rl.thebourneultimatum-第52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！


　〃But　why　is　he　here；　mon？〃　the　second　mando　asked　his　colleague。　〃Mr。　Saint　Jay　said　the　Crown　police　are　not　told　everything；　they　are　not　part　of　us。〃
　〃Sir　Henry；　mon。　He　has　Crown　boats；　six　or　seven；　running　back　and　forth　with　orders　to　stop　anyone　leaving　Tranquility。　They　are　drug　boats；　mon。　Sir　Henry　calls　it　a　patrol　exercise；　so　naturally　the　chief　of　investigations　must　be…〃　The　lilting　whisper　of　the　West　Indian　trailed　off　in　midsentence　as　he　looked　at　his　panion。　〃。。。　Then　why　isn't　he　out　on　the　water；　mon？　On　the　lead　boat；　mon？〃
　〃Do　you　like　him？〃　asked　Bourne　instinctively；　surprising　himself　by　his　own　question。　〃I　mean；　do　you　respect　him？　I　could　be　wrong　but　I　seem　to　sense　something…〃
　〃You　are　not　wrong；　sir；〃　answered　the　first　guard；　interrupting。　〃The　provost　is　a　cruel　man　and　he　doesn't　like　the　'Punjabis；'　as　he　calls　us。　He's　very　quick　to　accuse　us；　and　many　have　lost　work　because　of　his　rash　accusations。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　plain；　get　rid　of　him？　The　British　will　listen　to　you。〃
　〃The　Crown　governor　will　not；　sir；〃　explained　the　second　guard。　〃He's　very　partial　to　his　strict　chief　of　narcotics。　They　are　good　friends　and　often　go　out　after　the　big　fish　together。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Jason　did　see　and　was　suddenly　alarmed；　very　alarmed。　〃Saint　Jay　told　me　there　used　to　be　a　path　behind　the　chapel。　He　said　it　might　be　overgrown；　but　he　thought　it　was　still　there。〃
　〃It　is；〃　confirmed　the　first　mando。　〃The　help　still　use　it　to　go　down　to　the　water　on　their　off　times。〃
　〃How　long　is　it？〃
　〃Thirty…five；　forty　meters。　It　leads　to　an　incline　where　steps　have　been　cut　out　of　the　rocks　that　take　one　down　to　the　beach。〃
　〃Which　of　you　is　faster？〃　asked　Bourne；　reaching　into　his　pocket　and　taking　out　the　reel　of　fishing　line。
　〃I　am。〃
　〃I　am！〃
　〃I　choose　you；〃　said　Jason；　nodding　his　head　at　the　shorter　first　guard；　handing　him　the　reel。　〃Go　down　on　the　border　of　that　path　and　wherever　you　can；　string　this　line　across　it；　tying　it　to　limbs　or　trunks　or　the　strongest　branches　you　can　find。　You　mustn't　be　seen；　so　be　alert；　see　in　the　dark。〃
　〃Is　no　problem；　mon！〃
　〃Have　you　got　a　knife？〃
　〃Do　I　have　eyes？〃
　〃Good。　Give　me　your　Uzi。　Hurry！〃
　The　guard　scrambled　away　along　the　vine…tangled　precipice　and　disappeared　into　the　dense　foliage　beyond。　The　second　Royal　mando　spoke。　〃In　truth；　sir；　I　am　much　faster；　for　my　legs　are　much　longer。〃
　〃Which　is　why　I　chose　him　and　I　suspect　you　know　it。　Long　legs　are　no　advantage　here；　only　an　impediment；　which　I　happen　to　know。　Also；　he's　much　shorter　and　less　likely　to　be　spotted。〃
　〃The　smaller　ones　always　get　the　better　assignments。　They　parade　us　up　front　and　put　us　in　boxing　rings　with　rules　we　don't　understand；　but　the　small　soldiers　get　the　plumbies。〃
　〃　'Plumbies'？　The　better　jobs？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃The　most　dangerous　jobs？〃
　〃Yes；　mon！〃
　〃Live　with　it；　big　fella。〃
　〃What　do　we　do　now；　sir？〃
　Bourne　looked　above　at　the　wall　and　the　soft　wash　of　colored　lights。　〃It's　called　the　waiting　game…no　love　songs　implied；　only　the　hatred　that　es　from　wanting　to　live　when　others　want　to　kill　you。　There's　nothing　quite　like　it　because　you　can't　do　anything。　All　you　can　do　is　think　about　what　the　enemy　may　or　may　not　be　doing；　and　whether　he's　thought　of　something　you　haven't　considered。　As　somebody　once　said；　I'd　rather　be　in　Philadelphia。〃
