rl.thebourneultimatum-第3章

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　〃I　don't　know　it　and　it　did　happen　and　I'll　tell　you　what's　outrageously　accurate；〃　said　Conklin　angrily。　〃A　man's　out　there　with　a　wife　and　two　children；　a　man　this　country　and　a　large　part　of　the　world　owe　more　to　than　anyone　could　ever　repay；　and　he's　running；　hiding；　frightened　out　of　his　mind　that　he　and　his　family　are　targets。　We　gave　that　man　our　word；　all　of　us；　that　no　part　of　the　official　record　would　ever　see　the　light　of　day　until　it　was　confirmed　beyond　doubt　that　Rich　Ramirez　Sanchez；　also　known　as　Carlos　the　Jackal；　was　dead。　。。。　All　right；　I've　heard　the　same　rumors　you　have；　probably　from　the　same　or　much　better　sources；　that　the　Jackal　was　killed　here　or　executed　there；　but　no　one…repeat　no　one…has　e　forward　with　indisputable　proof。　。。。　Yet　a　part　of　that　file　was　leaked；　a　very　vital　part；　and　it　concerns　me　deeply　because　my　name　is　there。　。。。　Mine　and　Dr。　Morris　Panov；　the　chief　psychiatrist　of　record。　We　were　the　only…repeat　only…two　individuals　acknowledged　to　have　been　close　associates　of　the　unknown　man　who　assumed　the　name　of　Jason　Bourne；　considered　in　more　sectors　than　we　can　count　to　be　the　rival　of　Carlos　in　the　killing　game。　。。。　But　that　information　is　buried　in　the　vaults　here　in　Langley。　How　did　it　get　out？　According　to　the　rules；　if　anyone　wants　any　part　of　that　record…from　the　White　House　to　the　State　Department　to　the　holy　Joint　Chiefs…he　has　to　go　through　the　offices　of　the　director　and　his　chief　analysts　right　here　at　Langley。　They　have　to　be　briefed　on　all　the　details　of　the　request；　and　even　if　they're　satisfied　as　to　the　legitimacy；　there's　a　final　step。　Me。　Before　a　release　is　signed；　I'm　to　be　contacted；　and　in　the　event　I'm　not　around　any　longer；　Dr。　Panov　is　to　be　reached；　either　one　of　us　legally　empowered　to　turn　the　request　down　flat。　。。。　That's　the　way　it　is；　gentlemen；　and　no　one　knows　the　rules　better　than　I　do　because　I'm　the　one　who　wrote　them…again　right　here　at　Langley；　because　this　was　the　place　I　knew　best。　After　twenty…eight　years　in　this　corkscrew　business；　it　was　my　final　contribution…with　the　full　authority　of　the　president　of　the　United　States　and　the　consent　of　Congress　through　the　select　mittees　on　intelligence　in　the　House　and　the　Senate。〃
　〃That's　heavy　artillery；　Mr。　Conklin；〃　mented　the　gray…haired　director；　sitting　motionless；　his　voice　flat；　neutral。
　〃There　were　heavy　reasons　for　pulling　out　the　cannons。〃
　〃So　I　gather。　One　of　the　sixteen…inchers　reached　me。〃
　〃You're　damned　right　he　did。　Now；　there's　the　question　of　accountability。　I　want　to　know　how　that　information　surfaced　and；　most　important；　who　got　it。〃
　Both　deputy　directors　began　talking　at　once；　as　angrily　as　Alex；　but　they　were　stopped　by　the　DCI；　who　touched　their　arms；　a　pipe　in　one　hand；　a　lighter　in　the　other。　〃Slow　down　and　back　up；　Mr。　Conklin；〃　said　the　director　gently；　lighting　his　pipe。　〃It's　obvious　that　you　know　my　two　associates；　but　you　and　I　never　met；　have　we？〃
　〃No。　I　resigned　four　and　a　half　years　ago；　and　you　were　appointed　a　year　after　that。〃
　〃Like　many　others…quite　justifiably；　I　think…did　you　consider　me　a　crony　appointment？〃
　〃You　obviously　were；　but　I　had　no　trouble　with　that。　You　seemed　qualified。　As　far　as　I　could　tell；　you　were　an　apolitical　Annapolis　admiral　who　ran　naval　intelligence　and　who　just　happened　to　work　with　an　FMF　marine　colonel　during　the　Vietnam　War　who　became　president。　Others　were　passed　over；　but　that　happens。　No　sweat。〃
　〃Thank　you。　But　do　you　have　any　'sweat'　with　my　two　deputy　directors？〃
　〃It's　history；　but　I　can't　say　either　one　of　them　was　considered　the　best　friend　an　agent　in　the　field　ever　had。　They　were　analysts；　not　field　men。〃
　〃Isn't　that　a　natural　aversion；　a　conventional　hostility？〃
　〃Of　course　it　is。　They　analyzed　situations　from　thousands　of　miles　away　with　puters　we　didn't　know　who　programmed　and　with　data　we　hadn't　passed　on。　You're　damned　right　it's　a　natural　aversion。　We　dealt　with　human　quotients；　they　didn't。　They　dealt　with　little　green　letters　on　a　puter　screen　and　made　decisions　they　frequently　shouldn't　have　made。〃
