Langdon looked not even vaguely convinced。 〃Forget it！ Fache has armed guards on every single exit！ Even if we escape without being shot； running away only makes me look guilty。 You need to tell Fache that the message on the floor was for you； and that my name is not there as an accusation。〃
〃I will do that；〃 Sophie said； speaking hurriedly； 〃but after you're safely inside the U。S。 Embassy。 It's only about a mile from here； and my car is parked just outside the museum。 Dealing with Fache from here is too much of a gamble。 Don't you see？ Fache has made it his mission tonight to prove you are guilty。 The only reason he postponed your arrest was to run this observance in hopes you did something that made his case stronger。〃
〃Exactly。 Like running！〃
The cell phone in Sophie's sweater pocket suddenly began ringing。 Fache probably。 She reached in her sweater and turned off the phone。
〃Mr。 Langdon；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃I need to ask you one last question。〃 And your entire future may depend on it。 〃The writing on the floor is obviously not proof of your guilt； and yet Fache told our team he is certain you are his man。 Can you think of any other reason he might be convinced you're guilty？〃
Langdon was silent for several seconds。 〃None whatsoever。〃
Sophie sighed。 Which means Fache is lying。 Why； Sophie could not begin to imagine； but that was hardly the issue at this point。 The fact remained that Bezu Fache was determined to put Robert Langdon behind bars tonight； at any cost。 Sophie needed Langdon for herself； and it was this dilemma that left Sophie only one logical conclusion。
I need to get Langdon to the U。S。 Embassy。
Turning toward the window； Sophie gazed through the alarm mesh embedded in the plate glass； down the dizzying forty feet to the pavement below。 A leap from this height would leave Langdon with a couple of broken legs。 At best。
Nonetheless； Sophie made her decision。
Robert Langdon was about to escape the Louvre； whether he wanted to or not。
CHAPTER 17
〃What do you mean she's not answering？〃 Fache looked incredulous。 〃You're calling her cell phone； right？ I know she's carrying it。〃
Collet had been trying to reach Sophie now for several minutes。 〃Maybe her batteries are dead。 Or her ringer's off。〃
Fache had looked distressed ever since talking to the director of Cryptology on the phone。 After hanging up； he had marched over to Collet and demanded he get Agent Neveu on the line。 Now Collet had failed； and Fache was pacing like a caged lion。
〃Why did Crypto call？〃 Collet now ventured。
Fache turned。 〃To tell us they found no references to Draconian devils and lame saints。〃
〃That's all？〃
〃No； also to tell us that they had just identified the numerics as Fibonacci numbers； but they suspected the series was meaningless。〃
Collet was confused。 〃But they already sent Agent Neveu to tell us that。〃
Fache shook his head。 〃They didn't send Neveu。〃
〃What？〃
〃According to the director； at my orders he paged his entire team to look at the images I'd wired him。 When Agent Neveu arrived； she took one look at the photos of Saunière and the code and left the office without a word。 The director said he didn't question her behavior because she was understandably upset by the photos。〃
〃Upset？ She's never seen a picture of a dead body？〃
Fache was silent a moment。 〃I was not aware of this； and it seems neither was the director until a coworker informed him； but apparently Sophie Neveu is Jacques Saunière's granddaughter。〃
Collet was speechless。
〃The director said she never once mentioned Saunière to him； and he assumed it was because she probably didn't want preferential treatment for having a famous grandfather。〃
No wonder she was upset by the pictures。 Collet could barely conceive of the unfortunate coincidence that called in a young woman to decipher a code written by a dead family member。 Still； her actions made no sense。 〃But she obviously recognized the numbers as Fibonacci numbers because she came here and told us。 I don't understand why she would leave the office without telling anyone she had figured it out。〃
Collet could think of only one scenario to explain the troubling developments： Saunière had written a numeric code on the floor in hopes Fache would involve cryptographers in the investigation； and therefore involve his own granddaughter。 As for the rest of the message； was Saunière municating in some way with his granddaughter？ If so； what did the message tell her？ And how did Langdon fit in？
Before Collet could ponder it any further； the silence of the deserted museum was shattered by an alarm。 The bell sounded like it was ing from inside the Grand Gallery。
