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ugh into 〃England。〃
〃Don't press the French too much；〃 said Benjamin； in the front seat beside Jason。 〃These cats do their best； but they're not linguists。〃
〃Cal…if…fornia 。。。 here I e；〃 sang Bourne softly。 〃You sure you and your father don't want to join your mother in LA？〃
〃Shut up！〃
The guard returned； saluted； and the iron barrier was raised。 Jason accelerated； and saw in a matter of moments； bathed in floodlights； a three…story replica of the Eiffel Tower。 In the distance； to the right； was a miniature Champs…Elysées with a wooden reproduction of the Arc de Triomphe； high enough to be unmistakable。 Absently； Bourne's mind wandered back to those fitful； terrible hours when he and Marie had raced all over Paris trying desperately to find each other。 。。。 Marie； oh God； Marie！ I want to e back I want to be David again。 He and I…we're so much older now。 He doesn't frighten me any longer and I don't anger him。 。。。 Who？ Which of us？ Oh； Christ！
〃Hold it；〃 said Benjamin； touching Jason's arm。 〃Slow down。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Stop； 〃cried the young trainer。 〃Pull over and shut off the engine。〃
〃What's the matter with you？〃
〃I'm not sure。〃 Benjamin's neck was arched back； his eyes on the clear night sky and the shimmering lights of the stars。 〃No clouds；〃 he said cryptically。 〃No storms。〃
〃It's not raining； either。 So what？ I want to get up to the Spanish pound！〃
〃There it goes again…〃
〃What the hell are you talking about？〃 And then Bourne heard it 。。。 far away； the sound of distant thunder； yet the night was clear。 It happened again…and again and again； one deep rumble after another。
〃There！〃 shouted the young Soviet from Los Angeles； standing up in the jeep and pointing to the north。 〃What is it？〃
〃That's fire； young man；〃 answered Jason softly； hesitantly； as he also stood up and stared at the pulsating yellow glow that lit up the distant sky。 〃And my guess is that it's the Spanish pound。 He was initially trained there and that's what he came back to do…to blow the place up！ It's his revenge！ 。。。 Get down； we've got to get up there！〃
〃No； you're wrong；〃 broke in Benjamin； quickly lowering himself into the seat as Bourne started the engine and yanked the jeep into gear。 〃 'Spain's' no more than five or six miles from here。 Those fires are a lot farther away。〃
〃Just show me the fastest route；〃 said Jason； pressing the accelerator to the floor。
Under the trainer's swiftly roving eyes acpanied by sudden shouts of 〃Turn here！〃 and 〃Go right！〃 and 〃Straight down this road！〃 they raced through 〃Paris；〃 and north into successive sectors labeled 〃Marseilles；〃 〃Montbéliard；〃 〃Le Havre；〃 〃Strasbourg〃 and so many others； circling town squares and passing quaint streets and miniaturized city blocks； until finally they were in sight of the 〃Spanish〃 border。 The closer they came； the louder were the booms in the distance； the brighter the yellow night sky。 The guards at the gate were furiously manning their telephones and hand…held radios； the two…note blasts of sirens joined the shouting and the screaming as police cars and fire engines appeared seemingly out of nowhere； racing into the streets of 〃Madrid〃 on their way to the next northern border crossing。
〃What's happening？〃 yelled Benjamin； leaping from the jeep and dropping all pretense of Novgorod training by speaking Russian。 〃I'm senior staff！〃 he added； slipping the card into the release equipment； snapping the barrier up。 〃Tell me！〃
〃Insanity； rade！〃 shouted an officer from the gatehouse window。 〃Unbelievable！ 。。。 It's as if the earth went crazy！ First 'Germany；' all over there are explosions and fires in the streets and buildings going up in flames。 The ground trembles； and we are told it's some kind of massive earthquake。 Then it happens in 'Italy'…'Rome' is torched； and in the 'Greek' sector 'Athens' and the port of 'Piraeus' are filled with fires everywhere and still the explosions continue； the streets in flames！〃
〃What does Capital Headquarters say？〃
〃They don't know what to say！ The earthquake nonsense was just that…nonsense。 Everyone's in panic； issuing orders and then countermanding them。〃 Another wall phone rang inside the gatehouse； the officer of the guard picked it up and listened； then instantly screamed at the top of his lungs。 〃Madness； it's plete madness！ Are you certain？〃
〃What is it？〃 roared Benjamin； rushing to the window。
〃'Egypt！' 〃 he screamed； his ear pressed to the telephone。 〃'Israel！' 。。。 'Cairo' and 'Tel Aviv'…fires everywhere； bombs everywhere！ No one can keep up with the devastation； the trucks crash into one another in the narrow streets。 The hydrants are blown up； water flows in the gutters but the streets are still in flames。 。。。 And some idiot just got on the line and asked if the No Smoking signs were properly placed while the wooden buildings are on their way to being rubble！ Idiots。 They are all idiots！〃
〃Get back here！〃 yelled Bourne； having made the jeep lurch through the gate。 〃He's in here somewhere！ You drive and I'll…〃 Jason's words were cut off by a deafening explosion up ahead in the center of 〃Madrid's〃 Paseo del Prado。 It was an enormous detonation； lumber and stone arcing up into the flaming sky。 Then； as if the Paseo itself were a living； throbbing immense wall of fire； the flames rolled forward； swinging to the left out of the 〃city〃 into the road that was the approach to the border gate。 〃Look！〃 shouted Bourne； reaching down out of the jeep； his hand scraping the graveled surface beneath； he brought his fingers to his face； his nostrils。 〃Christ；〃 he roared。 〃The whole goddamned road's soaked with gasoline！〃 A burst of fire imploded thirty yards in front of the jeep； sending stones and dirt smashing into the metal grille； and propelling the flames forward with increasing speed。 〃Plastics！〃 said Jason to himself； then yelled at Benjamin； who was running to the jeep； 〃Go back there！ Get everyone out of here！ The son of a bitch has the place ringed with plastics！ Head for the river！〃
〃I'm going with you！〃 shouted the young Soviet； grabbing the edge of the door。
〃Sorry； Junior；〃 cried Bourne； gunning the engine and swerving the army vehicle back into the open gate； sending Benjamin sprawling onto the gravel。 〃This is for grown…ups。〃
〃What are you doing？〃 screamed Benjamin； his voice fading as the jeep sped across the border。
〃The fuel truck； that lousy fuel truck！〃 whispered Jason as he raced into 〃Strasbourg； France。〃
It happened in 〃Paris〃…where else but Paris！ The huge duplicate of the Eiffel Tower blew up with such force that the earth shook。 Rockets？ Missiles？ The Jackal had stolen missiles from the Kubinka Armory！ Seconds later； starting far behind him； the explosions began as the streets burst into flames。 Everywhere。 All 〃France〃 was being destroyed in a way that the madman Adolf Hitler could only have envisaged in his most twisted dreams。 Panicked men and women ran through the alleyways and the streets； screaming； falling； praying to gods their leaders had forsworn。
〃England！〃 He had to get into 〃England〃 and then ultimately into 〃America；〃 where all his instincts told him the end would e…one way or another。 He had to find the truck that was being