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〃Did you strap it wrong again？〃 asked Jason。 〃Do you want me to…〃
〃Forget it；〃 broke in Alex irritably。 〃You have to be a contortionist to get the goddamned thing right all the time。〃
Bourne understood； he forgot about any attempt on his part to adjust the prosthesis。 Krupkin again looked at Alex with that strange admixture of sadness and curiosity； then spoke rapidly。 〃The car is parked up the street in the Sverdlov。 It's less obvious over there； I'll have a lobby steward fetch it。〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Conklin； gratitude in his glance。
The opulent apartment on the busy Sadovaya was one among many in an aged stone building that； like the Metropole； reflected the grand architectural excesses of the old Russian Empire。 The flats were primarily used…and bugged…for visiting dignitaries； and the chambermaids； doormen and concierges were all frequently questioned by the KGB when not directly employed by the Komitet。 The walls were covered with red velour； the sturdy furniture was reminiscent of the ancien régime。 However； to the right of the gargantuan ornate living…room fireplace was an item that stood out like a decorator's nightmare： a large jet…black television console plete with an assortment of tape decks patible with the various sizes of video cassettes。
The second contradiction to the decor； and undoubtedly an affront to the memory of the elegant Romanovs； was a heavyset man in a rumpled uniform； open at the neck and stained with vestiges of recent meals。 His blunt face was full； his grayish hair cut close to his skull； and a missing tooth surrounded by discolored panions bespoke an aversion to dentistry。 It was the face of a peasant； the narrow； perpetually squinting eyes conveying a peasant's shrewd intelligence。 He was Krupkin's missar Number One。
〃My English not good；〃 announced the uniformed man； nodding at his visitors； 〃but is understanding。 Also； for you I have no name； no official position。 Call me colonel； yes？ It is below my rank； but all Americans think all Soviets in Komitet are 'colonel；' da？ Okay？〃
〃I speak Russian；〃 replied Alex。 〃If it's easier for you； use it； and I'll translate for my colleague。〃
〃Hah！〃 roared the colonel； laughing。 〃So Krupkin cannot fool you； yes？〃
〃Yes； he can't fool me； no。〃
〃Is good。 He talks too fast； da？ Even in Russian his words e like stray bullets。〃
〃In French； also； Colonel。〃
〃Speaking of which；〃 intruded Dimitri； 〃may we get to the issue at hand； rade？ Our associate in the Dzerzhinsky said we were to e over immediately。〃
〃Da！ Immediate。〃 The KGB officer walked to the huge ebony console； picked up a remote control； and turned to the others。 〃I will speak English…is good practice。 。。。 e。 Watch。 Everything is on one cartridge。 All material taken by men and women Krupkin select to follow our people who speak the French。〃
〃People who could not be promised by the Jackal；〃 clarified Krupkin。
〃Watch！〃 insisted the peasant…colonel； pressing a button on the remote control。
The screen came alive on the console； the opening shots crude and choppy。 Most had been taken with hand…held video cameras from car windows。 One scene after another showed specific men walking in the Moscow streets or getting into official vehicles； driving or being driven throughout the city and； in several cases； outside the city over country roads。 In every case the subjects under surveillance met with other men and women； whereupon the zoom lenses enlarged the faces。 A number of shots took place inside buildings； the scenes murky and dark； the result of insufficient light and awkwardly held concealed cameras。
〃That one is expensive whore！〃 laughed the colonel as a man in his late sixties escorted a much younger woman into an elevator。 〃It is the Solnechy Hotel on the Varshavkoye。 I will personally check the general's vouchers and find a loyal ally； da？〃
The choppy； cross…cutting tape continued as Krupkin and the two Americans grew weary of the seemingly endless and pointless visual record。 Then； suddenly； there was an exterior shot of a huge cathedral； crowds on the pavement； the light indicating early evening。
〃St。 Basil's Cathedral in Red Square；〃 said Krupkin。 〃It's a museum now and a very fine one； but every now and then a zealot…usually foreign…holds a small service。 No one interferes； which； of course； the zealots want us to do。〃