〃Alarme！〃 one of the agents yelled； eyeing his feed from the Louvre security center。 〃Grande Galerie！ Toilettes Messieurs！〃
Fache wheeled to Collet。 〃Where's Langdon？〃
〃Still in the men's room！〃 Collet pointed to the blinking red dot on his laptop schematic。 〃He must have broken the window！〃 Collet knew Langdon wouldn't get far。 Although Paris fire codes required windows above fifteen meters in public buildings be breakable in case of fire； exiting a Louvre second…story window without the help of a hook and ladder would be suicide。 Furthermore； there were no trees or grass on the western end of the Denon Wing to cushion a fall。 Directly beneath that rest room window； the two…lane Place du Carrousel ran within a few feet of the outer wall。 〃My God；〃 Collet exclaimed； eyeing the screen。 〃Langdon's moving to the window ledge！〃
But Fache was already in motion。 Yanking his Manurhin MR…93 revolver from his shoulder holster； the captain dashed out of the office。
Collet watched the screen in bewilderment as the blinking dot arrived at the window ledge and then did something utterly unexpected。 The dot moved outside the perimeter of the building。
What's going on？ he wondered。 Is Langdon out on a ledge or—
〃Jesu！〃 Collet jumped to his feet as the dot shot farther outside the wall。 The signal seemed to shudder for a moment； and then the blinking dot came to an abrupt stop about ten yards outside the perimeter of the building。
Fumbling with the controls； Collet called up a Paris street map and recalibrated the GPS。 Zooming in； he could now see the exact location of the signal。
It was no longer moving。
It lay at a dead stop in the middle of Place du Carrousel。
Langdon had jumped。
CHAPTER 18
Fache sprinted down the Grand Gallery as Collet's radio blared over the distant sound of the alarm。
〃He jumped！〃 Collet was yelling。 〃I'm showing the signal out on Place du Carrousel！ Outside the bathroom window！ And it's not moving at all！ Jesus； I think Langdon has just mitted suicide！〃
Fache heard the words； but they made no sense。 He kept running。 The hallway seemed never…ending。 As he sprinted past Saunière's body； he set his sights on the partitions at the far end of the Denon Wing。 The alarm was getting louder now。
〃Wait！〃 Collet's voice blared again over the radio。 〃He's moving！ My God； he's alive。 Langdon's moving！〃
Fache kept running； cursing the length of the hallway with every step。
〃Langdon's moving faster！〃 Collet was still yelling on the radio。 〃He's running down Carrousel。 Wait。。。 he's picking up speed。 He's moving too fast！〃
Arriving at the partitions； Fache snaked his way through them； saw the rest room door； and ran for it。
The walkie…talkie was barely audible now over the alarm。 〃He must be in a car！ I think he's in a car！ I can't—〃
Collet's words were swallowed by the alarm as Fache finally burst into the men's room with his gun drawn。 Wincing against the piercing shrill； he scanned the area。
The stalls were empty。 The bathroom deserted。 Fache's eyes moved immediately to the shattered window at the far end of the room。 He ran to the opening and looked over the edge。 Langdon was nowhere to be seen。 Fache could not imagine anyone risking a stunt like this。 Certainly if he had dropped that far； he would be badly injured。
The alarm cut off finally； and Collet's voice became audible again over the walkie…talkie。
〃。。。moving south。。。 faster。。。 crossing the Seine on Pont du Carrousel！〃
Fache turned to his left。 The only vehicle on Pont du Carrousel was an enormous twin…bed Trailor delivery truck moving southward away from the Louvre。 The truck's open…air bed was covered with a vinyl tarp； roughly resembling a giant hammock。 Fache felt a shiver of apprehension。 That truck； only moments ago； had probably been stopped at a red light directly beneath the rest room window。
An insane risk； Fache told himself。 Langdon had no way of knowing what the truck was carrying beneath that tarp。 What if the truck were carrying steel？ Or cement？ Or even garbage？ A forty…foot leap？ It was madness。
〃The dot is turning！〃 Collet called。 〃He's turning right on Pont des Saints…Peres！〃
Sure enough； the Trailor truck that had crossed the bridge was slowing down and making a right turn onto Pont des Saints…Peres。 So be it； Fache thought。 Amazed； he watched the truck disappear around the corner。 Collet was already radioing the agents outside； pulling them off the Louvre perimeter and sending them to their patrol cars in pursuit； all the while broadcasting the truck's changing location like some kind of bizarre play…by…play。
It's over； Fache knew。 His men w