rl.thebourneultimatum-第103部分

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　〃Name　your　price；〃　said　Jason。
　〃Write　it　down；〃　clarified　Conklin；　glancing　at　Krupkin。　〃Let　me　see；〃　said　Lavier；　walking　around　the　sofa　and　crossing　to　the　Leconte　desk。　〃I'm　within　a　few　years　of　sixty…from　one　direction　or　another；　it's　immaterial…and　without　the　Jackal；　and　the　absence　of　some　other　fatal　disease；　I　will　have　perhaps　fifteen　to　twenty　years。〃　She　bent　down　over　the　desk　and　wrote　a　figure　on　a　notepad；　tore　it　off；　then　stood　up　and　looked　at　the　tall　American。　〃For　you；　Mr。　Bourne；　and　I'd　rather　not　argue。　I　believe　it's　fair。〃
　Jason　took　the　paper　and　read　the　amount：　1；000；000。00；　American。　〃It's　fair；〃　said　Bourne；　handing　the　note　back　to　Lavier。　〃Add　how　and　where　you　want　it　paid　and　I'll　make　the　arrangements　when　we　leave　here。　The　money　will　be　there　in　the　morning。〃
　The　aging　courtesan　looked　into　Bourne's　eyes。　〃I　believe　you；〃　she　said；　again　bending　over　the　desk　and　writing　out　her　instructions。　She　rose　and　gave　the　paper　back　to　Jason。　〃The　deal　is　made；　monsieur；　and　may　God　grant　us　the　kill。　If　he　does　not；　we　are　dead。〃
　〃You're　speaking　as　a　Magdalen　sister？〃
　〃I'm　speaking　as　a　sister　who's　terrified；　no　more　and　certainly　no　less。〃
　Bourne　nodded。　〃I've　several　questions；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　want　to　sit　down？〃
　〃Oui。　With　a　cigarette。〃　Lavier　crossed　to　the　sofa　and；　sinking　into　the　cushions；　reached　for　her　purse　on　the　red　table。　She　took　out　a　pack　of　cigarettes；　extracted　one　and　picked　up　a　gold　lighter　from　the　coffee　table。　〃Such　a　filthy　habit　but　at　times　so　damned　necessary；〃　she　said；　snapping　the　flame　and　inhaling　deeply。　〃Your　questions；　monsieur？〃
　〃What　happened　at　the　Meurice？　How　did　it　happen？〃
　〃The　woman　happened…I　assume　it　was　your　woman…that　was　my　understanding。　As　we　agreed；　you　and　your　friend　from　Deuxième　were　positioned　so　that　when　Carlos　arrived　to　trap　you；　you　would　kill　him。　For　reasons　no　one　can　fathom；　your　woman　screamed　as　you　crossed　the　Rivoli…the　rest　you　saw　for　yourself。　。。。　How　could　you　have　told　me　to　take　a　room　at　the　Meurice　knowing　she　was　there？〃
　〃That's　easy　to　answer。　I　didn't　know　she　was　there。　Where　do　we　stand　now？〃
　〃Carlos　still　trusts　me。　He　blames　everything　on　the　woman；　your　wife；　I'm　told；　and　has　no　reason　to　hold　me　responsible。　After　all；　you　were　there；　which　proves　my　allegiance。　Were　it　not　for　the　Deuxième　officer；　you'd　be　dead。〃
　Again　Bourne　nodded。　〃How　can　you　reach　him？〃
　〃I　cannot　myself。　I　never　have；　nor　have　I　cared　to。　He　prefers　it　that　way；　and　as　I　told　you；　the　checks　arrive　on　time；　so　I　have　no　reason　to。〃
　〃But　you　send　him　messages；〃　pressed　Jason。　〃I　heard　you。〃
　〃Yes；　I　do；　but　never　directly。　I　call　several　old　men　at　cheap　cafés…the　names　and　numbers　vary　weekly　and　quite　a　few　have　no　idea　what　I'm　talking　about；　but　for　those　that　do；　they　call　others　immediately；　and　they　call　others　beyond　themselves。　Somehow　the　messages　get　through。　Very　quickly；　I　might　add。〃
　〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　said　Krupkin　emphatically。　〃All　the　relays　end　with　false　names　and　filthy　cafés。　Stone　walls！〃
　〃Still；　the　messages　get　through；〃　said　Alex　Conklin；　repeating　Lavier's　words。
　〃Yet　Kruppie's　correct。〃　The　aging　but　still　striking　woman　dragged　heavily；　nervously　on　her　cigarette。　〃The　routings　are　convoluted　to　the　point　of　being　untraceable。〃
