Page 118 of The Secret of Secrets

Langdon held the chair up, examining the sticker more closely. “Apparently, when the Nazis took over Prague and occupied this villa, they cataloged all the furnishings to claim them for later use as museum pieces. These stickers are the original Nazi catalog numbers. The embassy decided to leave them in place as a reminder of the horrors of the war.”

A voice spoke behind them. “A professor of furniture, I see.”

Langdon and Katherine spun to find themselves face-to-face with United States Ambassador Heide Nagel. Her blunt-cut bangs were instantly recognizable from the portrait in the hall. She wore a black power suit and a necklace of colorful beads.

Ambassador Nagel was definitely not smiling.

Langdon awkwardly scrambled to flip the antique chair. “Sorry about that,” he said, carefully setting the chair down and sliding it back into place at the table.

“Professor,” the ambassador said tautly, “if there are apologies to be made, they are mine. As far as I can tell, the U.S. government owes you both one hell of an explanation.”

Chapter 76

The U.S. government owes us an explanation?

Langdon felt disoriented as he and Katherine followed the ambassador along an elegant, curved gallery that ran along the southern wing of Petschek Villa. The ambassador’s apologetic introduction had startled Langdon, who had arrived here on high alert and in no mood to trust anyone.

Now, however, the moment of warmth was gone. Ambassador Nagel strode with an intensity of purpose that felt urgent, official, and strangely out of place for her own private home. She offered no commentary whatsoever as they passed a music room, a gold-themed sitting room, and a conservatory with views of the terrace and winter gardens. When they reached the end of the hall, she pushed through a set of mirrored double doors into a small library.

“This is the most private space in the home,” she said, speaking for the first time since leaving the dining room. “It is where I make all my private calls. I thought we’d speak here.”

The cozy, wood-paneled library smelled of leather and cigars. Enclosed by shelves stocked with antique books, the room centered on a pair of blue sofas facing each other beneath a gilded chandelier. In the corner, a well-worn club chair with an octagonal side table was positioned by the window for reading. The library’s marble fireplace was unlit and set with pristine white birch logs.

Following the ambassador’s lead, Langdon and Katherine took their places on one of the sofas with the ambassador facing them on the other. She had been carrying papers with her, which she now laid facedown on the coffee table between them. She set an official embassy pen down on the papers, sat back, folded her hands in her lap, and exhaled.

“I’ll skip the pleasantries,” she began. “First, I will tell you how extremely relieved I am that you are both safe. Your situation with ÚZSI, Mr. Langdon, was particularly dangerous, and I’m happy I was able to protect you.”

Thank you…I think? Langdon was not entirely convinced he was any better off.

The ambassador studied them both a moment, as if to be certain she had their full attention. “I brought you to my home today to say, in person, what needs to be said. Quite simply…I’m sorry. On behalf of the U.S. government, I would like to apologize. Our embassies were established to protect American citizens and interests overseas. As ambassador, I took an oath to do precisely that, and I take that oath seriously. I regret to inform you that several days ago, in service to that oath to protect U.S. interests, I was ordered to facilitate placing an audio surveillance device in your hotel room.”

So there it is, Langdon thought, stunned as he pictured the arrangement of tulips and handwritten note from the ambassador. My suspicions were right. The woman on Charles Bridge was not a premonition, but rather some kind of bizarre performance in response to someone overhearing Katherine’s dream. But why?!

“The surveillance order came from above me,” the ambassador said, “and I complied. I assumed it was for your protection, and I had no idea that the information gleaned would be used in a way that would put you both in danger. That was inexcusable, and I accept full responsibility.”

Katherine glanced at Langdon, outrage registering on her face. “So you did bug our hotel room?” Katherine demanded, making little effort to hide her anger.

“Before you get too indignant,” the ambassador replied, her tone hardening, “these are dangerous times in the world. I can assure you nobody cares about your bedroom habits or pillow talk. That surveillance device was placed there in the name of national security.”

“With respect, Madam Ambassador,” Langdon said as calmly as possible, “do we look like a national security threat?”

“With respect, Professor,” she fired back, “if you think national security threats have a look, then you are more naive than your résumé suggests. I am offering you an apology and some transparency about what happened to you this morning, and I suggest you work with me. Our time is short, and there are aspects to your situation that you both very much need to understand.”

Langdon could not recall ever being reprimanded quite so succinctly. “Understood. Please…go on.”

“First off,” Nagel said, “I am aware, Dr. Solomon, that you have written a book that will be published soon. What you need to understand is that there exist powerful entities who believe that this book, if published, will pose a substantial risk to national security.”

“How?” Katherine demanded. “It’s a book about human consciousness!”

The ambassador shrugged. “That is not information I have been given. However, the man who does have that information is arriving in Prague shortly to speak to you both.”

Langdon was taken aback. “Speak to us—or interrogate us?”

“A bit of both, I imagine,” Nagel replied, her gaze holding steady. “I am committed to protecting you, but I have limited power.”

“How limited could it be?” Katherine asked. “You’re the U.S. ambassador.”

Heide Nagel gave a tired chuckle. “Diplomats come and go, Dr. Solomon. The permanent forces in government are those who make the real decisions, and I’m sorry to report that those are the forces with whom you’re dealing.”