rl.thebourneidentity-第94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！


　'I'm　not　very　good　at　fast　answers；　Alex。　Why　not　e　in　and　see　me　this　afternoon？'　'It's　not　me。　It's　someone　else。　Possibly。〃　'No　games；　please。　I　thought　we'd　gone　beyond　that。'　'No　games。　This　is　a　Four…Zero　emergency；　and　I　need　help。'
　'Four…Zero？　Call　in　one　of　your　staff　men。　I've　never　requested　that　kind　of　clearance。'　'I　can't。　That's　how　tight　it　is。'　'Then　you'd　better　whisper　to　God。〃
　'Mo；　please　I　only　have　to　confirm　possibilities；　the　rest　I　can　put　together　myself。　And　I　don't　have　five　seconds　to　waste。　A　man　may　be　running　around　ready　to　blow　away　ghosts；　anyone　he　thinks　is　a　ghost。　He's　already　killed　very　real；　very　important　people　and　I'm　not　sure　he　knows　it　Help　me；　help　him＇'　'If　I　can。　Go　ahead。'
　'A　man　is　placed　in　a　highly　volatile；　maximum　stress　situation　for　a　long　period　of　time；　the　entire　period　in　deep　cover。　The　cover　itself　is　a　decoy　…　very　visible；　very　negative；　constant　pressure　applied　to　maintain　that　visibility。　The　purpose　is　to　draw　out　a　target　similar　to　the　decoy　by　persuading　the　target　that　the　decoy's　a　threat；　forcing　the　target　into　the　open。。。　Are　you　with　me　so　far？'
　'So　far；'　said　Panov。　'You　say　there's　been　constant　pressure　on　the　decoy　to　maintain　a　negative；　highly　visible　profile。　What's　his　environment　been？'　'As　brutal　as　you　can　imagine。'　'For　how　long　a　period　of　time？'　Three　years。'
　'Good　God；'　said　the　psychiatrist。　'No　breaks？'　'None　at　all。　Twenty…four　hours　a　day；　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　days　a　year。　Three　years。　Someone　not　himself。'
　'When　will　you　damn　fools　learn？　Even　prisoners　in　the　worst　camps　could　be　themselves；　talk　to　others　who　were　themselves。'　Panov　stopped；　catching　his　own　words；　and　Conklin's　meaning。　〃That's　your　point；　isn't　it？'
　'I'm　not　sure；'　answered　the　intelligence　officer。　'It's　hazy；　confusing；　even　contradictory。　What　I　want　to　ask　is　this。　Could　such　a　man　under　these　circumstances　begin　to。。。　believe　he's　the　decoy；　assume　the　characteristics；　absorb　the　mocked　dossier　to　the　point　where　he　believes　it's　him？'
　〃The　answer　to　that's　so　obvious　I'm　surprised　you　ask　it。　Of　course　he　could。　Probably　would。　It's　an　unendurably　prolonged　performance　that　can't　be　sustained　unless　the　belief　bees　a　part　of　his　everyday　reality。　The　actor　never　off　the　stage　in　a　play　that　never　ends。　Day　after　day；　night　after　night。'　The　doctor　stopped　again；　then　continued　carefully。　'But　that's　not　really　your　question；　is　it？'
　'No；'　replied　Conklin。　'I　go　one　step　further。　Beyond　the　decoy。　I　have　to；　it's　the　only　thing　that　makes　sense。'
　'Wait　a　minute；'　interrupted　Panov　sharply。　'You'd　better　stop　there；　because　I'm　not　confirming　any　blind　diagnosis。　Not　for　what　you're　leading　up　to。　No　way；　Charlie。　That's　giving　you　a　licence　I　won't　be　responsible　for　…　with　or　without　a　consultation　fee。'
　'〃No　way。。。　Charlie。〃　Why　did　you　say　that；　Mo？'
　'What　do　you　mean；　why　did　I　say　it？　It's　a　phrase。　I　hear　it　all　the　time。　Kids　in　dirty　blue　jeans　on　the　corner；　hookers　in　my　favourite　saloons。'
　'How　do　you　know　what　I'm　leading　up　to？'　said　the　C。I。A。　man。
