rl.thebourneultimatum-第24节

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！



　〃You　weren't　once。　Where　it　all　began。〃
　〃The　hell　I　wasn't。　No　uniform　ever　made　a　soldier　and　it　sure　didn't　with　me。〃
　〃What　about　a　couple　of　generals；　one　in　Brussels；　the　other　at　the　Pentagon？〃
　〃They　were　career　men；　they　stayed　in。　I　wasn't　and　I　didn't。〃
　〃We　have　to　expect　leaks；　rumors；〃　said　Bourne　almost　aimlessly；　his　eyes　now　wandering。　〃But　we　can't　permit　the　slightest　hint　of　military　orientation。〃
　〃You　mean　like　in　junta　style？〃
　〃Never；〃　replied　Bourne；　once　more　staring　at　Armbruster。　〃That　kind　of　thing　creates　whirlwinds…〃
　〃Forget　it！〃　whispered　the　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission；　angrily　interrupting。　〃The　Sixth　Fleet；　as　you　call　him；　calls　the　shots　only　here　and　only　because　it's　convenient。　He's　a　blood…and…guts　admiral　with　a　whiz…bang　record　and　a　lot　of　clout　where　we　want　it；　but　that's　in　Washington；　not　anywhere　else！〃
　〃I　know　that　and　you　know　it；〃　said　Jason　emphatically；　the　emphasis　covering　his　bewilderment；　〃but　someone　who's　been　in　a　protection　program　for　over　fifteen　years　is　putting　together　his　own　scenario　and　that　es　out　of　Saigon…mand　Saigon。〃
　〃It　may　have　e　out　of　Saigon　but　it　sure　as　hell　didn't　stay　there。　The　soldier　boys　couldn't　run　with　it；　we　all　know　that。　。。。　But　I　see　what　you　mean。　You　tie　in　Pentagon　brass　with　anything　like　us；　the　freaks　are　in　the　streets　and　the　bleeding…heart　fairies　in　Congress　have　a　field　day。　Suddenly　a　dozen　submittees　are　in　session。〃
　〃Which　we　can't　tolerate；〃　added　Bourne。
　〃Agreed；〃　said　Armbruster。　〃Are　we　any　closer　to　learning　the　name　of　the　bastard　who's　putting　this　scenario　together？〃
　〃Closer；　not　close。　He's　been　in　contact　with　Langley　but　on　what　level　we　don't　know。〃
　〃Langley？　For　Christ's　sake；　we've　got　someone　over　there。　He　can　squelch　it　and　find　out　who　the　son　of　a　bitch　is！〃
　〃DeSole？〃　offered　the　Cobra　simply。
　〃That's　right。〃　Armbruster　leaned　forward。　〃There　is　very　little　you　don't　know。　That　connection's　very　quiet。　What　does　DeSole　say？〃
　〃Nothing；　we　can't　touch　him；〃　replied　Jason；　suddenly；　frantically　reaching　for　a　credible　answer。　He　had　been　David　Webb　too　long！　Conklin　was　right；　he　wasn't　thinking　fast　enough。　Then　the　words　came　。。。　part　of　the　truth；　a　dangerous　part；　but　credible；　and　he　could　not　lose　credibility。　〃He　thinks　he's　being　watched　and　we're　to　stay　away　from　him；　no　contact　whatsoever　until　he　says　otherwise。〃
　〃What　happened？〃　The　chairman　gripped　his　glass；　his　eyes　rigid；　bulging。
　〃Someone　in　the　cellars　learned　that　Teagarten　in　Brussels　has　an　access　fax　code　directly　to　DeSole　bypassing　routine　confidential　traffic。〃
　〃Stupid　goddamned　soldier　boys！〃　spat　out　Armbruster。　〃Give　'em　gold　braid　and　they　prance　around　like　debutantes　and　want　every　new　toy　in　town！　。。。　Faxes；　access　codes！　Jesus；　he　probably　punched　the　wrong　numbers　and　got　the　NAACP。〃
　〃DeSole　says　he's　building　a　cover　and　can　handle　it；　but　it's　no　time　for　him　to　go　around　asking　questions；　especially　in　this　area。　He'll　check　quietly　on　everything　he　can；　and　if　he　learns　something　he'll　reach　us；　but　we're　not　to　reach　him。〃
