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is 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 holding an encrypted set of directions to one of the most enduring mysteries of all time。
As if this burden were not great enough； Langdon now realized that any possibility of finding a way to return the keystone to the Priory had just evaporated。 News of the three additional murders had dire implications。 The Priory has been infiltrated。 They are promised。 The brotherhood was obviously being watched； or there was a mole within the ranks。 It seemed to explain why Saunière might have transferred the keystone to Sophie and Langdon—people outside the brotherhood； people he knew were not promised。 We can't very well give the keystone back to the brotherhood。 Even if Langdon had any idea how to find a Priory member； chances were good that whoever stepped forward to take the keystone could be the enemy himself。 For the moment； at least； it seemed the keystone was in Sophie and Langdon's hands； whether they wanted it or not。
The truck's front end looked worse than Langdon had imagined。 The left headlight was gone； and the right one looked like an eyeball dangling from its socket。 Langdon straightened it； and it dislodged again。 The only good news was that the front bumper had been torn almost clean off。 Langdon gave it a hard kick and sensed he might be able to break it off entirely。
As he repeatedly kicked the twisted metal； Langdon recalled his earlier conversation with Sophi