If you like, we can postpone the briefing for a...
If you like, we can postpone the briefing for a few hours so you can rest, calm down
“Don’t be a damn fool, Alex!” protested the psychiatrist sharply“For the second time I’ve put
David’s life in jeopardyThe knowledge of that is far worse punishmentThere’s not a minute to
loseForget Langley, PeterTake me to one of your clinicsFree-floating, I want to get out
everything I can recall, consciously or unconsciouslyI’ll tell the doctors what to do
“You’ve got to be joking,” said Holland, staring at Panov
“I’m not joking for an instantYou both have to know what I know—whether I realize I know it
or notCan’t you understand that?”
The director again reached for the telephone and pressed a single buttonIn the front seat,
beyond the glass partition, the driver picked up the phone recessed in the seat beside him“There’s
been gucci bag sale a change of plans,” said Holland“Head for Sterile Five
The limousine slowed down, and at the next intersection turned right toward the rolling hills and
verdant fields of the Virginia hunt countryMorris Panov closed his eyes, as if in a trance or as a
man might do facing some appalling ordeal—his own execution perhapsAlex looked at Peter
Holland; they both glanced at Mo, then back at each otherWhatever Panov was doing, there was a
reason for itUntil they reached the gates of the estate that was Sterile House Five thirty minutes
later, no one spoke
“DCI and company,” announced the driver to the guard wearing the uniform of a private
security firm, in reality a CIA proprietaryThe limousine proceeded down the long tree-lined
entrance
“Thanks,” said Mo, opening his eyes and blinking“As I’m sure you gathered, I’m trying d&g dolce gabbana to
clear my head and with any luck bring down my blood pressure
“You don’t have to do this,” insisted Holland
“Yes, I do,” said Panov“Maybe with time I could piece things together with a degree of clarity,
but I can’t now and we don’t have the time Mo turned to Conklin“How much can you tell me?”
“Peter knows everythingFor the sake of that blood pressure of yours, I won’t fill you in on all
the details, but the bottom line is that David’s all rightAt least we haven’t heard otherwise
“Marie? The children?”
“On the island,” replied Alex, avoiding Holland’s eyes
“What about this Sterile Five?” asked Panov, now looking at Holland“I assume there’s a
specialist, or specialists, the kind I need
“In relays and around the clockYou probably know a few of them The long dark vehicle swung around the circular drive and stopped tiffany and co. jewelry in front of
the stone steps of the pillared Georgian mansion that was the focal point of the estate“Let’s go,”
said Mo quietly, stepping outside
The sculptured white doors, the rose-colored marble floors and the elegant winding staircase in
the great hall all combined to furnish a superb cover for the work done at Sterile FiveDefectors,
double and triple agents, and field officers returned from complex assignments for rest and
debriefing were continuously processed through its various agendasThe staff, each with a Four
Zero clearance, consisted of two doctors and three nurses in relay units, cooks and domestic
attendants recruited from the foreign service—in the main, overseas embassies—and guards, all
with Ranger training or its equivalentThey moved about the house and grounds unobtrusively,
eyes constantly alert, balenciaga bags in black each with either a concealed or an unconcealed weapon, except for the
medical personnelVisitors without exception were given small lapel pins by the well-spoken,
dark-suited house steward, who admitted them and directed them to the locations of their scheduled
Robert Ludlum ?? THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
240
appointmentsThe man was a retired gray-haired interpreter for the Central Intelligence Agency,
but he suited his position so well in appearance he might have come from Central Casting
Naturally, at the sight of Peter Holland, the steward was astonishedHe prided himself on
committing to memory every schedule at Sterile Five“A surprise visit, sir?”
“Good to see you, Frank The DCI shook hands with the former interpreter“You may
remember Alex Conklin—”
“Good Lord, is that you, Alex? It’s been years!” Again hands were cartier swiss watches shak