Silas sat behind the wheel of the black Audi the Teacher had arranged for him and gazed out at the - r1 A- q! p% h9 \7 c
great Church of Saint-Sulpice. Lit from beneath by banks of floodlights, the church's two bell
, ]8 y: i# ?% I+ K/ n+ Stowers rose like stalwart sentinels above the building's long body. On either flank, a shadowy row
9 f8 A. N4 G0 y7 {* m' o  L% P% Uof sleek buttresses jutted out like the ribs of a beautiful beast.
0 b8 k5 P7 ]% X+ `7 J2 uThe heathens used a house of God to conceal their keystone. Again the brotherhood had confirmed : i" U9 t  I- T0 u* u# q' |
their legendary reputation for illusion and deceit. Silas was looking forward to finding the keystone + D3 Q5 y( U( T+ F+ A9 U3 E% k+ ?
and giving it to the Teacher so they could recover what the brotherhood had long ago stolen from
2 N, P) U' G( Q, tthe faithful.
: G3 B* Y: q; S" {1 WHow powerful that will make Opus Dei.
: K8 k1 T3 `* s0 ]/ JParking the Audi on the deserted Place Saint-Sulpice, Silas exhaled, telling himself to clear his
) e; s2 g; \/ qmind for the task at hand. His broad back still ached from the corporal mortification he had " R# m& K4 }% T( j* B9 I
5 W6 }) d' F; J# {8 J8 n3 k
endured earlier today, and yet the pain was inconsequential compared with the anguish of his life : B( o) m% c+ s$ m1 |2 y2 v
before Opus Dei had saved him.
  m, r3 m8 h( wStill, the memories haunted his soul.
- Y( K" @5 e5 H! I) eRelease your hatred, Silas commanded himself. Forgive those who trespassed against you.5 _. z! a  w% ?. u
Looking up at the stone towers of Saint-Sulpice, Silas fought that familiar undertow... that force
8 D! G$ y* S( w  Y( g0 tthat often dragged his mind back in time, locking him once again in the prison that had been his   r2 b  q# C2 v$ T: l1 L* t
world as a young man. The memories of purgatory came as they always did, like a tempest to his 0 u6 Y& C+ \5 z) p( Y3 L( q
senses... the reek of rotting cabbage, the stench of death, human urine and feces. The cries of
7 C* Y! K. @9 Qhopelessness against the howling wind of the Pyrenees and the soft sobs of forgotten men.
* G- `- o' q! ]4 kAndorra, he thought, feeling his muscles tighten.; q% {6 r0 p. T& n* c
Incredibly, it was in that barren and forsaken suzerain between Spain and France, shivering in his * d/ v! a% g' c1 X2 T; V7 }
stone cell, wanting only to die, that Silas had been saved.
& F7 C8 Q* J7 O  a2 `He had not realized it at the time.& s! B5 j1 J( @& N6 Z1 W' n2 |
The light came long after the thunder.
8 k5 x1 _/ z% a1 hHis name was not Silas then, although he didn't recall the name his parents had given him. He had 5 g$ k+ m$ G; i6 I
left home when he was seven. His drunken father, a burly dockworker, enraged by the arrival of an
$ h) v6 ^; z" `7 r. F$ C0 h! Aalbino son, beat his mother regularly, blaming her for the boy's embarrassing condition. When the ' J: u. g, f& K! d3 Q
boy tried to defend her, he too was badly beaten.
$ _8 V* u+ \4 ^One night, there was a horrific fight, and his mother never got up. The boy stood over his lifeless " }  G' O4 A" B8 }( E6 h% y: q
mother and felt an unbearable up-welling of guilt for permitting it to happen.' ?& V- g% k+ S' u# h
This is my fault!
2 x0 L" N6 X! }/ ~4 zAs if some kind of demon were controlling his body, the boy walked to the kitchen and grasped a
# v. D, D; m" U4 l* u. Jbutcher knife. Hypnotically, he moved to the bedroom where his father lay on the bed in a drunken 9 _6 o. }. H7 N" y1 @8 B
stupor. Without a word, the boy stabbed him in the back. His father cried out in pain and tried to : U+ c- C* x  ?5 p5 p
roll over, but his son stabbed him again, over and over until the apartment fell quiet.
. \. Z% {( D/ L. Q6 h+ L& @; `4 u7 LThe boy fled home but found the streets of Marseilles equally unfriendly. His strange appearance
5 O5 z9 c  Y0 W% Fmade him an outcast among the other young runaways, and he was forced to live alone in the # q0 h/ ~3 ~; L3 R& f: j- ^
basement of a dilapidated factory, eating stolen fruit and raw fish from the dock. His only
/ ]% u7 t5 ]: t' r7 C) Xcompanions were tattered magazines he found in the trash, and he taught himself to read them. : o! G$ e3 k$ c- i
Over time, he grew strong. When he was twelve, another drifter—a girl twice his age—mocked 3 F$ M4 ]$ o* ?( J) A
him on the streets and attempted to steal his food. The girl found herself pummeled to within
% |6 w4 Z- b+ Y: D# g4 p4 k: J% h& U8 G0 f
inches of her life. When the authorities pulled the boy off her, they gave him an ultimatum—leave
7 k, W3 o; r+ b$ @Marseilles or go to juvenile prison./ _: K* Z* g1 A; k6 j4 P3 j
The boy moved down the coast to Toulon. Over time, the looks of pity on the streets turned to
  H- M" D0 N$ d+ Q" P' mlooks of fear. The boy had grown to a powerful young man. When people passed by, he could hear
% u0 ^0 V1 S1 k" a% dthem whispering to one another. A ghost, they would say, their eyes wide with fright as they stared ) q1 V3 `5 a' ?7 k" C$ w
at his white skin. A ghost with the eyes of a devil!% f: L; z" _  X  w6 v( }) E! G
And he felt like a ghost... transparent... floating from seaport to seaport.+ y, V' N3 j: A7 ^: c6 [
People seemed to look right through him.  _1 ?( [$ Y/ z
At eighteen, in a port town, while attempting to steal a case of cured ham from a cargo ship, he was
- T" N7 B& z, P( |- ?caught by a pair of crewmen. The two sailors who began to beat him smelled of beer, just as his 0 F( }2 N; m! q! g& G
father had. The memories of fear and hatred surfaced like a monster from the deep. The young man
7 G+ |( \6 Q! \9 [! R2 ?. z9 g* qbroke the first sailor's neck with his bare hands, and only the arrival of the police saved the second $ [1 [+ ?" o/ G" J
sailor from a similar fate.6 V. p7 a2 l! h+ H
Two months later, in shackles, he arrived at a prison in Andorra.
2 F- d, E/ ^7 }1 zYou are as white as a ghost, the inmates ridiculed as the guards marched him in, naked and cold. ; }+ m2 ]( Z6 H
Mira el espectro! Perhaps the ghost will pass right through these walls!
. D* K  T% i1 ^7 l9 W- ^0 _Over the course of twelve years, his flesh and soul withered until he knew he had become # S: l. A( E( \9 ^8 w
transparent.0 v' ?+ ^3 {. u" ~  o
I am a ghost.- O; g! t. k* s2 I6 p6 h! \1 M
I am weightless.
& r! l8 S& w' m  n+ a- dYo soy un espectro... palido coma una fantasma... caminando este mundo a solas.+ E: U% n5 Z4 l, ^
One night the ghost awoke to the screams of other inmates. He didn't know what invisible force - R, I; n) [! ~" v+ M' [3 G5 T
was shaking the floor on which he slept, nor what mighty hand was trembling the mortar of his
2 d7 ~& q9 v1 q) k" G- ]9 @stone cell, but as he jumped to his feet, a large boulder toppled onto the very spot where he had
! S1 i6 F3 J/ W3 N) |) nbeen sleeping. Looking up to see where the stone had come from, he saw a hole in the trembling 9 T) a& z( Z6 g8 A
wall, and beyond it, a vision he had not seen in over ten years. The moon.
# {0 Y6 p" D5 H0 s9 NEven while the earth still shook, the ghost found himself scrambling through a narrow tunnel,
: Y" F% \  k; l" u4 dstaggering out into an expansive vista, and tumbling down a barren mountainside into the woods. 1 g0 x! `/ k  H+ s" w
He ran all night, always downward, delirious with hunger and exhaustion.0 b* s: k$ I% E2 s$ b3 J  T
Skirting the edges of consciousness, he found himself at dawn in a clearing where train tracks cut a + U6 l- C: E6 g" y
2 J' c# f9 V; w* Y  E8 G1 O3 N
swath across the forest. Following the rails, he moved on as if dreaming. Seeing an empty freight 7 T% s" S: Y$ o/ ~7 f2 I6 a
car, he crawled in for shelter and rest. When he awoke the train was moving. How long? How far?
, E; U* N6 z2 f. _1 |% u: FA pain was growing in his gut. Am I dying? He slept again. This time he awoke to someone yelling, - z, z4 P- h' z1 e
beating him, throwing him out of the freight car. Bloody, he wandered the outskirts of a small
* `& P$ L/ T* X$ p6 v+ ^9 X, Fvillage looking in vain for food. Finally, his body too weak to take another step, he lay down by the 6 T/ ~4 G: ~( {" c. {& q- ~- z: k
side of the road and slipped into unconsciousness.
