rl.thebourneultimatum-第24章

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g　with　the　mademoiselle　in　the　white　uniform。〃
　〃Please；　Monsieur　Fontaine；〃　protested　the　stocky　black　immigration　official　in　a　pronounced　British　accent。　〃This　is　merely　an　informal　formality；　a　stamping　procedure；　if　you　like。　Also　to　remove　you　from　the　inconvenience　of　so　many　admirers。　Rumors　have　gone　throughout　the　airport　that　a　great　man　has　arrived。〃
　〃Really？〃　Fontaine　smiled；　it　was　a　pleasant　smile。
　〃Oh；　but　not　to　be　concerned；　sir。　The　press　has　been　barred。　We　know　you　want　plete　privacy；　and　you　shall　have　it。〃
　〃Really？〃　The　old　man's　smile　faded。　〃I　was　to　meet　someone　here；　an　associate；　you　might　say；　I　must　consult　with　confidentially。　I　hope　your　most　considerate　arrangements　do　not　prevent　him　from　reaching　me。〃
　〃A　small；　select　group　with　proper　standing　and　credentials　will　greet　you　in　Blackburne's　honored…guest　corridor；　Monsieur　Fontaine；〃　said　the　Crown　governor's　chief　aide。　〃May　we　proceed？　The　reception　line　will　be　swift；　I　assure　you。〃
　〃Really？　That　swift？〃
　It　was；　less　than　five　minutes　actually；　but　five　seconds　would　have　been　enough。　The　first　person　the　Jackal's　courier…killer　met　was　the　beribboned　Crown　governor　himself。　As　the　Queen's　royal　representative　embraced　the　hero　in　Gallic　style；　he　whispered　into　Jean　Pierre　Fontaine's　ear。　〃We've　learned　where　the　woman　and　her　children　were　taken。　We　are　sending　you　there。　The　nurse　has　your　instructions。〃
　The　rest　was　somewhat　anticlimactic　for　the　old　man；　especially　the　absence　of　the　press。　He　had　never　had　his　picture　in　the　newspapers　except　as　a　felon。
　Morris　Panov；　M。D。；　was　a　very　angry　man；　and　he　always　tried　to　control　his　very　angry　moments　because　they　never　helped　him　or　his　patients。　At　the　moment；　however；　sitting　at　his　office　desk；　he　was　having　difficulty　curbing　his　emotions。　He　had　not　heard　from　David　Webb。　He　had　to　hear　from　him；　he　had　to　talk　to　him。　What　was　happening　could　negate　thirteen　years　of　therapy；　couldn't　they　understand　that？　。。。　No；　of　course　they　couldn't；　it　was　not　what　interested　them；　they　had　other　priorities　and　did　not　care　to　be　burdened　by　problems　beyond　their　purview。　But　he　had　to　care。　The　damaged　mind　was　so　fragile；　so　given　to　setbacks；　the　horrors　of　the　past　were　so　capable　of　taking　over　the　present。　It　could　not　happen　with　David！　He　was　so　close　to　being　as　normal　as　he　would　ever　be　（and　who　the　hell　was　〃normal〃　in　this　fucked…up　world）。　He　could　function　wonderfully　as　a　teacher；　he　had　near…total　recall　where　his　scholarly　expertise　was　called　upon；　and　he　was　remembering　more　and　more　as　each　year　progressed。　But　it　could　all　blow　apart　with　a　single　act　of　violence；　for　violence　was　the　way　of　life　for　Jason　Bourne。　Damn！
　It　was　crippling　enough　that　they　even　permitted　David　to　stay　around；　he　had　tried　to　explain　the　potential　damage　to　Alex；　but　Conklin　had　an　irrefutable　reply：　We　can't　stop　him。　At　least　this　way　we　can　watch　him；　protect　him。　Perhaps　so。　〃They〃　did　not　stint　where　protection　was　involved…the　guards　down　the　hall　from　his　office　and　on　the　roof　of　the　building；　to　say　nothing　of　a　temporary　receptionist　bearing　arms　as　well　as　a　strange　puter；　attested　to　their　concern。　Still　it　would　be　so　much　better　for　David　if　he　was　simply　sedated　and　flown　down　to　his　island　retreat；　leaving　the　hunt　for　the　Jackal　to　the　professionals。　。。。　Panov　suddenly　caught　himself　as　the　realization　swept　over　him：　there　was　no　one　more　professional　than　Jason　Bourne。
　The　doctor's　thoughts　were　interrupted　by　the　telephone；　the　telephone　he　could　not　pick　up　until　all　the　security　procedures　were　activated。　A　trace　was　placed　on　the　ining　call；　a　scanner　determined　whether　there　were　intercepts　on　the　line；　and　finally　the　identity　of　the　caller　was　approved　by　Panov　himself。　His　inter　buzzed；　he　flipped　the　switch　on　his　console。　〃Yes？〃
　〃All　systems　are　cleared；　sir；〃　announced　the　temporary　receptionist；　who　was　the　only　one　in　the　office　who　would　know。　〃The　man　on　the　line　said　his　name　was　Treadstone；　Mr。　D。　Treadstone。〃
