rl.thebourneultimatum-第22章

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　I　stopped　two　floors　below　and　walked　up。〃
　〃Because　we're　in　deep　shit？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Why？　Because　of　this　DeSole？〃
　〃Correct；　Mr。　Bourne。　Steven　DeSole。　The　man　who　has　his　finger　on　every　puter　at　Langley。　The　one　person　who　can　spin　the　disks　and　put　your　old　virginal　Aunt　Grace　in　jail　as　a　hooker　if　he　wants　her　there。〃
　〃What's　your　point？〃
　〃He's　the　connection　to　Brussels；　to　Teagarten　at　NATO。　Casset　learned　down　in　the　cellars　that　he's　the　only　connection…they　even　have　an　access　code　bypassing　everyone　else。〃
　〃What　does　it　mean？〃
　〃Casset　doesn't　know；　but　he's　goddamned　angry。〃
　〃How　much　did　you　tell　him？〃
　〃The　minimum。　That　I　was　working　on　some　possibles　and　Teagarten's　name　came　up　in　an　odd　way…most　likely　a　diversion　or　used　by　someone　trying　to　impress　someone　else…but　I　wanted　to　know　who　he　talked　to　at　the　Agency；　frankly　figuring　it　was　Peter　Holland。　I　asked　Charlie　to　play　it　out　in　the　dark。〃
　〃Which　I　assume　means　confidentially。〃
　〃Ten　times　that。　Casset　is　the　sharpest　knife　in　Langley。　I　didn't　have　to　say　any　more　than　I　did；　he　got　the　message。　Now　he's　also　got　a　problem　he　didn't　have　yesterday。〃
　〃What's　he　going　to　do？〃
　〃I　asked　him　not　to　do　anything　for　a　couple　of　days　and　that's　what　he　gave　me。　Forty…eight　hours；　to　be　precise；　and　then　he's　going　to　confront　DeSole。〃
　〃He　can't　do　that；〃　said　Bourne　firmly。　〃Whatever　these　people　are　hiding　we　can　use　it　to　pull　out　the　Jackal。　Use　them　to　pull　him　out　as　others　like　them　used　me　thirteen　years　ago。〃
　Conklin　stared　first　down　at　the　floor；　then　up　at　Jason　Bourne。　〃It　es　down　to　the　almighty　ego；　doesn't　it？〃　he　said。　〃The　bigger　the　ego　the　bigger　the　fear…〃
　〃The　bigger　the　bait；　the　bigger　the　fish；〃　pleted　Jason；　interrupting。　〃A　long　time　back　you　told　me　that　Carlos's　'spine'　was　as　big　as　his　head；　which　had　to　be　swollen　all　out　of　proportion　for　him　to　be　in　the　business　he's　in。　That　was　true　then　and　it's　true　now。　If　we　can　get　any　one　of　these　high　government　profiles　to　send　a　message　to　him…namely；　to　e　after　me；　kill　me…he'll　jump　at　it。　Do　you　know　why？〃
　〃I　just　told　you。　Ego。〃
　〃Sure；　that's　part　of　it；　but　there's　something　else。　It's　the　respect　that's　eluded　Carlos　for　more　than　twenty　years；　starting　with　Moscow　cutting　him　loose　and　telling　him　to　get　lost。　He's　made　millions；　but　his　clients　have　mainly　been　the　crud　of　the　earth。　For　all　the　fear　he's　engendered　he　still　remains　a　punk　psychopath。　No　legends　have　been　built　around　him；　only　contempt；　and　at　this　stage　it's　got　to　be　driving　him　close　to　the　edge。　The　fact　that　he's　ing　after　me　to　settle　a　thirteen…year…old　score　supports　what　I'm　saying。　。。。　I'm　vital　to　him…his　killing　me　is　vital…because　I　was　the　product　of　our　covert　operations。　That's　who　he　wants　to　show　up；　show　that　he's　better　than　all　of　us　put　together。〃
　〃It　could　also　be　because　he　still　thinks　you　can　identify　him。〃
　〃I　thought　that　at　first；　too；　but　after　thirteen　years　and　nothing　from　me…well；　I　had　to　think　again。〃
　〃So　you　moved　into　Mo　Panov's　territory　and　came　up　with　a　psychiatric　profile。〃
　〃It's　a　free　country。〃
　〃pared　with　most；　yes；　but　where's　all　this　leading　us？〃
　〃Because　I　know　I'm　right。〃
　〃That's　hardly　an　answer。〃
　〃Nothing　can　be　false　or　faked；〃　insisted　Bourne；　leaning　forward　in　the　armchair；　his　elbows　on　his　bare　knees；　his　hands　clasped。　〃Carlos　would　find　the　contrivance；　it's　the　first　thing　he'll　look　for。　Our　Medusans　have　to　be　genuine　and　genuinely　panicked。〃
　〃They're　both；　I　told　you　that。〃
　〃To　the　point　where　they'd　actually　consider　making　contact　with　someone　like　the　Jackal。〃
　〃That　I　don't　know…〃
　〃That　we'll　never　know；〃　broke　in　Jason；　〃until　we　learn　what　they're　hiding。〃
　〃But　if　we　start　the　disks　spinning　at　Langley；　DeSole　will　find　out。　And；　if　he's　part　of　whatever　the　hell　it　is；　he'll　alert　the　others。〃
　〃Then　there'll　be　no　research　at　Langley。　I've　got　enough　to　go　on　anyway；　just　get　me　addresses　and　private　telephone　numbers。　You　can　do　that；　can't　you？〃
