按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃It may seem strange to you； but the problem isn't only with the unhealthy person and his crimes； even where the Soviet Union is concerned。 It's with the cover…up…where Washington's concerned。〃
The Komitet officer looked at Krupkin and spoke in Russian。 〃What is this one talking about？〃
〃It's difficult for us to understand；〃 answered Dimitri in his native language； 〃still； for them it is a problem。 Let me try to explain。〃
〃What's he saying？〃 asked Bourne； annoyed。
〃I think he's about to give a civics lesson； U。S。 style。〃
〃Such lessons more often than not fall on deaf ears in Washington；〃 interrupted Krupkin in English； then immediately resuming Russian； he addressed his KGB superior。 〃You see； rade； no one in America would blame us for taking advantage of this Ogilvie's criminal activities。 They have a proverb they repeat so frequently that it covers oceans of guilt： 'One does not look a gift horse in the mouth。' 〃
〃What has a horse's mouth got to do with gifts？ From its tail es manure for the farms； from its mouth； only spittle。〃
〃It loses something in the translation。 。。。 Nevertheless； this attorney； Ogilvie； obviously had a great many government connections； officials who overlooked his questionable practices for large sums of money； practices that entailed millions upon millions of dollars。 Laws were circumvented； men killed； lies accepted as the truth； in essence； there was considerable corruption； and； as we know； the Americans are obsessed with corruption。 They even label every progressive acmodation as potentially 'corrupt；' and there's nothing older； more knowledgeable peoples can do about it。 They hang out their soiled linen for all the world to see like a badge of honor。〃
〃Because it is；〃 broke in Alex； speaking English。 〃That's something a lot of people here wouldn't understand because you cover every acmodation you make； every crime you mit； every mouth you shut with a basket of roses。 。。。 However； considering pots and kettles and odious parisons； I'll dispense with a lecture。 I'm just telling you that Ogilvie has to be sent back and all the accounts settled； that's the 'progressive acmodation' you have to make。〃
〃I'm sure we'll take it under advisement。〃
〃Not good enough；〃 said Conklin。 〃Let's put it this way。 Beyond accountability； there's simply too much known…or will be in a matter of days…about his enterprise； including the connection to Teagarten's death； for you to keep him here。 Not only Washington； but the entire European munity would dump on you。 Talk of embarrassments； this is a beaut； to say nothing about the effects on trade； or your imports and exports…〃
〃You've made your point； Aleksei；〃 interrupted Krupkin。 〃Assuming this acmodation can be made； will it be clear that Moscow cooperated fully in bringing this American criminal back to American justice？〃
〃We obviously couldn't do it without you。 As the temporary field officer of record； I'll swear to it before both intelligence mittees of Congress； if need be。〃
〃And that we had nothing…absolutely nothing to do with the killings you mentioned； specifically the assassination of the supreme mander of NATO。〃
〃Absolutely clear。 It was one of the major reasons for your cooperation。 Your government was horrified by the assassination。〃
Krupkin looked hard at Alex； his voice lower but stronger for it。 He turned slowly； his eyes briefly on the television screen； then back to Conklin。 〃General Rodchenko？〃 he said。 〃What shall we do with General Rodchenko？〃
〃What you do with General Rodchenko is your business；〃 replied Alex quietly。 〃Neither Bourne nor I ever heard the name。〃
〃Da；〃 said Krupkin； nodding； again slowly。 〃And what you do with the Jackal in Soviet territory is your business； Aleksei。 However； be assured we shall cooperate to the fullest degree。〃
〃How do we begin？〃 asked Jason impatiently。
〃First things first。〃 Dimitri looked over at the KGB missar。 〃rade； have you understood what we've said？〃
〃Enough so； Krupkin；〃 replied the heavyset peasant…colonel； walking to a telephone on an inlaid marble table against the wall。 He picked up the phone and dialed； his call was answered immediately。 〃It is I；〃 said the missar in Russian。 〃The third man in tape seven with Rodchenko and the priest； the one New York identified as the American named Ogilvie。 As of now he is to be placed under our surveillance and he is not to leave Moscow。〃 The colonel suddenly arched his thick brows； his face growing red。 〃That order is countermanded！ He is no longer the responsibility of Diplomatic Relations； he is now the sole property of the KGB。 。。。 A reason？ Use your skull； potato head！ Tell them we are convinced he is an American double agent whom those fools did not uncover。 Then the usual garbage： harboring enemies of the state due to laxness； their exalted positions once again protected by the Komitet…that sort of thing。 Also； you might mention that they should not look a gift horse in the mouth。 。。。 I don't understand any more than you do； rade； but those butterflies over there in their tight…fitting suits probably will。 Alert the airports。〃 The missar hung up。
〃He did it；〃 said Conklin； turning to Bourne。 〃Ogilvie stays in Moscow。〃
〃I don't give a goddamn about Ogilvie！〃 exploded Jason； his voice intense； his jaw pulsating。 〃I'm here for Carlos！〃
〃The priest？〃 asked the colonel； walking away from the table。
〃That's exactly who I mean。〃
〃Is simple。 We put General Rodchenko on a very long rope that he cannot see or feel。 You will be at the other end。 He will meet his Jackal priest again。〃
〃That's all I ask；〃 said Jason Bourne。
General Grigorie Rodchenko sat at a window table in the Lastochka restaurant by the Krymsky Bridge on the Moskva River。 It was his favorite place for a midnight dinner； the lights on the bridge and on the slow…moving boats in the water were relaxing to the eye and therefore to the metabolism。 He needed the calming atmosphere； for during the past two days things had been so unsettling。 Had he been right or had he been wrong？ Had his instincts been correct or far off the mark？ He could not know at the moment； but those same instincts had enabled him to survive the mad Stalin as a youth； the blustering Khrushchev in middle age； and the inept Brezhnev a few years later。 Now there was yet a new Russia under Gorbachev； a new Soviet Union； in fact； and his old age weled it。 Perhaps things would relax a bit and long…standing enmities fade into a once hostile horizon。 Still； horizons did not really change； they were always horizons； distant； flat； fired with color or darkness； but still distant； flat and unreachable。
He was a survivor； Rodchenko understood that； and a survivor protected himself on as many points of the pass as he could read。 He also insinuated himself into as many degrees of that pass as possible。 Therefore； he had labored diligently to bee a trusted mouth to the chairman； he was an expert at gathering information for the Komitet； he was the initial conduit to the American enterprise known to him alone in Moscow as Medusa； through which extraordinary shipments； had been made throughout Russia and the bloc nations。 On the other hand； he was also a liaison to the mo