rl.thebourneultimatum-第137节

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into　the　parking　lot　and　obviously…very　obviously…see　that　the　car　is　missing　and　get　out　of　there　fast；　gunning　your　engine。〃
　〃And　leave　you　alone？〃　cried　Alex。
　〃It's　the　only　way　I　can　take　him。　The　only　way　he　can　be　taken。〃
　〃Lunacy！〃　spat　out　Krupkin；　his　jowls　vibrating。
　〃No；　Kruppie；　reality；〃　said　Jason　Bourne　simply。　〃It's　the　same　as　it　was　in　the　beginning。　One　on　one；　it's　the　only　way。〃
　〃That　is　sophomoric　heroics！〃　roared　the　Russian；　slamming　his　hand　down　on　the　back　of　the　seat。　〃Worse；　it's　ridiculous　strategy。　If　you're　right；　I　can　surround　the　armory　with　a　thousand　troops！〃
　〃Which　is　exactly　what　he'd　want…what　I'd　want；　if　I　were　Carlos。　Don't　you　see？　He　could　get　away　in　the　confusion；　in　the　sheer　numbers…that's　not　a　problem　for　either　of　us；　we've　both　done　it　too　many　times　before。　Crowds　and　anxiety　are　our　protection…they're　child's　play。　A　knife　in　a　uniform；　the　uniform　ours；　toss　a　grenade　into　the　troops；　and　after　the　explosion　we're　one　of　the　staggering　victims…that's　amateur　night　for　paid　killers。　Believe　me；　I　know…I　became　one　in　spite　of　myself。〃
　〃So　what　do　you　think　you　can　do　by　yourself；　Batman？〃　asked　Conklin；　furiously　massaging　his　useless　leg。
　〃Stalk　the　killer　who　wants　to　kill　me…and　I'll　take　him。〃
　〃You're　a　fucking　megalomaniac！〃
　〃You're　absolutely　right。　It's　the　only　way　to　be　in　the　killing　game。　It's　the　only　edge　you've　got。〃
　〃Insanity！〃　yelled　Krupkin。
　〃So　allow　me；　I'm　entitled　to　a　little　craziness。　If　I　thought　the　entire　Russian　army　would　ensure　my　survival；　I'd　scream　for　it。　But　it　wouldn't…it　couldn't。　There's　only　this　way。　。。。　Stop　the　car　and　let　me　choose　the　weapons。〃
　
　39
　The　dark　green　KGB　sedan　rounded　the　final　curve　in　the　sloping　road　cut　out　of　the　countryside。　The　descent　had　been　gradual。　The　ground　below　was　flat　and　summer…green　with　fields　of　wild　grass　bordering　the　approach　to　the　massive　brown　building　that　was　the　Kubinka　Armory。　It　seemed　to　rise　out　of　the　earth；　a　huge　boxlike　intrusion　on　the　pastoral　scene；　an　ugly　man…made　interruption　of　heavy　brown　wood　and　miserly　windows　reaching　three　stories　high　and　covering　two　acres　of　land。　Like　the　structure　itself；　the　front　entrance　was　large；　square　and　unadorned　except　for　the　dull　bas…relief　profiles　above　the　door　of　three　Soviet　soldiers　rushing　into　the　deadly　winds　of　battle；　their　rifles　at　port　arms；　about　to　blow　one　another's　heads　off。
　Armed　with　an　authentic　Russian　AK…47　and　five　standard　thirty…round　magazine　clips；　Bourne　jumped　out　the　far　side　of　the　silent　coasting　government　car；　using　the　bulk　of　the　rolling　vehicle　to　conceal　himself　in　the　grass　directly　across　the　road　from　the　entrance。　The　armory's　huge　dirt　parking　area　was　to　the　right　of　the　long　building；　a　single　row　of　unkempt　shrubbery　fronted　the　entrance　lawn；　in　the　center　of　which　stood　a　tall　white　pole；　the　Soviet　flag　hanging　limp　in　the　breezeless　morning　air。　