Chapter 99

           SirLeighTeabingfeltruefulashegazedoutoverthebarrelofhisMedusarevolveratRobertLangdonandSophieNeveu.«Myfriends,»hesaid,»sincethemomentyouwalkedintomyhomelastnight,Ihavedoneeverythinginmypowertokeepyououtofharm’sway.Butyourpersistencehasnowputmeinadifficultposition.»

           HecouldseetheexpressionsofshockandbetrayalonSophie’sandLangdon’sfaces,andyethewasconfidentthatsoontheywouldbothunderstandthechainofeventsthathadguidedthethreeofthemtothisunlikelycrossroads.

           ThereissomuchIhavetotellyouboth…somuchyoudonotyetunderstand.

           «Pleasebelieve,»Teabingsaid,«Ineverhadanyintentionofyourbeinginvolved.Youcametomyhome.Youcamesearchingforme.»

           «Leigh?»Langdonfinallymanaged.«Whatthehellareyoudoing?Wethoughtyouwereintrouble.Wecameheretohelpyou!»

           «AsItrustedyouwould,»hesaid.«Wehavemuchtodiscuss.»

           LangdonandSophieseemedunabletoteartheirstunnedgazesfromtherevolveraimedatthem.

           «Itissimplytoensureyourfullattention,»Teabingsaid.«IfIhadwantedtoharmyou,youwouldbedeadbynow.Whenyouwalkedintomyhomelastnight,Iriskedeverythingtospareyourlives.Iamamanofhonor,andIvowedinmydeepestconscienceonlytosacrificethosewhohadbetrayedtheSangreal.»

           «Whatareyoutalkingabout?»Langdonsaid.«BetrayedtheSangreal?»

           «Idiscoveredaterribletruth,»Teabingsaid,sighing.«IlearnedwhytheSangrealdocumentswereneverrevealedtotheworld.