The Secret of Secrets: A Novel
by Dan Brown
Contents
Chapter 84
Overview
Nagel covertly extracts Langdon and Solomon from the ambassador’s residence by distracting the Marine gate guard and picking them up in her SUV, committing fully to Langdon’s plan to infiltrate Threshold for photographic proof. She minimizes tracking by abandoning her diplomatic phone while Finch arrives in Prague and grows alarmed when Nagel suddenly stops responding. In parallel, The Golěm completes his access kit by taking Gessner’s RFID card and severed hand, positioning himself to enter Threshold and demolish it.
Summary
Ambassador Heide Nagel, sickened by Michael Harris’s death and aware she is betraying Everett Finch, uses the residence’s “personal use” SUV to stage an unannounced departure. At the security gate, Nagel distracts Marine guard Carlton with small talk, a fake medical errand, and deliberate delays, ensuring his attention stays off the surveillance monitors long enough for Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon to move across the grounds.
Nagel drives out and circles the property. Langdon and Solomon appear at a street corner, underdressed for the snow, and quickly climb into the SUV, with Solomon urging Langdon to sit up front beside Nagel. As they pull away, the three remain silent, fully registering the danger of Langdon’s newly proposed “fourth option.”
Langdon’s plan, explained shortly before in the basement boiler room, is to get proof: even if Finch meets them and believes their NDAs, Finch may still hide the truth about Threshold. Langdon insists they need documentation and photos, which requires getting inside Threshold; Nagel warns the entrance is heavily fortified with barricades, cameras, armed guards, and biometrics, but Langdon claims he has a way in.
Driving toward southern Prague, Nagel takes precautions to avoid being tracked: she leaves her diplomatic phone at the residence and instead brings an old personal Samsung, now charging on the dashboard, hoping it will be ready to photograph whatever they find inside Threshold.
Meanwhile, Finch lands at Václav Havel Airport and feels uneasy about his earlier call with Nagel. He tries calling and sending a secure message to her diplomatic phone, but she does not respond, tightening his suspicion as he heads into Prague.
At Crucifix Bastion, The Golěm returns to Brigita Gessner’s workroom, where her corpse still lies in an open EPR pod. After previously stealing her black RFID key card, The Golěm uses heavy wire cutters to take a “final item” from Gessner’s body—her hand—murmuring “For Sasha.” With the key card and the severed hand for biometric access, The Golěm leaves carrying everything needed to enter Threshold and destroy it.
Who Appears
- Heide NagelAmbassador; distracts Marine security and drives Langdon and Solomon toward Threshold, dodging tracking.
- Robert LangdonProposes infiltrating Threshold to secure documentation and photos; escapes with Nagel and Solomon.
- Katherine SolomonJoins Langdon’s risky plan; escapes the residence and prepares to document Threshold.
- Everett FinchIn‑Q‑Tel operative; lands in Prague and grows suspicious when Nagel stops responding.
- The GolěmReturns to Crucifix Bastion, takes Gessner’s hand for biometric access, and plans to destroy Threshold.
- CarltonMarine gate guard; unwittingly distracted by Nagel’s stalling and false errand.
- Brigita GessnerScientist; lies dead in the EPR pod as The Golěm harvests her hand and key card.
- Sasha VesnaMissing person; invoked by The Golěm as justification for his actions.