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'Good fishing；' said the Belkins man。
Bourne walked west on Seventieth Street to Lexington Avenue。 Three blocks south he found what he was looking for： an army…navy surplus store。 He went inside。
Eight minutes later he came out carrying four brown padded blankets and six wide canvas straps with metal buckles。 In the pockets of his field jacket were two ordinary road flares。 They had been there on the counter looking like something they were not； triggering images beyond memory； back to a moment when there had been meaning and purpose。 And anger。 He slung the equipment over his left shoulder and trudged up towards Seventy…first。 The chameleon was heading into the jungle； a jungle as dense as the unremembered Tarn Quan。
It was 10：48 when he reached the corner of the tree…lined block that held the secrets of Treadstone Seventy…one。 He was going back to the beginning … his beginning … and the fear that he felt was not the fear of physical harm。 He was prepared for that； every sinew taut； every muscle ready； his knees and feet； hands and elbows； weapons； his eyes trip…wire alarms that would send instant signals to those weapons。 His fear was far more profound。 He was about to enter the place of his birth and he was terrified at what he might find there … remember there。
Stop it！ The trap is everything。 Cain is for Charlie and Delta is for Cain！
The traffic had diminished considerably； the rush hour over； the street in the doldrums of mid…morning quiescence。 Pedestrians strolled now； they did not hasten； cars swung leisurely around the removal van； angry horns replaced by brief grimaces of irritation。 Jason crossed with the light to the Treadstone side； the tall； narrow structure of brown； jagged stone and thick blue glass was fifty yards down the block。 Blankets and straps in place； an already weary； slow…witted labourer walked behind a well…dressed couple towards it。
He reached the concrete steps as two muscular men； one black one white； were carrying a covered harp out of the door。 Bourne stopped and called out； his words halting； his dialect coarse。
'Hey！ Where's Doogan？'
'Where the hell d'you think？' replied the white； angling his head around。 'Sittin' in a fuckin' chair。'
'He ain't gonna lift nothin' heavier than that clipboard； man；' added the black。 'He's an executive； ain't that right； Joey？'
'He's a crumb ball； is what he is。 Watcha got there？'
'Schumach sent me；' said Jason。 'He wanted another man down here and figured you needed this stuff。 Told me to bring it。'
'Murray the menace！' laughed the black。 'You new； man？ I ain't seen you before。 You e from shape…up？〃
'Yeah。'
'Take that shit up to the executive；' grunted Joey； starting down the steps。 'He can allocate it； how about that； Pete？ Allocate； you like it？'
'I love it； Joey。 You a regular dictionary。'
Bourne walked up the reddish brown steps past the descending movers to the door。 He stepped inside and saw the winding staircase on the right； and the long narrow corridor in front of him that led to another door thirty feet away。 He had climbed those steps a thousand times； walked up and down that corridor thousands more。 He had e back； and an overpowering sense of dread swept through him。 He started down the dark narrow corridor； he could see shafts of sunlight bursting through a pair of French windows in the distance。 He was approaching the room where Cain was born。 That room。 He gripped the straps on his shoulder and tried to stop the trembling。
Marie leaned forward in the back seat of the armour…plated government car； the binoculars in place。 Something had happened； she was not sure what it was but she could guess。 A short stocky man had passed by the steps of the brownstone house a few minutes ago； slowing his pace as he approached the general； obviously saying something to him。 〃The man had then continued down the block and seconds later Crawford had followed him。
Conklin had been found。
It was a small step if what the general said was true。 Hired gunmen； unknown to their employer； he unknown to them。 Hired to kill a man。。。 for all the wrong reasons！ Oh； God； she loathed them all！ Mindless； stupid men！ Playing with the lives of other men； knowing so little； thinking they knew so much。
They had not listened！ They never listened until it was too late； and then only with stern forbearance and strong reminders of what might have been … had things been as they were perceived to be。 which they were not。 The corruption came from blindness； the lies from obstinacy and embarrassment Do not embarrass the powerful； the napalm said it all。