　〃Wouldn't　you　know　it'd　be　a　lousy　soldier　boy　who　puts　us　out　on　a　limb？　If　it　wasn't　for　that　jackass　with　his　access　code；　we　wouldn't　have　a　problem。　Everything　would　be　taken　care　of。〃
　〃But　he　does　exist；　and　the　problem…the　crisis…won't　go　away；〃　said　Bourne　flatly。　〃I　repeat；　we　have　to　cover　ourselves。　Some　of　us　will　have　to　leave…disappear　at　least　for　a　while。　For　the　good　of　all　of　us。〃
　The　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission　leaned　back　in　the　booth；　his　expression　pensively　disagreeable。　〃Yeah；　well　let　me　tell　you　something；　Simon；　or　whatever　your　name　is。　You're　checking　out　the　wrong　people。　We're　businessmen；　some　of　us　rich　enough　or　egotistical　enough　or　for　other　reasons　willing　to　work　for　government　pay；　but　first　we're　businessmen　with　investments　all　over　the　place。　We're　also　appointed；　not　elected；　and　that　means　nobody　expects　full　financial　disclosures。　Do　you　see　what　I'm　driving　at？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　said　Jason；　instantly　concerned　that　he　was　losing　control；　losing　the　threat。　I've　been　away　too　long　。。。　and　Albert　Armbruster　was　not　a　fool。　He　was　given　to　first…level　panic；　but　the　second　level　was　colder；　far　more　analytical。　〃What　are　you　driving　at？〃
　〃Get　rid　of　our　soldier　boys。　Buy　them　villas　or　a　couple　of　Caribbean　islands　and　put　them　out　of　reach。　Give　'em　their　own　little　courts　and　let　'em　play　kings；　that's　what　they're　all　about　anyway。〃
　〃Operate　without　them？〃　asked　Bourne；　trying　to　conceal　his　astonishment。
　〃You　said　it　and　I　agree。　Any　hint　of　big　brass　and　we're　in　big　trouble。　It　goes　under　the　heading　of　'military　industrial　plex；'　which　freely　translated　means　military…industrial　collusion。〃　Again　Armbruster　leaned　forward　over　the　table。　〃We　don't　need　them　anymore！　Get　rid　of　them。〃
　〃There　could　be　very　loud　objections…〃
　〃No　way。　We've　got　'em　by　their　brass　balls！〃
　〃I'll　have　to　think　about　it。〃
　〃There's　nothing　to　think　about。　In　six　months　we'll　have　the　controls　we　need　in　Europe。〃
　Jason　Bourne　stared　at　the　chairman　of　the　Federal　Trade　mission。　What　controls？　he　thought　to　himself。　For　what　reason？　Why？
　〃I'll　drive　you　home；〃　he　said。
　〃I　talked　to　Marie；〃　said　Conklin　from　the　Agency　garden　apartment　in　Virginia。　〃She's　at　the　inn；　not　at　your　house。〃
　〃How　e？〃　asked　Jason　at　a　gas…station　pay　phone　on　the　outskirts　of　Manassas。
　〃She　wasn't　too　clear。　。。。　I　think　it　was　lunchtime　or　nap　time…one　of　those　times　when　mothers　are　never　clear。　I　could　hear　your　kids　in　the　background。　They　were　loud；　pal。〃
　〃What　did　she　say；　Alex？〃
　〃It　seems　your　brother…in…law　wanted　it　that　way。　She　didn't　elaborate；　and　other　than　sounding　like　one　harried　mommy；　she　was　the　perfectly　normal　Marie　I　know　and　love…which　means　she　only　wanted　to　hear　about　you。〃
　〃Which　means　you　told　her　I　was　perfectly　fine；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Hell；　yes。　I　said　you　were　holed　up　under　guard　going　over　a　lot　of　puter　printouts；　sort　of　a　variation　on　the　truth。〃
