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I pull the trigger。〃
Langdon seemed momentarily paralyzed。 〃The keystone is worthless to you；〃 he stammered。 〃You cannot possibly open it。〃
〃Arrogant fools；〃 Rémy sneered。 〃Have you not noticed that I have been listening tonight as you discussed these poems？ Everything I heard； I have shared with others。 Others who know more than you。 You are not even looking in the right place。 The tomb you seek is in another location entirely！〃
Teabing felt panicked。 What is he saying！
〃Why do you want the Grail？〃 Langdon demanded。 〃To destroy it？ Before the End of Days？〃
Rémy called to the monk。 〃Silas； take the keystone from Mr。 Langdon。〃
As the monk advanced； Langdon stepped back； raising the keystone high； looking fully prepared to hurl it at the floor。
〃I would rather break it；〃 Langdon said； 〃than see it in the wrong hands。〃
Teabing now felt a wave of horror。 He could see his life's work evaporating before his eyes。 All his dreams about to be shattered。
〃Robert； no！〃 Teabing exclaimed。 〃Don't！ That's the Grail you're holding！ Rémy would never shoot me。 We've known each other for ten—〃
Rémy aimed at the ceiling and fired the Medusa。 The blast was enormous for such a small weapon； the gunshot echoing like thunder inside the stone chamber。
Everyone froze。
〃I am not playing games；〃 Rémy said。 〃The next one is in his back。 Hand the keystone to Silas。〃
Langdon reluctantly held out the cryptex。 Silas stepped forward and took it； his red eyes gleaming with the self…satisfaction of vengeance。 Slipping the keystone in the pocket of his robe； Silas backed off； still holding Langdon and Sophie at gunpoint。
Teabing felt Rémy's arm clamp hard around his neck as the servant began backing out of the building； dragging Teabing with him； the gun still pressed in his back。
〃Let him go；〃 Langdon demanded。
〃We're taking Mr。 Teabing for a drive；〃 Rémy said； still backing up。 〃If you call the police； he will die。 If you do anything to interfere； he will die。 Is that clear？〃
〃Take me；〃 Langdon demanded； his voice cracking with emotion。 〃Let Leigh go。〃
Rémy laughed。 〃I don't think so。 He and I have such a nice history。 Besides； he still might prove useful。〃
Silas was backing up now； keeping Langdon and Sophie at gunpoint as Rémy pulled Leigh toward the exit； his crutches dragging behind him。
Sophie's voice was unwavering。 〃Who are you working for？〃
The question brought a smirk to the departing Rémy's face。 〃You would be surprised； Mademoiselle Neveu。〃
CHAPTER 87
The fireplace in Chateau Villette's drawing room was cold； but Collet paced before it nonetheless as he read the faxes from Interpol。
Not at all what he expected。
André Vernet； according to official records； was a model citizen。 No police record—not even a parking ticket。 Educated at prep school and the Sorbonne； he had a cum laude degree in international finance。 Interpol said Vernet's name appeared in the newspapers from time to time； but always in a positive light。 Apparently the man had helped design the security parameters that kept the Depository Bank of Zurich a leader in the ultramodern world of electronic security。 Vernet's credit card records showed a penchant for art books； expensive wine； and classical CD's—mostly Brahms—which he apparently enjoyed on an exceptionally high…end stereo system he had purchased several years ago。
Zero； Collet sighed。
The only red flag tonight from Interpol had been a set of fingerprints that apparently belonged to Teabing's servant。 The chief PTS examiner was reading the report in a fortable chair across the room。
Collet looked over。 〃Anything？〃
The examiner shrugged。 〃Prints belong to Rémy Legaludec。 Wanted for petty crime。 Nothing serious。 Looks like he got kicked out of university for rewiring phone jacks to get free service。。。 later did some petty theft。 Breaking and entering。 Skipped out on a hospital bill once for an emergency tracheotomy。〃 He glanced up； chuckling。 〃Peanut allergy。〃
Collet nodded； recalling a police investigation into a restaurant that had failed to notate on its menu that the chili recipe contained peanut oil。 An unsuspecting patron had died of anaphylactic shock at the table after a single bite。
〃Legaludec is probably a live…in here to avoid getting picked up。〃 The examiner looked amused。 〃His lucky night。〃
Collet sighed。 〃All right； you better forward this info to Captain Fache。〃
The examiner headed off just as another PTS agent burst into the living room。 〃Lieutenant！ We found something in the barn。〃
From the anxious look on the agent's face； Collet could only guess。 〃A body。〃
〃No； sir。 Something more。。。〃 He hesitated。 〃Unexpected。〃
Rubbing his eyes； Collet followed the agent out to the barn。 As they entered the musty； cavernous space； the agent motioned toward the center of the room； where a wooden ladder now ascended high into the rafters； propped against the ledge of a hayloft suspended high above them。
〃That ladder wasn't there earlier；〃 Collet said。
〃No； sir。 I set that up。 We were dusting for prints near the Rolls when I saw the ladder lying on the floor。 I wouldn't have given it a second thought except the rungs were worn and muddy。 This ladder gets regular use。 The height of the hayloft matched the ladder； so I raised it and climbed up to have a look。〃
Collet's eyes climbed the ladder's steep incline to the soaring hayloft。 Someone goes up there regularly？ From down here； the loft appeared to be a deserted platform； and yet admittedly most of it was invisible from this line of sight。
A senior PTS agent appeared at the top of the ladder； looking down。 〃You'll definitely want to see this； Lieutenant；〃 he said； waving Collet up with a latex…gloved hand。
Nodding tiredly； Collet walked over to the base of the old ladder and grasped the bottom rungs。 The ladder was an antique tapered design and narrowed as Collet ascended。 As he neared the top； Collet almost lost his footing on a thin rung。 The barn below him spun。 Alert now； he moved on； finally reaching the top。 The agent above him reached out； offering his wrist。 Collet grabbed it and made the awkward transition onto the platform。
〃It's over there；〃 the PTS agent said； pointing deep into the immaculately clean loft。 〃Only one set of prints up here。 We'll have an ID shortly。〃
Collet squinted through the dim light toward the far wall。 What the hell？ Nestled against the far wall sat an elaborate puter workstation—two tower CPUs； a flat…screen video monitor with speakers； an array of hard drives； and a multichannel audio console that appeared to have its own filtered power supply。
Why in the world would anyone work all the way up here？ Collet moved toward the gear。 〃Have you examined the system？〃
〃It's a listening post。〃
Collet spun。 〃Surveillance？〃
The agent nodded。 〃Very advanced surveillance。〃 He motioned to a long project table strewn with electronic parts； manuals； tools； wires； soldering irons； and other electronic ponents。 〃Someone clearly knows what he's doing。 A lot of this gear is as sophisticated as our own equipment。 Miniature microphones； photoelectric recharging cells； high…capacity RAM chips。 He's even got some of those new nano drives。〃
Collet was impressed。
〃Here's a plete system；〃 the agent said； ha