"Leonardo:" "My name is Leonardo da Vinci." "Lorenzo:" "You're the eccentric that Verrocchio employs." "Leonardo:" "I'm an artist and an anatomist and an engineer of some note." "The Turk:" "Search for the Book of Leaves." "Fate has chosen you, Leonardo." "Well, where do I start my search, then?" "Zoroaster:" "The Hanged Man." "The Jew that was hanged- I want you to unearth his body." "My mistress insisted that you be the one to capture her beauty." "Ah!" "I sense the Vatican's hand behind this." "You need weapons of your own, Your Magnificence." "This will greatly increase your gunners' rate of firepower." "Girolamo:" "The Medicis have employed him to design siege weapons." "Sixtus:" "You know this how?" "Girolamo:" "Because I have an agent within Lorenzo's ranks." "Avraham:" "He told you time is a river, yes?" "Leonardo:" "He told me the river was circular." "That one man's death paves the way for the birth of another." "Indeed." "And men like ourselves, we can change the river's course." "I'm like you, then?" "I find that hard to believe." "You don't know who I am, do you?" "My brother and I- there were bandits who tried to take my honor." " Where?" " Down the path to the left." " Get the horses." " Hurry, hurry." "This way, this way." "You can go." "Go on, in." "All right, you should be safe in there." "Come on." "I'm sorry, the fools locked the gate." "Fools are worth worrying about." "But a locked gate... not so much." "Avraham:" "There is no yesterday, you see." "No tomorrow." "Time is all one single continuum." "We have met, haven't we?" "Of course." "We're brothers." "Who are you?" "Start with your heel, roll to your toe." "You have a lot yet to learn, bean sprout." "I already have a maestro, Zo." "Yeah, I'm not suggesting you abandon da Vinci's counsel." "I'm suggesting you enhance it." "There." "What is it?" "They don't like their graves being violated, so they cover them in sand and press letters to alert them if mischief has occurred." "Nico:" "What does it say?" "Funnily enough..." ""Taken."" "Avraham:" "I am a son of Earth and Starry Heaven." "I'm thirsty." "Please... give me something to drink from the Fountain of Memory." "The Turk:" "See as I have seen..." "Into infinity, and you will be a God." "But know this- you will... suffer." "One corpse, freshly plucked." "Was it a nightmare, Maestro?" "No, it was something else entirely." "Take notes, would you?" "I perceive the expected ligature marks from strangulation, a crushed larynx" "Nico!" "Diminished musculature." "That's likely from malnutrition." "Circumcised member." "Never seen one of those before." "What is that?" "A missing fingernail on the right digitus primus." "Vanessa:" "Leo, what are you doing?" "The Turk said to start my quest with the hanged man." "Specifically, the seat of the soul." "It's a euphemism for the stomach." "The missing fingernail." "Odd that he would ingest it." "Huh." "Oh." "Leonardo:" ""One man's death... opens the doorway for another."" "Lorenzo:" "Did your husband give you that?" "It's a family heirloom, from Ceylon." "It's a stone called serendibite." "What's troubling you?" "Apparently, Count Riario is coming to pay us a visit." "Oh?" "For what purpose?" "Oh, nothing pleasant, I'm sure." "But whatever the viper's intentions, I'll be expected to wine and dine him whilst hosting the rest of Florence's elite." "Will you come?" "Well, you can keep Riario entertained." "Won't Clarice be there?" "Of course." "We can steal glances throughout the evening." "I'll even invite that scoundrel, if you like." "Who?" "Da Vinci." "The one who's supposed to be painting your portrait and building me a weapon." "You're late, son." "Contract signed." "And now binding." "Did you not even read it?" "We had already agreed to the terms." "But not the administration of those terms." "I told you to stay away." "I let you know there would be consequences." "What do you think you've done?" "Painting Lucrezia Donati, fraudulently leading the Medicis to believe you can deliver preposterous weapons of war?" "You've overreached and now I've made it so you'll soon be gone." "There isn't a contract you can devise that can contain me." "You're the bastard son of a servant girl I spilled my seed into." "Your heritage contains you." "No!" " What's wrong?" " What's changed?" "Something's shifted in you, signora, since last we met." "Perhaps it's just you and me here in Lorenzo's home." "You're feeling guilty." "It's not as if I don't have affection for him." "Or perhaps..." "I'm guilty about