　〃Johnny　must　have　had　his　talk　with　her。　She　told　him　what's　happened；　so　he　moved　them　all　to　his　exclusive　bunker。〃
　〃His　what？〃
　〃You　never　saw　Tranquility　Inn；　or　did　you？　Frankly；　I　can't　remember　whether　you　did　or　not。〃
　〃Panov　and　I　saw　only　the　plans　and　the　site；　that　was　four　years　ago。　We　haven't　been　back　since；　at　least　I　haven't。　Nobody's　asked　me。〃
　〃I'll　let　that　pass　because　you've　had　a　standing　invitation　since　we　got　the　place。　。。。　Anyway；　you　know　it's　on　the　beach　and　the　only　way　to　get　there　except　by　water　is　up　a　dirt　road　so　filled　with　rocks　no　normal　car　could　make　it　twice。　Everything　is　flown　in　by　plane　or　brought　over　by　boat。　Almost　nothing　from　the　town。〃
　〃And　the　beach　is　patrolled；〃　interrupted　Conklin。　〃Johnny　isn't　taking　any　chances。〃
　〃It's　why　I　sent　them　down　there。　I'll　call　her　later。〃
　〃What　about　now？〃　said　Alex。　〃What　about　Armbruster？〃
　〃Let's　put　it　this　way；〃　replied　Bourne；　his　eyes　drifting　up　to　the　white　plastic　shell　of　the　pay　phone。　〃What　does　it　mean　when　a　man　who　has　a　hundred　million　dollars　in　Zurich　tells　me　that　Medusa…point　of　origin　mand　Saigon；　emphasis　on　'mand；'　which　is　hardly　civilian…should　get　rid　of　the　military　because　Snake　Lady　doesn't　need　them　any　longer？〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　said　the　retired　intelligence　officer　in　a　quiet；　doubting　voice。　〃He　didn't。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　he　did。　He　even　called　them　soldier　boys；　and　he　wasn't　memorializing　them　in　song。　He　verbally　dismissed　the　admirals　and　the　generals　as　gold…braided　debutantes　who　wanted　every　new　toy　in　town。〃
　〃Certain　senators　on　the　Armed　Services　mittee　would　agree　with　that　assessment；〃　concurred　Alex。
　〃There's　more。　When　I　reminded　him　that　Snake　Lady　came　out　of　Saigon…mand　Saigon…he　was　very　clear。　He　said　it　may　have；　but　it　sure　as　hell　didn't　stay　there　because　and　this　is　a　direct　quote…'The　soldier　boys　couldn't　run　with　it。'　〃
　〃That's　a　provocative　statement。　Did　he　tell　you　why　they　couldn't　run　with　it？〃
　〃No；　and　I　didn't　ask。　I　was　supposed　to　know　the　answer。〃
　〃I　wish　you　did。　I　like　less　and　less　the　sound　of　what　I'm　hearing；　it's　big　and　it's　ugly。　。。。　How　did　the　hundred　million　e　up？〃
　〃I　told　him　Medusa　might　get　him　a　villa　someplace　out　of　the　country　where　he　couldn't　be　reached　if　we　thought　it　was　necessary。　He　wasn't　too　interested　and　said　if　he　wanted　one；　he'd　buy　it　himself。　He　had　a　hundred　million；　American；　in　Zurich…a　fact　I　think　I　was　also　expected　to　know。〃
　〃That　was　all？　Just　a　simple　little　one　hundred　million？〃
　〃Not　entirely。　He　told　me　that　like　everybody　else　he　gets　a　monthly　telex…in　code…from　the　banks　in　Zurich　listing　his　deposits。　Obviously；　they've　been　growing。〃
　〃Big；　ugly　and　growing；〃　added　Conklin。　〃Anything　else？　Not　that　I　particularly　want　to　hear　it；　I'm　frightened　enough。〃
　〃Two　more　items　and　you'd　better　have　some　fear　in　reserve。　。。。　Armbruster　said　that　along　with　the　deposit　telexes　he　gets　a　listing　of　the　panies　they're　gaining　control　of。〃
　〃What　panies？　What　was　he　talking　about？　。。。　Good　God。〃
　〃If　I　had　asked；　my　wife　and　children　might　have　to　a