rl.thebourneultimatum-第62部分

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e　could　not　forget　the　limp　he　had　quickly　perfected。　His　hair　and　eyebrows　were　now　a　dull　red…dirty；　unkempt　red；　which　fit　his　new　surroundings；　a　cheap　hotel　in　Montparnasse　whose　front　desk　wanted　as　little　contact　as　possible　with　its　clientele。
　His　neck　was　more　an　irritant　now　than　an　impediment；　either　he　was　adjusting　to　the　stiff；　restricted　movement　or　the　healing　process　was　doing　its　mysterious　work。　And　that　re　stricted　movement　was　not　a　liability　where　his　current　appearance　was　concerned；　in　truth；　it　was　an　asset。　An　embittered　wounded　veteran；　a　discarded　son　of　France；　would　be　hard　pressed　to　forget　his　dual　immobility。　Jason　shoved　Bernardine's　automatic　into　his　trousers　pocket；　checked　his　money；　his　car　keys；　and　his　scabbarded　hunting　knife；　the　latter　purchased　at　a　sporting　goods　store　and　strapped　inside　his　shirt；　and　limped　to　the　door　of　the　small；　filthy；　depressing　room。　Next　stop；　the　Capucines　and　a　nondescript　Peugeot　in　an　underground　garage。　He　was　ready；
　Out　on　the　street；　he　knew　he　had　to　walk　a　number　of　blocks　before　he　found　a　taxi　station；　cabs　were　not　the　fashion　in　this　section　of　Montparnasse。　。。。　Neither　was　the　motion　around　a　newspaper　kiosk　at　the　second　corner。　People　were　shouting；　many　waving　their　arms；　clutching　papers　in　their　fists；　anger　and　consternation　in　their　voices。　Instinctively；　he　quickened　his　pace；　reached　the　stand；　threw　down　his　coins　and　grabbed　a　newspaper。
　The　breath　went　out　of　him　as　he　tried　to　suppress　the　shock　waves　that　swept　through　him。　Teagarten　killed！　The　assassin；　Jason　Bourne！　Jason　Bourne！　Madness；　insanity！　What　had　happened？　Was　it　a　resurrection　of　Hong　Kong　and　Macao？　Was　he　losing　what　was　left　of　his　mind？　Was　he　in　some　nightmare　so　real　he　had　entered　its　dimensions；　the　horror　of　demented　sleep；　the　fantasy　of　conjured；　improvised　terror　turned　into　reality？　He　broke　away　from　the　crowd；　reeled　across　the　pavement；　and　leaned　against　the　stone　wall　of　a　building；　gasping　for　air；　his　neck　now　in　pain；　trying　desperately　to　find　a　reasonable　train　of　thought。　Alex！　A　telephone！
　〃What　happened？〃　he　screamed　into　the　mouthpiece　to　Vienna；　Virginia。
　〃e　down　and　stay　cold；〃　said　Conklin　in　a　low　monotone。　〃Listen　to　me。　I　want　to　know　exactly　where　you　are。　Bernardine　will　pick　you　up　and　get　you　out。　He'll　make　the　arrangements　and　put　you　on　the　Concorde　to　New　York。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute…wait　a　minute！　。。。　The　Jackal　did　this；　didn't　he？〃
　〃From　what　we're　told；　it　was　a　contract　from　a　crazy　jihad　faction　out　of　Beirut。　They're　claiming　it　was　their　kill。　The　actual　executioner　is　unimportant。　That　may　be　true　and　it　may　not。　At　first　I　didn't　buy　it；　not　after　DeSole　and　Armbruster；　but　the　numbers　add　up。　Teagarten　was　forever　sounding　off　about　sending　NATO　forces　into　Lebanon　and　leveling　every　suspected　Palestinian　enclave。　He's　been　threatened　before；　it's　just　that　the　Medusa　connection　is　too　damned　coincidental　for　me。　But　to　answer　your　question；　of　course　it　was　the　Jackal。〃
　〃So　he　laid　it　on　me；　Carlos　laid　it　on　me！〃
　〃He's　an　ingenious　fucker；　I'll　say　that　for　him。　You　e　after　him　and　he　uses　a　contract　that　freezes　you　in　Paris。〃
　〃Then　we　turn　it　around！〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？　You　get　out！〃
　〃No　way。　While　he　thinks　I'm　running；　hiding；　evading…I'm　walking　right　into　his　nest。〃
