rl.thebourneultimatum-第50章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃You　tell　that　husband　of　mine　that　Medusa's　history！　The　Jackal　isn't；　and　he's　flying　in　here　tomorrow！〃
　〃David'll　be　there；　you　know　that。〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。　。。。　Because　he's　Jason　Bourne　now。〃
　〃Br'er　Rabbit；　this　ain't　thirteen　years　ago；　and　you　just　happen　to　be　thirteen　years　older。　You're　not　only　gonna　be　useless；　you're　gonna　be　a　positive　liability　unless　you　get　some　rest；　preferably　sleep。　Turn　off　the　lights　and　grab　some　sack　time　in　that　big　fancy　couch　in　the　living　room。　I'll　man　the　phones；　which　ain't　gonna　ring　'cause　nobody's　callin'　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃
　Cactus's　voice　had　faded　as　Jason　wandered　into　the　dark　living　room；　his　legs　heavy；　his　lids　falling　over　his　eyes　like　lead　weights。　He　dropped　to　the　couch；　swinging　his　legs　slowly；　with　effort；　one　at　a　time；　up　on　the　cushions；　he　stared　at　the　ceiling。　Rest　is　a　weapon；　battles　won　and　lost　。。。　Philippe　d'Anjou。　Medusa。　His　inner　screen　went　black　and　sleep　came。
　A　screaming；　pulsating　siren　erupted；　deafening；　incessant；　echoing　throughout　the　cavernous　house　like　a　sonic　tornado。　Bourne　spastically　whipped　his　body　around　and　sprang　off　the　couch；　at　first　disoriented；　unsure　of　where　he　was　and　for　a　terrible　moment　。。。　of　who　he　was。
　〃Cactus！〃　he　roared；　racing　out　of　the　ornate　living　room　into　the　hallway。　〃Cactus！〃　he　shouted　again；　hearing　his　voice　lost　in　the　rapid；　rhythmic　crescendos　of　the　siren…alarm。　〃Where　are　you？〃
　Nothing。　He　ran　to　the　door　of　the　study；　gripping　the　knob。　It　was　locked！　He　stepped　back　and　crashed　his　shoulder　against　it；　once；　twice；　a　third　time　with　all　the　speed　and　strength　he　could　summon。　The　door　splintered；　then　gave　way　and　Jason　hammered　his　foot　against　the　central　panel　until　it　collapsed；　he　went　inside　and　what　he　found　caused　the　killing　machine　that　was　the　product　of　Medusa　and　beyond　to　stare　in　ice…cold　fury。　Cactus　was　sprawled　over　the　desk；　under　the　light　of　the　single　lamp；　in　the　same　chair　that　had　held　the　murdered　general；　his　blood　forming　a　pool　of　red　on　the　blotter…a　corpse。　。。。　No；　not　a　corpse！　The　right　hand　moved；　Cactus　was　alive！
　Bourne　ran　to　the　desk　and　gently　raised　the　old　man's　head；　the　shrill；　deafening；　all…enpassing　alarm　making　munication…if　munication　were　possible…impossible。　Cactus　opened　his　dark　eyes；　his　trembling　right　hand　moving　down　the　blotter；　his　forefinger　curved　and　tapping　the　top　of　the　desk。
　〃What　is　it？〃　yelled　Jason。　The　hand　kept　moving　back　toward　the　edge　of　the　blotter；　the　tapping　more　rapid。　〃Below？　Underneath？〃　With　minuscule…nearly　imperceptible…motions　of　his　head；　Cactus　nodded　in　the　affirmative。　〃Under　the　desk！〃　shouted　Bourne；　beginning　to　understand。　He　knelt　down　to　the　right　of　Cactus　and　felt　under　the　thin　top　drawer；　then　to　the　side…　He　found　it！　A　button。　Again　gently；　he　moved　the　heavy　rolling　chair　inches　to　the　left　and　centered　his　eyes　on　the　button。　Beneath　it；　in　tiny　white　letters　on　a　black　plastic　strip；　was　the　answer。
　Aux。　Alarm
　Jason　pressed　the　button；　instantly　the　shrieking　pandemonium　was　cut　off。　The　ensuing　silence　was　nearly　as　deafening；　the　adjustment　to　it　nearly　as　terrifying。
　〃How　were　you　hit？〃　asked　Bourne。　〃How　long　ago？　。。。　If　you　can　talk；　just　whisper；　no　energy　at　all；　do　you　understand？〃
　〃Oh；　Br'er；　you're　too　much；〃　whispered　Cactus；　in　pain。　〃I　was　a　black　cabdriver　in　Washington；　man。　I've　been　here　before。　It　ain't　fatal；　boy；　I　gotta　slug　in　the　upper　chest。〃
　〃I'll　get　a　doctor　right　away…our　friend　Ivan；　incidentally…but　if　you　can；　tell　me　what　happened　while　I　move　you　to　the　floor　and　look　at　the　damage。〃　Jason　slowly；　carefully　lowered　the　old　man　off　the　chair　and　onto　the　throw　rug　beneath　the　bay　window。　He　tore　off　Cactus's　shirt；　the　bullet　had　gone　through　the　flesh　of　the　left　shoulder。　With　short；　swift　movements　Bourne　ripped　the　shirt　into　strips　and　tightly　wrapped　a　primitive　bandage　around　his　friend's　chest　and　between　the　underarm　and　the　shoulder。　〃It's　not　much；〃　said　Jason；　〃but　it'll　hold　you　for　a　while。　Go　on。〃
