rl.thebourneultimatum-第7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！


　〃There　are　a　number　of　unoccupied　benches；〃　said　Alex　pleasantly。　〃Is　this　one　reserved？〃
　〃There　are　no　reserved　seats　here；〃　replied　the　second　old　man；　his　English　clear　but　not　native　to　him。　〃But　why　are　you　here？〃
　〃What's　it　to　you？〃　asked　Conklin。　〃This　is　a　private　meeting　and　none　of　your　business。〃
　〃Business　at　this　hour　and　in　this　place？〃　The　first　aged　intruder　spoke　while　looking　around。
　〃I　repeat；〃　repeated　Alex。　〃It's　none　of　your　business　and　I　really　think　you　should　leave　us　alone。〃
　〃Business　is　business；〃　intoned　the　second　old　man。
　〃What　in　God's　name　is　he　talking　about？〃　whispered　the　bewildered　Panov　to　Conklin。
　〃Ground　zero；〃　said　Alex　under　his　breath。　〃Be　quiet。〃　The　retired　field　agent　turned　his　head　up　to　the　two　old　men。　〃Okay；　fellas；　why　don't　you　go　on　your　way？〃
　〃Business　is　business；〃　again　said　the　second　tattered　ancient；　glancing　at　his　colleague；　both　their　faces　still　in　shadows。
　〃You　don't　have　any　business　with　us…〃
　〃You　can't　be　sure　of　that；〃　interrupted　the　first　old　man；　shaking　his　head　back　and；　forth。　〃Suppose　I　were　to　tell　you　that　we　bring　you　a　message　from　Macao？〃
　〃What？〃　exclaimed　Panov。
　〃Shut　up！〃　whispered　Conklin；　addressing　the　psychiatrist　but　his　eyes　on　the　messenger。　〃What　does　Macao　mean　to　us？〃　he　asked　flatly。
　〃A　great　taipan　wishes　to　meet　with　you。　The　greatest　taipan　in　Hong　Kong。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃He　will　pay　you　great　sums。　For　your　services。〃
　〃I'll　say　it　again。　Why？〃
　〃We　are　to　tell　you　that　a　killer　has　returned。　He　wants　you　to　find　him。〃
　〃I've　heard　that　story　before；　it　doesn't　wash。　It's　also　repetitious。〃
　〃That　is　between　the　great　taipan　and　yourselves；　sir。　Not　with　us。　He　is　waiting　for　you。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃At　a　great　hotel；　sir。〃
　〃Which　one？〃
　〃We　are　again　to　tell　you　that　it　has　a　great…sized　lobby　with　always　many　people；　and　its　name　refers　to　this　country's　past。〃
　〃There's　only　one　like　that。　The　Mayflower。〃　Conklin　directed　his　words　toward　his　left　lapel；　into　a　microphone　sewn　into　the　buttonhole。
　〃As　you　wish。〃
　〃Under　what　name　is　he　registered？〃
　〃Registered？〃
　〃Like　in　reserved　benches；　only　rooms。　Who　do　we　ask　for？〃
　〃No　one；　sir。　The　taipan's　secretary　will　approach　you　in　the　lobby。〃
　〃Did　that　same　secretary　approach　you　also？〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃Who　hired　you　to　follow　us？〃
　〃We　are　not　at　liberty　to　discuss　such　matters　and　we　will　not　do　so。〃
　〃That's　it！〃　shouted　Alexander　Conklin；　yelling　over　his　shoulder　as　floodlights　suddenly　lit　up　the　Smithsonian　grounds　around　the　deserted　path；　revealing　the　two　startled　old　men　to　be　Orientals。　Nine　personnel　from　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　walked　rapidly　into　the　glare　of　light　from　all　directions；　their　hands　under　their　jackets。　Since　there　was　no　apparent　need　for　them；　their　weapons　remained　hidden。
　Suddenly　the　need　was　there；　but　the　realization　came　too　late。　Two　high…powered　rifle　shots　exploded　from　the　outer　darkness；　the　bullets　ripping　open　the　throats　of　the　two　Oriental　messengers。　The　CIA　men　lunged　to　the　ground；　rolling　for　cover　as　Conklin　grabbed　Panov；　pulling　him　down　to　the　path　in　front　of　the　bench　for　protection。　The　unit　from　Langley　lurched　to　their　feet　and；　like　the　bat　veterans　they　were；　including　the　former　mando　Director　Peter　Holland；　they　started　scrambling；　zigzagging　one　after　another　toward　the　source　of　the　gunfire；　weapons　extended；　shadows　sought。　In　moments；　an　angry　cry　split　the　silence。
