Page 190 of The Secret of Secrets

More than an hour had passed since Langdon’s email, and there had been no word since then. Unable to push the mounting concern from his mind, Faukman dialed the Four Seasons Hotel in Prague and asked to be put through to Langdon’s room.

Trudging through total darkness in the enclosed tunnel, The Golěm heard a sudden change in the reverberant sound of his footsteps.

Less echo…I’m in an open space.

Running his hand up the wall, he found a ledge and realized to his relief that he had finally reached the tram platform beneath Crucifix Bastion. The ledge was at eye level, higher than anticipated, and he would need to hoist himself up.

He quickly shed his heavy cape and platform boots, arranging them in a pile at his feet. Then he stepped onto his makeshift stool, reached up, and felt the ledge, gauging its height. He would need to jump high enough to brace his elbows and forearms on the platform.

You must escape. Sasha’s life depends on it.

Fueled by the thought of her, The Golěm crouched low and leaped with all his strength, barely managing to prop himself up. Kicking his weary legs, he was able to swing one upward and hook his heel on the ledge. Fighting gravity and exhaustion, he dragged himself onto the metal platform…and collapsed.

For nearly a full minute, he rested, eyes closed, breathing deeply.

When he finally opened his eyes, The Golěm saw something hovering in the darkness…a tiny glowing circle.

A light at the end of the tunnel.

It was the illuminated button for the Crucifix Bastion elevator.

Chapter 120

Katherine felt wary as she and Langdon climbed out of the embassy sedan into the cold wind near Old Town Square. At Langdon’s request, Sergeant Kerble had agreed to deposit them here before he continued on to the embassy.

I hope Robert knows what he’s doing.

Over the past several minutes, she could tell Langdon was being strangely elusive with the Marine, refusing to reveal exactly where he believed Sasha was located. All he would say was that he needed to go to Sasha’s apartment to locate something that would help. Kerble seemed to understand, perhaps even appreciate, Langdon’s rationale for reticence. The CIA director desperately needs to locate Sasha Vesna; if questioned, Kerble can’t reveal what he doesn’t know.

Katherine would have felt safer if Kerble had accompanied them, but clearly he needed to get back to the embassy. It seemed as if he might be the ambassador’s lone ally and felt obligated to be on-site to protect her from the CIA director in whatever way he could.

“The ambassador will be grateful for your efforts,” Kerble said, rolling down his window to say a quick goodbye. “Good luck. Wherever it is you’re going.”

“Thanks for your understanding,” Langdon replied.

“OPSEC compartmentalization,” Kerble said. “You could be a Marine.”

“There’s a scary thought,” Langdon said as he reached through the window and shook the Marine’s hand. “I’ve got your direct number. I’ll call you the second we have anything.”

“If we locate Sasha,” Katherine added, “we’ll take her somewhere safe, and the ambassador will have all the leverage she needs to protect you.”

“I hope you’re right,” Kerble said. “Court-martials have a way of ruining a weekend.”

As the Marine pulled away, Langdon put an arm around Katherine and guided her across the bustling square. On the far side, they passed beneath an archway into a series of narrow alleys. When the sounds of the square began fading behind them, Katherine sensed it was finally private enough to talk.

“So what’s going on?” she blurted. “And where are we going? Where is Sasha?”

“We’re going to her apartment,” he said. “I figured out that Sasha never left. She couldn’t have. She’s still inside.”

Katherine stopped short. “That Marine just said Sasha is not there.”

“He’s wrong.”

“He said forensics searched the apartment!”

“Yes, but they didn’t search the whole thing.”

“I don’t understand.”