istol discharged with a deafening roar； the bullet burying itself harmlessly in the floorboards as Silas fell。 Before he could raise the gun and fire again； the woman's foot caught him square beneath the jaw。
At the bottom of the driveway； Collet heard the gunshot。 The muffled pop sent panic through his veins。 With Fache on the way； Collet had already relinquished any hopes of claiming personal credit for finding Langdon tonight。 But Collet would be damned if Fache's ego landed him in front of a Ministerial Review Board for negligent police procedure。
A weapon was discharged inside a private home！ And you waited at the bottom of the driveway？
Collet knew the opportunity for a stealth approach had long since passed。 He also knew if he stood idly by for another second； his entire career would be history by morning。 Eyeing the estate's iron gate； he made his decision。
〃Tie on； and pull it down。〃
In the distant recesses of his groggy mind； Robert Langdon had heard the gunshot。 He'd also heard a scream of pain。 His own？ A jackhammer was boring a hole into the back of his cranium。 Somewhere nearby； people were talking。
〃Where the devil were you？〃 Teabing was yelling。
The manservant hurried in。 〃What happened？ Oh my God！ Who is that？ I'll call the police！〃
〃Bloody hell！ Don't call the police。 Make yourself useful and get us something with which to restrain this monster。〃
〃And some ice！〃 Sophie called after him。
Langdon drifted out again。 More voices。 Movement。 Now he was seated on the divan。 Sophie was holding an ice pack to his head。 His skull ached。 As Langdon's vision finally began to clear； he found himself staring at a body on the floor。 Am I hallucinating？ The massive body of an albino monk lay bound and gagged with duct tape。 His chin was split open； and the robe over his right thigh was soaked with blood。 He too appeared to be just now ing to。
Langdon turned to Sophie。 〃Who is that？ What。。。 happened？〃
Teabing hobbled over。 〃You were rescued by a knight brandishing an Excalibur made by Acme Orthopedic。〃
Huh？ Langdon tried to sit up。
Sophie's touch was shaken but tender。 〃Just give yourself a minute； Robert。〃
〃I fear；〃 Teabing said； 〃that I've just demonstrated for your lady friend the unfortunate benefit of my condition。 It seems everyone underestimates you。〃
From his seat on the divan； Langdon gazed down at the monk and tried to imagine what had happened。
〃He was wearing a cilice；〃 Teabing explained。
〃A what？〃
Teabing pointed to a bloody strip of barbed leather that lay on the floor。 〃A Discipline belt。 He wore it on his thigh。 I took careful aim。〃
Langdon rubbed his head。 He knew of Discipline belts。 〃But how。。。 did you know？〃
Teabing grinned。 〃Christianity is my field of study； Robert； and there are certain sects who wear their hearts on their sleeves。〃 He pointed his crutch at the blood soaking through the monk's cloak。 〃As it were。〃
〃Opus Dei；〃 Langdon whispered； recalling recent media coverage of several prominent Boston businessmen who were members of Opus Dei。 Apprehensive coworkers had falsely and publicly accused the men of wearing Discipline belts beneath their three…piece suits。 In fact； the three men did no such thing。 Like many members of Opus Dei； these businessmen were at the 〃supernumerary〃 stage and practiced no corporal mortification at all。 They were devout Catholics； caring fathers to their children； and deeply dedicated members of the munity。 Not surprisingly； the media spotlighted their spiritual mitment only briefly before moving on to the shock value of the sect's more stringent 〃numerary〃 members。。。 members like the monk now lying on the floor before Langdon。
Teabing was looking closely at the bloody belt。 〃But why would Opus Dei be trying to find the Holy Grail？〃
Langdon was too groggy to consider it。
〃Robert；〃 Sophie said； walking to the wooden box。 〃What's this？〃 She was holding the small Rose inlay he had removed from the lid。
〃It covered an engraving on the box。 I think the text might tell us how to open the keystone。〃
Before Sophie and Teabing could respond； a sea of blue police lights and sirens erupted at the bottom of the hill and began snaking up the half…mile driveway。
Teabing frowned。 〃My friends； it seems we have a decision to make。 And we'd better make it fast。〃
CHAPTER 66
Collet and his agents burst through the front door of Sir Leigh Teabing's estate with their guns drawn。 Fanning out； they began searching all the rooms on the first level。 They found a bullet hole in the drawing room floor； signs of a struggle； a small amount of blood； a strange； barbed leather belt； and a partially used roll of duct tape。 The entire level seemed deserted。
Just as Collet was about to divide his men to search the basement and grounds behind the house； he heard voices on the level above them。
〃They're upstairs！〃
Rushing up the wide staircase； Collet and his men moved room by room through the huge home； securing darkened bedrooms and hallways as they closed in on the sounds of voices。 The sound seemed to be ing from the last bedroom on an exceptionally long hallway。 The agents inched down the corridor； sealing off alternate exits。
