| 3:02a |
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The unexpected rarely disturbed Bourne; it
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The unexpected rarely disturbed Bourne; it did nowHad Fontaine made a mistake? Had the old
man forgotten about the inn’s guard and erroneously presumed he was the Jackal’s contact? In his
aged eyes had an understandably surprised reaction on the guard’s part been misinterpreted as an
approach? Anything was possible, but considering the Frenchman’s background—the life of a
survivor—and the state of his alert mind, such a mistake was not realistic
Then the possibility of another reality came into focus and it was sickeningHad the guard been
killed or bribed, replaced by another? Carlos was a master of the turn-aroundIt was said he had
fulfilled a contract on the assassination of Anwar Sadat without firing a weapon, by merely
replacing the Egyptian president’s security detail with inexperienced recruits—money dispersed in
Cairo returned a hundredfold by the anti-Israel brotherhoods in the Middle EastIf it were true, the
exercise on Tranquility Isle was child’s play
Jason rose to his feet, gripped the top of the coastal wall, and slowly, painfully, his neck causing
agony, pulled himself up over the ledge, again slowly, inch by inch, sending one arm after the other
across the surface to grab the opposing edge for supportWhat he saw stunned him!
Fontaine was immobile, his mouth gaped in shock, his wide eyes disbelieving, as another old
man in a tan gabardine suit approached him and threw his arms around the aged hero of France
Fontaine pushed the man away in panic and bewildermentThe words erupted out of the radio in
Bourne’s pocket“Claude! Quelle secousse! Vous êtes ici!”
The ancient friend replied in a tremulous voice, speaking French“It is a privilege our
monseigneur permitted meTo see for a final time my sister, and to give comfort to my friend, her
husbandI am here and I am with you!”
“With me? He brought you here? But, of course, he did!”
“I am to take you to himThe great man wishes to speak with you
“Do you know what you’re doing—what you’ve done?”
“I am with you, with herWhat else matters?”
“She’s dead! She took her own life last night! He intended to kill us both
Shut off your radio! screamed Bourne in the silence of his thoughtsKill the radio! It was too
lateThe left door of the chapel opened and the silhouetted figure of a man walked out into the
Robert Ludlum ?? THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
169
floodlit corridor of colored lightsHe was young, muscular and blond, with blunt features and rigid
postureWas the Jackal training someone else to take his place?
“Come with me, please,” said the blond man, his French gentle but icily commanding“You,”
he added, addressing the old man in the tan gabardine suitAt the slightest
sound, fire your gun
Jason watched helplessly as Fontaine was escorted through the door of the ch |