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o be sent back and all the accounts settled； that's the 'progressive acmodation' you have to make。〃
〃I'm sure we'll take it under advisement。〃
〃Not good enough；〃 said Conklin。 〃Let's put it this way。 Beyond accountability； there's simply too much known…or will be in a matter of days…about his enterprise； including the connection to Teagarten's death； for you to keep him here。 Not only Washington； but the entire European munity would dump on you。 Talk of embarrassments； this is a beaut； to say nothing about the effects on trade； or your imports and exports…〃
〃You've made your point； Aleksei；〃 interrupted Krupkin。 〃Assuming this acmodation can be made； will it be clear that Moscow cooperated fully in bringing this American criminal back to American justice？〃
〃We obviously couldn't do it without you。 As the temporary field officer of record； I'll swear to it before both intelligence mittees of Congress； if need be。〃
〃And that we had nothing…absolutely nothing to do with the killings you mentioned； specifically the assassination of the supreme mander of NATO。〃
〃Absolutely clear。 It was one of the major reasons for your cooperation。 Your government was horrified by the assassination。〃
Krupkin looked hard at Alex； his voice lower but stronger for it。 He turned slowly； his eyes briefly on the television screen； then back to Conklin。 〃General Rodchenko？〃 he said。 〃What shall we do with General Rodchenko？〃
〃What you do with General Rodchenko is your business；〃 replied Alex quietly。 〃Neither Bourne nor I ever heard the name。〃
〃Da；〃 said Krupkin； nodding； again slowly。 〃And what you do with the Jackal in Soviet territory is your business； Aleksei。 However； be assured we shall cooperate to the fullest degree。〃
〃How do we begin？〃 asked Jason impatiently。
〃First things first。〃 Dimitri looked over at the KGB missar。 〃rade； have you understood what we've said？〃
〃Enough so； Krupkin；〃 replied the heavyset peasant…colonel； walking to a telephone on an inlaid marble table against the wall。 He picked up the phone and dialed； his call was answered immediately。 〃It is I；〃 said the missar in Russian。 〃The third man in tape seven with Rodchenko and the priest； the one New York identified as the American named Ogilvie。 As of now he is to be placed under our surveillance and he is not to leave Moscow。〃 The colonel suddenly arched his thick brows； his face growing red。 〃That order is countermanded！ He is no longer the responsibility of Diplomatic Relations； he is now the sole property of the KGB。 。。。 A reason？ Use your skull； potato head！ Tell them we are convinced he is an American double agent whom those fools did not uncover。 Then the usual garbage： harboring enemies of the state due to laxness； their exalted positions once again protected by the Komitet…that sort of thing。 Also； you might mention that they should not look a gift horse in the mouth。 。。。 I don't understand any more than you do； rade； but those butterflies over there in their tight…fitting suits probably will。 Alert the airports。〃 The missar hung up。
〃He did it；〃 said Conklin； turning to Bourne。 〃Ogilvie stays in Moscow。〃
〃I don't give a goddamn about Ogilvie！〃 exploded Jason； his voice intense； his jaw pulsating。 〃I'm here for Carlos！〃
〃The priest？〃 asked the colonel； walking away from the table。
〃That's exactly who I mean。〃
〃Is simple。 We put General Rodchenko on a very long rope that he cannot see or feel。 You will be at the other end。 He will meet his Jackal priest again。〃
〃That's all I ask；〃 said Jason Bourne。
General Grigorie Rodchenko sat at a window table in the Lastochka restaurant by the Krymsky Bridge on the Moskva River。 It was his favorite place for a midnight dinner； the lights on the bridge and on the slow…moving boats in the water were relaxing to the eye and therefore to the metabolism。 He needed the calming atmosphere； for during the past two days things had been so unsettling。 Had he been right or had he been wrong？ Had his instincts been correct or far off the mark？ He could not know at the moment； but those same instincts had enabled him to survive the mad Stalin as a youth； the blustering Khrushchev in middle age； and the inept Brezhnev a few years later。 Now there was yet a new Russia under Gorbachev； a new Soviet Union； in fact； and his old age weled it。 Perhaps things would relax a bit and long…standing enmities fade into a once hostile horizon。 Still； horizons did not really change； they were always horizons； distant； flat； fired with color or darkness； but still distant； flat and unreachable。