feeling guilty." "It's not as if I don't have affection for you as well." "Which guilt do you prefer, then?" "I have known Lorenzo since I was a girl." "I've known you a week." " That's not an answer." " Well..." "The Jew they executed... what was his offense?" "He said he had to run from cutthroats and he took refuge in a bookstore." "The Authority suspect he stole something, but nothing was missing." "And the bag that he carried was empty." "So they hanged a man for stealing something that wasn't missing." "The scene of the crime requires further investigation." "Does it?" "Lorenzo:" "Quattrone, prepare the horses." "I want to be off at once." "Oh, so you've finished today's sitting already?" "Yes." "Signor da Vinci had somewhere to be." "Ah, yes." "He is testing his gun for us." "Today he gives Florence its sting... or I show him mine." "It's quite considerate he left us a moment to be alone." "Lorenzo, anybody could walk in." "I just needed a bit of you." "And you will have it, for it is yours alone." "Good luck today." "Lorenzo:" "Quattrone, we're off!" " Good luck." " Mmm." "That bit of you... it's not his alone." "No, it's not." "But it will always be his first." "Do you have any saltpeter, Maestro Andrea?" "What the devil do you need potassium nitrate for?" "Gunpowder." "The maestro is designing a weapon." "He calls it the pipe organ musket." "The recoil will kill him." "Don't worry, he's worked it out." "By God, he's corrupted you already." "Over there, third shelf from the top, between the vermilion and the ultramarine." "And tell him I expect to be paid in coin, not idle boasts like last time." "Becchi:" "Come on." " Giuliano:" "God!" " Lorenzo:" "Careful, Giuliano." "Fucking hell." "What are we doing here?" "We're in the middle of nowhere." " Lorenzo:" "Where is he?" " Perhaps he's simply late." "Or perhaps he realized what he actually proposed was much more than a flying party trick." "I wouldn't be surprised if he had no intention of coming here at all." "I'm telling you, brother, the man's a lunatic and a coward." "Oh, God!" "Shit." "Keep control of yourself, brother." "They're only cutouts." "Leonardo:" "Quickly!" "Soldiers advancing on Florence!" "How- how dare you?" "You are pointing a weapon directly at the House of Medici!" " Men, take him." " No, hold." "Obviously, the gun passed its first test." "It's done nothing." "No, it's done a great deal, actually." "Intimidation." "Now, if you will proceed to the gallery, we will proceed with testing its less ephemeral utility." "You picked quite a day for it, da Vinci." "Yes, you like it?" "I think it has the verisimilitude." "I question the company the maestro keeps." "That man's a known reprobate." "Are these soldiers meant to be Swiss?" "And you would be?" "Commander Quattrone, leader of the Florentine militia." "Becchi:" "His Magnificence thought it wise to bring a military strategist to the demonstration." "In order to better evaluate your work." "I wish I'd brought a boat." "Well, the commander has a keen eye." "What you see before you is a representation of Rome's private mercenary regiment." "It's a bit of theatrics, but often presentation is more than half the performance." "Lorenzo:" "Well, get on with it, da Vinci." "While you delay, we drown." "Where was I?" " Mm." " Yes!" " Lorenzo:" "Come on." " Quickly!" "Soldiers advancing on Florence." " Yes, yes, yes." " The man is mad." "The House of Medici has invested hundreds of florins in this project." "According to your contract, the failure of this contraption constitutes fraud." "Men, take him away." "On your feet, Maestro." "Hold." "You have one week, artista." "Lorenzo, no." "The materials alone will cost another 200 florins." "One week." "That sounds... quite r-reasonable." "Man:" "Get your chickens here." "Woman:" "I'll have two if the price is right." "I wanna have words with you, boy." "We found footprints in the graveyard where the Jew's body was stolen." "A donkey's, a man's, and a child's... long-toed poulaines such as you are wearing." "Do you know who I am?" "I am Lord Girolamo Riario," "Count and Captain General of the Holy Roman Church, nephew of His Holiness, Pope Sixtus IV." "Signor Morgante has informed us of your recent grave-robbing exploits." