danbrown.thedavincicode-第39部分

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shoot。〃
　Langdon　stared　at　the　banker　in　disbelief。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this？〃
　〃Why　do　you　imagine？〃　Vernet　snapped；　his　accented　English　terse　now。　〃To　protect　my　client's　assets。〃
　〃We　are　your　clients　now；〃　Sophie　said。
　Vernet's　visage　turned　ice…cold；　an　eerie　transformation。　〃Mademoiselle　Neveu；　I　don't　know　how　you　got　that　key　and　account　number　tonight；　but　it　seems　obvious　that　foul　play　was　involved。　Had　I　known　the　extent　of　your　crimes；　I　would　never　have　helped　you　leave　the　bank。〃
　〃I　told　you；〃　Sophie　said；　〃we　had　nothing　to　do　with　my　grandfather's　death！〃
　Vernet　looked　at　Langdon。　〃And　yet　the　radio　claims　you　are　wanted　not　only　for　the　murder　of　Jacques　Saunière　but　for　those　of　three　other　men　as　well？〃
　〃What！〃　Langdon　was　thunderstruck。　Three　more　murders？　The　coincidental　number　hit　him　harder　than　the　fact　that　he　was　the　prime　suspect。　It　seemed　too　unlikely　to　be　a　coincidence。　The　three　sénéchaux？　Langdon's　eyes　dropped　to　the　rosewood　box。　If　the　sénéchaux　were　murdered；　Saunière　had　no　options。　He　had　to　transfer　the　keystone　to　someone。
　〃The　police　can　sort　that　out　when　I　turn　you　in；〃　Vernet　said。　〃I　have　gotten　my　bank　involved　too　far　already。〃
　Sophie　glared　at　Vernet。　〃You　obviously　have　no　intention　of　turning　us　in。　You　would　have　driven　us　back　to　the　bank。　And　instead　you　bring　us　out　here　and　hold　us　at　gunpoint？〃
　〃Your　grandfather　hired　me　for　one　reason…to　keep　his　possessions　both　safe　and　private。　Whatever　this　box　contains；　I　have　no　intention　of　letting　it　bee　a　piece　of　cataloged　evidence　in　a　police　investigation。　Mr。　Langdon；　bring　me　the　box。〃
　Sophie　shook　her　head。　〃Don't　do　it。〃
　A　gunshot　roared；　and　a　bullet　tore　into　the　wall　above　him。　The　reverberation　shook　the　back　of　the　truck　as　a　spent　shell　clinked　onto　the　cargo　floor。
　Shit！　Langdon　froze。
　Vernet　spoke　more　confidently　now。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　pick　up　the　box。〃
　Langdon　lifted　the　box。
　〃Now　bring　it　over　to　me。〃　Vernet　was　taking　dead　aim；　standing　on　the　ground　behind　the　rear　bumper；　his　gun　outstretched　into　the　cargo　hold　now。
　Box　in　hand；　Langdon　moved　across　the　hold　toward　the　open　door。
　I've　got　to　do　something！　Langdon　thought。　I'm　about　to　hand　over　the　Priory　keystone！　As　Langdon　moved　toward　the　doorway；　his　position　of　higher　ground　became　more　pronounced；　and　he　began　wondering　if　he　could　somehow　use　it　to　his　advantage。　Vernet's　gun；　though　raised；　was　at　Langdon's　knee　level。　A　well…placed　kick　perhaps？　Unfortunately；　as　Langdon　neared；　Vernet　seemed　to　sense　the　dangerous　dynamic　developing；　and　he　took　several　steps　back；　repositioning　himself　six　feet　away。　Well　out　of　reach。
　Vernet　manded；　〃Place　the　box　beside　the　door。〃
　Seeing　no　options；　Langdon　knelt　down　and　set　the　rosewood　box　at　the　edge　of　the　cargo　hold；　directly　in　front　of　the　open　doors。
　〃Now　stand　up。〃
　Langdon　began　to　stand　up　but　paused；　spying　the　small；　spent　pistol　shell　on　the　floor　beside　the　truck's　precision…crafted　doorsill。
　〃Stand　up；　and　step　away　from　the　box。〃
　Langdon　paused　a　moment　longer；　eyeing　the　metal　threshold。　Then　he　stood。　As　he　did；　he　discreetly　brushed　the　shell　over　the　edge　onto　the　narrow　ledge　that　was　the　door's　lower　sill。　Fully　upright　now；　Langdon　stepped　backward。
　〃Return　to　the　back　wall　and　turn　around。〃