He was a survivor； Rodchenko understood that； and a survivor protected himself on as many points of the pass as he could read。 He also insinuated himself into as many degrees of that pass as possible。 Therefore； he had labored diligently to bee a trusted mouth to the chairman； he was an expert at gathering information for the Komitet； he was the initial conduit to the American enterprise known to him alone in Moscow as Medusa； through which extraordinary shipments； had been made throughout Russia and the bloc nations。 On the other hand； he was also a liaison to the monseigneur in Paris； Carlos the Jackal； whom he had either persuaded or bought off from contracts that might point to the Soviet Union。 He had been the ultimate bureaucrat； working behind the scenes on the international stage； seeking neither applause nor celebrity； merely survival。 Then why had he done what he did？ Was it mere impetuousness born of weariness and fear and the sense of a plague…on…both…your…houses？ No； it was a logical extension of events； consistent with the needs of his country and； above all； the absolute necessity that Moscow disassociate itself from both Medusa and the Jackal。
According to the consul general in New York； Bryce Ogilvie was finished in America。 The consul's suggestion was to find him asylum somewhere and； in exchange； gradually absorb his myriad assets in Europe。 What worried the consul general in New York was not Ogilvie's financial manipulations that broke more laws than there were courts to prosecute； but rather the killings； which as far as the consul could determine were widespread and included the murder of high U。S。 government officials and； unless he was grossly mistaken； the assassination of the supreme mander of NATO。 pounding this chain of horrors was New York's opinion that in order to save a number of his panies from confiscation； Ogilvie might have ordered additional killings in Europe； primarily of those few powerful executives in various firms who understood the plex international linkages that led back to a great law firm and the unspoken code name Medusa。 Should those contracted murders take place while Ogilvie was in Moscow； questions might arise that Moscow could not tolerate。 Therefore； get him in and out of the Soviet Union as fast as possible； a remendation more easily made than acplished。
Suddenly； Rodchenko reflected； into this danse macabre had e the paranoid monseigneur from Paris。 It was imperative they meet immediately！ Carlos had fairly screamed his demand over the arranged public telephone munication they employed； but every precaution had to be taken。 The Jackal； as always； demanded a public place； with crowds； and numerous available exits； where he could circle like a hawk； never showing himself until his professional eyes were satisfied。 Two calls later； from two different locations； the rendezvous was set。 St。 Basil's Cathedral in Red Square during the height of the early evening's summer tourist onslaught。 In a darkened corner to the right of the altar where there were outside exits through the curtained walkways to the sacristy。 Done！
Then； during that third telephone call； like a crack of thunder over the Black Sea； Grigorie Rodchenko was struck by an idea so dramatically bold； yet so patently obvious and simple； that he had momentarily lost his breath。 It was the solution that would totally distance the Soviet government from any involvement or plicity with either the Jackal or Medusa's Ogilvie should such distance be necessary in the eyes of the civilized world。
Quite simply； unknown to each other； bring the Jackal and Ogilvie together； if only for an instant； just long enough to get photographic evidence of their being seen within the same frame。 It was all that was needed。
He had gone to Diplomatic Relations yesterday afternoon； having requested a short routine meeting with Ogilvie。 During the extremely innocuous and very friendly conference； Rodchenko had waited for his opening…an opening he had engineered with precision； having done his research。
〃You spend summers on Cape Cod； da？〃 the general had said。
〃For me it's weekends mainly。 My wife and the children are there for the season。〃
〃When I was posted in Washington； I had two great American friends on Cape Cod。 I spent several lovely； as you say； weekends with them。 Perhaps you know my friends； the Frosts…Hardleigh and Carol Frost？〃
〃Of course I do。 Like myself； he's an attorney； specializes in maritime law。 They live down the shore road in Dennis。〃
〃A very attractive lady； the Frost woman。〃
〃Very。〃
〃Da。 Did you ever attempt to recruit her husband for your firm？〃
〃No。 He has his own。 Frost； Gol