7 J/ {+ F' }; B  RThe light came slowly, and the ghost wondered how long he had been dead. A day? Three days? It * `* G5 i% O, a3 n+ l) c
didn't matter. His bed was soft like a cloud, and the air around him smelled sweet with candles. 3 A& a. A( Z; {6 B) `
Jesus was there, staring down at him. I am here, Jesus said. The stone has been rolled aside, and
' h6 x" T8 g7 X. a. u) v3 x& f0 Pyou are born again.
5 X# K  w0 [, n7 j: e6 s5 [He slept and awoke. Fog shrouded his thoughts. He had never believed in heaven, and yet Jesus + d! }! j2 q, I- V( W( p& \, [
was watching over him. Food appeared beside his bed, and the ghost ate it, almost able to feel the 3 _, Z7 ^5 i: w5 h9 i2 ]
flesh materializing on his bones. He slept again. When he awoke, Jesus was still smiling down,
. L9 }8 h# \) Ospeaking. You are saved, my son. Blessed are those who follow my path.7 v# {) J8 @% w; A6 K! `
Again, he slept.2 ^! _8 s" w& n
It was a scream of anguish that startled the ghost from his slumber. His body leapt out of bed, , T( x' I8 ~  {% I
staggered down a hallway toward the sounds of shouting. He entered into a kitchen and saw a large
+ D9 o. {! m2 ^2 c- X( l, j/ rman beating a smaller man. Without knowing why, the ghost grabbed the large man and hurled him
3 t: W1 i0 s  H, G) W/ e4 }, tbackward against a wall. The man fled, leaving the ghost standing over the body of a young man in   ^' U0 L0 t5 x" w7 Y
priest's robes. The priest had a badly shattered nose. Lifting the bloody priest, the ghost carried him
* O! o; d7 W6 K% O9 i  P, U3 `to a couch.
' w' r# S6 y$ s* s! q"Thank you, my friend," the priest said in awkward French. "The offertory money is tempting for , H* T' I' s) f5 q: n" y' ]& l
thieves. You speak French in your sleep. Do you also speak Spanish?"
$ J0 j7 |5 P. E$ f9 gThe ghost shook his head.
; f8 }# p$ x* ^! l# s2 X8 v7 X"What is your name?" he continued in broken French.) `3 E; R! {( u$ W4 `; E, a
The ghost could not remember the name his parents had given him. All he heard were the taunting
5 h* W3 K- d# Q# ]gibes of the prison guards.
9 ?$ C- M, a  ?The priest smiled. "No hay problema. My name is Manuel Aringarosa. I am a missionary from , t4 y$ v  l9 \
Madrid. I was sent here to build a church for the Obra de Dios."
; M! {" M3 j0 m* o"Where am I?" His voice sounded hollow.
1 K: o+ e& Y/ @0 h  j, P9 g"Oviedo. In the north of Spain."5 }8 Z1 M( {! w( p) X

# v( L7 E1 f* H3 s- C% X+ L"How did I get here?", d5 L# S3 r( W% [2 m2 p9 r
"Someone left you on my doorstep. You were ill. I fed you. You've been here many days."
; @2 V% \! M& T' f& H: ~2 {The ghost studied his young caretaker. Years had passed since anyone had shown any kindness. 6 d4 v" E# [5 S# J. P$ [) V8 v
"Thank you, Father."
, s. B# Y. }/ cThe priest touched his bloody lip. "It is I who am thankful, my friend."2 C# S) y; O- v- ?9 [. G6 j! X- M
When the ghost awoke in the morning, his world felt clearer. He gazed up at the crucifix on the 7 N7 `, j4 f0 @8 o: {% ?; X4 S/ a
wall above his bed. Although it no longer spoke to him, he felt a comforting aura in its presence. , x" Y  t" J( X
Sitting up, he was surprised to find a newspaper clipping on his bedside table. The article was in # M% o  t- D" u" `
French, a week old. When he read the story, he filled with fear. It told of an earthquake in the
8 n; Q4 K- f/ \2 T* Bmountains that had destroyed a prison and freed many dangerous criminals.
9 I3 O% `4 z$ f+ s( _, tHis heart began pounding. The priest knows who I am! The emotion he felt was one he had not felt 9 O9 b3 Q: x) b1 X. F& [  w: j$ |  p
for some time. Shame. Guilt. It was accompanied by the fear of being caught. He jumped from his ( S# P/ ?4 N& s6 p; r9 I& w: Q. w
bed. Where do I run?
" {9 _7 a( t- ^2 b9 T"The Book of Acts," a voice said from the door.0 b' c3 q4 c8 }1 M& _8 y, E: q
The ghost turned, frightened.
9 t" T4 k, r1 E7 X1 A9 SThe young priest was smiling as he entered. His nose was awkwardly bandaged, and he was / Q# z% f% Q( _3 w- [2 w
holding out an old Bible. "I found one in French for you. The chapter is marked."' o5 s4 @. K3 u0 g+ z, w
Uncertain, the ghost took the Bible and looked at the chapter the priest had marked.& ]1 Z! S6 r+ H* S
Acts 16.
- M; I: d( I, u- B! l4 YThe verses told of a prisoner named Silas who lay naked and beaten in his cell, singing hymns to
6 i# h& v9 e( p, P& i5 DGod. When the ghost reached Verse 26, he gasped in shock.
; ^" `7 l9 E' E6 j. c"...And suddenly, there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken,
) Q+ G% s0 ]* X; _# J- Cand all the doors fell open."
# p) p+ e) f3 H0 ^His eyes shot up at the priest.
' W1 s8 @" ^" n+ D  QThe priest smiled warmly. "From now on, my friend, if you have no other name, I shall call you
7 r9 {4 d" A- w  eSilas."+ n1 n1 Q4 M5 \8 J! N; `
The ghost nodded blankly. Silas. He had been given flesh. My name is Silas.
' S- Y6 q- H1 h2 A9 X5 S# w5 ?  T1 F5 ^9 R  u+ l
"It's time for breakfast," the priest said. "You will need your strength if you are to help me build + v/ a  G  m& X9 }' u
this church."1 W- p0 X; M4 y

" d' c1 L% U8 fTwenty thousand feet above the Mediterranean, Alitalia flight 1618 bounced in turbulence, causing ( }+ `& a6 U: c* \
passengers to shift nervously. Bishop Aringarosa barely noticed. His thoughts were with the future 3 c/ P. |/ K! i8 C, \7 W" H3 i- a
of Opus Dei. Eager to know how plans in Paris were progressing, he wished he could phone Silas.
" _2 p3 R5 l" dBut he could not. The Teacher had seen to that.
. W0 U4 y. c/ s% A; _$ j$ Z"It is for your own safety," the Teacher had explained, speaking in English with a French accent. "I
, U9 U  Y, s$ ~6 bam familiar enough with electronic communications to know they can be intercepted. The results
! G" d& a$ M& fcould be disastrous for you."6 E4 [- k( J4 c( Q* |
Aringarosa knew he was right. The Teacher seemed an exceptionally careful man. He had not
6 P5 d; I0 T+ ^revealed his own identity to Aringarosa, and yet he had proven himself a man well worth obeying.
* j! E6 r3 _, |. M/ tAfter all, he had somehow obtained very secret information. The names of the brotherhood's four ( p; K- k' N1 K4 K& J+ R) |, t
top members! This had been one of the coups that convinced the bishop the Teacher was truly 4 B' W- j9 e8 C# h4 Y! W! u3 @
capable of delivering the astonishing prize he claimed he could unearth.; n7 ?5 ]) ^  s& C$ |
"Bishop," the Teacher had told him, "I have made all the arrangements. For my plan to succeed, & s8 ?/ O; P/ L* C9 V
you must allow Silas to answer only to me for several days. The two of you will not speak. I will
- F. b9 U; g8 @; `communicate with him through secure channels."# V0 t5 R3 \6 t) e2 x
"You will treat him with respect?"
: V8 \' T0 H- r6 D; K+ U"A man of faith deserves the highest."# H# a% {* B0 V6 ]3 [7 J$ Q, o
"Excellent. Then I understand. Silas and I shall not speak until this is over."$ a% b, C; B2 y/ A' ~
"I do this to protect your identity, Silas's identity, and my investment."
9 O' x8 |; R; L- M$ A( D. A( j"Your investment?"  m  q$ B: t' I" S
"Bishop, if your own eagerness to keep abreast of progress puts you in jail, then you will be unable , ]9 ?6 K! r: N- L/ e+ ^0 @2 L
to pay me my fee."; A4 t0 l- O' L5 H/ I/ K, `. d
The bishop smiled. "A fine point. Our desires are in accord. Godspeed."
, |. \: w2 g( e) A, P& OTwenty million euro, the bishop thought, now gazing out the plane's window. The sum was
. G/ ?- S! Q  ~* H. Qapproximately the same number of U.S. dollars. A pittance for something so powerful.
# L8 W3 W" V) z8 H" `4 lHe felt a renewed confidence that the Teacher and Silas would not fail. Money and faith were   z$ [8 Y. R% E* U+ d/ N

* m& E/ E( l+ q' ~2 W& [4 Epowerful motivators.

