical secrets.»

«Actually, ma’am,» Langdon said, «I know a great number of historians who would disagree with you.»

At that moment, across town, Trish Dunne was seated in the glow of the plasma wall inside the Cube. She finished preparing her search spider and typed in the five key phrases Katherine had given her.

Here goes nothing.

Feeling little optimism, she launched the spider, effectively commencing a worldwide game of Go Fish. At blinding speed, the phrases were now being compared to texts all over the world. . looking for a perfect match.

Trish couldn’t help but wonder what this was all about, but she had come to accept that working with the Solomons meant never quite knowing the entire story.

Robert Langdon stole an anxious glance at his wristwatch: 7:58 p.m. the smiling face of mickey mouse did little to cheer him up. I’ve got to find Peter. We’re wasting time.

Sato had stepped aside for a moment to take a phone call, but now she returned to Langdon. «Professor, am I keeping you from something?»

«No, ma’am,» Langdon said, pulling his sleeve down over his watch. «I’m just extremely concerned about Peter.»

«I can understand, but I assure you the best thing you can do to help Peter is to help me understand the mind-set of his captor.»

Langdon was not so sure, but he sensed he was not going anywhere until the OS director got the information she desired.

«A moment ago,» Sato said, «you suggested this Rotunda is somehow sacred to the idea of these Ancient Mysteries?»

«Yes, ma’am.»

«Explain that to me.»

Langdon knew he would have to choose his words sparingly. He had taught for entire semesters on the mystical symbolism of Washington, D.C., and there was an almost inexhaustible list of mystical references in this building alone.

America has a hidden past.

Every time Langdon lectured on the symbology of America, his students were confounded to learn that the true intentions of our nation’s forefathers had absolutely nothing to do with what so many politicians now claimed.

America’s intended destiny has been lost to history.

The forefathers who founded this capital city first named her «Rome.» They had named her river the Tiber and erected a classical capital of pantheons and temples, all adorned with images of history’s great gods and goddesses — Apollo, Minerva, Venus, Helios, Vulcan, Jupiter. In her center, as in many of the great classical cities, the founders had erected an enduring tribute to the ancients — the Egyptian obelisk. This obelisk, larger even than cairo’s or alexandria’s, rose 555 feet into the sky, more than thirty stories, proclaiming thanks and honor to the demigod forefather for whom this capital city took its newer name.

Washington.

Now, centuries later, despite America’s separation of church and state, this state-sponsored Rotunda glistened with ancient religious symbolism. There were over a dozen different gods in the Rotunda — more than the original Pantheon in Rome. Of course, the Roman Pantheon had been converted to Christianity in 609. . but this pantheon was never converted; vestiges of its true history still remained in plain view.

«As you may know,» Langdon said, «this Rotunda was designed as a tribute to one of Rome’s most venerated mystical shrines. The Temple of Vesta.»

«As in the vestal virgins?» Sato looked doubtful that Rome’s virginal guardians of the flame had anything to do with the U.S. Capitol Building.

«The Temple of Vesta in Rome,» Langdon said, «was circular, with a gaping hole in the floor, through which the sacred fire of enlightenment could be tended by a sisterhood of virgins whose job it was to ensure the flame never went out.»

Sato shrugged. «This Rotunda is a circle, but I see no gaping hole in this floor.»

«No, not anymore, but for years the center of this room had a large opening precisely where Peter’s hand is now.» Langdon motioned to the floor. «In fact, you can still see the marks in the floor from the railing that kept people from falling in.»

«What?» Sato demanded, scrutinizing the floor. «I’ve never heard that.»

«Looks like he’s right.» Anderson pointed out the circle of iron nubs where the posts had once been. «I’ve seen these before, but I never had any idea why they were there.»

You’re not alone, Langdon thought, imagining the thousands of people every day, including famous lawmakers, who strode across the center of the Rotunda having no idea there was once a day when they would have plunged down into the Capitol Crypt — the level beneath the Rotunda floor.

«The hole in the floor,» Langdon told them, «was eventually covered, but for a good while, those who visited the Rotunda could see straight down to the fire that burned below.»