rl.thebourneultimatum-第37章

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　〃It's　open；　Rachel！〃　yelled　the　rasping　voice　from　within。
　Bourne　twisted　the　knob　and　shoved　the　door　back；　it　swung　slowly　on　its　hinges　and　made　contact　with　the　wall。　He　walked　inside。
　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　roared　the　master　sergeant；　his　heavy　legs　plunging　off　the　ottoman　as　he　wriggled　his　massive　body　out　of　the　chair。　〃You！　。。。　You're　a　goddamned　ghost！　You're　dead！〃
　〃Try　again；〃　said　Delta　of　Medusa。　〃The　name's　Flannagan；　isn't　it？　That's　what　es　to　mind。〃
　〃You're　dead！〃　repeated　the　general's　aide；　screaming；　his　eyes　bulging　in　panic。　〃You　bought　it　in　Hong　Kong！　You　were　killed　in　Hong　Kong　。。。　four；　five　years　ago！〃
　〃You　kept　tabs…〃
　〃We　know　。。。　I　know！〃
　〃You've　got　connections　in　the　right　places；　then。〃
　〃You're　Bourne！〃
　〃Obviously　born　again；　you　might　say。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　this！〃
　〃Believe；　Flannagan。　It's　the　'we'　we're　going　to　talk　about。　Snake　Lady；　to　be　precise。〃
　〃You're　the　one…the　one　Swayne　called　'Cobra'！〃
　〃It's　a　snake。〃
　〃I　don't　get　it…〃
　〃It's　confusing。〃
　〃You're　one　of　us！〃
　〃I　was。　I　was　also　cut　out。　I　snaked　back　in；　as　it　were。〃
　The　sergeant　frantically　looked　at　the　door；　then　the　windows。　〃How'd　you　get　in　here？　Where　are　the　guards；　the　dogs？　Jesus！　Where　are　they？〃
　〃The　dogs　are　asleep　in　the　kennels；　so　I　gave　the　guards　the　night　off。〃
　〃You　gave。。。？　The　dogs　are　on　the　grounds！〃
　〃Not　any　longer。　They　were　persuaded　to　rest。〃
　〃The　guards…the　goddamned　guards！〃
　〃They　were　persuaded　to　leave。　What　they　think　is　happening　here　tonight　is　even　more　confusing。〃
　〃What've　you　done…what　are　you　doing？〃
　〃I　thought　I　just　mentioned　it。　We're　going　to　talk；　Sergeant　Flannagan。　I　want　to　get　caught　up　with　some　old　rades。〃
　The　frightened　man　backed　awkwardly　away　from　the　chair。　〃You're　the　maniac　they　called　Delta　before　you　turned　and　went　in　business　for　yourself！〃　he　cried　in　a　guttural　whisper。　〃There　was　a　picture；　a　photograph…you　were　laid　out　on　a　slab；　bloodstains　all　over　the　sheet　from　the　bullet　wounds；　your　face　was　uncovered；　your　eyes　wide　open；　holes　still　bleeding　on　your　forehead　and　your　throat。　。。。　They　asked　me　who　you　were　and　I　said；　'He's　Delta。　Delta　One　from　the　illegals；'　and　they　said；　'No；　he's　not；　he's　Jason　Bourne；　the　killer；　the　assassin；'　so　I　said；　'Then　they're　one　and　the　same　because　that　man　is　Delta…I　knew　him。'　They　thanked　me　and　told　me　to　go　back　and　join　the　others。〃
　〃Who　were　'they'？〃
　〃Some　people　over　at　Langley。　The　one　who　did　all　the　talking　had　a　limp；　he　carried　a　cane。〃
　〃And　'the　others'…they　told　you　to　go　back　and　join？〃
　〃About　twenty…five　or　thirty　of　the　old　Saigon　crowd。〃
　〃mand　Saigon？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Men　who　worked　with　our　crowd；　the　'illegals'？〃
　〃Mostly；　yeah。〃
　〃When　was　this？〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake；　I　told　you！〃　roared　the　panicked　aide。　〃Four　or　five　years　ago！　I　saw　the　photograph…you　were　dead！〃
　〃Only　a　single　photograph；〃　interrupted　Bourne　quietly；　staring　at　the　master　sergeant。　〃You　have　a　very　good　memory。〃
　〃You　held　a　gun　to　my　head。　Thirty…three　years；　two　wars　and　twelve　bat　tours；　nobody　ever　did　that　to　me…nobody　but　you。　。。。　Yeah；　I　gotta　good　memory。〃
　〃I　think　I　understand。〃
　〃I　don't！　I　don't　understand　a　goddamned　thing！　You　were　dead！〃
　〃You've　said　that。　But　I'm　not；　am　I？　Or　maybe　I　am。　Maybe　this　is　the　nightmare　that's　been　visited　upon　you　after　twenty　years　of　deceit。〃
　〃What　kind　of　crap　is　that？　What　the　hell…〃
　〃Don't　move！〃
　〃I'm　not！〃
　Suddenly；　in　the　distance；　there　was　a　loud　report。　A　gunshot！　Jason　spun　around　。。。　then　instinct　manded　him　to　keep　turning！　All　around！　The　massive　general's　aide　was　lunging　at　him；　his　huge　hands　like　battering　rams　grazing　off　Bourne's　shoulders　as　Delta　One　viciously　lashed　up　his　right　foot；　catching　the　sergeant's　kidney；　embedding　his　shoe　deep　into　the　flesh　while　crashing　the　barrel　of　his　automatic　into　the　base　of　the　man's　neck。　Flannagan　lurched　downward；　splayed　on　the　floor；　Jason　hammered　his　left　foot　into　the　sergeant's　head；　stunning　him　into　silence。