"Une plaisanterie numérique?" Bezu Fache was livid, glaring at Sophie Neveu in disbelief. A
; T+ U0 A' J; m1 ^6 Lnumeric joke? "Your professional assessment of Saunière's code is that it is some kind of
4 j9 [' @* B! c, bmathematical prank?"
9 s1 |$ }) L5 r1 K0 RFache was in utter incomprehension of this woman's gall. Not only had she just barged in on Fache 5 \6 w* W, i/ `/ `$ [5 G; p
without permission, but she was now trying to convince him that Saunière, in his final moments of + T; C3 O; h+ y  e
life, had been inspired to leave a mathematical gag?  ]% N$ [3 a) A5 F2 p
"This code," Sophie explained in rapid French, "is simplistic to the point of absurdity. Jacques
- p6 E7 s; e7 h) b/ {Saunière must have known we would see through it immediately." She pulled a scrap of paper from 4 ~" F, d  ^3 J: ^* k
her sweater pocket and handed it to Fache. "Here is the decryption."" e2 q0 C& K; G  ~
Fache looked at the card.0 B: t0 |/ \# k$ {0 o  ?
1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21  L$ h  J3 R- o4 d- t% n$ Q
4 G/ D0 E' N7 E) f& L# s/ e
"This is it?" he snapped. "All you did was put the numbers in increasing order!"
- ^7 _, K2 L1 j/ z* {  gSophie actually had the nerve to give a satisfied smile. "Exactly.": G! z2 f, z: \3 a1 @4 a. Q7 i
Fache's tone lowered to a guttural rumble. "Agent Neveu, I have no idea where the hell you're
4 T! `1 B7 R% H1 b& g) Pgoing with this, but I suggest you get there fast." He shot an anxious glance at Langdon, who stood + H- J. D- e7 @2 {, B9 M
nearby with the phone pressed to his ear, apparently still listening to his phone message from the 2 d" C7 V* h( j
U.S. Embassy. From Langdon's ashen expression, Fache sensed the news was bad.
8 R  F* G3 o4 }  c+ V"Captain," Sophie said, her tone dangerously defiant, "the sequence of numbers you have in your 1 W! w9 _" i' e
hand happens to be one of the most famous mathematical progressions in history."' f1 d" s, l, A* E, g
Fache was not aware there even existed a mathematical progression that qualified as famous, and : i2 R6 [0 z' w* U4 n
he certainly didn't appreciate Sophie's off-handed tone.4 t* Z: a$ ^. x; a+ r
"This is the Fibonacci sequence," she declared, nodding toward the piece of paper in Fache's hand.
2 j8 r& y, a3 P"A progression in which each term is equal to the sum of the two preceding terms."  ^; \8 g& L) W5 ?
Fache studied the numbers. Each term was indeed the sum of the two previous, and yet Fache   r8 \# e9 p* F- M  d% U
could not imagine what the relevance of all this was to Saunière's death.
) D5 X$ F/ ]# x& U+ B3 Q3 w
1 n+ D7 _. y" g6 w1 F- y6 {1 I  t"Mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci created this succession of numbers in the thirteenth-century. 5 G$ [. o3 D* y* v3 l2 Y% A; ]; ]# s
Obviously there can be no coincidence that all of the numbers Saunière wrote on the floor belong
/ ^. _+ P9 F( o$ P. `2 Kto Fibonacci's famous sequence."1 m; D+ k0 n! L1 E. B9 _; W6 W- E
Fache stared at the young woman for several moments. "Fine, if there is no coincidence, would you
6 C* ]9 |! O- N) jtell me why Jacques Saunière chose to do this. What is he saying? What does this mean?"/ D, A. p7 I, A, ]; k- l+ R. Q
She shrugged. "Absolutely nothing. That's the point. It's a simplistic cryptographic joke. Like
% V  I+ k: p  h% htaking the words of a famous poem and shuffling them at random to see if anyone recognizes what # ~+ w/ H  ^$ d5 j5 o0 |6 i+ ~: u
all the words have in common."
6 Q. O/ |9 N1 t4 pFache took a menacing step forward, placing his face only inches from Sophie's. "I certainly hope
$ l% N; G3 r* `2 h8 K/ ?; D7 Fyou have a much more satisfying explanation than that."
: i* s5 h8 J8 F% MSophie's soft features grew surprisingly stern as she leaned in. "Captain, considering what you have
, W# J1 e/ r; p1 o# p6 h+ @at stake here tonight, I thought you might appreciate knowing that Jacques Saunière might be ! b) A3 Z! B0 b  e' b
playing games with you. Apparently not. I'll inform the director of Cryptography you no longer : V/ h4 p4 p) K$ D0 O
need our services."  l, z* Y, S2 f; k5 V
With that, she turned on her heel, and marched off the way she had come.! d& ]; G( K2 Z6 D$ o' J
Stunned, Fache watched her disappear into the darkness. Is she out of her mind? Sophie Neveu had # P5 G0 X. b& d* L- i2 q( z
just redefined le suicide professionnel., m  J2 f  x0 `5 j
Fache turned to Langdon, who was still on the phone, looking more concerned than before, / S. b) W$ F) W6 F5 c8 T8 H- }/ C
listening intently to his phone message. The U.S. Embassy. Bezu Fache despised many things... but
5 s" ^* A! m" l, tfew drew more wrath than the U.S. Embassy.
$ A! [7 R+ n, g+ y0 d; {0 U0 ~8 JFache and the ambassador locked horns regularly over shared affairs of state—their most common ) I) I# i; o) [! _3 \5 _
battleground being law enforcement for visiting Americans. Almost daily, DCPJ arrested American
+ ]. }7 g! r4 p  j9 mexchange students in possession of drugs, U.S. businessmen for soliciting underage Prostitutes,
' J: j9 V9 s  pAmerican tourists for shoplifting or destruction of property. Legally, the U.S. Embassy could
# t0 I  e$ o! L$ y8 qintervene and extradite guilty citizens back to the United States, where they received nothing more
" H3 [2 W, s/ M" s6 e( {than a slap on the wrist.1 `2 q% y0 T+ `: F8 [
And the embassy invariably did just that.
5 V/ n8 k, p; R& s# @L'émasculation de la Police Judiciaire, Fache called it. Paris Match had run a cartoon recently
+ D& Y/ u. g( `1 P- _: udepicting Fache as a police dog, trying to bite an American criminal, but unable to reach because it 8 u7 m8 P& s/ X3 r3 V* B
was chained to the U.S. Embassy.- h! b2 j$ g* t. H9 z6 q3 U% F/ j
Not tonight, Fache told himself. There is far too much at stake.
" P; Y( U9 K9 ?) O
; J6 x* r! t8 `$ `By the time Robert Langdon hung up the phone, he looked ill.2 t2 J* x3 N& z, B  H: }
"Is everything all right?" Fache asked.: s3 C# m. O/ l
Weakly, Langdon shook his head.
+ I5 J7 K6 j3 \+ L: ^- e' r! Q. n; B+ rBad news from home, Fache sensed, noticing Langdon was sweating slightly as Fache took back 5 W) |. {) l( F& o
his cell phone.. P$ k' B  n/ ?! D
"An accident," Langdon stammered, looking at Fache with a strange expression. "A friend..." He
  K/ T) d+ F$ F# Hhesitated. "I'll need to fly home first thing in the morning."
% z# R/ \. w9 F: a+ G1 pFache had no doubt the shock on Langdon's face was genuine, and yet he sensed another emotion ; H- W' J8 p3 j% x
there too, as if a distant fear were suddenly simmering in the American's eyes. "I'm sorry to hear + O  B8 I8 |5 W/ [& I
that," Fache said, watching Langdon closely. "Would you like to sit down?" He motioned toward $ h- d: ]. E% b; k3 U6 \- G
one of the viewing benches in the gallery.$ r% e! i( Q- A. a% x
Langdon nodded absently and took a few steps toward the bench. He paused, looking more - _9 A- i0 R( B" E9 Z7 \
confused with every moment. "Actually, I think I'd like to use the rest room."
4 J0 k0 C6 ]* H, x1 O/ M  sFache frowned inwardly at the delay. "The rest room. Of course. Let's take a break for a few
$ v4 z( A$ x( Z& R* }  G- y4 pminutes." He motioned back down the long hallway in the direction they had come from. "The rest " p) N$ O4 A% K( q# j3 O# x5 j; P
rooms are back toward the curator's office."
- x2 n+ W6 w/ W4 C, lLangdon hesitated, pointing in the other direction toward the far end of the Grand Gallery corridor.
8 }( u- V7 v6 _) O"I believe there's a much closer rest room at the end."