　〃You're　nuts！　You　get　out　while　we　can　still　get　you　out！〃
　〃No；　I　stay　in。　Number　one；　he　figures　I　have　to　in　order　to　reach　him；　but；　as　you　say；　he's　locked　me　in　ice。　He　thinks　that　after　all　these　years　I'll　panic　in　my　fashion　and　make　stupid　moves…God　knows　I　made　enough　on　Tranquility…but　so　stupid　here　that　his　army　of　old　men　will　find　me　by　looking　in　the　right　places　and　knowing　what　to　look　for。　Christ；　he's　good！　Shake　the　bastard　up　so　he'll　make　a　mistake。　I　know　him；　Alex。　I　know　the　way　he　thinks　and　I'll　outthink　him。　I'll　stay　on　course；　no　prolonged　safe　cave　for　me。〃
　〃Cave？　What　cave？〃
　〃A　figure　of　speech；　forget　it。　I　was　in　place　before　the　news　of　Teagarten。　I'm　okay。〃
　〃You're　not　okay；　you're　a　fruitcake！　Get　out！〃
　〃Sorry；　Saint　Alex；　this　is　exactly　where　I　want　to　be。　I'm　going　after　the　Jackal。〃
　〃Well；　maybe　I　can　move　you　off　that　place　you're　clinging　to。　I　spoke　to　Marie　a　couple　of　hours　ago。　Guess　what；　you　aging　Neanderthal？　She's　flying　to　Paris。　To　find　you。〃
　〃She　can't！〃
　〃That's　what　I　said；　but　she　wasn't　in　a　listening　mode。　She　said　she　knew　all　the　places　you　and　she　used　when　you　were　running　from　us　thirteen　years　ago。　That　you'd　use　them　again。〃
　〃I　have。　Several。　But　she　mustn't！〃
　〃Tell　her；　not　me。〃
　〃What's　the　Tranquility　number？　I've　been　afraid　to　call　her…to　be　honest；　I've　tried　like　hell　to　put　her　and　the　kids　out　of　my　mind。〃
　〃That's　the　most　reasonable　statement　you've　made。　Here　it　is。〃　Conklin　recited　the　809　area　code　number；　and　the　instant　he　had　done　so；　Bourne　slammed　down　the　phone。
　Frantically；　Jason　went　through　the　agonizing　process　of　relaying　destination　and　credit　card　numbers；　acpanied　by　the　beeps　and　stutters　of　an　overseas　call　to　the　Caribbean；　and；　finally；　after　subduing　some　idiot　at　the　front　desk　of　Tranquility　Inn；　got　through　to　his　brother…in…law。
　〃Get　Marie　for　me！〃　he　ordered。
　〃David？〃
　〃Yes　。。。　David。　Get　Marie。〃
　〃I　can't。　She's　gone。　She　left　an　hour　ago。〃
　〃Where　to？〃
　〃She　wouldn't　tell　me。　She　chartered　a　plane　out　of　Blackburne；　but　she　wouldn't　tell　me　what　international　island　she　was　going　to。　There's　only　Antigua　or　Martinique　around　here；　but　she　could　have　flown　to　Sint　Maarten　or　Puerto　Rico。　She's　on　her　way　to　Paris。〃
　〃Couldn't　you　have　stopped　her？〃
　〃Christ；　I　tried；　David。　Goddamn　it；　I　tried！〃
　〃Did　you　ever　think　about　locking　her　up？〃
　〃Marie？〃
　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　。。。　She　can't　get　here　until　tomorrow　morning　at　the　earliest。〃
　〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃　cried　St。　Jacques。　〃General　Teagarten　was　killed　and　they　say　it　was　Jason…〃
　〃Oh；　shut　up；〃　said　Bourne；　replacing　the　phone　and　leaving　the　booth；　walking　down　the　street　to　collect　what　thoughts　he　could　generate。
　Peter　Holland；　director　of　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency；　rose　to　his　feet　behind　his　desk　and　roared　at　the　crippled　man　seated　in　front　of　him。　〃Do　nothing？　Have　you　lost　your　fucking　senses？〃
　〃Did　you　lose　yours　when　you　issued　that　statement　about　a　joint　British…American　operation　in　Hong　Kong？〃
　〃It　was　the　goddamned　truth！〃
　〃There　are　truths；　and　then　again　there　are　other　truths；　such　as　denying　the　truth　when　it　doesn't　serve　the　service。〃
　〃Shit！　Fairy　politicians！〃
　〃I'd　hardly　say　that；　Genghis　Khan。　I've　heard　of　such　men　going　to　the　wall；　accepting　execution　rather　than　betraying　the　current　truth　they　had　to　live　by。　。。。　You're　off　base；　Peter。〃
