rl.thebourneultimatum-第45节

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　〃He's　out　there；　Br'er！〃　Cactus　coughed　weakly；　lying　back　on　the　floor。　〃He's　got　a　big　mother　'fifty…seven　magnum　with　a　silencer；　he　pinned　me　through　the　window；　then　smashed　it　and　climbed　inside。　。。。　He…he　。。。〃
　〃Easy！　Don't　talk；　never　mind…〃
　〃I　gotta。　The　brothers　out　there；　they　ain't　got　no　hardware。　He'll　pick　'em　off！　。。。　I　played　deep　dead　and　he　was　in　a　hurry…oh；　was　he　in　a　hurry！　Look　over　there；　will　ya？〃　Jason　swung　his　head　in　the　direction　of　Cactus's　gesture。　A　dozen　or　so　books　had　been　yanked　out　of　a　shelf　on　the　side　wall　and　strewn　on　the　floor。　The　old　man　continued；　his　voice　growing　weaker。　〃He　went　over　to　the　bookcase　like　in　a　panic；　until　he　found　what　he　wanted　。。。　then　to　the　door；　that　'fifty…seven　ready　for　bear；　if　you　follow　me。　。。。　I　figured　it　was　you　he　was　after；　that　he'd　seen　you　through　the　window　go　out　to　the　other　room；　and　I　tell　ya；　I　was　workin'　my　right　knee　like　a　runnin'　muskrat　'cause　I　found　that　alarm　button　an　hour　ago　and　knew　I　had　to　stop　him…〃
　〃Easy！〃
　〃I　gotta　tell　you　。。。　I　couldn't　move　my　hands　'cause　he'd　see　me；　but　my　knee　hit　that　sucker　and　the　siren　damn　near　blew　me　out　of　the　chair。　。。。　The　honky　bastard　fell　apart。　He　slammed　the　door；　locked　it；　and　beat　his　way　out　of　here　back　through　the　window。〃　Cactus's　neck　arched　back；　the　pain　and　the　exhaustion　overtaking　him。　〃He's　out　there；　Br'er　Rabbit…〃
　〃That's　enough！〃　ordered　Bourne　as　he　cautiously　reached　up；　snapping　off　the　desk　lamp；　leaving　the　dim　light　from　the　hallway　through　the　shattered　door　as　the　only　illumination。　〃I'm　calling　Alex；　he　can　send　the　doctor…〃
　Suddenly；　from　somewhere　outside；　there　was　a　high…pitched　scream；　a　roar　of　shock　and　anguish　Jason　knew　only　too　well。　So　did　Cactus；　who　whispered；　his　eyes　shut　tight：　〃He　got　one。　That　fucker　got　one　of　the　brothers！〃
　〃I'm　reaching　Conklin；〃　said　Jason；　pulling　the　phone　off　of　the　desk。　〃Then　I'll　go　out　and　get　him。　。。。　Oh；　Christ！　The　line's　out…it's　been　cut！〃
　〃That　honky　knows　his　way　around　here。〃
　〃So　do　I；　Cactus。　Stay　as　quiet　as　you　can。　I'll　be　back　for　you…〃
　There　was　another　scream；　this　lower；　more　abrupt；　an　expulsion　of　breath　more　than　a　roar。
　〃May　sweet　Jesus　forgive　me；〃　muttered　the　old　black　man　painfully；　meaning　the　words。　〃There's　only　one　brother　left…〃
　〃If　anyone　should　ask　forgiveness；　it's　me；〃　cried　Bourne；　his　voice　guttural；　half　choking。　〃Goddamn　it！　I　swear　to　you；　Cactus；　I　never　thought；　never　even　considered；　that　anything　like　this　would　happen。〃
　〃　'Course　you　didn't。　I　know　you　from　back　to　the　old　days；　Br'er；　and　I　never　heard　of　you　asking　anyone　to　risk　anything　for　you。　。。。　It's　always　been　the　other　way　around。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　pull　you　over；〃　interrupted　Jason；　tugging　on　the　rug；　maneuvering　Cactus　to　the　right　side　of　the　desk；　the　old　man's　left　hand　close　enough　to　reach　the　auxiliary　alarm。　〃If　you　hear　anything　or　see　anything　or　feel　anything；　turn　on　the　siren。〃
　〃Where　are　you　going？　I　mean　how？〃