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Lupo:" "Don't insult us, boy." "We're well aware of who your master is." "Um, Your Excellency, there was the matter of payment." "Hmm." "Yes, of course." "Captain Grunwald." " Ah!" " Now..." "Ah!" "Nico:" "Jesus." "Now that we've established my propensity for directness," "I trust our conversation will proceed smoothly." "Now, we're interested in why da Vinci required the Jew's body." "And lest you be tempted to feign further ignorance," "I wanted to demonstrate a remarkable device" "I recently acquired from the Orient." "It's called "The widow's Tear."" "No!" "Ah!" "Girolamo:" "The source of the discomfort you're feeling is an exquisitely tooled diamond needle, the titular "widow's Tear."" "And as I turn the handle, the diamond slowly incises a circle of skin from the back of the hand one layer of epidermis at a time." "Now, I want you to weigh your next answer very, very carefully." "Why did da Vinci unearth the Jew's body?" "Very well." "Another turn." "Stop!" "Stop, stop." "Girolamo:" "Shh, shh, shh, shh." "It's all right, Nico." "Just a few simple words and we could end all this unpleasantness." "He was searching." "The Jew swallowed something." "What, child?" "A key." "Leave nothing unturned." "Just find the key." "Guard:" "Rip it apart." "Stop!" "You won't find it." "Nico:" "That's what you're looking for." " Open it." " I can't." "It's locked." "Hack it apart." "Wait a moment!" "We better get out of here!" "Hurry!" "Let's get out of here!" "You, boy." "You!" "Get up!" "You have defied instruments of the Lord's will." "Andrea:" "Leonardo!" "Go!" "Go!" "Andrea:" "Leonardo, are you all right?" "Oh!" "Oh, merciful heaven." "What happened here?" "These men are agents of the Papacy." "Well, it wasn't enough to tangle with the Medicis." "Now you're" "Leo, you're talking about the Pope." "Not to worry, they can only have our entrails torn out" " With rusty sucket forks." " Nico... who did this to you?" "Count Riario." "The papal nephew and attack dog?" "He snatched me from the market." "I told him" " I'm sorry." "I told him you took the key from the Jew's body." "Well, you may have told them that, but you showed them something else." "Hey, you've done something exceptional, Nico." "You've saved your own life into the bargain." "Grunwald:" "Halt!" "Be still." "Our visitor was expected." "You know I can't be seen meeting with you." "There are too many prying eyes in Florence." "If I'd been stopped on the road" "You needn't lecture me on the necessity of discretion." "I wouldn't jeopardize such a valuable asset as yourself without ample reason." "Now take these." "A list of secure locale hidden throughout Florence." "I need more information." "Details of Lorenzo and da Vinci's activities." "If you have something pertinent to convey, inscribe a Greek letter alpha above whichever locale is convenient." "If we have something to convey to you, we will inscribe the letter omega." "Are you clear on all this?" "That stamp bears the official papal seal." "Mark your messages with it." "And one final thing." "What is it?" "Instructions will be forthcoming." "In the meantime, keep it hidden." "Now da Vinci..." "Has your celebrated artist made any mention of a key?" "What about the Jew?" "He asked me about his capture." "He wanted to return to the scene of the crime." "That's how he put it." "He was preoccupied with why a Jew would hide in a bookshop." "Da Vinci has the key." "Why would he concern himself with a bookshop?" "I don't know." "Perhaps da Vinci is more clever than you." "But then, that would be heresy, wouldn't it?" "Keep an eye on that bookshop." "If we're lucky, da Vinci will complete our investigations for us." "And you, Miss Donati." "Do continue ensnaring Lorenzo and da Vinci with that pretty little cunt of yours." " You're a bastard." " Yes." "And the architect of my pedigree is the Holy Father himself." "Now go, lest the prying eyes of Florence see us together and question your already compromised character." "She grows more impertinent with every encounter." "Girolamo:" "Mm." "Even a mouse occasionally bears its teeth when it's about to be crushed." "Becchi:" "Scudos, the papal currency." "Let's review the events again, da Vinci." "They took the boy and ransacked your workshop." "What were they looking for?" "My weapon designs, I presume." "Giuliano:" "Well, let Rome have them." "By this time next week, they'll have decimated themselves." "By this time next week, they could decimate us!" " Lorenzo" " Open your eyes, brother." "We no longer enjoy Milan's protection." "I want your men to surround this building, no one to come in or out save for da Vinci and the boy." "You will accompany da Vinci wherever he goes." "I hardly think that's necessary." "Go." "You have three days