rl.thebourneultimatum-第22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！


ything　he　can；　and　if　he　learns　something　he'll　reach　us；　but　we're　not　to　reach　him。〃
　〃Wouldn't　you　know　it'd　be　a　lousy　soldier　boy　who　puts　us　out　on　a　limb？　If　it　wasn't　for　that　jackass　with　his　access　code；　we　wouldn't　have　a　problem。　Everything　would　be　taken　care　of。〃
　〃But　he　does　exist；　and　the　problem…the　crisis…won't　go　away；〃　said　Bourne　flatly。　〃I　repeat；　we　have　to　cover　ourselves。　Some　of　us　will　have　to　leave…disappear　at　least　for　a　while。　For　the　good　of　all　of　us。〃
　The　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission　leaned　back　in　the　booth；　his　expression　pensively　disagreeable。　〃Yeah；　well　let　me　tell　you　something；　Simon；　or　whatever　your　name　is。　You're　checking　out　the　wrong　people。　We're　businessmen；　some　of　us　rich　enough　or　egotistical　enough　or　for　other　reasons　willing　to　work　for　government　pay；　but　first　we're　businessmen　with　investments　all　over　the　place。　We're　also　appointed；　not　elected；　and　that　means　nobody　expects　full　financial　disclosures。　Do　you　see　what　I'm　driving　at？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　said　Jason；　instantly　concerned　that　he　was　losing　control；　losing　the　threat。　I've　been　away　too　long　。。。　and　Albert　Armbruster　was　not　a　fool。　He　was　given　to　first…level　panic；　but　the　second　level　was　colder；　far　more　analytical。　〃What　are　you　driving　at？〃
　〃Get　rid　of　our　soldier　boys。　Buy　them　villas　or　a　couple　of　Caribbean　islands　and　put　them　out　of　reach。　Give　'em　their　own　little　courts　and　let　'em　play　kings；　that's　what　they're　all　about　anyway。〃
　〃Operate　without　them？〃　asked　Bourne；　trying　to　conceal　his　astonishment。
　〃You　said　it　and　I　agree。　Any　hint　of　big　brass　and　we're　in　big　trouble。　It　goes　under　the　heading　of　'military　industrial　plex；'　which　freely　translated　means　military…industrial　collusion。〃　Again　Armbruster　leaned　forward　over　the　table。　〃We　don't　need　them　anymore！　Get　rid　of　them。〃
　〃There　could　be　very　loud　objections…〃
　〃No　way。　We've　got　'em　by　their　brass　balls！〃
　〃I'll　have　to　think　about　it。〃
　〃There's　nothing　to　think　about。　In　six　months　we'll　have　the　controls　we　need　in　Europe。〃
　Jason　Bourne　stared　at　the　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission。　What　controls？　he　thought　to　himself。　For　what　reason？　Why？
　〃I'll　drive　you　home；〃　he　said。
　〃I　talked　to　Marie；〃　said　Conklin　from　the　Agency　garden　apartment　in　Virginia。　〃She's　at　the　inn；　not　at　your　house。〃
　〃How　e？〃　asked　Jason　at　a　gas…station　pay　phone　on　the　outskirts　of　Manassas。
　〃She　wasn't　too　clear。　。。。　I　think　it　was　lunchtime　or　nap　time…one　of　those　times　when　mothers　are　never　clear。　I　could　hear　your　kids　in　the　background。　They　were　loud；　pal。〃
　〃What　did　she　say；　Alex？〃
　〃It　seems　your　brother…in…law　wanted　it　that　way。　She　didn't　elaborate；　and　other　than　sounding　like　one　harried　mommy；　she　was　the　perfectly　normal　Marie　I　know　and　love…which　means　she　only　wanted　to　hear　about　you。〃
　〃Which　means　you　told　her　I　was　perfectly　fine；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Hell；　yes。　I　said　you　were　holed　up　under　guard　going　over　a　lot　of　puter　printouts；　sort　of　a　variation　on　the　truth。〃
　〃Johnny　must　have　had　his　talk　with　her。　She　told　him　what's　happened；　so　he　moved　them　all　to　his　exclusive　bunker。〃
　〃His　what？〃
　〃You　never　saw　Tranquility　Inn；　or　did　you？　Frankly；　I　can't　remember　whether　you　did　or　not。〃