　'Because　I　had　to　read　the　books　and　you're　not　very　subtle。　You're　about　to　describe　a　classic　case　of　paranoid　schizophrenia　with　multiple　personalities。　It's　not　just　your　man　assuming　the　role　of　the　decoy；　but　the　decoy　himself　transferring　his　identity　to　the　one　he's　after。　The　target。　That's　what　you're　driving　at；　Alex。　You're　telling　me　your　man　is　three　people：　himself；　decoy　and　target　And　I　repeat　No　way；　Charlie。　I'm　not　confirming　anything　remotely　like　that　without　an　extensive　examination。　That's　giving　you　rights　you　can't　have：　three　reasons　for　dispatch。　No　way！'
　ATM　not　asking　you　to　confirm　anything！　I　just　want　to　know　if　it's　possible。　For　Christ's　sake；　Mo；　there's　a　legally　experienced　man　running　around　with　a　gun；　killing　people　he　claims　he　didn't　know；　but　whom　he　worked　with　for　three　years！　He　denies　being　at　a　specific　place　at　a　specific　time　when　his　own　fingerprints　prove　he　was　there！　He　says　images　e　to　him　…　faces　he　can't　place；　names　he's　heard　but　doesn't　know　from　where。　He　claims　he　was　never　the　decoy；　it　was　never　him！　But　it　was！　It　is！　Is　it　possible！　That's　all　I　want　to　know！　Could　the　stress　and　time　and　the　everyday　pressures　break　him　like　this？　Into　three？'
　Panov　held　his　breath　for　a　moment。　'It's　possible；'　he　said　softly。　'If　your　facts　are　accurate；　it's　possible。　That's　all　I'll　say；　because　there　are　too　many　other　possibilities。'
　Thank　you。'　Conklin　paused。　'A　last　question。　Say　there　was　a　date　…　a　month　and　a　day　…　that　was　significant　to　the　mocked　dossier；　the　decoy's　dossier。'
　'You'd　have　to　be　more　specific。'
　'I　will。　It　was　the　date　when　the　man　whose　identity　was　taken　for　decoy　was　killed。'
　'Then　obviously　not　part　of　the　working　dossier；　but　known　to　your　man。　Am　I　following　you？'
　'Yes；　he　knew　it。　Let's　say　he　was　there。　Would　he　remember　it？'
　'Not　as　the　decoy。〃
　'But　as　one　of　the　other　two？'
　'Assuming　the　target　was　also　aware　of　it；　or　that　he'd　municated　it　through　his　transference；　yes。'
　'There's　also　a　place　where　the　strategy　was　conceived；　where　the　decoy　was　created。　If　our　man　was　in　the　vicinity　of　that　place　and　the　date　of　death　was　close　at　hand；　would　he　be　drawn　to　it？　Would　it　surface　and　bee　important　to　him？'
　'If　it　was　associated　with　the　original　place　of　death　because　the　decoy　was　born　there；　it's　possible。　It　would　depend　on　who　he　was　at　the　moment。
　'Suppose　he　was　the　target？'
　'And　knew　the　location？'
　'Yes　because　another　part　of　him　had　to。〃
　'Then　he'd　be　drawn　to　it。　It　would　be　a　subconscious　pulsion。'
　'Why？'
　'To　kill　the　decoy。　He'd　kill　everything　in　sight；　but　the　main　objective　would　be　the　decoy。　Himself。'
　Alexander　Conklin　replaced　the　phone；　his　non…existent　foot　throbbing；　his　thoughts　so　convoluted　he　had　to　close　his　eyes　again　to　find　a　consistent　strain。　He　had　been　wrong　in　Paris。。。　in　a　cemetery　outside　Paris。　He　had　wanted　to　kill　a　man　for　the　wrong　reasons；　the　right　ones　beyond　his　prehension。　He　was　dealing　with　a　madman。　Someone　whose　afflictions　were　not　explained　in　twenty　years　of　training；　but　were　understandable　if　one　thought　about　the　pains　and　the　losses；　the　unending　waves　of　violence。。。　all　ending　in　futility。　No　one　knew　anything　really。　Nothing　made　sense。　A　Carlos　was　trapped；　killed　today；　and　another　would　take　his　place。　Why　did　we　do　it。。。　David？
　David。　I　say　your　name　finally。　We　were　friends　once。　David。。。　Delta。　I　knew　your　wife　and　your　children。　We　drank　together　and　had　a　few　dinners　together　in　far…off　posts　in　Asia。　You　were　the　best　foreign　service　officer　in　the　Orient　and　everyone　knew　it。　You　were　going　to　be　the　key　to　the　new　policy；　the　one　that　was　around　the　corner。　And　then　it　happened。　Death　from　the　skies　in　the　Mekong。。。　You　turned；　David。　We　all　lost；　but　only　one　of　us　became　Delta。　In　Medusa。　I　did　not　know　you　that　well　…　drinks　and　a　dinner　or　two　do　not　a　close　panion　make　…　but　few　of　us　bee　animals。　You　did。　Delta。
