| I?ll find a bed and call you in the morningBonne chance, mon ami
?? ?? ??
He found a room at the Avenir, an inexpensive hotel on the rue Gay-LussacRegistering under a
false name, promptly forgotten, he climbed the stairs to his room, removed his clothes, and fell into
the bed?Rest is a weapon,? he said to himself, staring at the ceiling, at the flickering lights of the
Paris streets as they traveled across the plasterWhether rest came in a mountain cave or a rice
paddy in the Mekong Delta, it did not matter; it was a weapon frequently more powerful than
firepowerThat was the lesson drummed into his head by d?Anjou, the man who had given his life
in a Beijing forest so that Jason Bourne might liveRest is a weapon, he considered, touching the
bandage around his neck yet not really feeling it, its constricting presence fading as sleep came
He woke up slowly, cautiously, the noise of the traffic in black gucci bag the streets below pounding up to his
window, the metallic horns like the erratic cawing of angry crows amid the irregular bursts of angry
engines, full bore one moment, abrupt quiet the nextIt was a normal morning in the narrow streets
of ParisHolding his neck rigid, Jason swung his legs to the floor from the inadequate bed and
looked at his watch, startled at what he saw, wondering for an instant whether he had adjusted the
watch for Paris timeIt was 10:07 in the morning?Paris timeHe had slept
Robert Ludlum ?? THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
194
nearly eleven hours, a fact confirmed by the rumbling in his stomachExhaustion was now replaced
by acute hunger
Food, however, would have to wait; there were things to take care of, and first on the list was to
reach Bernardine, and then to learn the security status of the Pont-Royal hotelHe got to his feet,
stiffly, unsteadily, numbness momentarily invading his discount tiffany's necklace legs and armsHe needed a hot shower,
which was not to be had at the Avenir, then mild exercise to limber up his body, therapies
unnecessary only a few years agoHe removed his wallet from his trousers, pulled out Bernardine?s
card and returned to the bed to use the telephone beside it; he dialed
?Le canard had no visitors, I?m afraid,? said the Deuxi?me veteran?Not even the hint of a
hunter, which I presume is favorable news
?It?s not until we find Panov?if we find himThe bastards!?
?Yes, that must be facedIt?s the ugliest part of our work
?Goddamn it, I can?t dismiss a man like Mo with ?That must be faced?!?
?I?m not asking you toI?m only remarking upon the realityYour feelings are meaningful to
you, but they don?t change realityI did not mean to offend you
?And I didn?t mean to mouth offIt?s just that he?s a very special personWhat are your plans? What do you need??
?I don?t know yet,? vintage cartier watch answered Bourne?I?ll pick up the car in the Capucines and an hour or so
later I?ll know moreWill you be home or at the Deuxi?me Bureau??
?Until I hear from you I will stay in my flat and near my very unique telephoneUnder the
circumstances I prefer that you do not call me at the office
?That?s an astonishing statement
?I don?t know everyone these days at the Deuxi?me, and at my age, caution is not merely the
better part of valor, it?s frequently a substituteBesides, to call off my protection so swiftly might
generate rumors of senilitySpeak to you later, mon ami
Jason replaced the phone, tempted to pick it up again and reach the Pont-Royal, but this was
Paris, the city of discretion, where hotel clerks were loath to give information over the telephone,
and would refuse to do so with guests they did not knowHe dressed quickly, went down to pay his
bill, and walked out onto the rue Gay-LussacThere was a louis vuitton neo taxi stand at the corner; eight minutes
later he walked into the lobby of the Pont-Royal and up to the concierge?Je m?appelle Monsieur
Simon,? he said to the man, giving his room number?I ran into a friend last night,? he continued in
flawless French, ?and I stayed at her placeWould you know if anyone came around looking for
me, perhaps asking for me Bourne removed several large franc notes, his eyes telling the man he
would pay generously for confidentiality?Or even describing someone like me,? he added softly
?Merci bien, monsieurI will check further with the night concierge, but I?m
sure he would have left a note for my personal attention if someone had come here seeking you
?Why are you so sure??
?Because he did leave such a note for me to speak with youI?ve been calling your room since
seven o?clock this morning when I came on duty
?What did the note say?? asked Jason, his breathing on fendi big hold |
| 