( l+ S+ t. q- C" A4 ]Fache realized Langdon was right. They were two thirds of the way down, and the Grand Gallery
* w! ?  y, u0 S+ v5 w; xdead-ended at a pair of rest rooms. "Shall I accompany you?"( x% i: j" E2 k
Langdon shook his head, already moving deeper into the gallery. "Not necessary. I think I'd like a
1 N' E$ s1 k* k+ H2 {few minutes alone."
" _$ {  n, P% w3 c! _4 U/ F5 ~+ iFache was not wild about the idea of Langdon wandering alone down the remaining length of
% t2 F! ?% |' \4 q  Ocorridor, but he took comfort in knowing the Grand Gallery was a dead end whose only exit was at
  C# y3 H" @5 Z3 F7 G9 B7 Xthe other end—the gate under which they had entered. Although French fire regulations required
! ~9 l( ]/ A( qseveral emergency stairwells for a space this large, those stairwells had been sealed automatically
( N$ V4 I( t* j5 swhen Saunière tripped the security system. Granted, that system had now been reset, unlocking the % @" y# n6 j; [
stairwells, but it didn't matter—the external doors, if opened, would set off fire alarms and were
6 o- t! C6 U$ M7 z+ k8 L) Zguarded outside by DCPJ agents. Langdon could not possibly leave without Fache knowing about 1 M- k: e" F: }' f8 e( s7 o
it.
$ f' a8 l% m- I7 \: K& E; B
0 C. w0 h* a7 s" B( B7 i"I need to return to Mr. Saunière's office for a moment," Fache said. "Please come find me directly,
3 L$ l  G1 I3 gMr. Langdon. There is more we need to discuss."
$ L$ G. S! ^$ a7 |Langdon gave a quiet wave as he disappeared into the darkness.) M0 V# _/ Q1 g% b# t
Turning, Fache marched angrily in the opposite direction. Arriving at the gate, he slid under, exited
  `* |/ y5 [& x' D+ Zthe Grand Gallery, marched down the hall, and stormed into the command center at Saunière's - g+ l- X, E# P  w. N
office.
4 N& K! P3 H5 t. e/ g, }% v% U3 R& r"Who gave the approval to let Sophie Neveu into this building!" Fache bellowed." p  r- C9 C' P) h. O: L
Collet was the first to answer. "She told the guards outside she'd broken the code.". L" b. e5 {& ]9 i
Fache looked around. "Is she gone?"
% M  u; x5 a" P  ^* k: e2 T3 `; c. I7 J"She's not with you?"
8 i' X3 _8 p9 W; c. u2 q5 Z"She left." Fache glanced out at the darkened hallway. Apparently Sophie had been in no mood to 5 Q. d  a2 w/ X; d2 Q* X& k; K
stop by and chat with the other officers on her way out.
- n5 e8 s+ K) j& Z1 ^For a moment, Fache considered radioing the guards in the entresol and telling them to stop Sophie 2 n1 l& V! q% v2 i
and drag her back up here before she could leave the premises. He thought better of it. That was
7 l# m8 k0 _- p. Z+ i- f( J1 Yonly his pride talking... wanting the last word. He'd had enough distractions tonight.* M" V& u" r: {( N3 O+ b1 Y$ k
Deal with Agent Neveu later, he told himself, already looking forward to firing her.4 B# X) a! [0 K6 M6 [
Pushing Sophie from his mind, Fache stared for a moment at the miniature knight standing on , ~7 h! t% R/ v& F3 g2 U
Saunière's desk. Then he turned back to Collet. "Do you have him?"7 p) \- J+ v) l- f; o
Collet gave a curt nod and spun the laptop toward Fache. The red dot was clearly visible on the * H! n  {4 m/ e2 B& i+ U- r
floor plan overlay, blinking methodically in a room marked TOILETTES PUBLIQUES.
1 A; ~" t( ~) f* A  @"Good," Fache said, lighting a cigarette and stalking into the hall. I've got a phone call to make. Be 1 Y0 a# o$ ]. `6 s
damned sure the rest room is the only place Langdon goes."

Robert Langdon felt light-headed as he trudged toward the end of the Grand Gallery. Sophie's 2 J0 B" R9 l+ C2 ^) _$ }2 [
phone message played over and over in his mind. At the end of the corridor, illuminated signs % F- z+ D% b) F
bearing the international stick-figure symbols for rest rooms guided him through a maze-like series : o' s3 |( p# w
of dividers displaying Italian drawings and hiding the rest rooms from sight.
! u6 D! [7 t- p& C" Q, M5 T! I! d- e( x  ^# A% O+ J
Finding the men's room door, Langdon entered and turned on the lights.
5 Y6 Q0 P' z1 ?$ ?# C2 l6 I* a2 |# S, BThe room was empty.3 B5 r$ C1 |1 k) K3 ?! N
Walking to the sink, he splashed cold water on his face and tried to wake up. Harsh fluorescent / `  Z( M6 v% e+ s
lights glared off the stark tile, and the room smelled of ammonia. As he toweled off, the rest room's % c. ]3 r  {! y) L8 \
door creaked open behind him. He spun.8 \# a5 ]+ G9 K& Q' t/ H
Sophie Neveu entered, her green eyes flashing fear. "Thank God you came. We don't have much $ J) q% Q  f6 _
time."
7 G! z) A  r# x% N( BLangdon stood beside the sinks, staring in bewilderment at DCPJ cryptographer Sophie Neveu. 3 H. N/ ]1 @" Y/ }5 c
Only minutes ago, Langdon had listened to her phone message, thinking the newly arrived
6 o, g3 `5 ~& h5 {5 B5 Z! Scryptographer must be insane. And yet, the more he listened, the more he sensed Sophie Neveu
% A. i5 T" y7 Ewas speaking in earnest. Do not react to this message. Just listen calmly. You are in danger right
9 F. m4 r: M3 J& [$ a7 Wnow. Follow my directions very closely. Filled with uncertainty, Langdon had decided to do exactly : n2 b& {- U; C" ^% e
as Sophie advised. He told Fache that the phone message was regarding an injured friend back
5 v+ T2 ]* M. \7 z0 I3 ^. rhome. Then he had asked to use the rest room at the end of the Grand Gallery.
7 q) G/ w6 Q, D! C4 f% f5 USophie stood before him now, still catching her breath after doubling back to the rest room. In the
" R8 q. F7 `4 H) Qfluorescent lights, Langdon was surprised to see that her strong air actually radiated from
4 `6 {2 {: w$ V( u" W( v/ Y; n! sunexpectedly soft features. Only her gaze was sharp, and the juxtaposition conjured images of a 2 E" k$ w+ @! E7 A7 ^3 z9 I
multilayered Renoir portrait... veiled but distinct, with a boldness that somehow retained its shroud
+ b) _# V. y) F4 b% Mof mystery.0 Z5 ~1 p# Y- D. k
"I wanted to warn you, Mr. Langdon..." Sophie began, still catching her breath, "that you are sous - a. I* b0 p' s6 e/ B9 Y* Y
surveillance cachée. Under a guarded observation." As she spoke, her accented English resonated
: G; T% }+ m, I5 H: z7 g- ]5 Eoff the tile walls, giving her voice a hollow quality.9 j! ]/ N3 W" a) r, _' @* o
"But... why?" Langdon demanded. Sophie had already given him an explanation on the phone, but ! G* m, b4 H/ I/ `, m% H
he wanted to hear it from her lips.2 m0 I* x; k, J& [
"Because," she said, stepping toward him, "Fache's primary suspect in this murder is you."3 Q# f) U, y" x) u. |* E
Langdon was braced for the words, and yet they still sounded utterly ridiculous. According to
# @" P2 x4 L  x, @' @* mSophie, Langdon had been called to the Louvre tonight not as a symbologist but rather as a suspect
0 {2 {3 Y. e: \' z! ]and was currently the unwitting target of one of DCPJ's favorite interrogation
  k- Q# t; H" Imethods—surveillance cachée—a deft deception in which the police calmly invited a suspect to a ) Z4 f! g; @/ o( v2 R
crime scene and interviewed him in hopes he would get nervous and mistakenly incriminate
8 m$ h0 R3 M7 G' Y; mhimself.% F( B8 t3 |: D4 U7 M
"Look in your jacket's left pocket," Sophie said. "You'll find proof they are watching you.", W" V# M$ x: P! H6 r8 T

5 e3 Z) h& B6 x% }* q0 G3 Z/ ^& rLangdon felt his apprehension rising. Look in my pocket? It sounded like some kind of cheap
5 h6 N7 O: t: Q# e# Jmagic trick.
' [% O, R" E# x"Just look."
+ e; W# j/ [4 H  q4 GBewildered, Langdon reached his hand into his tweed jacket's left pocket—one he never used.   E5 v* V7 H2 |% J
Feeling around inside, he found nothing. What the devil did you expect? He began wondering if
0 ^$ u6 T- k  e' _+ \% B1 HSophie might just be insane after all. Then his fingers brushed something unexpected. Small and
0 ^9 e# {2 L3 w1 _3 O% T7 T6 [hard. Pinching the tiny object between his fingers, Langdon pulled it out and stared in 6 t# R& x- ]9 d3 z2 F' Y
astonishment. It was a metallic, button-shaped disk, about the size of a watch battery. He had never
+ l7 R* h5 h# u# j( b% Zseen it before. "What the...?"; i# O- [" a7 F( I
"GPS tracking dot," Sophie said. "Continuously transmits its location to a Global Positioning
2 ~* |6 H, T. ]# C9 j. h) KSystem satellite that DCPJ can monitor. We use them to monitor people's locations. It's accurate & O- V- X7 ]/ H- ^+ u0 u" j
within two feet anywhere on the globe. They have you on an electronic leash. The agent who
9 I3 v1 B# v' e: t; Tpicked you up at the hotel slipped it inside your pocket before you left your room."# [* D: Q& V$ H4 U8 t6 l- L2 ]
Langdon flashed back to the hotel room... his quick shower, getting dressed, the DCPJ agent / `* {( \- J, I- d& t1 X  Z
politely holding out Langdon's tweed coat as they left the room. It's cool outside, Mr. Langdon, the 2 g( \/ P6 [* Q. J( o" N* V6 y
agent had said. Spring in Paris is not all your song boasts. Langdon had thanked him and donned
; Y' V. G- R$ B6 }+ l8 y# v+ ]3 gthe jacket.
