rl.thebourneultimatum-第12章

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　〃They　weren't　kids；　Alex。　Manic；　you　can　bet　your　ass　on　it；　but　not　kids。　They　were　infected　with　a　rotten　virus　called　unaccountability；　and　more　than　a　few　millionaires　were　made　in　the　ubiquitous　mand　Saigon。　The　real　kids　were　being　maimed　and　killed　in　the　jungles　while　a　lot　of　pressed　khaki　in　the　South　had　personal　couriers　routed　through　Switzerland　and　the　banks　on　Zurich's　Bahnhofstrasse。〃
　〃Careful；　David。　You　could　be　speaking　of　some　very　important　people　in　our　government。〃
　〃Who　are　they？〃　asked　Webb　quietly；　his　glass　poised　in　front　of　him。
　〃The　ones　I　knew　who　were　up　to　their　necks　in　garbage　I　made　damn　sure　faded　after　Saigon　fell。　But　I　was　out　of　the　field　a　couple　of　years　before　then；　and　nobody　talks　very　much　about　those　months　and　nothing　at　all　about　Snake　Lady。〃
　〃Still；　you've　got　to　have　some　ideas。〃
　〃Sure；　but　nothing　concrete；　nothing　even　close　to　proof。　Just　possibilities　based　on　life…styles；　on　real　estate　they　shouldn't　have　or　places　they　go　they　shouldn't　be　able　to　afford　or　the　positions　some　hold　or　held　in　corporations　justifying　salaries　and　stock　options　when　nothing　in　their　backgrounds　justified　the　jobs。〃
　〃You're　describing　a　network；〃　said　David；　his　voice　now　tight；　the　voice　of　Jason　Bourne。
　〃If　it　is；　it's　very　tight；〃　agreed　Conklin。　〃Very　exclusive。〃
　〃Draw　up　a　list；　Alex。〃
　〃It'd　be　filled　with　holes。〃
　〃Then　keep　it　at　first　to　those　important　people　in　our　government　who　were　attached　to　mand　Saigon。　Maybe　even　further　to　the　ones　who　have　real　estate　they　shouldn't　have　or　who　held　high…paying　jobs　in　the　private　sector　they　shouldn't　have　gotten。〃
　〃I　repeat；　any　such　list　could　be　worthless。〃
　〃Not　with　your　instincts。〃
　〃David；　what　the　hell　has　any　of　this　to　do　with　Carlos？〃
　〃Part　of　the　truth；　Alex。　A　dangerous　part；　I　grant　you；　but　foolproof　and　irresistible　to　the　Jackal。〃
　Stunned；　the　former　field　officer　stared　at　his　friend。　〃In　what　way？〃
　〃That's　where　your　creative　thinking　es　in。　Say　you　e　up　with　fifteen　or　twenty　names；　you're　bound　to　hit　three　or　four　targets　we　can　confirm　one　way　or　another。　Once　we　ascertain　who　they　are；　we　apply　pressure；　squeezing　them　in　different　ways；　delivering　the　same　basic　message：　A　former　Medusan　has　gone　over　the　edge；　a　man　who's　been　in　protective　custody　for　years　is　about　to　blow　the　head　off　Snake　Lady　and　he's　got　the　ammunition…names；　crimes；　the　locations　of　secret　Swiss　accounts；　the　whole　Caesar　salad。　Then…and　this'll　test　the　talents　of　the　old　Saint　Alex　we　all　knew　and　revered…word　is　passed　on　that　there's　someone　who　wants　this　dangerous；　disgruntled　turncoat　more　than　they　do。〃
　〃Ilich　Ramirez　Sanchez；〃　supplied　Conklin　softly。　〃Carlos　the　Jackal。　And　what　follows　is　equally　impossible：　Somehow…only　God　knows　how…word　gets　out　calling　for　a　meeting　between　the　two　interested　parties。　That　is　to　say；　interested　in　a　joint　assassination；　the　parties　of　the　first　part　unable　to　participate　actively；　due　to　the　sensitive　nature　of　their　high　official　positions；　is　that　about　it？〃
　〃Just　about；　except　that　these　same　powerful　men　in　Washington　can　gain　access　to　the　identity　and　the　whereabouts　of　this　much　desired　corpse…to…be。〃
　〃Naturally；〃　agreed　Alex；　nodding　in　disbelief。　〃They　simply　wave　a　wand　and　all　the　restrictions　applicable　to　maximum…classified　files　are　lifted　and　they're　given　the　information。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　said　David　firmly。　〃Because　whoever　meets　with　Carlos's　emissaries　has　to　be　so　high　up；　so　authentic；　that　the　Jackal　has　no　choice　but　to　accept　him　or　them。　He　can't　have　any　doubts；　all　thoughts　of　a　trap　gone　with　their　ing　forward。〃
　〃Would　you　also　like　me　to　make　baby　roses　bloom　during　a　January　blizzard　in　Montana？〃
　〃Close　to　it。　Everything's　got　to　happen　within　the　next　day　or　two　while　Carlos　is　still　stinging　from　what　happened　at　the　Smithsonian。〃
　〃Impossible！　。。。　Oh；　hell；　I'll　try。　I'll　set　up　shop　here　and　have　Langley　send　me　what　I　need。　Four　Zero　security；　of　course。　。。。　I　hate　like　hell　to　lose　whoever　it　is　at　the　Mayflower。〃
