rl.thebourneultimatum-第54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！


　〃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　floor；　three　successive　snaps　crackling　the　space　above　them　as　bullets　thumped　with　finality　into　the　walls　of　the　villa。
　〃What　the　hell…〃
　〃He's　out　there　and　he　wants　me　to　know　it！〃　said　Bourne；　shoving　his　brother…in…law　into　the　lower　molding；　crawling　beside　him；　and　reaching　into　the　pocket　of　his　guayabera。　〃He　knows　who　you　are；　so　you're　the　first　corpse；　the　one　he　realizes　will　drive　me　to　the　edge　because　you're　Marie's　brother…you're　family　and　that's　what　he's　holding　over　my　head。　My　family！〃
　〃Jesus　Christ！　What　do　we　do？〃
　〃I　do！〃　replied　Jason；　pulling　the　second　flare　out　of　his　pocket。　〃I　send　him　a　message。　The　message　that　tells　him　why　I'm　alive　and　why　I　will　be　when　he's　dead。　Stay　where　you　are！〃　Bourne　pulled　his　lighter　out　of　his　right　pocket　and　ignited　the　flare。　Scrambling；　he　raced　across　the　balcony　doors　hurling　the　hissing；　blinding　missile　out　into　the　darkness。　Two　snaps　followed；　the　bullets　ricocheting　off　the　tiled　ceiling　and　shattering　the　mirror　of　a　dressing　table。　〃He's　got　a　MAC…ten　with　a　silencer；〃　said　Medusa's　Delta；　rolling　into　the　wall；　grabbing　his　inflamed　neck　as　he　did　so。　〃I　have　to　get　out　of　here！〃
　〃David；　you're　hurt！〃
　〃That's　nice。〃　Jason　Bourne　got　to　his　feet　and　raced　to　the　door；　slamming　it　back；　he　rushed　into　the　villa's　living　room；　only　to　face　a　frowning　Canadian　physician。
　〃I　heard　some　noise　in　there；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃Is　everything　all　right？〃
　〃I　have　to　leave。　Get　to　the　floor。〃
　〃Now；　see　here！　There's　blood　on　your　bandage；　the　sutures…〃
　〃Get　your　ass　on　the　floor！〃
　〃You're　not　twenty…one；　Mr。　Webb…〃
　〃Get　out　of　my　life！〃　shouted　Bourne；　running　to　the　entrance；　letting　himself　outside；　and　rushing　up　the　lighted　path　toward　the　main　plex；　suddenly　aware　of　the　deafening　steel　band；　its　sound　amplified　throughout　the　grounds　by　a　score　of　speakers　nailed　to　the　trees。
　The　undulating　cacophony　was　overwhelming；　and　that　was　not　to　his　disadvantage；　thought　Jason。　Angus　McLeod　had　been　true　to　his　word。　The　huge　glass…enclosed　circular　dining　room　held　the　few　remaining　guests　and　the　fewer　staff；　and　that　meant　the　Chameleon　had　to　change　colors。　He　knew　the　mind　of　the　Jackal　as　well　as　he　knew　his　own；　and　that　meant　that　the　assassin　would　do　exactly　what　he　himself　would　do　under　the　circumstances。　The　hungry；　salivating　wolf　went　into　the　cave　of　its　confused；　rabid　quarry　and　pulled　out　the　prized　piece　of　meat。　So　would　he；　shedding　the　skin　of　the　mythical　chameleon；　revealing　a　much　larger　beast　of　prey…say；　a　Bengal　tiger…which　could　rip　a　jackal　apart　in　his　jaws。　。。。　Why　were　the　images　important？　Why？　He　knew　why；　and　it　filled　him　with　a　feeling　of　emptiness；　a　longing　for　something　that　had　passed…he　was　no　longer　Delta；　the　feared　guerrilla　of　Medusa；　nor　was　he　the　Jason　Bourne　of　Paris　and　the　Far　East。　The　older；　much　older；　David　Webb　kept　intruding；　invading；　trying　to　find　reason　within　insanity　and　violence。
　No！　Get　away　from　me！　You　are　nothing　and　I　am　everything！　。。。