　〃Panov　and　I　saw　only　the　plans　and　the　site；　that　was　four　years　ago。　We　haven't　been　back　since；　at　least　I　haven't。　Nobody's　asked　me。〃
　〃I'll　let　that　pass　because　you've　had　a　standing　invitation　since　we　got　the　place。　。。。　Anyway；　you　know　it's　on　the　beach　and　the　only　way　to　get　there　except　by　water　is　up　a　dirt　road　so　filled　with　rocks　no　normal　car　could　make　it　twice。　Everything　is　flown　in　by　plane　or　brought　over　by　boat。　Almost　nothing　from　the　town。〃
　〃And　the　beach　is　patrolled；〃　interrupted　Conklin。　〃Johnny　isn't　taking　any　chances。〃
　〃It's　why　I　sent　them　down　there。　I'll　call　her　later。〃
　〃What　about　now？〃　said　Alex。　〃What　about　Armbruster？〃
　〃Let's　put　it　this　way；〃　replied　Bourne；　his　eyes　drifting　up　to　the　white　plastic　shell　of　the　pay　phone。　〃What　does　it　mean　when　a　man　who　has　a　hundred　million　dollars　in　Zurich　tells　me　that　Medusa…point　of　origin　mand　Saigon；　emphasis　on　'mand；'　which　is　hardly　civilian…should　get　rid　of　the　military　because　Snake　Lady　doesn't　need　them　any　longer？〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　said　the　retired　intelligence　officer　in　a　quiet；　doubting　voice。　〃He　didn't。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　he　did。　He　even　called　them　soldier　boys；　and　he　wasn't　memorializing　them　in　song。　He　verbally　dismissed　the　admirals　and　the　generals　as　gold…braided　debutantes　who　wanted　every　new　toy　in　town。〃
　〃Certain　senators　on　the　Armed　Services　mittee　would　agree　with　that　assessment；〃　concurred　Alex。
　〃There's　more。　When　I　reminded　him　that　Snake　Lady　came　out　of　Saigon…mand　Saigon…he　was　very　clear。　He　said　it　may　have；　but　it　sure　as　hell　didn't　stay　there　because　and　this　is　a　direct　quote…'The　soldier　boys　couldn't　run　with　it。'　〃
　〃That's　a　provocative　statement。　Did　he　tell　you　why　they　couldn't　run　with　it？〃
　〃No；　and　I　didn't　ask。　I　was　supposed　to　know　the　answer。〃
　〃I　wish　you　did。　I　like　less　and　less　the　sound　of　what　I'm　hearing；　it's　big　and　it's　ugly。　。。。　How　did　the　hundred　million　e　up？〃
　〃I　told　him　Medusa　might　get　him　a　villa　someplace　out　of　the　country　where　he　couldn't　be　reached　if　we　thought　it　was　necessary。　He　wasn't　too　interested　and　said　if　he　wanted　one；　he'd　buy　it　himself。　He　had　a　hundred　million；　American；　in　Zurich…a　fact　I　think　I　was　also　expected　to　know。〃
　〃That　was　all？　Just　a　simple　little　one　hundred　million？〃
　〃Not　entirely。　He　told　me　that　like　everybody　else　he　gets　a　monthly　telex…in　code…from　the　banks　in　Zurich　listing　his　deposits。　Obviously；　they've　been　growing。〃
　〃Big；　ugly　and　growing；〃　added　Conklin。　〃Anything　else？　Not　that　I　particularly　want　to　hear　it；　I'm　frightened　enough。〃
　〃Two　more　items　and　you'd　better　have　some　fear　in　reserve。　。。。　Armbruster　said　that　along　with　the　deposit　telexes　he　gets　a　listing　of　the　panies　they're　gaining　control　of。〃
　〃What　panies？　What　was　he　talking　about？　。。。　Good　God。〃
　〃If　I　had　asked；　my　wife　and　children　might　have　to　attend　a　private　memorial　service；　no　casket　in　evidence　because　I　wouldn't　be　there。〃
　〃You've　got　more　to　tell　me。　Tell　me。〃
　〃Our　illustrious　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission　said　that　the　ubiquitous　'we'　could　get　rid　of　the　military　because　in　six　months　'we'　would　have　all　the　controls　we　needed　in　Europe。　。。。　Alex；　what　controls？　What　are　we　dealing　with？〃
　There　was　silence　on　the　unbroken　line；　and　Jason　Bourne　did　not　interrupt。　David　Webb　wanted　to　shout　in　defiance　and　confusion；　but　there　was　no　point；　he　was　a　non…person。　Finally；　Conklin　spoke。
