rl.thebourneultimatum-第123部分

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ell　of　a　hurry。〃
　〃What's　going　on？〃　asked　Bourne　angrily。
　〃Someone's　e　outside　with　a　bagful　of　goodies　and　going　to　the　car；〃　said　Conklin　in　English。
　〃For　Christ's　sake；　stop　him！〃
　〃We're　not　sure　it's　the　Jackal；〃　interrupted　Krupkin。　〃The　clothes　are　the　same；　even　to　the　arm　sling；　but　there　are　physical　differences…〃
　〃Then　he　wants　you　to　think　it　isn't　him！〃　said　Jason　emphatically。
　〃Shto？　。。。　What？〃
　〃He's　putting　himself　in　your　place；　thinking　like　you're　thinking　now　and　by　doing　that　outthinking　you。　He　may　or　may　not　know　that　he's　been　spotted；　the　car　picked　up；　but　he　has　to　assume　the　worst　and　act　accordingly。　How　long　before　we　get　there？〃
　〃The　way　my　outrageously　reckless　young　rade　is　driving；　I'd　say　three　or　four　minutes。〃
　〃Krupkin！〃　The　voice　burst　from　the　radio　speaker。　〃Four　other　people　have　e　outside…three　men　and　a　woman。　They're　running　to　the　car！〃
　〃What　did　he　say？〃　asked　Bourne。　Alex　translated　and　Jason　frowned。　〃Hostages？〃　he　said　quietly；　as　if　to　himself。　〃He　just　blew　it！〃　Medusa's　Delta　leaned　forward　and　touched　Krupkin's　shoulder。　〃Tell　your　man　to　get　out　of　there　the　moment　that　car　takes　off　and　he　knows　where　it's　heading。　Tell　him　to　be　obvious；　to　blow　the　hell　out　of　his　horn　while　he　passes　the　armory；　which　he　must　pass　from　one　way　or　the　other。〃
　〃My　dear　fellow！〃　exploded　the　Soviet　intelligence　officer。　〃Would　you　mind　telling　me　why　I　should　issue　such　an　order？〃
　〃Because　your　colleague　was　right　and　I　was　wrong。　The　man　in　the　sling　isn't　Carlos。　The　Jackal's　inside；　waiting　for　the　cavalry　to　pass　the　fort　so　he　can　get　away　in　another　car…if　there　is　a　cavalry。〃
　〃In　the　name　of　our　revered　Karl　Marx；　do　explain　how　you　reached　this　contradictory　conclusion！〃
　〃Simple。　He　made　a　mistake。　。。。　Even　if　you　could；　you　wouldn't　shoot　up　that　car　on　the　road；　would　you？〃
　〃Agreed。　There　are　four　other　people　inside；　all　no　doubt　innocent　Soviet　citizens　forced　to　appear　otherwise。〃
　〃Hostages？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。〃
　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　heard　of　people　running　like　hell　into　a　situation　where　they　could　bee　hostages？　Even　if　they　were　under　a　gun　from　a　doorway；　one　or　two；　if　not　all　of　them；　would　try　to　race　behind　other　cars　for　protection。〃
　〃My　word…〃
　〃But　you　were　right　about　one　thing。　Carlos　has　a　contact　inside　that　armory…the　man　in　the　sling。　He　may　only　be　an　innocent　Russian　with　a　brother　or　a　sister　living　in　Paris；　but　the　Jackal　owns　him。〃
　〃Dimitri！〃　shouted　the　metallic　voice　in　Russian。　〃The　car　is　speeding　out　of　the　parking　lot！〃
　Krupkin　pressed　the　button　on　his　microphone　and　gave　his　instructions。　Essentially；　they　were　to　follow　that　automobile　to　the　borders　of　Finland　if　necessary；　but　to　take　it　without　violence；　calling　in　the　police　if　they　had　to。　The　last　order　was　to　pass　the　armory；　blowing　his　horn　repeatedly。　In　the　Russian　vernacular；　the　agent　named　Orlov　asked；　〃What　the　fuck　for？〃
　〃Because　I've　had　a　vision　from　St。　Nickolai　the　Good！　Also；　I'm　your　charitable　superior。　Do　it！〃
　〃You're　not　well；　Dimitri。〃
　〃Do　you　wish　a　superb　service　report　or　one　that　will　send　you　to　Tashkent？〃
　〃I'm　on　my　way；　rade。〃