3 Y1 p  }+ e* s( `6 KSophie's olive gaze was keen. "I didn't tell you about the tracking dot earlier because I didn't want ! ]8 m1 g% v1 w* j2 {. X
you checking your pocket in front of Fache. He can't know you've found it.": P8 L/ N  \5 h+ u% S6 o$ }
Langdon had no idea how to respond.
! f  N2 F% o, e"They tagged you with GPS because they thought you might run." She paused. "In fact, they hoped $ G9 c, ?) j* W$ S3 Q" d8 p
you would run; it would make their case stronger."6 v' ]8 U9 u$ \) @* u
"Why would I run!" Langdon demanded. "I'm innocent!"
. N9 X9 s& |# b7 n% m9 b" {% s# ?"Fache feels otherwise."7 O) z& D/ L" i9 k2 x! X( a" a9 }0 g
Angrily, Langdon stalked toward the trash receptacle to dispose of the tracking dot.
* \: U% J3 J, `/ Q; s+ R"No!" Sophie grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Leave it in your pocket. If you throw it out, the 7 C% d1 I% h, q6 B& r
signal will stop moving, and they'll know you found the dot. The only reason Fache left you alone ; o) F# N0 D6 R4 P
is because he can monitor where you are. If he thinks you've discovered what he's doing..." Sophie ) M& F! C, m6 w1 n8 }  G1 i
did not finish the thought. Instead, she pried the metallic disk from Langdon's hand and slid it back
! f) A. J3 ?& j, J2 _2 Ninto the pocket of his tweed coat. "The dot stays with you. At least for the moment."
3 q; S- i2 n; S  W) r% C8 p1 o0 E. W  m* `. _* r4 ^& j% P0 B! |0 c
Langdon felt lost. "How the hell could Fache actually believe I killed Jacques Saunière!"3 n& B  U  X$ z. Y% \
"He has some fairly persuasive reasons to suspect you." Sophie's expression was grim. "There is a + N9 d) J2 N- l, k
piece of evidence here that you have not yet seen. Fache has kept it carefully hidden from you."8 g- ]3 J+ R3 I5 N) R7 b& H
Langdon could only stare./ n2 w# W! z3 t& n+ B4 {  c: o
"Do you recall the three lines of text that Saunière wrote on the floor?"
, G) w& v( @- \Langdon nodded. The numbers and words were imprinted on Langdon's mind.  K% V) I- |+ Z: T: `0 J, @/ V& ?
Sophie's voice dropped to a whisper now. "Unfortunately, what you saw was not the entire ( x$ m' m7 R- q' f4 S) j2 C0 ^
message. There was a fourth line that Fache photographed and then wiped clean before you 2 Z3 z% u( n, u/ h5 _
arrived."
6 `3 W8 k0 D+ N6 j, V% t7 hAlthough Langdon knew the soluble ink of a watermark stylus could easily be wiped away, he 5 ?  e; B. E0 Y9 R
could not imagine why Fache would erase evidence.
( K7 ^8 [7 c( b7 U) U0 e# I"The last line of the message," Sophie said, "was something Fache did not want you to know
" W: {" q: H  c! nabout." She paused. "At least not until he was done with you."( n2 X- {  v4 C* k- k' a
Sophie produced a computer printout of a photo from her sweater pocket and began unfolding it. 0 l, O0 |; N& I  I9 e4 h  |/ {
"Fache uploaded images of the crime scene to the Cryptology Department earlier tonight in hopes
6 \9 l. _9 ?' v# j# `we could figure out what Saunière's message was trying to say. This is a photo of the complete
# I( X5 `8 |; V7 hmessage." She handed the page to Langdon." }% V3 F; {7 C! n& M8 c
Bewildered, Langdon looked at the image. The close-up photo revealed the glowing message on
. k/ V6 r0 j4 athe parquet floor. The final line hit Langdon like a kick in the gut.- Z4 H. h* f# y1 [4 s' P
13-3-2-21-1-1-8-5
  ]3 U8 H3 B( m$ P0 W6 b0 yO, Draconian devil!
! ?6 b( _8 C( NOh, lame saint!/ x, m1 _7 f2 o8 Z. R" w0 l
P.S. Find Robert Langdon

For several seconds, Langdon stared in wonder at the photograph of Saunière's postscript. P.S.
% r% D, J  ?! i" S$ G! o+ PFind Robert Langdon. He felt as if the floor were tilting beneath his feet. Saunière left a postscript
2 H/ w) K* h( S5 c: bwith my name on it? In his wildest dreams, Langdon could not fathom why.
( }7 O7 X- k5 C7 p" r% A% e  h4 Y* c* ?
"Now do you understand," Sophie said, her eyes urgent, "why Fache ordered you here tonight, and
3 @5 {' E* Q  x5 E2 ]$ Owhy you are his primary suspect?"6 J3 e" D: c$ \2 y2 B/ `' i! G: b& a
The only thing Langdon understood at the moment was why Fache had looked so smug when " `. \% G2 Q3 t0 o- T. n- B  ?0 }
Langdon suggested Saunière would have accused his killer by name.! _* Y# U8 V, Y# N* Z$ c. n6 d2 M
Find Robert Langdon./ q$ z. \0 x6 B. i& N# U3 A2 r
"Why would Saunière write this?" Langdon demanded, his confusion now giving way to anger.
9 ?/ g, |8 M4 h0 y4 }"Why would I want to kill Jacques Saunière?"
: u; b4 J. f, Y$ Y"Fache has yet to uncover a motive, but he has been recording his entire conversation with you ; G/ {. r! s; a
tonight in hopes you might reveal one."
9 h+ c8 Y0 v* BLangdon opened his mouth, but still no words came./ m* k$ ?* U1 ?4 T9 L
"He's fitted with a miniature microphone," Sophie explained. "It's connected to a transmitter in his ' X2 _6 r9 s  Y
pocket that radios the signal back to the command post."! b. e1 T) V+ i  n  u& B  y
"This is impossible," Langdon stammered. "I have an alibi. I went directly back to my hotel after % g1 B2 ~2 ]6 l+ ]0 M/ ^! [& ~
my lecture. You can ask the hotel desk."
: A; c' M1 y5 ?" w"Fache already did. His report shows you retrieving your room key from the concierge at about ten-8 k$ \) d+ k6 k  S; ?! }  ~# g
thirty. Unfortunately, the time of the murder was closer to eleven. You easily could have left your * Y8 D* v; P9 y* d
hotel room unseen."
' Q! |' t& X/ d/ m* h( A"This is insanity! Fache has no evidence!"4 [, r8 V  t0 z1 T
Sophie's eyes widened as if to say: No evidence? "Mr. Langdon, your name is written on the floor 7 H, d( A- z; l* G* E, B0 |
beside the body, and Saunière's date book says you were with him at approximately the time of the " K& i6 h8 R1 U9 N- o! q* D
murder." She paused. "Fache has more than enough evidence to take you into custody for / `8 i! K7 k* J2 T+ ]% h9 b
questioning."
" z4 S  J- h8 o! K! H5 E3 H6 vLangdon suddenly sensed that he needed a lawyer. "I didn't do this."
1 I* v, U: w3 N$ K8 {Sophie sighed. "This is not American television, Mr. Langdon. In France, the laws protect the 2 g* b* ~; N9 P3 a! }0 J7 U7 _- N
police, not criminals. Unfortunately, in this case, there is also the media consideration. Jacques , ~* V+ v2 l7 |2 ~7 L
Saunière was a very prominent and well-loved figure in Paris, and his murder will be news in the
- K5 x4 v( Q9 ~5 c9 @0 vmorning. Fache will be under immediate pressure to make a statement, and he looks a lot better + u0 K4 B+ b% d' |0 F6 ]* V
having a suspect in custody already. Whether or not you are guilty, you most certainly will be held ' b, D( V$ h# |; E' K
by DCPJ until they can figure out what really happened."; ^. f6 t5 N& ^5 c
Langdon felt like a caged animal. "Why are you telling me all this?"
* e; m* W5 R/ ^# C9 i( G% n$ f" c7 e6 w9 c& R7 y
"Because, Mr. Langdon, I believe you are innocent." Sophie looked away for a moment and then
% Q, U0 O8 s% l% |" @back into his eyes. "And also because it is partially my fault that you're in trouble.": b) h% G- m9 w
"I'm sorry? It's your fault Saunière is trying to frame me?"
