rl.thebourneidentity-第49部分

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　Saint…Honoree'；　but　I　don't　think　it'll　be　the　right　people。'
　The　powdered　face　cracked。　'You　wouldn't　dare！　How　dare　you？　Who　are　you　to　say　this？！'
　He　paused；　then　struck。　'A　group　of　people　who　don't　care　much　for　your　Carlos。'
　The　Lavier　woman　froze；　her　eyes　wide；　stretching　the　taut　skin　into　scar　tissue。　'You　do　know；'　she　whispered。　'And　you　think　you　can　oppose　him？　You　think　you're　a　match　for　Carlos？'
　'In　a　word；　yes。'
　'You're　insane！　You　don't　give　ultimatums　to　Carlos！'
　'I　just　did。'
　'Then　you're　dead。　You　raise　your　voice　to　anyone　and　you　won't　last　the　day。　He　has　men　everywhere；　they'll　cut　you　down　in　the　street。'
　'They　might　if　they　knew　who　to　cut　down；'　said　Jason。　'You　forget。　No　one　does。　But　they　know　who　you　are。　And　Koenig；　and　d'Amacourt。　The　minute　we　expose　you　you'd　be　eliminated。　Carlos　couldn't　afford　you　any　longer。　But　no　one　knows　me。'
　'You　forget；　Monsieur。　I　do。'
　'The　least　of　my　worries'。　Find　me。。。　after　the　damage　is　done　and　before　the　decision　is　made　regarding　your　own　future。　It　won't　be　long。'
　'This　is　madness。　You　e　out　of　nowhere　and　talk　like　a　madman！　You　cannot　do　this！'
　'Are　you　suggesting　a　promise？'
　'It's　conceivable；'　said　Jacqueline　Lavier。　'Anything　is　possible。'
　'Are　you　in　a　position　to　negotiate　it？'
　'I'm　in　a　position　to　convey　it。。。　far　better　than　I　can　an　ultimatum。　Others　will　relay　it　to　the　one　who　decides。'
　'What　you're　saying　is　what　I　said　a　few　minutes　ago；　we　can　talk。'
　'We　can　talk；　Monsieur；'　agreed　Mme　Lavier；　her　eyes　fighting　for　her　life。
　〃Then　let's　start　with　the　obvious。'
　'Which　is？'
　Now。　The　truth。
　'What's　Bourne　to　Carlos？　Why　does　he　want　him？'
　'What's　Bourne？。。。'　The　woman　stopped；　venom　and　fear　replaced　by　an　expression　of　absolute　shock。　'You　can　ask　that
　'I'll　ask　it　again；'　said　Jason；　hearing　the　pounding　echoes　in　his　chest。　'What's　Bourne　to　Carlos？'
　'He's　Cain！　You　know　it　as　well　as　we　do。　He　was　your　error；　your　choice。　You　chose　the　wrong　man！'
　Cain。　He　heard　the　name　and　the　echoes　erupted　into　cracks　of　deafening　thunder。　And　with　each　crack；　pain　jolted　him；　bolts　searing　one　after　another　through　his　head；　his　mind　and　body　recoiling　under　the　onslaught　of　the　name。　Cain。　Cain！　The　mists　were　there　again。　The　darkness；　the　wind；　the　explosions。
　Alpha；　Bravo；　Cain；　Delta；　Echo；　Foxtrot。。。　Cain；　Delta。　Delta；　Cain。　Delta。。。　Cain。
　Cain　is　for　Charlie。
　Delta　is　for　Cain！
　'What　is　it？　What's　wrong　with　you？'
　'Nothing。。'　Bourne　had　slipped　his　right　hand　over　his　left　wrist；　gripping　it；　his　fingers　pressed　into　his　flesh　with　such　pressure　he　thought　his　skin　might　break。　He　had　to　do　something；　he　had　to　stop　the　trembling；　lessen　the　noise；　repulse　the　pain。　He　had　to　clear　his　mind。　The　eyes　of　the　truth　were　staring　at　him；　he　could　not　look　away。　He　was　there；　he　was　home；　and　the　cold　made　him　shiver。　'Go　on；'　he　said；　imposing　a　control　on　his　voice　that　resulted　in　a　whisper；　he　could　not　help　himself。
　'Are　you　ill？　You're　very　pale　and　you're。。。'
　'I'm　fine；'　he　interrupted　curtly。　'I　said；　go　on。'
　'What's〃　there　to　tell　you？'
　'Say　it　all。　I　want　to　hear　it　from　you。'
　'Why？　There's　nothing　you　don't　know。　You　chose　Cain。　You　dismissed　Carlos；　you　think　you　can　dismiss　him　now。　You　were　wrong　then　and　you　are　wrong　now。'