　Langdon　obeyed。
　　
　Vernet　could　feel　his　own　heart　pounding。　Aiming　the　gun　with　his　right　hand；　he　reached　now　with　his　left　for　the　wooden　box。　He　discovered　that　it　was　far　too　heavy。　I　need　two　hands。　Turning　his　eyes　back　to　his　captives；　he　calculated　the　risk。　Both　were　a　good　fifteen　feet　away；　at　the　far　end　of　the　cargo　hold；　facing　away　from　him。　Vernet　made　up　his　mind。　Quickly；　he　laid　down　the　gun　on　the　bumper；　lifted　the　box　with　two　hands；　and　set　it　on　the　ground；　immediately　grabbing　the　gun　again　and　aiming　it　back　into　the　hold。　Neither　of　his　prisoners　had　moved。
　Perfect。　Now　all　that　remained　was　to　close　and　lock　the　door。　Leaving　the　box　on　the　ground　for　the　moment；　he　grabbed　the　metal　door　and　began　to　heave　it　closed。　As　the　door　swung　past　him；　Vernet　reached　up　to　grab　the　single　bolt　that　needed　to　be　slid　into　place。　The　door　closed　with　a　thud；　and　Vernet　quickly　grabbed　the　bolt；　pulling　it　to　the　left。　The　bolt　slid　a　few　inches　and　crunched　to　an　unexpected　halt；　not　lining　up　with　its　sleeve。　What's　going　on？　Vernet　pulled　again；　but　the　bolt　wouldn't　lock。　The　mechanism　was　not　properly　aligned。　The　door　isn't　fully　closed！　Feeling　a　surge　of　panic；　Vernet　shoved　hard　against　the　outside　of　the　door；　but　it　refused　to　budge。　Something　is　blocking　it！　Vernet　turned　to　throw　full　shoulder　into　the　door；　but　this　time　the　door　exploded　outward；　striking　Vernet　in　the　face　and　sending　him　reeling　backward　onto　the　ground；　his　nose　shattering　in　pain。　The　gun　flew　as　Vernet　reached　for　his　face　and　felt　the　warm　blood　running　from　his　nose。
　Robert　Langdon　hit　the　ground　somewhere　nearby；　and　Vernet　tried　to　get　up；　but　he　couldn't　see。　His　vision　blurred　and　he　fell　backward　again。　Sophie　Neveu　was　shouting。　Moments　later；　Vernet　felt　a　cloud　of　dirt　and　exhaust　billowing　over　him。　He　heard　the　crunching　of　tires　on　gravel　and　sat　up　just　in　time　to　see　the　truck's　wide　wheelbase　fail　to　navigate　a　turn。　There　was　a　crash　as　the　front　bumper　clipped　a　tree。　The　engine　roared；　and　the　tree　bent。　Finally；　it　was　the　bumper　that　gave；　tearing　half　off。　The　armored　car　lurched　away；　its　front　bumper　dragging。　When　the　truck　reached　the　paved　access　road；　a　shower　of　sparks　lit　up　the　night；　trailing　the　truck　as　it　sped　away。
　Vernet　turned　his　eyes　back　to　the　ground　where　the　truck　had　been　parked。　Even　in　the　faint　moonlight　he　could　see　there　was　nothing　there。
　The　wooden　box　was　gone。
　　
　CHAPTER　50
　
　The　unmarked　Fiat　sedan　departing　Castel　Gandolfo　snaked　downward　through　the　Alban　Hills　into　the　valley　below。　In　the　back　seat；　Bishop　Aringarosa　smiled；　feeling　the　weight　of　the　bearer　bonds　in　the　briefcase　on　his　lap　and　wondering　how　long　it　would　be　before　he　and　the　Teacher　could　make　the　exchange。
　Twenty　million　euro。
　The　sum　would　buy　Aringarosa　power　far　more　valuable　than　that。
　As　his　car　sped　back　toward　Rome；　Aringarosa　again　found　himself　wondering　why　the　Teacher　had　not　yet　contacted　him。　Pulling　his　cell　phone　from　his　cassock　pocket；　he　checked　the　carrier　signal。　Extremely　faint。
　〃Cell　service　is　intermittent　up　here；〃　the　driver　said；　glancing　at　him　in　the　rearview　mirror。　〃In　about　five　minutes；　we'll　be　out　of　the　mountains；　and　service　improves。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Aringarosa　felt　a　sudden　surge　of　concern。　No　service　in　the　mountains？　Maybe　the　Teacher　had　been　trying　to　reach　him　all　this　time。　Maybe　something　had　gone　terribly　wrong。
