commander said, our day patrols will detect anyone who tries to get close, the guard to ray ban aviator non-polarized wers have low-light scanners, and the rest of the site is floodlit. But low-light devices had their effectiveness cut eighty percent by this sort of weather. What if there was a group of Afghans out there right now? he wondered. First thing, Bondarenko told himself, Ill call Colonel Nikolayev at Spetznaz headquarters, and Ill lead a practice assault on this place to show those KGB idiots how vulnerable they are. He looked up the hill. There was a KGB sentry, flapping his arms to keep warm, rifle slung over his shoulderit would take him four seconds to get it unslung , aimed, and taken off safety. Four seconds, for the last three of which hed be dead if there were anyone competent out there rig ray ban aviator non-polarized ht now . . .
his involvement in a widely publicized incident at the Vatican. Since then, the stream of selfimportant historians and art buffs arriving at his door had seemed never-ending. If you would be so kind, Langdon said, doing his best to remain polite, could you take the mans name and number, and tell him Ill try to call him before I leave Paris on Tuesday? Thank you. He hung up before the concierge could protest. Sitting up now, Langdon frowned at his bedside Guest Relations Handbook, w ray ban aviator non-polarized hose cover boasted: SLEEP LIKE A BABY IN THE CITY OF LIGHTS. SLUMBER AT THE PARIS RITZ. He turned and gazed tiredly into th ray ban aviator non-polarized e full-length mirror across the room. The man staring back at him was a strangertousled and weary. You need a vacation, Robert. The past year had taken a heavy toll on him, but he didnt
did just that. Lémasculation de la Police Judiciaire, Fache called it. Paris Match had run a cartoon recently depicting Fache as a police dog, trying to bite an American criminal, but unable to reach because it was chained to the U.S. Embassy. Not tonight, Fache told himself. There is far too much at stake. By the time Robert Langdon hung up the phone, he looked ill. Is everything all right? Fache asked. Weakly, Langdon shook his head. Bad news from home, Fache sensed, noticing Langdon was sweating slightly as Fache took back his cell phone. An accident, Langdon stammered, looking at Fache with a strange expression. A friend... He hesitated. Ill need to fly home first thing in the morning. Fache had no doubt the shock on Langdons ray ban aviator non-polarized face was genuine, and yet he sensed ano ray ban aviator non-polarized ther emotion there
for a few minutes, and I dont want Langdon breaking for an exit. Fache paused. And youd better tell the guard Agent Neveu is pro ray ban aviator non-polarized bably in there with him. Agent Neveu left, I thought. Did you actually see her leave? No, sir, but Well, nobody on the perimeter saw her leave either. They only saw her go in. Collet was flabbergasted by Sophie Neveus bravado. Shes still inside the building? Handle it, Fache ordered. I want Langdon and Neveu at gunpoint by the time I get back. As the Trailor truck drove off, Captain Fache rounded up his men. Robert Langdon had proven an elusive quarry tonight, and with Agent Neveu now helping him, he might be far harder to corner than expected. Fache decided not to take any ray ban aviator non-polarized chances. Hedging his bets, he ordered half of his men back to the Louvre perimeter. The
time users are invariably uncertain of the protocol. He motioned to the table of drinks. This room is yours as long as you care ray ban aviator non-polarized to use it. You say keys are sometimes inherited? Sophie asked. Indeed. Your key is like a Swiss numbered account, which are often willed through generations. On our gold accounts, the shortest safety-deposit box lease is fifty years. Paid in advance. So we see plenty of family turnover. Langdon stared. Did you say fifty years? At a minimum, their host replied. Of course, you can purchase much longer leases, but barring further arrangements, if there is no activ ray ban aviator non-polarized ity on an account for fifty years, the contents of that safedeposit box are automatically destroyed. Shall I run through the process of accessing your box? Sophie nodded. Please. Their host swept an arm
your rank. Boys will be boys. Langdon winced. Moving on, the female symbol, as you might imagine, is the exact opposite. He drew another symbol on the page. This i ray ban aviator non-polarized s called the chalice. \ Sophie glanced up, looking surprised. Langdon could see she had made the connection. The chalice, he said, resembles a cup or vessel, and more important, it resembles the shape of a womans womb. This symbol communicates femininity, womanhood, and fertility. Langdon looked directly at her now. Sophie, lege ray ban aviator non-polarized nd tells us the Holy Grail is a chalicea cup. But the Grails description as a chalice is actually an allegory to protect the true nature of the Holy Grail. That is to say, the legend uses the chalice as a metaphor for something far more important. A woman, Sophie said. Exactly. Langdon smiled. The Grail is
Fache? Collet barely looked up from the burning embers. Hes on the phone. Im off the phone, Fache snapped, stalking into the room. What have y ray ban aviator non-polarized ou got? Th ray ban aviator non-polarized e second agent said, Sir, Central just heard from André Vernet at the Depository Bank of Zurich. He wants to talk to you privately. He is changing his story. Oh? Fache said. Now Collet looked up. Vernet is admitting that Langdon and Neveu spent time inside his bank tonight. We figured that out, Fache said. Why did Vernet lie about it? He said hell talk only to you, but hes agreed to cooperate fully. In exchange for what? For our keeping his banks name out of the news and also for helping him recover some stolen property. It sounds like Langdon and Neveu stole something from Saunières account. What? Collet blurted. How? Fache never
yelled in surprise. Teabing and Langdon both turned now, their expressions astonished and fearful. What...? Teabing choked out. What did you do t ray ban aviator non-polarized o Rémy! Your only concern, Silas said calmly, is that I leave here with the keystone. This recovery mission, as Rémy had described it, was to be clean and simple: Enter the church, take the keystone, and walk out; no killing, no struggle. Holding Sophie firm, Silas dropped his hand from her chest, down to her wai ray ban aviator non-polarized st, slipping it inside her deep sweater pockets, searching. He could smell the soft fragrance of her hair through his own alcohol-laced breath. Where is it? he whispered. The keystone was in her sweater pocket earlier. So where is it now? Its over here, Langdons deep voice resonated from across the room. Silas turned to see Langdon