rl.thebourneidentity-第45部分

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！


uted　here　to　Cain　…　when　it　seems　to　me　that　the　most　acplished　assassin　of　our　time　…　perhaps　in　history　…　has　been　relegated　to　a　paratively　minor　role。　I　think　that's　wrong。　I　think　Carlos　is　the　man　we　should　be　concentrating　on。　What　happened　to　Carlos？
　'I　question　your　judgment；　Alfred；'　said　the　Monk。　'Carlos's　time　has　passed；　Cain's　moved　in。　The　old　order　changes；　there's　a　new　and；　I　suspect；　far　more　deadly　shark　in　the　waters。'
　'I　can't　agree　with　that；'　said　the　man　from　National　Security；　his　owl…eyes　boring　into　the　elder　statesman　of　the　intelligence　munity。　'Forgive　me；　David；　but　it　strikes　me　as　if　Carlos　himself　was　manipulating　this　mittee。　To　take　the　attention　away　from　himself；　making　us　concentrate　on　a　subject　of　much　less　importance。　We're　spending　all　our　energies　going　after　a　toothless　sand　shark　while　the　hammerhead　roams　free。'
　'No　one's　forgetting　Carlos；'　objected　Manning。　'He's　simply　not　as　active　as　Cain's　been。'
　'Perhaps；'　said　Gillette　icily；　'that's　exactly　what　Carlos　wants　us　to　believe。　And；　by　God。　we　believe　it！'
　'Can　you　doubt　it？'　asked　Abbott。　The　record　of　Cain's　acplishments　is　staggering。'
　'Can　I　doubt　it？'　repeated　Gillette。　That's　the　question；　isn't　it？　But　can　any　of　us　be　sure？　That's　also　a　valid　question。　We　now　find　that　both　the　Pentagon　and　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　have　been　literally　operating　independently　of　each　other；　without　even　conferring　as　to　the　accuracy　of　their　sources。'
　'A　custom　rarely…breached　in　this　town；〃　said　Abbott；　amused。　Again　the　congressman　from　Oversight　interrupted。　'What　are　you　trying　to　say；　Mr　Gillette？'
　'I'd　like　more　information　about　the　activities　of　one　Ilyich　Ramirez　Sanchez。　That's。。。'
　'Carlos；'　said　the　congressman。　'I　remember　my　reading。　I　see。　Thank　you。　Go　on；　gentlemen。'
　Manning　spoke　quickly。　'May　we　get　back　to　Zurich；　please。　Our　remendation　is　to　go　after　Cain　now。　We　can　spread　the　word　in　the　Verbrecherwelt；　pull　in　every　informer　we　have；　request　the　co…operation　of　the　Zurich　police。　We　can't　afford　to　lose　another　day。　The　man　in　Zurich　is　Cain！'
　Then　what　was　Brussels？'　The　C。I。A。's　Knowlton　asked　the　question　as　much　of　himself　as　anyone　at　the　table。　The　method　was　Cain's；　the　informants　unequivocal。　What　was　the　purpose？'
　To　feed　you　false　information　obviously；'　said　Gillette。　'And　before　we　make　any　dramatic　moves　in　Zurich；　I　suggest　that　each　of　you　b　the　Cain　files　and　recheck　every　source　given　you。　Have　your　European　stations　pull　in　every　informant　who　so　miraculously　appeared　to　offer　information。　I　have　an　idea　you　might　find　something　you　didn't　expect：　the　fine　Latin　hand　of　Ramirez　Sanchez。'
　'Since　you're　so　insistent　on　clarification；　Alfred；'　interrupted　Abbott；　'why　not　tell　us　about　the　unconfirmed　occurrence　that　took　place　six　months　ago。　We　seem　to　be　in　a　quagmire　here；　it　might　be　helpful。'
　For　the　first　time　during　the　conference；　the　abrasive　delegate　from　the　National　Security　Council　seemed　to　hesitate。　'We　received　word　around　the　middle　of　August　from　a　reliable　source　in　Aix…en…Provence　that　Cain　was　on　his　way　to　Marseilles。'