* H9 a3 G" e5 p! e6 W"Saunière wasn't trying to frame you. It was a mistake. That message on the floor was meant for 9 d! T+ }( W- Z5 ^9 ?# z" o
me."4 i- g) h3 l& {/ |& Z
Langdon needed a minute to process that one. "I beg your pardon?"
1 Y# b# D8 T0 |2 A) Z0 ~  \& _  }! h"That message wasn't for the police. He wrote it for me. I think he was forced to do everything in 8 T( I* ^' g2 M' A8 C0 e
such a hurry that he just didn't realize how it would look to the police." She paused. "The numbered 3 g; X  o1 M  U# ?
code is meaningless. Saunière wrote it to make sure the investigation included cryptographers, 5 n, o7 \3 W% G9 W) A  P* `
ensuring that I would know as soon as possible what had happened to him."
  x/ U7 e/ a& ^2 YLangdon felt himself losing touch fast. Whether or not Sophie Neveu had lost her mind was at this , R' |2 D$ q6 a6 P" C% K
point up for grabs, but at least Langdon now understood why she was trying to help him. P.S. Find
+ [# L( f. P3 b& i5 X  d+ QRobert Langdon. She apparently believed the curator had left her a cryptic postscript telling her to
7 A$ d  d+ `; `& Sfind Langdon. "But why do you think his message was for you?"" n/ X' i; K* a, \$ v
"The Vitruvian Man," she said flatly. "That particular sketch has always been my favorite Da Vinci 1 |8 N2 B  _3 m$ C( b
work. Tonight he used it to catch my attention."! l, s4 }+ z2 O+ J4 |1 }
"Hold on. You're saying the curator knew your favorite piece of art?" She nodded. "I'm sorry. This + l5 ?' z# I' u' z' ~
is all coming out of order. Jacques Saunière and I..."
* l& g# x' g5 E5 q. A* F1 S( F; aSophie's voice caught, and Langdon heard a sudden melancholy there, a painful past, simmering : B9 P7 q7 Y& p- [1 t
just below the surface. Sophie and Jacques Saunière apparently had some kind of special ( q& p% ~  C5 U1 w0 e
relationship. Langdon studied the beautiful young woman before him, well aware that aging men in
4 f0 {& a# z7 G2 q1 ]! GFrance often took young mistresses. Even so, Sophie Neveu as a "kept woman" somehow didn't 7 p0 Y. c5 [# C0 g
seem to fit.
# Z& v- z0 \' L& N% ^7 s: D"We had a falling-out ten years ago," Sophie said, her voice a whisper now. "We've barely spoken 5 f" @; N6 G. S% p0 V% Y6 w
since. Tonight, when Crypto got the call that he had been murdered, and I saw the images of his 5 |! X( [" T6 d# x6 g- }6 |" F) C
body and text on the floor, I realized he was trying to send me a message."
/ _$ l3 w' I2 s5 m"Because of The Vitruvian Man?"# x+ ]% e0 M5 A8 X5 I/ W: u- O7 ]! H
"Yes. And the letters P.S."/ k+ W; Z5 V/ N* S
"Post Script?"& |8 [* p: ?3 k; Q0 W0 y# B# k( ]
; H) k! D, w- Y" ~: C) y
She shook her head. "P.S. are my initials."
! d2 c3 Y* \" F# X7 i3 ]& m5 \* ["But your name is Sophie Neveu."8 j. R4 [4 v1 O! z3 V
She looked away. "P.S. is the nickname he called me when I lived with him." She blushed. "It
3 |8 V9 V7 b4 R! Ustood for Princesse Sophie"
  C- H8 t( t( jLangdon had no response.6 I* X% O" [" z% h# g
"Silly, I know," she said. "But it was years ago. When I was a little girl."
- u* y7 y' Y( P- X3 a5 o"You knew him when you were a little girl?"
% a; Y+ Z3 C* C) Y. K& M) B"Quite well," she said, her eyes welling now with emotion. "Jacques Saunière was my
/ W/ h- C& d& b' c! Q; _grandfather."

"Where's Langdon?" Fache demanded, exhaling the last of a cigarette as he paced back into the
3 g% y' ?! \1 W6 U. a$ ]9 rcommand post.3 m. S+ @8 M0 F3 |" `$ ~- E) z
"Still in the men's room, sir." Lieutenant Collet had been expecting the question.- \" Y) k9 \6 @# d4 X
Fache grumbled, "Taking his time, I see."! ]: f5 k8 R) H0 E" _' S
The captain eyed the GPS dot over Collet's shoulder, and Collet could almost hear the wheels
& t( Q  o6 C; t% m  O$ V( I& j5 hturning. Fache was fighting the urge to go check on Langdon. Ideally, the subject of an observation , j, C4 C' {6 j  Z' s+ Q
was allowed the most time and freedom possible, lulling him into a false sense of security.
! s" l  O- D9 Y' z& T" ~; n1 pLangdon needed to return of his own volition. Still, it had been almost ten minutes.
& x* e" V/ M8 c2 w& vToo long.1 h! U! {6 A3 g: [  H" K
"Any chance Langdon is onto us?" Fache asked.
8 u7 R8 `# |% c$ e# WCollet shook his head. "We're still seeing small movements inside the men's room, so the GPS dot ! O. x2 Y4 ?5 l2 I0 i: l
is obviously still on him. Perhaps he feels ill? If he had found the dot, he would have removed it : ?. C  W* h" e4 H! c
and tried to run."+ z" h2 O$ ?. K" y7 a% \
Fache checked his watch. "Fine.") v* {  y" u. k  C6 m% @
Still Fache seemed preoccupied. All evening, Collet had sensed an atypical intensity in his captain.
" i' M" V  m& |: r, |( p4 z: e, f" r2 S/ B0 o$ P/ h) H
Usually detached and cool under pressure, Fache tonight seemed emotionally engaged, as if this
) e8 ?) v8 J! ywere somehow a personal matter for him.
& H1 O1 v5 {7 ^% C8 H: nNot surprising, Collet thought. Fache needs this arrest desperately. Recently the Board of / F  X3 Q! K7 m* t7 i
Ministers and the media had become more openly critical of Fache's aggressive tactics, his clashes - p2 d! L5 l3 V! f- h
with powerful foreign embassies, and his gross overbudgeting on new technologies. Tonight, a
2 \% J) _' G+ ~high-tech, high-profile arrest of an American would go a long way to silence Fache's critics, 3 m. b4 ^  y$ U3 s+ q
helping him secure the job a few more years until he could retire with the lucrative pension. God 7 J1 z# |, X' j  a2 w; b4 z
knows he needs the pension, Collet thought. Fache's zeal for technology had hurt him both
+ `. C* \& A+ U+ v& }1 j5 ~) Zprofessionally and personally. Fache was rumored to have invested his entire savings in the ( h" P2 {+ w% @  y  s# F5 T
technology craze a few years back and lost his shirt. And Fache is a man who wears only the finest
2 K/ z( c- C! ~* _3 q9 f4 r( rshirts.: l) O* m) ^; t6 @( Q) {; u
Tonight, there was still plenty of time. Sophie Neveu's odd interruption, though unfortunate, had
. C5 x, t) D3 R/ ibeen only a minor wrinkle. She was gone now, and Fache still had cards to play. He had yet to 4 X1 W& K5 B3 X' G
inform Langdon that his name had been scrawled on the floor by the victim. P.S. Find Robert 7 Z  a& _9 e7 S) d" V) ~& ?; B
Langdon. The American's reaction to that little bit of evidence would be telling indeed.! `2 f- [5 S! U0 X9 H/ U6 U
"Captain?" one of the DCPJ agents now called from across the office. "I think you better take this ( ]! |9 {9 s% l$ ]) n/ `- M) I
call." He was holding out a telephone receiver, looking concerned.
" A, }* D" r; B" ~0 X+ y"Who is it?" Fache said.0 w. }2 j' H$ G* @& B* g
The agent frowned. "It's the director of our Cryptology Department."2 s  R4 w# r% h2 {
"And?"
8 X* S+ g( L+ H; y8 S+ T( ~, W5 X2 [8 {"It's about Sophie Neveu, sir. Something is not quite right."

It was time.' [4 g+ X* K* ?6 K# V. W
Silas felt strong as he stepped from the black Audi, the nighttime breeze rustling his loose-fitting $ P  O; o  B, |: r. e. S
robe. The winds of change are in the air. He knew the task before him would require more finesse 7 I0 _: I6 X4 A' r2 }9 x
than force, and he left his handgun in the car. The thirteen-round Heckler Koch USP 40 had been
! H. c0 y( \9 S/ I6 ?. H5 V! B; \provided by the Teacher.
# x& O% P: \% CA weapon of death has no place in a house of God.
- I4 f3 \5 ^1 X( ]
3 }+ A1 u3 y* X6 w! n* g" K$ iThe plaza before the great church was deserted at this hour, the only visible souls on the far side of ( m% r/ i2 E5 ~' V' S3 a6 ]  M
Place Saint-Sulpice a couple of teenage hookers showing their wares to the late night tourist traffic.
