rl.thebourneultimatum-第69章

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　〃Actually；　he's　a　cold　fish　but　a　hell　of　a　doctor。　That's　the　most　human　I've　ever　seen　him。　。。。　So　you　figure　the　Jackal　had　the　Crown　governor　meet　him　somewhere　off　the　Antigua　coast；　got　the　CG's　information；　killed　him；　and　fed　him　to　the　sharks。〃
　〃Conveniently　foundering　the　boat　in　reef　waters；〃　pleted　Jason。　〃Perhaps　opening　the　throttle　and　setting　a　short　high…speed　course　into　the　shoals。　A　tragedy　at　sea　and　a　link　to　Carlos　vanishes…that's　vital　to　him。〃
　〃That's　also　something　I　have　trouble　with；〃　said　St。　Jacques。　〃I　didn't　go　into　it；　but　the　section　of　reef　north　of　Falmouth　where　he　bought　it　is　called　Devil's　Mouth；　and　it's　not　the　kind　of　place　that's　advertised。　Charters　just　stay　away　from　it；　and　no　one　boasts　about　the　number　of　lives　and　boats　it's　claimed。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃So　assuming　the　Jackal　told　the　CG　where　to　rendezvous；　someplace　obviously　close　to　Devil's　Mouth；　how　the　hell　did　the　Jackal　know　about　it？〃
　〃Your　two　mandos　didn't　tell　you？〃
　〃Tell　me　what？　I　sent　them　right　over　to　Henry　to　give　him　a　full　report　while　we　took　care　of　you。　There　wasn't　time　to　sit　down　and　talk　and　I　figured　every　moment　counted。〃
　〃Then　Henry　knows　by　now；　he's　probably　in　shock。　He's　lost　two　drug　boats　in　two　days；　and　only　one　is　likely　to　be　paid　for；　and　he　still　doesn't　know　about　his　boss；　the　so　honorable　Crown　governor；　lackey　of　the　Jackal　who　made　fools　of　the　Foreign　Office　by　passing　off　a　small…time　Paris　hit　man　as　a　venerable　hero　of　France。　The　wires　will　be　burning　all　night　between　Government　House　and　Whitehall。〃
　〃Another　drug　boat？　What　are　you　trying　to　tell　me？　What　does　Henry　know　now…what　could　my　guards　tell　him？〃
　〃Your　question　a　minute　ago　was　how　did　the　Jackal　know　about　the　reef　off　the　coast　of　Antigua　called　Devil's　Mouth。〃
　〃Take　my　word　for　it；　Doctor　Webb；　I　remember　the　question。　How　could　he？〃
　〃Because　he　had　a　third　man　here；　that's　what　your　Royal　mandos　have　told　Henry　by　now。　A　blond…haired　son　of　a　bitch　who　heads　up　Montserrat's　drug　patrols。〃
　〃Him？　Rickman？　The　one…man　British　Ku　Klux　Klan？　By…the…Rules…Rickman；　scourge　of　anybody　who's　afraid　to　yell　back　at　him？　Holy　Christ；　Henry　won't　believe　it！〃
　〃Why　not？　You　just　described　a　likely　disciple　of　Carlos。〃
　〃I　suppose　I　did；　but　it　seems　so　unlikely。　He's　the　original　sanctimonious　deacon。　Prayer　meetings　before　work　in　the　morning；　calling　on　God　to　aid　him　in　his　battle　against　Satan；　no　alcohol；　no　women…〃
　〃Savonarola？〃
　〃I'd　say　that　fits…from　what　I　remember　reading　for　history　courses。〃
　〃Then　I'd　say　he's　prime　meat　for　the　Jackal。　And　Henry　will　believe　it　when　his　lead　boat　doesn't　e　back　to　Plymouth　and　the　bodies　of　the　crew　float　up　on　shore　or　simply　don't　show　up　for　the　prayer　meetings。〃
　〃That's　how　Carlos　got　away？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Bourne　nodded　and　gestured　at　the　couch　several　feet　in　front　of　him；　the　space　between　taken　up　by　a　glass…topped　coffee　table。　〃Sit　down；　Johnny。　We　have　to　talk。〃
　〃What　have　we　been　doing？〃
　〃Not　about　what　has　happened；　Bro；　but　about　what's　going　to　happen。〃
　〃What's　going　to　happen？〃　asked　St。　Jacques；　lowering　himself　on　the　couch。
　〃I'm　leaving。〃
　〃No！〃　cried　the　younger　man；　shooting　to　his　feet　as　if　propelled　by　a　bolt　of　electricity。　〃You　can't！〃
　〃I　have　to。　He　knows　our　names；　where　we　live。　Everything。〃
　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　〃Paris。〃
　〃Goddamn　it；　no！　You　can't　do　that　to　Marie！　Or　to　the　kids；　for　Christ's　sake。　I　won't　let　you！〃
　〃You　can't　stop　me。〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　David；　listen　to　me！　If　Washington's　too　cheap　or　doesn't　give　a　shit；　believe　me；　Ottawa's　cut　from　better　stock。　My　sister　worked　for　the　government　and　our　government　doesn't　kiss　people　off　because　it's　inconvenient　or　too　expensive。　I　know　people…like　Scotty；　the　Doc　and　others。　A　few　words　from　them　and　you'll　be　put　in　a　fortress　in　Calgary。　No　one　could　touch　you！〃