　〃Another　room。　Another　window。〃
　Bourne　crept　across　the　floor　to　the　mutilated　door；　lurched　through　it　and　ran　into　the　living　room。　At　the　far　end　was　a　pair　of　French　doors　that　led　to　an　outside　patio；　he　recalled　seeing　white　wrought…iron　lawn　furniture　on　the　south　end　of　the　house　when　he　was　with　the　guards。　He　twisted　the　knob　and　slipped　outside；　pulling　the　automatic　from　his　belt；　shutting　the　right　door；　and　crouching；　making　his　way　to　the　shrubbery　at　the　edge　of　the　grass。　He　had　to　move　quickly。　Not　only　was　there　a　third　life　in　the　balance；　a　third　unrelated；　unwarranted　death；　but　a　killer　who　could　be　his　shortcut　to　the　crimes　of　the　new　Medusa；　and　those　crimes　were　his　bait　for　the　Jackal！　A　diversion；　a　magnet；　a　trap　。。。　the　flares…part　of　the　equipment　he　had　brought　with　him　to　Manassas。　The　two　emergency　〃candles〃　were　in　his　left　rear　pocket；　each　six　inches　long　and　bright　enough　to　be　seen　for　miles；　ignited　together　yet　spaced　apart　they　would　light　up　Swayne's　property　like　two　searchlights。　One　in　the　south　drive；　the　other　by　the　kennels；　possibly　waking　the　drugged　dogs；　bewildering　them；　infuriating　them…Do　it！　Hurry。
　Jason　scrambled　across　the　lawn；　his　eyes　darting　everywhere；　wondering　where　the　stalking　killer　was　and　how　the　innocent　quarry　that　Cactus　had　enlisted　was　evading　him。　One　was　experienced；　the　other　not；　and　Bourne　could　not　permit　the　latter's　life　to　be　wasted。
　It　happened！　He　had　been　spotted！　Two　cracks　on　either　side　of　him；　bullets　from　a　silenced　pistol　slicing　the　air。　He　reached　the　south　leg　of　the　paved　drive　and；　racing　across　it；　dived　into　the　foliage。　Ripping　a　flare　from　his　pocket；　he　put　down　the　weapon；　snapped　up　the　flame　of　his　lighter；　ignited　the　fuse　and　threw　the　sizzling　candle　to　his　right。　It　landed　on　the　road；　in　seconds　it　would　spew　out　the　blinding　fire。　He　ran　to　his　left　beneath　the　pine　trees　toward　the　rear　of　the　estate；　his　lighter　and　the　second　flare　in　one　hand；　the　automatic　in　the　other。　He　was　parallel　to　the　kennels；　the　flare　in　the　road　exploded　into　bluish…white　flames。　He　ignited　the　second　and　threw　it　end　over　end；　arcing　it　forty　yards　away　to　the　front　of　the　kennels。　He　waited。
　The　second　flare　burst　into　sputtering　fire；　two　balls　of　blinding　white　light　eerily　illuminating　the　house　and　grounds　of　the　estate's　south　side。　Three　of　the　dogs　began　to　wail；　then　made　feeble　attempts　to　howl；　soon　their　confused　anger　would　be　heard。　A　shadow。　Against　the　west　wall　of　the　white　house…it　moved；　caught　in　the　light　between　the　flare　by　the　kennels　and　the　house。　The　figure　darted　for　the　protection　of　the　shrubbery；　it　crouched；　an　immobile　but　intrusive　part　of　the　silhouetted　foliage。　Was　it　the　killer　or　the　killer's　target；　the　last　〃brother〃　recruited　by　Cactus？　。。。　There　was　one　way　to　find　out；　and　if　it　was　the　former　and　he　was　a　decent　marksman；　it　was　not　the　best　tactic；　but　still　it　was　the　quickest。
