rl.thebourneidentity-第23部分

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　the　brakes；'　said　Bourne。
　'Drop　your　gun　on　the　seat　next　to　mine。〃
　Jason　released　the　weapon。　It　fell　on　top　of　the　killer's；　the　ring　of　heavy　metal　proof　of　contact。　'Done。'
　The　killer　took　his　foot　off　the　accelerator；　transferring　it　to　the　brake。　He　applied　the　pressure　slowly；　then　in　short　stabs　so　that　the　large　automobile　pitched　back　and　forth。　The　jabs　on　the　pedal　would　bee　more　pronounced。　Bourne　understood　this。　It　was　part　of　the　driver's　strategy；　balance　a　factor　of　life　and　death。
　The　arrow　on　the　speedometer　swung　left：　30　kilometres；　18　kilometres；　9　kilometres。　They　had　nearly　stopped；　it　was　the　moment　for　the　extra　half…second　of　effort　…　balance　a　factor；　life　in　balance。
　Jason　grabbed　the　man　by　the　neck；　clawing　at　his　throat；　yanking　him　up　off　the　seat。　Then　he　raised　his　bloody　left　hand　and　thrust　it　forward；　smearing　the　area　of　the　killer's　eyes。　He　released　the　throat；　surging　his　right　hand　down　towards　the　guns　on　the　seat。　Bourne　gripped　a　handle；　shoving　the　killer's　hand　away；　the　man　screamed；　his　vision　blurred；　the　gun　out　of　reach。　Jason　lunged　across　the　man's　chest；　pushing　him　down　against　the　door；　elbowing　the　killer's　throat　with　his　left　arm；　grabbing　the　wheel　with　his　bloody　palm。　He　looked　up　through　the　windscreen　and　turned　the　wheel　to　the　right；　heading　the　car　towards　a　pyramid　of　rubbish　on　the　pavement。
　The　car　ploughed　into　the　mound　of　debris　…　a　huge；　somnambulant　insect　crawling　into　garbage；　its　appearance　belying　the　violence　taking　place　inside　its　shell。
　The　man　beneath　him　lunged　up；　rolling　on　the　seat。　Bourne　held　the　automatic　in　his　hand；　his　fingers　jabbing　for　the　open　space　of　the　trigger；　he　found　it　He　bent　his　wrist　and　fired。
　His　would…be　executioner　went　limp；　a　dark　red　hole　in　his。　forehead。
　In　the　street；　men　came　running　towards　what　must　have　looked　like　a　dangerously　careless　accident。　Jason　shoved　the　dead　body　across　the　seat；　and　climbed　over　behind　the　wheel。
　He　pushed　the　gearshift　into　reverse；　backed　awkwardly　out　of　the　debris；　over　the　kerb　and　into　the　street。　He　rolled　down　his　window；　calling　out　to　the　would…be　rescuers　as　they　approached。
　'Sorry！　Everything's　fine！　Just　a　little　too　much　to　drink！'
　The　small　band　of　concerned　citizens　broke　up　quickly；　a　few　making　gestures　of　admonition；　others　running　back　W　their　escorts　and　panions。　Bourne　breathed　deeply；　trying　to　control　the　involuntary　trembling　that　seized　his　entire　body。　He　pulled　the　gear　into　drive；　the　car　started　forward。　He　tried　to　picture　the　streets　of　Zurich　from　a　memory　that　would　not　serve　him。
　He　knew　vaguely　where　he　was　…　where　he　had　been　…　and　more　important；　he　knew　more　clearly　where　the　Guisan　Quai　was　in　relationship　to　the　Limmat。
　Mac　hen　Sie　mal　los！　Der　Guisan　Quai！
　Marie　St　Jacques　was　to　be　killed　on　the　Guisan　Quai；　her　body　thrown　into　the　river。　There　was　only　one　stretch　where　the　Guisan　and　the　Limmat　met：　it　was　at　the　mouth　of　Lake　Zurich；　at　the　base　of　the　western　shore。　Somewhere　in　an　empty　car　park　or　a　deserted　garden　overlooking　the　water；　a　short；　stocky　man　was　about　to　carry　out　an　execution　ordered　by　a　dead　man。　Perhaps　by　now　the　gun　had　been　fired；　or　a　knife　plunged　into　its　mark；　there　was　no　way　to　know；　but　Jason　knew　he　had　to　find　out。　Whoever　and　whatever　he　was；　he　could　not　walk　away　blindly。