　Krupkin　replaced　the　microphone　in　the　dashboard　receptacle。　〃Everything　proceeds；〃　he　said　haltingly；　partially　over　his　shoulder。　〃If　I'm　to　go　down　with　either　a　crazed　assassin　or　a　convoluted　lunatic　who　displays　certain　decencies；　I　imagine　it's　best　to　choose　the　latter。　Contrary　to　the　most　enlightened　skeptics；　there　might　be　a　God；　after　all。　。。。　Would　you　care　to　buy　a　house　on　the　lake　in　Geneva；　Aleksei？〃
　〃I　might；〃　answered　Bourne。　〃If　I　live　through　the　day　and　do　what　I　have　to　do；　give　me　a　price。　I　won't　quibble。〃
　〃Hey；　David；〃　interjected　Conklin。　〃Marie　made　that　money；　you　didn't。〃
　〃She'll　listen　to　me。　To　him。〃
　〃What　now；　whoever　you　are？〃　asked　Krupkin。
　〃Give　me　all　the　firepower　I　need　from　this　trunk　of　yours　and　let　me　off　in　the　grass　just　before　the　armory。　Give　me　a　couple　of　minutes　to　get　in　place；　then　pull　into　the　parking　lot　and　obviously…very　obviously…see　that　the　car　is　missing　and　get　out　of　there　fast；　gunning　your　engine。〃
　〃And　leave　you　alone？〃　cried　Alex。
　〃It's　the　only　way　I　can　take　him。　The　only　way　he　can　be　taken。〃
　〃Lunacy！〃　spat　out　Krupkin；　his　jowls　vibrating。
　〃No；　Kruppie；　reality；〃　said　Jason　Bourne　simply。　〃It's　the　same　as　it　was　in　the　beginning。　One　on　one；　it's　the　only　way。〃
　〃That　is　sophomoric　heroics！〃　roared　the　Russian；　slamming　his　hand　down　on　the　back　of　the　seat。　〃Worse；　it's　ridiculous　strategy。　If　you're　right；　I　can　surround　the　armory　with　a　thousand　troops！〃
　〃Which　is　exactly　what　he'd　want…what　I'd　want；　if　I　were　Carlos。　Don't　you　see？　He　could　get　away　in　the　confusion；　in　the　sheer　numbers…that's　not　a　problem　for　either　of　us；　we've　both　done　it　too　many　times　before。　Crowds　and　anxiety　are　our　protection…they're　child's　play。　A　knife　in　a　uniform；　the　uniform　ours；　toss　a　grenade　into　the　troops；　and　after　the　explosion　we're　one　of　the　staggering　victims…that's　amateur　night　for　paid　killers。　Believe　me；　I　know…I　became　one　in　spite　of　myself。〃
　〃So　what　do　you　think　you　can　do　by　yourself；　Batman？〃　asked　Conklin；　furiously　massaging　his　useless　leg。
　〃Stalk　the　killer　who　wants　to　kill　me…and　I'll　take　him。〃
　〃You're　a　fucking　megalomaniac！〃
　〃You're　absolutely　right。　It's　the　only　way　to　be　in　the　killing　game。　It's　the　only　edge　you've　got。〃
　〃Insanity！〃　yelled　Krupkin。
　〃So　allow　me；　I'm　entitled　to　a　little　craziness。　If　I　thought　the　entire　Russian　army　would　ensure　my　survival；　I'd　scream　for　it。　But　it　wouldn't…it　couldn't。　There's　only　this　way。　。。。　Stop　the　car　and　let　me　choose　the　weapons。〃
　
　39
　The　dark　green　KGB　sedan　rounded　the　final　curve　in　the　sloping　road　cut　out　of　the　countryside。　The　descent　had　been　gradual。　The　ground　below　was　flat　and　summer…green　with　fields　of　wild　grass　bordering　the　approach　to　the　massive　brown　building　that　was　the　Kubinka　Armory。　It　seemed　to　rise　out　of　the　earth；　a　huge　boxlike　intrusion　on　the　pastoral　scene；　an　ugly　man…made　interruption　of　heavy　brown　wood　and　miserly　windows　reaching　three　stories　high　and　covering　two　acres　of　land。　Like　the　structure　itself；　the　front　entrance　was　large；　square　and　unadorned　except　for　the　dull　bas…relief　profiles　above　the　door　of　three　Soviet　soldiers　rushing　into　the　deadly　winds　of　battle；　their　rifles　at　port　arms；　about　to　blow　one　another's　heads　off。
