rl.thebourneidentity-第100部分

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　'So's　mine；'　said　the　gunman；　walking　to　the　door；　the　weapon　raised　higher。　'Good…bye；　gentlemen。'　He　let　himself　out。
　'Jesus！'　roared。　Alex；　swinging　back　to　the　window；　his　cane　clattering　against　a　radiator。　'What　do　we　do？'
　To　start　with；　get　rid　of　that　removal　pany。　I　don't　know　what　part　it　played　in　your　strategy；　but　it's　only　a　plication　now。'
　'I　can't。　I　tried。　I　didn't　have　anything　to　do　with　it。　Agency　Controls　picked　up　our　sheets　when　we　had　the　equipment　taken　out。　They　saw　that　a　store　was　being　closed　up　and　told　G。S。A。　to　get　us　the　hell　out　of　there。'
　'With　all　deliberate　speed；〃　said　Crawford；　nodding。　The　Monk　covered　that　equipment　by　signature；　his　statement　absolves　the　agency。　It's　in　his　files。'
　That'd　be　fine　if　we　had　twenty…four　hours。　We　don't　even　know　if　we've　got　twenty…four　minutes。'
　'We'll　still　need　it。　There'll　be　a　senate　inquiry。　Closed；　I　hope。。。　Rope　off　the　street。'　'What？'
　'You　heard　me；　rope　off　the　street。　Call　in　the　police；　tell　them　to　rope　everything　off　I〃　Through　the　agency？　This　is　domestic！　Then　I　will。　Through　the　Pentagon；　from　the　Joint　Chiefs　if　I　have　to。　We're　standing　around　making　excuses；　when　it's　right　in　front　of　our　eyes　I　Clear　the　street；　rope　it　off；　bring　in　a　truck　with　a　public　address　system。　Put　her　in　it；　put　her　on　a　microphone！　Let　her　say　anything　she　likes；　let　her　scream　her　head　off。　She　was　right。　He'll　e　to　her！'
　'Do　you　know　what　you're　saying？'　asked　Conklin。　There'll　be　questions。　Newspapers；　television；　radio。　Everything　will　be　exposed。　Publicly。〃
　'I'm　aware　of　that；'　said　the　brigadier。　'I'm　also　aware　what　she'll　do　for　us　if　this　goes　down。　She　may　do　it　anyway；　no　matter　what　happens；　but　I'd　rather　try　to　save　a　man　I　didn't　like；　didn't　approve　of。　But　I　respected　him　once；　and　I　think　I　respect　him　more　now。〃
　'What　about　another　man？　If　Carlos　is　really　out　there；　you're　opening　the　gates　for　him。　You're　handing　him　his　escape。〃
　'We　didn't　create　Carlos。　We　created　Cain；　and　we　abused　him。　We　took　away　his　mind　and　his　memory。　We　owe　him。　Go　down　and　get　the　woman。　I'll　use　the　phone。〃
　Bourne　walked　into　the　large　library　with　the　sunlight　streaming　through　the　wide；　elegant　French　windows　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　Beyond　the　panes　of　glass　were　the　high　walls　of　the　garden。。。　all　around　him　objects　too　painful　to　look　at；　he　knew　them　and　did　not　know　them。　They　were　fragments　of　dreams　…　solid；　to　be　touched；　to　be　felt；　to　be　used　…not　ephemeral　at　all。　A　long　table　where　whisky　was　poured；　leather　armchairs　where　men　sat　and　talked；　bookshelves　that　housed　books　and　other　things　…　concealed　things　…　that　appeared　with　the　touch　of　buttons。　It　was　a　room　where　a　myth　was　born；　a　myth　that　had　raced　through　South…east　Asia　and　exploded　in　Europe。
　He　saw　the　long；　tubular　bulge　in　the　ceiling　and　the　darkness　came；　followed　by　flashes　of　light　and　images　on　a　screen　and　voices　shouting　in　his　ears。
　Who　is　he？　Quick。　You're　too　late！　You're　a　dead　man！　Where　is　this　street？　What　does　it　mean　to　you？　Who　did　you　meet　there？。。。　Methods　of　kills。　Which　are　yours？　No！。。。　You　are　not　Delta；　you　are　not　you！。。。　You　are　only　what　you　are　here；　became　here！
　'Hey　I　Who　the　hell　are　you？'　The　question　was　shouted　by　a　large；　red…faced　man　seated　in　an　armchair　by　the　door；　a　clipboard　on　his　knees。　Jason　had　walked　right　past　him。