　〃Where；　mon？〃
　〃Nothing。　It　isn't　true。〃
　Suddenly；　filling　the　air　above　in　chilling　horror；　came　a　prolonged　excruciating　scream；　followed　by　words　shrieked　in　pain。　〃Non；　non！　Vous　etes　monstrueux！　。。。　Arêtes；　arêtes；　je　vous　supplie！〃
　〃Now！〃　cried　Jason；　slinging　the　strap　of　his　Uzi　over　his　shoulder　as　he　leaped　onto　the　wall；　gripping　the　edge；　pulling　himself　up　as　the　blood　poured　out　of　his　neck。　He　could　not　get　up！　He　could　not　get　over！　Then　strong　hands　pulled　him　and　he　fell　over　the　top　of　the　wall。　〃The　lights！〃　he　shouted。　〃Shoot　them　out！〃
　The　tall　mando's　Uzi　blazing；　the　lines　of　floodlights　exploded　in　the　ground　on　both　sides　of　the　chapel's　path。　Again；　strong　black　hands　pulled　him　to　his　feet　in　the　new　darkness。　And　then　a　single　shaft　of　yellow　appeared；　roving　swiftly　in　all　directions；　it　was　a　powerful　halogen　flashlight　in　the　mando's　left　hand。　The　figure　of　a　blood…drenched　old　man　in　a　tan　gabardine　suit　lay　curled　up　in　the　path；　his　throat　slit。
　〃Stop！　In　the　name　of　almighty　God；　stop　where　you　are！〃　came　Fontaine's　voice　from　inside　the　chapel；　the　open　half　door　revealing　the　flickering　light　of　the　electric　candles。　They　approached　the　entrance；　automatic　weapons　leveled；　prepared　for　continuous　fire　。。。　but　not　prepared　for　what　they　saw。　Bourne　closed　his　eyes；　the　sight　was　too　painful。　Old　Fontaine；　like　young　Ishmael；　was　sprawled　over　the　lectern　on　the　raised　platform　beneath　the　blown…out；　stained…glass　windows　of　the　left　wall；　his　face　running　with　blood　where　he　had　been　slashed；　and　attached　to　his　body　were　thin　cables　that　led　to　various　black　boxes　on　both　sides　of　the　chapel。
　〃Go　back！〃　screamed　Fontaine。　〃Run；　you　fools！　I'm　wired…〃
　〃Oh；　Christ！〃
　〃Mourn　not　for　me；　Monsieur　le　Chameleon。　I　gladly　join　my　woman！　This　world　is　too　ugly　even　for　me。　It　is　no　longer　amusing。　Run！　The　charge　will　go　off…they　are　watching！〃
　〃You；　mon！　Now！〃　roared　the　second　mando；　grabbing　Jason's　jacket　and　racing　him　to　the　wall；　holding　Bourne　in　his　arms　as　they　plummeted　over　the　stone　surface　into　the　thick　foliage。
　The　explosion　was　massive；　blinding　and　deafening。　It　was　as　if　this　small　corner　of　the　small　island　had　been　taken　out　by　a　heat…seeking　nuclear　missile。　Flames　erupted　into　the　night　sky；　but　the　burning　mass　was　quickly　diffused　in　the　still　wind　to　fiery　rubble。
　〃The　path！〃　shouted　Jason；　in　a　hoarse　whisper；　as　he　crawled　to　his　feet　in　the　sloping　brush。　〃Get　to　the　path！〃
　〃You're　in　bad　condition；　mon…〃
　〃I'll　take　care　of　me；　you　take　care　of　you！〃
　〃I　believe　I've　taken　care　of　both　of　us。〃
　〃So　you've　got　a　fucking　medal　and　I'll　add　a　lot　of　money　to　it。　Now；　get　us　up　to　the　path！〃
　Pulling；　pushing；　and　finally　with　Bourne's　feet　grinding　like　a　machine　out　of　control；　the　two　men　reached　the　border　of　the　path　thirty　feet　behind　the　smoldering　ruins　of　the　chapel。　They　crept　into　the　weeds　and　within　seconds　the　first　mando　found　them。　〃They're　in　the　south　palms；〃　he　said　breathlessly。　〃They　wait　until　the　smoke　has　cleared　to　see　if　anyone　is　alive；　but　they　cannot　stay　long。〃
　〃You　were　there？〃　asked　Jason。　〃With　them？〃
　〃No　problem；　mon；　I　told　you；　sir。〃
　〃What's　happening？　How　many　are　there？〃
　〃There　were　four；　sir。　I　killed　the　man　whose　place　I　assumed。　He　was　black；　so　it　made　no　matter　in　appearance　with　the　darkness。　It　was　quick　and　silent。　The　throat。〃
