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〃It does not matter。 I speak on behalf of Snake Lady…〃
〃Stop！〃 cried the ambassador to the Court of St。 James's。 〃Stay on the line and we'll resume talking in twenty seconds。〃 Atkinson reached down； snapped on his scrambler； and waited until the spiraling sounds of the pre…interceptor subsided。 〃All right； continue。〃
〃I have received instructions from Snake Lady and was told to confirm the origin from you。〃
〃Confirmed！〃
〃And therefore I am to carry out these instructions？〃
〃Good Lord； yes！ Whatever they say。 My God； look what happened to Teagarten in Brussels； Armbruster in Washington！ Protect me！ Do whatever they say！〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Ambassador。〃
Bourne first sat in the hottest tub he could endure； then took the coldest shower he could tolerate。 He then changed the dressing around his neck； walked back into the small hotel room and fell on the bed。 。。。 So Marie had found a simple； ingenious way to reach Paris。 Goddamn it！ How could he find her； protect her？ Had she any idea what she was doing？ David would go out of his mind。 He'd panic and make a thousand mistakes。 。。。 Oh； my God； I am David！
Stop it。 Control。 Pull back。
The telephone rang； he grabbed it off the bedside table。 〃Yes？〃
〃Santos wants to see you。 With peace in his heart。〃
24
The Emergency Medical Service helicopter was lowered into its threshold； the rotors were cut and the blades thumped to a stop。 Following EMS procedure when disembarking ambulatory patients； only then did the exit door open and the metal steps slap down to the ground。 A uniformed paramedic preceded Panov； turning and assisting the doctor to the tarmac； where a second man in civilian clothes escorted him to a waiting limousine。 Inside were Peter Holland； director of the CIA； and Alex Conklin； the latter in the right jump seat； obviously for conversational purposes。 The psychiatrist climbed in beside Holland； he took several deep breaths； sighed audibly and fell back into the seat。
〃I am a maniac；〃 he stated； emphasizing each word。 〃Certifiably insane and I'll sign the papers of mitment myself。〃
〃You're safe； that's all that matters； Doctor；〃 said Holland。 〃Good to see you； Crazy Mo；〃 added Conklin。
〃Have you any idea what I did？ 。。。 I purposely crashed a car into a tree with me in it！ Then after walking at least half the distance to the Bronx； I was picked up by the only person I know who may have more loose bananas in her head than I do。 Her libido is unhinged and she's running away from her trucker husband…hot on her French heels…who I subsequently learned has the cuddly name of the Bronk。 My hooker chauffeur proceeds to hold me hostage with such wiles as threatening to yell 'Rape！' in a diner filled with a collection of the NFL's most carnivorous linebackers…except for one who got me out。〃 Panov abruptly stopped and reached into his pocket。 〃Here；〃 he continued； thrusting the five driver's licenses and the roughly six thousand dollars into Conklin's hands。
〃What's this？〃 asked the bewildered Alex。
〃I robbed a bank and decided to bee a professional driver！ 。。。 What do you think it is？ I took it from the man who was guarding me。 I described as best I could to the chopper's crew where the crash took place。 They're flying back to find him。 They will； he's not walking anywhere。〃
Peter Holland reached for the limousine's telephone； pushing three buttons。 In less than two seconds； he spoke。 〃Get word to EMS…Arlington； Equipment Fifty…seven。 The man they're picking up is to be brought directly to Langley。 To the infirmary。 And keep me informed as to their progress。 。。。 Sorry； Doctor。 Go on。〃
〃Go on？ What's to go on to？ I was kidnapped and held in some farmhouse and injected with enough sodium pentothal； if I'm not mistaken； to make me a resident of…of La La Land； which I was recently accused of being by Madame Scylla Charybdis。〃
〃What the hell are you talking about？〃 said Holland flatly。 〃Nothing； Admiral； or Mr。 Director or…〃
〃Peter's fine； Mo；〃 pleted Holland。 〃I simply didn't understand you。〃
〃There's nothing to understand but the facts。 My allusions are pulsive attempts at false erudition。 It's called posttraumatic stress。〃
〃Of course； now you're perfectly clear。〃
Panov turned to the DCI with a nervous smile。 〃It's my turn to be sorry； Peter。 I'm still wound up。 This last day or so hasn't exactly been representative of my normal life…style。〃
〃I don't think it's anybody's；〃 concurred Holland。 〃I've seen my share of rotten stuff； but nothing like this； nothing that tampers with the mind。 I missed all that。〃