　'You　Doogan？〃　Bourne　asked。
　'Yeah。'
　'Schumach　sent　me。　Said　you　needed　another　man。'
　'What　for？　I　got　five　already；　and　this　fuckin'　place　has　hallways　so　tight　you　can't　hardly　get　through　'em。　They're　climbing　asses　now。'
　'I　don't　know。　Schumach　sent　me；　that's　all　I　know。　He　told　me　to　bring　this　stuff。'　Bourne　let　the　blankets　and　the　straps　fall　to　the　floor。
　'Murray　sends　new　junk？　I　mean；　that's　new。'
　'I　don't。。。'
　'I　know；　I　know！　Schumach　sent　you。　Ask　Schumach。'
　'You　can't。　He　said　to　tell　you　he　was　heading　out　to　Sheepshead。　Be　back　this　afternoon。'
　'Oh；　that's　great！　He　goes　fishing　and　leaves　me　with　the　shit。。。　You're　new。　You　a　crumb　ball　from　the　shape…up？'
　'Yeah。'
　'That　Murray's　a　beaut。　All　I　need's　another　crumb　ball。　Two　wise…ass　stiffs　and　now　four　crumb　balls。'
　'You　want　me　to　start　in　here？　I　can　start　in　here。'
　'No；　asshole！　Crumb　balls　start　at　the　top；　you　ain't　heard？　It's　further　away；　capice？'
　'Yeah；　I　capice。'　Jason　bent　down　for　the　blankets　and　the　straps。
　'Leave　that　junk　here；　you　don't　need　it。　Get　upstairs；　top　floor；　and　start　with　the　single　wood　units。　As　heavy　as　you　can　carry；　and　don't　give　me　no　union　bullshit。'
　Bourne　circled　the　landing　on　the　first　floor　and　climbed　the　narrow　staircase　to　the　second；　as　if　drawn　by　a　magnetic　force　beyond　his　understanding。　He　was　being　pulled　to　another　room　high　up　in　the　brownstone；　a　room　that　held　both　the　fort　of　solitude　and　the　frustration　of　loneliness。　The　landing　above　was　dark；　no　lights　on；　no　sunlight　bursting　through　windows　anywhere。　He　reached　the　top　and　stood　for　a　moment　in　silence。　Which　room　was　it？　There　were　three　doors；　two　on　the　left　side　of　the　hallway；　one　on　the　right。　He　started　walking　slowly　towards　the　second　door　on　the　left；　barely　seen　in　the　shadows。　That　was　it；　it　was　where　thoughts　came　in　the　darkness。。。　memories　that　haunted　him；　pained　him。　Sunlight　and　the　stench　of　the　river　and　the　jungle。。。　screaming　machines　in　the　sky；　screaming　down　from　the　sky。　Oh；　God；　it　hurt！
　He　put　his　hand　on　the　knob；　twisted　it；　and　opened　the　door。　Darkness；　but　not　plete。　There　was　a　small　window　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　a　black　blind　pulled　down；　covering　it；　but　not　pletely。　He　could　see　a　thin　line　of　sunlight；　so　narrow　it　barely　broke　through；　where　the　blind　met　the　sill。　He　walked　towards　it；　towards　that　thin；　tiny　shaft　of　sunlight。
　A　scratch！　A　scratch　in　the　darkness！　He　spun；　terrified　at　the　tricks　being　played　on　his　mind。　But　it　was　not　a　trick！　There　was　a　diamond…like　flash　in　the　air；　light　bouncing　off　steel。　A　knife　was　slashing　up　at　his　face。
　'I　would　willingly　see　you　die　for　what　you've　done；'　said　Marie；　staring　at　Conklin。　'And　that　realization　revolts　me。'
　Then　there's　nothing　I　can　say　to　you；'　replied　the　C。I。A。　man；　limping　across　the　room　towards　the　general。　'Other　decisions　could　have　been　made　…　by　him　and　by　you。'
　'Could　they？　Where　was　he　to　start？　When　that　man　tried
　to　kill　him　in　Marseilles？　In　the　rue　Saracin？　When　they　hunted　him　in　Zurich？　When　they　shot　at　him　in　Paris？　And　all　the　while；　he　didn't　know　why。　What　was　he　to　do？'
　'e　out！　Goddamn　it；　e　out！'
　'He　did。　And　when　he　did；　you　tried　to　kill　him。'
　'You　were　there！　You　were　with　him。　You　had　a　memory。'
　'Assuming　I　knew　who　to　go　to；　would　you　have　listened　to　me？'
