rl.thebourneultimatum-第157部分

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w　you　got　him　over　here　in　the　first　place。〃
　〃You're　cryptic；　my　fine　old　enemy。　To　what　purpose　should　I　entertain　your　suggestion？〃
　〃No　World　Court　embarrassments；　no　charges　of　harboring　an　American　accused　of　international　crimes。　。。。　You　win　the　stakes　in　Europe。　You　take　over　the　Medusa　operation　with　no　plications…in　the　person　of　one　Dimitri　Krupkin；　a　proven　sophisticate　from　the　cosmopolitan　world　of　Paris。　Who　better　to　guide　the　enterprise？　。。。　The　newest　hero　of　the　Soviet；　a　member　of　the　inner　economic　council　of　the　Presidium。　Forget　the　lousy　house　in　Geneva；　Kruppie；　how　about　a　mansion　on　the　Black　Sea？〃
　〃It　is　a　most　intelligent　and　attractive　offer；　I　grant　you；〃　said　Krupkin。　〃I　know　two　or　three　men　on　the　Central　mittee　whom　I　can　reach　in　a　matter　of　minutes…everything　confidential；　of　course。〃
　〃Nyet；　nyet！〃　shouted　the　KGB　missar；　slamming　his　fist　down　on　Dimitri's　table。　〃I　understand　some…you　talk　too　fast…but　all　is　lunatic！〃
　〃Oh；　for　God's　sake；　shut　up！〃　roared　Krupkin。　〃We're　discussing　things　far　beyond　your　grasp！〃
　〃Shto？〃　Like　a　young　child　reprimanded　by　an　adult；　the　Komitet　officer；　his　puffed　eyes　widened；　was　both　astonished　and　frightened　by　his　subordinate's　inprehensible　rebuke。
　〃Give　my　friend　his　chance；　Kruppie；〃　said　Alex。　〃He's　the　best　there　is　and　he　may　bring　you　the　Jackal。〃
　〃He　may　also　bring　about　his　own　death；　Aleksei。〃
　〃He's　been　there　before。　I　believe　in　him。〃
　〃Belief；〃　whispered　Krupkin；　his　own　eyes　now　on　the　ceiling。　〃Such　a　luxury　it　is。　。。。　Very　well；　the　order　will　be　issued　secretly；　its　origins　untraceable；　of　course。　You'll　enter　your　own　American　pound。　It's　the　one　least　understood。〃
　〃How　fast　can　I　get　there？〃　asked　Bourne。　〃There's　a　lot　I　have　to　put　together。〃
　〃We　have　an　airport　in　Vnokova　under　our　control；　no　more　than　an　hour　away。　First；　I　must　make　arrangements。　Hand　me　a　telephone。　。。。　You；　my　imbecilic　missar！　I　will　hear　no　more　from　you！　A　telefone！〃　The　once　all…powerful；　now　subdued　superior；　who　had　really　understood　only　such　words　as　〃Presidium〃　and　〃Central　mittee；〃　moved　with　alacrity；　bringing　an　extension　phone　to　Krupkin's　table。
　〃One　more　thing；〃　said　Bourne。　〃Have　Tass　put　out　an　immediate　bulletin　with　heavy　coverage　in　the　newspapers；　radio　and　television　that　the　assassin　known　as　Jason　Bourne　died　of　wounds　here　in　Moscow。　Make　the　details　sketchy　but　have　them　parallel　what　happened　here　this　morning。〃
　〃That's　not　difficult。　Tass　is　an　obedient　instrument　of　the　state。〃
　〃I　haven't　finished；〃　continued　Jason。　〃I　want　you　to　include　in　those　sketchy　details　that　among　the　personal　effects　found　on　Bourne's　body　was　a　road　map　of　Brussels　and　its　environs。　The　town　of　Anderlecht　was　circled　in　red…that　has　to　appear。〃
　〃The　assassination　of　the　supreme　mander　of　NATO…very　good；　very　convincing。　However；　Mr。　Bourne　or　Webb　or　whatever　your　name　may　be；　you　should　know　that　this　story　will　splash　across　the　world　like　a　giant　tidal　wave。〃
　〃I　understand　that。〃
　〃Are　you　prepared　for　it？〃
　〃Yes；　I　am。〃
　〃What　about　your　wife？　Don't　you　think　you　should　reach　her　first；　before　the　civilized　world　learns　that　Jason　Bourne　is　dead？〃
　〃No。　I　don't　even　want　the　slightest　risk　of　a　leak。〃
　〃Jesus！〃　exploded　Alex；　coughing。　〃That's　Marie　you're　talking　about。　She'll　fall　apart！〃
　〃It's　a　risk　I'll　accept；〃　said　Delta　coldly。
　〃You　son　of　a　bitch！〃
　〃So　be　it；〃　agreed　the　Chameleon。
　John　St。　Jacques；　tears　welling　in　his　eyes；　walked　into　the　bright；　sunlit　room　at　the　sterile　house　in　the　Maryland　countryside；　in　his　hand　was　a　page　of　puter　printout。　His　sister　was　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　couch　playing　with　an　exuberant　Jamie；　she　having　put　the　infant　Alison　back　into　the　crib　upstairs。　She　looked　worn　and　haggard；　her　face　pale　with　dark　circles　under　her　eyes；　she　was　exhausted　from　the　tension　and　the　jet　lag　of　the　long；　idiotically　routed　flights　from　Paris　to　Washington。　In　spite　of　arriving　late　last　night；　she　had　gotten　up　early　to　be　with　the　children…no　amount　of　friendly　persuasion　on　the　part　of　the　motherly　Mrs。　Cooper　could　dissuade　her　from　doing　so。　The　brother　would　have　given　years　of　his　life　not　to　do　what　had　to　be　done　during　the　next　few　minutes；　but　he　could　not　risk　the　alternatives。　He　had　to　be　with　her　when　she　found　out。
