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'Carlos。。。' Bourne knew he could not be heard； what emerged from his bleeding throat was a whisper。 He tried again； forcing the sound from his stomach。 'It's him。 It's。。。 Carlos！'
There was confusion； mands shouted futilely； orders swallowed in consternation。 And then a figure came into focus。 A man was limping towards him； a cripple who had tried to kill him in a cemetery outside Paris。 There was nothing left！ Jason lurched； crawling towards the sizzling； blinding flare。 He grabbed it and held it as though it were a weapon； aiming it at the killer with a cane。
'e on！ e on！ Closer； you bastard＇ I'll burn your eyes out！ You think you'll kill me； you won't！ I'll kill you！ I'll burn your eyes！'
'You don't understand；' said the trembling voice of the limping killer。 'It's me； Delta。 It's Conklin。 I was wrong。'
The flare singed his hands； his eyes！。。。 Madness。 The explosions were all around him now； blinding； deafening； punctuated by ear…splitting screeches from the jungle that erupted with each detonation。
The jungle！ Tarn Quan！ The wet； hot stench was everywhere； but they had reached it！ The base camp was theirs！
An explosion to his left； he could see it！ High above the ground； suspended between two trees； the spikes of a bamboo cage。 The figure inside was moving。 He was alive！ Get to him； reach him！
A cry came from his right。 Breathing； coughing in the smoke； a man was limping towards the dense underbrush； a rifle in his hand。 It was him； the blond hair caught in the light； a foot broken from a parachute jump。 The bastard！ A piece of filth who had trained with them； studied the maps with them； flown north with them。。。 all the time springing a trap on them！ A traitor with a radio who told the enemy exactly where to look in that impenetrable jungle that was Tarn Quan。
It was Bourne！ Jason Bourne。 Traitor； garbage！
Get him！ Don't let him reach the others！ Kill him！ Kill Jason Bourne！ He is your enemy！ Fire！
He did not fall！ The head that had been blown apart was still there。 ing towards him！ What was happening？ Madness。 Tarn Quan。。。
'e with us；' said the limping figure； walking out of the jungle into what remained of an elegant room。 That room。 'We're not your enemies。 e with us。〃
'Get away from me！' Bourne lunged again； now back to the fallen screen。 It was his sanctuary； his shroud of death； the blanket thrown over a man at birth； a lining for his coffin。 'You are my enemy！ I'll take you all！ I don't care； it doesn't matter I Can't you understand！？ I'm Delta！ Cain is for Charlie and Delta is for Cain！ What more do you want from me！ I was and I was not！ I am and I am not！ Bastards； bastards！ e on！ Closed！
Another voice was heard； a deeper voice； calmer； less insistent。 'Get her。 Bring her in。'
Somewhere in the distance the sirens reached a crescendo； and then they stopped。 Darkness came and the waves carried Jason up to the night sky； only to hurl him down again； crashing him into an abyss of watery violence。 He was entering an eternity of weightless。。。 memory。 An explosion filled the night sky now； a fiery diadem rose above black waters。 And then he heard the words； spoken from the clouds； filling the earth。
'Jason； my love。 My only love。 Take my hand。 Hold it。 Tightly； Jason。 Tightly； my darling。'
Peace came with the darkness。
Epilogue
Brigadier…General Crawford put the folder down on the couch beside him。 'I don't need this；' he said to Marie St Jacques； who sat opposite him in a straight…backed chair。 'I've gone over it and over it； trying to find out where we went wrong。〃
'You presumed where no one should；' said the only other person in the hotel suite。 He was Dr Morris Panov； psychiatrist； he stood by the window； the morning sun streaming in； putting his expressionless face in shadow。 'I allowed you to presume； and I'll live with it for the rest of my life。'
'It's nearly two weeks now；' said Marie impatiently。 'I'd like some details。 I think I'm entitled to them。'
'You are。 It was an insanity called clearance。'
'Insanity；' agreed Panov。
'Protection； also；' added Crawford。 'I subscribe to that part。 It has to continue for a very long time。〃
'Protection？' Marie frowned。
'We'll get to it；' said the general； glancing at Panov。 'From everyone's point of view； it's vital。 I trust we all accept that'
〃Please！ Jason。 Who is he？'
'His name is David Webb。 He was a career foreign service officer； a specialist in Far Eastern affairs； until his separation from the government five years ago。'
'Separation？'
