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〃That's really why you asked me to e over here this morning； isn't it？〃 said Conklin； planting his cane on the floor and awkwardly getting to his feet。
〃Yes； it is。〃
〃You've got your own game plan against Medusa…and we can't be a part of it。〃
〃No； you can't。 It's a fundamental conflict of interest。〃
〃I'll grant you that。 We'd louse you up in a minute if it'd help Jason and Marie。 Naturally； my personal and professional opinion is that if the whole fucking United States government can't rip out a Medusa without sacrificing a man and a woman who've given so much； I'm not sure it's worth a damn！〃
〃Neither am I；〃 said Holland； standing up behind the desk。 〃But I swore an oath to try…in order of my sworn priorities。〃
〃Have I got any perks left？〃
〃Anything I can get you that doesn't promise our going after Medusa。〃
〃How about two seats on a military aircraft； Agencycleared； to Paris。〃
〃Two seats？〃
〃Panov and me。 We went to Hong Kong together； why not Paris？〃
〃Alex； you're out of your goddamned mind！〃
〃I don't think you understand； Peter。 Mo's wife died ten years after they were married； and I never had the courage to give it a try。 So you see； 'Jason Bourne' and Marie are the only family we have。 She makes a hell of a meat loaf； let me tell you。〃
〃Two tickets to Paris；〃 said Holland； his face ashen。
29
Marie watched her husband as he walked back and forth； the pacing deliberate； energized。 He tramped angrily between the writing table and the sunlit curtains of the two windows overlooking the front lawn of the Auberge des Artistes in Barbizon。 The country inn was the one Marie remembered； but it was not part of David Webb's memory； and when he said as much； his wife briefly closed her eyes； hearing another voice from years ago。
〃Above everything； he's got to avoid extreme stress； the kind of tension that goes with survival under life…threatening circumstances。 If you see him regressing into that state of mind…and you'll know it when you see it…stop him。 Seduce him； slap him； cry； get angry 。。。 anything； just stop him。〃 Morris Panov； dear friend； doctor and the guiding force behind her husband's therapy。
She had tried seduction within minutes after they were alone together。 It was a mistake； even a touch farcical； awkward for both of them。 Neither was remotely aroused。 Yet there was no embarrassment； they held each other on the bed； both understanding。
〃We're a couple of real sexpots； aren't we？〃 said Marie。
〃We've been there before；〃 replied David Webb gently； 〃and I've no doubt we'll be there again。〃 Then Jason Bourne rolled away and stood up。 〃I have to make a list；〃 he said urgently； heading for the quaint country table against the wall that served as a desk and a place for the telephone。 〃We have to know where we are and where we're going。〃
〃And I have to call Johnny on the island；〃 added Marie； rising to her feet and smoothing her skirt。 〃After I talk to him I'll speak to Jamie。 I'll reassure him and tell him we'll be back soon。〃 The wife crossed to the table； she stopped； blocked by her husband…her husband yet not her husband。
〃No；〃 said Bourne quietly； shaking his head。
〃Don't say that to me；〃 protested the mother； anger flashing in her eyes。
〃Three hours ago in the Rivoli changed everything。 Nothing's the same now。 Don't you understand that？〃
〃I understand that my children are several thousand miles away from me and I intend to reach them。 Don't you understand that？〃
〃Of course I do； I just can't allow it；〃 answered Jason。
〃Goddamn you； Mr。 Bourne！〃
〃Will you listen to me？ 。。。 You'll talk to Johnny and to Jamie…we'll both talk to them…but not from here and not while they're on the island。〃
〃What 。。。 ？〃
〃I'm calling Alex in a few minutes and telling him to get all of them out of there； including Mrs。 Cooper； of course。〃
Marie had stared at her husband； suddenly understanding。 〃Oh； my God； Carlos！〃
〃Yes。 As of this noon he's got only one place to zero in on…Tranquility。 If he doesn't know now； he'll learn soon enough that Jamie and Alison are with Johnny。 I trust your brother and his personal Tonton Macoute； but I still want them away from there before it's night in the islands。 I also don't know if Carlos has sources in the island's trunk lines that could trace a call between there and here； but I do know that Alex's phone is sterile。 That's why you can't call now。 From here to there。〃
〃Then； for God's sake； call Alex！ What the hell are you waiting for？〃
〃I'm not sure。〃 For a moment there was a blank； panicked look in her husband's eyes…they were the eyes of David Webb； not Jason Bourne。 〃I have to decide…where do I send the kids？〃
〃Alex will know； Jason；〃 said Marie； her own eyes leveled steadily on his。 〃Now。〃
〃Yes 。。。 yes； of course。 Now。〃 The veiled； vacuous look passed and Bourne reached for the phone。
Alexander Conklin was not in Vienna； Virginia； U。S。A。 Instead； there was the monotonic voice of a recorded operator that had the effect of crashing thunder。 〃The telephone number you have called is no longer in service。〃
He had placed the call twice again； believing in desperate hope that an error had been made by the French telephone service。 Then bolts of lightning followed： 〃The telephone number you have called is no longer in service。〃 For a third time。
The pacing had begun； from the table to the windows and back again。 Over and over； the curtains were pulled aside； anxious eyes nervously peering out； then seconds later poring over a growing list of names and places。 Marie suggested lunch； he did not hear her； so she watched him in silence from across the room。
The quick； abrupt movements of her husband were like those of a large disquieted cat； smooth； fluid； alert for the unexpected。 They were the movements of Jason Bourne and； before him； Medusa's Delta； not David Webb。 She remembered the medical records piled by Mo Panov in the early days of David's therapy。 Many were filled with wildly divergent descriptions from people who claimed to have seen the man known as the Chameleon； but among the most reliable was a mon reference to the catlike mobility of the 〃assassin。〃 Panov had been looking for clues to Jason Bourne's identity then； for all they had at the time were a first name and fragmented images of painful death in Cambodia。 Mo often wondered aloud if there was more to his patient's physical dexterity than mere athleticism； oddly enough； there was not。
As Marie looked back the subtle physical differences between the two men who were her husband both fascinated and repelled her。 Each was muscular and graceful； each capable of performing difficult tasks requiring physical coordination； but where David's strength and mobility came from an easy sense of acplishment； Jason's was filled with an inner malice； no pleasure in the acplishment； only a hostile purpose。 When she had mentioned this to Panov； his reply was succinct： 〃David couldn't kill。 Bourne can； he was trained to。〃
Still； Mo was pleased that she had spotted the different 〃physical manifestations；〃 as he called her observation。 〃It's another signpost for you。 When you see Bourne； bring David back as fast as you can。 If you can't； call