　〃He's　out　there；　Br'er！〃　Cactus　coughed　weakly；　lying　back　on　the　floor。　〃He's　got　a　big　mother　'fifty…seven　magnum　with　a　silencer；　he　pinned　me　through　the　window；　then　smashed　it　and　climbed　inside。　。。。　He…he　。。。〃
　〃Easy！　Don't　talk；　never　mind…〃
　〃I　gotta。　The　brothers　out　there；　they　ain't　got　no　hardware。　He'll　pick　'em　off！　。。。　I　played　deep　dead　and　he　was　in　a　hurry…oh；　was　he　in　a　hurry！　Look　over　there；　will　ya？〃　Jason　swung　his　head　in　the　direction　of　Cactus's　gesture。　A　dozen　or　so　books　had　been　yanked　out　of　a　shelf　on　the　side　wall　and　strewn　on　the　floor。　The　old　man　continued；　his　voice　growing　weaker。　〃He　went　over　to　the　bookcase　like　in　a　panic；　until　he　found　what　he　wanted　。。。　then　to　the　door；　that　'fifty…seven　ready　for　bear；　if　you　follow　me。　。。。　I　figured　it　was　you　he　was　after；　that　he'd　seen　you　through　the　window　go　out　to　the　other　room；　and　I　tell　ya；　I　was　workin'　my　right　knee　like　a　runnin'　muskrat　'cause　I　found　that　alarm　button　an　hour　ago　and　knew　I　had　to　stop　him…〃
　〃Easy！〃
　〃I　gotta　tell　you　。。。　I　couldn't　move　my　hands　'cause　he'd　see　me；　but　my　knee　hit　that　sucker　and　the　siren　damn　near　blew　me　out　of　the　chair。　。。。　The　honky　bastard　fell　apart。　He　slammed　the　door；　locked　it；　and　beat　his　way　out　of　here　back　through　the　window。〃　Cactus's　neck　arched　back；　the　pain　and　the　exhaustion　overtaking　him。　〃He's　out　there；　Br'er　Rabbit…〃
　〃That's　enough！〃　ordered　Bourne　as　he　cautiously　reached　up；　snapping　off　the　desk　lamp；　leaving　the　dim　light　from　the　hallway　through　the　shattered　door　as　the　only　illumination。　〃I'm　calling　Alex；　he　can　send　the　doctor…〃
　Suddenly；　from　somewhere　outside；　there　was　a　high…pitched　scream；　a　roar　of　shock　and　anguish　Jason　knew　only　too　well。　So　did　Cactus；　who　whispered；　his　eyes　shut　tight：　〃He　got　one。　That　fucker　got　one　of　the　brothers！〃
　〃I'm　reaching　Conklin；〃　said　Jason；　pulling　the　phone　off　of　the　desk。　〃Then　I'll　go　out　and　get　him。　。。。　Oh；　Christ！　The　line's　out…it's　been　cut！〃
　〃That　honky　knows　his　way　around　here。〃
　〃So　do　I；　Cactus。　Stay　as　quiet　as　you　can。　I'll　be　back　for　you…〃
　There　was　another　scream；　this　lower；　more　abrupt；　an　expulsion　of　breath　more　than　a　roar。
　〃May　sweet　Jesus　forgive　me；〃　muttered　the　old　black　man　painfully；　meaning　the　words。　〃There's　only　one　brother　left…〃
　〃If　anyone　should　ask　forgiveness；　it's　me；〃　cried　Bourne；　his　voice　guttural；　half　choking。　〃Goddamn　it！　I　swear　to　you；　Cactus；　I　never　thought；　never　even　considered；　that　anything　like　this　would　happen。〃
　〃　'Course　you　didn't。　I　know　you　from　back　to　the　old　days；　Br'er；　and　I　never　heard　of　you　asking　anyone　to　risk　anything　for　you。　。。。　It's　always　been　the　other　way　around。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　pull　you　over；〃　interrupted　Jason；　tugging　on　the　rug；　maneuvering　Cactus　to　the　right　side　of　the　desk；　the　old　man's　left　hand　close　enough　to　reach　the　auxiliary　alarm。　〃If　you　hear　anything　or　see　anything　or　feel　anything；　turn　on　the　siren。〃
　〃Where　are　you　going？　I　mean　how？〃
　〃Another　room。　Another　window。〃
　Bourne　crept　across　the　floor　to　the　mutilated　door；　lurched　through　it　and　ran　into　the　living　room。　At　the　far　end　was　a　pair　of　French　doors　that　led　to　an　outside　patio；　he　recalled　seeing　white　wrought…iron　lawn　furniture　on　the　south　end　of　the　house　when　he　was　with　the　guards。　He　twisted　the　knob　and　slipped　outside；　pulling　the　automatic　from　his　belt；　shutting　the　right　door；　and　crouching；　making　his　way　to　the　shrubbery　at　the　edge　of　the　grass。　He　had　to　move　quickly。　Not　only　was　there　a　third　life　in　the　balance；　a　third　unrelated；　unwarranted　death；　but　a　killer　who　could　be　his　shortcut　to　the　crimes　of　the　new　Medusa；　and　those　crimes　were　his　bait　for　the　Jackal！　A　diversion；　a　magnet；　a　trap　。。。　the　flares…part　of　the　equipment　he　had　brought　with　him　to　Manassas。　The　two　emergency　〃candles〃　were　in　his　left　rear　pocket；　each　six　inches　long　and　bright　enough　to　be　seen　for　miles；　ignited　together　yet　spaced　apart　they　would　light　up　Swayne's　property　like　two　searchlights。　One　in　the　south　drive；　the　other　by　the　kennels；　possibly　waking　the　drugged　dogs；　bewildering