　Bourne　leaped　up　from　the　underbrush；　yelling　in　full　view　as　he　lunged　to　his　right；　at　the　last　half　second　plunging　his　foot　into　the　soft　dirt　and　pivoting；　lowering　his　body　and　diving　to　his　left。　〃Head　for　the　cabin！〃　he　roared。　And　he　got　his　answer。　Two　more　spits；　two　more　cracks　in　the　air；　the　bullets　digging　up　the　earth　to　his　right。　The　killer　was　good；　perhaps　not　an　expert　but　good　enough。　A　。357　held　six　shells；　five　had　been　fired；　but　there　had　been　sufficient　time　to　reload　the　emptied　cylinder。　Another　strategy…quickly！
　Suddenly　another　figure　appeared；　a　man　running　up　the　road　toward　the　rear　of　Flannagan's　cabin。　He　was　in　the　open…he　could　be　killed！
　〃Over　here；　you　bastard！〃　screamed　Jason；　jumping　up　and　firing　his　automatic　blindly　into　the　shrubbery　by　the　house。　And　then　he　got　another　answer；　a　wele　one。　There　was　a　single　spit；　a　single　crack　in　the　air　and　then　no　more。　The　killer　had　not　reloaded！　Perhaps　he　had　no　more　shells…whatever；　the　primary　target　was　now　on　the　high　ground。　Bourne　raced　out　of　the　bushes　and　across　the　lawn　through　the　opposing　light　of　the　flares；　the　dogs　were　now　really　aroused；　the　yelps　and　throated　growls　of　attack　being　louder。　The　killer　ran　out　of　the　shrubbery　and　into　the　road；　racing　through　shadows　toward　the　front　gates。　Jason　had　the　bastard；　he　knew　it。　The　gates　were　closed；　the　Medusan　was　cornered。　Bourne　roared：　〃There's　no　way　out；　Snake　Lady！　Make　it　easy　on　yourself…〃
　A　spit；　a　crack。　The　man　had　reloaded　while　running！　Jason　fired；　the　man　fell　in　the　road。　And　as　he　did　so；　the　intermittent　silence　of　the　night　was　ripped　open　by　the　sound　of　a　powerful；　racing　engine；　the　vehicle　in　question　speeding　up　the　outside　road；　its　flashing　red　and　blue　lights　signifying　the　police。　The　police！　The　alarm　must　have　been　wired　into　the　Manassas　headquarters；　a　fact　that　had　never　occurred　to　Bourne；　he　had　assumed　that　such　a　measure　was　impossible　where　Medusa　was　concerned。　It　wasn't　logical；　the　security　was　internal；　no　external　force　could　be　permitted　for　Snake　Lady。　There　was　too　much　to　learn；　too　much　that　had　to　be　kept　secret…a　cemetery！
　The　killer　writhed　in　the　road；　rolling　over　and　over　toward　the　bordering　pine　trees。　There　was　something　clutched　in　his　hand。　Jason　approached　him　as　two　police　officers　got　out　of　the　patrol　car　beyond　the　gate。　He　lashed　his　foot　out；　kicking　the　man's　body；　releasing　whatever　it　was　in　his　grip　and　reaching　down　to　pick　it　up。　It　was　a　leather…bound　book；　one　of　a　set；　like　a　volume　of　Dickens　or　Thackeray；　the　embossed　letters　in　gold；　more　for　display　than　for　reading。　It　was　crazy！　Then　he　flipped　open　a　page　and　understood　it　was　not　crazy　at　all。　There　was　no　print　inside；　only　the　scrawl　of　handwritten　notes　on　blank　pages。　It　was　a　diary；　a　ledger！
　There　could　be　no　police！　Especially　not　now。　He　could　not　allow　them　to　be　aware　of　his　and　Conklin's　penetration　into　Medusa。　The　leather…bound　book　in　his　hand　could　not　see　the　official　light　of　day！　The　Jackal　was　everything。　He　had　to　get　rid　of　them！
　〃We　got　a　call；　mister；〃　intoned　a　middle…aged　patrolman　walking　toward　the　grilled　gate；　a　younger　associate　joining　him。　〃HQ　said　he　was　uptight　as　hell。　We're　responding；