　I　will　kill　you。　I　will　grab　your　throat　and　choke　the　breath　out　of　you。　Tell　me！　For　Christ's　sake；　tell　me！　At　the　end；　there　is　only　my　beginning！　I　must；　know　it。
　'That　doesn't　matter；'　he　said。　'If　you're　looking　for　a　promise　…　if　only　to　save　your　life　…　tell　me　why　we　should　listen。　Why　is　Carlos　so　adamant。。。　so　paranoid。。。　about　Bourne？　Explain　it　to　me　as　if　I　hadn't　heard　it　before。　If　you　don't；　those　names　that　shouldn't　be　mentioned　will　be　spread　all　over　Paris；　and　you'll　be　dead　by　the　afternoon。'
　Lavier　was　rigid；　her　alabaster　mask　set。　'Carlos　will　follow　Cain　to　the　ends　of　the　earth　and　kill　him。'　'We　know　that。　We　want　to　know　why？'　'He　has　to。　Look　to　yourself。　To　people　like　you。'　'That's　meaningless。　You　don't　know　who　we　are。'
　'I　don't　have　to。　I　know　what　you've　done。'
　'Spell　it　out！'
　'I　did。　You　picked　Cain　over　Carlos；　that　was　your　error。　You　chose　the　wrong　man。　You　paid　the　wrong　assassin。'
　'The　wrong。。。　assassin。'
　'You　were　not　the　first；　but　you　will　be　the　last。　The　arrogant　pretender　will　be　killed　here　in　Paris；　whether　there　is　a　promise　or　not。'
　'We　picked　the　wrong　assassin。。。'　The　words　floated　in　the　elegant；　perfumed　air　of　the　restaurant　The　deafening　thunder　receded；　angry　still　but　far　away　in　the　storm　clouds；　the　mists　were　clearing；　circles　of　vapour　swirling　around　him。　He　began　to　see；　and　what　he　saw　were　the　outlines　of　a　monster。　Not　a　myth；　but　a　monster。　Another　monster。　There　were　two。
　'Can　you　doubt　it？'　asked　the　woman。　'Don't　interfere　with　Carlos。　Let　him　take　Cain；　let　him　have　his　revenge。'　She　paused；　both　hands　slightly　off　the　table；　Mother　Rat。　'I　promise　nothing；　but　I　will　speak　for　you；　for　the　loss　your　people　have　sustained。　It's　possible。。。　only　possible；　you　understand。。。　that　your　contract　might　be　honoured　by　the　one　you　should　have　chosen　in　the　first　place。'
　'The　one　we　should　have　chosen。。。　Because　we　chose　the　wrong　one。'
　'You　see　that；　do　you　not；　Monsieur？'　Carlos　should　be　told　that　you　see　it。　Perhaps。。。　only　perhaps。。。　he　might　have　sympathy　for　your　losses　if　he　were　convinced　you　saw　your　error。'
　That's　your　promise？'　said　Bourne　flatly；　struggling　to　find　a　line　of　thought。
　'Anything　is　possible。　No　good　can　e　from　your　threats；　I　can　tell　you　that。　For　any　of　us；　and　I'm　frank　enough　to　include　myself。　There　would　be　only　pointless　killing；　and　Cain　would　stand　back　laughing。　You　would　lose　not　once；　but　twice。'
　'If　that's　true。。。'　Jason　swallowed；　nearly　choking　as　dry　air　filled　the　vacuum　in　his　dry　throat；　'then　I'll　have　to　explain　to　my　people　why　we。。。　chose。。。　the。。。　wrong　man。'　Stop　it！　Finish　the　statement。　Control　yourself。　'Tell　me　everything　you　know　about　Cam。'
　To　what　purpose？'　Lavier　put　her　fingers　on　the　table　her　bright　red　nail　polish　ten　points　of　a　weapon。
　'If　we　chose　the　wrong　man；　then　we　had　the　wrong　information。〃
　'You　heard　he　was　the　equal　of　Carlos；　no？　That　his　fees　were　more　reasonable；　his　apparatus　more　contained；　and　because　fewer　intermediaries　were　involved　there　was　no　possibility　of　a　contract　being　traced。　Is　this　not　so？'
　'Maybe。'
　'Of　course　it's　so。　It's　what　everyone's　been　told　and　it's　all　a　lie。　Carlos's　strength　is　in　his　far…reaching　sources　of　information；　infallible　information。　In　his　elaborate　system　of　reaching　the　right　person　at　precisely　the　right　moment　prior　to　a　kill。'