　〃Certainly；　that's　low…level。　What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　Bourne　smiled　and　spoke　quietly；　even　gently。　〃How　about　storming　their　houses　or　sticking　needles　in　their　asses　between　the　appetizers　and　the　entrées？〃
　〃Now　I　hear　Jason　Bourne。〃
　〃So　be　it。〃
　
　7
　Marie　St。　Jacques　Webb　greeted　the　Caribbean　morning　by　stretching　in　bed　and…looking　over　at　the　crib　several　feet　away。　Alison　was　deep　in　sleep；　which　she　had　not　been　four　or　five　hours　ago。　The　little　dear　had　been　a　basket　case　then；　so　much　so　that　Marie's　brother　Johnny　had　knocked　on　the　door；　walked　cowardly　inside；　and　asked　if　he　could　do　anything；　which　he　profoundly　trusted　he　could　not。
　〃How　are　you　at　changing　a　nasty　diaper？〃
　〃I　don't　even　want　to　think　about　it；〃　said　St。　Jacques；　fleeing。
　Now；　however；　she　heard　his　voice　through　the　shutters　outside。　She　also　knew　that　she　was　meant　to　hear　it；　he　was　enticing　her　son；　Jamie；　into　a　race　in　the　pool　and　speaking　so　loudly　he　could　be　heard　on　the　big　island　of　Montserrat。　Marie　literally　crawled　out　of　bed；　headed　for　the　bathroom；　and　four　minutes　later；　ablutions　pleted；　her　auburn　hair　brushed　and；　wearing　a　bathrobe；　walked　out　through　the　shuttered　door　to　the　patio　overlooking　the　pool。
　〃Well；　hi　there；　Mare！〃　shouted　her　tanned；　dark…haired；　handsome　younger　brother　beside　her　son　in　the　water。　〃I　hope　we　didn't　wake　you　up。　We　just　wanted　to　take　a　swim。〃
　〃So　you　decided　to　let　the　British　coastal　patrols　in　Plymouth　know　about　it。〃
　〃Hey；　e　on；　it's　almost　nine　o'clock。　That's　late　in　the　islands。〃
　〃Hello；　Mommy。　Uncle　John's　been　showing　me　how　to　scare　off　sharks　with　a　stick！〃
　〃Your　uncle　is　full　of　terribly　important　information　that　I　hope　to　God　you'll　never　use。〃
　〃There's　a　pot　of　coffee　on　the　table；　Mare。　And　Mrs。　Cooper　will　make　you　whatever　you　like　for　breakfast。〃
　〃Coffee's　fine；　Johnny。　The　telephone　rang　last　night…was　it　David？〃
　〃Himself；〃　replied　the　brother。　〃And　you　and　I　are　going　to　talk。　。。。　e　on；　Jamie；　up　we　go。　Grip　the　ladder。〃
　〃What　about　the　sharks？〃
　〃You　got　'em　all；　buddy。　Go　get　yourself　a　drink。〃
　〃Johnny！〃
　〃Orange　juice；　there's　a　pitcher　in　the　kitchen。〃　John　St。　Jacques　walked　around　the　rim　of　the　pool　and　up　the　steps　to　the　bedroom　patio　as　his　nephew　raced　into　the　house。
　Marie　watched　her　brother　approach；　noting　the　similarities　between　him　and　her　husband。　Both　were　tall　and　muscular；　both　had　in　their　strides　an　absence　of　promise；　but　where　David　usually　won；　Johnny　more　often　than　not　lost；　and　she　did　not　know　why。　Or　why　David　had　such　trust　in　his　younger　brother…in…law　when　the　two　older　St。　Jacques　sons　would　appear　to　be　more　responsible。　David…or　was　it　Jason　Bourne？　…　never　discussed　the　question　in　depth；　he　simply　laughed　it　off　and　said　Johnny　had　a　streak　in　him　that　appealed　to　David…or　was　it　Bourne？
　〃Let's　level；〃　said　the　youngest　St。　Jacques　sitting　down；　the　water　dripping　off　his　body　onto　the　patio。　〃What　kind　of　trouble　is　David　in？　He　couldn't　talk　on　the　phone　and　you　were　in　no　shape　last　night　for　an　extended　chat。　What's　happened？〃
　〃The　Jackal。　。。。　The　Jackal's　what's　happened。〃
　〃Christ！〃　exploded　the　brother。　〃After　all　these　years？〃
　〃After　all　these　years；〃　repeated　Marie；　her　voice　drifting　off。〃
　〃How　far　has　that　bastard　gotten？〃
　〃David's　in　Washington　trying　to　find　out。　All　we　know　for　certain　is　that　he　dug　up　Alex　Conklin　and　Mo　Panov　from　the　horrors　of　Hong　Kong　and　Kowloon。〃　She　told　him　about　the　false　telegrams　and　the　trap　at　the　amusement　park　in　Baltimore。
　〃I　presume　Alex　has　them　all　under　protection　or　whatever　they　call　it。〃
　〃Around　the　clock；　I'm　sure。　Outside　of　ourselves　and　McAllister；　Alex　and　Mo　are　the　only　two　people　still　alive　who　know　that　David　was…oh；　Jesus；　I　can't　even　say　the　name！〃　Marie　slammed　the　coffee　mug　down　on　the　patio　table。
　〃Easy；　Sis。〃　St。　Jacques　reached　for　her　hand；　placing　his　on　top　of　hers。　〃Conklin　knows　what　he's　doing。　David　told　me　that　Alex　was　the　best…'field　man；'　he　called　him…that　ever　worked　for　the　Americans。〃
　〃You　don't　understand；　Johnny！〃　cried　Marie