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“Ah... Robert Ludlum ?? THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
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“Ah ha,” cried the Deuxième associate, relishing a minor triumph of self-vindication“The
wrong building? That is indeed a mistake of consequence, eh, Fran?ois?”
“The consequences might have been far less tragic had you not abandoned me so hastily, as you
so aptly phrased itInstead of listening to a man with my vast experience, you ordered me out of
your car only to have me witness the horror moments after you fled
“We followed your orders! We searched the building—the wrong building!”
“Had you remained, if only for a brief conference, this might have been avoided and a friend
might be aliveI shall have to include that judgment in my report—”
“Please, old friend,” broke in the associate“Let us reason together for the good of the Bureau—
” The interruption now came with the shrill appearance of a fire truckBernardine held up his hand
and led his protesting former comrade across the boulevard, ostensibly to get out of the way of the
firemen, more purposefully to be within earshot of Jason Bourne“When our people arrive,” went
on the associate of the Deuxième, his voice rising with authority, “we shall empty the buildings and
detain every resident for thorough interrogation!”
“My
omega automatic seamaster watch God,” exclaimed Bernardine, “don’t add asininity to incompetence!”
“What?”
“The limousine, the brown limousine—surely you saw itThe driver said it raced away
“That’s all he told you?”
“Well, the truck was in flames and there was so much confusion radioing for personnel—”
“Look at the shattered glass!” commanded Fran?ois, pointing at the storefronts away from the
recess where Bourne was hiding“Look at the pits on the pavement and in the streetGun fire, my
old comradeThose involved escaped believing they had killed me! Say nothing, do nothing
Leave these people alone
“You are incomprehensible—”
“And you are a foolIf for any reason whatsoever there is the slightest possibility that even one
of those killers is ordered to return here, there can be no impediments
“Now you are inscrutable
“Not at all,” protested Bernardine as the firemen hosed down the flames of the van, their efforts
augmented by giant extinguishers“Send your people into each building, inquiring if everything is
all right, explaining that the authorities have determined the terrible events on the boulevard were
criminally orientedThe crisis has passed; there is no further alarm
“But is that true?”
“It’s what we want them to believe An ambulance stormed into the
rolex yacht master street followed by two
additional patrol cars, all the sirens at maximum volumeFrom the rue d’Alésia, apartment dwellers
had gathered at both corners, many in hastily pulled—on street attire—trousers and undershirts—
while others were in night clothes—frayed bathrobes and worn slippersNoting that the Jackal’s
van was now a smoldering mass of twisted steel and shattered glass, Bernardine continued: “Give
the crowds time to satisfy their morbid viewing, then send men to disperse themIn an hour or so,
when the rubble is under control and the bodies carted away, proclaim loudly to your police
detachment that the emergency is over, ordering all but one man back to the precinctThat man is
to remain here on duty until the debris is cleared from the boulevardHe is also to be instructed not
to interfere with anyone leaving the buildings, is that clear?”
“Not for a momentYou said that someone might be hiding—”
“I know what I said,” pressed the former Deuxième consultant
“You will stay here, then?”
Robert Ludlum ?? THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
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“YesI will move slowly, inconspicuously, around the areaWhat about the police report? And my report?”
“Use some of the truth, not all of it, of courseWord was passed to you—informer’s
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withheld—that an act of violence related to the Bureau’s narcotics division was to take place on the
boulevard Lefebvre at precisely this hourYou commandeered a police contingent and found
nothing, but shortly thereafter your highly professional instincts sent you back beyond the time
span, unfortunately too late to stop the carnage
“I might even be commended,” said the associate, suddenly frowning, wary“And your report?”
he asked quietly
“We’ll see if one is necessary, won’t we?” replied the newly reinstated Deuxième consultant
The medical team wrapped the bodies of the victims and placed them in the ambulance as a
wrecker hoisted what was left of the destroyed vehicle into the huge attached dumpsterThe crew
swept the street, several remarking that they should not sweep too thoroughly or no one would
recognize the LefebvreA quarter of an hour later the job was finished; the wrecker departed, the
lone patrolman joining the crew to be dropped off at the nearest police phone several blocks away
It was well past four o’clock in the morning, and soon the dawn would light up the sky over Paris,
preceding the boisterous human carnival belowNow, however, the only signs of life on the
boulevard Lefebvre were five lighted windows in the row of
celebrity chanel bag stone buildings controlled by Carlos
the JackalInside those rooms were men and women for whom sleep was not permittedThey had
work to do for their monseigneur
Bourne sat on the pavement, his legs outstretched, his back against the inside wall of a storefront
across from the building where the frightened yet argumentative baker and the indignant nun had
confronted the policeBernardine was in a similar recess several hundred feet away, opposite the
first building where the Jackal’s van had stopped for its condemned cargoTheir agreement was
firm: Jason would follow and take by force whoever left first from any building; the old Deuxième
veteran would follow whoever left second, ascertain his or her destination, but make no contact
Bourne’s judgment was that either the baker or the nun would be the assassin’s messenger, so he
had selected the north end of the row of stone houses
He was partially right, but he had not anticipated an embarrassment of personnel and
conveyancesAt 5:17, two bicycles ridden by nuns in full habits and white hats wheeled up from
the south side of the boulevard, ringing the muted bells on their handlebars as they stopped in front
of the house that was supposedly the quarters of the Magdalen Sisters of
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