rl.thebourneultimatum-第8部分

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ast　remnants　of　mobility？　Who　would　think　of　interrogating　them；　much　less　putting　them　on　a　rack。　And　even　then　they'd　stay　silent。　Their　deals　were　made…are　made…and　they　move　with　impunity。　For　Carlos。〃
　For　a　moment；　hearing　the　strange；　hollow　voice　of　his　friend；　the　frightened　Conklin　stared　at　the　dashboard；　unsure　of　what　to　say。　〃David；　I　don't　understand　you。　I　know　you're　upset…we're　all　upset…but　please　be　clearer。〃
　〃What？　。。。　Oh；　I'm　sorry；　Alex；　I　was　going　back。　To　put　it　simply；　Carlos　scoured　Paris　looking　for　old　men　who　were　either　dying　or　knew　they　hadn't　long　to　live　because　of　their　age；　all　with　police　records　and　with　little　or　nothing　to　show　for　their　lives；　their　crimes。　Most　of　us　forget　that　these　old　men　have　loved　ones　and　children；　legitimate　or　not；　that　they　care　for。　The　Jackal　would　find　them　and　swear　to　provide　for　the　people　his　about…to…die　couriers　left　behind　if　they　swore　the　rest　of　their　lives　to　him。　In　their　places；　with　nothing　to　leave　those　who　survive　us　but　suspicion　and　poverty；　which　of　us　would　do　otherwise？〃
　〃They　believed　him？〃
　〃They　had　good　reason　to…they　still　have。　Scores　of　bank　checks　are　delivered　monthly　from　multiple　unlisted　Swiss　accounts　to　inheritors　from　the　Mediterranean　to　the　Baltic。　There's　no　way　to　trace　those　payments；　but　the　people　receiving　them　know　who　makes　them　possible　and　why。　。。。　Forget　your　buried　file；　Alex。　Carlos　dug　around　Hong　Kong；　that's　where　his　penetration　was　made；　where　he　found　you　and　Mo。〃
　〃Then　we'll　do　some　penetrating　ourselves。　We'll　infiltrate　every　Oriental　neighborhood；　every　Chinese　bookie　joint　and　restaurant；　in　every　city　within　a　fifty…mile　radius　of　D。C。〃
　〃Don't　do　anything　until　I　get　there。　You　don't　know　what　to　look　for；　I　do。　。。。　It's　kind　of　remarkable；　really。　The　Jackal　doesn't　know　that　there's　still　a　great　deal　I　can't　remember；　but　he　just　assumed　that　I'd　forgotten　about　the　old　men　of　Paris。〃
　〃Maybe　he　didn't；　David。　Maybe　he's　counting　on　the　fact　that　you'd　remember。　Maybe　this　whole　charade　is　a　prelude　to　the　real　trap　he's　setting　for　you。〃
　〃Then　he　made　another　mistake。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃I'm　better　than　that。　Jason　Bourne's　better　than　that。〃
　
　4
　David　Webb　walked　through　the　National　Airport　terminal　and　out　the　automatic　doors　onto　the　crowded　platform。　He　studied　the　signs　and　proceeded　across　the　walkway　leading　to　the　Short…Term　Parking　area。　According　to　plan；　he　was　to　go　to　the　farthest　aisle　on　the　right；　turn　left；　and　continue　down　the　row　of　parked　cars　until　he　saw　a　metallic　gray　1986　Pontiac　LeMans　with　an　ornamental　crucifix　suspended　from　the　rearview　mirror。　A　man　would　be　in　the　driver's　seat　wearing　a　white　cap；　the　window　lowered。　Webb　was　to　approach　him　and　say；　〃The　flight　was　very　smooth。〃　If　the　man　removed　his　cap　and　started　the　engine；　David　was　to　climb　in　the　backseat。　Nothing　more　would　be　said。
　Nothing　more　was　said；　not　between　Webb　and　the　driver。　However；　the　latter　reached　under　the　dashboard；　removed　a　microphone　and　spoke　quietly　but　clearly。　〃Our　cargo's　on　board。　Please　mence　rotating　vehicle　cover。〃