Marie focused the binoculars。 A Belkins man was approaching the steps； blankets and straps over his shoulder； walking behind an elderly couple； obviously residents of the block out for a stroll。 The man in the field jacket and the black knit hat stopped： he began talking to two other movers carrying a triangular…shaped object out of the door。
What was it？ There was something。。。 something odd。 She could not see the man's face； it was hidden from view； but there was something about the neck； the angle of the head。。。 what was it？ The man started up the steps； a blunt man； weary of his day before it had begun。。。 a slovenly man。 Marie removed the binoculars； she was too anxious； too ready to see things that were not there。
Oh； God； my love； my Jason。 Where are you？ e to me。
Let me find you。 Do not leave me for these blind； mindless men。 Do not let them take you from me。
Where was Crawford？ He had promised to keep her informed of every move； everything。 She had been blunt。 She did not trust him； any of them； she did not trust their intelligence； that word spelled with a lower case i。 He had promised。。。 where was he？
She spoke to the driver。 'Will you put down the window； please。 It's stifling in here；'
'Sorry； Miss；' replied the civilian…clothed army man。 'I'll turn on the air…conditioning for you； though。'
The windows and doors were controlled by buttons only the driver could reach。 She was in a glass and metal tomb in a sundrenched； tree…lined street
'I don't believe a word of it！' said Conklin； limping angrily across the room back to the window。 He leaned against the sill looking out； his left hand pulled up to his face； his teeth against the knuckle of his index finger。 'Not a goddamned word！'
'You don't want to believe it Alex；' countered Crawford。 〃The solution is so much easier。 It's in place； and so much simpler。'
'You didn't hear that tape。 You didn't hear Villiers！
I've heard the woman； she's all I have to hear。 She said we didn't listen。。。 you didn't listen。'
Then she's lying！' Awkwardly Conklin spun around。 'Christ； of course she's lying！ Why wouldn't she？ She's his woman。 She'll do anything to get him off the meathook！'
'You're wrong and you know it； the fact that he's here proves you're wrong； proves I was wrong to accept what you。。。'
Conklin was breathing heavily； his right hand trembling as he gripped his cane。 'Maybe。。。 maybe we； maybe。。。'He did not finish； instead he looked at Crawford helplessly。
'。。。 ought to let the solution stand？' asked the officer quietly。 'You're tired； Alex。 You haven't slept for several days； you're exhausted。 I don't think I heard that'
'No。' The C。I。A。 man shook his head； his eyes closed； his face reflecting his disgust 'No； you didn't hear it and I didn't say it I just wish I knew where the hell to begin。'
I do；' said Crawford going to the door and opening it 'e in； please。'
The stocky man walked in； his eyes darting to the rifle leaning against the wall。 He looked at the two men； appraisal in his expression。 'What is it？'
The exercise has been called off；' Crawford said。 'I think you must have gathered that。
'What exercise？ I was hired to protect him。' The gunman looked at Alex。 'You mean you don't need protection any more； sir？'
'You know exactly what we mean；' broke in Conklin。 'All signals are off； all stipulations。'
'What stipulations？ I don't know about any stipulations。 The terms of my employment are very clear。 I'm protecting you； sir。'
'Good； fine；' said Crawford。 'Now what we have to know is who else out there is protecting him。'
'Who else where？'
'Outside this room； this apartment。 In other rooms； on the street； in cars； perhaps。 We have to know。'
The stocky man walked over to the rifle and picked it up。 'I'm afraid you gentlemen have misunderstood。 I was hired on an individual basis。 If others were employed； I'm not aware of them。'
'You do know them I' shouted Conklin。 'Who are they？ Where are they？'
'I haven't any idea。。。 sir。' The courteous gunman held the rifle in his right arm； the barrel angled down towards the floor。 He raised it perhaps two inches； no more than six； the movement barely perceptible。 'If my services are no longer required； I'll be leaving；'
'Can you reach them？〃 interrupted the brigadier。 'We'll pay generously。〃
'I've already been paid generously； sir。 It would be wrong to accept money for a service I can't perform。 And pointless for this to continue。'
'A man's life is at stake out there！' shouted Conklin。
'So's mine；' said the gunman； walking to the door； the weapon raised higher。 'Good…bye； gentlemen。' He let himself