for a successful fire of your gun." "If it fails, there will be no second chances, there will be no trial." "You will hang." "Whatever you need to accomplish this, you will possess." "Money, materials, men- make your vision real, da Vinci." "For your very life." "When the, uh, black hood pulls the lever, be sure to clench." "Those guards are gonna make it exceedingly difficult to sneak off to the tavern." "Maestro, did you not hear what Lorenzo said?" "Yes." "That's why I need to think." "And if I need to think, I need to drink." "Vanessa:" "This place is wonderful." "So much better than the convent." "A million thanks to you, Leonardo." "What are you doing?" "I'm just trying to envision what kind of lock cylinder that the notches on this key might correspond." "Nico, do you have that coin the Turk gave me?" "Ah." "Thought so." "Two keys." "Whatever lock this corresponds with," "I'd wager the key represents only half of the mechanism needed to open it." "Zoroaster:" "Listen, Leo, honestly." "Who cares?" "Just give the damn thing to Riario." " You have a musket to complete." " Inspiration can't be forced." "Oh, tell that to the hangman." "Hangman, inspiration cannot be..." "Look, the fact that Riario would jeopardize a formal visit just to acquire this is telling." "Obviously, it's linked to the Book of Leaves." " I mean, the Turk confirmed it." " Oh, of course, the Turk." "Your- your little mystery man again." "Yes!" "And since we have a mystery here..." "I intend to see it through to its conclusion." "What mystery?" "The Jew stole a key." "He swallowed it to prevent his pursuers from getting it." "The end." "Why would the Jew bother breaking into a bookshop?" "Did it ever occur to you that that's where the key was in the first place?" "That's why he broke in?" "No, the narrative doesn't hold up, 'cause the bookshop reported nothing missing." "Oh, for fuck's sake." "And the bag the Jew was found with was empty." "And why the fingernail again?" "And why was the Jew being pursued... before the bookshop?" "Leonardo:" "According to accounts the Jew crossed the Piazza del Duomo and then entered the Via dei Librai here." "Perhaps someone witnessed the event." "Please, signor, can you offer any charity?" "Tell me, good man... were you here the night the Jew was caught?" "Indeed I was, for this is my home and I have no other." "Now who's lacking vision?" "Can't you see this man's blind?" "Shh." "A florin, signor?" "You could identify that by its sound?" "I am well versed in the respective tone and weight of our realm's coinage." "If you would, my friend, could you describe what you heard that night?" "With pleasure." "It was a cold night." "When I first heard the shouts, I thought that I was dreaming." "They were coming from the Duomo." "Then I heard the Jew's footsteps and his breath." "He was terrified, I could tell that." "Then he fell." "Dropped something." "Pages fluttering like birds' wings." "Then I heard the Jew say, "Whoa, whoa."" "Avraham's voice:" "Whoa, whoa." "And I heard more shouts, his pursuers calling after him." "I did not understand a word they said except for "halt."" "Man:" "Halt!" "Beggar:" "Halt." "I still fail to see how it sheds any light on your mystery." "The men who were chasing the Jew spoke a foreign tongue." "Hmm?" "Yet they used the word "halt."" "Only two languages use that word, German and English." " So?" " So... the Swiss mercenaries who are employed by Rome speak German." "And in speaking it, they must've assumed the Jew understood it, which makes sense since most Jews speak Yiddish, a form of German." "The word "whoa" in Yiddish means "where."" "The Jew wasn't fearful, he was searching for something." "See, I believe the Jew had two items in his possession." "The first was small enough for him to swallow- the key." "The second was larger, forcing him to find a hiding place for it." "The fluttering pages." "A book." "Precisely." "And where would one best hide a book?" "Would you mind skulking around, making the proprietor apprehensive." "Why me'?" "Well, because you reek of dishonesty." "As usual." "Signor Bisticci!" "How goes it?" "Tell me, how many rows of shelves do you have here?" "10." "What of it?" "You there!" "Did you just stuff something into your robes just now?" "I beg your pardon." "You offend me." "I was simply hefting the weight of this handsome tome." "The fingernail is a clue to the second item's location, yeah?" "10 shelves, 10 fingers." "No, you're facing the west." "It would be more obvious when counting