28 ROBERT LUDIUM
ernment avenues cut off. As you say, the Delavanes
of this world have their constituencies."
"Exactly,' agreed Halliday. "And when I began
asking questions and tried to reach Delavane, he
wouldn't see me or talk to me. Instead, I got a
letter telling me I was fired, that if he had known
what I was he never would have retained me.
'Smoking dope and screaming curses while brave
young men answered their country's call.'"
Converse whistled softly. "And you think you
weren't connedP You provide legal services for him,
a structure he can use for all intents and purposes
within the law, and if anything smells, you're the last
person who can blow the whistle. He drapes the old
soldier's flag around himself and calls you a vin-
dictive freak."
Halliday nodded. "There was a lot more in that
letter nothing that could damage me except where
he was concerned, but it was brutal."
"I'm certain of it.' Converse took out a pack of
cigarettes; he held it forward as Halliday shook his
head. "How did you represent him?" asked Joel.
"I set up a corporation, a small consulting firm
in Palo Alto specialising in imports and exports.
What's allowed, what isn't, what the quotas are, and
how to legitimately reach the people in D.C. who
will listen to your case. Essentially it was a lobbying
effort, trading in on a name, if anyone remembered.
At the time, it struck me as kind of pathetic."
"I thought you said it wasn't registered,"
remarked Converse, lighting a cigarette.
"It's not the one we're after. It'd be a waste of
time."
"But it's where you first got your information,
isn't it? Your leads?"
'4That was the accident, and it won't happen
again. It's so legitimate it's legal Clorox."
"Still it's a front," -insisted Joel. "It has to be if
everything or anything you've said is true."
"It's true, and it is. But nothing's written down.
It's an instrument for travel, an excuse for Delavane
and the men around him to go from one place to
another, carrying on legitimate business. But while
they're in a given area, they do their real thing."
"The gathering of the generals and the field
marshals?" said Converse.
THE AOUITAINE PROGRESSION 29
"We think it's a spreading missionary operation.
Very quiet and very intense."
"What's the name of Delavane's firm?"
"Palo Alto International."
Joel suddenly crushed out his cigarette. "Who's
we, Avery? Who's putting up this kind of money
when amounts like that mean they're people who can
reach anyone they want to in Washington?"
"Are you interested?"
"Not in working for someone I don't know or
approve of. No, I'm not."
"Do you approve of the objectives as I've outlined
them to you?"
"If what you've told me is true, and I can't think
of any reason why you'd lie about it, of course I do.
You knew I would. That still doesn't answer my
question."
"Suppose," went on Halliday rapidly, "I were to
give you a letter stating that the sum of five hundred
thousand dollars to be allocated to you from a blind
account on the island of Nfykonos was provided by
a client of mine whose character and reputation are
of the highest order. That his "
"Wait a minute, Press," Converse broke in harshly.
"Please don't interrupt me, Please!" Halliday's
eyes were riveted on Joel, a manic intensity in his
stare. "There's no other way, not now. I'll put my
name my professional life on the line. You've been
hired to do confidential work within your
specialisation by a man known to me to be an
outstanding citizen who insists on anonymity. I
endorse both the man and the work he's asked you
to do, and swear not only to the legality of the
objectives but to the extraordinary benefits that
would be derived by any success you might have.
You're covered, you've got five hundred thousand
dollars, and I expect just as important to you,
perhaps more so, you have the chance to stop a
maniac maniacs from carrying out an unthinkable
plan. At the least, they'd create widespread unrest,
political crises everywhere, enormous suffering. At
the worst, they might change the course of history to
the point where there wouldn't be any history."
Converse sat rigid in his chair, his gaze unbroken.
"That's quite a speech. Practice it long?"
"No, you son of a bitch! It wasn't necessary to
practice. Any more than you rehearsed that little
explosion of yours twelve years ago in San Diego.
'Men like that can't be allowed
30 ROBERT [UDLUM
anymore, don't you understand? He was the enemy,
our enemy?' . . . Those were the words, weren't
they?"
' You did your homework, counselor," said Joel,
his anger controlled. "Why does your client insist on
being anonymous? Why doesn't he take his money,
make a political contribution, and talk to the
director of the CIA, or the National Security
Council, or the White House, any of which he could
do easily? A half-million dollars isn't chopped
chicken liver even today."