Jason　ran　across　the　road；　his　body　low；　and　crouched　by　the　hedgerow；　he　had　only　moments　to　peer　through　the　bushes　and　ascertain　the　existence　or　nonexistence　of　the　armory's　security　procedures。　At　best；　they　appeared　lax　to　the　point　of　being　informal；　if　not　irrelevant。　There　was　a　glass　window　in　the　right　wall　of　the　entrance　similar　to　that　of　a　theater's　box　office；　behind　it　sat　a　uniformed　guard　reading　a　magazine；　and　alongside　him；　less　visible　but　seen　clearly　enough；　was　another；　his　head　on　the　counter；　asleep。　Two　other　soldiers　emerged　from　the　immense　armory　door…double　doors…both　casual；　unconcerned；　as　one　glanced　at　his　watch　and　the　other　lighted　a　cigarette。
　So　much　for　Kubinka's　security；　no　sudden　assault　was　anticipated　nor　had　one　taken　place；　at　least　none　that　had　set　off　alarms　reaching　the　front　patrols；　usually　the　first　to　be　alerted。　It　was　eerie；　unnatural；　beyond　the　unexpected。　The　Jackal　was　inside　this　military　installation；　yet　there　was　no　sign　that　he　had　penetrated　it；　no　indication　that　somewhere　within　the　plex　he　was　controlling　a　minimum　of　five　personnel…a　man　impersonating　him；　three　other　men　and　a　woman。
　The　parking　area　itself？　He　had　not　understood　the　exchanges　between　Alex；　Krupkin　and　the　voice　over　the　radio；　but　now　it　was　clear　to　him　that　when　they　had　spoken　of　people　ing　outside　and　running　to　the　stolen　car；　they　were　not　referring　to　the　front　entrance！　There　had　to　be　an　exit　on　the　parking　area！　Christ；　he　had　only　seconds　before　the　driver　of　the　Komitet　car　started　up　the　engine　and　roared　into　the　huge　dirt　lot；　circling　it　and　racing　out；　both　actions　announcing　the　government　vehicle's　arrival　and　swift；　calamitous　departure。　If　Carlos　was　going　to　make　his　break；　it　would　be　then！　After　waiting　for　the　standard　radio　backup；　every　moment　of　distance　he　put　between　himself　and　the　armory　would　make　it　more　difficult　to　pick　up　his　trail。　And　he；　the　efficient　killing　machine　from　Medusa；　was　in　the　wrong　place！　Further；　the　sight　of　a　civilian　running　across　a　lawn　or　down　a　road　carrying　an　automatic　weapon　within　a　military　pound　was　to　invite　disaster。　It　was　a　small；　stupid　omission！　Three　or　four　additional　words　translated　and　a　less　arrogant；　more　probing　listener　would　have　avoided　the　error。　It　was　always　the　little　things；　the　seemingly　insignificant　that　crippled　gray　to　black　operations。　Goddamn　it！
　Five　hundred　feet　away　the　KGB　sedan　suddenly　thundered　as　it　swerved　into　the　dirt　parking　area　raising　clouds　of　dry　dust　while　crushing　and　spitting　out　pieces　of　rock　from　its　spinning　tires。　There　was　no　time　to　think；　time　only　to　act。　Bourne　held　the　AK…47　against　his　right　leg；　concealing　it　as　much　as　possible　as　he　rose　to　his　feet；　his　left　hand　skimming　the　top　of　the　low　hedgerow…a　gardener；　perhaps；　surveying　an　anticipated　assignment；　or　an　indolent　stroller　aimlessly　touching　the　roadside　shrubbery；　nothing　remotely　threatening；　just　a　sign　of　the　monplace；　to　the　casual　observer；　he　might　have　been　walking　down　that　road　for　several　minutes　without　being　noticed。
