rl.thebourneultimatum-第39章

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ood　enough　for　his　big　fancy　asshole　friends！　It's　been　that　way　for　years。　。。。　Like　I　said；　he　threw　us　together。〃
　〃I'm　beginning　to　understand…at　least；　I　think　I　am。　But　you　got　the　license　numbers；　Sergeant。　How　did　you　do　that？　I　gather　you　were　confined　to　quarters。〃
　〃I　didn't　get　'em；　my　guards　did。　I　called　it　a　confidential　security　procedure。　No　one　argued。〃
　〃I　see。　You　said　Swayne　began　to　fall　apart　a　couple　of　years　ago。　How？　In　what　way？〃
　〃Like　tonight。　Whenever　something　out　of　the　ordinary　happened；　he'd　freeze；　he　didn't　want　to　make　decisions。　If　it　even　smacked　of　Snake　Lady；　he　wanted　to　bury　his　head　in　the　sand　until　it　went　away。〃
　〃What　about　tonight？　I　saw　you　two　arguing　。。。　it　seemed　to　me　the　sergeant　was　giving　the　general　his　marching　orders。〃
　〃You're　damn　right　I　was。　Norman　was　in　a　panic…over　you；　over　the　man　they　called　Cobra　who　was　bringing　out　this　heavy　business　about　Saigon　twenty　years　ago。　He　wanted　me　to　be　with　him　when　you　got　here；　and　I　told　him　no　way。　I　said　I　wasn't　nuts　and　I'd　have　to　be　nuts　to　do　that。〃
　〃Why？　Why　would　it　be　nuts　for　an　aide　to　be　with　his　superior　officer？〃
　〃For　the　same　reason　nons　aren't　called　into　situation　rooms　where　the　stars　and　the　stripers　are　figuring　out　strategy。　We're　on　different　levels；　it　isn't　done。〃
　〃Which　is　another　way　of　saying　there　are　limits　to　what　you　should　know。〃
　〃You　got　it。〃
　〃But　you　were　part　of　that　Saigon　twenty　years　ago；　part　of　Snake　Lady…hell；　Sergeant；　you　were　Medusa；　you　are　Medusa。〃
　〃Nickels　and　dimes'　worth；　Delta。　I　sweep　up　and　they　take　care　of　me；　but　I'm　only　a　sweeper　in　a　uniform。　When　my　time　es　to　turn　in　that　uniform；　I　go　quietly　into　a　nice　distant　retirement　with　my　mouth　shut；　or　I　go　out　in　a　body　bag。　It's　all　very　clear。　I'm　expendable。〃
　Bourne　watched　the　master　sergeant　closely　as　he　spoke；　noting　Flannagan's　brief　glances　at　the　general's　wife；　as　if　he　expected　to　be　applauded　or；　conversely；　to　be　told　with　a　look　to　shut　up。　Either　the　huge　military　aide　was　telling　the　truth　or　he　was　a　very　convincing　actor。　〃Then　it　strikes　me；〃　said　Jason　finally；　〃that　this　is　a　logical　time　to　move　up　your　retirement。　I　can　do　that；　Sergeant。　You　can　fade　quietly　with　your　mouth　shut　and　with　whatever　rewards　you're　given　for　sweeping　up。　A　devoted　general's　aide　with　over　thirty　years'　service　opts　for　retirement　when　his　friend　and　superior　tragically　takes　his　own　life。　No　one　will　question　you。　。。。　That's　my　offer。〃
　Flannagan　again　looked　at　Rachel　Swayne；　she　nodded　sharply　once；　then　stared　at　Bourne。　〃What's　the　guarantee　that　we　can　pack　up　our　stuff　and　get　out？〃　asked　the　woman。
　〃Isn't　there　a　little　matter　of　Sergeant　Flannagan's　discharge　and　his　army　pension？〃
　〃I　made　Norman　sign　those　papers　eighteen　months　ago；〃　broke　in　the　aide。　〃I　was　posted　permanently　to　his　office　at　the　Pentagon　and　billeted　to　his　residence。　I　just　have　to　fill　in　the　date；　sign　my　own　name；　and　list　a　general　delivery　address；　which　Rachel　and　I　already　figured　out。〃
　〃That's　all？〃
　〃What's　left　is　maybe　three　or　four　phone　calls。　Norman's　lawyer；　who'll　wrap　up　everything　here；　the　kennels　for　the　dogs；　the　Pentagon　assigned…vehicle　dispatcher…and　a　last　call　to　New　York。　Then　it's　Dulles　Airport。〃
　〃You　must　have　thought　about　this　for　a　long　time；　for　years…〃
　〃Nothing　but；　Mr。　Delta；〃　confirmed　the　general's　wife；　interrupting。　〃Like　they　say；　we　paid　our　dues。〃
　〃But　before　I　can　sign　those　papers　or　make　those　calls；〃　added　Flannagan；　〃I　have　to　know　we　can　break　clean…now。〃
　〃Meaning　no　police；　no　newspapers；　no　involvement　with　tonight…you　simply　weren't　here。〃
　〃You　said　it's　a　tall　order。　How　tall　are　the　debts　you　can　call　in？〃
　〃You　simply　weren't　here；〃　repeated　Bourne　softly；　slowly；　looking　at　the　fluted　glass　ashtray　with　the　lipstick…stained　cigarette　butts　on　the　table　beside　him。　He　pulled　his　eyes　back　to　the　general's　aide。　〃You　didn't　touch　anything　in　there；　there's　nothing　to　physically　tie　you　in　with　his　suicide。　。。。　Are　you　really　prepared　to　leave…say；　in　a　couple　of　hours？〃
