Robert Langdon, #2
The Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown
Contents
CHAPTER 53
Overview
Vernet responds to Langdon and Sophie’s escape by ordering the bank’s night manager to activate the stolen armored truck’s hidden tracking device. This choice sacrifices the bank’s discretion and brings the authorities closer to locating the fugitives.
The chapter shifts the pursuit from uncertainty to active tracking, increasing the danger surrounding Langdon, Sophie, and the cryptex.
Summary
At the Depository Bank of Zurich, the night manager answers a call from André Vernet and is relieved to hear from the missing bank president. The police have surrounded the bank and are pressuring staff for access, while everyone has been waiting for Vernet to explain the crisis.
Vernet tells the manager that armored truck number three has been stolen by the two fugitives the police are pursuing. Because Vernet cannot explain the full details over the phone, Vernet frames the situation as potentially disastrous for the bank and asks for immediate help locating the vehicle.
The manager checks the schedule, initially believing the truck is still at the loading dock, then realizes the severity of Vernet’s claim. Vernet orders the manager to activate the truck’s emergency LoJack transponder, even though doing so will automatically alert the authorities that the bank has a problem.
After a pause, Vernet accepts the risk and insists on receiving the truck’s exact location as soon as possible. Moments later, the hidden transponder beneath the armored truck activates, beginning to reveal Langdon and Sophie’s route to the authorities.
Who Appears
- André VernetBank president; calls the manager and orders activation of the stolen truck’s tracker.
- Night managerDepository employee; handles police pressure and activates the LoJack system for Vernet.