按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
r； do away with her？ Have the British authorities got her？ Is she on her way to London and MI…Six with all their chemicals； to be turned over at last to Interpol？ So many questions。 。。。 No； he will not kill me until he learns what he must learn。 It may take only minutes to satisfy him； but long before then I trust that you will be at my side insuring my survival； if not his。〃
〃The nurse？ Whoever it is； she'll be shot。〃
〃No； not at all。 I'll order her away in anger； out of my sight at the first sign of contact。 As I walk with her I shall lament the absence of my new dear friend； the angel of mercy who takes such good care of my wife； wondering out loud； What has happened to her？ Where has she gone？ Why haven't I seen her all day？ Naturally； I will conceal on my person the radio； activated； of course。 Wherever I am taken…for surely one of Carlos's men will make contact first…I will ask an enfeebled old man's questions。 Why am I going here？ Why are we there？ 。。。 You will follow…in full force； I sincerely hope。 If you do so； you'll have the Jackal。〃
Holding his head straight； his neck rigid； Bourne walked to St。 Jacques's desk and sat on the edge。 〃Your friend； Judge Brendan what's…his…name； is right…〃
〃Prefontaine。 Although Fontaine is not my true name； we've decided it's all the same family。 When the earliest members left Alsace…Lorraine for America in the eighteenth century with Lafayette； they added the Pre to distinguish them from the Fontaines who spread out all over France。〃
〃He told you that？〃
〃He's a brilliant man； once an honored judge。〃
〃Lafayette came from Alsace…Lorraine？〃
〃I don't know； monsieur。 I've never been there。〃
〃He's a brilliant man。 。。。 More to the point； he's right。 Your plan has a lot of merit； but there's also considerable risk。 And I'll be honest with you； Fontaine； I don't give a damn about the risk you're taking or about the nurse； whoever it is。 I want the Jackal； and if it costs your life or the life of a woman I don't know； it doesn't matter to me。 I want you to understand that。〃
The old Frenchman stared at Jason with amused rheumy eyes and laughed softly。 〃You are such a transparent contradiction。 Jason Bourne would never have said what you just did。 He would have remained silent； accepting my proposition without ment but knowing the advantage。 Mrs。 Webb's husband； however； must have a voice。 He objects and must be heard。〃 Fontaine suddenly spoke sharply。 〃Get rid of him； Monsieur Bourne。 He is not my protection； not the death of the Jackal。 Send him away。〃
〃He's gone。 I promise you； he's gone。〃 The Chameleon sprang up from the desk； his neck frozen in pain。 〃Let's get started。〃
The steel band continued its deafening assault； but now restricted to the confines of the glass…enclosed lobby and adjacent dining room。 The speakers on the grounds were switched off on St。 Jacques's orders； the owner of Tranquility Inn having been escorted up from the unoccupied villa by the two Uzi…bearing former mandos along with the Canadian doctor and the incessantly chattering Mr。 Pritchard。 The assistant manager was instructed to return to the front desk and say nothing to anyone about the things he had witnessed during the past hour。
〃Absolutely nothing； sir。 If I am asked； I was on the telephone with the authorities over in 'Serrat。〃
〃About what？〃 objected St。 Jacques。 〃Well； I thought…〃
〃Don't think。 You were checking the maid service on the west path； that's all。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 The deflated Pritchard headed for the office door； which had been opened moments before by the nameless Canadian doctor。
〃I doubt it would make much difference what he said；〃 offered the physician as the assistant manager left。 〃That's a small zoo down there。 The bination of last night's events； too much sun today and excessive amounts of alcohol this evening； will augur a great deal of guilt in the morning。 My wife doesn't think your meteorologist will have much to say； John。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃He's having a few himself； and even if he's halfway lucid； there aren't five sober enough to listen to him。〃
〃I'd better get down there。 We may as well turn it into a minor carnivale。 It'll save Scotty ten thousand dollars； and the more distraction we have； the better。 I'll speak to the band and the bar and be right back。〃
〃We may not be here；〃 said Bourne as his brother…in…law left and a strapping young black woman in a plete nurse's uniform walked out of St。 Jacques's private bathroom into the office。 At the sight of her； old Fontaine approached。
