Chapter 3: Rising from the Ashes

Olivia's eyes fluttered open and she groaned as she tried to clear the fog that was impeding her brain. She desperately tried to work out where she was, until a smooth American voice convinced her everything was alright just by uttering her name.

"Olivia?" Langdon was concerned "Are you awake? Good, the police are on their way. You fainted, but you're going to be fine, it was just a shock." With his last sentence the horrible reality hit Olivia as if it was a car colliding with her slim frame; she took in a deep breath to fight the nausea she was experiencing as the scene came alive in her brain. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and when she opened them she realised she was sat against the wall in the corridor of the hotel outside of Andy's room.

"Did you see the...phoenix?" Livvie demanded wide-eyed, Langdon nodded sombrely "What does it mean?"

"I wish I could tell you – I know the literal meaning but why someone would be using it in this manner is a mystery to me" Langdon was genuinely lost for an explanation.

Four hours later, Livvie and Robert were allowed to leave the police station, having given statements, fingerprints and having answered every question imaginable. Robert found Livvie stood outside in the drizzle, near the front entrance.

"I don't want to go anywhere near that hotel. My friend has a flat not far from here – she's away for a few months and I have a spare key. There's two bedrooms and I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you crashed there too."
"That would be brilliant. And I think that we need to have a proper chat when we get there!" Robert explained as Livvie began to lead the way. They stopped to pick up a pizza on the way, although neither of them were particularly hungry. Livvie immediately poured two very large glasses of red wine when they arrived at the luxurious central London apartment. "Is this friend another academic?"

"No she's a lawyer – hence the money to rent this place!" Livvie chuckled, curling her legs underneath her on the soft leather sofa. "What was it you wanted to have a chat about then?"

"Do you not think it's strange that the only two rooms targeted at the hotel were yours and Andy's? Is there some reason for that?"

"The police asked me the same questions Robert, and I told them apart from our research and supervision relationship there is absolutely nothing that connects us. The only explanation I can come up with is that whoever it was mistook us for someone else." Livvie explained as she took a long sip of her wine.

"What is the research?"

"Well, you heard Andy's paper yesterday – on the foreign policy of James I; and I've just started looking into the Gunpowder Plot again, with Andy's help."
"What?"

"He is," Livvie paused swallowing with discomfort before correcting herself "Andy was my research assistant." Her mouth opened slightly as Robert's eyes met hers. "The phoenix"

"Commonly associated with notions of resurrection, and obviously linked with ashes and fire." Langdon reeled off, "As is..."

"Gunpowder" Livvie finished the statement for him. "But I don't understand the Plot was like four centuries ago, why would someone be chasing us now for looking into it for the purposes of publishing a book that will only be brought and read by a handful of academics. Surely it can't be that!"

"I don't know Livvie I wish that I did. Exactly what angle were you hoping to come from in this work?"

"I'm intrigued by the possibility that it was all a set up – that the plot was orchestrated by Salisbury or other Government figures close to the King, to encourage more persecution of Catholics and to show how wonderful they were themselves. There's so many discrepancies when you delve into the facts." Livvie was in full flow

"I know – how did known recusants get permission to rent a property so close to the Houses of Parliament and get hold of that much gunpowder when its sale was restricted? I mean sure they could have got it on the sly, but they then had to get all of the barrels in to the house unnoticed, that is a lot of coincidences"

"And then there was the tunnel – the plotters confessed to its existence under intense interrogation, and we all know what that means; but no tunnel was ever found. The house they were renting already had an under croft which went right under the first floor of the House of Lords, they were storing the powder there and the explosion would have been big enough to cause monumental damage to the entire complex, so why would they have needed a tunnel..." Olivia suddenly looked up from her wine glass "How do you know so much about this, it's not your normal field?"

"You know that conspiracy theory I said I'd become obsessed with?" Langdon smiled a boyish grin, lighting his eyes up, Livvie was momentarily mesmerised by his attractiveness.

"Please tell me this is a good coincidence and that you're not some psycho history obsessed serial killer" Livvie said, only half jesting.

"My interest in purely academic I assure you!"

The next morning Robert and Livvie received calls from the police to say they could leave London as they were no longer required to assist in their inquiries, as long as they were contactable by phone. They headed for the hotel, collected their belongings and then boarded a train for York so that they could look at the many materials Livvie had already collected. Shortly after catching a connecting train Livvie had another phone call.

"Apparently someone tried to break into my office last night!" Livvie grimaced.

"They didn't manage it?"

"No security interrupted them and they got away without actually getting through the door. I'm guessing that is no coincidence."

"This may sound paranoid, but I'm not really sure that it's a good idea that you stay at your home. These people are pretty serious about getting their hands on all of your work."
"I know. What do you suggest?"

"Hire a holiday place or something?"

"My neighbour has one about twenty miles away – I could text her, see if it's available. She doesn't get many customers in the winter" Livvie explained, pulling her phone out.