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〃Oh； a bad time pity； mon。 I was just getting to know the little babies。〃
〃 'Bad time pity' is right；〃 mumbled St。 Jacques； picking up the telephone。 〃Yes？〃
〃Hello； John？〃 said the chief aide to the Crown governor； a man who had befriended the Canadian developer and helped him through the maze of the colony's Territorial Regulations。
〃Can I call you back； Henry？ I'm kind of harried at the moment。〃
〃I'm afraid there's no time； chap。 This is straight from the Foreign Office。 They want our immediate cooperation； and it won't do you any harm； either。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃It seems there's an old fellow and his wife arriving on Air France's connecting flight from Antigua at ten…thirty and Whitehall wants the red…carpet treatment。 Apparently the old boy had a splendid war； with a slew of decorations； and worked with a lot of our chaps across the Channel。〃
〃Henry； I'm really in a hurry。 What's any of this got to do with me？〃
〃Well； I rather assumed you might have more of an idea about that than we do。 Probably one of your rich Canadian guests； perhaps a Frenchie from Montreal who came out of the Résistance and who thought of you…〃
〃Insults will only get you a bottle of superior French Canadian wine。 What do you want？〃
〃Put up our hero and his lady in the finest acmodations you've got； with a room for the French…speaking nurse we've assigned to them。〃
〃On an hour's notice？〃
〃Well； chap； our buns could be in a collective sling； if you know what I mean…and your so vital but erratic telephone service does depend on a degree of Crown intervention； if you also know what I mean。〃
〃Henry； you're a terrific negotiator。 You so politely kick a person so accurately where it hurts。 What's our hero's name？ Quickly； please！〃
〃Our names are Jean Pierre and Regine Fontaine； Monsieur le Directeur； and here are our passports；〃 said the soft…spoken。 old man inside the immigration officer's glass…enclosed office； the chief aide of the Crown governor at his side。 〃My wife can be seen over there；〃 he added； pointing through the window。 〃She is talking with the mademoiselle in the white uniform。〃
〃Please； Monsieur Fontaine；〃 protested the stocky black immigration official in a pronounced British accent。 〃This is merely an informal formality； a stamping procedure； if you like。 Also to remove you from the inconvenience of so many admirers。 Rumors have gone throughout the airport that a great man has arrived。〃
〃Really？〃 Fontaine smiled； it was a pleasant smile。
〃Oh； but not to be concerned； sir。 The press has been barred。 We know you want plete privacy； and you shall have it。〃
〃Really？〃 The old man's smile faded。 〃I was to meet someone here； an associate； you might say； I must consult with confidentially。 I hope your most considerate arrangements do not prevent him from reaching me。〃
〃A small； select group with proper standing and credentials will greet you in Blackburne's honored…guest corridor； Monsieur Fontaine；〃 said the Crown governor's chief aide。 〃May we proceed？ The reception line will be swift； I assure you。〃
〃Really？ That swift？〃
It was； less than five minutes actually； but five seconds would have been enough。 The first person the Jackal's courier…killer met was the beribboned Crown governor himself。 As the Queen's royal representative embraced the hero in Gallic style； he whispered into Jean Pierre Fontaine's ear。 〃We've learned where the woman and her children were taken。 We are sending you there。 The nurse has your instructions。〃
The rest was somewhat anticlimactic for the old man； especially the absence of the press。 He had never had his picture in the newspapers except as a felon。
Morris Panov； M。D。； was a very angry man； and he always tried to control his very angry moments because they never helped him or his patients。 At the moment； however； sitting at his office desk； he was having difficulty curbing his emotions。 He had not heard from David Webb。 He had to hear from him； he had to talk to him。 What was happening could negate thirteen years of therapy； couldn't they understand that？ 。。。 No； of course they couldn't； it was not what interested them； they had other priorities and did not care to be burdened by problems beyond their purview。 But he had to care。 The damaged mind was so fragile； so given to setbacks； the horrors of the past were so capable of taking over the present。 It could not happen with David！ He was so close to being as normal as he would ever be （and who the hell was 〃normal〃 in this fucked…up world）。 He could function wonderfully as a teacher； he had near…total recall where his scholarly expertise was called upon； and he was remembering more and more as each year progressed。 But it could all blow apart with a single act of violence； for violence was the way of life for Jason Bourne。 Damn！
It was crippling enough that they even permitted David to stay around； he had tried to explain the potential damage to Alex； but Conklin had an irrefutable reply： We can't stop him。 At least this way we can watch him； protect him。 Perhaps so。 〃They〃 did not stint where protection was involved…the guards down the hall from his office and on the roof of the building； to say nothing of a temporary receptionist bearing arms as well as a strange puter； attested to their concern。 Still it would be so much better for David if he was simply sedated and flown down to his island retreat； leaving the hunt for the Jackal to the professionals。 。。。 Panov suddenly caught himself as the realization swept over him： there was no one more professional than Jason Bourne。
The doctor's thoughts were interrupted by the telephone； the telephone he could not pick up until all the security procedures were activated。 A trace was placed on the ining call； a scanner determined whether there were intercepts on the line； and finally the identity of the caller was approved by Panov himself。 His inter buzzed； he flipped the switch on his console。 〃Yes？〃
〃All systems are cleared； sir；〃 announced the temporary receptionist； who was the only one in the office who would know。 〃The man on the line said his name was Treadstone； Mr。 D。 Treadstone。〃
〃I'll take it；〃 said Mo Panov firmly。 〃And you can remove whatever other 'systems' you've got on that machine out there。 This is doctor…patient confidentiality。〃
〃Yes； sir。 Monitor is terminated。〃
〃It's what？ 。。。 Never mind。〃 The psychiatrist picked up the phone and was barely able to keep from shouting。 〃Why didn't you call me before this； you son of a bitch！〃
〃I didn't want to give you cardiac arrest； is that sufficient？〃
〃Where are you and what are you doing？〃
〃At the moment？〃
〃That'll suffice。〃
〃Let's see； I rented a car and right now I'm a half a block from a town house in Georgetown owned by the chairman of the Federal Trade mission； talking to you on a pay phone。〃
〃For Christ's sake； why？〃
〃Alex will fill you in； but what I want you to do is call Marie on the island。 I've tried a couple of times since leaving the hotel but I can't get through。 Tell her I'm fine； that I'm perfectly fine； and not to worry。 Have you got that？〃
〃I've got it； but I don't buy it。 You don't even sound like yourself。〃
〃You can't tell her that； Doctor。 If