Robert Langdon, #1
Angels & Demons
by Dan Brown
Contents
10
Overview
The chapter shifts to the Hassassin after Vetra’s murder, showing him exulting in his role as the killer and awaiting the next phase of Janus’s plan. Rather than resting, the Hassassin seeks sexual gratification at a discreet establishment, revealing his appetite for control, luxury, and violence.
This interlude deepens the threat surrounding the conspiracy: the murderer is not merely obedient but proud, disciplined, and eager to continue. Janus’s mention of “phase two” signals that Vetra’s death is only the opening move.
Summary
In a deserted alley, the Hassassin hurries toward a private destination while remembering Janus’s instruction that phase two will begin soon and that he should rest. Instead of sleeping, the Hassassin feels energized by the murder he has already committed and views the coming pause as time to celebrate before returning to his mission.
The Hassassin reflects on his identity as a warrior and on the pleasures he believes are part of his heritage. Although his ancestors used hashish, he rejects narcotics and takes pride in his disciplined, lethal body, preferring sexual gratification as his reward.
The Hassassin arrives at an discreet establishment, where a well-dressed woman admits him into an elegant, dimly lit sitting room. She gives him an album of women’s photographs and leaves him to choose, and the Hassassin studies the options with anticipation before making an expensive selection.
After payment arrangements, the woman escorts the Hassassin upstairs and directs him to a room at the end of a luxurious hallway. Inside, the chosen woman is waiting exactly as requested, nude and bound to the bedposts with velvet cords.
The chapter ends with the Hassassin touching the woman and privately framing her as his reward for having killed the previous night. His pleasure in violence and domination underscores both his brutality and his readiness for the next phase of Janus’s plan.
Who Appears
- The HassassinVetra’s killer; celebrates the murder and anticipates Janus’s next phase.
- JanusUnseen commander whose instructions frame the Hassassin’s next assignment.
- The well-dressed womanHostess at the discreet establishment who manages the Hassassin’s selection and payment.
- The selected womanSex worker chosen by the Hassassin and presented as his requested reward.