to orient oneself towards the opposite cardinal direction, the east and the rising sun." "Additionally, Hebrew is the sacred language of the Jews, which is read from right to left, so... if we count from the right..." "We get row number five." "Blood." "And we know he bit off his fingernail." "Look, look." "Nico, there." "A heavy layer of dust." "No one's disturbed these books in ages, but here..." "There's no dust at all on this book." "And in Hebrew, no less." "I think we've found item number two." "I take it all back." "If you had tits, I'd marry you." "So, you long for the soul of a man, but the breasts of a woman?" "We have a treacherous road ahead, my friends." "Artista, you will come with us." "If you resist... well, just ask your little friend about Riario's hospitality." "Well, unfortunately, we will have to decline the count's invitation." "What is that?" "You're acquainted, I believe, with my infernal devices." "The exploding chest in my workshop?" "Well, this... works on the same principle." "It is a grenado that's packed with gunpowder, activated by a push button on its base." "And if I remove my thumb- the device will explode." "He's lying." "It's a snuffbox." "Leonardo:" "Don't test my resolve." "I do not care for you to die, on this day or any other." "If you think the greatest mind in all of Europe needs to bluff, then try us." "There's a vendor in the market that sells those things by the dozen." "This is da Vinci you're staring down." " If he says it's a grenado..." " It's a snuffbox." "...It's a fucking grenado." "Fuck me." "Split up." "It's me they're after." "After him!" "Halt!" "Halt!" "Halt!" "Zircher:" "Halt!" " Halt!" " Shit." "Oh, for- shit." "Ha!" "Oh, please give Riario my regrets!" "Count Riario." "If you'd be so kind." "Signor de Medici..." "Lady Orsini, thank you most humbly for the hospitality you have extended to our modest delegation." "We are only too happy to receive Rome's favored son." "Lord Girolamo." "We are ecstatic." "Mm." "Shall you and I retire to my study for a few moments?" "Lorenzo:" "Drop the niceties, Riario." "Your men broke into my artist's studio and I want to know why." "Word of da Vinci has reached the Holy Father's ears." "He's tasked me with finding artisans to adorn the great chapel he's building." "I thought, "Do you know what?" "An exploratory meeting might be in order."" "And was the death of your men part of that intended exploration?" "Only retroactively, but it taught me a few things about your man and made me anxious to make his acquaintance." "Da Vinci is a mere dilettante." "An amusement, nothing more." "And yet I am told you've advanced him a stipend of 50 florins." "That's quite a handsome allowance for a mere dilettante." "Rome hears every whisper, Lorenzo." "Even outlandish ones concerning artisans capable of constructing war machines." "The manufacture of armaments could be construed as a provocative move." "As could the assassination of Duke Sforza." "Or the refusal to pay one's debts." "Usury." "It's such an unseemly business." "I hear the Holy Father is now borrowing money from the Pazzi family." "Is he planning on bilking them as well?" "Girolamo:" "Since we're on the subject of provocations," "I believe it's time I stated the purpose of my visit." "His Holiness wishes to inform you of his choice for the Archbishop of Pisa." "Pisa falls under Florence's jurisdiction." "Nevertheless, the selection has been made." "His Holiness has appointed" "Francesco Salviati." " Lorenzo:" "Your cousin." " Mm." "Well, it appears congratulations are in order." "Please inform the Holy Father that you and Salviati should assemble the largest army you can find because the only way you're setting foot in Pisa is if I am dead and buried." "I see." "So, that's your proposed condition?" "Rome fired the first salvo, not I." "And we intend to fire the last." "Good night, Magnifico." "How in Christ's name did he know all that?" "Becchi:" "Troubling." "You look very fetching in your nightshirt, Andrea." "What are you doing skulking around like that?" "I could've hurt you." "With a drafting compass?" "Why are you here, Leonardo?" "I can't go down to my quarters." "The Vatican's thugs are scouring the streets looking for me." "Lorenzo's men have been in and out of here all day looking for you." "Lorenzo gave me a deadline on my musket." "Frankly, I'm not sure I can make it." "I'm not surprised." "You have three layers of cannons" " On top of one another, yes?" " Mm-hmm." "Well, obviously there's going to be some