The screen became murky again； the vibrating focus briefly and wildly swaying； the camcorder had moved inside the cathedral as the agent operating it was jostled by the crowds。 Then it became steady； held perhaps against a pillar。 The focus now was on an elderly man； his hair white in contrast to the lightweight black raincoat he was wearing。 He was walking down a side aisle pensively glancing at the succession of icons and the higher majestic stained…glass windows。
〃Rodchenko；〃 said the peasant…colonel； his voice guttural。 〃The great Rodchenko。〃
The man on the screen proceeded into what appeared to be a large stone corner of the cathedral where two thick pedestaled candles threw moving shadows against the walls。 The video camera jerkily moved upward； the agent； again perhaps； standing on a portable stool or a hastily obtained box。 The picture grew suddenly more detailed； the figures larger as the zoom lens was activated； thrusting through the crowds of tourists。 The white…haired subject approached another man； a priest in priestly garb…balding； thin； his plexion dark。
〃It's him！〃 cried Bourne。 〃It's Carlos！〃
Then a third man appeared on the screen； joining the other two； and Conklin shouted。
〃Jesus！ 〃he roared as all eyes were riveted on the television set。 〃Hold it there！〃 The KGB missar instantly plied with his remote； the picture remained stationary； shaky but constant。 〃The other one！ Do you recognize him； David？〃
〃I know him but I don't know him；〃 replied Bourne in a low voice as images going back years began filling his inner screen。 There were explosions； white blinding lights with blurred figures running in a jungle 。。。 and then a man； an Oriental； being shot repeatedly； screaming as he was hammered into the trunk of a large tree by an automatic weapon。 The mists of confusion swelled； dissolving into a barracks…like room with soldiers sitting behind a long table； a wooden chair on the right； a man sitting there； fidgeting； nervous。 And without warning； Jason suddenly knew that man…it was himself！ A younger； much younger self； and there was another figure； in uniform； pacing like a caged ferret back and forth in front of the chair； savagely berating the man then known as Delta One。 。。。 Bourne gasped； his eyes frozen on the television screen as he realized he was staring at an older version of that angry； pacing figure in his mind's eye。 〃A courtroom in a base camp north of Saigon；〃 he whispered。
〃It's Ogilvie；〃 said Conklin； his voice distant； hollow。 〃Bryce Ogilvie。 。。。 My God； they did link up。 Medusa found the Jackal！〃
36
〃It was a trial； wasn't it； Alex？〃 said Bourne； bewildered； the words floating； hesitant。 〃A military trial。〃
〃Yes； it was；〃 agreed Conklin。 〃But it wasn't your trial； you weren't the accused。〃
〃I wasn't？〃
〃No。 You were the one who brought charges； a rare thing for any of your group to do then； in or out of the field。 A number of the army people tried to stop you but they couldn't。 。。。 We'll go into it later； discuss it later。〃
〃I want to discuss it now；〃 said Jason firmly。 〃That man is with the Jackal； right there in front of our eyes。 I want to know who he is and what he is and why he's here in Moscow…with the Jackal。〃
〃Later…〃
〃Now。 Your friend Krupkin is helping us； which means he's helping Marie and me and I'm grateful for his help。 The colonel here is also on our side or we wouldn't be seeing what's on that screen at this moment。 I want to know what happened between that man and me； and all of Langley's security measures can go to hell。 The more I know about him…now…the better I know what to ask for； what to expect。〃 Bourne suddenly turned to the Soviets。 〃For your information； there's a period in my life I can't pletely remember； and that's all you have to know。 Go on； Alex。〃
〃I have trouble remembering last night；〃 said the colonel。
〃Tell him what he wants to know； Aleksei。 It can have no bearing on our interests。 The Saigon chapter is closed； as is Kabul。〃
〃All right。〃 Conklin lowered himself into a chair and massaged his right calf； he tried to speak casually but the attempt was not wholly successful。 〃In December of 1970 one of your men was killed during a search…and…destroy patrol。 It was called an accident of 'friendly fire；' but you knew better。 You knew he was marked by some horseshit artists down south at headquarters； they had it in for him。 He was a Cambodian and no saint by any means； but he knew all the contraband trails； so he was your point。〃
〃Just images；〃 interrupted Bourne。 〃All I get are fragments。 I see but I can't remember。〃
〃The facts aren't important anymore； they're buried along with several thousand other questionable events。 Apparently a large narcotics deal went sour in the Triangle and your scout was held responsible； so a few hotshots in Saigon thought a lesson should be taught their gook runners。 They flew up t