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o talk and I want you calm。 I look at your eyes and they tell me you're on fire。〃
〃You once told me that it's always in the eyes；〃 said Webb； opening the purplish shutters and reaching for a bottle。 〃You can still see it； can't you？〃
〃I told you it was behind the eyes。 Never accept the first level。 。。。 How are Marie and the children？ I assume they got off all right。〃
〃I went over the flight plan ad nauseam with the pilot and knew they were all right when he finally told me to get off his case or fly the run myself。〃 Webb poured a drink and walked back to the chair opposite the retired agent。 〃Where are we； Alex？〃 he asked； sitting down。
〃Right where we were last night。 Nothing's moved and nothing's changed； except that Mo refuses to leave his patients。 He was picked up this morning at his apartment； which is now as secure as Fort Knox； and driven to his office under guard。 He'll be brought here later this afternoon with four changes of vehicles； all made in underground parking lots。〃
〃Then it's open protection； no one's hiding any longer？〃
〃That'd be pointless。 We sprung a trap at the Smithsonian and our men were very obvious。〃
〃It's why it might work； isn't it？ The unexpected？ Backups behind a protection unit told to make mistakes。〃
〃The unexpected works； David； not the dumb。〃 Conklin quickly shook his head。 〃I take that back。 Bourne could turn the dumbs into smarts； but not an officially mounted surveillance detail。 There are too many plications。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃As good as those men are； they're primarily concerned with guarding lives； maybe saving them； they also have to coordinate with each other and make reports。 They're career people； not one…shot； prepaid lowlife with an assassin's knife at their throats if they screw up。〃
〃That sounds so melodramatic；〃 said Webb softly； leaning back in the chair and drinking。 〃I guess I did operate like that； didn't I？〃
〃It was more image than reality； but it was real to the people you used。〃
〃Then I'll find those people again； use them again。〃 David shot forward； gripping his glass in both hands。 〃He's forcing me out； Alex！ The Jackal's calling my cards and I have to show。〃
〃Oh； shut up；〃 said Conklin irritably。 〃Now you're the one who's being melodramatic。 You sound like a grade…Z Western。 You show yourself； Marie's a widow and the kids have no father。 That's reality； David。〃
〃You're wrong。〃 Webb shook his head； staring at his glass。 〃He's ing after me； so I have to go after him； he's trying to pull me out； so I have to pull him out first。 It's the only way it can happen； the only way we'll get him out of our lives。 In the final analysis it's Carlos against Bourne。 We're back where we were thirteen years ago。 'Alpha； Bravo； Cain； Delta 。。。 Cain is for Carlos and Delta is for Cain。' 〃
〃That was a crazy Paris code thirteen years ago！〃 interrupted Alex sharply。 〃Medusa's Delta and his mighty challenge to the Jackal。 But this isn't Paris and it's thirteen years later！〃
〃And in five more years it'll be eighteen； five years after that； twenty…three。 What the hell do you want me to do？ Live with the specter of that son of a bitch over my family； frightened every time my wife or my children leave the house； living in fear for the rest of my life？ 。。。 No； you shut up； field man！ You know better than that。 The analysts can e up with a dozen strategies and we'll use bits and pieces of maybe six and be grateful； but when it gets down to the mud； it's between the Jackal and me。 。。。 And I've got the advantage。 I've got you on my side。〃
Conklin swallowed while blinking。 〃That's very flattering； David； maybe too flattering。 I'm better in my own element； a couple of thousand miles away from Washington。 It was always a little stifling for me here。〃
〃It wasn't when you saw me off on that plane to Hong Kong five years ago。 You'd put together half the equation by then。〃
〃That was easier。 It was a down…and…dirty D。C。 operation that had the smell of rotten halibut； so rotten it offended my nostrils。 This is different； this is Carlos。〃
〃That's my point； Alex。 It is Carlos； not a voice over the telephone neither of us knew。 We're dealing with a known quantity； someone predictable…〃
〃Predictable？〃 broke in Conklin； frowning。 〃That's also crazy。 In what way？〃
〃He's the hunter。 He'll follow a scent。〃
〃He'll examine it first with a very experienced nose； then check the spoors under a microscope。〃
〃Then we'll have to be authentic； won't we？〃
〃I prefer foolproof。 What did you have in mind？〃
〃In the gospel according to Saint Alex； it's written that in order to bait a trap one has to use a large part of the truth； even a dangerous amount。〃
〃That chapter and verse referred to a target's microscope。 I think I just mentioned it。 What's the relevance here？〃
〃Medusa；〃 said Webb quietly。 〃I want to use Medusa。〃
〃Now you're out of your mind；〃 responded Conklin； no louder than David。 〃That name is as off…limits as you are…let's be honest； a hell of a lot more so。〃
〃There were rumors； Alex； stories all over Southeast Asia that floated up the China Sea to Kowloon and Hong Kong； where most of those bastards ran with their money。 Medusa wasn't exactly the secret evil you seem to think it was。〃
〃Rumors； yes； and stories； of course；〃 interrupted the retired intelligence officer。 〃Which of those animals didn't put a gun or a knife to the heads of a dozen or two dozen or two hundred marks during their so…called 'tours'？ Ninety percent were killers and thieves； the original death squads。 Peter Holland said that when he was a SEAL in the northern operations he never met a member of that outfit he didn't want to waste。〃
〃And without them； instead of fifty…eight thousand casualties； there could well have been sixty…plus。 Give the animals their due； Alex。 They knew every inch of the territories； every square foot of jungle in the triangle。 They…we…sent back more functional intelligence than all the units sent out by Saigon put together。〃
〃My point； David； is that there can never be any connection between Medusa and the United States government。 Our involvement was never logged； much less acknowledged； the name itself was concealed as much as possible。 There's no statute of limitations on war crimes； and Medusa was officially determined to be a private organization； a collection of violent misfits who wanted the corrupt Southeast Asia back the way they knew it and used it。 If it was ever established that Washington was behind Medusa； the reputation of some very important people in the White House and the State Department would be ruined。 They're global power brokers now； but twenty years ago they were hotheaded junior staffers in mand Saigon。 。。。 We can live with questionable tactics in time of war； but not with being acplices in the slaughter of nonbatants and the diversion of funds totaling millions； both unknowingly paid for by the taxpayers。 It's like those still…sealed archives that detail how so many of our fat…cat financiers bankrolled the Nazis。 Some things we never want out of their black holes； and Medusa's one of them。〃
Webb again leaned back in the chair…now； however； taut； his eyes steady on his old friend； who was on