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ket。
〃We are hurt；〃 said the KGB officer weakly but calmly。 〃Aleksei somewhat more seriously than I am； so attend to him first； if you please。〃
〃The crowd's ing out of the armory…〃
〃Here！〃 interrupted Krupkin； painfully reaching into his pocket and pulling out his plastic identification case。 〃Get to the idiot in charge and bring him to me。 We must get a doctor。 For Aleksei； you damn fool。 Hurry！〃
The two wounded men lay alongside each other on examining tables in the armory's infirmary as Bourne stood across the room； leaning against the wall； watching but not understanding what was being said。 Three doctors had been dispatched by helicopter from the roof of the People's Hospital on the Serova Prospekt…two surgeons and an anesthesiologist； the last； however； proving unnecessary。 Severe invasive procedures were not called for； local anesthetics were sufficient for the cleansing and suturing； followed by generous injections of antibiotics。 The foreign objects had passed through their bodies； explained the chief doctor。
〃I presume you mean bullets when you speak so reverently of 'foreign objects；' 〃 said Krupkin in high dudgeon。
〃He means bullets；〃 confirmed Alex hoarsely in Russian。 The retired CIA station chief was unable to move his head because of his bandaged throat。 Wide adhesive straps extended down across his collarbone and upper right shoulder。
〃Thank you；〃 said the surgeon。 〃You were both fortunate； especially you； our American patient for whom we must pile confidential medical records。 Incidentally； give our people the name and address of your physician in the United States。 You'll need attention for some weeks ahead。〃
〃Right now he's in a hospital in Paris。〃
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃Well； whenever something's wrong with me； I tell him and he sends me to the doctor he thinks I should see。〃
〃That's not exactly socialized medicine。〃
〃For me it is。 I'll give his name and address to a nurse。 With luck he'll be back soon。〃
〃I repeat； you were very fortunate。〃
〃I was very fast； Doctor； and so was your rade。 We saw that son of a bitch running out toward us； so we locked the doors and kept moving in the seats and firing at him as he tried to get close enough to put us away； which he damn near did。 。。。 I'm sorry about the driver； he was a brave young man。〃
〃He was an angry young man as well； Aleksei；〃 broke in Krupkin from the other table。 〃Those first shots from the doorway sent him into that bus。〃
The door of the infirmary burst open； which was to say it was not opened so much as it was invaded； submitting to the august presence of the KGB missar from the flat in Slavyansky。 The blunt…featured； blunt…spoken Komitet officer in the disheveled uniform lived up to his appearance。 〃You；〃 he said to the doctor； 〃I've spoken to your associates outside。 You are finished here； they say。〃
〃Not entirely； rade。 There are minor items to attend to； such as therapeutical…〃
〃Later；〃 interrupted the missar。 〃We talk privately。 Alone。〃
〃The Komitet speaks？〃 asked the surgeon； his contempt minor but evident。
〃It speaks。〃
〃Sometimes too often。〃
〃What？〃
〃You heard me；〃 replied the doctor； heading for the door。 The KGB man shrugged and waited for the infirmary door to close。 He then walked to the foot of both examining tables； his squinting flesh…encased eyes darting between the two wounded men； and spat out one word。 〃Novgorod！〃 he said。
〃What？〃
〃What 。。。 ？〃
The responses were simultaneous； even Bourne snapped himself away from the wall。
〃You；〃 he added； switching to his limited English。 〃Understand I say？〃
〃If you said what I think you said； I think I do； but only the name。〃
〃I explain good enough。 We question the nine men women he locked in weapons storage。 He kill two guards who do not stop him； okay？ He take automobile keys from four men but uses no automobiles； okay？〃
〃I saw him head for the cars！〃
〃Which？ Three other people at Kubinka shot dead； automobile papers taken。 Which？〃
〃For Christ's sake； check with your vehicle bureau； or whatever you call it！〃
〃Take time。 Also in Moskva； automobiles under different names； different tag plates…Leningrad； Smolensk； who knows…all to not look for automobile laws broken。〃
〃What the hell is he talking about？〃 shouted Jason。
〃Automobile ownership is regulated by the state；〃 explained Krupkin weakly from the table。 〃Each major center has its own registration and is frequently reluctant to cooperate with another center。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Individual ownership under different family names…even nonfamily names。 It's forbidden。 There are only so many vehicles available for purchase。〃
〃So？〃
〃Local bribery is a fact of life。 No one in Leningrad wants a finger pointed at him from a bureaucrat in Moscow。 He's telling you that it could take several days to learn what automobile the Jackal's driving。〃
〃That's crazy！〃
〃You said it； Mr。 Bourne； I didn't。 I'm an upstanding citizen of the Soviet Union； please remember that。〃
〃But what's it all got to do with Novgorod…that is what he said； isn't it？〃
〃Novgorod。 Shto eto znachit？〃 said Krupkin to the KGB official。 In rapid； clipped Russian； the peasant missar gave the pertinent details to his colleague from Paris。 Krupkin turned his head on the table and translated in English。 〃Try to follow this； Jason；〃 he said； his voice intermittently fading； his breathing being increasingly more labored。 〃Apparently there is a walk…around gallery above the armory's arena。 He used it and saw you through a window on the road by the hedges and came back to the weapons room screaming like the maniac he is。 He shouted to his bound hostages that you were his and you were dead。 。。。 And there was only one last thing he had to acplish。〃
〃Novgorod；〃 interrupted Conklin； whispering； his head rigid； staring at the ceiling。
〃Precisely；〃 said Krupkin； his eyes focused on Alex's profile beside him。 〃He's going back to the place of his birth 。。。 where Ilich Ramirez Sanchez became Carlos the Jackal because he was disinherited； marked for execution as a madman。 He held his gun against everyone's throat； quietly demanding to know the best roads to Novgorod； threatening to kill whoever gave him the wrong answer。 None did； of course； and all who knew told him it was five to six hundred kilometers away； a full day's drive。〃
〃Drive？〃 interjected Bourne。
〃He knows he cannot use any other means of transportation。 The railroads； the airports…even the small airfields…all will be watched； he understands that。〃
〃What will he do in Novgorod？〃 asked Jason quickly。
〃Dear God in heaven； which； of course； there is neither； who knows？ He intends to leave his mark； a highly destructive memorial to himself； no doubt； in answer to those he believes betrayed him thirty…odd years ago； as well as the poor souls who fell under his gun this morning in the Vavilova。 。。。 He took the papers from our agent trained at Novgorod； he thinks they'll get him inside。 They won't…we'll stop him。〃
〃Don't even try；〃 said Bourne。 〃He may or may not use them； depending upon what he sees； what he senses。 He doesn't need papers to get in there any more than I do； but if he senses something wrong； and he will； h