　A　silence　that　was　broken　by　the　continuous　hysterical　screams　of　a　woman　racing　outside　toward　the　open　door　of　the　cabin。　Within　seconds；　General　Norman　Swayne's　wife　burst　into　the　room；　recoiling　at　the　sight　in　front　of　her；　gripping　the　back　of　the　nearest　chair；　unable　to　contain　her　panic。
　〃He's　dead！〃　she　shrieked；　collapsing；　swerving　the　chair　to　her　side　as　she　fell　to　the　floor　reaching　for　her　lover。　〃He　shot　himself；　Eddie！　Oh；　my　God；　he　killed　himself！〃
　Jason　Bourne　rose　from　his　crouched　position　and　walked　to　the　door　of　the　strange　cabin　that　held　so　many　secrets。　Calmly；　watching　his　two　prisoners；　he　closed　it。　The　woman　wept；　gasping；　trembling；　but　they　were　tears　not　of　sorrow　but　of　fear。　The　sergeant　blinked　his　eyes　and　raised　his　huge　head。　If　any　emotion　could　be　defined　in　his　expression；　it　was　an　admixture　of　fury　and　bewilderment。
　
　11
　〃Don't　touch　anything；〃　ordered　Bourne　as　Flannagan　and　Rachel　Swayne　haltingly　preceded　him　into　the　general's　photograph…lined　study。　At　the　sight　of　the　old　soldier's　corpse　arched　back　in　the　chair　behind　the　desk；　the　ugly　gun　still　in　his　outstretched　hand；　and　the　horror　beyond　left　by　the　blowing　away　of　the　back　of　his　skull；　the　wife　convulsed；　falling　to　her　knees　as　if　she　might　vomit。　The　master　sergeant　grabbed　her　arm；　holding　her　off　the　floor；　his　eyes　dazed；　fixed　on　the　mutilated　remains　of　General　Norman　Swayne。
　〃Crazy　son　of　a　bitch；〃　whispered　Flannagan；　his　voice　strained　and　barely　audible。　Then　standing　motionless；　the　muscles　of　his　jaw　pulsating；　he　roared。　〃You　insane　fuckin'　son　of　a　bitch！　What　did　you　do　it　for…why？　What　do　we　do　now？〃
　〃You　call　the　police；　Sergeant；〃　answered　Jason。
　〃What？〃　yelled　the　aide；　spinning　around。
　〃No！〃　screamed　Mrs。　Swayne；　lurching　to　her　feet。　〃We　can't　do　that！〃
　〃I　don't　think　you've　got　a　choice。　You　didn't　kill　him。　You　may　have　driven　him　to　kill　himself　but　you　didn't　kill　him。〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Flannagan　gruffly。
　〃Better　a　simple　if　messy　domestic　tragedy　than　a　far　wider　investigation；　wouldn't　you　say？　I　gather　it's　no　secret　that　you　two　have　an　arrangement　that's…well；　no　secret。〃
　〃He　didn't　give　a　shit　about　our；　'arrangement；'　and　that　was　no　secret；　either。〃
　〃He　encouraged　us　at　every　opportunity；〃　added　Rachel　Swayne；　hesitantly　smoothing　her　skirt；　oddly；　swiftly　regaining　her　posure。　She　spoke　to　Bourne　but　her　eyes　strayed　to　her　lover。　〃He　consistently　threw　us　together；　often　for　days　at　a　time。　。。。　Do　we　have　to　stay　in　here？　My　God；　I　was　married　to　that　man　for　twenty…six　years！　I'm　sure　you　can　understand　。。。　this　is　horrible　for　me！〃
　〃We　have　things　to　discuss；〃　said　Bourne。
　〃Not　in　here；　if　you　please。　The　living　room；　it's　across　the　hall。　We'll　talk　there。〃　Mrs。　Swayne；　suddenly　under　control；　walked　out　of　the　study；　the　general's　aide　glanced　over　at　the　blood…drenched　corpse；　grimaced；　and　followed　her。
　Jason　watched　them。　〃Stay　in　the　hallway　where　I　can　see　you　and　don't　move！〃　he　shouted；　crossing　to　the　desk；　his　eyes　darting　from　one　object　to　another；　taking　in　the　last　items　Norman　Swayne　saw　before　placing　the　automatic　in　his　mouth。　Something　was　wrong。　On　the　right　side　of　the　wide　green　blotter　was　a　Pentagon　memorandum　pad；　Swayne's　rank　and　name　printed　below　the　insignia　of　the　United　States　Army。　Next　to　the　pad；　to　the　left　of　the　blotter's　leather　border；　was　a　gold　ballpoint　pen；　its　sharp　silver　point　protruding；　as　if　recently　used；　the　writer　forgetting　to　twist　it　back　into　its　recess。　Bourne　leaned　over　the　desk　within　inches　of　the　dead　body；　the　acrid　smell　of　the　exploded　shell　and　burnt　flesh　still　pungent；　and　studied　the　memo　pad。　It　was　blank；　but　Jason　carefully　tore　off　the　top　pages；　folded　them；　and　put　them　into　his　trousers　pocket。　He　stepped　back　still　bothered。　。。。　What　was　it？　He　looked　around　the　room；　and　as　his　eyes　roamed　over　the　furniture　Master　Sergeant　Flannagan　appeared　in　the　doorway。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Flannagan　asked　suspiciously。　〃We're　waiting　for　you。〃
　〃Your　friend　may　find　it　too　difficult　to　stay　in　here；