　〃Who's　left？〃
　〃　'Serrat's　chief　of　narcotics；　of　course；　and　two　others…〃
　〃Describe　them！〃
　〃I　could　not　see　clearly；　but　one　I　think　was　another　black　man；　tall　and　without　much　hair。　The　third　I　could　not　see　at　all；　for　he…or　she…was　wearing　strange　clothes；　with　cloth　over　the　head　like　a　woman's　sun　hat　or　insect　veil。〃
　〃A　woman？〃
　〃It　is　possible；　sir。〃
　〃A　woman　。。。　？　They've　got　to　get　out　of　there…he's　got　to　get　out　of　there！〃
　〃Very　soon　they　will　run　to　this　path　and　race　down　to　the　beach；　where　they　will　hide　in　the　woods　of　the　cove　until　a　boat　es　for　them。　They　have　no　choice。　They　cannot　go　back　to　the　inn；　for　strangers　are　seen　instantly；　and　even　though　we　are　far　away　and　the　steel　band　is　loud；　the　explosion　was　certainly　heard　by　the　guards　posted　outside。　They　will　report　it。〃
　〃Listen　to　me；〃　said　Bourne；　his　voice　hoarse；　tense。　〃One　of　those　three　people　is　the　man　I　want；　and　I　want　him　for　myself！　So　hold　your　fire　because　I'll　know　him　when　I　see　him。　I　don't　give　a　damn　about　the　others；　they　can　be　flushed　out　of　that　cove　later。〃
　There　was　a　sudden　burst　of　gunfire　from　the　tropical　forest　acpanied　by　screams　from　the　once　floodlit　corridor　beyond　the　ruins　of　the　chapel。　Then　one　after　another　the　figures　raced　out　of　the　tangled　brush　into　the　path。　The　first　to　be　caught　was　the　blond…haired　police　officer　from　Montserrat；　the　waist…high　invisible　fishing　line　tripping　him　as　he　fell　into　the　dirt；　breaking　the　thin；　taut　string。　The　second　man；　slender；　tall；　dark…featured；　with　only　a　fringe　of　hair　on　his　bald　head；　was　hard　upon　the　first；　pulling　him　to　his　feet；　sight　or　instinct　making　the　second　killer　wield　his　automatic　weapon　in　slashing　arcs；　cutting　the　impeding　lines　across　the　path　to　the　ledge　that　led　down　to　the　beach。　The　third　figure　appeared。　It　was　not　a　woman。　It　was　a　man；　in　the　robes　of　a　monk。　A　priest。　It　was　he。　The　Jackal！
　Bourne　rose　to　his　feet　and　stumbled　out　of　the　brush　into　the　path；　the　Uzi　in　his　hands；　the　victory　was　his；　his　freedom　his；　his　family　his！　As　the　robed　figure　reached　the　top　of　the　primitive　rock…hewn　staircase；　Jason　pressed　his　trigger　finger；　holding　it　in　place；　the　fusillade　of　bullets　exploding　out　of　the　automatic　weapon。
　The　monk　arched　in　silhouette；　then　fell；　his　body　tumbling；　rolling；　sprawling　down　the　steps　carved　out　of　volcanic　rock；　finally　lurching　over　the　edge　and　plummeting　to　the　sand　below。　Bourne　raced　down　the　awkward；　irregular　stone　staircase；　the　two　mandos　behind　him。　He　reached　the　beach；　raced　over　to　the　corpse；　and　pulled　the　drenched　hood　away　from　the　face。　In　horror；　he　looked　at　the　black　features　of　Samuel；　the　brother　priest　of　Tranquility　Isle；　the　Judas　who　had　sold　his　soul　to　the　Jackal　for　thirty　pieces　of　silver。
　Suddenly；　in　the　distance；　there　was　the　roar　of　powerful　dual　engines　as　a　huge　speedboat　lurched　out　of　a　shadowed　section　of　the　cove　and　sped　for　a　break　in　the　reefs。　The　beam　of　a　searchlight　shot　out；　firing　the　barriers　of　rock　protruding　above　the　choppy　black　water；　its　wash　illuminating　the　fluttering　ensign　of　the　government's　drug　fleet。　Carlos！　。。。　The　Jackal　was　no　chameleon；　but　he　had　changed！　He　had　aged；　grown　thinner　and　bald…he　was　not　the　sharp；　broad；　full…headed　muscular　image　of　Jason's　memory。　Only　the　indistinct　dark　Latin　features　remained；　the　face　and　the　unfamiliar　expanse　of　bare　skin　above　burned　by　the　sun。　He　was