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〃You're very amusing。〃
〃I don't feel remotely amusing。〃
〃It's your neck。〃
〃It certainly is。 Can you get one； Johnny？〃
〃Doctor？〃 St。 Jacques looked at the physician。
〃I don't think we can stop him。〃
〃I'll send someone to the pro shop。〃
〃Excuse me； Doctor；〃 said Bourne as Marie's brother went to the telephone。 〃I want to ask Johnny a few questions and I'm not sure you want to hear them。〃
〃I've heard more than I care to already。 I'll wait in the other room。〃 The doctor crossed to the door and let himself out。
While St。 Jacques talked on the phone； Jason moved about the room raising and lowering his arms and shaking his hands to check the functioning of his motor controls。 He crouched； then rose to his feet four times in succession； each movement faster than the previous one。 He had to be ready…he had to be！
〃It'll only be a few minutes；〃 said the brother…in…law； hanging up the phone。 〃Pritchard will have to go down and open the shop。 He'll bring different sizes of tape。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Bourne stopped moving and stood in place。 〃Who was the man I shot； Johnny？ He fell through the curtains in that archway； but I couldn't see his face。〃
〃No one I know； and I thought I knew every white man in these islands who could afford an expensive suit。 He must have been a tourist…a tourist on assignment 。。。 for the Jackal。 Naturally； there wasn't any identification。 Henry's shipped him off to 'Serrat。〃
〃How many here know what's going on？〃
〃Outside of the staff； there are only fourteen guests； and no one's got a clue。 I've sealed off the chapel…the word is storm damage。 And even those who have to know something…like the doctor and the two guys from Toronto…they don't know the whole story； just pieces； and they're friends。 I trust them。 The others are heavy into island rum。〃
〃What about the gunshots at the chapel？〃
〃What about the loudest and lousiest steel band in the islands？ Also； you were a thousand feet away in the woods。 。。。 Look； David； most everyone's left but some diehards who wouldn't stay here if they weren't old Canadian buddies showing me loyalty； and a few casuals who'd probably take a vacation in Teheran。 What can I tell you except that the bar is doing a hell of a business。〃
〃It's like a mystifying charade；〃 murmured Bourne； again carefully arching his neck and staring at the ceiling。 〃Figures in silhouette playing out disconnected； violent events behind white screens； nothing really making sense； everything's whatever you want it to be。〃
〃That's a little much for me； Professor。 What's your point？〃
〃Terrorists aren't born； Johnny； they're made； schooled in a curriculum you won't find in any academic catalog。 Leaving aside the reasons why they are what they are…which can range from a justifiable cause to the psychopathic megalomania of a Jackal…you keep the charades going because they're playing out their own。〃
〃So？〃 St。 Jacques frowned in bewilderment。
〃So you control your players； telling them what to act out but not why。〃
〃That's what we're doing here and that's what Henry's doing out on the water all around Tranquility。〃
〃Is he？ Are we？〃
〃Hell； yes。〃
〃I thought I was too； but I was wrong。 I overestimated a big clever kid doing a simple； harmless job and underestimated a humble； frightened priest who took thirty pieces of silver。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃
〃Ishmael and Brother Samuel。 Samuel must have witnessed the torture of a child through the eyes of Torquemada。〃
〃Turkey who？〃
〃The point is we don't really know the players。 The guards； for instance； the ones you brought to the chapel。〃
〃I'm not a fool； David；〃 protested St。 Jacques； interrupting。 〃When you called for us to surround the place； I took a small liberty and chose two men； the only two I would choose； figuring a pair of Uzis made up for the absence of one man and the four points of the pass。 They're my head boys and former Royal mandos； they're in charge of all the security here and； like Henry； I trust them。〃
〃Henry？ He's a good man； isn't he？〃
〃He's a pain in the ass sometimes； but he's the best in the islands。〃
〃And the Crown governor？〃
〃He's just an ass。〃
〃Does Henry know that？〃
〃Sure； he does。 He didn't get to be a brigadier on his looks； potbelly and all。 He's not only a good soldier； he's a good administrator。 He covers for a lot around here。〃
〃And you're certain he hasn't been in touch with the CG。〃
〃He told me he'd let me know before he reached the pompous idiot and I believe him。〃
〃I sincerely hope you're right…because that pompous idiot is the Jackal's contact in Montserrat。〃
〃What？ I don't believe it！〃
〃Believe。 It's confirmed。〃
〃It's incredible！〃
〃No； it's not。 It's the way of the Jackal。 He finds vulnerability and he recruits it； buys it。 There are very few in the gray areas beyond his ability to purchase them。〃
Stunned； St。 Jacques wandered aimlessly to the balcony doors ing to terms with the unbelievable。 〃I suppose it answers a question a lot of us have asked ourselves。 The governor's old…line landed gentry with a brother high up in the Foreign Office who's close to the prime minister。 Why at his age was he sent out here； or； maybe more to the point； why did he accept it？ You'd think he'd settle for nothing less than Bermuda or the British Virgins。 Plymouth can be a stepping…stone； not a final post。〃
〃He was banished； Johnny。 Carlos probably found out why a long time ago and has him on a list。 He's been doing it for years。 Most people read newspapers and books and magazines for diversion； the Jackal pores over volumes of in…depth intelligence reports from every conceivable source he can unearth； and he's unearthed more than the CIA； the KGB； MI…Five and Six； Interpol and a dozen other services even want to think about。 。。。 Those seaplanes flew in four or five times after I got back here from Blackburne。 Who was on them？〃
〃Pilots；〃 answered St。 Jacques； turning around。 〃They were taking people out； not bringing anyone in； I told you that。〃
〃Yes； you told me。 Were you watching？〃
〃Watching who？〃
〃Each plane when it came in。〃
〃Hey； e on！ You had me doing a dozen different things。〃
〃What about the two black mandos？ The ones you trust so much。〃
〃They were checking and positioning the other guards； for Christ's sake。〃
〃Then we don't really know who may have e in on those planes； do we？ Maybe slipping into the water over the pontoons as they taxied through the reefs…perhaps before the sandbar。〃
〃For God's sake； David； I've known those charter jocks for years。 They wouldn't let anything like that happen。 No way！〃
〃You mean it's kind of unbelievable。〃
〃You bet your ass。〃
〃Like the Jackal's contact in Montserrat。 The Crown governor。〃
The owner of Tranquility Inn stared at his brother…in…law。 〃What kind of world do you live in？〃
〃One I'm sorry you ever became a part of。 But you are now and you'll play by its rules； my rules。〃 A fleck； a flash； an infinitesimal streak of deep red light from the darkness outside！ Infrared！ Arms extended； Bourne lunged at St。 Jacques； propelling him off his feet； away from the balcony doors。 〃Get out of there！〃 Jason roared in midair as both crashed to the f