rl.thebourneultimatum-第90章

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；　I　am　David！
　Stop　it。　Control。　Pull　back。
　The　telephone　rang；　he　grabbed　it　off　the　bedside　table。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Santos　wants　to　see　you。　With　peace　in　his　heart。〃
　
　24
　The　Emergency　Medical　Service　helicopter　was　lowered　into　its　threshold；　the　rotors　were　cut　and　the　blades　thumped　to　a　stop。　Following　EMS　procedure　when　disembarking　ambulatory　patients；　only　then　did　the　exit　door　open　and　the　metal　steps　slap　down　to　the　ground。　A　uniformed　paramedic　preceded　Panov；　turning　and　assisting　the　doctor　to　the　tarmac；　where　a　second　man　in　civilian　clothes　escorted　him　to　a　waiting　limousine。　Inside　were　Peter　Holland；　director　of　the　CIA；　and　Alex　Conklin；　the　latter　in　the　right　jump　seat；　obviously　for　conversational　purposes。　The　psychiatrist　climbed　in　beside　Holland；　he　took　several　deep　breaths；　sighed　audibly　and　fell　back　into　the　seat。
　〃I　am　a　maniac；〃　he　stated；　emphasizing　each　word。　〃Certifiably　insane　and　I'll　sign　the　papers　of　mitment　myself。〃
　〃You're　safe；　that's　all　that　matters；　Doctor；〃　said　Holland。　〃Good　to　see　you；　Crazy　Mo；〃　added　Conklin。
　〃Have　you　any　idea　what　I　did？　。。。　I　purposely　crashed　a　car　into　a　tree　with　me　in　it！　Then　after　walking　at　least　half　the　distance　to　the　Bronx；　I　was　picked　up　by　the　only　person　I　know　who　may　have　more　loose　bananas　in　her　head　than　I　do。　Her　libido　is　unhinged　and　she's　running　away　from　her　trucker　husband…hot　on　her　French　heels…who　I　subsequently　learned　has　the　cuddly　name　of　the　Bronk。　My　hooker　chauffeur　proceeds　to　hold　me　hostage　with　such　wiles　as　threatening　to　yell　'Rape！'　in　a　diner　filled　with　a　collection　of　the　NFL's　most　carnivorous　linebackers…except　for　one　who　got　me　out。〃　Panov　abruptly　stopped　and　reached　into　his　pocket。　〃Here；〃　he　continued；　thrusting　the　five　driver's　licenses　and　the　roughly　six　thousand　dollars　into　Conklin's　hands。
　〃What's　this？〃　asked　the　bewildered　Alex。
　〃I　robbed　a　bank　and　decided　to　bee　a　professional　driver！　。。。　What　do　you　think　it　is？　I　took　it　from　the　man　who　was　guarding　me。　I　described　as　best　I　could　to　the　chopper's　crew　where　the　crash　took　place。　They're　flying　back　to　find　him。　They　will；　he's　not　walking　anywhere。〃
　Peter　Holland　reached　for　the　limousine's　telephone；　pushing　three　buttons。　In　less　than　two　seconds；　he　spoke。　〃Get　word　to　EMS…Arlington；　Equipment　Fifty…seven。　The　man　they're　picking　up　is　to　be　brought　directly　to　Langley。　To　the　infirmary。　And　keep　me　informed　as　to　their　progress。　。。。　Sorry；　Doctor。　Go　on。〃
　〃Go　on？　What's　to　go　on　to？　I　was　kidnapped　and　held　in　some　farmhouse　and　injected　with　enough　sodium　pentothal；　if　I'm　not　mistaken；　to　make　me　a　resident　of…of　La　La　Land；　which　I　was　recently　accused　of　being　by　Madame　Scylla　Charybdis。〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃　said　Holland　flatly。　〃Nothing；　Admiral；　or　Mr。　Director　or…〃
　〃Peter's　fine；　Mo；〃　pleted　Holland。　〃I　simply　didn't　understand　you。〃
　〃There's　nothing　to　understand　but　the　facts。　My　allusions　are　pulsive　attempts　at　false　erudition。　It's　called　posttraumatic　stress。〃
　〃Of　course；　now　you're　perfectly　clear。〃
　Panov　turned　to　the　DCI　with　a　nervous　smile。　〃It's　my　turn　to　be　sorry；　Peter。　I'm　still　wound　up。　This　last　day　or　so　hasn't　exactly　been　representative　of　my　normal　life…style。〃
　〃I　don't　think　it's　anybody's；〃　concurred　Holland。　〃I've　seen　my　share　of　rotten　stuff；　but　nothing　like　this；　nothing　that　tampers　with　the　mind。　I　missed　all　that。〃
　〃There's　no　hurry；　Mo；〃　added　Conklin。　〃Don't　press　yourself；　you've　taken　a　lot　of　punishment。　If　you　like；　we　can　postpone　the　briefing　for　a　few　hours　so　you　can　rest；　calm　down。〃
　〃Don't　be　a　damn　fool；　Alex！〃　protested　the　psychiatrist　sharply。　〃For　the　second　time　I've　put　David's　life　in　jeopardy。　The　knowledge　of　that　is　far　worse　punishment。　There's　not　a　minute　to　lose。　。。。　Forget　Langley；　Peter。　Take　me　to　one　of　your　clinics。　Free…floating；　I　want　to　get　out　everything　I　can　recall；　consciously　or　unconsciously。　Hurry。　I'll　tell　the　doctors　what　to　do。〃
　〃You've　got　to　be　joking；〃　said　Holland；　staring　at　Panov。