　〃I　don't　care　about　that；〃　said　Alex；　squinting　at　nothing　the　others　could　see。　〃They　also　reach　Carlos　quickly；　you　made　that　clear。〃
　〃It's　true。〃
　Conklin　widened　his　eyes　and　fixed　them　on　Lavier。　〃I　want　you　to　send　the　most　urgent　message　you've　ever　relayed　to　the　Jackal。　You　must　talk　to　him　directly。　It's　an　emergency　that　you　can　entrust　to　no　one　but　Carlos　himself。〃
　〃About　what？〃　erupted　Krupkin。　〃What　could　be　so　urgent　that　the　Jackal　will　ply？　Like　our　Mr。　Bourne；　he　is　obsessed　with　traps；　and　under　the　circumstances；　any　direct　munication　smells　of　one！〃
　Alex　shook　his　head　and　limped　to　a　side　window；　squinting　again；　deep　in　thought；　his　intense　eyes　reflecting　his　concentration。　Then　gradually；　slowly；　his　eyes　opened。　He　gazed　at　the　street　below。　〃My　God；　it　could　work；〃　he　whispered　to　himself。
　〃What　could　work？〃　asked　Bourne。
　〃Dimitri；　hurry！　Call　the　embassy　and　have　them　send　over　the　biggest；　fanciest　diplomatic　limousine　you　proletarians　own。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Just　do　as　I　say！　Quickly！〃
　〃Aleksei　。。。　？〃
　〃Now！〃
　The　force　and　urgency　of　Conklin's　mand　had　its　effect。　The　Russian　walked　rapidly　to　the　mother…of…pearl　telephone　and　dialed；　his　questioning　eyes　on　Alex；　who　kept　staring　down　at　the　street。　Lavier　looked　at　Jason；　he　shook　his　head　in　bewilderment　as　Krupkin　spoke　into　the　phone；　his　Russian　a　short　series　of　clipped　phrases。
　〃It's　done；〃　said　the　KGB　officer；　hanging　up。　〃And　now　I　think　you　should　give　me　an　extremely　convincing　reason　for　doing　it。〃
　〃Moscow；〃　replied　Conklin；　still　looking　out　the　window。
　〃Alex；　for　Christ's　sake…〃
　〃What　are　you　saying？〃　roared　Krupkin。
　〃We've　got　to　get　Carlos　out　of　Paris；〃　said　Conklin；　turning。　〃Where　better　than　Moscow？〃　Before　the　astonished　men　could　respond；　Alex　looked　at　Lavier。　〃You　say　he　still　trusts　you？〃
　〃He　has　no　reason　not　to。〃
　〃Then　two　words　should　do　it。　'Moscow；　emergency；'　that's　the　basic　message　you're　sending　him。　Put　it　any　way　you　like；　but　add　that　the　crisis　is　of　such　a　nature　that　you　must　speak　only　with　him。〃
　〃But　I　never　have。　I　know　men　who　have　spoken　with　him；　who　in　drunken　moments　have　tried　to　describe　him；　but　to　me　he　is　a　plete　stranger。〃
　〃All　the　stronger　for　it；〃　broke　in　Conklin；　turning　to　Bourne　and　Krupkin。　〃In　this　city　he's　got　all　the　cards；　all　of　them。　He's　got　firepower；　an　untraceable　network　of　gunslingers　and　couriers；　and　for　every　crevice　he　can　crawl　into　and　burst　out　from；　there　are　dozens　more　available　to　him。　Paris　is　his　territory；　his　protection…we　could　run　blindly　all　over　the　city　for　days；　weeks；　even　months；　getting　nowhere　until　the　moment　es　when　he's　got　you　and　Marie　in　his　gun　sights　。。。　you　can　also　add　Mo　and　me　to　that　scenario。　London；　Amsterdam；　Brussels；　Rome…they'd　all　be　better　for　us　than　Paris；　but　the　best　is　Moscow。　Oddly　enough；　it's　the　one　place　in　the　world　that　has　a　hypnotic　hold　on　him…and　also　the　one　that's　the　least　hospitable。〃
　〃Aleksei；　Aleksei；〃　cried　Dimitri　Krupkin。　〃I　really　think　you　should　reconsider　alcohol；　for　it's　obvious　you've　lost　your　senses！　Say　Domie　actually　reaches　Carlos　and　tells　him　what　you　say。　Do　you　really　believe　that　on　the　basis　of　an　'emergency'　in　Moscow　he'll　up　and　take　the　next　plane　there？　Insanity！〃
