Sophie Neveu, despite working in law enforcement, had never found herself at gunpoint untiltonight. Almost inconceivably, the gun into which she was now staring was clutched in the palehand of an enormous albino with long white hair. He looked at her with red eyes that radiated afrightening, disembodied quality. Dressed in a wool robe with a rope tie, he resembled a medievalcleric. Sophie could not imagine who he was, and yet she was feeling a sudden newfound respectfor Teabing's suspicions that the Church was behind this.

　　"You know what I have come for," the monk said, his voice hollow.

　　Sophie and Teabing were seated on the divan, arms raised as their attacker had commanded.

　　Langdon lay groaning on the floor. The monk's eyes fell immediately to the keystone on Teabing'slap.

　　Teabing's tone was defiant. "You will not be able to open it.""My Teacher is very wise," the monk replied, inching closer, the gun shifting between Teabing andSophie.

　　Sophie wondered where Teabing's manservant was. Didn't he hear Robert fall?

　　"Who is your teacher?" Teabing asked. "Perhaps we can make a financial arrangement.""The Grail is priceless." He moved closer.

　　"You're bleeding," Teabing noted calmly, nodding to the monk's right ankle where a trickle ofblood had run down his leg. "And you're limping.""As do you," the monk replied, motioning to the metal crutches propped beside Teabing. "Now,hand me the keystone.""You know of the keystone?" Teabing said, sounding surprised.

　　"Never mind what I know. Stand up slowly, and give it to me.""Standing is difficult for me.""Precisely. I would prefer nobody attempt any quick moves."Teabing slipped his right hand through one of his crutches and grasped the keystone in his left.

　　Lurching to his feet, he stood erect, palming the heavy cylinder in his left hand, and leaningunsteadily on his crutch with his right.

　　The monk closed to within a few feet, keeping the gun aimed directly at Teabing's head. Sophiewatched, feeling helpless as the monk reached out to take the cylinder.

　　"You will not succeed," Teabing said. "Only the worthy can unlock this stone."God alone judges the worthy, Silas thought.

　　"It's quite heavy," the man on crutches said, his arm wavering now. "If you don't take it soon, I'mafraid I shall drop it!" He swayed perilously.

　　Silas stepped quickly forward to take the stone, and as he did, the man on crutches lost his balance.

　　The crutch slid out from under him, and he began to topple sideways to his right. No! Silas lungedto save the stone, lowering his weapon in the process. But the keystone was moving away fromhim now. As the man fell to his right, his left hand swung backward, and the cylinder tumbled fromhis palm onto the couch. At the same instant, the metal crutch that had been sliding out from underthe man seemed to accelerate, cutting a wide arc through the air toward Silas's leg.

　　Splinters of pain tore up Silas's body as the crutch made perfect contact with his cilice, crushing thebarbs into his already raw flesh. Buckling, Silas crumpled to his knees, causing the belt to cutdeeper still. The pistol discharged with a deafening roar, the bullet burying itself harmlessly in thefloorboards as Silas fell. Before he could raise the gun and fire again, the woman's foot caught himsquare beneath the jaw.

　　At the bottom of the driveway, Collet heard the gunshot. The muffled pop sent panic through hisveins. With Fache on the way, Collet had already relinquished any hopes of claiming personalcredit for finding Langdon tonight. But Collet would be damned if Fache's ego landed him in frontof a Ministerial Review Board for negligent police procedure.

　　A weapon was dis............