rl.thebourneultimatum-第93部分

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　Through　the　huge　glass　windows；　Mr。　Pritchard　watched　his　employer　disappear　through　the　doors　of　Villa　One。　At　that　same　moment　he　heard　the　growing　sounds　of　a　large　helicopter's　rotors　thumping　in　the　air　above　the　inn。　In　minutes　it　would　circle　the　water　beyond　the　pier　and　descend；　awaiting　its　passengers。　Apparently；　those　passengers　heard　what　he　had　heard；　thought　Mr。　Pritchard　as　he　saw　St。　Jacques；　gripping　his　young　nephew's　hand；　and　the　insufferably　arrogant　Mrs。　Cooper；　who　was　holding　a　blanketed　infant　in　her　arms；　e　out　of　the　villa；　followed　by　the　two　favorite　guards　carrying　their　luggage。　Pritchard　reached　below　the　counter　for　the　telephone　that　bypassed　the　switchboard。　He　dialed。
　〃This　is　the　office　of　the　deputy　director　of　immigration；　himself　speaking。〃
　〃Esteemed　Uncle…〃
　〃It　is　you？〃　broke　in　the　official　from　Blackburne　Airport；　abruptly　lowering　his　voice。　〃What　have　you　learned？〃
　〃Everything　is　of　immense　value；　I　assure　you。　I　heard　it　all　on　the　telephone！〃
　〃We　shall　both　be　greatly　rewarded；　I　have　that　on　the　highest　authority。　They　may　all　be　undercover　terrorists；　you　know；　St。　Jacques　himself　the　leader。　It　is　said　they　may　even　fool　Washington。　What　can　I　pass　on；　brilliant　Nephew？〃
　〃They　are　being　taken　to　what　is　called　a　'safe'　house　in　Virginia。　It　is　known　as　the　Tannenbaum　estate　and　has　its　own　airport；　can　you　believe　such　a　thing？〃
　〃I　can　believe　anything　where　these　animals　are　concerned。〃
　〃Be　sure　to　include　my　name　and　position；　esteemed　Uncle。〃
　〃Would　I　do　otherwise；　could　I　do　otherwise？　We　shall　be　the　heroes　of　Montserrat！　。。。　But　remember；　my　intelligent　Nephew；　everything　must　be　kept　in　utmost　secrecy。　We　are　both　sworn　to　silence；　never　forget　that。　Just　think！　We've　been　selected　to　render　service　to　a　great　international　organization。　Leaders　the　world　over　will　know　of　our　contributions。〃
　〃My　heart　bursts　with　pride。　。。。　May　I　know　what　this　august　organization　is　called？〃
　〃Shhh！　It　has　no　name；　that　is　part　of　the　secrecy。　The　money　was　wired　through　a　bank　puter　transfer　directly　from　Switzerland；　that　is　the　proof。〃
　〃A　sacred　trust；〃　added　Mr。　Pritchard。
　〃Also　well　paid；　trusted　Nephew；　and　it　is　only　the　beginning。　I　myself　am　monitoring　all　aircraft　arriving　here　and　sending　the　manifests　on　to　Martinique；　to　a　famous　surgeon；　no　less！　Of　course；　at　the　moment　all　flights　are　on　hold；　orders　from　Government　House。〃
　〃The　American　military　helicopter？〃　asked　the　awed　Pritchard。
　〃Shhh！　It；　too；　is　a　secret；　everything　is　secret。〃
　〃Then　it　is　a　very　loud　and　apparent　secret；　my　esteemed　Uncle。　People　are　on　the　beach　watching　it　now。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃It's　here。　Mr。　Saint　Jay　and　the　children　are　boarding　as　we　speak。　Also　that　dreadful　Mrs。　Cooper…〃
　〃I　must　call　Paris　at　once；〃　interrupted　the　immigration　officer；　disconnecting　the　line。
　〃Paris？〃　repeated　Mr。　Pritchard。　〃How　inspiring！　How　privileged　we　are！〃
　〃I　didn't　tell　him　everything；〃　said　Peter　Holland　quietly；　shaking　his　head　as　he　spoke。　〃I　wanted　to…I　intended　to…but　it　was　in　his　eyes；　in　his　own　words　actually。　He　said　that　he'd　louse　us　up　in　a　minute　if　it　would　help　Bourne　and　his　wife。〃