powder contamination between the three tiers." "But I promised Lorenzo a repeating musket that could be fired, cooled, and loaded simultaneously." "This is a dangerous game you're playing with Lorenzo." "Are you sure you haven't overreached?" "Christ!" "Andrea, the whole point of progress is overreaching." "Why doesn't anyone understand that?" "Drink" "Now, do you want to tell me what this is all really about?" "Have you heard of the Book of Leaves?" "It's a myth." "No more real than a unicorn." "I have reason to believe it exists." "What, a book of wonders containing the secret history of the world?" "Please." "The Jew that was hanged." "Hmm?" "This was his." "And your Hebrew's better than mine." "Perhaps you can tell me what it concerns." "It's- it's a treatise on the origins of the universe." "Astronomy." "It keeps referring to the Vault of Heaven, how it can be opened." "Or perhaps... ah." "So, the Vault of Heaven could refer to the night sky." "So, perhaps the Book of Leaves can be found by looking for a specific constellation." "Leo, give up on this fool's errand and focus on your commission." "Stop borrowing trouble based on a fable!" "This fable... it's bound up in the fate of my mother." "I can draw anything I've seen, Andrea." "Anything" "But I can't draw her face." "I've tried." "I c" "I can't." "I just can't remember it." "If there's any knowledge to be had of her bound up in this quest..." "I need to see it through." "Then your need will most likely end up getting you killed." "Hmm." "Man:" "He told me the linens were from Naples." "Isn't that right, dear?" "Me, a textile merchant." "I suggested he start getting his wine from the Orient while he's at it." "Shouldn't you be working on Lorenzo's musket?" "Well, unlike you, Father, I'm actually capable of doing two things at the same time." "Drinking and digging your own grave." "Yours." "The question you asked of me earlier." "Which guilt do I prefer?" "Lucrezia:" "You seem very uncomfortable, Maestro." "I don't often attend affairs such as this." "Well, I do." "It's a confection of pretense and masks." "Smile." "Lorenzo's watching us." "Your pardons and indulgences." "Your pardons and indulgences." "Welcome, all of you, to a feast of Florence, so full of life and vibrancy." "So like Eden." " Crowd:" "Ooh!" " Lorenzo:" "Full of fresh fruits." "Full of bird and game." "Full of nature's grace." "So like Eden." "But, of course, Eden had guests." "As do we." "Of course, our guest is somewhat more pleasant than the serpent." "Please, let us welcome Count Girolamo Riario, emissary from Rome to our Eden, to our Florence." "Dinner is served!" "What do you see?" "I know who you are, you know who I am, we both know what's transpired." "Now, tell me, what do you see?" "I believe I saw someone call you a snake in front of all those people." "And I see a key that you will be giving to me, along with whatever you took from that bookstore." "Well, both the key and the book the Jew hid are quite useless unless one actually has the intellect required to find the Vault of Heaven." "Then I'll have you as well." "And why would I possibly surrender myself to Rome?" "Perhaps you value your life?" "Not enough to betray Florence." "Then... perhaps you value the life of another a little more." "I know desire when I see it, and I am very well-versed in the myriad ways of exploiting it." "You know, this- this doesn't have to be contentious, da Vinci." "Join us and the whole of the Vatican's Secret Archives can be at your disposal." "You're offering me forbidden fruit now." "That's what serpents do, isn't it?" "Meet me tomorrow at sunrise... and then the key, all of its secrets, can be yours." "And your services?" "Surely if I'm to find the Book of Leaves," "I'll need those as well." "Lorenzo:" "What is he doing?" "Dragonetti:" "He's playing with a bottle." "Becchi:" "Of course he is." "I'll admit he eluded us once." "But this time we were ready for him." "Men:" "Yah!" "Yah!" "Giuliano:" "There." "It makes sense." "He was already working with the Roman scum." "Men:" "Yah!" "Hyah!" "Do we need any more proof than this?" "He is complicit with them." "Girolamo:" "Consider this a retainer... for your services to Rome." "Why do you hesitate, da Vinci?" " This is the next step." " Sorry." "I don't follow you." "Why did you exhume the Jew?" "Why do you endeavor to find the vault?" "I don't endeavor." "I found it." "The Vault of Heaven which, presumably, contains the Book of Leaves." "I've had it put on wheels so I might move it