rl.thebourneultimatum-第14部分

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wrong　loser　to　contact　for　your　dirty　work。〃
　〃How　。。。　dare　you？〃　repeated　the　perplexed　professor；　sputtering　as　he　regally　strode　to　the　window。　〃I　don't　have　to　listen　to　this！〃
　〃No；　you　certainly　don't；　Randy。　But　when　I　was　an　associate　at　the　law　school　and　you　were　one　of　my　kids…one　of　the　best　but　not　the　brightest…you　damn　well　had　to　listen。　So　I　suggest　you　listen　now。〃
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　want？〃　roared　Gates；　turning　away　from　the　window。
　〃It's　what　you　want；　isn't　it？　The　information　you　underpaid　me　for。　It's　that　important　to　you；　isn't　it？〃
　〃I　must　have　it。〃
　〃You　were　always　filled　with　anxiety　before　an　exam…〃
　〃Stop　it！　I　paid。　I　demand　the　information。〃
　〃Then　I　must　demand　more　money。　Whoever's　paying　you　can　afford　it。〃
　〃Not　a　dollar！〃
　〃Then　I'm　leaving。〃
　〃Stop！　。。。　Five　hundred　more；　that's　it。〃
　〃Five　thousand　or　I　go。〃
　〃Ridiculous！〃
　〃See　you　in　another　twenty　years…〃
　〃All　right。　。。。　All　right；　five　thousand。〃
　〃Oh；　Randy；　you're　so　obvious。　It's　why　you're　not　really　one　of　the　brightest；　just　someone　who　can　use　language　to　make　yourself　appear　bright；　and　I　think　we've　seen　and　heard　enough　of　that　these　days。　。。。　Ten　thousand；　Dr。　Gates；　or　I　go　to　the　raucous　bar　of　my　choice。〃
　〃You　can't　do　this。〃
　〃Certainly　I　can。　I'm　now　a　confidential　legal　consultant。　Ten　thousand　dollars。　How　do　you　want　to　pay　it？　I　can't　imagine　you　have　it　with　you；　so　how　will　you　honor　the　debt…for　the　information？〃
　〃My　word…〃
　〃Forget　it；　Randy。〃
　〃All　right。　I'll　have　it　sent　to　the　Boston　Five　in　the　morning。　In　your　name。　A　bank　check。〃
　〃That's　very　endearing　of　you。　But　in　case　it　occurs　to　your　superiors　to　stop　me　from　collecting；　please　advise　them　that　an　unknown　person；　an　old　friend　of　mine　in　the　streets；　has　a　letter　detailing　everything　that's　gone　on　between　us。　It　is　to　be　mailed　to　the　Massachusetts　Attorney　General；　Return　Receipt　Requested；　in　the　event　I　have　an　accident。〃
　〃That's　absurd。　The　information；　please。〃
　〃Yes；　well；　you　should　know　that　you've　involved　yourself　in　what　appears　to　be　an　extremely　sensitive　government　operation；　that's　the　bottom　line。　。。。　On　the　assumption　that　anyone　in　an　emergency　leaving　one　place　for　another　would　do　so　with　the　fastest　transportation　possible；　our　rumbottom　detective　went　to　Logan　Airport；　under　what　guise　I　don't　know。　Nevertheless；　he　succeeded　in　obtaining　the　manifests　of　every　plane　leaving　Boston　yesterday　morning　from　the　first　flight　at　six…thirty　to　ten　o'clock。　As　you　recall；　that　corresponds　with　the　parameters　of　your　statement　to　me…'leaving　first　thing　in　the　morning。'　〃
　〃And？〃
　〃Patience；　Randolph。　You　told　me　not　to　write　anything　down；　so　I　must　take　this　step　by　step。　Where　was　I？〃
　〃The　manifests。〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　Well；　according　to　Detective　Sleaze；　there　were　eleven　unacpanied　children　booked　on　various　flights；　and　eight　women；　two　of　them　nuns；　who　had　reservations　with　minors。　Of　these　eight；　including　the　nuns　who　were　taking　nine　orphans　to　California；　the　remaining　six　were　identified　as　follows。〃　The　old　man　reached　into　his　pocket　and　shakily　took　out　a　typewritten　sheet　of　paper。　〃Obviously；　I　did　not　write　this。　I　don't　own　a　typewriter　because　I　can't　type；　it　es　from　Führer　Sleaze。〃
　〃Let　me　have　it！〃　ordered　Gates；　rushing　forward；　his　hand　outstretched。