　'August？'　exclaimed　the　colonel。　'Marseilles？　That　was　Leland！　Ambassador　Leland　was　shot　in　Marseilles。　In　August！'　'But　Cain　didn't　fire　that　rifle。　It　was　a　Carlos　kill；　that　was　confirmed。　Bore　markings　matched　with　previous　assassinations；　three　descriptions　of　an　unknown　dark…haired　man　on　the　third　and　fourth　floors　of　the　waterfront　warehouse　carrying　a　satchel。　There　was　never　any　doubt　that　Leland　was　murdered　by　Carlos。'
　'For　Christ's　sake；'　roared　the　officer。　'That's　after　the　fact；　after　the　kill！　No　matter　whose；　there　was　a　contract　out　on　Leland；　hadn't　that　occurred　to　you？　If　we'd　known　about　Cain；　we　might　have　been　able　to　cover　Leland。　He　was　military　property！　Goddamn　it；　he　might　be　alive　today！'
　'Unlikely；'　replied　Gillette　calmly。　'Leland　wasn't　the　sort　of　man　to　live　in　a　bunker。　And　given　his　life　style；　a　vague　warning　would　have　served　no　purpose。　Besides；　had　our　strategy　held　together；　warning　Leland　would　have　been　counterproductive。'
　'In　what　way？'　asked　the　Monk　harshly。
　'It's　your　fuller　explanation。　Our　source　was　to　make　contact　with　Cain　during　the　hours　of　midnight　and　three　in　the　morning　in　the　rue　Sarasin　on　August　twenty…third。　Leland　wasn't　due　until　the　twenty…fifth。　As　I　say；　had　it　held　together　we　would　have　taken　Cain。　It　didn't；　Cain　never　showed　up。'
　'And　your　source　insisted　on　co…operating　solely　with　you；'　said　Abbott。　To　the　exclusion　of　all　others。〃
　'Yes；'　nodded　Gillette；　trying　but　unable　to　conceal　his　embarrassment　'In　our　judgment；　the　risk　to　Leland　had　been　eliminated　…　which　in　terms　of　Cain　turned　out　to　be　the　truth　and　the　odds　for　capture　greater　than　they'd　ever　been。　We'd　finally　found　someone　willing　to　e　out　and　identify　Cain。　Would　any　of　you　have　handled　it　any　other　way？'
　Silence。　This　time　broken　by　the　drawl　of　the　astute　congressman　from　Tennessee。
　'Jesus　Christ　Almighty。。。　what　a　bunch　of　bullshitters！'
　Silence　terminated　by　the　thoughtful　voice　of　David　Abbott。
　'May　I　mend　you；　sir；　on　being　the　first　honest　man　sent　over　from　the　Hill。　The　fact　that　you　are　not　overwhelmed　by　the　rarefied　atmosphere　of　these　highly　classified　surroundings　is　not　lost　on　any　of　us。　It's　refreshing。'
　'I　don't　think　the　congressman　fully　grasps　the　sensitivity　of。。。'
　'Oh；　shut　up；　Peter；'　said　the　Monk。　'I　think　the　congressman　wants　to　say　something。'
　'Just　for　a　bit；'　said　Walters；　'I　thought　you　were　all　over　twenty…one；　I　mean；　you　look　over　twenty…one；　and　by　then　you're　supposed　to　know　better。　You're　supposed　to　be　able　to　hold　intelligent　conversations；　exchange　information　while　respecting　confidentiality；　and　look　for　mon　solutions。　Instead；　you　sound　like　a　bunch　of　kids　jumping　on　a　goddamn　carousel；　squabbling　over　who's　going　to　get　the　cheap　brass　ring。　It's　a　hell　of　a　way　to　spend　taxpayers'　money。'
　'You're　oversimplifying；　Congressman；'　broke　in　Gillette。　'You're　talking　about　a　Utopian　fact…finding　apparatus。　There's　no　such　thing。'
　'I'm　talking　about　reasonable　men；　sir。　I'm　a　lawyer　and　before　I　came　up　to　this　godforsaken　circus　I　dealt　with　ascending　levels　of　confidentiality　every　day　of　my　life。　What's　so　damn　new　about　them？'
　'And　what's　your　point？'　asked　the　Monk。
　'I　want　an　explanation。　For　over　eighteen　months　I've　sat　on　the　House　Assassination　Submittee。　I've　ploughed　through　thousands　of　pages；　filled　with　hundreds　of　names　and　twice　as　many　theories。　I　don't　think　there's　a　suggested　conspiracy　or　a　suspected　assassin　I'm　not　aware　of。　I've　lived　with　those　names　and　those　theories　for　damn　near　two　years；　until　I　didn't　think　there　was　anything　left　to　learn。'