　〃He　would；　too。〃　Charles　Casset　nodded；　he　sat　in　the　chair　in　front　of　the　director's　desk；　a　puter　printout　of　a　long…buried　classified　file　in　his　hand。　〃When　you　read　this　you'll　understand。　Alex　really　did　try　to　kill　Bourne　in　Paris　years　ago…his　closest　friend　and　he　tried　to　put　a　bullet　in　his　head　for　all　the　wrong　reasons。〃
　〃Conklin's　on　his　way　to　Paris　now。　He　and　Morris　Panov。〃
　〃That's　on　your　head；　Peter。　I　wouldn't　have　done　it；　not　without　strings。〃
　〃I　couldn't　refuse　him。〃
　〃Of　course　you　could。　You　didn't　want　to。〃
　〃We　owed　him。　He　brought　us　Medusa…and　from　here　on；　Charlie；　that's　all　that　concerns　us。〃
　〃I　understand；　Director　Holland；〃　said　Casset　coldly。　〃And　I　assume　that　due　to　foreign　entanglements　you're　working　backwards　into　a　domestic　conspiracy　that　should　be　incontestably　established　before　you　alert　the　guardians　of　domestic　accord；　namely；　the　Federal　Bureau。〃
　〃Are　you　threatening　me；　you　lowlife？〃
　〃I　certainly　am；　Peter。〃　Casset　dropped　the　ice　from　his　expression；　replacing　it　with　a　calm；　thin　smile。　〃You're　breaking　the　law；　Mr。　Director。　。。。　That's　regrettable；　old　boy；　as　my　predecessors　might　have　said。〃
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　want　from　me？〃　cried　Holland。
　〃Cover　one　of　our　own；　one　of　the　best　we　ever　had。　I　not　only　want　it；　I　insist　upon　it。〃
　〃If　you　think　I'm　going　to　give　him　everything；　including　the　name　of　Medusa's　law　firm　on　Wall　Street；　you're　out　of　your　fucking　mind。　It's　our　keystone！〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　go　back　into　the　navy；　Admiral；〃　said　the　deputy　director；　his　voice　level；　again　cold；　without　emphasis。　〃If　you　think　that's　what　I'm　suggesting；　you　haven't　learned　very　much　in　that　chair。〃
　〃Hey；　e　on；　smart　ass；　that's　pretty　close　to　insubordination。〃
　〃Of　course　it　is；　because　I'm　insubordinate…but　this　isn't　the　navy。　You　can't　keelhaul　me；　or　hang　me　from　the　yardarm；　or　withhold　my　ration　of　rum。　All　you　can　do　is　fire　me；　and　if　you　do；　a　lot　of　people　will　wonder　why；　which　wouldn't　do　the　Agency　any　good。　But　that's　not　necessary。〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about；　Charlie？〃
　〃Well；　to　begin　with；　I'm　not　talking　about　that　law　firm　in　New　York　because　you're　right；　it　is　our　keystone；　and　Alex　with　his　infinite　imagination　would　probe　and　threaten　to　the　point　where　the　shredding　begins　and　our　paper　trail　here　and　abroad　ends。〃
　〃I　had　something　like　that　in　mind…〃
　〃Then　again　you　were　right；〃　interrupted　Casset；　nodding。　〃So　we　keep　Alex　away　from　our　keystone；　as　far　away　from　us　as　possible；　but　we　give　him　our　marker。　Something　tangible　he　can　plug　into；　knowing　its　value。〃
　Silence。　Then　Holland　spoke。　〃I　don't　understand　a　word　you're　saying。〃
　〃You　would　if　you　knew　Conklin　better。　He　knows　now　that　there's　a　connection　between　Medusa　and　the　Jackal。　What　did　you　call　it？　A　self…fulfilling　prophecy？〃
　〃I　said　the　strategy　was　so　perfect　it　was　inevitable　and　therefore　self…fulfilling。　DeSole　was　the　unexpected　catalyst　who　moved　everything　ahead　of　schedule…him　and　whatever　the　hell　happened　down　in　Montserrat。　。。。　What's　this　marker　of　yours；　this　tangible　item　of　value？〃
　〃The　string；　Peter。　Knowing　what　he　knows；　you　can't　let　Alex　bounce　around　Europe　like　a　loose　cannon　any　more　than　you　could　give　him　the　name　of　that　law　firm　in　New　York。　We　need　a　pipeline　to　him　so　we　have　some　idea　what　he's　up　to…more　than　an　idea；　if　we　can　manage　it。　Someone　like　his　friend　Bernardine；　only　someone　who　can　also　be　our　friend。〃
　〃Where　do　we　find　such　a　person？〃
