The Bourne Supremacy

'You also risk exposing your own hand, the hand you insisted had to be kept out of sight. '

'How so?'

'Because it's not the end yet. Say Webb doesn't make it. Say he's caught, and you can bet your elegant ass the order will be to take him alive. When a man like Sheng sees that a trap is set to kill him, he'll want to know who's behind it. If pulling out a fingernail or ten doesn't do it – and it probably wouldn't -they'll needle him full of juice and find out where he comes from. He's heard everything you've told him-'

'Even down to the point where the United States government ca

'That's right, and he won't be able to help himself. The

chemicals will bring it all out. Your hand's revealed. Washington is involved. '

'By whom?'

'By Webb, for Christ's sake! By Jason Bourne, if you like. '

'By a man with a history of mental illness, with a record of random aggression and self-deception? A paranoid schizophrenic whose logged telephone calls show a man disintegrating into dementia, making insane accusations, wild threats aimed at those trying to help him?' Havilland paused, then added quietly. 'Come now, Mr Conklin, such a man does not speak for the United States government. How could he? We've been searching for him everywhere. He's an irrational, fantasizing time bomb who finds conspiracies wherever his sick, tortured mind takes him. We want him back in therapy. We also suspect that because of his past activities he left the country with an illegal passport-'

'Therapy...? Alex broke in, stu

'Of course, Mr Conklin. If it's necessary, especially over a hot line – Sheng's hot line – we're willing to admit that he once worked for the government and was severely damaged by that work. But in no way is it possible he would have any official standing. Again, how could he? This tragic, violent man may have been responsible for the death of a wife he claims disappeared. '

'Marie? You'd use Marie?'

'We'd have to. She's in the logs, in the affidavits volunteered by men who knew Webb as a mental patient, who tried to help him. '

'Oh, Jesus!' whispered Alex, mesmerized by the cold, precise elder statesman of covert operations. 'You told him everything because you had your own back-ups. Even if he was taken, you could cover your ass with official logs, psychiatric evaluation – you could disassociate yourself! Oh, God, you bastard. '

'I told him the truth because he would have known it if I tried to lie to him again. McAllister, of course, went farther, emphasizing the organized crime factor which is all too true,

but a sensitive issue I'd prefer not to bring up. Nobody does. But then I didn't tell Edward everything. He hasn't yet put enough distance between his ethics and the demands of his job. When he does, he may join me on the heights, but I don't think he's capable. '

'You told David everything in case he was taken,' went on Conklin, not listening to Havilland. 'If the kill doesn't happen you want him taken. You're counting on the amphetamines and the scopolamine. The drugs! Then Sheng will get the message that his conspiracy's known to us and he'll get it unofficially, not from us but from an unsanctioned mental case. Jesus! It's a variation of what Webb told you!'

'Unofficially,' agreed the diplomat . 'So much is achieved that way. No confrontations, very smooth. Very cheap. No cost at all really. '

'Except a man's lifer shouted Alex. 'He'll be killed. He has to be killed from everyone's point of view. '

The price, Mr Conklin, if it must be paid. '

Alex waited, as if he expected Havilland to finish his statement. Nothing was forthcoming, only the strong, sad eyes peering into his. That's all you've got to say? It's the price – if it has to be paid?

The stakes are far higher than we imagined – far higher. You know that as well as I do, so don't look so shocked. 'The ambassador leaned back in his chair, somewhat stiffly. 'You've made such decisions before, such calculations. '

'Not like this. Never like this! You send in your own and you know the risks, but you don't set up a field man sealing off his escape route! He was better off believing – believing -he was bringing in the assassin to get his wife back!'

The objective is different. Infinitely more vital. '

'I know that. Then you don't send him! You get the codes and send someone else! Someone who isn't half dead from exhaustion!'

'Exhausted or not, he's the best man for the job and he insists on doing it. '

'Because he doesn't know what you've done! How you've boxed him in, made him the messenger who has to be killed!'

'I had no choice. As you say, he found me. I had to tell him the truth. '

Then, I repeat, send in someone else! A hit team recruited on the outside by a blind, no co

'You'd put us on a level with the Qaddafis of this world?"

That's so puerile I can't find words to-'

'Forget it,' broke in Havilland. If it was ever traced back to us – and it could be – we'd have to launch against China before they dropped something on us. Unthinkable. '

'What you're doing here is unthinkable!'

There are more important priorities than the survival of a single individual, Mr Conklin, and again you know that as well as I do. It's been your life's work – if you'll forgive me -but the present case is on a higher level than anything you ever experienced. Let's call it a geopolitical level. '

'Son of a bitch!'

'Your own guilt is showing now, Alex – if I may call you Alex – since you call in question my immediate family line. I never put Jason Bourne beyond-salvage. My most fervent hope is that he'll succeed, that the kill will take place. If that happens, he's free; the Far East is rid of a monster and the world will be spared an Oriental Sarajevo. That's my job, Alex. '

'At least tell him! Warn him!'

'I can't. Any more than you would in my position. You don't tell a tueur a gages-'

'Come again, elegant ass?

'A man sent in to kill must have the confidence of his convictions. He can't, for a second, reflect on his motives or his reasons. He must have no doubts at all. None. The obsession must be intact. It's his only chance to succeed. '

'Suppose he doesn't succeed? Suppose he's killed?

Then we start again as quickly as possible, putting someone else in place. McAllister will be with him in Macao

and learn the sequence codes to reach Sheng. Bourne's agreed to that. If the worst happens, we might even try his conspirator-for-a-conspirator theory. He says it's too late but he could be wrong. You see, I'm not above learning, Alex. '

'You're not above anything,' Conklin said angrily, getting out of the chair. 'But you forgot something – you forgot what you said to David. ' There's a glaring flaw. '

'What's that?'

'I won't let you get away with it. ' Alex limped towards the door. 'You can ask so much of a man but there comes a point when you don't ask any more. You're out, elegant ass. Webb's going to be told the truth. The whole truth. '

Conklin opened the door. He faced the back of a tall marine, who upon hearing the sound of the door opening did a precise about-face, his rifle at port-arms.

'Get out of my way, soldier,' said Alex.

'Sorry, sir!' barked the marine, his eyes distant, staring straight ahead.

Conklin turned back to the diplomat seated behind the desk. Havilland shrugged. 'Procedures,' he said.

'I thought these people were out of here. I thought they were sequestered at the airport. '

'The ones you saw are. These are a squad from the consulate contingent. Thanks to Downing Street's bending a few rules, this is officially US territory now. We are entitled to a military presence. '