The Jason Bourne Series 3-Book Bundle: The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum by Ludlum Robert

Author:Ludlum, Robert [Ludlum, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780345546067
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2013-11-17T16:00:00+00:00

26

Bourne stopped the black Shanghai sedan on the dark, tree-lined, deserted stretch of road. According to the map, he had passed the Eastern Gate of the Summer Palace—actually once a series of ancient royal villas set down on acres of sculptured countryside dominated by a lake known as Kunming. He had followed the shoreline north until the colored lights of the vast pleasure ground of emperors past faded, giving way to the darkness of the country road. He extinguished the headlights, got out, and carried his purchases, now in a waterproof knapsack, to the wall of trees lining the road, and dug his heel into the ground. The earth was soft, making his task easier, for the possibility that his rented car might be searched was real. He reached inside the knapsack, pulled out a pair of workman’s gloves and a long-bladed hunting knife. He knelt down and dug a hole deep enough to conceal the sack; he left the top of it open, picked up the knife and cut a notch in the trunk of the nearest tree to expose the white wood beneath the bark. He replaced the knife and gloves in the knapsack, pressed it down into the earth and covered it with dirt. He returned to the car, checked the odometer, and started the engine. If the map was as accurate about distances as it was in detailing those areas in and around Beijing where it was prohibited to drive, the entrance to the Jing Shan Sanctuary was no more than three-quarters of a mile away around a long curve up ahead.

The map was accurate. Two floodlights converged on the high green metal gate beneath huge panels depicting brightly colored birds; the gate was closed. In a small glass-enclosed structure on the right sat a single guard. At the sight of Jason’s approaching headlights he sprang up and ran out. It was difficult to tell whether the man’s jacket and trousers were a uniform or not; there was no evidence of a weapon.

Bourne drove the sedan up to within feet of the gate, climbed out, and approached the Chinese behind it, surprised to see that the man was in his late fifties or early sixties.

“Bei tong, bei tong!” began Jason before the guard could speak, apologizing for disturbing him. “I’ve had a terrible time,” he continued rapidly, pulling out the list of the French-assigned negotiators from his inside pocket. “I was to be here three and a half hours ago, but the car didn’t arrive and I couldn’t reach Minister—” He picked out the name of a textile minister from the list. “—Wang Xu, and I’m sure he’s as upset as I am!”

“You speak our language,” said the bewildered guard. “You have a car with no driver.”

“The minister cleared it. I’ve been to Beijing many, many times. We were going to have dinner together.”

“We are closed, and there is no restaurant here.”

“Did he leave a note for me, perhaps?”

“No one leaves anything here but lost articles. I have very nice Japanese binoculars I could sell you cheap.

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