rl.thebourneultimatum-第102部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃At　a　pay　phone　in　the　Plaza…Athénée；〃　answered　Bourne。　〃I'll　be　back　in　a　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃What's　happening？〃
　〃plications；　but　also　some　progress。〃
　〃That　doesn't　tell　me　anything。〃
　〃There's　not　that　much　to　tell。〃
　〃What's　this　Krupkin　like？〃
　〃He's　an　original。　He　brought　us　to　the　Soviet　embassy　and　I　talked　to　your　brother　on　one　of　their　lines。〃
　〃What？　。。。　How　are　the　children？〃
　〃Fine。　Everything's　fine。　Jamie's　thoroughly　enjoying　himself　and　Mrs。　Cooper　won't　let　Johnny　touch　Alison。〃
　〃Which　means　Bro　doesn't　want　to　touch　Alison。〃
　〃So　be　it。〃
　〃What's　the　number？　I　want　to　call。〃
　〃Holland's　setting　up　a　secure　line。　We'll　know　in　an　hour　or　so。〃
　〃Which　means　you're　lying。〃
　〃So　be　it。　You　should　be　with　them。　If　I'm　delayed；　I'll　call　you。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute。　Mo　wants　to　talk　to　you…〃
　The　line　went　dead。　Across　the　room；　Panov　slowly　shook　his　head　as　he　watched　Marie's　reaction　to　the　suddenly　terminated　conversation。　〃Forget　it；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　the　last　person　he　wants　to　talk　to。〃
　〃He's　back　there；　Mo。　He's　not　David　any　longer。〃
　〃He　has　a　different　calling　now；〃　added　Panov　softly。　〃David　can't　handle　it。〃
　〃I　think　that's　the　most　frightening　thing　I've　ever　heard　you　say。〃
　The　psychiatrist　nodded。　〃It　may　well　be。〃
　The　gray　Citro？n　was　parked　several　hundred　feet　diagonally　across　from　the　canopied　entrance　of　Dominique　Lavier's　apartment　building　on　the　fashionable　avenue　Montaigne。　Krupkin；　Alex　and　Bourne　sat　in　the　back；　Conklin　again　in　the　jump　seat；　his　size　and　disabled　leg　making　the　position　more　feasible。　Conversation　was　at　a　minimum　as　the　three　men　anxiously　kept　glancing　over　at　the　glass　doors　of　the　apartment。
　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　going　to　work？〃　asked　Jason。
　〃I　am　only　sure　that　Sergei　is　an　immensely　talented　professional；〃　replied　Krupkin。　〃He　was　trained　in　Novgorod；　you　know；　and　his　French　is　impeccable。　He　also　carries　on　him　a　variety　of　identifications　that　would　fool　the　Division　of　Documents　at　the　Deuxième　Bureau。〃
　〃What　about　the　other　two？〃　pressed　Bourne。
　〃Silent　subordinates；　controlled　by　and　subservient　to　their　superior。　They're　also　experts　at　their　craft。　。。。　Here　he　es！〃
　Sergei　could　be　seen　walking　out　of　the　glass　doors；　he　turned　left；　and　within　moments　crossed　the　wide　boulevard　toward　the　Citro？n。　He　reached　the　car；　went　around　the　hood　and　climbed　in　behind　the　wheel。　〃Everything　is　in　order；〃　he　said；　angling　his　head　over　the　front　seat。　〃Madame　has　not　returned　and　the　flat　is　number　twenty…one；　second　floor；　right　front　side。　It　has　been　swept　thoroughly；　there　are　no　intercepts。〃
　〃Are　you　certain？〃　asked　Conklin。　〃There's　no　room　for　error　here；　Sergei。〃
　〃Our　instruments　are　the　best；　sir；〃　answered　the　KGB　aide；　smiling。　〃It　pains　me　to　say　it；　but　they　were　developed　by　the　General　Electronics　Corporation　under　contract　to　Langley。〃
　〃Two　points　for　our　side；〃　said　Alex。
　〃Minus　twelve　for　permitting　the　technology　to　be　stolen；〃　concluded　Krupkin。　〃Besides；　I'm　sure　a　number　of　years　ago　our　Madame　Lavier　might　have　had　bugs　sewn　into　her　mattress…〃
　〃Checked；〃　broke　in　Sergei。
　〃Thank　you；　but　my　point　is　that　the　Jackal　could　hardly　have　monitoring　personnel　all　over　Paris。　It　all　gets　so　plicated。〃
