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lready planted。 Capisce？〃
〃I capisco； Lou；〃 said the clean…cut young man from the chair。 〃You're real intelligent。〃
〃You don't know what the fuck I'm talking about； you zabaglione。 I could be talking to myself； so why not？ 。。。 So I get my twelve and I figure let's slam the loaded dice right into the felt； see？〃
〃I see； Lou。〃
〃We got to eliminate this asshole general because he's the impediment to the fancy crowd who needs us； right？〃
〃Right on； Lou。 An imped…an imped…〃
〃Don't bother； zabaglione。 So I say to myself； let's blow him away and say the hot cannoli did it； got it？〃
〃Oh； yeah； Lou。 You're real intelligent。〃
〃So we get rid of the impediment and put the cannoli； this Jason Bourne； who's not all there； in everybody's gun sights； right？ If we don't get him； and this Jackal don't get him； the federals will； right？〃
〃Hey； that's terrific； Lou。 I gotta say it； I really respect you。〃
〃Forget respect； bello ragazzo。 The rules are different in this house。 e on over and make good love to me。〃
The young man got up from the chair and walked over to the couch。
Marie sat in the back of the plane drinking coffee from a plastic cup； trying desperately to recall every place…every hiding and resting place…she and David had used thirteen years ago。 There were the rock…bottom cafés in Montparnasse； the cheap hotels as well； and a motel…where was it？…ten miles outside of Paris； and an inn with a balcony in Argenteuil where David…Jason…first told her he loved her but could not stay with her because he loved her…the goddamned ass！ And there was the Sacré…Coeur； far up on the steps where Jason…David…met the man in a dark alley who gave them the information they needed…what was it； who was he？
〃Mesdames et messieurs；〃 came the voice over the flight deck's loudspeaker。 〃Jesuis votre capitaine。 Bienvenu。 〃The pilot continued first in French； then he and his crew repeated the in formation in English； German； Italian and； finally with a female interpreter； in Japanese。 〃We anticipate a very smooth flight to Marseilles。 Our estimated flight time is seven hours and fourteen minutes； landing on or before schedule at six o'clock in the morning； Paris time。 Enjoy。〃
The moonlight outside bathed the ocean below as Marie St。 Jacques Webb looked out the window。 She had flown to San Juan； Puerto Rico； and taken the night flight to Marseilles； where French immigration was at best a mass of confusion and at worst intentionally lax。 At least that was the way it was thirteen years ago； a time she was reentering。 She would then take a domestic flight to Paris and she would find him。 As she had done thirteen years ago； she would find him。 She had to！ As it had been thirteen years ago； if she did not； the man she loved was a dead man。
21
Morris Panov sat listlessly in a chair by a window looking out over the pasture of a farm somewhere； he assumed； in Maryland。 He was in a small second…floor bedroom dressed in a hospital nightshirt； his bare right arm confirming the story he knew only too well。 He had been drugged repeatedly； taken up to the moon； in the parlance of those who usually administered such narcotics。 He had been mentally raped； his mind penetrated； violated； his innermost thoughts and secrets brought chemically to the surface and exposed。
The damage he had done was incalculable； he understood that； what he did not understand was why he was still alive。 Even more perplexing was why he was being treated so deferentially。 Why was his guard with the foolish black mask so courteous； the food plentiful and decent？ It was as if the present imperative of his captivity was to restore his strength…profoundly sapped by the drugs…and make him as fortable as possible under the extraordinarily difficult circumstances。 Why？
The door opened and his masked guard walked in； a short heavyset man with a rasping voice Panov placed somewhere in the northeastern United States or possibly Chicago。 In another situation he might have appeared ic； his large head too massive for the asinine Lone Ranger eye…covering； which would certainly not impede instant identification。 However； in the current state of affairs； he was not ic at all； his obsequiousness was in itself menacing。 Over his left arm were the psychiatrist's clothes。
〃Okay； Doc； you gotta get dressed。 I made sure everything was cleaned and pressed； even the undershorts。 How about that？〃
〃You mean you have your own laundry and dry cleaners out here？〃
〃Fuck no； we take 'em over to… Oh； no； you don't get me that way； Doc！〃 The guard grinned with slightly yellowed teeth。 〃Pretty smart； huh？ You figure I'll tell you where we are； huh？〃
〃I was simply curious。〃
〃Yeah； sure。 Like I got a nephew； my sister's kid； who's always 'simply curious；' askin' me questions I don't wanna answer。 Like； 'Hey； Unc； how'd you put me through medical school； huh？' Yeah！ He's a doctor； like you； what do you think of that？〃
〃I'd say his mother's brother is a very generous person。〃
〃Yeah； well； wadda you gonna do； huh？ 。。。 e on； put on the threads； Doc； we're going on a little trip。〃 The guard handed Mo his clothes。
〃I suppose it would be foolish to ask where；〃 said Panov； getting out of the chair； removing his hospital nightshirt and putting on his shorts。
〃Very foolish。〃
〃I hope not as foolish as your nephew not telling you about a symptom you have that I'd find somewhat alarming if I were you。〃 Mo casually pulled up his trousers。
〃Wadda you talkin'？〃
〃Perhaps nothing；〃 replied Panov； putting on his shirt and sitting down to pull up his socks。 〃When did you last see your nephew？〃
〃A couple of weeks ago。 I put in some bread to cover his insurance。 Shit； those mothers are bleeders！ 。。。 Wadda you mean when did I last see the prick？〃
〃I just wondered if he said anything to you。〃
〃About what？〃
〃About your mouth。〃 Mo laced his shoes and gestured with his head。 〃There's a mirror over the bureau； go take a look。〃
〃At what？〃 The capo subordinato walked quickly to the mirror。
〃Smile。〃
〃At what？〃
〃Yourself。 。。。 See the yellow on your teeth； the fading red of your gums and how the gums recede the higher they go？〃
〃So？ They always been like that…〃
〃It might be。 nothing； but he should have spotted it。〃
〃Spotted what； for Christ's sake？〃
〃Oral ameloblastoma。 Possibly。〃
〃What the hell is that？ I don't brush too good and I don't like dentists。 They're butchers！〃
〃You mean you haven't seen a dentist or an oral surgeon in quite a while？〃
〃So？〃 The capo bared his teeth again in front of the mirror。
〃That could explain why your nephew didn't say anything。〃
〃Why？〃
〃He probably figures you have regular dental checkups； so let those people explain it to you。〃 Shoes tied； Panov stood up。
〃I don't getcha。〃
〃Well； he's grateful for everything you've done for him； appreciative of your generosity。 I can understand why he'd hesitate telling you。〃
〃Telling me what？〃 The guard spun away from the mirror。
〃I could be wrong but you really ought to see a periodontist。〃 Mo put on his jacket。 〃I'm ready；〃 he said。 〃What do we do now？〃
The capo subordinato； his eyes squinting； his forehead creased in ignorance and suspicion； r