　Armed　with　an　authentic　Russian　AK…47　and　five　standard　thirty…round　magazine　clips；　Bourne　jumped　out　the　far　side　of　the　silent　coasting　government　car；　using　the　bulk　of　the　rolling　vehicle　to　conceal　himself　in　the　grass　directly　across　the　road　from　the　entrance。　The　armory's　huge　dirt　parking　area　was　to　the　right　of　the　long　building；　a　single　row　of　unkempt　shrubbery　fronted　the　entrance　lawn；　in　the　center　of　which　stood　a　tall　white　pole；　the　Soviet　flag　hanging　limp　in　the　breezeless　morning　air。　Jason　ran　across　the　road；　his　body　low；　and　crouched　by　the　hedgerow；　he　had　only　moments　to　peer　through　the　bushes　and　ascertain　the　existence　or　nonexistence　of　the　armory's　security　procedures。　At　best；　they　appeared　lax　to　the　point　of　being　informal；　if　not　irrelevant。　There　was　a　glass　window　in　the　right　wall　of　the　entrance　similar　to　that　of　a　theater's　box　office；　behind　it　sat　a　uniformed　guard　reading　a　magazine；　and　alongside　him；　less　visible　but　seen　clearly　enough；　was　another；　his　head　on　the　counter；　asleep。　Two　other　soldiers　emerged　from　the　immense　armory　door…double　doors…both　casual；　unconcerned；　as　one　glanced　at　his　watch　and　the　other　lighted　a　cigarette。
　So　much　for　Kubinka's　security；　no　sudden　assault　was　anticipated　nor　had　one　taken　place；　at　least　none　that　had　set　off　alarms　reaching　the　front　patrols；　usually　the　first　to　be　alerted。　It　was　eerie；　unnatural；　beyond　the　unexpected。　The　Jackal　was　inside　this　military　installation；　yet　there　was　no　sign　that　he　had　penetrated　it；　no　indication　that　somewhere　within　the　plex　he　was　controlling　a　minimum　of　five　personnel…a　man　impersonating　him；　three　other　men　and　a　woman。
　The　parking　area　itself？　He　had　not　understood　the　exchanges　between　Alex；　Krupkin　and　the　voice　over　the　radio；　but　now　it　was　clear　to　him　that　when　they　had　spoken　of　people　ing　outside　and　running　to　the　stolen　car；　they　were　not　referring　to　the　front　entrance！　There　had　to　be　an　exit　on　the　parking　area！　Christ；　he　had　only　seconds　before　the　driver　of　the　Komitet　car　started　up　the　engine　and　roared　into　the　huge　dirt　lot；　circling　it　and　racing　out；　both　actions　announcing　the　government　vehicle's　arrival　and　swift；　calamitous　departure。　If　Carlos　was　going　to　make　his　break；　it　would　be　then！　After　waiting　for　the　standard　radio　backup；　every　moment　of　distance　he　put　between　himself　and　the　armory　would　make　it　more　difficult　to　pick　up　his　trail。　And　he；　the　efficient　killing　machine　from　Medusa；　was　in　the　wrong　place！　Further；　the　sight　of　a　civilian　running　across　a　lawn　or　down　a　road　carrying　an　automatic　weapon　within　a　military　pound　was　to　invite　disaster。　It　was　a　small；　stupid　omission！　Three　or　four　additional　words　translated　and　a　less　arrogant；　more　probing　listener　would　have　avoided　the　error。　It　was　always　the　little　things；　the　seemingly　insignificant　that　crippled　gray　to　black　operations。　Goddamn　it！
　Five　hundred　feet　away　the　KGB　sedan　suddenly　thundered　as　it　swerved　into　the　dirt　parking　area　raising　clouds　of　dry　dust　while　crushing　and　spitting　out　pieces　of　rock　from　its　spinning　tires。　There　was　no　time　to　think；　time　only　to　act。　Bourne　held　the　AK…47　against　his　right　leg；　concealing　it　as　much　as　possible　as　he　rose　to　his　feet；　his　left　hand　skimming　the　top　of　the　low　hedgerow…a　gardener；　perhaps；　surveying　an　anticipated　assignment；　or　an　indolent　stroller　aimlessly　touching　the　roadside　shrubbery；　nothing　remotely　threatening；　just　a　sign　of　the　monplace；　to　the　casual　observer；　he　might　have　been　walking　down　that　road　for　several　minutes　without　being　noticed。
　He　glanced　over　at　the　armory's　entrance。　The　two　soldiers　were　laughing　quietly；　the　one　without　a　cigarette　again　looking　at