　Conklin　returned　her　gaze。　'I　don't　know；'　he　answered；　breaking　the　contact　between　them　and　turning　to　Crawford。　'What's　happening？'
　'Washington's　calling　me　back　within　ten　minutes。'
　'But　what's　happening！'
　'I'm　not　sure　you　want　to　hear　it。　Federal　encroachment　on　state　and　municipal　law…enforcement　statutes。　Clearances　have　to　be　obtained。'
　'Jesus！'
　'Look！'　The　army　man　suddenly　bent　down　to　the　window。　〃The　truck's　leaving。'
　'Someone　got　through；'　said　Conklin。
　'Who？'
　'I'll　find　out。'　The　C。I。A。　man　limped　to　the　phone；　there　were　scraps　of　paper　on　the　table；　telephone　numbers　written　hastily。　He　selected　one　and　dialled。　'Give　me　Schumach。。。　please。。。　Schumach？　This　is　Conklin；　Central　Intelligence。　Who　gave　you　the　word？'
　The　dispatcher's　voice　on　the　line　could　be　heard　halfway　across　the　room。　'What　word？　Get　off　my　back！　We're　on　that　job　and　we're　going　to　finish　it！　Frankly；　I　think　you're　a　whacko。。。'
　Conklin　slammed　down　the　phone。　'Christ。。。　oh；　Christ！'　His　hand　trembled　as　he　gripped　the　instrument。　He　picked　it　up　and　dialled　again；　his　eyes　on　another　scrap　of　paper。　'Petrocelli。　Reclamations；'　he　manded。　'Petrocelli？　Conklin　again。'
　'You　faded　out。　What　happened？'
　'No　time。　Level　with　me。　That　priority　invoice　from　Agency　Controls。　Who　signed　it？'
　'What　do　you　mean；　who　signed　it？　The　topcat　who　always　signs　them。　McGivern。'
　Conklin's　face　turned　white。　That's　what　I　was　afraid　of；'
　he　whispered　as　he　lowered　the　phone。　He　turned　to　Crawford；　his　head　quivering　as　he　spoke。　The　order　to　General　Services　was　signed　by　a　man　who　retired　two　weeks　ago。'
　'Carlos。。。'
　'Oh；　God！'　screamed　Marie。　The　man　carrying　the　blankets；　the　straps！　The　way　he　held　his　head；　his　neck。　Angled　to　the　right。　It　was　him！　When　his　head　hurts；　he　favours　the　right　It　was　Jason　I　He　went　inside。'
　Alexander　Conklin　turned　back　to　the　window；　his　eyes　focused　on　the　black　enamelled　door　across　the　way。　It　was　closed。
　The　hand！　The　skin。。。　the　dark　eyes　in　the　thin　shaft　of　light　Carlos！
　Bourne　whipped　his　head　back　as　the　razor…like　edge　of　the　blade　sliced　the　flesh　under　his　chin；　the　eruption　of　blood　streaming　across　the　hand　that　held　the　knife。　He　lashed　his　right　foot　out；　catching　his　unseen　attacker　in　the　kneecap；　then　pivoted　and　plunged　his　left　heel　into　the　man's　groin。　Carlos　spun　and　again　the　blade　came　out　of　the　darkness；　now　surging　towards　him；　the　line　of　assault　directly　at　his　stomach。　Jason　sprang　back　off　the　ground；　crossing　his　wrists；　slashing　downward；　blocking　the　dark　arm　that　was　an　extension　of　the　handle。　He　twisted　his　fingers　inward；　yanking　his　hands　together；　vicing　the　forearm　beneath　his　blood…soaked　neck　and　wrenched　the　arm　diagonally　up。　The　knife　creased　the　cloth　of　his　field　jacket　and；　once　above　his　chest；　Bourne　spiralled　the　arm　downward；　twisting　the　wrist　now　in　his　grip；　crashing　his　shoulder　into　the　assassin's　body；　yanking　again　as　Carlos　plunged　sideways　off　balance；　his　arm　pulled　half　out　of　its　socket
　Jason　heard　the　clatter　of　the　knife　on　the　floor；　he　lurched　towards　the　sound；　at　the　same　time　reaching　into　his　belt　for　his　gun。　It　caught　on　the　cloth；　he　rolled　on　the　floor；　but　not　quickly　enough。　The　steel　toe　of　a　shoe　crashed　into　the　side　of　his　head　…　his　temple　…　and　shock　waves　bolted　through　him。　He　rolled　again；　faster；　faster；　until　he　smashed　into　the　wall；　coiling　upward　on　his　knee；　trying　to　focu