　〃I'll　take　it；〃　said　Mo　Panov　firmly。　〃And　you　can　remove　whatever　other　'systems'　you've　got　on　that　machine　out　there。　This　is　doctor…patient　confidentiality。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Monitor　is　terminated。〃
　〃It's　what？　。。。　Never　mind。〃　The　psychiatrist　picked　up　the　phone　and　was　barely　able　to　keep　from　shouting。　〃Why　didn't　you　call　me　before　this；　you　son　of　a　bitch！〃
　〃I　didn't　want　to　give　you　cardiac　arrest；　is　that　sufficient？〃
　〃Where　are　you　and　what　are　you　doing？〃
　〃At　the　moment？〃
　〃That'll　suffice。〃
　〃Let's　see；　I　rented　a　car　and　right　now　I'm　a　half　a　block　from　a　town　house　in　Georgetown　owned　by　the　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission；　talking　to　you　on　a　pay　phone。〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake；　why？〃
　〃Alex　will　fill　you　in；　but　what　I　want　you　to　do　is　call　Marie　on　the　island。　I've　tried　a　couple　of　times　since　leaving　the　hotel　but　I　can't　get　through。　Tell　her　I'm　fine；　that　I'm　perfectly　fine；　and　not　to　worry。　Have　you　got　that？〃
　〃I've　got　it；　but　I　don't　buy　it。　You　don't　even　sound　like　yourself。〃
　〃You　can't　tell　her　that；　Doctor。　If　you're　my　friend；　you　can't　tell　her　anything　like　that。〃
　〃Stop　it；　David。　This　Jekyll…and…Hyde　crap　doesn't　wash　anymore。〃
　〃Don't　tell　her　that；　not　if　you're　my　friend。〃
　〃You're　spiraling；　David。　Don't　let　it　happen。　e　to　me；　talk　to　me。〃
　〃No　time；　Mo。　The　fat　cat's　limousine　is　parking　in　front　of　his　house。　I've　got　to　go　to　work。〃
　〃Jason！〃
　The　line　went　dead。
　Brendan　Patrick　Pierre　Prefontaine　walked　down　the　jet's　metal　steps　into　the　hot　Caribbean　sun　of　Montserrat's　Blackburne　Airport。　It　was　shortly　past　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　were　it　not　for　the　many　thousands　of　dollars　on　his　person　he　might　have　felt　lost。　It　was　remarkable　how　a　supply　of　hundred…dollar　bills　in　various　pockets　made　one　feel　so　secure。　In　truth；　he　had　to　keep　reminding　himself　that　his　loose　change…fifties；　twenties　and　tens…were　in　his　right　front　trousers　pocket　so　as　not　to　make　a　mistake　and　either　appear　ostentatious　or　be　a　mark　for　some　unprincipled　hustler。　Above　all；　it　was　vital　for　him　to　keep　a　low　profile　to　the　point　of　insignificance。　He　had　to　insignificantly　ask　significant　questions　around　the　airport　regarding　a　woman　and　two　small　children　who　had　arrived　on　a　private　aircraft　the　previous　afternoon。
　Which　was　why　to　his　astonishment　and　alarm　he　heard　the　absolutely　adorable　black　female　immigration　clerk　say　to　him　after　hanging　up　a　telephone；　〃Would　you　be　so　kind；　sir；　as　to　e　with　me；　please？〃
　Her　lovely　face；　lilting　voice　and　perfect　smile　did　nothing　to　allay　the　former　judge's　fears。　Far　too　many　extremely　guilty　criminals　had　such　assets。　〃Is　there　something　wrong　with　my　passport；　young　lady？〃
　〃Not　that　I　can　see；　sir。〃
　〃Then　why　the　delay？　Why　not　simply　stamp　it　and　allow　me　to　proceed？〃
　〃Oh；　it　is　stamped　and　entry　is　permitted；　sir。　There　is　no　problem。〃
　〃Then　why。。。？〃
　〃Please　e　with　me；　sir。〃
　They　approached　a　large　glass…enclosed　cubicle　with　a　sign　on　the　left　window；　the　gold　letters　announcing　the　occupant：　DEPUTY　DIRECTOR　OF　IMMIGRATION　SERVICES。　The　attractive　clerk　opened　the　door　and；　again　smiling；　gestured　for　the　elderly　visitor　to　go　inside。　Prefontaine　did　so；　suddenly　terrified　that　he　would　be　searched；　the　money　found；　and　all　manner　of　charges　leveled　against　him。　He　did　not　know　which　islands　were　involved　in　narcotics；　but　if　this　was　one　of　them　the　thousands　of　dollars　in　his　pockets　would　be　instantly　suspect。　Explanations　raced　through　his　mind　as　the　clerk　crossed　to　the　desk　handing　his　passport　to　the　short；　heavyset　deputy　of　immigration。　The　woman　gave　Brendan　a　last　bright　smile　and　went　out　the　door；　closing　it　behind　her。
　〃Mr。　Brendan　Patrick　Pierre　Prefontaine；〃　intoned　the　immigration　official　reading　the　passport。
　〃Not　that　it　matters；〃　said　Brendan　kindly　but　with　summoned　authority。　〃However；　the　'Mister'　is　usually　replaced　with　'Judge'…as　I　say；　I　don't　believe　it's　relevant　under　the　circumstances；　or　perhaps　it　is；　I　really　don't　know。　Did　one　of　my　law　clerks　make　an　error？　If　so；　I'll　fly　the　whole　group　down　to　apologize。〃
　〃Oh；