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Webb again leaned back in the chair…now； however； taut； his eyes steady on his old friend； who was once briefly his deadly enemy。 〃If what memory I have left serves me； Bourne was identified as having e out of Medusa。〃
〃It was an entirely believable explanation and a perfect cover；〃 agreed Conklin； returning David's gaze。 〃We went back to Tam Quan and 'discovered' that Bourne was a paranoid Tasmanian adventurer who disappeared in the jungles of North Vietnam。 Nowhere in that very creative dossier was there the slightest clue of a Washington connection。〃
〃But that's all a lie； isn't it； Alex？ There was and is a Washington connection； and the Jackal knows it now。 He knew it when he found you and Mo Panov in Hong Kong…found your names in the ruins of that sterile house on Victoria Peak where Jason Bourne was supposedly blown away。 He confirmed it last night when his messengers approached you at the Smithsonian and…your words…'our men were very obvious。' He knew finally that everything he's believed for thirteen years is true。 The member of Medusa who was called Delta was Jason Bourne； and Jason Bourne was a creation of American intelligence…and he's still alive。 Alive and in hiding and protected by his government。〃
Conklin slammed his fist on the arm of his chair。 〃How did he find us； find me？ Everything； everything； was under a black drape。 McAllister and I made sure of it！〃
〃I can think of several ways； but that's a question we can postpone； we haven't time for it now。 We have to move now on what we know Carlos knows。 。。。 Medusa； Alex。〃
〃What？ Move how？〃
〃If Bourne was plucked from Medusa； it has to follow that our covert operations were working with it…with them。 Otherwise； how could the Bourne switch be created？ What the Jackal doesn't know or hasn't put together yet is how far this government…especially certain people in this government…will go to keep Medusa in its black hole。 As you pointed out； some very important men in the White House and the State Department could get burned； a lot of nasty labels branded on the foreheads of global power brokers； I think you called them。〃
〃And suddenly we've got a few Waldheims of our own。〃 Conklin nodded； frowning and looking down； his thoughts obviously racing。
〃Nuy Dap Ranh；〃 said Webb； barely above a whisper。 At the sound of the Oriental words； Alex's eyes snapped back up at David。 〃That's the key； isn't it？〃 continued Webb。 〃Nuy Dap Ranh…Snake Lady。〃
〃You remembered。〃
〃Just this morning；〃 replied Jason Bourne； his eyes cold。 〃When Marie and the kids were airborne； the plane disappeared into the mists over Boston harbor and suddenly I was there。 In another plane； in another time； the words crackling out of a radio through the static。 'Snake Lady； Snake Lady； abort。 。。。 Snake Lady； do you read me？ Abort！' I responded by turning the damn thing off and looked around at the men in the cabin； which seemed ready to break apart in the turbulence。 I studied each man； wondering； I guess； whether this one or that one would e out alive； whether I'd e out alive； and if we didn't； how we would die。 。。。 Then I saw two of the men rolling up their sleeves； paring those small ugly tattoos on their forearms； those lousy little emblems that obsessed them…〃
〃Nuy Dap Ranh；〃 said Conklin flatly。 〃A woman's face with snakes for strands of hair。 Snake Lady。 You refused to have one done on you…〃
〃I never considered it a mark of distinction；〃 interrupted Webb…Bourne； blinking。 〃Somewhat the reverse； in fact。〃
〃Initially it was meant for identification； not a standard or a banner of any distinction one way or the other。 An intricate tattoo on the underside of the forearm； the design and the colors produced by only one artist in Saigon。 No one else could duplicate it。〃
〃That old man made a lot of money during those years； he was special。〃
〃Every officer in mand Headquarters who was connected to Medusa had one。 They were like manic kids who'd found secret code rings in cereal boxes。〃
〃They weren't kids； Alex。 Manic； you can bet your ass on it； but not kids。 They were infected with a rotten virus called unaccountability； and more than a few millionaires were made in the ubiquitous mand Saigon。 The real kids were being maimed and killed in the jungles while a lot of pressed khaki in the South had personal couriers routed through Switzerland and the banks on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse。〃
〃Careful； David。 You could be speaking of some very important people in our government。〃
〃Who are they？〃 asked Webb quietly； his glass poised in front of him。
〃The ones I knew who were up to their necks in garbage I made damn sure faded after Saigon fell。 But I was out of the field a couple of years before then； and nobody talks very much about those months and nothing at all about Snake Lady。〃
〃Still； you've got to have some ideas。〃
〃Sure； but nothing concrete； nothing even close to proof。 Just possibilities based on life…styles； on real estate they shouldn't have or places they go they shouldn't be able to afford or the positions some hold or held in corporations justifying salaries and stock options when nothing in their backgrounds justified the jobs。〃
〃You're describing a network；〃 said David； his voice now tight； the voice of Jason Bourne。
〃If it is； it's very tight；〃 agreed Conklin。 〃Very exclusive。〃
〃Draw up a list； Alex。〃
〃It'd be filled with holes。〃
〃Then keep it at first to those important people in our government who were attached to mand Saigon。 Maybe even further to the ones who have real estate they shouldn't have or who held high…paying jobs in the private sector they shouldn't have gotten。〃
〃I repeat； any such list could be worthless。〃
〃Not with your instincts。〃
〃David； what the hell has any of this to do with Carlos？〃
〃Part of the truth； Alex。 A dangerous part； I grant you； but foolproof and irresistible to the Jackal。〃
Stunned； the former field officer stared at his friend。 〃In what way？〃
〃That's where your creative thinking es in。 Say you e up with fifteen or twenty names； you're bound to hit three or four targets we can confirm one way or another。 Once we ascertain who they are； we apply pressure； squeezing them in different ways； delivering the same basic message： A former Medusan has gone over the edge； a man who's been in protective custody for years is about to blow the head off Snake Lady and he's got the ammunition…names； crimes； the locations of secret Swiss accounts； the whole Caesar salad。 Then…and this'll test the talents of the old Saint Alex we all knew and revered…word is passed on that there's someone who wants this dangerous； disgruntled turncoat more than they do。〃
〃Ilich Ramirez Sanchez；〃 supplied Conklin softly。 〃Carlos the Jackal。 And what follows is equally impossible： Somehow…only God knows how…word gets out calling for a meeting between the two interested parties。 That is to say； interested in a joint assassination； the parties of the first part unable to participate actively； due to the sensitive nature of their high official positions； is that about it？〃
〃Just about； except that these same powerful men in Washington can gain access to the identity and the whereabouts of this much desired cor