　〃Surely；〃　said　the　seventy…year…old　disbarred　attorney；　giving　the　page　to　his　former　student。　〃It　won't　do　you　much　good；　however；〃　he　added。　〃Our　Sleaze　checked　them　out；　more　to　inflate　his　hours　than　for　anything　else。　Not　only　are　they　all　squeaky　clean；　but　he　performed　that　unnecessary　service　after　the　real　information　was　uncovered。〃
　〃What？〃　asked　Gates；　his　attention　diverted　from　the　page。　〃What　information？〃
　〃Information　that　neither　Sleaze　nor　I　would　write　down　anywhere。　The　first　hint　of　it　came　from　the　morning　setup　clerk　for　Pan　American　Airlines。　He　mentioned　to　our　lowbrow　detective　that　among　his　problems　yesterday　was　a　hotshot　politician；　or　someone　equally　offensive；　who　needed　diapers　several　minutes　after　our　clerk　went　on　duty　at　five…forty…five。　Did　you　know　that　diapers　e　in　sizes　and　are　locked　away　in　an　airline's　contingency　supplies？〃
　〃What　are　you　trying　to　tell　me？〃
　〃All　the　stores　in　the　airport　were　closed。　They　open　at　seven　o'clock。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃So　someone　in　a　hurry　forgot　something。　A　lone　woman　with　a　five…year…old　child　and　an　infant　were　leaving　Boston　on　a　private　jet　taking　off　on　the　runway　nearest　the　Pan　Am　shuttle　counters。　The　clerk　responded　to　the　request　and　was　personally　thanked　by　the　mother。　You　see；　he's　a　young　father　and　understood　about　diaper　sizes。　He　brought　three　different　packages…〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　will　you　get　to　the　point；　Judge？〃
　〃Judge？〃　The　gray…faced　old　man's　eyes　widened。　〃Thank　you；　Randy。　Except　for　my　friends　in　various　gin　mills；　I　haven't　been　called　that　in　years。　It　must　be　the　aura　I　exude。〃
　〃It　was　a　throwback　to　that　same　boring　circumlocution　you　used　both　on　the　bench　and　in　the　classroom！〃
　〃Impatience　was　always　your　weak　suit。　I　ascribed　it　to　your　annoyance　with　other　people's　points　of　view　that　interfered　with　your　conclusions。　。。。　Regardless；　our　Major　Sleaze　knew　a　rotten　apple　when　the　worm　emerged　and　spat　in　his　face；　so　he　hide　himself　off　to　Logan's　control　tower；　where　he　found　a　bribable　off　duty　traffic　controller　who　checked　yesterday　morning's　schedules。　The　jet　in　question　had　a　puter　readout　of　Four　Zero；　which　to　our　Captain　Sleaze's　astonishment　he　was　told　meant　it　was　government…cleared　and　maximum…classified。　No　manifest；　no　names　of　anyone　on　board；　only　a　routing　to　evade　mercial　aircraft　and　a　destination。〃
　〃Which　was？〃
　〃Blackburne；　Montserrat。〃
　〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃
　〃The　Blackburne　Airport　on　the　Caribbean　island　of　Montserrat。〃
　〃That's　where　they　went？　That's　it？〃
　〃Not　necessarily。　According　to　Corporal　Sleaze；　who　I　must　say　does　his　follow…ups；　there　are　small　flight　connections　to　a　dozen　or　so　minor　offshore　islands。〃
　〃That's　it？〃
　〃That's　it；　Professor。　And　considering　the　fact　that　the　aircraft　in　question　had　a　Four　Zero　government　classification；　which；　incidentally；　in　my　letter　to　the　attorney　general　I　so　specified；　I　think　I've　earned　my　ten　thousand　dollars。〃
　〃You　drunken　scum…〃
　〃Again　you're　wrong；　Randy；〃　interrupted　the　judge。　〃Alcoholic；　certainly；　drunk　hardly　ever。　I　stay　on　the　edge　of　sobriety。　It's　my　one　reason　for　living。　You　see　in　my　cognizance　I'm　always　amused…by　men　like　you；　actually。〃
　〃Get　out　of　here；〃　said　the　professor　ominously。
　〃You're　not　even　going　to　offer　me　a　drink　to　help　support　this　dreadful　habit　of　mine？　。。。　Good　heavens；　there　must　be　half　a　dozen　unopened　bottles　over　there。〃
