"Seat belts, please," Teabing's pilot announced as the Hawker 731 descended into a gloomymorning drizzle. "We'll be landing in five minutes."Teabing felt a joyous sense of homecoming when he saw the misty hills of Kent spreading widebeneath the descending plane. England was less than an hour from Paris, and yet a world away.

　　This morning, the damp, spring green of his homeland looked particularly welcoming. My time inFrance is over. I am returning to England victorious. The keystone has been found. The questionremained, of course, as to where the keystone would ultimately lead. Somewhere in the UnitedKingdom. Where exactly, Teabing had no idea, but he was already tasting the glory.

　　As Langdon and Sophie looked on, Teabing got up and went to the far side of the cabin, then slidaside a wall panel to reveal a discreetly hidden wall safe. He dialed in the combination, opened thesafe, and extracted two passports. "Documentation for Rémy and myself." He then removed a thickstack of fifty-pound notes. "And documentation for you two."Sophie looked leery. "A bribe?""Creative diplomacy. Executive airfields make certain allowances. A British customs official willgreet us at my hangar and ask to board the plane. Rather than permitting him to come on, I'll tellhim I'm traveling with a French celebrity who prefers that nobody knows she is in England—pressconsiderations, you know—and I'll offer the official this generous tip as gratitude for hisdiscretion."Langdon looked amazed. "And the official will accept?""Not from anyone, they won't, but these people all know me. I'm not an arms dealer, for heaven'ssake. I was knighted." Teabing smiled. "Membership has its privileges."Rémy approached up the aisle now, the Heckler Koch pistol cradled in his hand. "Sir, my agenda?"Teabing glanced at his servant. "I'm going to have you stay onboard with our guest until we return.

　　We can't very well drag him all over London with us."Sophie looked wary. "Leigh, I was serious about the French police finding your plane before wereturn."Teabing laughed. "Yes, imagine their surprise if they board and find Rémy."Sophie looked surprised by his cavalier attitude. "Leigh, you transported a bound hostage acrossinternational borders. This is serious.""So are my lawyers." He scowled toward the monk in the rear of the plane. "That animal broke intomy home and almost killed me. That is a fact, and Rémy will corroborate.""But you tied him up and flew him to London!" Langdon said.

　　Teabing held up his right hand and feigned a courtroom oath. "Your honor, forgive an eccentric oldknight his foolish prejudice for the British court system. I realize I sh............