　Quickly；　Aringarosa　checked　the　phone's　voice　mail。　Nothing。　Then　again；　he　realized；　the　Teacher　never　would　have　left　a　recorded　message；　he　was　a　man　who　took　enormous　care　with　his　munications。　Nobody　understood　better　than　the　Teacher　the　perils　of　speaking　openly　in　this　modern　world。　Electronic　eavesdropping　had　played　a　major　role　in　how　he　had　gathered　his　astonishing　array　of　secret　knowledge。
　For　this　reason；　he　takes　extra　precautions。
　Unfortunately；　the　Teacher's　protocols　for　caution　included　a　refusal　to　give　Aringarosa　any　kind　of　contact　number。　I　alone　will　initiate　contact；　the　Teacher　had　informed　him。　So　keep　your　phone　close。　Now　that　Aringarosa　realized　his　phone　might　not　have　been　working　properly；　he　feared　what　the　Teacher　might　think　if　he　had　been　repeatedly　phoning　with　no　answer。
　He'll　think　something　is　wrong。
　Or　that　I　failed　to　get　the　bonds。
　The　bishop　broke　a　light　sweat。
　Or　worse。。。　that　I　took　the　money　and　ran！
　　
　CHAPTER　51
　
　Even　at　a　modest　sixty　kilometers　an　hour；　the　dangling　front　bumper　of　the　armored　truck　grated　against　the　deserted　suburban　road　with　a　grinding　roar；　spraying　sparks　up　onto　the　hood。
　We've　got　to　get　off　the　road；　Langdon　thought。
　He　could　barely　even　see　where　they　were　headed。　The　truck's　lone　working　headlight　had　been　knocked　off…center　and　was　casting　a　skewed　sidelong　beam　into　the　woods　beside　the　country　highway。　Apparently　the　armor　in　this　〃armored　truck〃　referred　only　to　the　cargo　hold　and　not　the　front　end。
　Sophie　sat　in　the　passenger　seat；　staring　blankly　at　the　rosewood　box　on　her　lap。
　〃Are　you　okay？〃　Langdon　asked。
　Sophie　looked　shaken。　〃Do　you　believe　him？〃
　〃About　the　three　additional　murders？　Absolutely。　It　answers　a　lot　of　questions…the　issue　of　your　grandfather's　desperation　to　pass　on　the　keystone；　as　well　as　the　intensity　with　which　Fache　is　hunting　me。〃
　〃No；　I　meant　about　Vernet　trying　to　protect　his　bank。〃
　Langdon　glanced　over。　〃As　opposed　to？〃
　〃Taking　the　keystone　for　himself。〃
　Langdon　had　not　even　considered　it。　〃How　would　he　even　know　what　this　box　contains？〃
　〃His　bank　stored　it。　He　knew　my　grandfather。　Maybe　he　knew　things。　He　might　have　decided　he　wanted　the　Grail　for　himself。〃
　Langdon　shook　his　head。　Vernet　hardly　seemed　the　type。　〃In　my　experience；　there　are　only　two　reasons　people　seek　the　Grail。　Either　they　are　naive　and　believe　they　are　searching　for　the　long…lost　Cup　of　Christ。。。〃
　〃Or？〃
　〃Or　they　know　the　truth　and　are　threatened　by　it。　Many　groups　throughout　history　have　sought　to　destroy　the　Grail。〃
　The　silence　between　them　accentuated　the　sound　of　the　scraping　bumper。　They　had　driven　a　few　kilometers　now；　and　as　Langdon　watched　the　cascade　of　sparks　ing　off　the　front　of　the　truck；　he　wondered　if　it　was　dangerous。　Either　way；　if　they　passed　another　car；　it　would　certainly　draw　attention。　Langdon　made　up　his　mind。
　〃I'm　going　to　see　if　I　can　bend　this　bumper　back。〃
　Pulling　onto　the　shoulder；　he　brought　the　truck　to　a　stop。
　Silence　at　last。
　As　Langdon　walked　toward　the　front　of　the　truck；　he　felt　surprisingly　alert。　Staring　into　the　barrel　of　yet　another　gun　tonight　had　given　him　a　second　wind。　He　took　a　deep　breath　of　nighttime　air　and　tried　to　get　his　wits　about　him。　Acpanying　the　gravity　of　being　a　hunted　man；　Langdon　was　starting　to　feel　the　ponderous　weight　of　responsibility；　the　prospect　that　he　and　Sophie　might　actually　be