　〃Take　one　and　leave。〃
　〃Thank　you；　I　believe　I　will。〃　The　old　judge　walked　to　a　cherry…wood　table　against　the　wall　where　two　silver　trays　held　various　whiskies　and　a　brandy。　〃Let's　see；〃　he　continued；　picking　up　several　white　cloth　napkins　and　wrapping　them　around　two　bottles；　then　a　third。　〃If　I　hold　these　tightly　under　my　arm；　they　could　be　a　pile　of　laundry　I'm　taking　put　for　quick　service。〃
　〃Will　you　hurry！〃
　〃Will　you　please　open　the　door　for　me？　I'd　hate　like　hell　dropping　one　of　these　while　manipulating　the　knob。　If　it　smashed　it　wouldn't　do　much　for　your　image；　either。　You've　never　been　known　to　have　a　drink；　I　believe。〃
　〃Get　out；〃　insisted　Gates；　opening　the　door　for　the　old　man。
　〃Thank　you；　Randy；〃　said　the　judge；　walking　out　into　the　hallway　and　turning。　〃Don't　forget　the　bank　check　at　the　Boston　Five　in　the　morning。　Fifteen　thousand。〃
　〃Fifteen。。。？〃
　〃My　word；　can　you　imagine　what　the　attorney　general　would　say　just　knowing　that　you'd　even　consorted　with　me？　Good…bye；　Counselor。〃
　Randolph　Gates　slammed　the　door　and　ran　into　the　bedroom；　to　the　bedside　telephone。　The　smaller　enclosure　was　reassuring；　as　it　removed　him　from　the　exposure　to　scrutiny　inherent　in　larger　areas…the　room　was　more　private；　more　personal；　less　open　to　invasion。　The　call　he　had　to　make　so　unnerved　him　he　could　not　understand　the　pull…out　flap　of　instructions　for　overseas　connections。　Instead；　in　his　anxiety；　he　dialed　the　operator。
　〃I　want　to　place　a　call　to　Paris；〃　he　said。
　
　6
　Bourne's　eyes　were　tired；　the　strain　painful　as　he　studied　the　results　of　the　puter　printouts　spread　across　the　coffee　table　in　front　of　the　couch。　Sitting　forward；　he　had　analyzed　them　for　nearly　four　hours；　forgetting　time；　forgetting　that　his　〃control〃　was　to　have　reached　him　by　then；　concerned　only　with　a　link　to　the　Jackal　at　the　Mayflower　hotel。
　The　first　group；　which　he　temporarily　put　aside；　was　the　foreign　nationals；　a　mix　of　British；　Italian；　Swedish；　West　German；　Japanese　and　Taiwanese。　Each　of　them　had　been　extensively　examined　with　respect　to　authentic　credentials　and　fully　substantiated　business　or　personal　reasons　for　entering　the　country。　The　State　Department　and　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　had　done　their　homework。　Each　person　was　professionally　and　personally　vouched　for　by　a　minimum　of　five　reputable　individuals　or　panies；　all　had　long…standing　munications　with　such　people　and　firms　in　the　Washington　area；　none　had　a　false　or　questionable　statement　on　record。　If　the　Jackal's　man　was　among　them…and　he　might　well　be…it　would　take　far　more　information　than　was　to　be　found　in　the　printouts　before　Jason　could　refine　the　list。　It　might　be　necessary　to　go　back　to　this　group；　but　for　the　moment　he　had　to　keep　reading。　There　was　so　little　time！
　Of　the　remaining　five　hundred　or　so　American　guests　at　the　hotel；　two　hundred　and　twelve　had　entries　in　one　or　more　of　the　intelligence　data　banks；　the　majority　because　they　had　business　with　the　government。　However；　seventy…eight　had　raw…file　negative　evaluations。　Thirty…one　were　Internal　Revenue　Service　matters；　which　meant　they　were　suspected　of　destroying　or　falsifying　financial　records　and/or　had　tax　havens　in　Swiss　or　Cayman　Island　accounts。　They　were　zero；　nothing；　merely　rich　and　not　very　bright　thieves；　and；　further；　the　sort　of　〃messengers〃　Carlos　would　avoid　like　lepers。
　That　left　forty…seven　possibles。　Men　and　women…in　eleven　cases　ostensibly　husban