3 Q2 S, V; u6 n# i6 f$ d3 g/ zTheir nubile bodies sent a familiar longing to Silas's loins. His thigh flexed instinctively, causing
8 U3 V9 |5 V, ]$ Q+ J+ Ythe barbed cilice belt to cut painfully into his flesh.
) ]0 l- j; J* z% U1 o4 g. ~8 K; }The lust evaporated instantly. For ten years now, Silas had faithfully denied himself all sexual
: f- j8 q$ b3 D; ~% Y( V' qindulgence, even self-administered. It was The Way. He knew he had sacrificed much to follow
  P$ L& c& D  R7 {) Y5 UOpus Dei, but he had received much more in return. A vow of celibacy and the relinquishment of
# n; S5 O' U' ^% k" ^: J! fall personal assets hardly seemed a sacrifice. Considering the poverty from which he had come and 0 T+ [1 i. }3 U0 Y( V0 ]1 c% O
the sexual horrors he had endured in prison, celibacy was a welcome change." N# ~8 [4 f) i+ V& Q
Now, having returned to France for the first time since being arrested and shipped to prison in ' g/ ~. k( X1 Z6 S
Andorra, Silas could feel his homeland testing him, dragging violent memories from his redeemed - m; O" f# F9 Y7 ]
soul. You have been reborn, he reminded himself. His service to God today had required the sin of
& |: n; z! i& w1 \) F  U- rmurder, and it was a sacrifice Silas knew he would have to hold silently in his heart for all eternity.
, r! F# |+ N  ^% r. MThe measure of your faith is the measure of the pain you can endure, the Teacher had told him.
  _4 H* v$ K9 V/ j# TSilas was no stranger to pain and felt eager to prove himself to the Teacher, the one who had 9 M+ f/ J5 N2 C
assured him his actions were ordained by a higher power.& \4 s& W" X- p( [5 M
"Hago la obra de Dios," Silas whispered, moving now toward the church entrance.- l  D; x- ?: I
Pausing in the shadow of the massive doorway, he took a deep breath. It was not until this instant
/ ^+ I% C2 s% x2 ~: I. Ethat he truly realized what he was about to do, and what awaited him inside.6 L7 h+ N% T, s
The keystone. It will lead us to our final goal.  W; o9 Q6 r' T+ Y( }7 k+ F, d6 j/ h
He raised his ghost-white fist and banged three times on the door.
+ Q# p. D$ {! d/ z) D: Q' V, c7 `Moments later, the bolts of the enormous wooden portal began to move.

Sophie wondered how long it would take Fache to figure out she had not left the building. Seeing 3 _, b9 J, A) T+ u$ [* Y# v5 p9 w
that Langdon was clearly overwhelmed, Sophie questioned whether she had done the right thing by
* m! ?$ m" T$ P& y1 l+ |$ hcornering him here in the men's room.
% \& T  v8 c; |4 e* bWhat else was I supposed to do?3 G+ `$ I- R# V' L
She pictured her grandfather's body, naked and spread-eagle on the floor. There was a time when
3 W3 j/ N9 b4 X# I+ Xhe had meant the world to her, yet tonight, Sophie was surprised to feel almost no sadness for the
4 H7 Y8 y0 a0 y/ ?" e$ p3 d% ?3 j- l6 j& x- H0 z% t% g% X3 e
man. Jacques Saunière was a stranger to her now. Their relationship had evaporated in a single
& f2 Y0 ~" R. Einstant one March night when she was twenty-two. Ten years ago. Sophie had come home a few 1 U3 |& V; R6 Y2 M* P+ ?: p
days early from graduate university in England and mistakenly witnessed her grandfather engaged
; y. C4 o7 E& D8 Min something Sophie was obviously not supposed to see. It was an image she barely could believe ! A' X0 \3 u5 h; \3 ]
to this day.
) ], q5 H! F; o% D& f3 ^$ ZIf I hadn't seen it with my own eyes...  }6 E! S. c5 O0 o* }* c( i7 |
Too ashamed and stunned to endure her grandfather's pained attempts to explain, Sophie
1 ^" B6 i# r7 d; ?( Q$ t5 e" kimmediately moved out on her own, taking money she had saved, and getting a small flat with * F) o- m$ G; w, Z& z& y
some roommates. She vowed never to speak to anyone about what she had seen. Her grandfather   v0 H8 l9 ~, h4 U3 m- ?9 \
tried desperately to reach her, sending cards and letters, begging Sophie to meet him so he could
3 h  z/ H$ }6 X5 r( G% iexplain. Explain how!? Sophie never responded except once—to forbid him ever to call her or try # ?  O' I& m0 e4 \
to meet her in public. She was afraid his explanation would be more terrifying than the incident ' r3 X7 j* t' H) e# t* H
itself.
2 W! f7 l, X% j( f" R! mIncredibly, Saunière had never given up on her, and Sophie now possessed a decade's worth of
0 Q5 y, z# u6 t: wcorrespondence unopened in a dresser drawer. To her grandfather's credit, he had never once - Q$ B1 }( \  J! ^1 g; E- p; |
disobeyed her request and phoned her.
: X9 ^$ A& c- L5 q" {Until this afternoon.
  T- V4 e' [$ ^; d# u"Sophie?" His voice had sounded startlingly old on her answering machine. "I have abided by your
8 j4 T* {% T/ lwishes for so long... and it pains me to call, but I must speak to you. Something terrible has
& o+ A: F- r% J- Y* jhappened."
" o0 ?/ n  f- J% }* rStanding in the kitchen of her Paris flat, Sophie felt a chill to hear him again after all these years. # J# x: {$ b/ [
His gentle voice brought back a flood of fond childhood memories.
. p2 _) f' W1 U! Q6 C8 B5 m"Sophie, please listen." He was speaking English to her, as he always did when she was a little girl.
3 u+ R/ o# H& _, w/ J* sPractice French at school. Practice English at home. "You cannot be mad forever. Have you not / M, x3 p- R( @
read the letters that I've sent all these years? Do you not yet understand?" He paused. "We must
9 R0 A( H. v4 i, t+ f! Dspeak at once. Please grant your grandfather this one wish. Call me at the Louvre. Right away. I 7 p6 z% q  I+ L8 [- H0 s  \' ?
believe you and I are in grave danger." Sophie stared at the answering machine. Danger? What
3 _6 q( X  u* A8 j; \; U" }# t  [was he talking about?
; X6 I2 t# Q, T' g. K"Princess..." Her grandfather's voice cracked with an emotion Sophie could not place. "I know I've + g: f* H! S1 y8 q' |2 C! ?0 i
kept things from you, and I know it has cost me your love. But it was for your own safety. Now
2 D" d6 e) e5 U2 @, Ayou must know the truth. Please, I must tell you the truth about your family."
) `$ F; H; j% R; V) t$ DSophie suddenly could hear her own heart. My family? Sophie's parents had died when she was
$ r2 `8 O( `! \+ I: _only four. Their car went off a bridge into fast-moving water. Her grandmother and younger
( \$ @! J& ^  f. u# |0 Jbrother had also been in the car, and Sophie's entire family had been erased in an instant. She had a & [6 O" I" O* P0 ^# m2 Y

/ h) {1 v! O# z! R6 f+ U0 Jbox of newspaper clippings to confirm it.' b0 p, K7 P) l. |
His words had sent an unexpected surge of longing through her bones. My family! In that fleeting * S+ `/ B- B% Y  C  @
instant, Sophie saw images from the dream that had awoken her countless times when she was a 2 ]3 |$ n# R! S  @9 d& F
little girl: My family is alive! They are coming home! But, as in her dream, the pictures evaporated
: c4 O4 a5 M# C3 Jinto oblivion.
  @9 u' E+ J) I: |+ KYour family is dead, Sophie. They are not coming home." D1 e* R6 @" H$ c, U  V
"Sophie..." her grandfather said on the machine. "I have been waiting for years to tell you. Waiting
3 a; d5 s' k" ~: {+ s1 u8 f- efor the right moment, but now time has run out. Call me at the Louvre. As soon as you get this. I'll # ]8 a$ m: t9 N6 s
wait here all night. I fear we both may be in danger. There's so much you need to know."8 u5 y+ Q; R' k8 H6 B8 G8 _
The message ended.
" o* y7 q, X  I9 z) iIn the silence, Sophie stood trembling for what felt like minutes. As she considered her
2 D) N8 ?$ L* d1 [grandfather's message, only one possibility made sense, and his true intent dawned.6 j* C$ O% C* E0 U, A# ?8 ^% f
It was bait.
0 C& r; m5 j  Q$ _7 e* {8 yObviously, her grandfather wanted desperately to see her. He was trying anything. Her disgust for
/ Q, p3 ?9 M. @9 H0 l7 z$ ~6 s- j: Gthe man deepened. Sophie wondered if maybe he had fallen terminally ill and had decided to
6 V% R3 D4 W4 E5 c7 uattempt any ploy he could think of to get Sophie to visit him one last time. If so, he had chosen
" |& B% m) v5 Hwisely.+ b4 M( X- ~, A& J3 S1 d7 P
My family.