　David　thought　that　the　exotic　procedures　bordered　on　the　laughable；　but　since　Alex　Conklin　had　traced　him　to　the　Rockwell　jet's　departure　area　at　Logan　Airport；　and；　further；　had　reached　him　on　Director　Peter　Holland's　private　override　telephone；　he　assumed　the　two　of　them　knew　what　they　were　doing。　It　crossed　Webb's　mind　that　it　had　something　to　do　with　Mo　Panov's　call　to　him　nine　hours　ago。　It　was　all　but　confirmed　when　Holland　himself　got　on　the　phone　insisting　that　he　drive　down　to　Hartford　and　take　a　mercial　flight　out　of　Bradley　to　Washington；　adding　enigmatically　that　he　wanted　no　further　telephone　munication　or　private　or　government　aircraft　involved。
　This　particular　government…oriented　car；　however；　wasted　no　time　getting　out　of　National　Airport。　It　seemed　as　if　in　only　minutes　they　were　rushing　through　the　countryside　and；　only　minimally　less　rapidly；　through　the　suburbs　of　Virginia。　They　swung　up　to　the　private　gate　of　an　expensive　garden　apartment　plex；　the　sign　reading　VIENNA　VILLAS；　after　the　township　in　which　it　was　located。　The　guard　obviously　recognized　the　driver　and　waved　him　through　as　the　heavy　bar　across　the　entrance　was　raised。　It　was　only　then　that　the　driver　spoke　directly　to　Webb。
　〃This　place　has　five　separate　sections　over　as　many　acres；　sir。　Four　of　them　are　legitimate　condominiums　with　regular　owners；　but　the　fifth；　the　one　farthest　from　the　gate；　is　an　Agency　proprietary　with　its　own　road　and　security。　You　couldn't　be　healthier；　sir。〃
　〃I　didn't　feel　particularly　sick。〃
　〃You　won't　be。　You're　DCI　cargo　and　your　health　is　very　important　to　him。〃
　〃That's　nice　to　know；　but　how　do　you　know？〃
　〃I'm　part　of　the　team；　sir。〃
　〃In　that　case；　what's　your　name？〃
　The　driver　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　when　he　answered；　David　had　the　uneasy　feeling　that　he　was　being　propelled　back　in　time；　to　a　time　he　knew　he　was　reentering。　〃We　don't　have　names；　sir。　You　don't　and　I　don't。〃
　Medusa。
　〃I　understand；〃　said　Webb。
　〃Here　we　are。〃　The　driver　swung　the　car　around　a　circular　drive　and　stopped　in　front　of　a　two…story　Colonial　structure　that　looked　as　though　the　fluted　white　pillars　might　have　been　made　of　Carrara　marble。　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　I　just　noticed。　You　don't　have　any　luggage。〃
　〃No；　I　don't；〃　said　David；　opening　the　door。
　〃How　do　you　like　my　temporary　digs？〃　asked　Alex；　waving　his　hand　around　the　tastefully　appointed　apartment。
　〃Too　neat　and　too　clean　for　a　cantankerous　old　bachelor；〃　replied　David。　〃And　since　when　did　you　go　in　for　floral　curtains　with　pink　and　yellow　daisies？〃
　〃Wait！　You'll　see　the　wallpaper　in　my　bedroom。　It's　got　baby　roses。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　care　to。〃
　〃Your　room　has　hyacinths。　。。。　Of　course；　I　wouldn't　know　a　hyacinth　if　it　jumped　up　and　choked　me；　but　that's　what　the　maid　said。〃
　〃The　maid？〃
　〃Late　forties　and　black　and　built　like　a　sumo　wrestler。　She　also　carries　two　popguns　under　her　skirt　and；　rumor　has　it；　several　straight　razors。〃
　〃Some　maid。〃
　〃Some　high…powered　patrol。　She　doesn't　let　a　bar　of　soap　or　a　roll　of　toilet　paper　in　here　that　doesn't　e　from　Langley。　You　know；　she's　a　pay…grade　ten　and　some　of　these　clowns　leave　her　tips。〃
　〃Do　they　need　any　waiters？〃
　〃That's　good。　Our　scholar；　Webb　the　waiter。〃
　〃Jason　Bourne's　been　one。〃
　Conklin　paused；　then　spoke　seriously。　〃Let's　get　to　him；〃　he　said；　limping　to　an　armchair。　〃By　the　way；　you've　had　a　rough　day　and　it's　not　even　noon；　so　if　you　want　a　drink　there's　a　full　bar　behind　those　puce　shutters　next　to　the　window。　。。。　Don't　look　at　me　like　that；　our　black　Brunhilde　said　they　were　puce。〃