'Resignation by mutual agreement His work in Medusa precluded any sustained career in the State Department 〃Delta〃 was infamous and too many knew he was Webb。 Such men are rarely wele at the diplomatic conference tables。 I'm not sure they should be； visceral wounds are reopened too easily with their presence。'
'He was everything they say？ In Medusa？〃 'Yes。 I was there。 He was everything they say。' 'It's hard to believe；' said Marie。
'He'd lost something very special to him and couldn't e to grips with it。 He could only strike out。' 'What was that？'
'His family。 His wife was a Thai； they had two children； a boy and a girl。 He was stationed in Phnom…Penh； his house near the Mekong River。 One Sunday afternoon while his wife and children were down at their dock； a stray aircraft circled and dived； dropping two bombs and strafing the area。 By the time he reached the river the dock was blown away； his wife and children floating in the water； their bodies riddled。'
'Oh； God；' whispered Marie。 'Who did the plane belong to？' 'It was never identified。 Hanoi disclaimed it； Saigon said it wasn't ours。 Remember； Cambodia was neutral； no one wanted to be responsible。 Webb had to strike out； he headed for Saigon and trained for Medusa。 He brought a specialist's intellect to a very brutal operation。 He became Delta。' 'Was that when he met d'Anjou？'
'Later on； yes。 Delta was notorious by then。 North Vietnamese intelligence had put an extraordinary price on his head； and it's no secret that among our own people a number hoped they'd succeed。 Then Hanoi found out that Webb's younger brother was an army officer in Saigon and； having studied Delta …knowing the brothers were close … decided to mount a trap； they had nothing to lose。 They kidnapped Lieutenant Gordon Webb and took him north； sending back a Cong informant with word that he was being held in the Tarn Quan sector。 Delta bit； along with the informer … a double agent … he formed a team of Medusans who knew the area and picked a night when no aircraft should have left the ground to fly north。 D'Anjou was in the unit。 So was another man Webb didn't know about； a white man who'd been bought by Hanoi； an expert in munications who could assemble the electronic ponents of a high frequency radio in the dark。 Which is exactly what he did； betraying his unit's position。 Webb broke through the trap and found his brother。 He also found the double agent and the white man。 The Vietnamese escaped in the jungle； the white man didn't。 Delta executed him on the spot。'
'And that man？〃 Marie's eyes were riveted on Crawford。
'Jason Bourne。 A Medusan from Sydney； Australia； a runner of guns； narcotics and slaves throughout all South…east Asia； a violent man with a criminal record； who was nevertheless highly effective … if the price were high enough。 It was in Medusa's interests to bury the circumstances of his death； he became an M。I。A。 from a specialized unit Years later； when Treadstone was being formed and Webb called back； it was Webb himself who took the name of Bourne。 It fitted the requirements of authenticity； traceability。 He took the name of the man who'd betrayed him； the man he had killed in Tarn Quan。'
'Where was he when he was called back for Treadstone？' asked Marie。 'What was he doing？'
Teaching in a small college in New Hampshire。 Living an isolated life； some said destructive。 For him。' Crawford picked up the folder。 Those are the essential facts； Miss St Jacques。 Other areas will be covered by Dr Panov； who's made it clear that my presence is not required。 There is； however； one remaining detail which must be thoroughly understood。 It's a direct order from the White House。'
The protection；' said Marie； her words a statement
'Yes。 Wherever he goes； regardless of the identity he assumes； or the success of his cover； he'll be guarded around the clock。 For as long as it takes … even if it never happens。'
'Please explain that'
'He's the only man alive who's ever seen Carlos。 As Carlos。 He knows his identity but it's locked away in his mind； part of an unremembered past We understand from what he says that Carlos is someone known to many people … a visible figure in a government somewhere； or in the media； or international banking or society。 It fits a prevalent theory。 The point is that one day that identity may e into focus for Webb。。。 We realize you've had several discussions with Dr Panov。 I believe he'll confirm what I've said。'
Marie turned to the psychiatrist 'Is it true； Mo？'
'It's possible；' said Panov。
Crawford left and Marie poured coffee for the two of them。 Panov went to the couch where the brigadier had been sitting。
'It's still warm；' he said smiling。 'Crawford was