As they neared the final bedroom； Collet could see the door was wide open。 The voices had stopped suddenly； and had been replaced by an odd rumbling； like an engine。
Sidearm raised； Collet gave the signal。 Reaching silently around the door frame； he found the light switch and flicked it on。 Spinning into the room with men pouring in after him； Collet shouted and aimed his weapon at。。。 nothing。
An empty guest bedroom。 Pristine。
The rumbling sounds of an automobile engine poured from a black electronic panel on the wall beside the bed。 Collet had seen these elsewhere in the house。 Some kind of inter system。 He raced over。 The panel had about a dozen labeled buttons：
STUDY。。。 KITCHEN。。。 LAUNDRY。。。 CELLAR。。。
So where the hell do I hear a car？
MASTER BEDROOM。。。 SUN ROOM。。。 BARN。。。 LIBRARY。。。
Barn！ Collet was downstairs in seconds； running toward the back door； grabbing one of his agents on the way。 The men crossed the rear lawn and arrived breathless at the front of a weathered gray barn。 Even before they entered； Collet could hear the fading sounds of a car engine。 He drew his weapon； rushed in； and flicked on the lights。
The right side of the barn was a rudimentary workshop—lawn…mowers； automotive tools； gardening supplies。 A familiar inter panel hung on the wall nearby。 One of its buttons was flipped down； transmitting。
GUEST BEDROOM II。
Collet wheeled； anger brimming。 They lured us upstairs with the inter！ Searching the other side of the barn； he found a long line of horse stalls。 No horses。 Apparently the owner preferred a different kind of horsepower； the stalls had been converted into an impressive automotive parking facility。 The collection was astonishing—a black Ferrari； a pristine Rolls…Royce； an antique Astin Martin sports coupe； a vintage Porsche 356。
The last stall was empty。
Collet ran over and saw oil stains on the stall floor。 They can't get off the pound。 The driveway and gate were barricaded with two patrol cars to prevent this very situation。
〃Sir？〃 The agent pointed down the length of the stalls。
The barn's rear slider was wide open； giving way to a dark； muddy slope of rugged fields that stretched out into the night behind the barn。 Collet ran to the door； trying to see out into the darkness。 All he could make out was the faint shadow of a forest in the distance。 No headlights。 This wooded valley was probably crisscrossed by dozens of unmapped fire roads and hunting trails； but Collet was confident his quarry would never make the woods。 〃Get some men spread out down there。 They're probably already stuck somewhere nearby。 These fancy sports cars can't handle terrain。〃
〃Um； sir？〃 The agent pointed to a nearby pegboard on which hung several sets of keys。 The labels above the keys bore familiar names。
DAIMLER。。。 ROLLS…ROYCE。。。 ASTIN MARTIN。。。 PORSCHE。。。
The last peg was empty。
When Collet read the label above the empty peg； he knew he was in trouble。
CHAPTER 67
The Range Rover was Java Black Pearl； four…wheel drive； standard transmission； with high…strength polypropylene lamps； rear light cluster fittings； and the steering wheel on the right。
Langdon was pleased he was not driving。
Teabing's manservant Rémy； on orders from his master； was doing an impressive job of maneuvering the vehicle across the moonlit fields behind Chateau Villette。 With no headlights； he had crossed an open knoll and was now descending a long slope； moving farther away from the estate。 He seemed to be heading toward a jagged silhouette of wooded land in the distance。
Langdon； cradling the keystone； turned in the passenger seat and eyed Teabing and Sophie in the back seat。
〃How's your head； Robert？〃 Sophie asked； sounding concerned。
Langdon forced a pained smile。 〃Better； thanks。〃 It was killing him。
Beside her； Teabing glanced over his shoulder at the bound and gagged monk lying in the cramped luggage area behind the back seat。 Teabing had the monk's gun on his lap and looked like an old photo of a British safari chap posing over his kill。
〃So glad you popped in this evening； Robert；〃 Teabing said； grinning as if he were having fun for the first time in years。
〃Sorry to get you involved in this； Leigh。〃
〃Oh； please； I've waited my entire life to be involved。〃 Teabing looked past Langdon out the windshield at the shadow of a long hedgerow。 He tapped Rémy on the shoulder from behind。 〃Remember； no brake lights。 Use the emergency brake if you need it。 I want to get into the woods a bit。 No reason to risk them seeing us from the house。〃
Rémy coasted to a crawl and guided the Range Rover through an opening in the hedge。 As the vehicle lurched onto an overgrown pathway； almost immediately the trees overhead blotted out the moonlight。
I can't see a thing； Langdon thought； straining to distinguish any shapes at all in front of them。 It was pitch black。 Branches rubbed against the left side of the vehicle； and Rémy corrected in the other direction。 Keeping the wheel more or less straight now； he inched ahead about thirty yards。
〃You're doing beautifully； Rémy；〃 Teabing said。 〃That should be far enough。 Robert； if you