　〃Where　are　your　other　two　men？〃　asked　Bourne。
　〃In　the　lobby　corridors；　sir。　I'll　join　them　shortly；　and　we　have　a　support　vehicle　down　the　street；　all　in　radio　contact；　of　course。　。。。　I'll　drive　you　over　now。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　interrupted　Conklin。　〃How　do　we　get　in？　What　do　we　say？〃
　〃It's　been　said；　sir；　you　need　say　nothing。　You　are　authorized　covert　personnel　from　the　French　SEDCE…〃
　〃The　what？〃　broke　in　Jason。
　〃The　Service　of　External　Documentation　and　Counterespionage；〃　answered　Alex。　〃It's　the　nearest　thing　here　to　Langley。〃
　〃What　about　the　Deuxième？〃
　〃Special　Branch；〃　said　Conklin　offhandedly；　his　mind　elsewhere。　〃Some　say　it's　an　elite　corps；　others　say　otherwise。　。。。　Sergei；　won't　they　check？〃
　〃They　already　have；　sir。　After　showing　the　concierge　and　his　assistant　my　identification；　I　gave　them　an　unlisted　telephone　number　that　confirmed　the　Service　and　my　status。　I　subsequently　described　the　three　of　you　and　requested　no　conversation；　merely　access　to　Madame　Lavier's　flat。　。。。　I'll　drive　over　now。　It　will　make　a　better　impression　on　the　doorman。〃
　〃Sometimes　simplicity　backed　by　authority　is　best　in　deception；〃　observed　Krupkin　as　the　Citro？n　was　maneuvered　between　the　sparse；　erratic　traffic　across　the　wide　avenue　to　the　entrance　of　the　white…stone　apartment　plex。　〃Take　the　car　around　the　corner　out　of　sight；　Sergei；〃　ordered　the　KGB　officer；　reaching　for　the　door　handle。　〃And　my　radio；　if　you　please？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　the　aide；　handing　Krupkin　a　miniaturized　electronic　inter　over　the　seat。　〃I'll　signal　you　when　I'm　in　position。〃
　〃I　can　reach　all　of　you　with　this？〃
　〃Yes；　rade。　Beyond　a　hundred　and　fifty　meters　the　frequency　is　undetectable。〃
　〃e　along；　gentlemen。〃
　Inside　the　marble　lobby；　Krupkin　nodded　at　the　formally　dressed　concierge　behind　the　counter；　Jason　and　Alex　on　the　Soviet's　right。　〃La　porte　est　ouverte；〃　said　the　concierge；　his　gaze　downward；　avoiding　direct　eye　contact。　〃I　shall　not　be　in　evidence　when　madame　arrives；〃　he　continued　in　French。　〃How　you　got　in　is　unknown　to　me；　however；　there　is　a　service　entrance　at　the　rear　of　the　building。〃
　〃But　for　official　courtesy　it　is　the　one　we　would　have　used；〃　said　Krupkin；　looking　straight　ahead　as　he　and　his　panions　walked　to　the　elevator。
　Lavier's　flat　was　a　testament　to　the　world　of　haute　couture　chic。　The　walls　were　dotted　with　photographs　of　fashion　notables　attending　important　showings　and　events；　as　well　as　with　framed　original　sketches　by　celebrated　designers。　Like　a　Mondrian；　the　furniture　was　stark　in　its　simplicity；　the　colors　bold　and　predominantly　red；　black　and　deep　green；　the　chairs；　sofas　and　tables　only　vaguely　resembled　chairs；　sofas　and　tables…they　seemed　more　suitable　for　use　in　spacecraft。
　As　if　by　rote；　both　Conklin　and　the　Russian　immediately　began　examining　the　tables；　ferreting　out　handwritten　notes；　a　number　of　which　were　beside　a　mother…of…pearl　telephone　on　top　of　a　curved；　thick　dark　green　table　of　sorts。
　〃If　this　is　a　desk；〃　said　Alex；　〃where　the　hell　are　the　drawers　or　the　handles？〃
　〃It's　the　newest　thing　from　Leconte；〃　replied　Krupkin。
　〃The　tennis　player？〃　interrupted　Conklin。
　〃No；　Aleksei；　the　furniture　designer。　You　press　in　and　they　shoot　out。〃
　〃You're　kidding。〃
　〃Try　it。〃
　Conklin　did　so　and　a　barely　discernible　drawer　sprang　loose　from　an　all　but　invisible　crack。　〃I'll　be　damned。〃