　〃Try　thirty　minutes；　Mr。　Delta；〃　replied　Rachel。
　〃My　God；　you　had　a　life　here；　both　of　you…〃
　〃We　don't　want　anything　from　this　life　outside　of　what　we've　got；〃　said　Flannagan　firmly。
　〃The　estate　here　is　yours；　Mrs。　Swayne…〃
　〃Like　hell　it　is。　It's　being　turned　over　to　some　foundation；　ask　the　lawyer。　Whatever　I　get；　if　I　get；　he'll　send　on　to　me。　I　just　want　out…we　want　out。〃
　Jason　looked　back　and　forth　at　the　strange　and　strangely　drawn…together　couple。　〃Then　there's　nothing　to　stop　you。〃
　〃How　do　we　know　that？〃　pressed　Flannagan；　stepping　forward。
　〃It'll　take　a　measure　of　trust　on　your　part；　but；　believe　me；　I　can　do　it。　On　the　other　hand；　look　at　the　alternative。　Say　you　stay　here。　No　matter　what　you　do　with　him；　he　won't　show　up　in　Arlington　tomorrow　or　the　next　day　or　the　day　after　that。　Sooner　or　later　someone's　going　to　e　looking　for　him。　There'll　be　questions；　searches；　an　investigation；　and　as　sure　as　God　made　little　Bobby　Woodwards；　the　media　will　descend　with　its　bellyful　of　speculations。　In　short　order　your　'arrangement'　will　be　picked　up…hell；　even　the　guards　talked　about　it…and　the　newspapers；　the　magazines　and　television　will　have　a　collective　field　day。　。。。　Do　you　want　that？　Or　would　it　all　lead　to　that　body　bag　you　mentioned？〃
　The　master　sergeant　and　his　lady　stared　at　each　other。　〃He's　right；　Eddie；〃　said　the　latter。　〃With　him　we　got　a　chance；　the　other　way　we　don't。〃
　〃It　sounds　too　easy；〃　said　Flannagan；　his　breath　ing　shorter　as　he　glanced　toward　the　door。　〃How　are　you　going　to　handle　everything？〃
　〃That's　my　business；〃　answered　Bourne。　〃Give　me　the　telephone　numbers；　all　of　them；　and　then　the　only　call　you'll　have　to　make　is　the　one　to　New　York；　and　if　I　were　you；　I'd　make　it　from　whatever　Pac　island　you're　on。〃
　〃You're　nuts！　The　minute　the　news　breaks；　I'm　on　Medusa's　rug…so's　Rachel！　They're　going　to　want　to　know　what　happened。〃
　〃Tell　them　the　truth；　at　least　a　variation　of　it；　and　I　think　you　may　even　get　a　bonus。〃
　〃You're　a　goddamned　flake！〃
　〃I　wasn't　a　flake　in　'Nam；　Sergeant。　Nor　was　I　in　Hong　Kong；　and　I'm　certainly　not　now。　。。。　You　and　Rachel　came　home；　saw　what　had　happened；　packed　up　and　left…because　you　didn't　want　any　questions　and　the　dead　can't　talk　and　trap　themselves。　Predate　your　papers　by　a　day；　mail　them；　and　leave　the　rest　to　me。〃
　〃I　dunno…〃
　〃You　don't　have　a　choice；　Sergeant！〃　shot　back　Jason；　rising　from　the　chair。　〃And　I　don't　care　to　waste　any　more　time！　You　want　me　to　go；　I'll　go…figure　it　all　out　for　yourselves。〃　Bourne　angrily　started　for　the　door。
　〃No；　Eddie；　stop　him！　We　gotta　do　it　his　way；　we　gotta　take　the　chance！　The　other　way　we're　dead　and　you　know　it。〃
　〃All　right；　all　right！　。。。　Cool　it；　Delta。　We'll　do　what　you　say。
　Jason　stopped　and　turned。　〃Everything　I　say；　Sergeant；　down　to　the　letter。〃
　〃You　got　it。〃
　〃First；　you　and　I　will　go　over　to　your　place　while　Rachel　goes　upstairs　and　packs。　You'll　give　me　everything　you've　got…telephone　and　license　numbers；　every　name　you　can　remember；　anything　you　can　give　me　that　I　ask　for。　Agreed？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Let's　go。　And　Mrs。　Swayne；　I　know　that　there　are　probably　a　lot　of　little　things　you'd　like　to　take　along；　but…〃
　〃Forget　it；　Mr。　Delta。　Mementos　I　don't　have。　Whatever　I　really　wanted　was　long　since　shipped　out　of　this　hell　hole。　It's　all　in　storage　ten　thousand　miles　away。〃
　〃My；　you　really　were　prepared；　weren't　you？〃
　〃Tell　me　something　I　don't　know。　You　see；　the　time　had　to　e；　one　way　or　the　other；　y'know　what　I　mean？〃　Rachel　walked　rapidly　past　the　two　men　and　into　the　hall；　she　stopped　and　came　back　to　Master　Sergeant　Flannagan；　a　smile　on　her　lips；　a　glow　in　her　eyes；　as　she　placed　her　hand　on　his　face。　〃Hey；　Eddie；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃It's　really　gonna　happen。　We're　gonna　live；　Eddie。　Y'know　what　I　mean？〃
　〃Yeah；　babe。　I　know。〃
　As　they　walked　out　into　the　darkness　toward　the　cabin；　Bourne　spoke。　〃I　meant　what　I　said　about　not　wasting　time；　Sergeant。　Start　talking。　What　were　you　going　to　tell　me　about　Swayne's　place　here？〃
　〃Are　you　ready？〃
　〃What　does　that　mean？　Of　course　I'm　r