for safekeeping." "Apparently, it requires two keys to open." "The Jew... the vault, the book... you've done all this because you want to know what's next." "Between the base animal clawing for money and the enlightened man's reach for God lies knowledge." "You just want to know what's next." " I do, too." " Well, that's not what you want." "You want to suppress knowledge." "No, I want to administer it." "Someone has to." "Why not an agent of God?" "Well, if God exists, surely He intended His knowledge to be shared by all." "The truth is progress frightens you and your ilk." "Not at all." " We embrace it." " Really?" "Really?" "Are we at an impasse, then?" "That would be unfortunate." "This is your last chance for an amicable partnership." "I decline your offer." "I pledge allegiance to Lorenzo the Magnificent, his foolish brother, and the whole of Florence!" "You want to tame Florence, but I prefer it wild, for all its quirks and criminals." "So why don't you scurry on back to Rome and tell your Pope that neither Florence nor da Vinci will be contained?" "You hurt my friend!" " Go!" " Run, you fools!" "Girolamo:" "Go!" "I'm sorry." "I did warn you." "Leonardo:" "Why aren't we meeting at the palace?" "I come here to retreat from public life." "And the words I would have with you aren't meant to be public." "I believe there may be a spy in my court." "Riario knew the details of our arrangement, the exact amount of the stipend I've advanced you." "You suspect my allegiance?" "No." "No, the fact that you just killed six of the Papal Guard releases you from the circle of suspicion." "Hmm." "No, you wanted me to witness your meeting with Riario today, didn't you?" "What makes you say that?" "You managed to evade my officers, despite the fact that I insisted they watch over you, and then today, conveniently, you slip up." "You intended for us to track you to the quarry." "I thought you might appreciate seeing the gun work against real opponents rather than just wooden ones." "How did you fix the gun's flaws?" "I realized the cannons needed more separation, so the rotating drum I fashioned did just that." "And can your musket now be produced on a large scale?" "Well, given the resources... absolutely." "Then you will have them." "You have done well, da Vinci." "We struck Riario quite a blow today." "But it won't be long before he retaliates." "Lorenzo, we don't have much..." "I'm sorry, I thought we were alone." "No, it's all right, Lucrezia." "It's only da Vinci." "And I trust we can rely on his discretion." "Absolutely." "Lorenzo:" "Good man." "Get to work, Maestro." "Florence is counting on you." "Lupo:" "Why do you laugh?" "One day, Lupo, all that you see here will fall under Rome's rule." "And if that day happens just a bit further down the road because of da Vinci's intervention, so be it." "But he has the key." "That makes him one step closer to obtaining the Book of Leaves." "Let him keep it for now." "At least we know where it is." "And besides... the key is useless without its counterpart." "And what if da Vinci obtains that?" "He won't." "How do you know?" "Because I have it." "And now you know, dear Lupo, why I find the whole affair so amusing." "Zoroaster:" "Why the long face, Leo?" "Andrea:" "The maestro's never satisfied, Zo." "The possibility of perfection, of yet another puzzle looming over the horizon." "How many letters are there in the Hebrew alphabet?" "27." "There are 27 illustrations in this book." "Andrea:" "So?" "Have you gone mad?" "Help me move this table back." "Hebrew, as we've already established, is written from right to left." "If the first illustration corresponds with the first page of the Hebrew alphabet..." "Alef." "...and the second page corresponds with the second..." "Bet." "...and the third page follows the same pattern..." "Gimel." "Do you see how the gold gilt lines up from one page to the next?" "Have you heard of steganography?" "It's a type of cryptography developed by the Greeks." "It means "concealed writing."" "It's basically hiding a coded message in plain sight." ""Leaves in a forest."" "If we make a grid of three rows, each of them nine across..." " Nico:" "What is it?" " Patience, Nico." "As with most puzzles, it needs to be viewed from a different perspective." "The Vault of Heaven isn't a metaphor." "It's an actual vault containing the Book of Leaves." "And that, gentlemen, is a map detailing the vault's location." "The land this describes doesn't exist." "Well, then, we'll just have to discover it, won't we?"