　〃Jamie；〃　said　St。　Jacques　gently。　〃Go　find　Mrs。　Cooper；　will　you　please？　I　think　she's　in　the　kitchen。〃
　〃Why；　Uncle　John？〃
　〃I　want　to　talk　to　your　mother　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　〃Johnny；　please；〃　objected　Marie。
　〃I　have　to；　Sis。〃
　〃What　。。。　？〃
　The　child　left；　and　as　children　often　do；　he　obviously　sensed　something　serious　that　was　beyond　his　understanding；　he　stared　at　his　uncle　before　heading　to　the　door。　Marie　got　to　her　feet　and　looked　hard　at　her　brother；　at　the　tears　that　began　to　roll　down　his　cheeks。　The　terrible　message　was　conveyed。　〃No　。。。　！〃　she　whispered；　her　pallid　face　growing　paler。　〃Dear　God；　no；　she　cried；　her　hands　and　then　her　shoulders　starting　to　tremble。　〃No　。。。　no！〃　she　roared。
　〃He's　gone；　Sis。　I　wanted　you　to　hear　it　from　me；　not　over　a　radio　or　a　TV　set。　I　want　to　be　with　you。〃
　〃You're　wrong；　wrong！〃　screamed　Marie；　rushing　toward　him；　grabbing　his　shirt　and　clenching　the　fabric　in　her　fists。　〃He's　protected！　。。。　He　promised　me　he　was　protected！〃
　〃This　just　came　from　Langley；〃　said　the　younger　brother；　holding　up　the　page　of　puter　printout。　〃Holland　called　me　a　few　minutes　ago　and　said　it　was　on　its　way　over。　He　knew　you　had　to　see　it。　It　was　picked　up　from　Radio　Moscow　during　the　night　and　will　be　on　all　the　broadcasts　and　in　the　morning　papers。〃
　〃Give　it　to　me！〃　she　shouted　defiantly。　He　did　so　and　gently　held　her　shoulders；　prepared　to　take　her　in　his　arms　and　give　what　fort　he　could。　She　read　the　copy　rapidly；　then　shook　off　his　hands；　frowning；　and　walked　back　to　the　couch　and　sat　down。　Her　concentration　was　absolute；　she　placed　the　paper　on　the　coffee　table　and　studied　it　as　though　it　were　an　archaeological　find；　a　scroll　perhaps。
　〃He's　gone；　Marie。　I　don't　know　what　to　say…you　know　how　I　felt　about　him。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know；　Johnny。〃　Then　to　St。　Jacques's　astonishment；　his　sister　looked　up　at　him；　a　thin；　wan　smile　appearing　on　her　lips。　〃But　it's　a　little　early　for　our　tears；　Bro。　He's　alive。
　Jason　Bourne's　alive　and　up　to　his　tricks　and　that　means　David's　alive；　too。〃
　My　God；　she　can't　accept　it；　thought　the　brother；　walking　to　the　couch　and　kneeling　beside　the　coffee　table　in　front　of　Marie；　taking　her　hands　in　his。　〃Sis；　honey；　I　don't　think　you　understand。　I'll　do　everything　possible　to　help　you；　but　you've　got　to　understand。〃
　〃Bro；　you're　very　sweet　but　you　haven't　read　this　closely…really　closely。　The　impact　of　the　message　detracts　from　the　subtext。　In　economics　we　call　it　obfuscation　with　a　cloud　of　smoke　and　a　couple　of　mirrors。〃
　〃Huh？〃　St。　Jacques　released　her　hands　and　stood　up。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　Marie　picked　up　the　Langley　muniqué　and　scanned　it。　〃After　several　confused；　even　contradictory；　accounts　of　what　happened；〃　she　said；　〃described　by　people　on　the　scene　at　this　armory；　or　whatever　it　is；　the　following　is　buried　in　the　last　paragraph。　'Among　the　personal　effects　found　on　the　slain　assassin's　body　was　a　map　of　Brussels　and　the　surrounding　area　with　the　town　of　Anderlecht　circled　in　red。'　Then　it　goes　on　to　make　the　obvious　connection　with　Teagarten's　assassination。　It's　a　wash；　Johnny；　from　two　points　of　view。　。。。　First；　David　would　never　carry　such　a　map。　Second；　and　far　more　telling；　the　fact　that　the　Soviet　media　would　give　such　prominence　to　the　story　is　unbelievable　enough；　but　to　include　the　assassination　of　General　Teagarten　is　simply　too　much。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？　Why？〃
　〃Because　the　presumed　assassin　was　in　Russia；　and　Moscow　wants　no　conceivable　linkage　to　the　killing　of　a　NATO　mander。　。。。　No；　Bro；　someone　bent　the　rules　and　persuaded　Tass　to　put　out　the　story；　and　I　suspect　heads　will　roll。　I　don't　know　where　Jason　Bourne　is；　but　I　know　he's　not　dead。　David　made　sure　I'd　know　that。〃
　Peter　Holland　picked　up　the　phone　and　touched　the　buttons　on　his　console　for　Charles　Casset's　private　line。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Ch