　〃I　think　we're　dealing　with　something　we　can't　handle；〃　he　said　softly；　his　words　barely　audible　over　the　phone。　〃This　has　to　go　upstairs；　David。　We　can't　keep　it　to　ourselves。〃
　〃Goddamn　you；　you're　not　talking　to　David！〃　Bourne　did　not　raise　his　voice　in　anger；　he　did　not　have　to；　its　tone　was　enough。　〃This　isn't　going　anywhere　unless　or　until　I　say　it　does　and　I　may　not　ever　say　it。　Understand　me；　field　man。　I　don't　owe　anyone　anything；　especially　not　the　movers　and　the　shakers　in　this　city。　They　moved　and　shook　my　wife　and　me　too　much　for　any　concessions　where　our　lives　or　the　lives　of　our　children　are　concerned！　I　intend　to　use　everything　I　can　learn　for　one　purpose　and　one　purpose　only。　That's　to　draw　out　the　Jackal　and　kill　him　so　we　can　climb　out　of　our　personal　hell　and　go　on　living。　。。。　I　know　now　that　this　is　the　way　to　do　it。　Armbruster　talked　tough　and　he　probably　is　tough；　but　underneath　he's　frightened。　They're　all　frightened…panicked；　as　you　put　it…and　you　were　right。　Present　them　with　the　Jackal　and　he's　a　solution　they　can't　refuse。　Present　Carlos　with　a　client　as　rich　and　as　powerful　as　our　current　Medusa　and　it's　irresistible　to　him…he's　got　the　respect　of　the　international　big　boys；　not　just　the　crud　of　the　world；　the　fanatics　of　the　left　and　right。　。。。　Don't　stand　in　my　way；　don't；　for　God's　sake！〃
　〃That's　a　threat；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Stop　it；　Alex。　I　don't　want　to　talk　like　that。〃
　〃But　you　just　did。　It's　the　reverse　of　Paris　thirteen　years　ago；　isn't　it？　Only　now　you'll　kill　me　because　I'm　the　one　who　hasn't　a　memory；　the　memory　of　what　we　did　to　you　and　Marie。〃
　〃That's　my　family　out　there！〃　cried　David　Webb；　his　voice　tight；　sweat　forming　on　his　hairline　as　his　eyes　filled　with　tears。　〃They're　a　thousand　miles　away　from　me　and　in　hiding。　It　can't　be　any　other　way　because　I　won't　risk　letting　them　be　harmed！　。。。　Killed；　Alex；　because　that's　what　the　Jackal　will　do　if　he　finds　them。　It's　an　island　this　week；　where　is　it　next？　How　many　thousands　of　miles　more？　And　after　that；　where　will　they　go…where　will　we　go？　Knowing　what　we　know　now；　we　can't　stop…he's　after　me；　that　goddamned　filthy　psychopath　is　after　me；　and　everything　we've　learned　about　him　tells　us　he　wants　a　maximum　kill。　His　ego　demands　it；　and　that　kill　includes　my　family！　。。。　No；　field　man；　don't　burden　me　with　things　I　don't　care　about…not　where　they　interfere　with　Marie　and　the　kids…I'm　owed　that　much。〃
　〃I　hear　you；〃　said　Conklin。　〃I　don't　know　whether　I'm　hearing　David　or　Jason　Bourne；　but　I　hear　you。　All　right；　no　reverse　Paris；　but　we　have　to　move　fast　and　I'm　talking　to　Bourne　now。　What's　next？　Where　are　you？〃
　〃I　judge　about　six　or　seven　miles　from　General　Swayne's　house；〃　replied　Jason；　breathing　deeply；　the　momentary　anguish　suppressed；　the　coldness　returning。　〃Did　you　make　the　call？〃
　〃Two　hours　ago。〃
　〃Am　I　still　'Cobra'？〃
　〃Why　not？　It's　a　snake。〃
　〃That's　what　I　told　Armbruster。　He　wasn't　happy。〃
　〃Swayne　will　be　less　so；　but　I　sense　something　and　I　can't　really　explain　it。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；　but　I　have　an　idea　that　he's　answerable　to　someone。〃
　〃In　the　Pentagon？　Burton？〃
　〃I　suppose　so；　I　just　don't　know。　In　his　partial　paralysis　he　reacted　almost　as　if　he　was　an　onlooker；　someone　involved　but　not　in　the　middle　of　the　game。　He　slipped　a　couple　of　times　and　said　things　like　'We'll　have　to　think　about　this；'　and　'We'll　have　to　confer。'　Confer　with　whom？　It　was　a　one…on…one　conversation　with　my　usual　warning　t