Escape from the bank in armored truck

After retrieving the keystone from the Depository Bank of Zurich, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu found themselves trapped inside the bank's underground vault room as the police closed in. Bank president André Vernet, who had been awakened by the alarm, entered the room and, upon learning that Jacques Saunière was dead and that his guests were wanted for murder, decided to help them escape—not out of loyalty, but to protect his bank's reputation and to prevent the keystone from falling into police hands. Vernet led them to the loading dock, where he instructed them to climb into the cargo hold of a small armored truck, then locked them inside and drove toward the exit ramp.

The Roadblock and the Deception

As the armored truck lumbered up the ramp, Vernet saw that the police had already set up a roadblock at the top. Lieutenant Jerome Collet stopped the truck and demanded to know what was inside. Vernet, now wearing a driver's uniform and cap, played the role of a lowly driver who had no keys to the cargo hold and no knowledge of its contents. When Collet pointed out Vernet's expensive Rolex watch, Vernet claimed it was a cheap counterfeit bought from a street vendor. The ruse worked; Collet let the truck pass, and Vernet drove away from the bank, leaving the police behind.

The Turn at Gunpoint

Once clear of the city, Vernet pulled the truck off the road into a wooded area. He then opened the rear doors, drew a pistol, and demanded that Langdon and Sophie hand over the rosewood box containing the keystone. Vernet claimed he was protecting his client's assets and that he now believed Langdon and Sophie had obtained the key and account number through foul play. Langdon, holding the box, moved toward the open door, but as he set the box down on the cargo hold's threshold, he discreetly kicked a spent shell casing onto the door's sill, preventing the door from closing fully. When Vernet slammed the door, the casing blocked the bolt, and Langdon burst out, striking Vernet in the face and sending him reeling. Langdon grabbed the box, jumped into the driver's seat, and sped away, leaving Vernet on the ground.

The Aftermath

Langdon, unfamiliar with a manual transmission, struggled to drive the truck, stalling twice and nearly crashing before Sophie took the wheel. They drove deeper into the countryside, the truck's damaged front bumper dragging and sparking. Langdon stopped to kick the bumper off, then they continued toward the home of Sir Leigh Teabing, a British Royal Historian and Grail expert, hoping to find refuge and help deciphering the keystone's secrets. The escape from the bank marked a decisive break from the authorities and set the stage for the next phase of their quest.