"Because he can't be involved officially in any
way whatsoever." Halliday frowned as he expelled
his breath. "I know it sounds crazy, but that's the
way it is. He is an outstanding man and I went to
him because I was cornered. Frankly, I thought he'd
pick up the phone and do what you just said. Call
the White House, if it came to it, but he wanted to
go this route."
"With me?"
"Sorry, he didn't know you. He said a strange
thing to me. He told me to find someone to shoot
down the bastards without giving them the dignity of
the government's concern, even its recognition. At
first I couldn't understand, but then I did. It fit in
with my own theory that laughing at the Delavanes
of this world renders them impotent more
thoroughly than any other way."
"It also eliminates the specter of martyrdom,"
added Converse. "Why would this outstanding
citizen do what he's doing? Why is it worth the
money to him?"
"If I told you, I'd be breaking the confidence."
"I didn't ask you his name. I want to know why."
"By telling you," said the Califomian, "you'd
know who he is. I can't do that. Take my word for
it, you'd approve of him."
"Next question," said Joel, a sharp edge to his
voice. "Just what the hell did you say to Talbot,
Brooks that they found so acceptable?"
"Resigned to finding it acceptable," corrected
Halliday. "I had help. Do you know Judge Lucas
Anstett?"
"Second Circuit Court," said Converse, nodding.
"He shoul
d have been tapped for the Supreme
Court years ago."
"That seems to be the consensus. He's also a
friend of my client, and as I understand it, he met
with John Talbot and Nathan Simon Brooks was
out of town and without revealing my client's
name, told them there was a problem that might
well erupt into a national crisis if immediate legal
ac
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 31
tion wasn't taken. Several U.S. firms were involved,
he explained, but the problem basically lay in
Europe and required the talents of an experienced
international lawyer. If their junior partner, Joel
Converse, was selected and he accepted, would they
consent to a leave of absence so he could pursue the
matter on a confidential basis? Naturally, the judge
strongly endorsed the project."
"And naturally Talbot and Simon went along,"
said Joel. 'You don't refuse Anstett. He's too
damned reasonable, to say nothing of the power of
his court."
"I don't think he'd use that lever."
"It's there."
Halliday reached into his jacket pocket and took
out a long white business envelope. "Here's the
letter. It spells out everything I said. There's also a
separate page defining the schedule in Mykonos.
Once you make arrangements at the bank how you
want the money paid or where you want it
transferred you'll be given the name of a man who
lives on the island; he's retired. Phone him; he'll tell
you when and where to meet. He has all the tools
we can give you. The names, the connections as we
think they are, and the activities they're most likely
engaged in that violate the laws of their respective
governments sending arms, equipment, and
technological information where it shouldn't be sent.
Build just two or three cases that are tied to
Delavanc -even circumstantially and it'll be enough.
We'll turn it all into ridicule. It will be enough."
"Where the hey do you get your nerve?" said
Converse angrily. "I haven't agreed to anything! You
don't make decisions for me, and neither does
Talbot or Simon, nor the holy Judge Anstett, nor
your goddamned client! What did you think you
were doing? Appraising me like a piece of horse-
flesh, making arrangements about me behind my
back! Who do you people think you are?"
"Concerned people who think we've found the
right man for the right job at the right time," said
Halliday, dropping the envelope in front of Joel.
"Only there's not that much time left. You've been
where they want to take us and you know what it's
like." Suddenly the Californian got up. "Think about
it. We'll talk later. By the way, the Swiss know we
were meeting this morning. If anyone asks what we
talked about, tell them I agreed to the final
disposition of the Class A stock. It's in our favor
even though you may think otherwise. Thanks
32 ROBERT LUDLUM
for the coffee. I'll be across the table in an hour. It's
good to see you again, Joel."
The Californian walked swiftly into the aisle and
out through the brass gate of the Chat Botte into
the sunlight of the Quai du Mont Blanc.
The telephone console was built into the far end
of a long dark conference table. Its muted hum was
in keeping with the dignified surroundings. The
Swiss arbitre, the legal representative of the canton
of Geneva, picked it up and spoke softly, nodding
his head twice, then replaced the phone in its cradle.