　〃I'm　not　joking　for　an　instant。　You　both　have　to　know　what　I　know…whether　I　realize　I　know　it　or　not。　Can't　you　understand　that？〃
　The　director　again　reached　for　the　telephone　and　pressed　a　single　button。　In　the　front　seat；　beyond　the　glass　partition；　the　driver　picked　up　the　phone　recessed　in　the　seat　beside　him。　〃There's　been　a　change　of　plans；〃　said　Holland。　〃Head　for　Sterile　Five。〃
　The　limousine　slowed　down；　and　at　the　next　intersection　turned　right　toward　the　rolling　hills　and　verdant　fields　of　the　Virginia　hunt　country。　Morris　Panov　closed　his　eyes；　as　if　in　a　trance　or　as　a　man　might　do　facing　some　appalling　ordeal…his　own　execution　perhaps。　Alex　looked　at　Peter　Holland；　they　both　glanced　at　Mo；　then　back　at　each　other。　Whatever　Panov　was　doing；　there　was　a　reason　for　it。　Until　they　reached　the　gates　of　the　estate　that　was　Sterile　House　Five　thirty　minutes　later；　no　one　spoke。
　〃DCI　and　pany；〃　announced　the　driver　to　the　guard　wearing　the　uniform　of　a　private　security　firm；　in　reality　a　CIA　proprietary。　The　limousine　proceeded　down　the　long　tree…lined　entrance。
　〃Thanks；〃　said　Mo；　opening　his　eyes　and　blinking。　〃As　I'm　sure　you　gathered；　I'm　trying　to　clear　my　head　and　with　any　luck　bring　down　my　blood　pressure。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　do　this；〃　insisted　Holland。
　〃Yes；　I　do；〃　said　Panov。　〃Maybe　with　time　I　could　piece　things　together　with　a　degree　of　clarity；　but　I　can't　now　and　we　don't　have　the　time。〃　Mo　turned　to　Conklin。　〃How　much　can　you　tell　me？〃
　〃Peter　knows　everything。　For　the　sake　of　that　blood　pressure　of　yours；　I　won't　fill　you　in　on　all　the　details；　but　the　bottom　line　is　that　David's　all　right。　At　least　we　haven't　heard　otherwise。〃
　〃Marie？　The　children？〃
　〃On　the　island；〃　replied　Alex；　avoiding　Holland's　eyes。
　〃What　about　this　Sterile　Five？〃　asked　Panov；　now　looking　at　Holland。　〃I　assume　there's　a　specialist；　or　specialists；　the　kind　I　need。〃
　〃In　relays　and　around　the　clock。　You　probably　know　a　few　of　them。〃
　〃I'd　rather　not。〃　The　long　dark　vehicle　swung　around　the　circular　drive　and　stopped　in　front　of　the　stone　steps　of　the　pillared　Georgian　mansion　that　was　the　focal　point　of　the　estate。　〃Let's　go；〃　said　Mo　quietly；　stepping　outside。
　The　sculptured　white　doors；　the　rose…colored　marble　floors　and　the　elegant　winding　staircase　in　the　great　hall　all　bined　to　furnish　a　superb　cover　for　the　work　done　at　Sterile　Five。　Defectors；　double　and　triple　agents；　and　field　officers　returned　from　plex　assignments　for　rest　and　debriefing　were　continuously　processed　through　its　various　agendas。　The　staff；　each　with　a　Four　Zero　clearance；　consisted　of　two　doctors　and　three　nurses　in　relay　units；　cooks　and　domestic　attendants　recruited　from　the　foreign　service…in　the　main；　overseas　embassies…and　guards；　all　with　Ranger　training　or　its　equivalent。　They　moved　about　the　house　and　grounds　unobtrusively；　eyes　constantly　alert；　each　with　either　a　concealed　or　an　unconcealed　weapon；　except　for　the　medical　personnel。　Visitors　without　exception　were　given　small　lapel　pins　by　the　well…spoken；　dark…suited　house　steward；　who　admitted　them　and　directed　them　to　the　locations　of　their　scheduled　appointments。　The　man　was　a　retired　gray…haired　interpreter　for　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency；　but　he　suited　his　position　so　well　in　appearance　he　might　have　e　from　Central　Casting。
　Naturally；　at　the　sight　of　Peter　Holland；　the　steward　was　astonished。　He　prided　himself　on　mitting　to　memory　every　schedule　at　Sterile　Five。　〃A　surprise　visit；　sir？〃
　〃Good　to　see　you；　Frank。〃　The　DCI　shook　hands　with　the　former　interpreter。　〃You　may　remember　Alex　Conklin…〃
　〃Good　Lord；　is　that　you；　Alex？　It's　been　years！〃　Again　hands　were　shaken。　〃When　was　the　last　time？　。。。　That　crazy　woman　from　Warsaw；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃The　KGB's　been　chuckling　ever　since；〃　laughed　Conklin。　〃The　only　secret　she　had　was　the　recipe　for　the　worst　golumpki　I've　ever　tasted。　。。。　Still　keeping　your　hand　in；　Frank？〃
　〃Every　now　and　then；〃　replied　the　steward；　grimacing　in　mock　disapproval。　〃These　young　translators　don't　know　a　quiche　from　a　kluski。〃
　〃Since　I　don't　either；〃　said　Holland；　〃may　I　have　a　word　with　you