Robert Langdon, #2
The Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown
Contents
CHAPTER 88
Overview
Langdon and Sophie escape into the London Underground and split their priorities: Sophie tries to bring the police down on Rémy and Silas, while Langdon heads toward King’s College to solve the tomb clue before the kidnappers can. The call to the police produces a major shift when Fache intercepts it, admits Langdon is innocent, and orders both fugitives to surrender for protection. Sophie distrusts the situation, suspects a trace, and chooses flight over obedience, keeping the search for the Grail clue in their own hands.
Summary
Langdon and Sophie flee into the Temple tube station after Rémy’s betrayal and Teabing’s kidnapping. Langdon feels guilty for involving Teabing, but he also recognizes that Teabing’s Grail expertise had likely made him a target from the beginning.
As they reach the westbound District and Circle Line platform, Sophie insists that calling the London police is the best way to help Teabing. Their plan divides the problem: Sophie will try to make Rémy and Silas wanted fugitives, while Langdon will go to King’s College and use its theological database to identify the correct tomb from the clue about “a knight a Pope interred.”
Sophie contacts the London police from a pay phone and reports a kidnapping, identifying herself as an agent with the French Judicial Police. While waiting to be connected to a detective, Sophie thinks the suspects should be highly visible: Rémy in formal clothes, Silas as an albino monk, Teabing as a hostage, and a Jaguar limousine as their likely transport.
Instead of a London detective, Sophie is connected to Captain Bezu Fache. Fache admits he made a serious mistake, states that Robert Langdon is innocent and all charges have been dropped, and orders Sophie and Langdon to go to the nearest London police station for protection.
Sophie suspects Fache is tracing the call, and Fache frames his demand as both safety and damage control. Sophie tells Fache that Rémy Legaludec kidnapped Teabing at Temple Church, but Fache refuses to discuss details on an open line and gives a direct order to come in; Sophie hangs up and boards the arriving train with Langdon.
Who Appears
- Robert LangdonGuilt-ridden professor fleeing Temple Church and seeking the tomb clue at King’s College.
- Sophie NeveuDCPJ cryptologist who calls police, distrusts Fache, and escapes onto the train.
- Bezu FacheFrench police captain who clears Langdon, admits error, and orders Sophie to surrender.
- Rémy LegaludecTeabing’s servant and kidnapper, identified by Sophie as the immediate police target.
- Leigh TeabingKidnapped Grail scholar whose safety depends on remaining useful to his captors.
- SilasRémy’s albino monk accomplice, expected to be difficult for police to miss.