　Exasperated；　Holland　sank　back　into　his　chair。　〃Maybe　I　really　don't　belong　here。〃
　〃Maybe　you　don't；　but　give　yourself　a　little　more　time。　Maybe　you'll　bee　as　dirty　as　the　rest　of　us；　it　could　happen；　you　know。〃
　The　director　leaned　back；　arching　his　head　over　the　chair；　he　spoke　in　a　broken　cadence。　〃I　was　dirtier　than　any　of　you　in　the　field；　Alex。　I　still　wake　up　at　night　seeing　the　faces　of　young　men　staring　at　me　as　I　ripped　a　knife　up　their　chests；　taking　their　lives　away；　somehow　knowing　that　they　had　no　idea　why　they　were　there。〃
　〃It　was　either　you　or　them。　They　would　have　put　a　bullet　in　your　head　if　they　could　have。〃
　〃Yes；　I　suppose　so。〃　The　DCI　shot　forward；　his　eyes　locked　with　Conklin's。　〃But　that's　not　what　we're　talking　about；　is　it？〃
　〃You　might　say　it's　a　variation　on　the　theme。〃
　〃Cut　the　horseshit。〃
　〃It's　a　musician's　term。　I　like　music。〃
　〃Then　get　to　the　main　symphonic　line；　Alex。　I　like　music；　too。〃
　〃All　right。　Bourne's　disappeared。　He　told　me　that　he　thinks　he's　found　a　cave…his　word；　not　mine…where　he's　convinced　he　can　track　the　Jackal。　He　didn't　say　where　it　is；　and　God　knows　when　he'll　call　me　again。〃
　〃I　sent　our　man　at　the　embassy　over　to　the　Pont…Royal；　asking　for　Simon。　What　they　told　you　is　true。　Simon　checked　in；　went　out；　and　never　came　back。　Where　is　he？〃
　〃Staying　out　of　sight。　Bernardine　had　an　idea；　but　it　blew　up　in　his　face。　He　thought　he　could　quietly　close　in　on　Bourne　by　circulating　the　license　number　of　the　rental　car；　but　it　wasn't　picked　up　at　the　garage　and　we　both　agree　it　won't　be。　He　doesn't　trust　anybody　now；　not　even　me；　and　considering　his　history；　he　has　every　right　not　to。〃
　Holland's　eyes　were　cold　and　angry。　〃You're　not　lying　to　me；　are　you；　Conklin？〃
　〃Why　would　I　lie　at　a　time　like　this；　about　a　friend　like　this？〃
　〃That's　not　an　answer；　it's　a　question。〃
　〃Then　no；　I'm　not　lying。　I　don't　know　where　he　is。〃　And；　in　truth；　Alex　did　not。
　〃So　your　idea　is　to　do　nothing。〃
　〃There's　nothing　we　can　do。　Sooner　or　later　he'll　call　me。〃
　〃Have　you　any　idea　what　a　Senate　investigating　mittee　will　say　a　couple　of　weeks　or　months　down　the　road　when　all　this　explodes；　and　it　will　explode？　We　covertly　send　a　man　known　to　be　'Jason　Bourne'　over　to　Paris；　which　is　as　close　to　Brussels　as　New　York　is　to　Chicago…〃
　〃Closer；　I　think。〃
　〃Thanks；　I　need　that。　。。。　The　illustrious　mander　of　NATO　is　assassinated　with　said　'Jason　Bourne'　taking　credit　for　the　kill；　and　we　don't　say　a　goddamned　thing　to　anybody！　Jesus；　I'll　be　cleaning　latrines　on　a　tugboat！〃
　〃But　he　didn't　kill　him。〃
　〃You　know　that　and　I　know　that；　but　speaking　of　his　history；　there's　a　little　matter　of　mental　illness　that'll　e　out　the　minute　our　clinical　records　are　subpoenaed。〃
　〃It's　called　amnesia；　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　violence。〃
　〃Hell；　no；　it's　worse。　He　can't　remember　what　he　did。〃
　Conklin　gripped　his　cane；　his　wandering　eyes　intense。　〃I　don't　give　a　goddamn　what　everything　appears　to　be；　there's　a　gap。　Every　instinct　I　have　tells　me　Teagarten's　assassination　is　tied　to　Medusa。　Somehow；　somewhere；　the　wires　crossed；　a　message　was　intercepted　and　a　hell　of　a　diversion　was　put　in　a　game　plan。〃
　〃I　believe　I　speak　and　understand　English　as　well　as　you　do；〃　said　Holland；　〃but　right　now　I　can't　follow　you。〃
　〃There's　nothing　to　follow；　no　arithmetic；　no　line　of　progression。　I　simply　don't　know。　。。。　But　Medusa's　there。〃
　〃Wi