| Cupping it in both hands, he cautiously angled the
glass in front of him?You must be addicted to the society pages of the Paris tabloids,? said the
Russian, chuckling as he replaced the mirror and returned the billfold to his jacket pocket?He?s
with the Italian embassy; that?s his wifePaolo and Davinia something-or-other, with pretensions to
nobility, I believeStrictly corpo diplomatico on the protocol levelThey dress up a party quite
nicely and they?re obviously stinking rich
?I don?t travel in those circles, but I?ve seen him somewhere before
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?Of course you haveHe looks like every middle-aged Italian screen star or any one of those
vineyard owners who extol the virtues of the Chianti Classico on television see by chloe bag commercials
?Maybe you?re right Krupkin turned to Bourne?I shall write out the name of a bank and the number of an
account in Geneva The Soviet reached into his pocket for a pen as he pulled a paper napkin in
front of himHe was not able to use either, for a man in his early thirties, dressed in a tight-fitting
suit, walked rapidly up to the table
?What is it, Sergei?? asked Krupkin
?Not you, sir,? replied the Soviet aide?Him,? he added, nodding at Bourne
?What is it?? repeated Jason
?You have been followedAt first we were not sure, for it is an old man with a urinary problem
He rapidly left the car twice to relieve himself, but once settled he used the car telephone and
squinted through the windscreen to read the name of the restaurantThat was barely minutes rolex oyster perpetual date ago
?How do you know he was following me??
?Because he arrived shortly after you did, and we were here a half hour before that securing the
area
?Securing the area!? erupted Conklin, looking at Krupkin?I thought this conference was strictly
between us
?Dear Aleksei, benevolent Aleksei, who would save me from myselfCan you really believe I?d
meet with you without considering my own protectionNot you personally, old friend, but your
aggressors in WashingtonCan you imagine? A deputy director of the CIA negotiates with me over
a man he pretends to think I do not know
?Goddamn you, I never told him!?
?Oh, dear me, then the error?s mine
?Don?t,? interrupted Jason firmly?That old man?s from the Jackal??
?Carlos!? cried Krupkin, his face flushed, his alert chanel cabas python bag blue eyes now intense, angry?The Jackal?s
after you, Aleksei??
?No, him,? answered Conklin
?Good God! With what we?ve picked up, it?s all falling into placeSo I have the distinct honor
to meet the infamous Jason BourneA great pleasure, sir! We have the same objective where
Carlos is concerned, do we not??
?If your men are any good, we may reach that objective before the next hour?s upCome on!
Let?s get out of here and use the back way, the kitchen, a window, whateverHe?s found me and
you can bet your ass he?s coming out here for meOnly he doesn?t know we know thatLet?s go!?
As the three men rose from the table Krupkin gave instructions to his aide?Have the car
brought around to the rear, the service entrance, if there is one, but do it casually, SergeiNo rolex oyster perpetual watch sense
of urgency, you understand me??
?We can drive half a mile down the road and turn into a pasture that will lead to the rear of the
buildingWe will not be seen by the old man in his carAnd have our backup remain in place but be prepared
?Of course, comrade The aide hurried back to the front entrance
?A backup?? exploded Alex?You had a backup??
?Please, Aleksei, why quibble? It?s your own fault, after allEven last night on the phone you
did not tell me about your conspiracy against your own deputy director
?It wasn?t a conspiracy, for Christ?s sake!?
Robert Ludlum ?? THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
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?It wasn?t exactly a pure rapport between the home office and the field, was it? No, Aleksei
Nikolae Konsolikov, you knew you could?shall we say?use me and you fendi spy bags d |