"Why, Officer Pryce, are you asking me to marry you?"
"I am, Colonel Montrose."
"I'm touched, Cam, really I am," said Leslie, reaching for his hand and holding it gently.
"But I think you're forgetting, I'm carrying a fair amount of baggage. I'm career Army, and it can post me wherever and whenever it likes. I'm not ready to give up that career, I've worked and studied too long and too hard to get where I am. Then there's my son;
he could be a responsibility you may not care to assume."
"Why not? I think he's a wonderful boy-hell, I don't have to think it, he's proved it! You said he likes me and I like him, that's a pretty good beginning."
"What about the Army?"
"I'm a career intelligence officer and Frank Shields can send me to Outer Mongolia and I'd have to go. Just think how great our reunions would be.... Look, Leslie, considering our backgrounds, neither one of us would be ecstatic in sedentary jobs. Jets can fly people from Tokyo to New York over the pole in thirteen hours, from Beijing in seventeen. Traveling salesmen have to travel, women executives, too;
actors, actresses, and models go everywhere for work. It simply depends on the work you do. I think we can handle it."
"You're very persuasive, my darling."
"Score points for the lady," said Pryce enthusiastically.
"Scofield says that if a woman uses the term 'my darling," keep her around."
"How generous of him.. .. But you are persuasive and I'm being rather short-sighted."
"Am I gaining ground?"
"Yes, I believe you are."
Suddenly, from the sky, came the roar of approaching rotors. A helicopter was arriving from downwind, accounting for the abrupt thunderous sound. They looked up through the palms; a pontooned chopper was circling to land on the beach beyond the photoelectric cells. Together, Cam and Leslie, hand in hand, got up and ran down the path toward the sandy cove. As delicately as possible, considering its mass and the tonnage, the enormous helicopter touched down on the edge of the beach, the palms in an uproar at the intrusion.
The door of the chopper opened and the first to step out was Scofield. He turned, helping Antonia into the knee-deep water. They waded to shore as the clattering rotors came to a stop, and as women tend to do, Leslie and Toni embraced.
"Antonia, this place is paradise!" exclaimed Montrose.
"No wonder you adore it so."
"It has its points, my dear. Good heavens, the Corps of Engineers did a wonderful pruning job. The palms have been cut back beautifully."
"They also upgraded your generator system," said Pryce.
"Who asked them to?" argued a petulant Scofield.
"It was working fine."
"I believe the orders came from the White House," answered Cameron.
"Your capacity has been tripled, and the major in charge was instructed to tell you that it was a gift from a grateful nation."
"The President didn't say anything, and I was with the kid for over an hour."
"The kid?" said Antonia disapprovingly.
"Really, Bray ..."
"I didn't say I didn't like him. Actually, I think he's a very bright young fella, very conscientious. Also, quite generous. I explained that my pension barely covered my needs, due to the fact that my reputation forced me to live incognito out of the country, so right before my eyes and ears, he called the Agency and had them double it."
"That's the second President you've conned!" cried Pryce.
"I read your unexpurgated dossier, remember?"
"I don't remember anything, youngster. It's one of the blessings of advanced age.. .. Now, let me be clear, these two chopper pilots have a schedule to keep and you're part of it. We'd love to have you stay for a while, but I'm afraid it's not possible. Get your things together and climb on board. You've got about ten minutes."
Scofield and Antonia sat in the two lounge chairs by their lagoon.
"How does it feel, luv?"
"We're home, my darling. I couldn't ask for anything more."
"Any vittles around?" "A new walk-in refrigerator with enough food to last a year."
"They didn't have to do that."
"Oh yes, they did, my ... dearest darling. You're remarkable."
"Hey, this could be a terrific night, you know what I mean?"
"At our age? .. . Yes, yes, I do."
Aboard the Navy helicopter, on its way to Puerto Rico, where Officer Pryce and Lieutenant Colonel Montrose would be flown by jet to Washington, Cameron spoke.
"We were interrupted," he said.
"Have you thought about my proposition?"
"Your proposal, is that what you mean?"
"It certainly is."
"I have. Briefly but deeply. In your later years, do you think you'll be like Brandon Scofield, also known as Beowulf Agate?"
"I suppose it's possible. We're alike in many ways."
"With an Antonia?"
"You're my Antonia ... my Leslie."" "Then yes, my darling. I wouldn't miss the ride for anything on earth."
ROBERT LUDLUM is the author of twenty-one novels published in thirty-two languages and forty countries, with worldwide sales in excess of 200 million copies. His works include The Scarlatti Inheritance, The Osterman Weekend, The Matlock Paper, The Rhinemann Exchange, The Gemini Contenders, The Chancellor Manuscript, The Road to Gandolfo, The Holcroft Covenant, The Matarese Circle, The Bourne Identity, The Parsifal Mosaic, The Aquitaine Progression, The Bourne Supremacy, The Icarus Agenda, Trevayne, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Road to Omaha, The Scorpio Illusion, The Apocalypse Watch, and The Cry of the Halidon. He lives in Florida.
n& Wilson Ltd in Short Hills, New Jersey and educated in Connecticut.
A former actor and theatrical producer, at forty he decided to change careers and try his hand at writing. The rest is history a reputation for immediate bestsellers, publication in 40 countries and 32 languages, and sales of 220 million copies worldwide.
Robert Ludlum lives in Florida.
ISBN 0 00 225347 X
Jacket illustration by George Smith
The Matarese Countdown Page 56