　'Sounds　like　too　many　people。　There　were　too　many　people　in　Zurich；　too　many　here　in　Paris。'
　'All　blind；　Monsieur。　Every　one。'
　'Blind？'
　To　put　it　plainly；　I've　been　part　of　the　operation　for　a　number　of　years；　meeting　in　one　way　or　another　dozens　who　have　played　their　minor　roles　…　none　is　major。　I　have　yet　to　meet　a　single　person　who　has　ever　spoken　to　Carlos；　much　less　has　any　idea　who　he　is。'
　'That's　Carlos。　I　want　to　know　about　Cain。　What　you　know　about　Cain。'　Stay　controlled。　You　cannot　turn　away。　Look　at　her。　Look　at　her！
　'Where　shall　I　begin？'
　'With　whatever　es　to　mind　first　Where　did　he　e　from？'　Do　not　look　away！
　'South…east　Asia；　of　course。'
　'Of　course。。。'　Oh；　God。
　'From　the　American　Medusa；　we　know　that。。。'
　Medusa！　The　winds；　the　darkness；　the　flashes　of　light；　the　pain。。。　The　pain　ripped　through　his　skull　now；　he　was　not　where　he　was；　but　where　he　had　been。　A　world　away　in　distance　and　time。　The　pain。　Oh；　Jesus！　The　pain。。。
　Too！
　Che…sah！
　Tam…Quan！
　alpha；　Bravo；　Cain。。。　Delta。
　Delta。。。　Cain！
　Cain　is　for　Charlie。
　Delta　is　for　Cain！
　'What　is　it？'　The　woman　looked　frightened；　she　was　studying　his　face；　her　eyes　roving；　boring　into　his。　'You're　perspiring。　Your　hands　are　shaking。　Are　you　having　an　attack？'
　'It　passes　quickly。'　Jason　pried　his　hand　away　from　his　wrist　and　reached　for　a　napkin　to　wipe　his　forehead。
　'It　es　with　the　pressures；　no？〃
　'With　the　pressures；　yes。。。　Go　on。　There　isn't　much　time；　people　have　to　be　reached；　decisions　made。　Your　life　is　probably　one　of　them。　Back　to　Cain。　You　say　he　came　from　the　American。。。　Medusa。'
　'Les　mecaniciens　du　Diable；'　said　Lavier。　'It　was　the　nickname　given　Medusa　by　the　Indo…China　colonials　…　what　was　left　of　them。　Quite　appropriate；　don't　you　think？'
　'It　doesn't　make　any　difference　what　I　think。　Or　what　I　know。　I　want　to　hear　what　you　think；　what　you　know　about　Cain：
　'Your　attack　makes　you　rude。'
　'My　impatience　makes　me　impatient！　You　say　we　chose　the　wrong　man；　if　we　did　we　had　the　wrong　information。　Les　mecaniciens　du　Diable。　Are　you　implying　that　Cain　is　French？〃
　'Not　at　all；　you　test　me　poorly。　I　mentioned　that　only　to　indicate　how　deeply　we　penetrated　Medusa。'
　'　〃We〃　being　the　people　who　work　for　Carlos。'
　'You　could　say　that。'
　'I　will　say　that。　If　Cain's　not　French；　what　is　he？'
　'Undoubtedly　American。。。'
　Oh；　God！
　'Why？'
　'Everything　he　does　has　the　ring　of　American　audacity。　He　pushes　and　shoves　with　little　or　no　finesse；　taking　credit　where　none　is　his；　claiming　kills　when　he　had　nothing　to　do　with　them。　He　has　studied　Carlos's　methods　and　connections　like　no　other　man　alive。　We're　told　he　recites　them　with　total　recall　to　potential　clients；　more　often　than　not　putting　himself　in　Carlos's　place；　convincing　fools　that　it　was　he；　not　Carlos。　who　accepted　and　fulfilled　the　contracts。'　Lavier　paused。　'I've　struck　a　chord；　no？　He　did　the　same　with　you　…your　people　…　yes？'
　'Perhaps。。。'　Jason　reached　for　his　own　wrist　again；　as　the　statements　came　back　to　him。　Statements　made　in　response　to　clues　in　a　dreadful　game。
　Stuttgart。　Regensburg。　Munich。　Two　kills　and　a　kidnapping；　Bander　accreditation；　fees　from　U。　S。　sources。。。
　Tehran？　Eight　kills。　Divided　accreditation　…　Khomeini　and　PLO。　Fee；　two　million。　South…west　Soviet　sector。
　Paris？。。。　All　contracts　will　be　processed　through　Paris。
　Whose　contracts？
　Sanchez。　Carlos。
　'。。。　always　such　a　transparent　device。'
　The　Lavier　woman　h