　'I'd　say　your　credentials　were　very　impressive；〃　interrupted　Abbott。
　'I　thought　they　might　be；　it's　why　I　accepted　the　Oversight　chair。　I　thought　I　could　make　a　realistic　contribution；　but　now　I'm　not　so　sure。　I'm　suddenly　beginning　to　wonder　what　I　do　now。'
　'Why？'　asked　Manning　apprehensively。
　'Because　I've　been　sitting　here　listening　to　the　four　of　you　describe　an　operation　that's　been　going　on　for　three　years；　involving　networks　of　personnel　and　informants　and　major　intelligence　posts　throughout　Europe　…　all　centred　on　an　assassin　whose　〃list　of　acplishments〃　is　staggering。　Am　I　substantively　correct？〃
　'Go　on；'　replied　Abbott　quietly；　holding　his　pipe；　his　expression　rapt。　'What's　your　question？〃
　'Who　is　he？　Who　the　hell　is　this　Cain？'
　The　silence　lasted　precisely　five　seconds；　during　which　time　eyes　roamed　other　eyes；　several　throats　were　cleared　and　no　one　moved　in　his　chair。　It　was　as　if　a　decision　was　being　reached　without　discussion：　evasion　was　to　be　avoided。　Congressman　Efrem　Walters；　out　of　the　hills　of　Tennessee　by　way　of　the　Yale　Law　Review；　was　not　to　be　dismissed　with　facile　circumlocution　that　dealt　with　the　esoterica　of　clandestine　manipulations。　Bullshit　was　out。
　David　Abbott　put　his　pipe　down　on　the　table；　the　quiet　clatter　his　overture。　'The　less　public　exposure　a　man　like　Cain　receives　the　better　it　is　for　everyone。'
　'That's　no　answer；'　said　Walters。　'But　I　assume　it's　the　beginning　of　one。'
　'It　is。　He's　a　professional　assassin　…　that　is；　a　trained　expert　in　wide…ranging　methods　of　taking　life。　That　expertise　is　for　sale；　neither　politics　nor　personal　motivation　any　concern　to　him　whatsoever。　He's　in　business　solely；　to　make　a　profit　and　his　profits　escalate　…　in　direct　ratio　to　his　reputation。'
　The　congressman　nodded。　'So　by　keeping　as　tight　a　lid　as　you　can　on　that　reputation　you're　holding　back　free　advertising。'
　'Exactly。　There　are　a　lot　of　maniacs　in　this　world　with　too　many　real　or　imagined　enemies　who　might　easily　gravitate　to　Cain　if　they　knew　of　him。　Unfortunately；　more　than　we　care　to　think　about　already　have；　to　date　thirty…eight　killings　can　be　directly　attributed　to　Cain；　and　some　twelve　to　fifteen　are　probabilities。'
　'That's　his　list　of　〃acplishments〃？'
　'Yes。　And　we're　losing　the　battle。　With　each　new　killing　his　reputation　spreads。'
　'He　was　dormant　for　a　while；'　said　Knowlton　of　the　CIA。　'For　a　number　of　months　recently　we　thought　he　might　have　been　taken　himself。　There　were　several　probables　in　which　the　killers　themselves　were　eliminated；　we　thought　he　might　have　been　one　of　them。'
　'Such　as？'　asked　Walters。
　'A　banker　in　Madrid　who　funnelled　bribes　for　the　Euro…politan　Corporation　for　government　purchases　in　Africa。　He　was　shot　from　a　speeding　car　on　the　Paseo　de　la　Castellana。　A　chauffeur…bodyguard　gunned　down　both　driver　and　killer；　for　a　time　we　believed　the　killer　was　Cain。〃
　'I　remember　the　incident。　Who　might　have　paid　for　it？'
　'Any　number　of　panies；'　answered　Gillette；　'who　wanted　to　sell　gold…plated　cars　and　indoor　plumbing　to　instant　dictators。〃
　'What　else？　Who　else？'
　'Sheikh　Mustafa　Kalig　in　Oman；'　said　Colonel　Manning。
　'He　was　reported　killed　in　an　abortive　coup。'
　'Not　so；'　continued　the　officer。　'There　was　no　attempted　coup；　G…Two　informants　confirmed　that　Kalig　was　unpopular；　but　the　other　sheikhs　aren't　fools。　The　coup　story　was　a　cover　for　an　assassination　that　could　tempt　other　professional　killers。　Th