The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown follows famous professor Robert Langdon‘s journey through Washington, DC on his way to rescue Peter Solomon. Peter is an extremely wealthy philanthropist and Robert’s friend who has been kidnapped. Peter is invited to speak at an event at the Capitol by who he believes is Peter. It is a trap that reveals Peter’s kidnapping. The perpetrator wants to know where an “ancient portal” is that Robert knows is metaphoric, not literal. CIA Director Inoue Sato arrives to solve the case. Peter’s hand was left in the Capitol and has clues on it that lead to a pyramid in the basement. It contains a series of clues that lead to the Masonic temple. Mal’akh is responsible for the kidnapping because he wants to become a god. He is also Peter’s son who was believed to be dead. He kidnaps and tortures more people before asking Peter to sacrifice him. Peter looks past all that Mal’akh has done and refuses to sacrifice him before he is immediately killed by shards of glass coming off a CIA helicopter.