　Krupkin's　miniaturized　radio　suddenly　erupted　with　two　sharp　beeps　from　inside　his　breast　pocket。　〃It　must　be　Sergei　checking　in；〃　said　Dimitri；　removing　the　instrument。　〃You're　in　place；　rade？〃　he　continued；　speaking　into　the　base　of　the　radio。
　〃More　than　that；〃　came　the　aide's　quiet　voice　acpanied　by　minor　static。　〃The　Lavier　woman　has　just　entered　the　building。〃
　〃The　concierge？〃
　〃Nowhere　in　sight。〃
　〃Good。　Out。　。。。　Aleksei；　get　away　from　there。　Lavier　is　on　her　way　up。〃
　〃You　want　to　hide？〃　asked　Conklin　facetiously；　turning　the　pages　of　a　telephone　notebook。
　〃I'd　rather　not　start　off　with　instant　hostility；　which　will　be　the　case　if　she　sees　you　riffling　through　her　personal　effects。〃
　〃All　right；　all　right。〃　Alex　returned　the　notebook　to　the　drawer　and　closed　it。　〃But　if　she　isn't　going　to　cooperate；　I'm　taking　that　little　black　book。〃
　〃She'll　cooperate；〃　said　Bourne。　〃I　told　you；　she　wants　out；　and　the　only　way　out　for　her　is　with　a　dead　Jackal。　The　money's　secondary…not　inconsequential；　but　getting　out　es　first。〃
　〃Money？〃　asked　Krupkin。　〃What　money？〃
　〃I　offered　to　pay　her　and　I　will。〃
　〃And　I　can　assure　you；　money　is　not　secondary　to　Madame　Lavier；〃　added　the　Russian。
　The　sound　of　a　key　being　inserted　into　a　latch　echoed　throughout　the　living　room。　The　three　men　turned　to　the　door　as　a　startled　Dominique　Lavier　walked　inside。　Her　astonishment；　however；　was　so　brief　as　to　be　fleeting；　there　were　no　cracks　whatsoever　in　her　posure。　Brows　arched　in　the　manner　of　a　regal　mannequin；　she　calmly　replaced　the　key　in　her　beaded　purse；　looked　over　at　the　intruders　and　spoke　in　English。
　〃Well；　Kruppie；　I　might　have　known　you　were　somewhere　in　this　bouillabaisse。〃
　〃Ah；　the　charming　Jacqueline；　or　may　we　drop　the　pretense；　Domie？〃
　〃Kruppie？〃　cried　Alex。　〃Domie？　。。。　Is　this　old　home　week？〃
　〃rade　Krupkin　is　one　of　the　more　advertised　KGB　officers　in　Paris；〃　said　Lavier；　walking　to　the　long；　cubed　red　table　behind　the　white　silk　sofa　and　putting　down　her　purse。　〃Knowing　him　is　de　rigueur　in　certain　circles。〃
　〃It　has　its　advantages；　dear　Domie。　You　can't　imagine　the　disinformation　I'm　fed　in　those　circles　by　the　Quai　d'Orsay；　and　once　having　tasted　it；　knowing　it's　false。　By　the　way；　I　under　stand　you've　met　our　tall　American　friend　and　even　had　certain　negotiations　with　him；　so　I　think　it's　only　proper　I　introduce　you　to　his　colleague。　。。。　Madame；　Monsieur　Aleksei　Konsolikov。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　you。　He's　no　Soviet。　One's　nostrils　bee　attuned　to　the　approach　of　the　unwashed　bear。〃
　〃Ah；　you　destroy　me；　Domie！　But　you're　right；　it　was　a　parental　error　of　judgment。　He　may　therefore　introduce　himself；　if　he　cares　to。〃
　〃The　name's　Conklin；　Alex　Conklin；　Miss　Lavier；　and　I'm　American。　However；　our　mutual　acquaintance　'Kruppie'　is　right　in　one　sense。　My　parents　were　Russian　and　I　speak　it　fluently；　so　he's　at　a　loss　to　mislead　me　when　we're　in　Soviet　pany。〃
　〃I　think　that's　delicious。〃
　〃Well；　it's　at　least　appetizing；　if　you　know　Kruppie。〃
　〃I'm　wounded；　fatally　wounded！〃　exclaimed　Krupkin。　〃But　my　injuries　are　not　essential　to　this　meeting。　You　will　work　with　us；　Domie？〃
　〃I'll　work　with　you；　Kruppie。　My　God；　will　I　work　with　you！　I　ask　only　that　Jason　Bourne　clarifies　his　offer　to　me。　With　Carlos　I'm　a　caged　animal；　but　without　him　I'm　a　near…destitute　aging　courtesan。　I　want　him　to　pay　for　my　sister's　death　and　for　everything　he's　done　to　me；　but　I　don't　care　to　sleep　in　the　gutter。〃
　〃Name　your　price；〃　said　Jason。
　〃Write　it　down；〃　clarified　Conklin；　glancing　at　Krupkin。　〃Let　me　s