　He　glanced　over　at　the　armory's　entrance。　The　two　soldiers　were　laughing　quietly；　the　one　without　a　cigarette　again　looking　at　his　watch。　Then　the　object　of　their　minor　conspiracy　came　out　of　the　left　front　door；　an　attractive　dark…haired　girl；　barely　in　her　twenties。　She　humorously　clapped　both　her　hands　over　her　ears；　made　a　grotesque　face　and　walked　rapidly　to　the　time…conscious　man　in　uniform；　kissing　him　on　the　lips。　The　threesome　linked　arms；　the　woman　in　the　center；　and　started　to　their　right；　away　from　the　entrance。
　A　crash！　Metal　colliding　with　metal；　glass　shattering　glass；　the　loud　harsh　sound　ing　from　the　distant　parking　area。　Something　had　happened　to　the　Komitet　car　with　Alex　and　Krupkin；　the　young　driver　from　the　assault　squad　had　either　smashed　or　skidded　into　another　vehicle　in　the　dry　dirt　of　the　lot。　Using　the　sound　as　an　excuse；　Jason　started　down　the　road；　the　image　of　Conklin　ing　instantly　to　his　mind；　producing　a　limp　in　his　own　rapid　strides　the　better　to　keep　his　weapon　in　minimum　view。　He　turned　his　head；　expecting　to　see　the　two　soldiers　and　the　woman　running　down　the　armory　path　toward　the　accident；　only　to　realize　that　the　three　of　them　were　running　the　other　way；　removing　themselves　from　any　involvement。　Obviously；　precious　breaks　in　a　military　schedule　were　jealously　protected。
　Bourne　abandoned　the　limp；　crashed　through　the　hedgerow　and　raced　to　the　concrete　path　that　stretched　to　the　corner　of　the　huge　building；　gathering　speed　and　breathing　heavily　with　increasing　frequency。　Jason's　weapon　was　now　in　plain　sight；　slashing　the　air　as　he　gripped　it　in　the　hand　of　his　swinging　right　arm。　He　reached　the　end　of　the　path；　his　chest　heaving；　the　veins　in　his　neck　seemingly　prepared　to　burst　as　the　sweat　ran　down　his　skin；　drenching　his　face；　his　collar　and　his　shirt。　Gasping；　he　steadied　the　AK…47；　his　back　pressed　against　the　wall　of　the　building；　then　spun　around　the　corner　into　the　parking　area；　stunned　by　what　he　saw。　His　pounding　feet；　coupled　with　the　anxiety　that　caused　his　hair…soaked　temples　to　throb；　had　blocked　out　all　sound　up　ahead。　What　he　observed　now；　what　sickened　him　now；　he　knew　had　to　be　the　result　of　multiple　gunshots　muted　by　a　weapon　equipped　with　a　silencer。　Dispassionately；　Medusa's　Delta　understood；　he　had　been　there　many　times　many　years　before。　There　were　circumstances　under　which　kills　had　to　be　made　quietly…utter　silence　was　the　unreachable　goal；　but　at　least　minimal　noise　was　crucial。
　The　young　KGB　driver　from　the　assault　squad　was　sprawled　on　the　ground　by　the　trunk　of　the　dark　green　sedan；　the　wounds　in　his　head　certifying　death。　The　car　had　swerved　into　the　side　of　a　government　bus；　the　sort　used　to　haul　workers　to　and　from　their　places　of　employment。　How　or　why　the　accident　had　happened；　Bourne　could　not　know。　Neither　could　he　know　whether　Alex　or　Krupkin　had　survived；　the　car's　windows　had　been　pierced　repeatedly　and　there　was　no　sign　of　movement　inside；　both　facts　suggesting　the　worst　but　nothing　conclusive。　Above　all；　at　this　moment；　the　Chameleon　also　understood　that　he　could　not　be　affected　by　what　he　saw…emotions　were　out！　If　the　worst　had　happened；　mourning　the　dead