　The　professional　in　him；　however；　demanded　that　he　swerve　into　the　dark　wide　alley　ahead。　There　were　two　dead　men　in　the　car；　they　were　a　risk　and　a　burden　he　could　not　tolerate。　The　precious　seconds　it　would　take　to　remove　them　could　avoid　the　danger　of　a　traffic　policeman　looking　through　the　windows　and　seeing　death。
　Thirty…two　seconds　was　his　guess；　it　had　taken　less　than　a　minute　to　pull　his　would…be　executioners　from　the　car。　He　looked　at　them　as　he　limped　around　the　bonnet　to　the　door。　They　were　curled　up　obscenely　next　to　each　other　against　a　filthy　brick　wall。　In　darkness。
　He　climbed　behind　the　wheel　and　backed　out　of　the　alley。
　Der　Guisan　Quai！
　He　reached　an　intersection；　the　traffic　light　red。　Lights。　On　the　left；　several　blocks　east；　be　could　see　lights　arching　gently　into　the　night　sky。　A　bridge！　The　Limmat　I　The　signal　turned　green；　he　swung　the　car　to　the　left
　He　was　back　on　the　Bahnhofstrasse；　the　start　of　the　General　Guisan　Quai　was　only　minutes　away。　The　wide　avenue　curved　around　the　water's　edge；　river…bank　and　lakefront　merging。　Moments　later；　on　his　left　was　the　silhouetted　outline　of　a　park；　in　summer　a　stroller's　haven；　now　dark；　devoid　of　tourists　and　citizens。　He　passed　an　entrance　for　vehicles；　there　was　a　heavy　chain　across　the　white　pavement；　suspended　between　two　stone　posts。　He　came　to　a　second；　another　chain　prohibiting　access。　But　it　was　not　the　same；　something　was　different；　something　odd。　He　stopped　the　car　and　looked　closer；　reaching　across　the　seat　for　the　torch　he　had　taken　from　his　would…be　executioner。　He　snapped　it　on；　and　shot　the　beam　over　the　heavy　chain。　What　was　it？　What　was　different？
　It　was　not　the　chain。　It　was　beneath　the　chain。　On　the　white　pavement　kept　spotless　by　maintenance　crews。　There　were　tyre　marks；　at　odds　with　the　surrounding　cleanliness。　They　would　not　be　noticed　during　the　summer　months；　they　were　now。　It　was　as　if　the　filth　of　the　Steppdeckstrasse　had　travelled　too　well。
　Bourne　switched　off　the　torch　and　dropped　it　on　the　seat
　The　pain　in　his　battered　left　hand　suddenly　fused　with　the　agony　in　his　shoulder　and　his　arm；　he　had　to　push　all　pain　out　of　his　mind；　he　had　to　curtail　the　bleeding　as　best　he　could。　His　shirt　had　been　ripped；　he　reached　inside　and　ripped　it　further；　pulling　out　a　strip　of　cloth　which　be　proceeded　to　wrap　around　his　left　hand；　knotting　it　with　teeth　and　fingers。　He　was　as　ready　as　he　would　ever　be。
　He　picked　up　the　gun　…　his　would…be　executioner's　gun　…and　checked　the　clip：　full。　He　waited　until　two　cars　had　passed　him；　he　extinguished　the　headlights　and　made　a　U…turn；　parking　next　to　the　chain。　He　got　out；　instinctively　testing　his　leg　on　the　pavement；　then　favouring　it　as　he　limped　to　the　nearest　post　and　lifted　the　hook　off　the　iron　circle　protruding　from　the　stone。　He　lowered　the　chain；　making　as　little　noise　as　possible；　and　returned　to　the　car。
　He　pulled　at　the　gearshift；　gently　pressed　the　accelerator；　then　released　it。　He　was　now　coasting　into　the　wide　expanse　of　an　unlit　parking　area；　made　darker　by　the　abrupt　end　of　the　white　entrance　road　and　the　start　of　a　field　of　black　asphalt。　Beyond；　two　hundred…odd　yards　in　the　distance；　was　the　straight　dark　line　of　the　sea　wall；　a　wall　that　contained　no　sea　but；　instead；　the　currents　of　the　Limmat　as　they　poured　into　the　waters　of　Lake　Zurich。　Farther　away　were　the　lights　of　the　boats；　bobbing　in　stately　splendour。　Beyond　these　were　the　stationary　lights　of　the　Old　City；　the　blurred　floodlights　of　darkened　piers。　Jason's　eyes　took　everything　in；　for　the　distance　was　his　backdrop；　he　was　looking　for　shapes　in　front　of　it。