　〃Goddamn　it！〃　shouted　Holland；　the　beam　of　his　flashlight　angled　down　between　tree　trunks。　〃They　made　their　break！〃
　〃How　can　you　tell？〃
　〃The　grass；　son；　the　heel　imprints。　Those　bastards　were　overqualified。　They　dug　in　for　one　shot　apiece　and　got　out…look　at　the　slip　marks　on　the　lawn。　Those　shoes　were　running。　Forget　it！　No　use　now。　If　they　stopped　for　a　second　position；　they'd　blow　us　into　the　Smithsonian。〃
　〃A　field　man；〃　said　Alex；　getting　up　with　his　cane；　the　frightened；　bewildered　Panov　beside　him。　Then　the　doctor　spun　around；　his　eyes　wide；　rushing　toward　the　two　fallen　Orientals。
　〃Oh；　my　God；　they're　dead；〃　he　cried；　kneeling　beside　the　corpses；　seeing　their　blown…apart　throats。　〃Jesus；　the　amusement　park！　It's　the　same！〃
　〃A　message；〃　agreed　Conklin；　nodding；　wincing。　〃Put　rock　salt　on　the　trail；〃　he　added　enigmatically。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　psychiatrist；　snapping　his　head　around　at　the　former　intelligence　officer。
　〃We　weren't　careful　enough。〃
　〃Alex！〃　roared　the　gray…haired　Holland；　running　to　the　bench。　〃I　heard　you；　but　this　neuters　the　hotel；〃　he　said　breathlessly。　〃You　can't　go　there　now。　I　won't　let　you。〃
　〃It　neuters…fucks　up…more　than　the　hotel。　This　isn't　the　Jackal！　It's　Hong　Kong！　The　externals　were　right；　but　my　instincts　were　wrong。　Wrong！〃
　〃Which　way　do　you　want　to　go？〃　asked　the　director　softly。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Conklin；　a　plaint　in　his　voice。　〃I　was　wrong。　。。。　Reach　our　man；　of　course；　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　〃I　spoke　to　David…I　spoke　to　him　about　an　hour　ago；〃　said　Panov；　instantly　correcting　himself。
　〃You　spoke　to　him？〃　cried　Alex。　〃It's　late　and　you　were　at　home。　How？〃
　〃You　know　my　answering　machine；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃If　I　picked　up　every　crazy　call　after　midnight；　I'd　never　get　to　the　office　in　the　morning。　So　I　let　it　ring；　and　because　I　was　getting　ready　to　go　out　and　meet　you；　I　listened。　All　he　said　was　'Reach　me；'　and　by　the　time　I　got　to　the　phone；　he'd　hung　up。　So　I　called　him　back。〃
　〃You　called　him　back？　On　your　phone？〃
　〃Well　。。。　yes；〃　answered　Panov　hesitantly。　〃He　was　very　quick；　very　guarded。　He　just　wanted　us　to　know　what　was　happening；　that　'M'…he　called　her　'M'…was　leaving　with　the　children　first　thing　in　the　morning。　That　was　it；　he　hung　up　right　away。〃
　〃They've　got　your　boy's　name　and　address　by　now；〃　said　Holland。　〃Probably　the　message　as　well。〃
　〃A　location；　yes；　the　message；　maybe；〃　broke　in　Conklin；　speaking　quietly；　rapidly。　〃Not　an　address；　not　a　name。〃
　〃By　morning　they　will　have…〃
　〃By　morning　he'll　be　on　his　way　to　Tierra　del　Fuego；　if　need　be。〃
　〃Christ；　what　have　I　done？〃　exclaimed　the　psychiatrist。
　〃Nothing　anybody　else　in　your　place　wouldn't　have　done；〃　replied　Alex。　〃You　get　a　message　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　from　someone　you　care　about；　someone　in　trouble；　you　call　back　as　fast　as　you　can。　Now　we　have　to　reach　him　as　fast　as　we　can。　So　it's　not　Carlos；　but　somebody　with　a　lot　of　firepower　is　still　closing　in；　making　breakthroughs　we　thought　were　impossible。〃
　〃Use　the　phone　in　my　car；〃　said　Holland。　〃I'll　put　it　on　override。　There'll　be　no　record；　no　log。〃
　〃Let's　go！〃　As　quickly　as　possible；　Conklin　limped　across　the　lawn　toward　the　Agency　vehicle。
　〃David；　it's　Alex。〃