　And　now　you　must　die。　Nobody　can　afford　you　any　longer。　None　of　us。
　'Leave　us；　please；'　said　General　Villiers　to　his　aide　as　he　sat　down　opposite　Marie　St　Jacques　in　the　Montmartre　cafe〃。　The　aide　nodded　and　walked　to　a　table　ten　feet　from　the　booth；　he　would　leave　but　he　was　still　on　guard。　The　exhausted　old　soldier　looked　at　Marie。　'Why　did　you　insist　on　my　ing　here？　He　wanted　you　out　of　Paris。　I　gave　him　my　word。'
　'Out　of　Paris；　out　of　the　race；'　said　Marie；　touched　by　the　sight　of　the　old　man's　haggard　face。　'I'm　sorry。　I　don't　want　to　be　another　burden　for　you。　I　heard　the　reports　on　the　radio。'
　'Insanity；'　said　Villiers；　picking　up　the　brandy　his　aide　had　ordered　for　him。　Three　hours　with　the　police　living　a　terrible　lie；　condemning　a　man　for　a　crime　that　was　mine　alone。'
　The　description　was　accurate；　uncannily　accurate。　No　one　could　miss　him。'
　'He　gave　it　to　me　himself。　He　sat　in　front　of　my　wife's　mirror　and　told　me　what　to　say；　looking　at　his　own　face　in　the　strangest　manner。　He　saw　it　was　the　only　way。　Carlos　could　only　be　convinced　by　my　going　to　the　police；　creating　a　manhunt。　He　was　right；　of　course。'
　'He　was　right；'　agreed　Marie；　'but　he's　not　in　Paris；　or　Brussels；　or　Amsterdam。'　'I　beg　your　pardon？'　'I　want　you　to　tell　me　where　he's　gone。'　'He　told　you　himself。'　'He　lied　to　me。'　'How　can　you　be　certain？'
　'Because　I　know　when　he　tells　me　the　truth。　You　see；　we　both　listen　for　it。'
　'You　both。。。？　I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand。'　'I　didn't　think　you　would；　I　was　sure　he　hadn't　told　you。　When　he　lied　to　me　on　the　phone；　saying　the　things　he　said　so　hesitantly；　knowing　I　knew　they　were　lies；　I　couldn't　understand。　I　didn't　piece　it　together　until　I　heard　the　radio　reports。　Yours　and　another。　That　description。。。　so　plete；　so　total；　even　to　the　scar　on　his　left　temple。　Then　I　knew。　He　wasn't　planning　to　stay　in　Paris；　or　within　five　hundred　miles　of　Paris。　He　was　going　far　away　…　where　that　description　wouldn't　mean　very　much　…　where　Carlos　could　be　led；　delivered　to　the　people　Jason　had　his　agreement　with。　Am　I　right？'
　Villiers　put　down　the　glass。　'I've　given　my　word。　You're　to　be　taken　to　safety　in　the　country。　I　don't　understand　the　things　you're　saying。'
　'Then　I'll　try　to　be　clearer；'　said　Marie；　leaning　forward。　'There　was　another　report　on　the　radio；　one　you　obviously　didn't　hear　because　you　were　with　the　police　or　in　seclusion。　Two　men　were　found　shot　to　death　in　a　cemetery　near　Rambouillet　this　morning。　One　was　a　known　killer　from　St…Gervais。　The　other　was　identified　as　a　former　American　Intelligence　officer　living　in　Paris；　a　highly　controversial　man　who　was　given　the　choice　of　retiring　from　the　army　or　facing　a　court　martial。'
　'Are　you　saying　the　incidents　are　related？'　asked　the　old　man。
　'Jason　was　instructed　by　the　American　Embassy　to　go　to　that　cemetery　last　night　to　meet　a　man　flying　over　from　Washington。'
　Washington？'
　'Yes。　His　agreement　was　with　a　small　group　of　men　from　American　Intelligence。　They　tried　to　kill　him　last　night；　they　think　they　have　to　kill　him。'
　'Good　God；　why？'
　'Because　they　can't　trust　him。　They　don't　know　what　he's　done　or　where　he's