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〃I prefer Jason these days。〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 interrupted Conklin。 〃I hate it but I understand。〃
〃Do you？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Alex softly； nodding as he closed his eyes。 〃I'd do anything to change it but I can't。〃
〃Then listen to me。 In that serpentine mind of yours…Cactus's description； incidentally…conjure up the worst scenario you can think of and shove those bastards against another wall； one they can't get away from unscathed unless they follow your instructions down to the letter。 Those orders will be to stay quiet and wait for you to call and tell them who to reach and what to say。〃
Conklin looked over at his damaged friend with guilt and concern。 〃There may be a scenario in place that I can't match；〃 said Alex quietly。 〃I won't make another mistake； not in that area。 I need more than what I've got。〃
Bourne clasped his hands； flesh angrily grinding flesh in frustration。 He stared at the scattered printouts in front of him； frowning； wincing； his jaw pulsating。 In seconds a sudden passivity came over him； he sat back on the couch and spoke as quietly as Conklin。 〃All right； you'll get it。 Quickly。〃
〃How？〃
〃Me。 I'll get it for you。 I'll need names； residences； schedules and methods of security； favorite restaurants and bad habits； if any are known。 Tell your boys to go to work。 Tonight。 All night； if necessary。〃
〃What the hell do you think you're going to do？〃 shouted Conklin； his frail body lurching forward in the armchair。 〃Storm their houses？ Stick needles in their asses between the appetizer and the entrée？〃
〃I hadn't thought of the last option；〃 replied Jason； smiling grimly。 〃You've really got a terrific imagination。〃
〃And you're a madman！ 。。。 I'm sorry； I didn't mean that…〃
〃Why not？〃 broke in Bourne gently。 〃I'm not lecturing on the rise of the Manchu and the Ching dynasty。 Considering the accepted state of my mind and memory； the allusion to mental health isn't inappropriate。〃 Jason paused； then spoke as he leaned slowly forward。 〃But let me tell you something； Alex。 The memories may not all be there； but the part of my mind that you and Treadstone formed is all there。 I proved it in Hong Kong； in Beijing and Macao； and I'll prove it again。 I have to。 There's nothing left for me if I don't。 。。。 Now； get me the information。 You mentioned several people who have to be here in Washington。 Pentagon supplies or provisions…〃
〃Procurements；〃 corrected Conklin。 〃It's a lot more expansive and expensive； he's a general named Swayne。 Then there's Armbruster； he's head of the Federal Trade mission； and Burton over at…〃
〃Chairman of the Joint Chiefs；〃 pleted Bourne。 〃Admiral 'Joltin' Jack Burton； mander of the Sixth Fleet。〃
〃One and the same。 Formerly the scourge of the South China Sea； now the largest of the large brass。〃
〃I repeat；〃 said Jason。 〃Tell your boys to go to work。 Peter Holland will get you all the help you need。 Find me everything there is on each of them。〃
〃I can't。〃
〃What？〃
〃I can get us the books on our three Philadelphians because they're part of the immediate Mayflower project…that's the Jackal。 I can't touch our five…so far； five…inheritors of Medusa。〃
〃For Christ's sake； why not？ You have to。 We can't waste time！〃
〃Time wouldn't mean much if both of us were dead。 It wouldn't help Marie or the children either。〃
〃What the hell are you talking about？〃
〃Why I'm late。 Why I didn't want to call you from Virginia。 Why I reached Charlie Casset to pick me up at that real estate proprietary in Vienna； and why； until he got there； I wasn't sure I'd ever get here alive。〃
〃Spell it out； field man。〃
〃All right； I will。 。。。 I've said nothing to anyone about going after former Medusa personnel…that was between you and me； nobody else。〃
〃I wondered。 When I spoke to you this afternoon you were playing it close。 Too close； I thought； considering where you were and the equipment you were using。〃
〃The rooms and the equipment proved secure。 Casset told me later that the Agency doesn't want any traceable records of anything that takes place over there； and that's the best guarantee you can ask for。 No bugs； no phone intercepts； nothing。 Believe me； I breathed a lot easier when I heard that。〃
〃Then what's the problem？ Why are you stopping。〃
〃Because I have to figure out another admiral before I move any further into Medusa territory。 。。。 Atkinson； our impeccable WASP ambassador to the Court of St。 James's in London； was very clear。 In his panic； he pulled the masks off Burton and Teagarten in Brussels。〃
〃So？〃
〃He said Teagarten could handle the Agency if anything about the old Saigon surfaced…because he was very tight with the top max at Langley。〃
〃And？〃
〃 'Top max' is the Washington euphemism for maximum…classified security； and where Langley is concerned that's the director of Central Intelligence。 。。。 That's also Peter Holland。〃
〃You told me this morning he'd have no problem wasting any member of Medusa。〃
〃Anyone can say anything。 But would he？〃
Across the Atlantic； in the old Paris suburb of Neuilly…sur…Seine； an old man in a dark threadbare suit trudged up the concrete path toward the entrance of the sixteenth…century cathedral known as the Church of the Blessed Sacrament。 The bells in the tower above tolled the first Angelus and the man stopped in the morning sunlight； blessing himself and whispering to the sky。
〃Angelus domini nuntiavit Mariae。〃 With his right hand he blew a kiss to the bas…relief crucifix atop the stone archway and proceeded up the steps and through the huge doors of the cathedral； aware that two robed priests eyed him with distaste。 I apologize for defiling your rich parish； you tight…assed snobs； he thought as he lit a candle and placed it in the prayer rack； but Christ made it clear that he preferred me to you。 'The meek shall inherit the earth'…what you haven't stolen of it。
The old man moved cautiously down the center aisle； his right hand gripping the backs of successive pews for balance； his left fingering the rim of his outsized collar and slipping down to his tie so as to make sure the knot had not somehow e apart。 His woman was so weak now that she could barely fold the damn thing together； but； as in the old days； she insisted on putting the finishing touches on his appearance before he went to work。 She was still a good woman； they had both laughed； remembering the time she swore at his cuff links over forty years ago because she had put too much starch in his shirt。 That night； so long ago； she had wanted him to look the proper bureaucrat when he went to the whore…mongering Oberführer's headquarters on the rue St。 Lazare carrying a briefcase…a briefcase that； left behind； had blown up half the block。 And twenty years later； one winter afternoon she'd had trouble making his stolen expensive overcoat hang properly on his shoulders before he set off to rob the Grande Banque Louis IX on the Madeleine； run by an educated but unappreciative former member of the Résistance who refused him a loan。 Those were the good times； followed by bad times and bad health； which led to worse times…in truth； destitute times。 Until a man came along； a strange man with an odd calling and an even odder unwritte