“Hello, Professor Langdon are you still there?” asked Natalya.
“Yeah, yeah I am there. Can you please tell me where your boss’s office located? I suppose I have to check the body myself in person” replied Langdon.
“Yes Professor. The office is located at Midtown Manhattan. If you are coming by taxi, then tell the taxi driver 'The Zoroski Tower’ and he will drop you right outside the tower” answered Natalya.
“Ok. This place is some few miles away from my place. I will reach there in an hour or so. Once I reach there how do I contact you?” asked Langdon.
“+ (212)651-829. This is my number. As soon as you reach there just give me a call, Professor. And do come fast” replied Natalya.
“Ok I will be there. Bye” replied Langdon and hung up the phone.
He quickly went to the bathroom to take a bath. In 20 mins he was out looking fresh. He quickly got dressed up. He wore a white U.S.P.A. shirt on top of grey trouser of the same company. He wore a grey colored suit of Louis Philippe and black shoes. On the right hand he wore his famous Mickey Mouse watch. He grabbed his brief case and his home keys and left his place. As he got down he called a taxi and told the taxi driver to take him to Zoroski Tower.
As he was travelling he kept thinking about the symbol he had just seen. He thought how a secret society that was long shut down could, resurface again. He thought about his previous experience with a secret society which was also shut down, but had resurfaced and caused havoc at Vatican. But that was 19 years back. Well recently he had also seen how technology would dominate humans. It was his friend’s presentation that was held in Spain. But during that presentation his friend was shot and had died. Well that was the life of Professor Langdon.
It was 11:30 am on his Mickey Mouse watch when he reached Zoroski Tower. He paid the taxi driver and got off the cab. He looked around. There were many people around the building. The police had sealed the area so that no one other than police or known people who worked in the building could enter the building. The structure that was in front of him was a 20 storey building covered with glass panes. It was definitely a business building. Langdon thought how rich Mr. Zoroski was. He removed his cellphone and dialed Natalya's number. He heard several rings before Natalya picked up his call.
“Hello, Professor. I suppose you have reached the location?” asked Natalya.
“Yes, I am standing down. Do I need to enter or do I have to wait for anyone of you to come down?” asked Robert.
“No, Professor. I am myself coming down to get you. As the officers have sealed the area, hence they won’t allow you, as you are not a part of this office” replied Natalya.
“Ok” said Robert.
After 5 mins a lady walked out of the main door. The police men allowed her to go and resealed the way. She must have been in her 50s. She was wearing a neat-button down white shirt on top of a blue trouser and wore a blue blazer. She wore blue loafers. As she came near he saw that she was wearing an expensive watch in her left wrist. He thought that Natalya must have been paid well.
“Hello, Professor” said Natalya by extending her right hand.
“Hello Ms. Natalya” said Langdon shaking her hand firmly.
Glancing at the watch that she was wearing Langdon commented “I see Me. Zoroski used to pay you well as only few people can afford that limited edition Omega Seamaster”.
“Oh this, this is a gift from Mr. Zoroski. He gave me this watch on my birthday which was 2 weeks back. I have been a loyal secretary ever since he appointed me for this job. For my loyal and faithful work Mr. Zoroski gifted me this limited edition watch” replied Natalya.
“Shall we get going professor?” asked Natalya.
“Oh yes sure” replied Langdon.
As Langdon entered the building, he was stunned. The interior was magnificent. At the center stood a fountain. There were 4 elevators. There was a fingerprint scanner which was present on the right wall. This scanner must have been for the staff for their attendance. As he looked up he saw the roof was covered with glass and rays of Sun passing through them and illuminating the complete building. The building from the reflection of the rays looked golden. There were several guards examining the building carefully as to some proof they might get. Natalya and Langdon reached the elevators. Natalya pressed the button on the wall beside the elevator. They waited for the elevator to arrive. As the elevator arrived Langdon and Natalya got inside. Natalya pressed button numbered 15 on the button panel. The elevator started ascending up. Langdon felt claustrophobic.
“Are you okay Professor?” asked Natalya.
“Ha. Oh yeah I am alright. It’s just that I suffer from claustrophobia. So this elevator makes me claustrophobic” replied Langdon.
“Oh. We are almost there” said Natalya.
The elevator reached the 15th floor. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator Robert felt cold air hitting his face. He followed Natalya to the office. He looked around. There were several computers and chairs all placed neatly in the room. ‘There must have been around 20-30 staff members working around here' Langdon thought. He looked around and there were some guards roaming and checking the place. As soon as they reached the main office, Langdon saw 2 guards stationed at the entrance of the main door. From the glass could make out the head of the dead body lying behind the main desk.