　〃We　may　not；〃　said　Webb。　〃Whoever　it　is　won't　fold　so　fast。　It's　not　like　the　Jackal　to　leave　an　obvious　hole　like　that。〃
　〃The　Jackal？　You　think　it's　Carlos　himself？〃
　〃Not　him；　of　course；　but　someone　on　his　payroll；　someone　so　unlikely　he　could　carry　a　sign　around　his　neck　with　the　Jackal's　name　on　it　and　we　wouldn't　believe　him。〃
　〃Chinese？〃
　〃Maybe。　He　might　play　that　out　and　then　he　might　not。　He's　geometric；　whatever　he　does　is　logical；　even　his　logic　seems　illogical。〃
　〃I　hear　a　man　from　the　past；　a　man　who　never　was。〃
　〃Oh；　he　was；　Alex。　He　was　indeed。　And　now　he's　back。〃
　Conklin　looked　toward　the　door　of　the　apartment；　David's　words　suddenly　provoking　another　thought。　〃Where's　your　suitcase？〃　he　asked。　〃You　brought　some　clothes；　didn't　you？〃
　〃No　clothes；　and　these　will　be　dropped　in　a　Washington　sewer　once　I　have　others。　But　first　I　have　to　see　another　old　friend　of　mine；　another　genius　who　lives　in　the　wrong　section　of　town。〃
　〃Let　me　guess；〃　said　the　retired　agent。　〃An　elderly　black　man　with　the　improbable　name　of　Cactus；　a　genius　where　false　papers　such　as　passports　and　driver's　licenses　and　credit　cards　are　concerned。〃
　〃That's　about　it。　Him。〃
　〃The　Agency　could　do　it　all。〃
　〃Not　as　well　and　too　bureaucratically。　I　want　nothing　traceable；　even　with　Four　Zero　security。　This　is　solo。〃
　〃Okay。　Then　what？〃
　〃You　get　to　work；　field　man。　By　tomorrow　morning　I　want　a　lot　of　people　in　this　town　shaken　up。〃
　〃Tomorrow　morning。。。？　That　is　impossible！〃
　〃Not　for　you。　Not　for　Saint　Alex；　the　prince　of　dark　operations？〃
　〃Say　whatever　the　hell　you　like；　I'm　not　even　in　training。〃
　〃It　es　back　quickly；　like　sex　and　riding　a　bicycle。〃
　〃What　about　you？　What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃After　I　consult　with　Cactus；　I'll　get　a　room　at　the　Mayflower　hotel；〃　answered　Jason　Bourne。
　Culver　Parnell；　hotel　magnate　from　Atlanta　whose　twenty…year　reign　in　the　hostelry　business　had　led　to　his　appointment　as　chief　of　protocol　for　the　White　House；　angrily　hung　up　his　office　phone　as　he　scribbled　a　sixth　obscenity　on　a　legal　pad。　With　the　election　and　now　the　turnover　of　White　House　personnel；　he　had　replaced　the　previous　administration's　well…born　female　who　knew　nothing　about　the　political　ramifications　of　1600's　invitation　list。　Then；　to　his　profound　irritation；　he　found　himself　at　war　with　his　own　first　assistant；　another　middle…aged　female；　also　from　one　of　the　ass…elegant　Eastern　colleges；　and；　to　make　it　worse；　a　popular　Washington　socialite　who　contributed　her　salary　to　some　la…di…da　dance　pany　whose　members　pranced　around　in　their　underwear　when　they　wore　any。
　〃Hog　damn！〃　fumed　Culver；　running　his　hand　through　his　fringed　gray　hair；　he　picked　up　the　telephone　and　poked　four　digits　on　his　console。　〃Gimme　the　Redhead；　you　sweet　thing；〃　he　intoned；　exaggerating　his　already　pronounced　Georgia　accent。
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　flattered　secretary。　〃He's　on　another　line　but　I'll　interrupt。　Just　hold　on　a　sec；　Mr。　Parnell。〃
　〃You're　the　loveliest　of　the　peaches；　lovely　child。〃
　〃Oh；　golly；　thank　you！　Now　just　hold　on。〃
　It　never　failed；　mused　Culver。　A　little　soft　oil　from　the　magnolia　worked　a　hell　of　a　lot　better　than　the　bark　of　a　gnarled　oak。　That　bitch　of　a　first　assistant　of　his　might　take　a　lesson　from　her　Southern　superiors；　she　talked　like　some　Yankee　dentist　had　bonded　her　fucking　teeth　together　with　permanent　cement。
　〃That　you；　Cull？〃　came　the　voice　of　Redhead　over　the　line；　intruding　on　Parnell's　thoughts　as　he　wrote　a　seventh　obscenity　on　the　legal　pad。
　〃You're　momma…letchin'　right；　boy；　and　we　got　a　problem！　The　fricassee　bitch　is　doin'　it　again。　I　got　our　Wall　Streeters　inked　in　for　a　table　at　the　reception　on　the　twenty…fifth；　the　one　for　the　new　French　ambassador　and　she　says　we　gotta　bump　'em　for　some　core…dee…ballet　fruitcakes…she　says　she　and　the　First　Lady　feel　mighty　strong　about　it。　Shee…it！　Those　money　boys　gotta　lot　of　French　interests　goin'　for　them；　and　this　White　House　bash　could　put　'em　on　top。　Every　frog　on　the　Bourse　will　think　they　got　the　ears　of　the　whole　town　here！〃
　〃Forget　it；　Cull；〃　broke　in　the　anxious　Redhead