　〃I　have　a　candidate…and　I　hope　we're　not　being　taped。〃
　〃Count　on　it；〃　said　Holland　with　a　trace　of　anger。　〃I　don't　believe　in　that　crap　and　this　office　is　swept　every　morning。　Who's　the　candidate？〃
　〃A　man　at　the　Soviet　embassy　in　Paris；〃　replied　Casset　calmly。　〃I　think　we　can　deal。〃
　〃A　mole？〃
　〃Not　for　a　minute。　A　KGB　officer　whose　first　priority　never　changes。　Find　Carlos。　Kill　Carlos。　Protect　Novgorod。〃
　〃Novgorod　。。。　？　The　Americanized　village　or　town　where　the　Jackal　was　initially　trained　in　Russia？〃
　〃Half　trained　and　escaped　from　before　he　could　be　shot　as　a　maniac。　Only；　it's　not　just　an　American　pound…that's　a　mistake　we　make　so　often。　There　are　British　and　French　pounds；　too；　also　Israeli；　Dutch；　Spanish；　West　German　and　God　knows　how　many　others。　Dozens　of　square　miles　cut　out　of　the　forests　along　the　Volkhov　River；　dotted　with　settlements　so　that　you'd　swear　you　were　in　a　different　country　with　each　one　you　entered…if　you　could　get　inside；　which　you　couldn't。　Like　the　Aryan　breeding　farms；　the　Lebensborn　of　Nazi　Germany；　Novgorod　is　one　of　Moscow's　most　closely　guarded　secrets。　They　want　the　Jackal　as　badly　as　Jason　Bourne　does。〃
　〃And　you　think　this　KGB　fellow　will　cooperate；　keep　us　informed　about　Conklin　if　they　make　contact？〃
　〃I　can　try。　After　all；　we　have　a　mon　objective；　and　I　know　Alex　would　accept　him　because　he　knows　how　much　the　Soviets　want　Carlos　on　the　dead　list。〃
　Holland　leaned　forward　in　his　chair。　〃I　told　Conklin　I'd　help　him　any　way　I　could　as　long　as　it　didn't　promise　our　going　after　Medusa。　。。。　He'll　be　landing　in　Paris　within　the　hour。　Shall　I　leave　instructions　at　the　diplomatic　counter　for　him　to　reach　you？〃
　〃Tell　him　to　call　Charlie　Bravo　Plus　One；〃　said　Casset；　getting　up　and　dropping　the　puter　printout　on　the　desk。　〃I　don't　know　how　much　I　can　give　him　in　an　hour；　but　I'll　go　to　work。　I've　got　a　secure　channel　to　our　Russian；　thanks　to　an　outstanding　'consultant'　of　ours　in　Paris。〃
　〃Give　him　a　bonus。〃
　〃She's　already　asked　for　one…harassed　me　is　more　appropriate。　She　runs　the　cleanest　escort　service　in　the　city；　the　girls　are　checked　weekly。〃
　〃Why　not　hire　them　all？〃　asked　the　director；　smiling。
　〃I　believe　seven　are　already　on　the　payroll；　sir；〃　answered　the　deputy　director；　his　demeanor　serious；　in　contrast　to　his　arched　eyebrows。
　Dr。　Morris　Panov；　his　legs　unsteady；　was　helped　down　the　metal　steps　of　the　diplomatically　cleared　jet　by　a　strapping　marine　corporal　in　starched　summer　khakis　carrying　his　suitcase。　〃How　do　you　people　manage　to　look　so　presentable　after　such　a　perfectly　horrendous　trip？〃　asked　the　psychiatrist。
　〃None　of　us　will　look　this　presentable　after　a　couple　of　hours　of　liberty　in　Paris；　sir。〃
　〃Some　things　never　change；　Corporal。　Thank　God。　。。。　Where's　that　crippled　delinquent　who　was　with　me？〃
　〃He　was　vehicled　off　for　a　diplograph；　sir。〃
　〃e　again？　A　noun's　a　verb　leading　to　the　inprehensible？〃
　〃It's　not　so　hard；　Doctor；〃　laughed　the　marine；　leading　Panov　to　a　motorized　cart　plete　with　a　uniformed　driver　and　a　stenciled　American　flag　on　the　side。　〃During　our　descent；　the　tower　radioed　the　pilot　that　there　was　an　urgent　message　for　him。〃
　〃I　thought　he　went　to　the　bathroom。〃
　〃That；　too；　I　believe；　sir。〃　The　corporal　put　the　suitcase　on　a　rear　rack　and　helped　Mo　into　the　cart。　〃Easy　now；　Doctor；　lift　your　leg　up　a　little　higher。〃
　〃That's　the　other　one；　not　me；〃　protested　the　psychiatrist。　〃He's　the　one　without　a　foot。〃
　〃We　were　told　you'd　been　ill；　sir。〃
　〃Not　in