Read Online The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robert Ludlum
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possibility. He must have surrounded himself with a dozen bodyguards. '
'Right again. And that kind of security calls for the talents of a legend. His enemies hired that legend. '
'Bourne,' whispered David, shaking his head and closing his eyes.
'Yes,' concurred McAllister. Two weeks ago the drug dealer and Yao Ming's wife were shot in their bed at the Lisboa Hotel in Macao. It wasn't a pleasant kill; their bodies were barely recognizable. The weapon was an Uzi machine gun. The incident was covered up, the police and government officials bribed with a great deal of money - a taipan's money. '
'And let me guess,' said Webb in a monotone. 'The Uzi. It was the same weapon used in a previous killing credited to this Bourne. '
'That specific weapon was left outside a conference room in a cabaret in Kowloon's Tsim Sha Tsui. There were five corpses in that room, three of the victims among the colony's wealthier businessmen. The British won't elaborate; they merely showed us several very graphic photographs. '
'This taipan, Yao Ming,' said David, 'the actress's husband. He's the connection your people found, isn't he?"
'They learned that he was one of MI6's sources. His connections in Beijing made him an important contributor to intelligence. He was invaluable. '
'Then, of course, his wife was killed, his beloved young wife-'
'I'd say his beloved trophy,' interrupted McAllister. 'His trophy was taken. '
'All right,' said Webb. 'The trophy is far more important than the wife. '
'I've spent years in the Far East. There's a phrase for it - in Mandarin, I think, but I can't remember how it goes. '
'Ren you jiagian,' said David. The price of a man's image, as it were. '
'Yes, I guess that's it. '
'It'll do. So the man from MI6 is approached by his distraught contact, the taipan, and told to get the file on this Jason Bourne, the assassin who killed his wife - his trophy -or in short words, there might be no more information coming to British Intelligence from his sources in Beijing. '
'That's the way our people read it. And for his trouble the Sixer is killed because Yao Ming can't afford to have the slightest association with Bourne. The taipan has to remain unreachable, untouchable. He wants his revenge, but not with any possibility of exposure. '
'What do the British say? asked Marie.
'In no uncertain terms to stay away from the entire situation. London was blunt. We made a mess of Treadstone, and they don't want our ineptitude in Hong Kong during these sensitive times. '
'Have they confronted Yao mingy?' Webb watched the undersecretary closely.
'When I brought up the name, they said it was out of the question. In truth, they were startled, but that didn't change their stand. If anything, they were angrier. '
'Untouchable,' said David.
'They probably want to continue using him. '
'In spite of what he did?' Marie broke in. 'What he may have done, and what he might do to my husband?
'It's a different world,' said McAllister softly.
'You co-operated with them-'
'We had to,' interrupted the man from State.
'Then insist they co-operate with you. Demand it!'
'Then they could demand other things from us. We can't do that. '
'Liars!' Marie turned her head in disgust.
'I haven't lied to you, Mrs Webb. '
'Why don't I trust you, Mr McAllister?' asked David.
'Probably because you can't trust your government, Mr Webb, and you have very little reason to. I can only tell you that I'm a man of conscience. You can accept that or not accept me or not - but in the meantime I'll make sure you're safe.
'You look at me so strangely - why is that?
'I've never been in this position, that's why. '
The chimes of the doorbell rang, and Marie, shaking her head to their sound, rose and walked rapidly across the room and into the foyer. She opened the door. For a moment she stopped breathing and stared helplessly. Two men stood side by side, both holding up black plastic identification cases, each with a glistening silver badge
'Right again. And that kind of security calls for the talents of a legend. His enemies hired that legend. '
'Bourne,' whispered David, shaking his head and closing his eyes.
'Yes,' concurred McAllister. Two weeks ago the drug dealer and Yao Ming's wife were shot in their bed at the Lisboa Hotel in Macao. It wasn't a pleasant kill; their bodies were barely recognizable. The weapon was an Uzi machine gun. The incident was covered up, the police and government officials bribed with a great deal of money - a taipan's money. '
'And let me guess,' said Webb in a monotone. 'The Uzi. It was the same weapon used in a previous killing credited to this Bourne. '
'That specific weapon was left outside a conference room in a cabaret in Kowloon's Tsim Sha Tsui. There were five corpses in that room, three of the victims among the colony's wealthier businessmen. The British won't elaborate; they merely showed us several very graphic photographs. '
'This taipan, Yao Ming,' said David, 'the actress's husband. He's the connection your people found, isn't he?"
'They learned that he was one of MI6's sources. His connections in Beijing made him an important contributor to intelligence. He was invaluable. '
'Then, of course, his wife was killed, his beloved young wife-'
'I'd say his beloved trophy,' interrupted McAllister. 'His trophy was taken. '
'All right,' said Webb. 'The trophy is far more important than the wife. '
'I've spent years in the Far East. There's a phrase for it - in Mandarin, I think, but I can't remember how it goes. '
'Ren you jiagian,' said David. The price of a man's image, as it were. '
'Yes, I guess that's it. '
'It'll do. So the man from MI6 is approached by his distraught contact, the taipan, and told to get the file on this Jason Bourne, the assassin who killed his wife - his trophy -or in short words, there might be no more information coming to British Intelligence from his sources in Beijing. '
'That's the way our people read it. And for his trouble the Sixer is killed because Yao Ming can't afford to have the slightest association with Bourne. The taipan has to remain unreachable, untouchable. He wants his revenge, but not with any possibility of exposure. '
'What do the British say? asked Marie.
'In no uncertain terms to stay away from the entire situation. London was blunt. We made a mess of Treadstone, and they don't want our ineptitude in Hong Kong during these sensitive times. '
'Have they confronted Yao mingy?' Webb watched the undersecretary closely.
'When I brought up the name, they said it was out of the question. In truth, they were startled, but that didn't change their stand. If anything, they were angrier. '
'Untouchable,' said David.
'They probably want to continue using him. '
'In spite of what he did?' Marie broke in. 'What he may have done, and what he might do to my husband?
'It's a different world,' said McAllister softly.
'You co-operated with them-'
'We had to,' interrupted the man from State.
'Then insist they co-operate with you. Demand it!'
'Then they could demand other things from us. We can't do that. '
'Liars!' Marie turned her head in disgust.
'I haven't lied to you, Mrs Webb. '
'Why don't I trust you, Mr McAllister?' asked David.
'Probably because you can't trust your government, Mr Webb, and you have very little reason to. I can only tell you that I'm a man of conscience. You can accept that or not accept me or not - but in the meantime I'll make sure you're safe.
'You look at me so strangely - why is that?
'I've never been in this position, that's why. '
The chimes of the doorbell rang, and Marie, shaking her head to their sound, rose and walked rapidly across the room and into the foyer. She opened the door. For a moment she stopped breathing and stared helplessly. Two men stood side by side, both holding up black plastic identification cases, each with a glistening silver badge
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