& U. _- |* R0 p; t+ u$ }Now, standing in the darkness of the Louvre men's room, Sophie could hear the echoes of this
- y( h) Z. ?* `6 S3 g; O& N5 [0 o2 gafternoon's phone message. Sophie, we both may be in danger. Call me.6 G* v5 V" W" N8 w
She had not called him. Nor had she planned to. Now, however, her skepticism had been deeply
9 k# E/ h9 D2 l; _challenged. Her grandfather lay murdered inside his own museum. And he had written a code on 4 I0 E0 E! r8 w; D, _9 f4 d- y+ O! N: {
the floor.& Y; z) B& C0 r- K2 _
A code for her. Of this, she was certain.
+ A6 {! x3 j3 b3 xDespite not understanding the meaning of his message, Sophie was certain its cryptic nature was
' Y8 n' D1 s+ e! N. ?# P" aadditional proof that the words were intended for her. Sophie's passion and aptitude for 5 U5 E/ J, J3 B0 G8 l& V) _
cryptography were a product of growing up with Jacques Saunière—a fanatic himself for codes,
5 t" ]/ x' F6 a) W; L  P! oword games, and puzzles. How many Sundays did we spend doing the cryptograms and crosswords
7 i( A% f/ }8 e: {7 S) Win the newspaper?7 s3 X; }5 K7 h1 G1 O! T( N" Z
At the age of twelve, Sophie could finish the Le Monde crossword without any help, and her
0 T4 _! [. t7 R6 F, Y" T; k2 S% ~1 y* g; J9 M% O! x0 e8 v
grandfather graduated her to crosswords in English, mathematical puzzles, and substitution ciphers. $ Q& U! L& t0 w, a) T# B. u
Sophie devoured them all. Eventually she turned her passion into a profession by becoming a
1 k6 \* s/ \- T( C* N9 L6 `codebreaker for the Judicial Police.' j. ?  n3 K2 j% T$ n  R
Tonight, the cryptographer in Sophie was forced to respect the efficiency with which her & A& l3 o; A5 Y' P/ N- L9 I4 }4 j
grandfather had used a simple code to unite two total strangers—Sophie Neveu and Robert
1 V! L1 }, z/ m1 cLangdon.
. c  G# O' e" D% o- rThe question was why?$ u3 Z4 c. h' Y0 F' d6 \5 a3 R
Unfortunately, from the bewildered look in Langdon's eyes, Sophie sensed the American had no
) p1 I3 @+ d, k1 Y$ i: x' _, qmore idea than she did why her grandfather had thrown them together.) D4 G5 y0 ?6 C9 b  m% t7 z
She pressed again. "You and my grandfather had planned to meet tonight. What about?"
0 m& G" q# c: eLangdon looked truly perplexed. "His secretary set the meeting and didn't offer any specific reason, ! h* ]- f* }& X6 ~  Q4 ]
and I didn't ask. I assumed he'd heard I would be lecturing on the pagan iconography of French
  x7 ^+ f/ ^7 D4 I% M9 ecathedrals, was interested in the topic, and thought it would be fun to meet for drinks after the + {7 b: r% t3 t  _9 ?' }8 a) R
talk.": A/ H7 A6 U6 L& P7 H" K
Sophie didn't buy it. The connection was flimsy. Her grandfather knew more about pagan ) H! ?, H# M0 d& P
iconography than anyone else on earth. Moreover, he an exceptionally private man, not someone * h4 n) F8 F& z& ~: B" o
prone to chatting with random American professors unless there were an important reason.
7 p8 z  W! R! I8 wSophie took a deep breath and probed further. "My grandfather called me this afternoon and told 8 s4 `+ L, [8 I  ^* V6 O
me he and I were in grave danger. Does that mean anything to you?"
- q" f2 f- {8 _' ^Langdon's blue eyes now clouded with concern. "No, but considering what just happened..."4 B. E) \$ I6 o  m: [( Q+ ?  z
Sophie nodded. Considering tonight's events, she would be a fool not to be frightened. Feeling / V/ ~2 y" [1 k5 ~  d# U0 C% p5 n
drained, she walked to the small plate-glass window at the far end of the bathroom and gazed out in
. m2 l$ D7 c' y8 T0 N, z/ O# U1 Isilence through the mesh of alarm tape embedded in the glass. They were high up—forty feet at
  J# Q. M& ]) R% {$ S% kleast.
9 D* N' L2 n: aSighing, she raised her eyes and gazed out at Paris's dazzling landscape. On her left, across the
! u4 {  b0 u" i" N; DSeine, the illuminated Eiffel Tower. Straight ahead, the Arc de Triomphe. And to the right, high
* |7 b) p2 p" ?3 y# Catop the sloping rise of Montmartre, the graceful arabesque dome of Sacré-Coeur, its polished 3 C5 \, Q8 m1 I$ l0 W$ [
stone glowing white like a resplendent sanctuary.
6 Z  a: T3 P! r5 ~/ K5 dHere at the westernmost tip of the Denon Wing, the north-south thoroughfare of Place du Carrousel
0 _7 j% }; Y3 ]ran almost flush with the building with only a narrow sidewalk separating it from the Louvre's
4 Q5 e1 q9 K* d/ I( D  G+ q+ \outer wall. Far below, the usual caravan of the city's nighttime delivery trucks sat idling, waiting 7 i- V1 k, O( L" u5 k
for the signals to change, their running lights seeming to twinkle mockingly up at Sophie.
+ A% P/ D; D& J0 A/ E
0 L: g: b$ b7 R; _, \* z0 \"I don't know what to say," Langdon said, coming up behind her. "Your grandfather is obviously
% `( ], K; h+ K8 k* f+ @4 a. [trying to tell us something. I'm sorry I'm so little help."& s: g2 V- R) D* S$ \
Sophie turned from the window, sensing a sincere regret in Langdon's deep voice. Even with all the ' d) A9 t$ B$ Q; ?2 ?
trouble around him, he obviously wanted to help her. The teacher in him, she thought, having read
9 J) `6 W/ e# @! \' [DCPJ's workup on their suspect. This was an academic who clearly despised not understanding.
4 n, X* d( X' p/ P8 [We have that in common, she thought., l, `4 K0 a* J7 X- U. E$ u2 a# U
As a codebreaker, Sophie made her living extracting meaning from seemingly senseless data.
0 l+ Q/ t4 z4 E/ |  WTonight, her best guess was that Robert Langdon, whether he knew it or not, possessed information
: p4 |# o" h5 f8 t) D1 U7 qthat she desperately needed. Princesse Sophie, Find Robert Langdon. How much clearer could her
: H$ g$ |' d9 }- P+ Agrandfather's message be? Sophie needed more time with Langdon. Time to think. Time to sort out % t) }, O2 G/ K+ k4 I6 B
this mystery together. Unfortunately, time was running out.+ h& h# D3 _  u5 X
Gazing up at Langdon, Sophie made the only play she could think of. "Bezu Fache will be taking 5 W5 [. E7 n* i! N
you into custody at any minute. I can get you out of this museum. But we need to act now."
! U& y) x/ f: W/ a! z1 f/ h$ WLangdon's eyes went wide. "You want me to run?"# R* n7 d# A8 L5 I, b" Q
"It's the smartest thing you could do. If you let Fache take you into custody now, you'll spend / O  K. B' O. G
weeks in a French jail while DCPJ and the U.S. Embassy fight over which courts try your case. But " I$ q' C' w& i6 Z
if we get you out of here, and make it to your embassy, then your government will protect your
# ~/ W( B: P) V# O: crights while you and I prove you had nothing to do with this murder."
7 t# v" o, z+ c' lLangdon looked not even vaguely convinced. "Forget it! Fache has armed guards on every single 4 o: Q# S& J7 D, L7 G2 E9 V
exit! Even if we escape without being shot, running away only makes me look guilty. You need to ( j/ r" w  w$ H- b3 u1 e
tell Fache that the message on the floor was for you, and that my name is not there as an
$ ^. s0 G1 G8 j) }accusation."0 [4 I, m- S. p- Q" J: F
"I will do that," Sophie said, speaking hurriedly, "but after you're safely inside the U.S. Embassy. 1 O: @! o9 f5 V8 p
It's only about a mile from here, and my car is parked just outside the museum. Dealing with Fache * [1 i0 O' i! G: n# w2 J% R# E
from here is too much of a gamble. Don't you see? Fache has made it his mission tonight to prove
8 Z7 i" o3 r/ pyou are guilty. The only reason he postponed your arrest was to run this observance in hopes you
: O* O+ J7 G4 T  O9 q' {% Cdid something that made his case stronger."$ C  G. e6 w& e! L/ x
"Exactly. Like running!"2 y" h5 R. {( w
The cell phone in Sophie's sweater pocket suddenly began ringing. Fache probably. She reached in 5 Q! S8 l- i$ N  R# ?- B9 l
her sweater and turned off the phone.4 X/ ?1 ^5 X  H( p8 L) y
"Mr. Langdon," she said hurriedly, "I need to ask you one last question." And your entire future % s# {6 ^7 G  _9 C& }- ^
may depend on it. "The writing on the floor is obviously not proof of your guilt, and yet Fache told
2 e8 n" C+ G2 E( N+ S0 t# r4 G7 Q' U7 o
our team he is certain you are his man. Can you think of any other reason he might be convinced
* m8 h9 M3 c  V* I/ Eyou're guilty?"
2 l: Y6 v& b( `3 ~) V, R8 aLangdon was silent for several seconds. "None whatsoever.&qu