　〃You　think　my　government　wouldn't　do　the　same？　Let　me　tell　you　something；　Bro；　there　are　people　in　Washington　who've　put　their　lives　on　the　line　to　keep　Marie　and　the　children　and　me　alive。　Selflessly；　without　any　reward　for　themselves　or　the　government。　If　I　wanted　a　safe　house　where　no　one　could　touch　us；　I'd　probably　get　an　estate　in　Virginia；　with　horses　and　servants　and　a　full　platoon　of　armed　soldiers　protecting　us　around　the　clock。〃
　〃Then　that's　the　answer。　Take　it！〃
　〃To　what　end；　Johnny？　To　live　in　our　own　personal　prison？　The　kids　not　allowed　to　go　over　to　friends'　houses；　guards　with　them　if　they　go　to　school　and　not　tutored　by　themselves；　no　over　nights；　no　pillow　fights…no　neighbors？　Marie　and　I　staring　at　each　other；　glancing　over　at　the　searchlights　outside　the　windows；　hearing　the　footsteps　of　the　guards；　the　occasional　cough　or　sneeze；　or；　heaven　forbid；　the　crack　of　a　rifle　bolt　because　a　rabbit　disturbed　a　garden？　That's　not　living；　that's　imprisonment。　Your　sister　and　I　couldn't　handle　it。〃
　〃Neither　could　I；　not　the　way　you　describe　it。　But　what　can　Paris　solve？〃
　〃I　can　find　him。　I　can　take　him。〃
　〃He's　got　the　manpower　over　there。〃
　〃I've　got　Jason　Bourne；〃　said　David　Webb。
　〃I　don't　buy　that　crap！〃
　〃Neither　do　I；　but　it　seems　to　work。　。。。　I'm　calling　in　your　debt　to　me；　Johnny。　Cover　for　me。　Tell　Marie　I'm　fine；　not　hurt　at　all；　and　that　I've　got　a　lead　on　the　Jackal　that　only　old　Fontaine　could　have　provided…which　is　the　truth；　actually。　A　café　in　Argenteuil　called　Le　Coeur　du　Soldat。　Tell　her　I'm　bringing　in　Alex　Conklin　and　all　the　help　Washington　can　provide。〃
　〃But　you're　not；　are　you？〃
　〃No。　The　Jackal　would　hear　about　it；　he's　got　ears　up　and　down　the　Quai　d'Orsay。　Solo's　the　only　way。〃
　〃Don't　you　think　she'll　know　that？〃
　〃She'll　suspect　it；　but　she　can't　be　certain。　I'll　have　Alex　call　her；　confirming　that　he's　in　touch　with　all　the　heavy　covert　firepower　in　Paris。　But　first　it　es　from　you。〃
　〃Why　the　lie？〃
　〃You　shouldn't　have　to　ask　that；　Bro。　I've　put　her　through　enough。〃
　〃All　right；　I'll　tell　her；　but　she　won't　believe　me。　She'll　see　right　through　me；　she　always　has。　Since　I　was　a　kid；　those　big　brown　eyes　would　look　into　mine；　most　of　the　time　pissed　off；　but　not　like　our　brothers'；　not…oh；　I　don't　know…not　with　that　disgust　in　their　faces　because　the　'kid'　was　a　screwup。　Can　you　understand　that？〃
　〃It's　called　caring。　She's　always　cared　for　you…even　when　you　were　a　screwup。〃
　〃Yeah；　Mare's　okay。〃
　〃Somewhat　more　than　that；　I　think。　Call　her　in　a　couple　of　hours　and　bring　them　back　here。　It's　the　safest　place　they　can　be。
　〃What　about　you？　How　are　you　going　to　get　to　Paris？　The　connections　out　of　Antigua　and　Martinique　are　lousy；　sometimes　booked　days　in　advance。〃
　〃I　can't　use　those　airlines　anyway。　I've　got　to　get　in　secretly　under　a　shroud。　Somehow；　a　man　in　Washington　will　have　to　figure　it　out。　Somehow。　He's　got　to。〃
　Alexander　Conklin　limped　out　of　the　small　kitchen　in　the　CIA's　Vienna　apartment；　his　face　and　hair　soaking　wet。　In　the　old　days；　before　the　old　days　fell　into　a　distillery　vat；　he　would　calmly　leave　the　office…wherever　it　was…when　things　got　too　heavy　too　fast　and　indulge　himself　in　an　unwavering　ritual。　He　would　seek　out　the　best　steak　house…again；　wherever　he　was…have　two　dry　martinis　and　a　thick　rare　slab　of　meat　with　the　greasiest　potatoes　on　the　menu。　The　bination　of　the　solitude；　the　limited　intake　of　alcohol；　the　blood…rare　hunk　of　beef　and；　in　particular；　the　grease…laden　potatoes；　had　such　a　calming　effect　on　him　that　all　the　rushing；　conflicting　plexities　of　the　hectic　day　sorted　themselves　out　and　reason　prevailed。　He　would　return　to　his　office…whether　a　smart　flat　in　London's　Belgravia　Square　or　the　back　rooms　of　a　whorehouse　in　Katmandu…with　multiple　solutions。　It　was　how　he　got　the　sobriquet　of　Saint　Alex　of　Conklin。　He　had　once　mentioned　this　gastronomical　phenomenon　to　Mo　Panov；　who　had　a　succinct　reply：　〃If　your　crazy　head　doesn't　kill　you；　your　stomach　will。〃
　These　days；　however；　with　postalcoholic　vacuum　and　various　other　impediments；　such　as　high　cholesterol　and　dumb　little　triglycerides；　whatever　the　hell　they　were；　he　had　to　e　up　with　a　different　solution。　It　came　about　by　accident。　One　morning　during　the　Iran…contra　hearings；　which　he