按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
g before his hand touched it。
〃Alex？〃
〃No； Br'er Rabbit； it's just an old friend； and I didn't realize we were so free with names。〃
〃We're not； we shouldn't be；〃 said Jason rapidly； imposing a control on himself he could barely exercise。 〃Something happened a moment ago…I found something。〃
〃Calm down； boy。 What can I do for you？〃
〃I need you…out here where I am。 Are you free？〃
〃Well； let's see。〃 Cactus chuckled as he spoke。 〃There are several board meetings I should rightfully attend； and the White House wants me for a power breakfast。 。。。 When and where； Br'er Rabbit？〃
〃Not alone； old friend。 I want three or four others with you。 Is that possible？〃
〃I don't know。 What did you have in mind？〃
〃That fellow who drove me into town after I saw you。 Are there any other like…minded citizens in the neighborhood？〃
〃Most are doin' time； frankly； but I suppose I could dig around the refuse and pull up a few。 What for？〃
〃Guard duty。 It's pretty simple really。 You'll be on the phone and they'll be behind locked gates telling people that it's private property； that visitors aren't wele。 Especially a few honkies probably in limousines。〃
〃Now； that might appeal to the brothers。〃
〃Call me back and I'll give you directions。〃 Bourne disconnected the line and immediately released the bar for a dial tone。 He touched the numbers for Conklin's phone in Vienna。
〃Yes？〃 answered Alex。
〃The doctor was right and I let our Snake Lady executioner get away！〃
〃Swayne's wife； you mean？〃
〃No； but she and her fast…talking sergeant know who it was…they had to know who was here！ Pick them up and hold them。 They lied to me； so the deal's off。 Whoever staged this gruesome 'suicide' had orders from high up in Medusa。 I want him。 He's our shortcut。〃
〃He's also beyond our reach。〃
〃What the hell are you talking about？〃
〃Because the sergeant and his paramour are beyond our reach。 They've disappeared。〃
〃That's crazy！ If I know Saint Alex； and I do； you've had them covered since they left here。〃
〃Electronically； not physically。 Remember； you insisted we keep Langley and Peter Holland away from Medusa。〃
〃What did you do？〃
〃I sent out a full…toned alert to the central reservations puters of all international airline carriers。 As of eight…twenty this evening our subjects had seats on Pan Am's ten o'clock flight to London…〃
〃London？〃 broke in Jason。 〃They were heading the other way； to the Pacific。 To Hawaii！〃
〃That's probably where they're going because they never showed up at Pan Am。 Who knows？〃
〃Damn it； you should！〃
〃How？ Two United States citizens flying to Hawaii don't have to present passports to enter our fiftieth state。 A driver's license or a voter's registration card will do。 You told me that they've been considering this move for quite a while。 How difficult would it be for a master sergeant with over thirty years' service to get a couple of driver's licenses using different names？〃
〃But why？〃
〃To throw off people looking for them…like us； or maybe a few Medusans； very high up。〃
〃Shit！〃
〃Would you care to talk less in the vulgate； Professor？ It was the 'vulgate；' wasn't it？〃
〃Shut up； I've got to think。〃
〃Then think about the fact that we're up to our asses in the Arctic without a heater。 It's time for Peter Holland。 We need him。 We need Langley。〃
〃No； not yet！ You're forgetting something。 Holland took an oath； and everything we know about him says he took it seriously。 He may bend a rule now and then； but if he's faced with a Medusa； with hundreds of millions out of Geneva buying up whatever they're buying up in Europe； he may say； 'Halt； that's enough！' 〃
〃That's a risk we have to take。 We need him； David。〃
〃Not David； goddamn you！ I'm Bourne； Jason Bourne； your creation； and I'm owed！ My family is owed！ I won't have it any other way！〃
〃And you'll kill me if I go against you。〃
Silence。 Neither spoke until Delta One of Saigon's Medusa broke the pause。 〃Yes； Alex； I'll kill you。 Not because you tried to kill me in Paris； but for the same blind assumptions you made back then that led to your decision to e after me。 Can you understand that？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Conklin； his voice so low it was barely audible。 〃The arrogance of ignorance； it's your favorite Washington theme； you always make it sound so Oriental。 But somewhere along the line you're going to have to be a little less arrogant yourself。 There's only so much we can do alone。〃
〃On the other hand； there's so much that can be loused up if we're not alone。 Look at the progress we've made。 From zero to double digits in how long…forty…eight； seventy…two hours？ Give me the two days； Alex； please。 We're closing in on what this whole thing's about； what Medusa's all about。 One breakthrough； and we present them with the perfect solution to get rid of me。 The Jackal。〃
〃I'll do the best I can。 Did Cactus reach you？〃
〃Yes。 He'll call me back and then e out here。 I'll explain later。〃
〃I should tell you。 He and our doctor are friends。〃
〃I know。 Ivan told me。 。。。 Alex； I want to get some things over to you…Swayne's telephone book； his wallet； appointments schedule； stuff like that。 I'll wrap it all up and have one of Cactus's boys deliver the package to your place； to the security gate。 Put everything into your high tech and see what you can find。〃
〃Cactus's boys？ What are you doing？〃
〃Taking an item off your agenda。 I'm sealing this place up。 Nobody'll be able to get in； but we'll see who tries。〃
〃That could be interesting。 The kennel people are ing for the dogs around seven in the morning； incidentally； so don't make the seals too tight。〃
〃Which reminds me；〃 interrupted Jason。 〃Be official again and call the guards on the other shifts。 Their services are no longer required； but each will receive a month's pay by mail in lieu of notice。〃
〃Who the hell's going to pay it？ There's no Langley； remember？ No Peter Holland and I'm not independently wealthy。〃
〃I am。 I'll phone my bank in Maine and have them Fed Ex you a cashier's check。 Ask your friend Casset to pick it up at your apartment in the morning。〃
〃It's funny； isn't it？〃 said Conklin slowly； pensively。 〃I forgot about your money。 I never think about it； actually。 I guess I've blocked it out of my mind。〃
〃That's possible；〃 added Bourne； a trace of lightness in his voice。 〃The official part of you may have visions of some bureaucrat ing up to Marie and saying； 'By the way； Mrs。 Webb or Bourne or whoever you are； while you were in the employ of the Canadian government you made off with over five million dollars belonging to mine。〃
〃She was only brilliant； David…Jason。 You were owed every dollar。〃
〃Don't press the point； Alex。 She claimed at least twice the amount。〃
〃She was right。 It's why everyone shut up。 。。。 What are you going to do now？〃
〃Wait for Cactus's call； then make one of my own。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃To my wife。〃
Marie sat on the balcony of her villa at Tranquility Inn staring out at the moonlit Caribbean； trying with every controlling instinct in her not to go mad with fear。 Strangely； perhaps stupidly or even dangerously； it was not the fear of physical harm that consumed her。 She had lived in both Euro