　〃Your　timing's　pretty　scary；　friend；　we're　on　our　way　out　the　door。　If　Jamie　hadn't　had　to　hit　the　potty　we'd　be　in　the　car　by　now。〃
　〃At　this　hour？〃
　〃Didn't　Mo　tell　you？　There　was　no　answer　at　your　place；　so　I　called　him。〃
　〃Mo's　a　little　shook　up。　Tell　me　yourself。　What's　happening？〃
　〃Is　this　phone　secure？　I　wasn't　sure　his　was。〃
　〃None　more　so。〃
　〃I'm　packing　Marie　and　the　kids　off　south…way　south。　She's　screaming　like　hell；　but　I　chartered　a　Rockwell　jet　out　of　Logan　Airport；　everything　precleared　thanks　to　the　arrangements　you　made　four　years　ago。　The　puters　spun　and　everyone　cooperated。　They　take　off　at　six　o'clock；　before　it's　light…I　want　them　out。〃
　〃And　you；　David？　What　about　you？〃
　〃Frankly；　I　thought　I'd　head　to　Washington　and　stay　with　you。　If　the　Jackal's　ing　for　me　after　all　these　years；　I　want　to　be　in　on　what　we're　doing　about　it。　I　might　even　be　able　to　help。　。。。　I'll　arrive　by　noon。〃
　〃No；　David。　Not　today　and　not　here。　Go　with　Marie　and　the　children。　Get　out　of　the　country。　Stay　with　your　family　and　Johnny　St。　Jacques　on　the　island。〃
　〃I　can't　do　that；　Alex；　and　if　you　were　me　you　couldn't；　either。　My　family's　not　going　to　be　free…really　free…until　Carlos　is　out　of　our　lives。〃
　〃It's　not　Carlos；〃　said　Conklin；　interrupting。
　〃What？　Yesterday　you　told　me…〃
　〃Forget　what　I　told　you；　I　was　wrong。　This　is　out　of　Hong　Kong；　out　of　Macao。〃
　〃That　doesn't　make　sense；　Alex！　Hong　Kong's　finished；　Macao's　finished。　They're　dead　and　forgotten　and　there's　no　one　alive　with　a　reason　to　e　after　me。〃
　〃There　is　somewhere。　A　great　taipan；　'the　greatest　taipan　in　Hong　Kong；'　according　to　the　most　recent　and　most　recently　dead　source。〃
　〃They're　gone。　That　whole　house　of　Kuomintang　cards　collapsed。　There's　no　one　left！〃
　〃I　repeat；　there　is　somewhere。〃
　David　Webb　was　briefly　silent；　then　Jason　Bourne　spoke；　his　voice　cold。　〃Tell　me　everything　you've　learned；　every　detail。　Something　happened　tonight。　What　was　it？〃
　〃All　right；　every　detail；〃　said　Conklin。　The　retired　intelligence　officer　described　the　controlled　surveillance　engineered　by　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency。　He　explained　how　he　and　Morris　Panov　spotted　the　old　men　who　followed　them；　picking　each　up　in　sequence　as　they　made　their　separate　ways　to　the　Smithsonian；　none　showing　himself　in　the　light　until　the　confrontation　on　a　deserted　path　on　the　Smithsonian　grounds；　where　the　messenger　spoke　of　Macao　and　Hong　Kong　and　a　great　taipan。　Finally；　Conklin　described　the　shattering　gunfire　that　silenced　the　two　aged　Orientals。　〃It's　out　of　Hong　Kong；　David。　The　reference　to　Macao　confirms　it。　It　was　your　impostor's　base　camp。〃
　Again　there　was　silence　on　the　line；　only　Jason　Bourne's　steady　breathing　audible。　〃You're　wrong；　Alex；〃　he　said　at　last；　his　voice　pensive；　floating。　〃It's　the　Jackal…by　way　of　Hong　Kong　and　Macao；　but　it's　still　the　Jackal。〃
　〃David；　now　you're　not　making　sense。　Carlos　hasn't　anything　to　do　with　taipans　or　Hong　Kong　or　messages　from　Macao。　Those　old　men　were　Chinese；　not　French　or　Italian　or　German　or　whatever。　This　is　out　of　Asia；　not　Europe。〃
　〃The　old　men；　they're　the　only　ones　he　trusts；〃　continued　David　Webb；　his　voice　still　low　and　cold；　the　voice　of　Jason　Bourne。　〃　'The　old　men　of　Paris；'　that's　what　they　were　called。　They　were　his　network；　his　couriers　throughout　Europe。　Who　suspects　decrepit　old　men；　whether　they're　beggars　or　whether　they're　just　holding　on　to　the　last　remnants　of　mobility？　Who　would　think　of　interrogating　them；　much