He looked around the table; seven of the eight
attorneys were in their chairs talking quietly with
one another. The eighth, Joel Converse, stood in
front of an enormous window flanked by drapes and
overlooking the Quai Gustave Ador. The giant jet
d'eau erupted beyond, its pulsating spray cascading
to the left under the force of a north wind. The sky
was growing dark; a summer storm was on its way
from the Alps.
"Messieurs, " said the arbiter Conversations trailed
off as faces were turned to the Swiss. "That was
Monsieur Halliday. He has been detained, but urges
you to proceed. His associate, Monsieur Rogeteau,
has his recommendations, and it is understood that
he met with Monsieur Converse earlier this morning
to resolve one of the last details. Is that not so,
Monsieur Converse?"
Heads turned again, now in the opposite
direction toward the figure by the window. There
was no response. Converse continued to stare down
at the lake.
"Monsieur Converse?"
"I beg your pardon?" Joel turned, a frown
creasing his brow, his thoughts far away, nowhere
near Geneva.
"It is so, monsieur?"
"What was the question?"
"You met earlier with Monsieur Halliday?"
Converse paused. "It is so," he replied.
"And 9"
"And he agreed to the final disposition of the
Class A stock."
There was an audible expression of relief on the
part of the Americans and a silent acceptance from
the Bern contingent, their eyes noncommittal.
Neither reaction was lost on Joel, and under
different circumstances he might have tabled
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 33
the item for additional consideration. Halliday's
judgment of Bern's advantage notwithstanding, the
acceptance was too easily achieved; he would have
postponed it anyway, at least for an hour's worth of
analysis. Somehow it did not matter. Goddamn him!
thought Converse.
"Then let us proceed as Monsieur Halliday
suggested," said the arbitre, glancing at his watch.
An hour stretched into two, then three, the hum
of voices mingling in counterpoint as pages were
passed back and forth, points clarified, paragraphs
initiated. And still Halliday did not appear. Lamps
were turned on as darkness filled the midday sky
outside the huge windows; there was talk of the
approaching storm.
Then, suddenly, screams came from beyond the
thick oak door of the conference room, swelling in
volume until images of horror filled the minds of all
who heard the prolonged terrible sounds. Some
around the enormous table lunged under it, others
got out of their chairs and stood in shock, and a few
rushed to the door, among them Converse. The
arbiter twisted the knob and yanked it back with such
force that the door crashed into the wall. What they
saw was a sight none of them would ever forget. Joel
lashed out, gripping, pulling, pushing away those in
front of him as he raced into the anteroom.
He saw Avery Fowler, his white shirt covered
with blood, his chest a mass of tiny, bleeding holes.
As the wounded man fell, his upturned collar
separated to reveal more blood on his throat. The
expulsions of br
eath were too well known to Joel; he
had held the heads of children in the camps as they
had wept in anger and the ultimate fear. He held
Avery Fowler's head now, lowering him to the floor.
"My God, what ha Opened ?" cried Converse,
cradling the dying man in his arms.
"They're . . . back," coughed the classmate from
long ago. "The elevator. They trapped me in the
elevator! . . . They said it was for Aquitaine, that was
the name they used . . . Aquitaine. Oh, Christ! Meg
. . . the kids!" Avery Fowler's head twisted spastically
into his right shoulder, then the final expulsion of air
came from his bloodied throat.
Converse stood in the rain, his clothes drenched,
staring at the unseen place on the water where only
an hour ago the
34 ROBERT LUDLUM
fountain had shot up to the sky proclaiming this was
Geneva. The lake was angry, an infinity of whitecaps
had replaced the graceful white sails. There were no
reflections anywhere. But there was distant thunder
from the north. From the Alps.
And Joel's mind was frozen.
He walked past the long marble counter of the
hotel Richemond's front desk and headed for the
winding staircase on the left. It was habit; his suite
was on the second Hoor and the brass-grilled
elevators with their wine-colored velvet interiors
were things of beauty, but not of swiftness. Too, he
enjoyed passing the casement displays of
outrageously priced brilliantly lit jewels that lined
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