As he entered the office the interior was awe-inspiring. There were several paintings on the wall. On the right there was a shelf with several trophies on it. On the desk there was a computer, a pen, a diary or a notebook and several other important papers. The curtains had been drawn so that the morning sunlight could pour in. The LED lights were of high watt as the light emitted by them illuminated the office. The AC was also of high power as it threw cold air out of it.
“Meet inspector Rick Martin” said Natalya.
The officer Rick Martin was a muscular man. It looked as if he used to workout daily and never missed a day. He had short hair and a French beard. He must have been in his late 30s.
“Well, hello officer. I am Robert Langdon” said Langdon shaking hands with the officer.
“Are you professor Langdon who saved the Vatican City 19 years back?” asked Rick.
“Well, yes you are right” replied Langdon
Langdon examined the body closely. Mr. Zoroski had worn white shirt on top of brown trouser, a red tie and a brown blazer. He examined the body very carefully. Apart from the mark that was etched on the chest Langdon even noticed that there were some marks on the neck as well. Mr. Zoroski had been garroted first with some kind of wire and then the mark was imprinted on his chest.
“Well it seems that Mr. Zoroski was first strangled to death by garroting his neck with some kind of wire and then the mark was imprinted” said Langdon.
“Apart from that we have also found that Mr. Zoroski was poisoned. Check his hands” said the officer.
Langdon examined his hands. The nails had turned blue due to the poison. Apart from that the right thumb of Mr. Zoroski was cut off. The officer was surely right.
“Well, it seems that someone has cut his right thumb” said Langdon
The officer took a closer look and replied “Yeah”.
“Well, Miss Natalya did you find anything unusual here?” asked the officer.
“No” replied Natalya.
“And what about you professor Langdon?” asked the officer.
Langdon looked around the room one more time. He took a closer look at the paintings that were hanging on the wall. On closer examination he saw that there were paintings of famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci. On the right wall hung the paintings of Mona Lisa and The Virgin of The Rocks. On left wall hung the paintings of The Last Supper and Salvator Mundi. On the left side of the room there was a shelf same as there was shelf on the right side. However the shelf on the left side contained books. When Langdon took a closer look he saw that the top and the second shelf had books pertaining business and finance. The third shelf had books written by Leonardo Da Vinci. He realized that Mr. Zoroski had a peculiar taste in Leonardo’s paintings and his works. When he again started looking around the painting on the wall right in front of him (wall behind the desk) caught his eye. The painting on the wall was The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh.
“Well, officer the painting on the wall right behind you is kind off odd and does not match the surroundings” said Langdon.
“I don’t get it professor. Can you please explain?” asked the officer.
“Officer if you look around the paintings that are hanging on the wall apart from the wall behind you, these paintings were painted by the famous painter Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519). But the painting on the wall right behind you was painted by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)” replied Langdon.
“So what he must have a change of taste in the paintings” replied the officer.
“Well, officer you don’t get it. A person who apart from having the paintings even has books of the same author can’t change his taste so easily. I think the placement of the painting has something to do. I think there is something behind this painting” said Langdon.
“You mean to say Mr. Zoroski is hiding something behind this painting?” questioned Rick.
“Yes” replied Langdon.
“Well then let’s remove the painting and check” said the officer.
Officer and Professor took off the painting from the wall and placed it safely on the floor. Langdon was certainly right. Behind the painting there was a locker. On the right side there was a number pad and a fingerprint scanner. The locker was opened.
“Well it seems that I was right” commented Langdon.
“Yes you were. Miss Natalya may I ask what was in the locker?” questioned the officer.
“Officer actually to be honest even I am seeing this locker for the first time” replied Natalya.
“Officer this explains the cut thumb on the right hand” said Langdon.
“Means?” asked the officer.
“The person who came in here he knew that there was a locker behind the painting and knew that it could only be opened by Mr. Zoroski’s fingerprint, so first he killed Mr. Zoroski then cut off his right thumb and then imprinted the mark on his bare chest” replied the Professor.
“But the passcode?” asked Natalya.
“I suppose he knew the passcode. If the person knew what was in the locker then he would definitely know the passcode. He just needed the thumb” replied Langdon.
“Well, professor what do you think was in this locker which could be so important that led to the death of Zoroski?” asked Natalya.
“There was an important hard drive in that locker” replied a female voice.
At the door stood a woman who looked like she was in her 40s. She wore white top, black jeans and white shoes.
“May I ask who are you miss?” asked the officer.
“I am Maria Zoroski, wife of Victor Zoroski.” Replied Maria.
“So what was in that hard drive that was in the locker?” asked Langdon.
“Something that could lead to massive destruction” replied Maria.
“But what?” asked Langdon.
“Nuclear launch codes” replied Maria.