　〃Because　people　like　you　had　to　be　controlled；〃　interjected　the　deputy　on　the　director's　right。　〃How　many　times；　even　today；　do　men　and　women　like　you　lack　the　full　picture？　The　total　strategy　and　not　just　your　part　of　it？〃
　〃Then　we　should　be　given　a　fuller　picture　going　in；　or　at　least　an　overview　so　we　can　try　to　figure　out　what　makes　sense　and　what　doesn't。〃
　〃Where　does　an　overview　stop；　Alex？〃　asked　the　deputy　on　the　DCI's　left。　〃At　what　point　do　we　say；　'We　can't　reveal　this。　。。。　for　everyone's　benefit'？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　you're　the　analysts；　I'm　not。　On　a　case…by…case　basis；　I　suppose；　but　certainly　with　better　munication　than　I　ever　got　when　I　was　in　the　field。　。。。　Wait　a　minute。　I'm　not　the　issue；　you　are。〃　Alex　stared　at　the　director。　〃Very　smooth；　sir；　but　I'm　not　buying　a　change　of　subject。　I'm　here　to　find　out　who　got　what　and　how。　If　you'd　rather；　I'll　take　my　credentials　over　to　the　White　House　or　up　to　the　Hill　and　watch　a　few　heads　roll。　I　want　answers。　I　want　to　know　what　to　do！〃
　〃I　wasn't　trying　to　change　the　subject；　Mr。　Conklin；　only　to　divert　it　momentarily　to　make　a　point。　You　obviously　objected　to　the　methods　and　the　promises　employed　in　the　past　by　my　colleagues；　but　did　either　of　these　men　ever　mislead　you；　lie　to　you？〃
　Alex　looked　briefly　at　the　two　deputy　directors。　〃Only　when　they　had　to　lie　to　me；　which　had　nothing　to　do　with　field　operations。〃
　〃That's　a　strange　ment。〃
　〃If　they　haven't　told　you；　they　should　have。　。。。　Five　years　ago　I　was　an　alcoholic…I'm　still　an　alcoholic　but　I　don't　drink　anymore。　I　was　riding　out　the　time　to　my　pension；　so　nobody　told　me　anything　and　they　damn　well　shouldn't　have。〃
　〃For　your　enlightenment；　all　my　colleagues　said　to　me　was　that　you　had　been　ill；　that　you　hadn't　been　functioning　at　the　level　of　your　past　acplishments　until　the　end　of　your　service。〃
　Again　Conklin　studied　both　deputies；　nodding　to　both　as　he　spoke。　〃Thanks；　Casset；　and　you；　too；　Valentino；　but　you　didn't　have　to　do　that。　I　was　a　drunk　and　it　shouldn't　be　a　secret　whether　it's　me　or　anybody　else。　That's　the　dumbest　thing　you　can　do　around　here。〃
　〃From　what　we　heard　about　Hong　Kong；　you　did　a　hell　of　a　job；　Alex；〃　said　the　man　named　Casset　softly。　〃We　didn't　want　to　detract　from　that。〃
　〃You've　been　a　pain　in　the　ass　for　longer　than　I　care　to　remember；〃　added　Valentino。　〃But　we　couldn't　let　you　hang　out　as　an　accident　of　booze。〃
　〃Forget　it。　Let's　get　back　to　Jason　Bourne。　That's　why　I'm　here；　why　you　damn　well　had　to　see　me。〃
　〃That's　also　why　I　momentarily　sidetracked　us；　Mr。　Conklin。　You　have　professional　differences　with　my　deputies；　but　I　gather　you　don't　question　their　integrity。〃
　〃Others；　yes。　Not　Casset　or　Val。　As　far　as　I　was　concerned；　they　did　their　jobs　and　I　did　mine；　it　was　the　system　that　was　fouled　up…it　was　buried　in　fog。　But　this　isn't；　today　isn't。　The　rules　are　clear…cut　and　absolute；　and　since　I　wasn't　reached；　they　were　broken　and　I　was　misled；　in　a　very　real　sense；　lied　to。　I　repeat。　How　did　it　happen　and　who　got　the　information？〃
　〃That's　all　I　wanted　to　hear；〃　said　the　director；　picking　up　the　telephone　on　the　table。　〃Please　call　Mr。　DeSole　down　the　hall　and　ask　him　to　e　to　the　conference　room。〃　The　DCI　hung　up　and　turned　to　Conklin。　〃I　assume　you're　aware　of　Steven　DeSole。〃
　〃DeSole　the　mute　mole。〃　Alex　nodded。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃It's　an　old　joke　around　here；〃　explained　Casset　to　the　director。　〃Steve　knows　where　the　bodies　are　buried；　but　when　the　time　es　he　won't　even　tell　God　unless　He　shows　him　a　Four　Zero　clearance。〃
　〃I　assume　that　means　the　three　of　you；　especially　Mr。　Conklin；　consider　Mr。　DeSole　a　thorough　professional。〃
　〃I'll　answer　that；〃　Alex　said。　〃He'll　tell　you　anything　you　have　to　know　but　no　more　than　that。　Also；　he　won't　lie。　He'll　keep　his　mouth　shut；　or　tell　you　he　can't　tell　you；　but　he　won't　lie　to　you。〃
　〃That's　another　thing　I　wanted　to　hear。〃　There　was　a　brief　knock　on　the　door；　and　the　DCI　called　out　for　the　visitor　to　enter。　A　medium…sized；　slightly　overweight　man　with　wide　eyes　magnified　behind　steel…rimmed　glasses　walked　into　the　room；　closing　the　door　behind