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〃Big Rex； you're one bad dog； buddy；〃 said the driver in a half…loud； very Southern voice。 〃What'd you drag out of there； you dumb bastard？ The brass…plated asshole would shave your coat for messing up his eestate！ 。。。 Rex？ Rex； you e here； you fuckin' hound！〃 The man grabbed the limb and pulled it off the road under the pine tree into the shadows。 〃Rex； you hear me！ You humpin' knotholes； you horny stud？〃
〃Stay pletely still and put your arms out in front of you；〃 said Jason Bourne； walking into view。
〃Holy shit！ Who are you？〃
〃Someone who doesn't give a damn whether you live or die；〃 replied the intruder calmly。
〃You got a gun！ I can see it！〃
〃So do you。 Yours is in your holster。 Mine's in my hand and it's pointed at your head。〃
〃The dog！ Where the hell's the dawg？〃
〃Indisposed。〃
〃What？〃
〃He looks like a good dog。 He could be anything a trainer wanted him to be。 You don't blame the animal； you blame the human who taught it。〃
〃What are you talkin' about？〃
〃I guess the bottom line is that I'd rather kill the man than the animal； do I make myself clear？〃
〃Nothin's clear！ I jest know this man don't want to get killed。〃
〃Then let's talk； shall we？〃
〃I got words； but only one life； mister。〃
〃Lower your right arm and take out your gun…by the fingers； mister。〃 The guard did so； holding the weapon by his thumb and forefinger。 〃Lob it toward me； please。〃 The man obeyed。 Bourne picked it up。
〃What the hell's this all about？〃 cried the guard； pleading。
〃I want information。 I was sent here to get it。〃
〃I'll give you what I got if you let me get out of here。 I don't want nothin' more to do with this place！ I figured it was in' someday； I told Barbie Jo； you ask her！ I told her someday people'd be in' around asking questions。 But not this way； not your way！ Not with guns aimed at our heads。〃
〃I assume Barbie Jo is your wife。〃
〃Sort of。〃
〃Then let's start with why 'people' would e out here asking questions。 My superiors want to know。 Don't worry； you won't be involved； nobody's interested in you。 You're just a security guard。〃
〃That's all I am； mister！〃 interrupted the frightened man。 〃Then why did you tell Barbie Jo what you did？ That people would someday e out here asking questions。〃
〃Hell； I'm not sure。。。。 Jest so many crazy things； y'know？〃
〃No； I don't know。 Like what？〃
〃Well； like the brass…plated screamer； the general。 He's a big wheel； right？ He's got Pentagon cars and drivers and even helicopters whenever he wants 'em； right？ He owns this place； right？〃
〃So？〃
〃So that big mick of a sergeant…a lousy master sergeant…orders him around like he wasn't toilet…trained； y'know what I mean？ And that big…titty wife of his he's got a thing goin' with the hulk and she don't give a damn who knows it。 It's all crazy； y'see what I mean？〃
〃I see a domestic mess； but I'm not sure it's anybody's business。 Why would people e out here and ask questions？〃
〃Why are you out here； man？ You figured there was a meetin' tonight； didn't you？〃
〃A meeting？〃
〃Them fancy limousines with the chauffeurs and the big shots； right？ Well； you picked the wrong night。 The dogs are out and they're never let out when there's a meetin'。〃
Bourne paused； then spoke as he approached the guard。 〃We'll continue this in the cart；〃 he said with authority。 〃I'll crouch down and you'll do exactly what I tell you to do。〃
〃You promised me I could get out of here！〃
〃You can； you will。 Both you and the other fellow making the rounds。 The gates over there； are they on an alarm？〃
〃Not when the dogs are loose。 If those hounds see something out on the road and get excited； they'd jump up and set it off。〃
〃Where's the alarm panel？〃
〃There are two of 'em。 One's in the sergeant's place； the other's in the front hall of the house。 As long as the gates are closed； you can turn it on。〃
〃e on； let's go。〃
〃Where are we goin'？〃
〃I want to see every dog on the premises。〃
Twenty…one minutes later； the remaining five attack dogs drugged and carried to their kennels； Bourne unlatched the entrance gate and let the two guards outside。 He had given each three hundred dollars。 〃This will make up for any pay you lose；〃 he said。
〃Hey； what about my car？〃 asked the second guard。 〃It ain't much but it gets me around。 Me and Willie e out here in it。〃
〃Do you have the keys？〃
〃Yeah； in my pocket。 It's parked in the back by the kennels。〃
〃Get it tomorrow。〃
〃Why don't I get it now？〃
〃You'd make too much noise driving out； and my superiors will be arriving any moment。 It's best that they don't see you。 Take my word for it。〃
〃Holy shit！ What'd I tell you； Jim…Bob？ Jest like I tole Barbie Jo。 This place is weird； man！〃
〃Three hundred bucks ain't weird； Willie。 C'mon； we'll hitch。 T'ain't late and some of the boys'll be on the road。 。。。 Hey； mister； who's gonna take care of the hounds when they wake up？ They got to be walked and fed before the morning shift； and they'll tear apart any stranger who gets near 'em。〃
〃What about Swayne's master sergeant？ He can handle them； can't he？〃
〃They don't like him much；〃 offered the guard named Willie； 〃but they obey him。 They're better with the general's wife； the horny bastards。〃
〃What about the general？〃 asked Bourne。
〃He pisses bright yeller at the sight of 'em；〃 replied Jim…Bob。
〃Thanks for the information。 Go on now； get down the road a piece before you start hitchhiking。 My superiors are ing from the other direction。〃
〃You know；〃 said the second guard； squinting in the moonlight at Jason； 〃this is the craziest fuckin' night I ever expect to see。 You get in here dressed like some gawddamn terrorist； but you talk and act like a shit…kickin' army officer。 You keep mentioning these 'soopeeriors' of yours； you drug the pups and pay us three hundred bucks to get out。 I don't understand nothin！〃
〃You're not supposed to。 On the other hand； if I was really a terrorist； you'd probably be dead； wouldn't you？〃
〃He's right； Jim…Bob。 Let's get outta here！〃
〃What the hell are we supposed to say？〃
〃Tell anyone who asks you the truth。 Describe what happened tonight。 Also； you can add that the code name is Cobra。〃
〃My Gawd！〃 yelled Willie as both men fled into the road。 Bourne secured the gate and walked back to the patrol cart certain in the knowledge that whatever happened during the next hours； an appendage of Medusa had been thrown into a state of further anxiety。 Questions would be asked feverishly…questions for which there were no answers。 Nothing。 Enigma。
He climbed into the cart； shifted gears and started for the cabin at the end of the graveled road that branched off from the immaculate circular drive。
He stood by the window peering inside； his face at the edge of the glass。 The huge； overweight master sergeant was sitting in a large leather armchair； his feet on an ottoman； watching television。 From the sounds penetrating the window； specifically the rapid； high…pitched speech of an announcer； the general's aide was engrossed in a baseball game。 Jason scanned the room as best he could； it was typically rustic； a profusion of browns and reds； from dark furniture to checkered curtains； fortable and mascul