〃There's no hurry； Mo；〃 added Conklin。 〃Don't press yourself； you've taken a lot of punishment。 If you like； we can postpone the briefing for a few hours so you can rest； calm down。〃
〃Don't be a damn fool； Alex！〃 protested the psychiatrist sharply。 〃For the second time I've put David's life in jeopardy。 The knowledge of that is far worse punishment。 There's not a minute to lose。 。。。 Forget Langley； Peter。 Take me to one of your clinics。 Free…floating； I want to get out everything I can recall； consciously or unconsciously。 Hurry。 I'll tell the doctors what to do。〃
〃You've got to be joking；〃 said Holland； staring at Panov。
〃I'm not joking for an instant。 You both have to know what I know…whether I realize I know it or not。 Can't you understand that？〃
The director again reached for the telephone and pressed a single button。 In the front seat； beyond the glass partition； the driver picked up the phone recessed in the seat beside him。 〃There's been a change of plans；〃 said Holland。 〃Head for Sterile Five。〃
The limousine slowed down； and at the next intersection turned right toward the rolling hills and verdant fields of the Virginia hunt country。 Morris Panov closed his eyes； as if in a trance or as a man might do facing some appalling ordeal…his own execution perhaps。 Alex looked at Peter Holland； they both glanced at Mo； then back at each other。 Whatever Panov was doing； there was a reason for it。 Until they reached the gates of the estate that was Sterile House Five thirty minutes later； no one spoke。
〃DCI and pany；〃 announced the driver to the guard wearing the uniform of a private security firm； in reality a CIA proprietary。 The limousine proceeded down the long tree…lined entrance。
〃Thanks；〃 said Mo； opening his eyes and blinking。 〃As I'm sure you gathered； I'm trying to clear my head and with any luck bring down my blood pressure。〃
〃You don't have to do this；〃 insisted Holland。
〃Yes； I do；〃 said Panov。 〃Maybe with time I could piece things together with a degree of clarity； but I can't now and we don't have the time。〃 Mo turned to Conklin。 〃How much can you tell me？〃
〃Peter knows everything。 For the sake of that blood pressure of yours； I won't fill you in on all the details； but the bottom line is that David's all right。 At least we haven't heard otherwise。〃
〃Marie？ The children？〃
〃On the island；〃 replied Alex； avoiding Holland's eyes。
〃What about this Sterile Five？〃 asked Panov； now looking at Holland。 〃I assume there's a specialist； or specialists； the kind I need。〃
〃In relays and around the clock。 You probably know a few of them。〃
〃I'd rather not。〃 The long dark vehicle swung around the circular drive and stopped in front of the stone steps of the pillared Georgian mansion that was the focal point of the estate。 〃Let's go；〃 said Mo quietly； stepping outside。
The sculptured white doors； the rose…colored marble floors and the elegant winding staircase in the great hall all bined to furnish a superb cover for the work done at Sterile Five。 Defectors； double and triple agents； and field officers returned from plex assignments for rest and debriefing were continuously processed through its various agendas。 The staff； each with a Four Zero clearance； consisted of two doctors and three nurses in relay units； cooks and domestic attendants recruited from the foreign service…in the main； overseas embassies…and guards； all with Ranger training or its equivalent。 They moved about the house and grounds unobtrusively； eyes constantly alert； each with either a concealed or an unconcealed weapon； except for the medical personnel。 Visitors without exception were given small lapel pins by the well…spoken； dark…suited house steward； who admitted them and directed them to the locations of their scheduled appointments。 The man was a retired gray…haired interpreter for the Central Intelligence Agency； but he suited his position so well in appearance he might have e from Central Casting。
Naturally； at the sight of Peter Holland； the steward was astonished。 He prided himself on mitting to memory every schedule at Sterile Five。 〃A surprise visit； sir？〃
〃Good to see you； Frank。〃 The DCI shook hands with the former interpreter。 〃You may remember Alex Conklin…〃
〃Good Lord； is that you； Alex？ It's been years！〃 Again hands were shaken。 〃When was the last time？ 。。。 That crazy woman from Warsaw； wasn't it？〃
〃The KGB's been chuckling ever since；〃 laughed Conklin。 〃The only secret she had was the recipe for the worst golumpki I've ever tasted。 。。。 Still keeping your hand in； Frank？〃
〃Every now and then；〃 replied the steward； grimacing in mock disapproval。 〃These young translators don't k