　Webb　laughed；　it　was　a　low；　genuine　laugh　as　he　looked　at　his　friend。　〃It　doesn't　bother　you　a　bit；　does　it；　Alex？〃
　〃Hell；　no；　you　know　that。　Have　you　ever　hid　any　liquor　from　me　when　I　visited　you　and　Marie？〃
　〃There　was　never　any　stress…〃
　〃Stress　is　irrelevant；〃　Conklin　broke　in。　〃I　made　a　decision　because　there　was　only　one　other　one　to　make。　Have　a　drink；　David。　We　have　to　talk　and　I　want　you　calm。　I　look　at　your　eyes　and　they　tell　me　you're　on　fire。〃
　〃You　once　told　me　that　it's　always　in　the　eyes；〃　said　Webb；　opening　the　purplish　shutters　and　reaching　for　a　bottle。　〃You　can　still　see　it；　can't　you？〃
　〃I　told　you　it　was　behind　the　eyes。　Never　accept　the　first　level。　。。。　How　are　Marie　and　the　children？　I　assume　they　got　off　all　right。〃
　〃I　went　over　the　flight　plan　ad　nauseam　with　the　pilot　and　knew　they　were　all　right　when　he　finally　told　me　to　get　off　his　case　or　fly　the　run　myself。〃　Webb　poured　a　drink　and　walked　back　to　the　chair　opposite　the　retired　agent。　〃Where　are　we；　Alex？〃　he　asked；　sitting　down。
　〃Right　where　we　were　last　night。　Nothing's　moved　and　nothing's　changed；　except　that　Mo　refuses　to　leave　his　patients。　He　was　picked　up　this　morning　at　his　apartment；　which　is　now　as　secure　as　Fort　Knox；　and　driven　to　his　office　under　guard。　He'll　be　brought　here　later　this　afternoon　with　four　changes　of　vehicles；　all　made　in　underground　parking　lots。〃
　〃Then　it's　open　protection；　no　one's　hiding　any　longer？〃
　〃That'd　be　pointless。　We　sprung　a　trap　at　the　Smithsonian　and　our　men　were　very　obvious。〃
　〃It's　why　it　might　work；　isn't　it？　The　unexpected？　Backups　behind　a　protection　unit　told　to　make　mistakes。〃
　〃The　unexpected　works；　David；　not　the　dumb。〃　Conklin　quickly　shook　his　head。　〃I　take　that　back。　Bourne　could　turn　the　dumbs　into　smarts；　but　not　an　officially　mounted　surveillance　detail。　There　are　too　many　plications。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃As　good　as　those　men　are；　they're　primarily　concerned　with　guarding　lives；　maybe　saving　them；　they　also　have　to　coordinate　with　each　other　and　make　reports。　They're　career　people；　not　one…shot；　prepaid　lowlife　with　an　assassin's　knife　at　their　throats　if　they　screw　up。〃
　〃That　sounds　so　melodramatic；〃　said　Webb　softly；　leaning　back　in　the　chair　and　drinking。　〃I　guess　I　did　operate　like　that；　didn't　I？〃
　〃It　was　more　image　than　reality；　but　it　was　real　to　the　people　you　used。〃
　〃Then　I'll　find　those　people　again；　use　them　again。〃　David　shot　forward；　gripping　his　glass　in　both　hands。　〃He's　forcing　me　out；　Alex！　The　Jackal's　calling　my　cards　and　I　have　to　show。〃
　〃Oh；　shut　up；〃　said　Conklin　irritably。　〃Now　you're　the　one　who's　being　melodramatic。　You　sound　like　a　grade…Z　Western。　You　show　yourself；　Marie's　a　widow　and　the　kids　have　no　father。　That's　reality；　David。〃
　〃You're　wrong。〃　Webb　shook　his　head；　staring　at　his　glass。　〃He's　ing　after　me；　so　I　have　to　go　after　him；　he's　trying　to　pull　me　out；　so　I　have　to　pull　him　out　first。　It's　the　only　way　it　can　happen；　the　only　way　we'll　get　him　out　of　our　lives。　In　the　final　analysis　it's　Carlos　against　Bourne。　We're　back　where　we　were　thirteen　years　ago。　'Alpha；　Bravo；　Cain；　Delta　。。。　Cain　is　for　Carlos　and　Delta　is　for　Cain。'　〃
　〃That　was　a　crazy　Paris　code　thirteen　years　ago！〃　interrupted　Alex　sharply。　〃Medusa's　Delta　and　his　mighty　challenge　to　the　Jackal。　But　this　isn't　Paris　and　it's　thirteen　years　later！〃
　〃And　in　five　more　years　it'll　be　eighteen；　five　years　after　that；　twenty…three。　What　the　hell　do　you　want　me　to　do？　Live　with　the　specter　of　that　son　o