Vltava River, Prague – 11:17 a.m.
The ancient Charles Bridge groaned under tourist foot traffic as Langdon pushed through the crowd, heart pounding. In the distance, across the water, he spotted the grey sedan. It was pulled over beside a crumbling statue of Saint John of Nepomuk—the patron saint of secrets.
The car was empty.
But something on the windshield caught the sun.
Langdon approached and saw a single item placed beneath the wiper: Katherine's university ID card.
And taped to it, a flash drive with a message etched in laser print:
"Deliver to the House of Silence. Midnight." Langdon looked up at the statue of Saint John.
Its mouth was sealed shut.