　〃You　can　bet　your　last　black…market　ruble　I　do；〃　replied　Conklin。　〃That　message　is　only　to　convince　him　to　get　in　touch　with　her。　Once　he　does；　she　explodes　the　bomb。　。。。　She's　just　heard　an　extraordinary　piece　of　information　that　she　knew　should　only　be　conveyed　to　him；　not　sent　through　the　message　tunnels。〃
　〃And　what　in　God's　name　might　that　be？〃　asked　Lavier；　extracting　another　cigarette　and　instantly　lighting　it。
　〃The　KGB　in　Moscow　is　closing　in　on　the　Jackal's　man　in　Dzerzhinsky　Square。　They've　narrowed　it　down　to；　say；　ten　or　fifteen　officers　in　the　highest　ranks。　Once　they　find　him；　Carlos　is　neutralized　in　the　Komitet…worse；　he's　about　to　lose　an　informer　who　knows　far　too　much　about　him　to　the　Lubyanka　interrogators。〃
　〃But　how　would　she　know　that？〃　said　Jason。
　〃Who　would　tell　her？〃　added　Krupkin。
　〃It's　the　truth；　isn't　it？〃
　〃So　are　your　very　secret　substations　in　Beijing；　Kabul　and…forgive　my　impertinence…Canada's　Prince　Edward　Island；　but　you　don't　advertise　them；〃　said　Krupkin。
　〃I　didn't　know　about　Prince　Edward；〃　admitted　Alex。　〃Regardless；　there　are　times　when　advertisements　aren't　necessary；　only　the　means　to　convey　the　information　credibly。　A　few　minutes　ago　I　didn't　have　any　means；　only　authenticity；　but　that　gap　has　just　been　filled。　。。。　e　over　here；　Kruppie…just　you　for　the　moment；　and　stay　away　from　the　window。　Look　between　the　corner　of　the　drapes。〃　The　Soviet　did　as　he　was　told；　going　to　Conklin's　side　and　parting　the　fold　of　lace　fabric　from　the　wall。　〃What　do　you　see？〃　asked　Alex；　gesturing　at　a　shabby；　nondescript　brown　car　below　on　the　avenue　Montaigne。　〃Doesn't　do　much　for　the　neighborhood；　does　it？〃
　Krupkin　did　not　bother　to　reply。　Instead；　he　whipped　the　miniaturized　radio　from　his　pocket　and　pressed　the　transmitter　button。　〃Sergei；　there's　a　brown　automobile　roughly　eighty　meters　down　the　street　from　the　building's　entrance…〃
　〃We　know；　sir；〃　interrupted　the　aide。　〃We've　got　it　covered；　and　if　you'll　notice；　our　backup　is　parked　across　the　way。　It's　an　old　man　who　barely　moves　except　to　look　out　the　window。〃
　〃Does　he　have　a　car　telephone？〃
　〃No；　rade；　and　should　he　leave　the　automobile　he'll　be　followed；　so　there　can　be　no　outside　calls　unless　you　direct　otherwise。〃
　〃I　shall　not　direct　otherwise。　Thank　you；　Sergei。　Out。〃　The　Russian　looked　at　Conklin。　〃The　old　man；〃　he　said。　〃You　saw　him。〃
　〃Bald　head　and　all；〃　affirmed　Alex。　〃He's　not　a　fool；　he's　done　this　before　and　knows　he's　being　watched。　He　can't　leave　for　fear　of　missing　something；　and　if　he　had　a　phone　there'd　be　others　down　in　the　Montaigne。〃
　〃The　Jackal；〃　said　Bourne；　stepping　forward；　then　stopping；　remembering　Conklin's　order　to　stay　away　from　the　window。
　〃Now；　do　you　understand？〃　asked　Alex；　addressing　the　question　to　Krupkin。
　〃Of　course；〃　conceded　the　KGB　official；　smiling。　〃It's　why　you　wanted　an　ostentatious　limousine　from　our　embassy。　After　we　leave；　Carlos　is　told　that　a　Soviet　diplomatic　vehicle　was　sent　to　pick　us　up；　and　for　what　other　reason　would　we　be　here　but　to　interrogate　Madame　Lavier？　Naturally；　in　my　well…advertised　presence　was　a　tall　man　who　might　or　might　not　be　Jason　Bourne；　and　another　shorter　individual　with　a　disabled　leg…thus　confirming　that　it　was　Jason　Bourne。　。。。　Our　unholy　alliance　is　therefore　established　and　observed；　and　again；　naturally；　during　our　harsh　questioning　of　Madame　Lavier；　tempers　flared　and　references　were　made　to　the　Jackal's　informer　in　Dzerzhinsky　Square。〃
　〃Which　only　I'd　known　about　through　my　dealing　with　Santos　at　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat；〃　said　Jason　quietly。　〃So　Dominique　has　a　cr