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profusion of browns and reds； from dark furniture to checkered curtains； fortable and masculine； a man's cabin in the country。 However； there were no weapons in sight； not even the accepted antique rifle over the fireplace； and no general…issue 。45 automatic either on the sergeant's person or on the table beside the chair。 The aide had no concerns for his immediate safety and why should he？ The estate of General Norman Swayne was totally secure…fence； gates； patrols and disciplined roving attack dogs at all points of entry。 Bourne stared through the glass at the strong jowled face of the master sergeant。 What secrets did that large head hold？ He would find out。 Medusa's Delta One would find out if he had to carve that skull apart。 Jason pushed himself away from the window and walked around the cabin to the front door。 He knocked twice with the knuckles of his left hand； in his right was the untraceable automatic supplied by Alexander Conklin； the crown prince of dark operations。
〃It's open； Rachel！〃 yelled the rasping voice from within。
Bourne twisted the knob and shoved the door back； it swung slowly on its hinges and made contact with the wall。 He walked inside。
〃Jesus Christ！〃 roared the master sergeant； his heavy legs plunging off the ottoman as he wriggled his massive body out of the chair。 〃You！ 。。。 You're a goddamned ghost！ You're dead！〃
〃Try again；〃 said Delta of Medusa。 〃The name's Flannagan； isn't it？ That's what es to mind。〃
〃You're dead！〃 repeated the general's aide； screaming； his eyes bulging in panic。 〃You bought it in Hong Kong！ You were killed in Hong Kong 。。。 four； five years ago！〃
〃You kept tabs…〃
〃We know 。。。 I know！〃
〃You've got connections in the right places； then。〃
〃You're Bourne！〃
〃Obviously born again； you might say。〃
〃I don't believe this！〃
〃Believe； Flannagan。 It's the 'we' we're going to talk about。 Snake Lady； to be precise。〃
〃You're the one…the one Swayne called 'Cobra'！〃
〃It's a snake。〃
〃I don't get it…〃
〃It's confusing。〃
〃You're one of us！〃
〃I was。 I was also cut out。 I snaked back in； as it were。〃
The sergeant frantically looked at the door； then the windows。 〃How'd you get in here？ Where are the guards； the dogs？ Jesus！ Where are they？〃
〃The dogs are asleep in the kennels； so I gave the guards the night off。〃
〃You gave。。。？ The dogs are on the grounds！〃
〃Not any longer。 They were persuaded to rest。〃
〃The guards…the goddamned guards！〃
〃They were persuaded to leave。 What they think is happening here tonight is even more confusing。〃
〃What've you done…what are you doing？〃
〃I thought I just mentioned it。 We're going to talk； Sergeant Flannagan。 I want to get caught up with some old rades。〃
The frightened man backed awkwardly away from the chair。 〃You're the maniac they called Delta before you turned and went in business for yourself！〃 he cried in a guttural whisper。 〃There was a picture； a photograph…you were laid out on a slab； bloodstains all over the sheet from the bullet wounds； your face was uncovered； your eyes wide open； holes still bleeding on your forehead and your throat。 。。。 They asked me who you were and I said； 'He's Delta。 Delta One from the illegals；' and they said； 'No； he's not； he's Jason Bourne； the killer； the assassin；' so I said； 'Then they're one and the same because that man is Delta…I knew him。' They thanked me and told me to go back and join the others。〃
〃Who were 'they'？〃
〃Some people over at Langley。 The one who did all the talking had a limp； he carried a cane。〃
〃And 'the others'…they told you to go back and join？〃
〃About twenty…five or thirty of the old Saigon crowd。〃
〃mand Saigon？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃Men who worked with our crowd； the 'illegals'？〃
〃Mostly； yeah。〃
〃When was this？〃
〃For Christ's sake； I told you！〃 roared the panicked aide。 〃Four or five years ago！ I saw the photograph…you were dead！〃
〃Only a single photograph；〃 interrupted Bourne quietly； staring at the master sergeant。 〃You have a very good memory。〃
〃You held a gun to my head。 Thirty…three years； two wars and twelve bat tours； nobody ever did that to me…nobody but you。 。。。 Yeah； I gotta good memory。〃
〃I think I understand。〃
〃I don't！ I don't understand a goddamned thing！ You were dead！〃
〃You've said that。 But I'm not； am I？ Or maybe I am。 Maybe this is the nightmare that's been visited upon you after twenty years of deceit。〃
〃What kind of crap is that？ What the hell…〃
〃Don't move！〃
〃I'm not！〃
Suddenly； in the distance； there was a loud report。 A gunshot！ Jason spun around 。。。 then instinct manded him to keep turning！ All around！ The massive general's aide was lunging at him； his huge hands like battering rams grazing off Bourne's shoulders as Delta One viciously lashed up his right foot； catching the sergeant's kidney； embedding his shoe deep into the flesh while crashing the barrel of his automatic into the base of the man's neck。 Flannagan lurched downward； splayed on the floor； Jason hammered his left foot into the sergeant's head； stunning him into silence。
A silence that was broken by the continuous hysterical screams of a woman racing outside toward the open door of the cabin。 Within seconds； General Norman Swayne's wife burst into the room； recoiling at the sight in front of her； gripping the back of the nearest chair； unable to contain her panic。
〃He's dead！〃 she shrieked； collapsing； swerving the chair to her side as she fell to the floor reaching for her lover。 〃He shot himself； Eddie！ Oh； my God； he killed himself！〃
Jason Bourne rose from his crouched position and walked to the door of the strange cabin that held so many secrets。 Calmly； watching his two prisoners； he closed it。 The woman wept； gasping； trembling； but they were tears not of sorrow but of fear。 The sergeant blinked his eyes and raised his huge head。 If any emotion could be defined in his expression； it was an admixture of fury and bewilderment。
11
〃Don't touch anything；〃 ordered Bourne as Flannagan and Rachel Swayne haltingly preceded him into the general's photograph…lined study。 At the sight of the old soldier's corpse arched back in the chair behind the desk； the ugly gun still in his outstretched hand； and the horror beyond left by the blowing away of the back of his skull； the wife convulsed； falling to her knees as if she might vomit。 The master sergeant grabbed her arm； holding her off the floor； his eyes dazed； fixed on the mutilated remains of General Norman Swayne。
〃Crazy son of a bitch；〃 whispered Flannagan； his voice strained and barely audible。 Then standing motionless； the muscles of his jaw pulsating； he roared。 〃You insane fuckin' son of a bitch！ What did you do it for…why？ What do we do now？〃
〃You call the police； Sergeant；〃 answered Jason。
〃What？〃 yelled the aide； spinning around。
〃No！〃 screamed Mrs。 Swayne； lurching to her feet。 〃We can't do that！〃
〃I don't think you've got a choice。 You didn't kill him。 You may have driven him to kill himself but you didn't kill him。〃
〃What the hell are you talking about？〃 asked Flannagan gruffly。
〃Better a simple if messy domestic tragedy than a far wider investigation； wouldn't you say？ I gather it's no secret