〃Very good； my child； you look splendid；〃 said the Frenchman。 〃Remember now； I'll be holding your arm as we walk and talk； but when I squeeze you and raise my voice； telling you to leave me alone； you'll do as I say； correct？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I am to hurry away quite angry with you for being so unnice。〃
〃That's it。 There's nothing to be afraid of； it's just a game。 We want to talk with someone who's very shy。〃
〃How's the neck？〃 asked the doctor； looking at Jason； unable to see the bandage beneath the brown shirt。
〃It's all right；〃 answered Bourne。
〃Let's take a look at it；〃 said the Canadian； stepping forward。
〃Thanks but not now； Doctor。 I suggest you go downstairs and rejoin your wife。〃
〃Yes。 I thought you'd say that； but may I say something ； very quickly？〃
〃Very quickly。〃
〃I'm a doctor and I've had to do a great many things I didn't like doing and I'm sure this is in that category。 But when； I think of that young man and what was done to him…〃
〃Please；〃 broke in Jason。
〃Yes； yes； I understand。 Nevertheless； I'm here if you need me； I just wanted you to know that。 。。。 I'm not terribly proud of my previous statements。 I saw what I saw and I do have a name and I'm perfectly willing to testify in a court of law。 In other words； I withdraw my reluctance。〃
〃There'll be no courts； Doctor； no testimony。〃
〃Really？ But these are serious crimes！〃
〃We know what they are；〃 interrupted Bourne。 〃Your help is greatly appreciated； but nothing else concerns you。〃
〃I see；〃 said the doctor； staring curiously at Jason。 〃I'll go； then。〃 The Canadian went to the door and turned。 〃You'd better let me check that neck later。 If you've got a neck。〃 The doctor left and Bourne turned to Fontaine。
〃Are we ready？〃
〃We're ready；〃 replied the Frenchman； smiling pleasantly at the large； imposing； thoroughly mystified young black woman。 〃What are you going to do with all the money you're earning tonight； my dear？〃
The girl giggled shyly； her broad smile alive with bright white teeth。 〃I have a good boyfriend。 I'm going to buy him a fine present。〃
〃That's lovely。 What's your boyfriend's name？〃
〃Ishmael； sir。〃
〃Let's go；〃 said Jason firmly。
The plan was simple to mount and； like most good strategies； however plex； simple to execute。 Old Fontaine's walk through the grounds of Tranquility Inn had been precisely mapped out。 The trek began with Fontaine and the young woman returning to his villa presumably to look in on his ill wife before his established； medically required evening stroll。 They stayed on the lighted main path； straying now and then across the floodlit lawns but always visible； a crotchety old man supposedly walking wherever his whims led him； to the annoyance of his panion。 It was a familiar sight the world over； an enfeebled； irascible septuagenarian taunting his keeper。
The two former Royal mandos； one rather short； the other fairly tall； had selected a series of stations between the points where the Frenchman and his 〃nurse〃 would turn and head in different directions。 As the old man and the girl proceeded into the next planned leg； the second mando bypassed his colleague in darkness to the next location； using unseen routes only they knew or could negotiate； such as that beyond the coastline wall above the tangled tropical brush that led to the beach below the villas。 The black guards climbed like two enormous spiders in a jungle； crawling swiftly； effortlessly from branch and rock to limb and vine； keeping pace with their two charges。 Bourne followed the second man； his radio on Receive； the angry words of Fontaine pulsating through the static。
Where is that other nurse？ That lovely girl who takes care of my woman？ Where is she？ I haven't seen her all day！ The emphatic phrases were repeated over and over again with growing hostility。
Jason slipped。 He was caught！ He was behind the coastal wall； his left foot entangled in thick vines。 He could not pull his leg loose…the strength was not there！ He moved his head…his shoulders…and the hot flashes of pain broke out on his neck。 It is nothing。 Pull； yank； rip！ 。。。 His lungs bursting； the blood now drenching his shirt； he worked his way free and crawled on。
Suddenly there were lights； colored lights spilling over the wall。 They had reached the path to the chapel； the red and blue floodlights that lit up the entrance to Tranquility Inn's sealed off sanctuary。 It was the last destination before the return route back to Fontaine's villa； and one they all agreed was designed more to permit the old Frenchman time to catch his breath than for any other purpose。 St。 Jacques had stationed a guard there to prevent entrance into the demolished chapel。 There would be no c