　To　the　right。　The　right。　A　dark　outline　darker　than　the　wall；　an　intrusion　of　black　on　lesser　black　…　obscure；　faint；　barely　discernible；　but　there。　A　hundred　yards　away。。。　now　ninety；　eighty…five；　he　cut　the　engine　and　brought　the　car　to　a　stop。　He　sat　motionless　by　the　open　window；　staring　into　the　darkness；　trying　to　see　more　clearly。　He　heard　the　wind　ing　off　the　water；　it　covered　any　sound　the　car　had　made。
　Sound。　A　cry。　Low；　throated。。。　delivered　in　fear。　A　harsh　slap　followed；　then　another；　and　another。　A　scream　was　formed；　then　swallowed；　broken　echoing　off　into　silence。
　Bourne　got　out　of　the　car　silently；　the　gun　in　his　right　hand；　the　torch　awkward　in　the　bloody　fingers　of　his　left。　He　walked　towards　the　obscure　black　shape；　each　step；　each　limp　a　study　in　silence。
　What　he　saw　first　was　what　he　had　seen　last　when　the　small　black　car　had　disappeared　in　the　shadows　of　the　Steppdeckstrasse：　the　shining　metal　of　the　twisted　chrome　bumper；　it　glistened　now　in　the　night　light。
　Four　slaps　in　rapid　succession；　flesh　against　flesh；　blows　maniacally　administered；　received　with　muted　screams　of　terror。　Cries　terminated；　gasps　permitted；　thrashing　movement　part　of　it　all。　Inside　the　car　Jason　crouched　as　best　he　could；　side…stepping　round　the　boot　towards　the　right　rear　window。　He　rose　slowly　then；　suddenly；　using　sound　as　a　weapon　of　shock；　shouted　as　he　switched　on　the　powerful　torch。
　'　You　move；　you're　dead？
　What　he　saw　inside　filled　him　with　revulsion　and　fury。　Marie　St　Jacques'　clothes　were　torn　away；　shredded　into　strips。　Hands　were　poised　like　claws　on　her　half…naked　body；　kneading　her　breasts；　separating　her　legs。　The　executioner's　organ　protruded　from　the　cloth　of　his　trousers；　he　was　inflicting　the　final　indignity　before　he　carried　out　the　sentence　of　death。
　'Get　out；　you　son　of　a　bitch！'
　There　was　a　massive　shattering　of　glass；　the　man　raping　Marie　St　Jacques　saw　the　obvious。　Bourne　could　not　fire　the　gun　for　fear　of　killing　the　girl；　he　had　spun　off　the　woman；　crashing　the　heel　of　his　shoe　into　the　window　of　the　small　car。　Glass　flew　out；　sharp　fragments　blanketing　Jason's　face。　He　closed　his　eyes；　limping　backwards　to　avoid　the　spray。
　The　door　swung　open；　a　blinding　spit　of　light　acpanied　the　explosion。　Hot；　searing　pain　spread　through　Bourne's　right　side。　The　fabric　of　his　coat　was　blown　away；　blood　matting　what　remained　of　his　shirt。　He　squeezed　the　trigger；　only　vaguely　able　to　see　the　figure　rolling　on　the　ground；　he　fired　again；　the　bullet　detonating　the　surface　of　the　asphalt。　The　executioner　had　rolled　and　lurched　out　of　sight。。。　into　the　darker　blackness；　unseen。
　Jason　knew　he　could　not　stay　where　he　was；　to　do　so　was　his　own　execution。　He　raced；　dragging　his　leg；　to　the　cover　of　the　open　door。
　'Stay　insider　he　yelled　to　Marie　St　Jacques；　the　woman　had　started　to　move　in　panic。　'Goddamn　it！　Stay　in　there　I！
　A　gunshot；　the　bullet　embedded　in　the　metal　of　the　door。　A　running　figure　was　silhouetted　above　the　wall。　Bourne　fired　twice；　grateful　for　an　expulsion　of　breath　in　the　distance。　He　had　wounded　the　man；　he　had　not　killed　him。　But　the　executioner　would　function　less　well　than　he　had　sixty　seconds　ago。
　Lights。　Dim　lights。。。　squared；　frames！　What　wa